Balanced hands include all 4-3-3-3, 4-4-3-2 and 5-3-3-2 hand patterns. Shapes such as 5-4-2-2 or 6-3-2-2 with appropriate honour dispersal and/or rebid problems may be acceptable. When opening the bidding, plan the auction according to the table below:
| Range (HCP) |
Strategy |
| 0-11 |
Pass |
| 12-14 |
1NT |
| 15-17 |
Lowest 4-card suit, planning to raise responder or rebid 1NT over a one-level auction, or 2NT over a two-level auction. |
| 18-20 |
Lowest 4-card suit, planning to raise responder or rebid 2NT over a one-level auction, or 3NT over a three-level auction.. |
| 21-22 |
Open 2C, planning to rebid 2NT
|
| 23-24 |
Open 2NT
|
| 25+ |
Open 2C, planning to rebid 2H (Kokish) followed by 2NT
|
After 1NT rebids, the following structure is used by responder to continue the auction. 2C is a puppet to 2D which may be to play, or preceding a natural invitational or natural game-forcing auction with a near-balanced hand. Otherwise four-suit transfers and natural bids at the three-level are all available to give differing descriptions of responder's hand.
- After the 2C puppet, responder may bid any of 2H, 2S or 2NT to make a natural non-forcing invitation in the context of the preceding auction. An invitation in an unshown major shows four cards in that suit, and an invitation in responder's previously shown major shows five cards in that suit. A bid at the three-level is game forcing and shows a balanced, three-suited or similar shape and shows interest in choice of strain, and possibly higher levels.
- A transfer to the major responder has already shown requires opener to accept at the two level. Responder may then pass, raise to the three-level invitationally with at least six cards, or bid a new suit to show at least 6-4. 2NT is undefined. 4NT is RKCB for responder's major. Jumps to new suits show an independent trump suit and at most a singleton in the suit named.
- A transfer to a new suit shows 5 cards in responder's first suit and 4 cards in their second suit. Opener accepts the transfer naturally. In particular the auctions 1m 1S; 1NT 2D require opener to give preference on the assumption that responder has a weak 5S 4H hand. The auction 1H 1S; 1NT 2D shows interest in playing in hearts and the auction develops naturally after opener's 2H rebid. A transfer to a minor normally shows a game force with 4 cards in the indicated minor, whether a new suit or opener's suit. Since the transfer is two steps below the indicated suit, opener may bid step 1 to show low interest in the named strain, or step 2 to show interest in the named strain, in the context of the previous auction. The auction develops naturally. The exceptional cases are the auctions 1D/1H 1S; 1NT 2S. Here responder is permitted to have a weak 4S 6+C signoff, an invitational 4S 6+C hand or a natural game-force with 5S 4C (with more spades transfer to them first, with more clubs, bid directly at the three-level). Opener bids step 1 or step 2 appropriately, but must respect a 3C signoff.
- A bid at the three level in a new suit or opener's suit shows at least game values and at least 5 cards in the named strain (else a transfer would be used to show the strain) and thus at least 5 cards in responder's first suit. The auction develops naturally.
- A bid at the three level in responder's suit shows length, sets trumps and implies slam interest in a hand unsuited to a transfer-then-splinter auction. Opener's 3NT is then discouraging.
After opener's 2NT rebid to a one-level suit response, responder rebids 3C to require a 3D puppet. Responder then makes a natural checkback for major suit fits, or bids 3NT to show a hand with natural clubs and interest in other strains or levels.
Responder's other bids are natural.