Meckwell Defense to 1NT: Bids, Responses, Examples

Meckwell is a defense to the opponents' 1NT opening in which double shows either a one-suited minor or both majors, 2♣ and 2♦ show that minor plus a major, 2♥ and 2♠ are natural one-suiters, and 2NT shows both minors. Advancer answers the double with a 2♣ relay, and the doubler then names the hand.

The convention is named after Jeff Meckstroth and Eric Rodwell, the American world champions known as "Meckwell," who developed it. It is played mostly against a strong (15-17) notrump, in North American tournament bridge and online.

The design is clever. The most common competitive hands over 1NT are a long major (bid it naturally), a major two-suiter, or a long minor. Meckwell bids the long majors naturally so that partner can raise or pass at once, and puts the harder hands in the double.

Shape. Two-suited bids show at least five-four. The one-suited minor in the double is usually six cards. Natural 2♥ and 2♠ show a good five or six-card suit.

Strength. Against a strong notrump, about 10+ HCP in the direct seat, less with good shape at favorable vulnerability. There is no penalty double, so with a strong balanced hand you pass and defend.

• 2♣: the relay, almost always. The doubler then passes with clubs, bids 2♦ with diamonds, or bids 2♥ with both majors. After 2♥, advancer passes with hearts or bids 2♠ with spades.
• A long suit of your own: with a six-card suit that plays well opposite shortness, you may bid it instead of the relay.
• Pass: for penalty, only with real values. The double is artificial, so this is rare.

The weak spot: when the doubler has both majors and bids 2♥, advancer does not know whether partner is 5-4 or 4-5. With equal major length, advancer usually bids 2♠ when spades are at least as long, and passes 2♥ otherwise.

• Pass: support for the minor.
• 2♥: pass or correct: "if your major is hearts, pass; if it is spades, bid 2♠."
• 2♠: to play, a good spade suit of your own, or a fit when you know partner's major is spades.
• 2NT: a strong inquiry, game interest.
• Raise of the minor: competitive or preemptive with a fit.

After a natural major, advancer passes or raises: three-card support is enough for a competitive raise. After 2NT, advancer picks a minor at the three level, or higher with a big fit.

East opens a strong 1NT. You hold ♠AQ1093 ♥KJ84 ♦72 ♣95: 10 HCP, five spades and four hearts. Double: both majors.

Partner has four spades and two hearts, so partner bids 2♠ over your 2♥. Double dummy, 2♠ makes: +110. Left alone, East's 1NT makes eight tricks for +120, so the defense turns a minus into a plus.

Notice the cost of the double here. If West had bid 2♥ or 3♣ over your double, partner could not relay and you would have to show the majors at a higher level. That is the convention's known weak point.

More hands over a strong 1NT:

• ♠73 ♥52 ♦AQJ1064 ♣K73: double, then 2♦ over the relay. A one-suited minor.
• ♠KJ84 ♥5 ♦AQ1073 ♣862: 2♦, diamonds and a major.
• ♠6 ♥AQ10862 ♦K74 ♣J93: 2♥, natural.
• ♠4 ♥73 ♦KQ1086 ♣AJ972: 2NT, both minors.

Against a weak notrump (12-14), many pairs change one thing: the double goes back to penalty, showing about 15+ HCP, and the two-level bids stay as in Meckwell. A weak notrump opener often has no safe place to run, so the penalty double wins a lot of points.

Without the artificial double, the long-minor hands and the both-majors hands need a new home. Some pairs bid a long minor naturally at the three level and show the majors with another bid; others simply switch to Landy against a weak notrump. Agree your method before you meet a weak notrump pair.

Strengths of Meckwell. The long majors are bid naturally, so advancer can raise at once and preempt the opponents. Every minor-major two-suiter has its own bid.

Weaknesses. The double is a "two-way" bid. When the opponents compete over it, the doubler may never get to show which hand it was. And without a penalty double, you lose the big score when 1NT goes several down.

DONT is better suited to light, frequent interference at matchpoints. Cappelletti keeps the penalty double. Landy is the simplest, popular against a weak notrump. All four work; what matters is that both partners know the same one. To see how the robots' standard systems read a double of 1NT, check 1NT - X in every system.

• Forgetting the relay. After partner's double, bid 2♣ unless you have a long suit of your own.
• Showing the majors with 2♣. In Meckwell, both majors go through the double, not 2♣.
• Passing 2♣ or 2♦ without the minor. If you do not like the minor, bid 2♥ to find the major.
• Doubling with a strong balanced hand. The double is artificial. Pass and defend.
• Mixing it up with DONT. In DONT the double is any one-suiter; in Meckwell it is a minor or both majors.

(1NT) ?

• X: a minor or both majors.
  • 2♣ relay. Doubler: Pass = clubs, 2♦ = diamonds, 2♥ = both majors (advancer passes or bids 2♠).
• 2♣: clubs + a major. Pass, or 2♥ pass or correct.
• 2♦: diamonds + a major. Pass, or 2♥ pass or correct.
• 2♥ / 2♠: natural. Pass or raise.
• 2NT: both minors. Choose at the three level.
• 3-level: natural, preemptive.

A defense to 1NT only earns points when both partners recognize it at once. BridgeDummy's bidding puzzles give you competitive auctions as South over the opponents' notrump, and every option is solved double dummy over many deals that fit the auction, so you see how often your call beat a pass.

The free double dummy analyzer is useful for checking a deal from your own game: enter the four hands and see which contracts each side makes.

Related pages: doubles in bridge, overcalls and bridge conventions.