♠♠♠♠♠♠♠♠♠♠♠♠♠♠♠♠♠♠♠♠♠♠♠♠♠♠♠♠♠♠♠♠♠♠♠

♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥

HEEMAN
Responding to 1NT

♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦

Wim Heemskerk

♣ ♣ ♣ ♣ ♣ ♣ ♣ ♣ ♣ ♣ ♣ ♣ ♣ ♣ ♣ ♣ ♣ ♣ ♣ ♣ ♣ ♣ ♣♣ ♣ ♣ ♣ ♣ ♣ ♣ ♣ ♣ ♣ ♣ ♣ ♣
 Contents
0. Abbreviations and Special Terms
1. Introduction
2. An extensive overview
2.1 1NT - 2♣
2.2 1NT- 2♦/2♥
2.3 1NT- 2♠
2.4 1NT- 2NT
2.5 1NT - 3♣
2.6 1NT - 3♦
2.7 1NT - 3♥/3♠
2.8 1NT – 3NT and up
3. How to bid with .....; a short summary
4. CONFIT: controls and (strong balanced hands)
 0. Abbreviations and Special Terms
transfer = a bid showing, and urging partner to bid, a strain other than the one named
puppet = a bid requiring partner to make a specified other bid but not showing the strain
slammish = good enough to (at least) hope for slam
CONFIT = CONtrols and FIT
4441 = any 4441
4=4=4=1 = exactly 4 spades, 4 hearts, 4 diamonds and 1 club
RKB = Roman Keycard Blackwood
better = the longer of two suits, or if equally long, the stronger suit
long suit = six-card suit or longer
 1. Introduction

You, East, hold: ♠ K1032

♥ A5
♦ K1032
♣ 843

What suit do you lead after the following bidding sequence?

Bidding Sequence 1: North South

1NT 2♣
2♦ 3NT
pass

Most players would lead a spade. Declarer has denied a four-card major.

Bidding Sequence 2: North South

1NT 2♣
2♠ 3NT
pass

And now? Probably not an spade as declarer has shown four. This time a diamond looks more
attractive. South was looking for a heart fit and used Stayman to investigate. But North has
fewer than four hearts, and if South had known he would raised 1NT to 3NT directly. Stayman
gave the opponents useful information.

Bidding sequence 3: North South

1NT 3NT* * I have four hearts and want to play 3NT or 4♥
pass

And now? With 3NT, South promised four hearts. As North passed, he has fewer than four
hearts, but you know nothing about his other suits. He might have four, three or even two
spades. Want to lead a spade? (By the way, this 3NT bid is not a part of Heeman, it is just an
illustration to make my point).

Because of the 'strange 3NT bid' in the third bidding sequence North and South were able to find
their best contact without revealing information about declarer’s hand needlessly. This is the
most important advantage that Heeman offers in many sequences. However, it is not the only
advantage. Suppose responder has an invitational hand with four-card major and a long minor.
Using Stayman, he starts with 2♣. All is well if a fit in a major suit exists, but if not, there is no
way to invite game in responder’s minor, as his 3♣ or 3♦ rebid is generally played as forcing.
Heeman provides such a way, along with many ways to show strong responding hands.

Some distinctive features of Heeman:

- 2♣ is now a 'telling' bid instead of an 'asking' bid
- 2♦ and 2♥ transfer bids are based either on weak hands with five or more cards in the
promised major or hands with four cards in the promised major and at least game-invitational
strength
- responder starts with 2♣ to show a five-card major and at least game-invitational strength
- all good (game-invitational or better) hands with both majors (at least 4-4) begin with 2♦ and
follow up with 2♠ (unless opener super-accepts hearts), even if spades is the longest suit

You may wonder why Heeman uses 2♦ or 2♥ for hands with four-card majors and 2♣ for good
hands with five. It is not merely from iconoclasm, a desire to turn things upside down; there is a
small technical reason. If you look at the symmetric sequels 1NT-2♣; 2♦-2♥; 2♠-bid (five
spades) and 1NT-2♣; 2♦-same bid (five hearts), and the similar symmetric sequences starting
with a 2♦ or 2♥ response (four cards in the major shown), you may see why. 1NT-2♦; 2♥- 2♠
now becomes available to show both majors cheaply with invitational or better hands, allowing
opener to stop in 2NT while guaranteeing responder another turn when he has better than
invitational values.

I am aware that proposing to modify Stayman and Jacoby is almost blasphemy. After all, these
are among the most popular conventions ever invented. However I think Heeman makes an
improvement. After studying the next pages you may develop some ideas of your own. If you
do, I shall be very happy. Just by giving you something to think about, I will have made my
small contribution to our beautiful game.

Heeman was developed with the help of ideas by Lindkvist, Nilsland, Wirgren ("Notrump
Bidding - the Scanian Way") and the Italian, Leandro Burgay.

Wim Heemskerk
Bodegraven
 2. An extensive overview
Responses to 1NT:
2♣ = puppet to 2♦ a) weak with diamonds
b) invitational or better with a five-card major
c) slammish with a good long major suit
d) weak or invitational with 5-4 or 5-5 in the minors
e) slammish with a long minor

2♦ = transfer, at least four ♥ a) balanced with four hearts, invitational or better

b) unbalanced with four hearts, invitational or better
c) slammish with long, weak hearts
d) mildly slammish 4=4=4=1
e) invitational or better with at least 4-4 in the majors

2♥ = transfer, at least four ♠ a) balanced with four spades, invitational or better

b) unbalanced with four spades, invitational or better
c) slammish with long, weak spades

2♠ = asks strength a) weak with clubs

b) balanced and invitational with no four-card major
c) slammish with 5-4 or longer in the minors
d) balanced, slammish (CONFIT)

2NT = asks weak doubleton a) invitational with a long minor

b) slammish with a long minor
c) a game hand with a long solid major (rare)

3♣ = puppet to 3♦ a) weak with diamonds

b) slammish 4441 (very slammish if 4=4=4=1) hand

3♦ = "multi-invitational" long major with game-invitational values

3♥ = splinter 3=1=4=5 or 3=1=5=4

3♠ = splinter 1=3=4=5 or 1=3=5=4

3NT = natural to play

4♣ = Gerber ace-asking

4♦ = Texas Transfer long hearts

4♥ = Texas Transfer long spades

4♠ = choice of minors at least 5-5 in the minors

4NT = natural slam-invitational

5♣ or 5♦ = natural to play
 2.1 1NT - 2♣

West East
1NT 2♣ = puppet to 2♦ a) weak with diamonds
b) five-card major, invitational or better
c) good long major, slammish
d) 5-4 or 5-5 in the minors, weak or invitational
e) long minor, slammish

2♣ encompasses, among other hands, all hands with a five-card major and at least
invitational strength (but without four cards in the other major). The sequences with hearts and
spades are symmetric. Opener must bid 2♦. Responder passes with weak diamonds (of course).
Responder shows spades by rebidding 2♥ (transfer). Responder shows a weak or invitational
hand with both minors, or a slammish minor one-suiter, by rebidding 2♠. All of responder’s
rebids beyond 2♠ show hearts.

West East
1NT 2♣
2♦ 2♥ * * transfer, at least five spades
2♠ ???

2NT = five spades, no shortness, invitational

3♣ = five spades, at least four clubs, invitational
3♦ = five spades, at least four diamonds, invitational
3♥ = five spades, at least four clubs, slammish
3♠ = five spades, at least four diamonds, slammish
3NT = five spades, no shortness, choice of games
4♣ = splinter, good long spades
4♦ = splinter, good long spades
4♥ = Roman Key-Card
4♠ = good long spades, slam-invitational
4NT = five spades, balanced, slam-invitational in spades or notrump

West East
1NT 2♣
2♦ 2♠* *one long minor (slammish) or both minors (weak or invitational)
???

2NT = minimum
3♣ = maximum, better clubs than diamonds
3♦ = maximum, better diamonds than clubs

West East
1NT 2♣
2♦ 2♠
2NT ???
3♣ = five clubs and four or five diamonds, no game interest;
opener must pass or correct to 3♦
West East
1NT 2♣
2♦ 2♠
3♣ or 3♦ ???
pass = weak 5-4 or 5-5 in the minors

West East
1NT 2♣
2♦ 2♠
2NT, 3♣ or 3♦ ???
3♥ = long clubs, slammish
3♠ = long diamonds, slammish
After 3♥ or 3♠, opener’s 3NT discourages slam, but responder
can set trump by bidding four of his minor. 4NT, whether direct
or delayed, as opener has already shown (by bidding 2NT or three
of a minor) whether he is minimum or maximum.
3NT = to play

West East
1NT 2♣
2♦ ??? (all rebids by responder beyond 2♠ show hearts)

2NT = five hearts, no shortness, invitational

3♣ = five hearts, at least four clubs, invitational
3♦ = five hearts, at least four diamonds, invitational
3♥ = five hearts, at least four clubs, slammish
3♠ = five hearts, at least four diamonds, slammish
3NT = five hearts, no shortness, choice of games
4♣ = splinter, good long hearts
4♦ = splinter, good long hearts
4♥ = good long hearts, slam-invitational
4♠ = Roman Key-Card
4NT = five hearts, balanced, slam-invitational in hearts or notrump

2.2 ♦/2♥
1NT-2♦ ♥

West East
1NT 2♦
2♥* ??? *denies four good hearts

pass = to play
2♠ = at least 4-4 in the majors, one-round force (invitational or better)
2NT = four hearts, balanced, invitational
3♣ = four hearts, longer clubs, invitational
3♦ = four hearts, longer diamonds, invitational
3♥ = four hearts, longer clubs, slammish
3♠ = four hearts, longer diamonds, slammish
3NT = four hearts, balanced, choice of games
4♣ = splinter, long weak hearts
 4♦ = splinter, long weak hearts
4♥ = long weak hearts, slam-invitational
4♠ = undefined
4NT = 3=4=3=3, slam-invitational

West East
1NT 2♥
2♠* ??? *denies four good spades

pass = to play
2NT = four spades, balanced, invitational
3♣ = four spades, longer clubs, invitational
3♦ = four spades, longer diamonds, invitational
3♥ = four spades, longer clubs, slammish
3♠ = four spades, longer diamonds, slammish
3NT = four spades, balanced, choice of games
4♣ = splinter, long weak spades
4♦ = splinter, long weak spades
4♥ = splinter, long weak spades
4♠ = long weak spades, slam-invitational
4NT = 4=3=3=3, slam-invitational

After responder transfers to a four-card major and shows a slammish hand with a longer
minor, opener can:
… attempt to sign off in four of responder’s major
… bid four of responder’s minor to set it as trump
… cue bid one of the other two suits to encourage slam in responder’s major
… attempt to sign off in 3NT. However, responder can invite slam by raising to 4NT
or force with four of a long minor (a subsequent 4NT being 6-key RKB) .

West East
1NT 2♦
???
2♥ = denies good four-card support for hearts
2NT = four good hearts, minimum
3♥ = four good hearts, maximum
2♠, 3♣ or 3♦ = four good hearts, maximum, two small or doubleton ace or king in suit bid

West East
1NT 2♥
???
2♠ = denies good four-card support for spades
2NT = four good spades, minimum
3♠ = four good spades, maximum
3♣, 3♦ or 3♥ = four good spades, maximum, two small or doubleton ace or king in suit bid

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Note. This is just one way of many possible ways to super-accept a 2♦ or 2♥ transfer. A lot
depends on the strength of the 1NT opening. Another popular approach is just to skip one step
with good four-card support and give responder the opportunity to make a game try or just
retransfer. Using this approach you would bid:

West East
1NT 2♦
???
2♥ = denies good four-card support for hearts
2♠ = four good hearts

West East
1NT 2♥
???
2♠ = denies good four-card support for spades
2NT = four good spades

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

West East
1NT 2♦
2♥* 2♠** *denies four good hearts **at least 4-4 in the majors, one-round force
???
2NT = minimum, no four-card major
3♣ = maximum (game-forcing), may or may not have a four-card major
3♥ = minimum, four hearts; a subsequent 4NT is 6-key RKB
3♠ = minimum, four spades; a subsequent 4NT is 6-key RKB

Opener has a minimum without a four-card major

West East
1NT 2♦
2♥ 2♠
2NT ???

pass = 4-4 in the majors, not enough for game

3♣ = undefined

Opener has a minimum without a four-card major or any maximum

West East
1NT 2♦
2♥ 2♠
2NT or 3♣ ???

3♦ = transfer (five hearts, four or five spades, invitational or better); note

that a 2NT bidder must jump-accept to ensure reaching game
3♥ = transfer (five spades, four hearts, invitational or better); note
that a 2NT bidder must jump-accept to ensure reaching game
3♠ = mildly slammish 4=4=4=1
3NT = 4-4 in the majors, choice of games
4♥ = to play (six hearts, four spades)
4♠ = to play (six spades, four hearts)
West East
1NT 2♦
2♥ 2♠
2NT or 3♣ 3♦
3♥ ???
pass = five hearts, four or five spades, less than game values (only after 2NT)
3♠ = 5-5 in the majors, forcing
3NT = five hearts, four spades, game values
4♣ = cue bid, implying six hearts and four spades
4♦ = cue bid, implying six hearts and four spades
4♥ = six hearts, four spades, slammish
4NT = 6-key RKB (♥)

West East
1NT 2♦
2♥ 2♠
2NT or 3♣ 3♥
3♠ ???
pass = five spades, four hearts, less than game values (only after 2NT)
3NT = five spades, four heartss, game values
4♣ = cue bid, implying six spades and four hearts
4♦ = cue bid, implying six spades and four hearts
4♠ = six spades, four hearts, slammish
4NT = 6-key RKB (♠)

2.3 ♠
1NT - 2♠

Responder may have any of several types of hands:

a) weak with clubs
b) balanced and invitational with no four-card major
c) slammish with 5-4 or longer in the minors
d) balanced, slammish (CONFIT)

Opener’s reply tells whether he has a minimum or maximum.

West East
1NT 2♠
???

2NT = minimum
3♣ = maximum

With a club bust, responder bids 3 over 2NT or passes 3♣.

With an invitational balanced hand he passes 2NT or bids 3NT over 3♣.
Responder may also sign off in 3NT over opener’s discouraging 2NT reply.
All of responder’s other rebids show slam interest.
West East
1NT 2♠
2NT ???

pass = 'I was invitational'

3♣ = weak with clubs

West East
1NT 2♠
2NT or 3♣ ???

3♦ = CONFIT (strong and balanced, to be explained in Chapter 4)

3♥ = five or six clubs, four or five diamonds, slammish
3♠ = five or six diamonds, four or five clubs, slammish
3NT = to play

CONFIT is used with strong balanced and will be explained in chapter 4.

West East
1NT 2♠
2NT or 3♣ 3♥ or 3♠
???

3NT = attempt to sign off. However, responder can continue to seek slam by bidding four of a
six-card minor; a subsequent 4NT is 6-key RKB.

2.4 1NT – 2NT

This response (published in Notrump Bidding, the Scanian Way by Nilsland et al) asks
opener to bid a weak doubleton (jack-high or worse) if he has one. Its main use is for invitational
responding hands with a long minor, so that responder can pass opener in three of his minor
when opener has the worst support but reach 3NT when opener has three cards, a doubleton
queen or better in his suit.
However, responder might also bid 3NT with a long solid major in order to decide
whether to play game in his major or risk 3NT.

West East
1NT 2NT
3 any ???

pass = to play
any game bid = to play
4♣ or 4♦ = forcing if a raise of opener’s weak doubleton or over 3NT, else
invitational.
4NT = natural and slam-invitational
 2.5 ♣
1NT - 3♣

West East
1NT 3♣
3♦ ???
pass = weak with diamonds
3♥ = slammish 4=1=4=4
3♠ = slammish 1=4=4=4
3NT = slammish 4=4=1=4
4♣ = very slammish 4=4=4=1

Opener may choose to play game in notrump without a fit, but with a fit he sets the trump
suit by bidding it at the lowest level. Then responder can make the cheapest bid to ask opener to
show the number of controls he has. An ace counts as 2 controls, a king in any of responder’s
three suits counts as 1 control. Opener replies to a control ask using the first step to show 2
controls (or fewer), with each succeeding step showing 1 additional control.
Note that responder cannot show a mildly slammish 4=4=4=1 hand by starting with 3♣,
but he may be able to show it via:

West East
1NT 2♦
2♥ 2♠
2NT or 3♣ 3♠ = 4=4=4=1

2.6 ♦
1NT - 3♦

This shows a game-invitational hand with a long major. Opener replies using the
customary scheme for replying to a Multi 2♦.

West East
1NT 3♦
???

3♥ = rejecting game opposite hearts

3♠ = rejecting game opposite spades but accepting game opposite hearts
3NT = accepting game opposite either major. Responder may transfer to hearts via 4♣ or
bid 4♥ directly, transfer to spades via 4♦ or bid 4♠ directly.
4♣ = accepting game opposite either major, and insisting that responder transfer to his major.
4♦ = accepting game opposite either major, and insisting that responder bid his major.

West East
1NT 3♦
3♥ 3♠
???

pass = high enough

3NT = choice of games
4♠ = let's try it
 2.7 ♥
1NT - 3♥

Responder shows values for 3NT with a 3=1=5=4 or 3=1=4=5 pattern.

West East
1NT 3♥
???
3NT = to play
4♣ or 4♦ = non-forcing with four or five cards in the suit
4♥ = asks responder to bid game in his longer minor
4♠ = to play

2.7 ♠
1NT - 3♠

Responder shows values for 3NT with a 1=3=5=4 or 1=3=4=5 pattern.

West East
1NT 3♠
???
3NT = to play
4♣ or 4♦ = non-forcing with four or five cards in the suit
4♥ = to play
4♠ = asks responder to bid game in his longer minor

2.8 1NT – 3NT or higher

West East
1NT ???

3NT = to play
4♣ = Gerber (1430 replies)
4♦ = Texas Transfer (long hearts)
4♥ = Texas Transfer (long spades)
4♠ = 5-5 or longer in the minors (choice of minor-suit games)
4NT = natural and slam-invitational, usually 3=3=3=4 or 3=3=4=3
5♣ or 5♦ = to play
 3. How to bid with various hand types: a short summary

A. Weak hands
Type Action
balanced Pass

five or more hearts Bid 2♦ (transfer), then pass 2♥.

five or more spades Bid 2♥ (transfer), then pass 2♠.

long clubs Bid 2♠. Opener will bid 3♣ (maximum), which you’ll pass, or
2NT (minimum) over which you’ll sign off in 3♣.

five or more diamonds Puppet to diamonds by bidding 2♣ or 3♣, then pass.

5-4 in the majors Transfer to your longer major suit, then pass. Sorry, no way to
find a 4-4 fit in the other major.

4-card major, longer minor Sign off in your minor. Sorry, no way to look for a 4-4 fit in your
major on the way.

at least 5-4 in the minors. Now you have a chance to play in your best fit. Start with 2♣ and
rebid 2♠. After 2NT (minimum) bid 3♣, which opener may
correct to 3♦. After 3♣ or 3♦ (maximum, better minor) pass.

B. Invitational hands
Type Action
balanced, no 4-card major 2♠; pass over 2NT (minimum) or bid 3NT over 3♣ (maximum).

balanced, one 4-card major Transfer to the major and rebid 2NT (or go to game in your major
if opener super-accepts).

balanced, 4-4 in majors Start with 2♦ and rebid 2♠ showing at least 4-4 in the majors (or
go to game in hearts if opener super-accepts). With a minimum,
opener will bid 2NT (no 4-card major) or three of a 4-card major,
which you will pass . With a maximum, opener will bid 3♣, over
which you will bid 3NT (opener will bid a 4-card major if he has
one).

one long major Bid 3♦, a 'Multi invite'.

balanced, one 5–card major Start with 2♣, and bid 2NT later: directly with hearts, but after
bidding 2♥ (transfer) with spades.

one long minor Bid 2NT, asking for a weak doubleton. If opener replies in your
minor to show a weak doubleton, let him play there, as your
minor won’t run; else rebid 3NT.
4-card major, long minor Transfer to the major (promising four), then bid your minor.

5-card major, Start with 2♣, and bid your minor later: directly with hearts, but
4-card or longer minor after bidding 2♥ (transfer) with spades.

at least 5-4 in the majors Start with 2♦ and rebid 2♠ (or go to game in hearts if opener
super-accepts). Whether opener bids 2NT or 3♣ next, transfer to
your better major by bidding 3♦ or 3♥.

at least 5-4 in the minors Start with 2♣ and rebid 2♠. After opener’s 2NT (minimum), bid
3♣ (which opener may pass or correct to 3♦); after 3♣ or 3♦
(maximum, better minor), choose between 3NT and game in a
five-card minor.

C. Game-going hands
Type Action
balanced, no 4-card major 3NT

balanced, one 4-card major Transfer to the major and rebid 3NT.

balanced, two 4-card majors Start with 2♦ and rebid 2♠ (or go to game in hearts if opener
super-accepts) then make sure to reach game in notrump or a
major.

one long major Use a Texas Transfer (4♦with hearts or 4♥ with spades).

balanced, one 5–card major Start with 2♣, and bid 3NT later: directly with hearts, but after
bidding 2♥ (transfer) with spades.

at least 5-4 in the majors Start with 2♦ and rebid 2♠ (or go to game in hearts if opener
super-accepts). Whether opener bids 2NT or 3♣ next, transfer to
your better major by bidding 3♦ or 3♥, then make sure to reach
game in notrump or an 8-card fit in a major.

5431 with 5-4 in the minors Jump to three of your major-suit singleton (splinter).

1=4=4=4 or 4=1=4=4 Start with 3♣ (puppet to 3♦), then bid your major-suit singleton.

4=4=1=4 Start with 3♣ (puppet to 3♦), then bid 3NT.

4=4=4=1 Start with 2♦ and rebid 2♠ (or go to game in hearts if opener

super-accepts). Then bid 3♠, which shows this hand-pattern.

D. Slammish hands
Type Action
balanced Bid 4♣ (Gerber), 4NT (natural) or CONFIT (2♠-then-3♦).
one long major With a bad suit, transfer (2♦ or 2♥) then splinter or bid four of
your major. With a good suit, start with 2♣, and splinter or bid
four of your major later: directly with hearts, but after bidding 2♥
(transfer) with spades.

one long minor Start with 2♣, rebid 2♠, and then bid 3♥ to show a slammish
club hand or 3♠ to show a slammish diamond hand. As an
alternative, you might start with 2NT to check for a weak
doubleton, then force by bidding four of your minor.

4-card major, long minor Transfer to your major and rebid 3♥ (clubs) or 3♠ (diamonds).

5-card major, Start with 2♣, and bid 3♥ (clubs) or 3♠ (diamonds) later: directly
4-card or longer minor with hearts, but after bidding 2♥ (transfer) with spades.

at least 5-4 in the minors Start with 2♠ then bid 3♥ (better clubs) or 3♠ (better diamonds).

Note: when you have shown two suits, 6-key RKB applies!
 4. CONFIT: controls and fit with strong balanced hands
With a balanced hand and no interest in a major suit, responder can always invite slam by
raising 1NT to 4NT. However, this 4NT raise may miss a good slam in a suit when a fit exists
and opener passes 4NT, or lead to a poor 6NT when a superior suit slam can be made. There is
too little room to investigate efficiently if you must start showing suits at the five-level.
For this reason the Mexican international George Rosenkranz developed a convention to
investigate slam at a lower level. Opener’s first duty is to tell how many controls he has (ace=2,
king=1), so that if too many controls are missing responder can sign off in 3NT or 4NT.
When there enough aces and kings, responder starts looking for a fit. Heeman starts with a
2♠ response to 1NT, then triggers CONFIT with a 3♦ rebid. Along the way, if opener shows a
minimum by rebidding 2NT, responder can give up on slam and sign off in 3NT. The CONFIT
rules are:

a) Over 3♦, opener shows how many controls he has.

b) Any time responder returns to notrump, opener must pass.
c) Opener must never raise the level except to reply to the CONFIT 3♦ itself or to
confirm a fit for a suit that responder has shown.
d) Both players bid suits up the line
e) Rebidding a suit shows a fifth card in it.
f) When opener fits a suit that responder has shown, he raises.

The following assumes a weak (12-14 HCP) 1NT, but can be adapted easily to other
ranges. For example, after a strong (15-17 HCP), opener 's 3♥ reply to CONFIT shows 3 or 4
controls.

West East
1NT 2♠
2NT or 3♣ 3♦ = CONFIT
???
3♥ = 2 or 3 controls
3♠ = 4 controls
3NT = 5 controls
4♣ = 6 controls

If opener has bid 3♥, then opener must bid notrump next unless he has the maximum
number of controls (3). Although that may leave the partnership in 3NT or 4NT when a 4-4 fit
exists in a major, the partnership will have an excess of high-card points (about 30) and the same
number of tricks will usually be made in notrump as in the major. Bidding four of a suit
guarantees an extra control.

Some examples (still assuming a range of 12-14 HCP for 1NT):

West East West East
A94 QJ5 1NT 2♠
Q83 AJ94 2NT 3NT
QJ4 K9 pass
K1083 AQJ2

West East West East

1)
A94 QJ5 1NT 2♠ = 4 controls
2)
KQ3 AJ94 3♣ 3♦ = 9 controls is not enough;
Q84 K9 3♠1) 3NT2) 6♣ is bad, 6NT is hopeless!
K1083 AQJ2 pass3) 3)
= forced

West East West East

1)
A94 K75 1NT 2♠ = 4 controls
2)
KQ3 AJ94 3♣ 3♦ = looking for slam
Q84 K9 3♠1) 4♣2) 3)
= fit! 6♣ is fine, 6NT is very bad
K1083 AQJ2 5♣3) 6♣
pass

West East West East

1)
A94 K75 1NT 2♠ = 4 controls
2)
KQ3 AJ94 3♣ 3♦ = looking for slam
Q843 K9 3♠1) 4♣2) 3)
= no fit, at most 32 HCP
K108 AQJ2 4♦ 4♥
4NT pass3)

Stronger hands make it even easier:

West East West East

A94 K5 1NT 2♠
Q832 AJ94 2NT 3NT
QJ4 A9 pass
K108 AQJ72 3NT is better than 4♥ by West; 6♥ by East is best.

West East West East

1)
A942 K5 1NT 2♠ = fifth club
K83 AJ94 3♣ 3♦
KJ4 A9 3 4♣
K108 AQJ72 4♠ 5♣1) 6NT is okay, but 6♣ is better:
6♣ pass West can ruff a heart

West East West East

KJ42 AQ 1NT1) 2♠ 1)
West might pass!?!
2)
QJ32 K9 2NT 3♦ = 2 or 3 controls
K5 QJ94 3♥2) 4♣ 3)
= with only 2 controls opener must bid 3NT
QJ3 AK1072 4NT3) pass
West East West East
KJ42 AQ 1NT 2♠
QJ32 K9 3♣ 3♦
1)
A5 QJ94 3♥ 4♣ guarantees 3 controls (with only
QJ3 AK1072 4♥1) 5♣ 2 controls, opener must bid 4NT )
6♣ pass