What should I bid? (August 2020)

Archives

What should I bid? (August 2020)

The best submission for August came from Mike Siford. He wins a voucher of $30 funded by TBIB, toward any purchase made at the Bridge Shop or Paul Lavings Bridgegear.

Nil Vul
N Dlr
North
KQ62
K765
K6
AJ7

South
A5
984
QJ42
QT86

West North East South
  1NT Pass 2
 Pass 2 Pass ?

1 NT 15-17 no 5 Major. Simple Stayman; 2NT Transfer to Diamonds. South cannot bid 2NT because N will assume 8-9 HCP and 4Card Spades and with 17 Total Points will jump to 4. This problem only occurs when opener has both majors, and partner wants to show a 2NT response without a 4card major. S(he) cannot use the limit raise 2NT because this is a Transfer to diamonds

——————————————————————————————–
Hi Mike,

When a partnership plays 1NT-2NT as a transfer to diamonds, you have two options that you can adopt to invite in NT’s without showing a major (you will have to discuss and choose with your partner).

1) 1NT-2 Non-promissory Stayman.

1NT-2; 2-2NT is invite, doesn’t guarantee a major
1NT-2; 2-2NT is invite, doesn’t promise four hearts
1NT-2; 2-… with this sequence, you will now have to play 2=4 and invite, 2NT=not 4, invite

2) 1NT-2 promises a major, but 1NT-2 is a range ask (invite in NT’s) or a transfer to clubs

1NT-2; ?

Opener assumes it’s invitation in NT’s and therefore bids 2NT with a minimum (15-16HCP), or 3 with a maximum (16-17HCP) — nothing to do with clubs. If responder does have clubs, he will then bid something else (e.g. 1NT-2; 2NT-3) which would then imply that he had clubs (or 1NT-2: 2NT-3 is a signoff in 3). Although note that 1NT-2; 3-3NT this sequence just means responder was only inviting in NT’s.

Hope that helps,
Andy

Click here to ask Andy a new question.

Comments are closed.