Sandwich NT with other bids

The bid of 1NT is usually made in the fourth seat after your partner has passed and the opponents have bid two suits at the one level. It must be alerted and shows five-five or better in the unbid suits and less that a full opener and a lack of defensive values. You are usually willing to play at the two level (eight losers non vulnerable, seven losers vulnerable). With a full opener, use the take-out double which also suggests the two unbid suits. The more distributional the hand is, the weaker, point-wise, you can be to make the 1NT overcall. If the opener (the opponent) passes, the partner of the 1NT bidder must bid one of the two remaining suits unless they have both of the opponents' suits stopped and no three card suit in the two suits partner has promised. The 1NT bid is alertable. You are giving up the natural 1NT overcall in fourth seat when the opponents have bid two suits, however, how often does it come up? Beware: Make sure both partners know you are playing this bid, or you could end up with some uncomfortable hands to play.

The objective here is to turn what appears to be the start of a constructive auction into a competitive auction. It is also preemptive. Opener probably wants to rebid 1NT to show a balanced minimum, but you just stole his bid. By bidding 1NT you have screwed opener up to the 2 level, but often will pass in frustration.

With the same distribution (five-five or better) and 16+ HCP, you bid a Sandwich 2NT. Now you are willing to play at the three-level.

Examples:

• Qxxxx xx x QJxxx Vul, after 1 - (Pass) - 1, overcall 1NT. 7 Losers.
• xx xxxxx QJxxx x Nonvul, after 1 - (pass) - 1, overcall 1NT. 8 Losers.
• KJxxx, x, xx, QJxxx, after 1 - Pass - 1, overcall 1NT. 7 losers. With KQxxx, Kx, x, AKJxx. Now, one would bid 2NT.

When one is four-four, five-five (stronger) in the two unbid suits or five-four (six-five..see below) in the unbid suits, the Sandwich NT bids are replaced by a Takeout Double or a Hess Cue Bid.

Takeout Double

The takeout double has more HCP. The distribution may be: KQxx, xx,xxx, AKJx, more than an opening hand when partner is forced to bid at the three-level. But, if forced to bid at only the two level, the doubler has 12+HCP, an opening hand.

Hess Cue Bids (sometimes called High/Lo bids) (with a variation)

When the opponents have bid two different suits, then a cue bid of the higher ranking suit shows five cards in the higher unbid suit and four cards in the lower unbid suit. A cue bid of the lower bid suit shows five cards in the lower bid suit and four cards in the higher unbid suit. 16+ high card or working points.

You could also choose these cuebids to show 6-5. You cuebid the higher ranking suit to show 6 in the higher ranking suit etc. Point count should still be 16+ high card or working points. With less just bid Sandwich 1NT

Some Examples:

1 - Pass - 1 - 1NT shows Clubs and Spades with 5-5 shape, but not strength.

1 - Pass - 1 - double shows Clubs and Spades with 4-4 shape or better and opening values.

1 - Pass - 1 - 1NT shows Diamonds and Hearts with 5-5 shape, but not strength.

1 - Pass - 2 - 2NT shows Diamonds and Hearts with 5-5 shape and 16+ HCP.

1 - Pass - 2 - 2 shows Hearts and Diamonds with 5-4 shape and 16+HCP. (Or 6-5 shape depending on agreement)

1 - Pass - 2 - 3 shows Diamonds and Hearts with 5-4 shape and 16+HCP. (Or 6-5 shape depending on agreement)