[cwiggins]

Assume you are playing Precision with 1NT = 10-12 in first and second seat.

In 3rd and 4th seat, "Precision Today" and Cohen-Berkowitz suggest playing 1NT as 14-16.

Playing matchpoints, wouldn't 1NT = 12-15 with no 4-card major make a lot of sense? Wei suggested 13-15 with no 4-card major in "Matchpoint Precision," and my recollection is that he and Ron Anderson did well at matchpoints.

Pluses include:
- You wouldn't miss any 4-4 major fits
- 1NT is mildly preemptive.
- 12-15 is more than partner has. So in many cases, the stronger hand will be declarer if you use transfers to respond.
- The NT ranges after 1C are the same.

Some inferences help. For example, after
P 1D
1S 1N
responder knows that the 1D opener has 4 hearts, which makes it more palatable to rebid 1N with hands that are 5422.

The only minus I can see is when partner is broke and you have no place to escape to, you might get a low score, especially if you are doubled and vulnerable. But that seems rare.

[Mbodell]

How well do you usually score when auctions are opened 1nt, or when you get to declare 1nt?

The answers to the above are likely "really well" which means IMO you should not place many restrictions on your 1nt opening. Make it as wide ranging as palatable, and I wouldn't add major restrictions.

In one partnership where we open all 10 counts white and balanced 12s, unbalanced 10s white our 3rd seat 1nt openers are 10-12(13, occasionally 14) and our 4th seat 1nt is 12-14.

Since we do not have game in these situations, our priorities have changed and our system as a passed hand over partner's 1nt is geared to the majors and spades.

2♣ - both majors, better hearts
2♦ - both majors, better spades
2♥ - both majors, equal strength
2♠ - just spades

This lets us sometimes get back to the majors when we have it, but doesn't leave us worried about showing the opponents the way to compete (a transfer to ♥ was frequently a transfer to defend 2♠).

With mini-nt you've already embraced the preemptive nature of 1nt, so extend it to 3rd (especially) and 4th (somewhat).

[helene_t]

If 1NT is limited to 15 it is not primarily constructive opposite a partner limited to 9, so you might as well open 1NT with less than 12. 0-15 at favorable sounds good.

But I think taking some of the balanced hands out of the 1♣ opener is more important. I would play 1NT as 16-18 which must, for constructive purposes, be the optimal range opposite a partner limited to 9.

[akhare]

Mbodell, on 2011-February-22, 01:19, said:

In one partnership where we open all 10 counts white and balanced 12s, unbalanced 10s white our 3rd seat 1nt openers are 10-12(13, occasionally 14) and our 4th seat 1nt is 12-14.

I play a similar approach in a partnership. Since, our first and second NT openings are 10-12 when NV, it makes perfect sense to have a 10-14 range for third seat openings because game is impossible. The 4th seat, should revert to a "stronger range" of your choice (12-14, 13-15, 14-16)...

[dake50]

Agree Mbodell.
Do you want 3-seat/4-seat 1NT to intend "game if max-pass"? So 15-17 eg.
Or do you want late seats 1NT to mean "our partial if middling(5-8)"?
Either choice must throw cross-intents into some rebid to show that.
How to show 15-17bal if 1NT:12-14?
How to get 12-14bal out quick if 1NT:15-17?