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How to Compete Over 1NT Without Guessing Partner’s Shape

By Dale Merrin · 2026-07-30

How to compete over 1NT without guessing partner’s shape

DONT is a distribution-first defense to an opponent’s 1NT opening. Rather than requiring every overcall to show one natural suit, it uses artificial calls to distinguish one-suited from two-suited hands. Advancer can then accept a known suit or ask for a hidden one without guessing.

The basic calls are easy to memorize. Successful use also requires sound entry judgment and clear agreements about spade hands, raises, 2NT inquiries, competitive doubles, and the notrump ranges against which the convention applies.

DONT at a Glance: Purpose and Core Bidding Chart

DONT stands for Disturb the Opponents’ No Trump. The convention is generally attributed to Marty Bergen and was introduced in the September/October 1989 issue of Bridge Today, according to this detailed history and summary of DONT.

Its purpose is to compete over an opposing 1NT opening, seek a playable fit, contest the partscore, and interfere with the opponents’ familiar notrump methods. It is not primarily a system for conducting precise game auctions.

Here is the mainstream structure used throughout this guide:

Your call over 1NT	Mainstream meaning	Usual shape baseline
Double	An unspecified one-suited hand	Commonly six or more cards
2♣	Clubs and a higher-ranking suit	Normally at least 5-4
2♦	Diamonds and an unspecified major	Normally at least 5-4
2♥	Hearts and spades	Normally at least 5-4
2♠	A one-suited spade hand	Commonly six or more cards

These shape standards and call meanings are summarized in the ACBL’s educational guide to DONT.

A practical memory rule is:

One suit normally starts with double.
Two suits start by bidding the lower-ranking suit.
A spade one-suiter may be shown directly with 2♠.

The wording of the 2♦ call deserves attention. In this mainstream structure, 2♦ shows diamonds and a major. It does not promise a particular major, so advancer may need to ask whether the second suit is hearts or spades.

The conventional calls begin with genuine distribution. A one-suiter commonly has at least six cards in its suit, while a two-suited action normally promises at least 5-4 shape. Those are practical starting points, not substitutes for evaluating suit quality, position, vulnerability, and playing strength.

DONT is used principally against a strong 1NT and can be played in either:

Direct position: acting immediately over 1NT
Balancing position: acting after 1NT is followed by two passes

This chart describes a mainstream method rather than a universal law. Simplified and modified versions may change the meaning of double, the relay after double, or the strength associated with 2♠. One simplified version, for example, makes double show clubs specifically. That treatment cannot be combined safely with the mainstream relay in this article.

DONT’s central trade-off follows directly from the chart: the partnership gains frequent distributional interference, but double is no longer available as a natural value-showing or penalty-oriented call.

When to Enter the Auction—and When to Defend 1NT

There is no universal high-card-point minimum for a DONT action. Practical entry decisions depend on:

Eligible distribution
Honor concentration and suit texture
Playing strength
Direct versus balancing position
Vulnerability
The hand’s defensive value if you pass

Start with shape. For the mainstream treatment, look for a six-card or longer one-suiter or at least 5-4 distribution in two suits. Strength requirements then vary with seat and vulnerability rather than following one fixed point rule, as explained in this DONT bidding and response guide.

A balanced hand does not become suitable merely because it has the same high-card strength as an eligible distributional hand. Honors in long suits are more likely to contribute to declarer’s tricks if one of those suits becomes trumps. Scattered queens and jacks may instead be useful on defense, particularly when no suit offers a reliable source of tricks.

Direct seat versus balancing seat

Direct action occurs in an auction such as:

(1NT)—?

Responder has not acted and could hold anything from a very weak hand to enough strength for game or slam. If you enter, responder may double, compete, or place the contract accurately. Direct-seat action therefore calls for greater caution.

Balancing action occurs after:

(1NT)—Pass—(Pass)—?

Responder has declined to bid. That does not make intervention safe, but it changes the risk assessment. A partnership may adopt lighter balancing requirements because the opponents appear less likely to have game-going combined strength and because defending 1NT may be unattractive.

“Lighter” does not mean “automatic.” Poor suits, adverse vulnerability, defensive strength, or an unsuitable hand type can still make pass the better choice.

Vulnerability and suit quality

When vulnerable, practical DONT methods call for stronger suits and better playing strength. A poor fit is more expensive, and the opponents may be more willing to double when they expect to defeat the contract.

At favorable vulnerability—your side not vulnerable and the opponents vulnerable—a partnership may choose to compete more aggressively. This remains a judgment decision, not a promise that the auction will produce a fit or a safe contract.

Suit texture matters. A long suit containing honors and useful intermediate cards offers more offensive potential than an equally long suit headed by the nine. Concentrated honors also reduce the danger that most of the hand’s nominal strength will be trapped in short side suits.

A practical entry framework

Before making a DONT call, ask five questions:

Do I have eligible shape? Look for a six-card one-suiter or at least a 5-4 two-suiter.
Are my long suits playable? Consider honors, intermediate cards, and how the suits may perform opposite limited support.
What are my seat and vulnerability? Apply more discipline in direct seat and when vulnerable.
What happens if I pass? Balanced strength, useful defensive tricks, and an attractive opening lead may favor defending.
What can bidding accomplish? You may buy the contract, push the opponents higher, direct the lead, or disrupt their methods. None of those outcomes is guaranteed.

Consider this representative hand after an opponent opens a strong 1NT:

♠ J 7
♥ A K 8 6
♦ K 7 4 3 2
♣ 4 3

This is a reasonable 2♦ call under mainstream DONT: the hand has five diamonds, four hearts, and honors concentrated in its long suits. The bid shows diamonds and a major, not diamonds specifically paired with hearts.

Now compare a balanced hand with similar nominal strength:

♠ K 8 4
♥ Q 7 3
♦ A 9 2
♣ J 8 6 4

This hand lacks a six-card suit or a 5-4 two-suiter. Its scattered values may be more useful on defense, so pass is the practical choice. These are judgment examples, not guaranteed results.

Vulnerability can change the decision on a marginal 5-4 hand. Weak suits may justify passing in direct seat when vulnerable, even though the same shape might support a balancing action at favorable vulnerability. Shape qualifies a hand for consideration; it does not compel a bid.

Some players supplement this analysis with the Rule of 8. In the cited instructional version, the player adds the lengths of the two longest suits and subtracts a count of top-honor losers; a result of two or more supports considering intervention, subject to minimum-strength assumptions. It is optional evaluation guidance, not an inherent rule of DONT, and should not override vulnerability or suit quality. The calculation is described in this Rule of 8 and DONT lesson.

Pass-or-correct bidding reduces the need to guess partner’s hidden suit, but it does not guarantee safety. The known suit may fit poorly, the undisclosed suit may be worse, or the opponents may double.

The DONT Double: Showing and Finding a One-Suited Hand

In mainstream DONT, double does not show a strong balanced hand or a desire to defend 1NT doubled. It shows an unspecified one-suited hand, commonly containing six or more cards.

The normal relay begins:

(1NT)—Double—(Pass)—2♣

Advancer’s 2♣ asks the doubler to identify the long suit:

Pass with clubs
Bid 2♦ with diamonds
Bid 2♥ with hearts
Bid 2♠ with spades

The relay keeps every possible landing place at the two level. It identifies shape, not a narrow strength range.

Why advancer normally removes the double

Advancer should not ordinarily pass the initial double for penalties. The doubler may have relatively little high-card strength and may have doubled only to show a long suit. Passing could leave the partnership defending 1NT doubled without the defensive resources needed to defeat it.

Any penalty conversion must be an explicit partnership modification. It is not part of the mainstream relay, whose initial double is normally removed because the doubler may be light and distributional. The relay and this warning are set out in the ACBL Unit 390 DONT reference.

Exception: advancer has an independent suit

Advancer does not have to bid 2♣ with every hand. With an independent playable suit—commonly a six-card suit or a very good five-card suit—advancer may bid that suit naturally.

The purpose is to avoid relaying into a contract that may be much worse than advancer’s known landing place. This is especially relevant when advancer has severe shortness in one or more of the doubler’s possible suits.

Do not bypass the relay merely because a weak five-card suit looks convenient. Partner has promised a genuine one-suiter; replacing it requires a credible alternative contract.

Relay example: clubs

Suppose the doubler holds:

♠ 8 4
♥ 7 3
♦ K 9 2
♣ A Q J 10 8 6

The auction begins:

(1NT)—Double—(Pass)—2♣ (Pass)—Pass

The double showed an unspecified one-suiter. Advancer’s 2♣ was artificial, but the doubler’s pass identifies clubs and converts 2♣ into the final contract.

Advancer has not bid clubs naturally. The call meant, “Pass with clubs or correct to your actual suit.”

Relay example: hearts

Now suppose the doubler holds:

♠ J 4
♥ K Q J 6 3 2
♦ A 8 6
♣ 10 7

The auction proceeds:

(1NT)—Double—(Pass)—2♣ (Pass)—2♥—(Pass)—Pass

Double showed a one-suiter, 2♣ asked for the suit, and 2♥ identified hearts. Advancer passes with adequate tolerance.

The same process applies when the doubler corrects to 2♦. A correction to 2♠ shows a spade one-suiter through the delayed route, with any extra strength implications determined by partnership agreement.

After the suit is revealed

Once the doubler identifies the suit, advancer may:

Pass with a playable fit or adequate tolerance
Raise according to the agreed raise style
Use an invitational route, often involving 2NT or an agreed jump
Bid an independent suit when the partnership permits it and the suit is genuinely playable

Do not combine this structure with a simplified version in which double specifically shows clubs. Under that method, clubs are already known and the mainstream 2♣ relay no longer has the same purpose.

Two-Suited Calls and the Pass-or-Correct Method

DONT’s two-suited calls are:

2♣: clubs and a higher-ranking suit
2♦: diamonds and a major
2♥: hearts and spades

These calls normally promise at least 5-4 distribution. Exceptional agreements allowing selected 4-4 hands exist, but they are not the mainstream baseline. Partnerships are less likely to have accidents if they require genuine two-suited shape.

Advancer’s central rule is:

Pass with a playable fit for the named suit; otherwise bid the cheapest available suit to request the undisclosed suit.

The request is called pass-or-correct because the overcaller passes when the requested suit is the hidden suit and corrects when it is not.

After 2♣: clubs and a higher suit

To accept clubs:

(1NT)—2♣—(Pass)—Pass

Advancer is willing to play in clubs. Three-card support is commonly enough to accept the known suit when partner has shown a genuine two-suiter, although vulnerability and the rest of advancer’s hand still matter.

To ask for the hidden suit:

(1NT)—2♣—(Pass)—2♦

The 2♦ call does not promise diamonds. It asks the overcaller to:

Pass with clubs and diamonds
Bid 2♥ with clubs and hearts
Bid 2♠ with clubs and spades

Advancer should consider all three possible outcomes before asking. If clubs are playable but one hidden suit would be disastrous, passing may preserve the lowest acceptable contract.

After 2♦: diamonds and a major

To accept diamonds:

(1NT)—2♦—(Pass)—Pass

Advancer has enough diamond tolerance to play there.

To ask for the major:

(1NT)—2♦—(Pass)—2♥

The overcaller then:

Passes with diamonds and hearts
Corrects to 2♠ with diamonds and spades

The 2♥ response is artificial. It does not independently show hearts.

If advancer has useful support for both majors but poor diamonds, asking is attractive because either major should provide a plausible landing place. If diamonds are playable but one possible major would be uncomfortable, passing 2♦ may be safer.

After 2♥: both majors

Because 2♥ shows hearts and spades, both suits are already known.

To play in hearts:

(1NT)—2♥—(Pass)—Pass

To prefer spades:

(1NT)—2♥—(Pass)—2♠

The 2♠ call is a non-invitational preference or correction. It does not show extra strength merely because spades rank higher than hearts.

Is three-card support enough to pass?

Three-card support for the named suit is commonly enough to accept it. Partner’s known suit will ordinarily contain at least four or five cards under the agreed 5-4 baseline.

That is guidance, not an automatic command. Also consider:

Vulnerability
Your trump quality
Whether partner may hold only four cards under your agreements
Your support for the possible hidden suits
Whether asking could force the partnership into a higher, worse contract
Whether the opponents are likely to compete

With three small cards in the named suit and strong support for every possible second suit, asking may be sensible. With adequate support for the known suit but severe shortness in one hidden possibility, pass may be safer.

Advancer’s natural new suit

Under common treatments, skipping the cheapest asking call and naming another suit shows advancer’s own long, playable suit.

For example:

(1NT)—2♣—(Pass)—2♥

Because 2♦ was available as pass-or-correct, the direct 2♥ call is natural. Advancer is proposing hearts as an independent contract rather than asking whether hearts are partner’s second suit.

This action commonly requires a six-card suit or a very good five-card suit. Partner has already shown two suits, so introducing a third candidate for trumps needs clear justification.

When both possible suits are acceptable

Do not ask reflexively just because the convention provides an asking bid. If advancer can tolerate both the named and hidden suits, the important question is which route preserves the lowest likely playable contract.

Passing the known suit keeps the auction low and reveals less of the overcaller’s shape. Asking may be better when the named suit is barely playable and every possible hidden suit would be an improvement.

Common pass-or-correct errors

Treating the asking bid as natural. After 2♣, the expected 2♦ response asks for the second suit.
Passing without adequate tolerance. Stopping low is not useful if the known suit is likely to produce a seriously deficient fit.
Assuming the hidden suit. A 2♦ overcall does not promise your preferred major.
Introducing a weak independent suit. A natural new suit must offer a credible contract.
Searching when the known suit is already playable. The cheapest acceptable contract may be best.
Using 4-4 hands without agreement. Partner will otherwise make decisions expecting at least 5-4.

Spade Hands, Raises, and the 2NT Inquiry

A direct 2♠ overcall shows a one-suited spade hand:

(1NT)—2♠

A spade one-suiter can also begin with double. Many partnerships use the two routes to distinguish strength:

Direct 2♠: the weaker spade one-suiter
Double followed by 2♠: the stronger spade one-suiter

The delayed auction is:

(1NT)—Double—(Pass)—2♣ (Pass)—2♠

Under this treatment, the delayed 2♠ shows more strength than the direct overcall.

That distinction is configurable. Some partnerships use the two routes to distinguish suit quality, defensive strength, or a “true” one-suiter from a hand willing to hear advancer’s independent suit. Others make no significant strength distinction. The alternative treatments are described in the same DONT convention summary that documents its history.

After a direct 2♠, advancer usually passes. A new suit should show a sufficiently strong independent suit and poor spade support—not merely a preference for another denomination.

What do simple raises mean?

Simple raises are another variable area. Depending on partnership style, a raise may be:

Weak and obstructive
Preemptive
Constructive
Mildly invitational

Some partnerships distinguish minor-suit raises from major-suit raises. Others make all direct raises weak and route invitations through 2NT.

No one treatment should be assumed. Partners must decide what strength a raise shows and whether the DONT bidder is expected to continue with extra values.

The 2NT inquiry

Advancer’s 2NT commonly shows a strong, forcing, or game-interested hand and asks the DONT bidder for more information.

There is no universal rebid structure. A partnership may use responses to show:

The undisclosed second suit
Minimum versus maximum strength
Relative suit lengths
Extra distribution
Suit quality
A combination of shape and range

For a newer partnership, a short, explicit structure is preferable to a complicated method that neither player remembers reliably. Write down:

What direct 2♠ means
What double followed by 2♠ means
Whether simple raises are weak or invitational
What 2NT promises
Every rebid available after 2NT

Do not write only “standard.” Multiple incompatible continuations are commonly taught.

What to Do When the Opponents Interfere

DONT auctions become more difficult when responder doubles or bids. Intervention may remove the inexpensive asking call, expose a weak fit, or force advancer to act before partner’s hidden suit is known.

A common governing principle is:

Double or redouble asks the DONT bidder to disclose an unnamed suit.

The exact meaning remains a partnership matter.

When a two-suited DONT call is doubled

Suppose responder doubles 2♣:

(1NT)—2♣—(Double)—?

A common treatment is:

Pass: willing to play in clubs
Redouble: asks partner to show the unnamed suit
New suit: natural, showing advancer’s own playable suit

If advancer redoubles, the 2♣ bidder identifies the higher-ranking suit. Redouble replaces the asking function that 2♦ would have served without interference.

When responder makes a natural suit bid

Consider:

(1NT)—2♦—(2♥)—?

Partner’s 2♦ showed diamonds and a major. Responder’s 2♥ has occupied the normal pass-or-correct call.

Under a common treatment:

Double: asks partner to identify the other suit and shows enough values or tolerance to continue
A suit bid: natural, proposing advancer’s own playable suit
Pass: no suitable action under the partnership’s competitive methods

If partner’s second suit is spades, partner can bid spades. If the opponents have named partner’s hidden suit, the DONT partnership needs an agreed method for handling that case.

These competitive treatments—pass accepting the named suit, redouble requesting the unknown suit, and double after a natural bid asking for partner’s other suit—are outlined in Larry Cohen’s expert guide to DONT competition.

Not every competitive double is automatically suit-asking

Some partnerships use a double of an artificial opposing call as lead-directing. Others change the meaning according to whether the opponents’ call is natural, artificial, or a cue-bid.

A manageable beginner policy is:

Pass accepts the named suit after the opponents double.
Redouble asks for the unnamed suit.
Double of a natural opposing suit asks partner to disclose the other suit.
A new suit by advancer is natural.

Document exceptions rather than inventing them at the table. Elaborate competitive structures are optional memory work; the essential distinction is between acceptance, suit-asking, and a natural proposal.

DONT’s Benefits, Costs, and Fit Against Strong or Weak 1NT

DONT’s intended advantages are structural. It allows a partnership to:

Show an unspecified one-suited hand through double
Show several two-suited shapes at the two level
Use pass-or-correct methods to seek a playable fit
Enter the auction frequently with distribution
Consume bidding space before the 1NT partnership uses its normal methods

Interference can disrupt Stayman, transfers, and invitational sequences by requiring responder to assign new meanings to doubles, cue-bids, and natural calls. The opening side can adopt countermeasures, but those methods also require prior agreement.

This does not establish that DONT is superior to Cappelletti, Multi-Landy, Brozel, or natural bidding. The methods allocate calls differently:

Some retain a value-showing or penalty-oriented double.
Some emphasize major-suit combinations.
Some identify one-suiters more directly.
Some require the partnership to bid higher to locate a fit.
Some reveal more of the intervenor’s shape.

The choice is about preferred trade-offs, not a proven ranking.

The principal cost: losing the penalty double

In DONT, double is assigned to an unspecified one-suiter. A hand that wants to double 1NT for values therefore cannot do so naturally within the core structure.

That cost may be acceptable against a strong notrump when the partnership prioritizes frequent interference. It can be more significant against a weak notrump, where retaining a value-showing or penalty-oriented double may be attractive.

For that reason, many instructional treatments use mainstream DONT primarily against strong 1NT openings and recommend considering another defense against weak notrumps. This strong-versus-weak notrump trade-off is discussed in the specialist DONT guide.

DONT is not primarily a game system

Game can occasionally be available. Advancer may have substantial strength, the DONT bidder may hold extra playing values, or the hands may fit exceptionally well. Partnerships can explore through an agreed 2NT inquiry, jumps, or other continuations.

DONT’s initial calls, however, describe broad distributional hand types rather than narrow strength ranges. Its main purpose is partscore competition and disruption, so accurate game exploration requires extra agreements.

Establishing a partnership policy

Before using DONT, answer three threshold questions:

What counts as a strong notrump? Define the ranges against which DONT applies, including any changes by seat or vulnerability.
Does DONT apply in both direct and balancing position? If it does, record whether balancing requirements are lighter.
What happens against a weak notrump? Decide whether to retain DONT, use a modified structure, or switch to a defense that preserves a value-showing double.

The 1NT-opening side may have its own defense to artificial interference. Expect competition, but do not burden a beginning partnership with every possible continuation before the core agreements are secure.

Partnership Checklist: Agreements to Make Before Playing DONT

Use this checklist before adding DONT to a convention card.

Scope and entry requirements

[ ] Define the opposing 1NT ranges against which DONT applies.
[ ] State whether DONT applies in direct position.
[ ] State whether DONT applies in balancing position.
[ ] Define the fallback defense when DONT does not apply.
[ ] Require six cards for a one-suited action, or record a different standard.
[ ] Require at least 5-4 shape for a two-suited action, or record deliberate exceptions.
[ ] Describe stronger requirements when vulnerable.
[ ] Record any difference between direct- and balancing-seat requirements.
[ ] Set expectations for suit quality and honor concentration.
[ ] Decide whether the Rule of 8 is used only as guidance or omitted.

Core call meanings

[ ] Double shows an unspecified one-suited hand.
[ ] Advancer normally relays with 2♣.
[ ] The doubler passes 2♣ with clubs or names diamonds, hearts, or spades.
[ ] 2♣ shows clubs and a higher-ranking suit.
[ ] 2♦ shows diamonds and a major.
[ ] 2♥ shows hearts and spades.
[ ] 2♠ shows a spade one-suiter.
[ ] A club-specific double is rejected unless the partnership intentionally adopts that simplified variant.

Advancer’s actions

[ ] Pass accepts the named suit of a two-suited call.
[ ] The cheapest available suit is pass-or-correct.
[ ] Define when three-card support is enough to pass.
[ ] Define when advancer may bypass the 2♣ relay.
[ ] State that a skipped new suit is natural.
[ ] Record the minimum length and quality for an independent suit.
[ ] Decide how advancer continues after a one-suiter is revealed.

Spade hands, raises, and invitations

[ ] Define direct 2♠ as weaker, stronger, or different in quality from double followed by 2♠.
[ ] Define double followed by 2♠ separately.
[ ] Mark simple raises as weak, preemptive, constructive, or mildly invitational.
[ ] Decide whether minor- and major-suit raises have different meanings.
[ ] Define what 2NT promises.
[ ] Write out every rebid after 2NT.
[ ] Define any jump showing extra strength or game interest.

Opposing interference

[ ] After a DONT call is doubled, define whether pass accepts the named suit.
[ ] Define redouble as suit-asking or assign another explicit meaning.
[ ] Define double after a natural opposing suit bid.
[ ] Identify any lead-directing doubles.
[ ] Distinguish suit-asking doubles from penalty doubles.
[ ] Confirm where a new suit by advancer is natural.

Optional extensions and disclosure

[ ] Decide whether direct 2NT has a special meaning or is omitted.
[ ] Decide whether three-level DONT calls are used or omitted.
[ ] Decide whether DONT applies over 2NT openings.
[ ] Decide whether DONT applies over strong-club openings.
[ ] Keep every optional extension separate from the core defense to 1NT.
[ ] Do not combine mainstream DONT with simplified or weak-notrump modifications taken from another structure.
[ ] Verify current alert, disclosure, convention-card, and legality requirements with the governing organization and the conditions of the event. Such requirements can vary by jurisdiction and event, so no universal alert rule should be assumed.

Frequently Asked Questions

What does DONT stand for in bridge?

DONT stands for Disturb the Opponents’ No Trump. It is a conventional defense to an opponent’s 1NT opening and is generally attributed to Marty Bergen.

Its primary purpose is to disrupt the opponents’ notrump auction while helping the intervening partnership locate a playable suit contract.

How many points do you need to use DONT over 1NT?

There is no universal point minimum. Start with suitable distribution—commonly a six-card one-suiter or at least 5-4 shape in two suits—and then evaluate suit quality, honor concentration, vulnerability, playing strength, and position.

Direct-seat and vulnerable actions should generally be sounder than balancing or favorable-vulnerability actions.

Should a DONT double ever be passed for penalties?

Not under the normal mainstream treatment. Double shows an unspecified one-suited hand and may be based more on distribution than defensive strength. Advancer normally bids 2♣ so the doubler can pass with clubs or identify the actual suit.

A penalty conversion would require an explicit partnership modification.

Is a direct 2♠ weaker than doubling and then bidding 2♠?

It is weaker under a common treatment:

Direct 2♠ shows the weaker spade one-suiter.
Double followed by 2♠ shows the stronger spade one-suiter.

Other partnerships distinguish the routes by suit quality, defensive strength, or flexibility. Record both meanings instead of assuming the common treatment applies.

Can DONT be used against a weak 1NT opening?

It can be used or modified against a weak 1NT, but many partnerships reserve mainstream DONT for strong notrump openings. The concern is that assigning double to a one-suiter gives up a natural value-showing or penalty-oriented double.

Define which ranges count as strong or weak and choose the fallback defense before play.

DONT’s governing logic is compact:

One suit normally starts with double, with direct 2♠ available as the spade exception. Two suits start with the lower-ranking suit. Advancer accepts the known suit or makes the cheapest pass-or-correct request.

The calls take only a few minutes to memorize. Using them well requires disciplined intervention and explicit agreements about spades, raises, 2NT, opposing interference, applicable notrump ranges, and disclosure.