Bidding and conventions
Cappelletti
Cappelletti is a defence to an opponent's 1NT opening: a set of two-level overcalls that show one-suited and two-suited hands, while keeping double for penalties. After a 15–17 notrump your side holds about 23 points, usually enough to contest the partscore.
Why 1NT is hard to defend
A strong notrump opening is hard to compete against. It describes a narrow, strong, balanced hand in one call and leaves the opponents bidding at the two level with no information about each other.
Natural overcalls don't work well. Bid 2♥ on a five-card suit, find partner with a doubleton, and you're in a 5-2 fit at the two level against a hand that knows it holds most of the high cards.
The opening leader is sitting over you with a very good idea of what to lead.
Passing is safe, but you lose partscores when your side has a fit you never find.
Artificial 1NT defences are built on one idea: two-suited hands are safer to compete with than one-suited hands.
With two suits, partner almost always has three cards in one of them, so you find a fit. The bids show two-suiters cheaply, and one-suited hands go through a single asking bid.
The bids in detail
2♣: a one-suited hand
Artificial. It shows a good six-card suit or longer and says nothing about clubs. Partner is expected to bid 2♦, and the overcaller then names their real suit.
With diamonds the overcaller passes 2♦, and with clubs they bid 3♣. Some partnerships play other follow-ups, so agree this one with your partner.
| West | North | East | South |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1NT | |||
| 2♣ | Pass | 2♦ | Pass |
| 2♠ | Pass | Pass | Pass |
2♦: both majors
At least 5-4 in the majors, usually 5-5. Responder picks their longer major and the partnership is in a fit straight away. With equal length, responder bids 2♥.
10 points and 5-5 in the majors: enough shape to compete.
2♥ and 2♠: a major and a minor
Five or more cards in the named major, and four or more in an unspecified minor, typically 5-4 or better. Responder passes with support for the major; with no fit, they bid 2NT to ask which minor, and the overcaller names it.
Double: penalties
About 15 or more balanced points. Against a 15–17 notrump that's rare (there are only 40 points in the pack), but when it happens it's very profitable.
Partner passes unless very weak and very shapely.
When to compete at all
Shape matters more than strength here. A 9-point hand with 5-5 in the majors is a clear overcall; a 13-point balanced hand is a clear pass. The rough guides:
- Two-suited hands: about 8+ points with 5-5, or 10+ with 5-4.
- One-suited hands: a good six-card suit and about 10+, because you're committing to the two level with only one place to play.
- Vulnerability matters more than usual. Vulnerable against not vulnerable, going down doubled is expensive, and the opponents will double you when they can.
Other defences, and agreeing on one
There are several widely played defences to 1NT and they assign different meanings to the same bids. If two players haven't agreed which one they play, they end up bidding different systems at the same table.
- Landy is the simplest: 2♣ shows both majors, and everything else is natural. It's easy to remember.
- DONT (Disturb Opponents' Notrump): double shows a one-suiter, and each suit bid shows that suit plus a higher one. It lets you compete on very weak hands, but you lose the penalty double.
- Meckwell: double shows either a minor or both majors; 2♣ and 2♦ show that minor plus a major. Precise, but there's more to remember.
- Cappelletti: as above. Its distinguishing feature is that it keeps the penalty double, which DONT and Meckwell both give up.