Saturday, August 28, 2004 3:25 AM

Dormer 2NT

PITBULLS:

The Dormer 2NT complements the “redouble shows no fit” treatment after a takeout double. It prevents the opponents jamming you after a redouble . 1♥-X-XX-3♠ P-P-? and partner has no idea what’s going on if you redoubled with a fit. The Dormer 2NT shows a limit raise or better but does it promises 4 trump ? No , it does not , but it does show a hand that you prefer to play in partners major. If the alternate contract might be 3NT or doubling the opponents , I feel you should redouble going in even with your 3 card fit.

I held this hand QJxx 109x Jxx AKx and my parter opened 1♥ and RHO doubled. I redoubled and when the spade response got around to me I bid 1NT . Partner bid 3NT with xx AKQxx Q10x QJx and 4♥ goes down one and we made 3NT with a spade lead and continuation. Some people feel that you must bid the Dormer 2NT if you have 3 trump and if you redouble & bid hearts it shows two trump.

No , rules are made to be broken and the redouble promises no fit is one of them . If partner redoubles and bids your major, play him for exactly 3 as he would have made an alternative bid with a different

number of trump. It is not a good idea to make a penalty double when you hold 3 of partners major. Yes, this is another rule that can be broken . You have a defensive flat hand with 3 of partners major , I think a redouble is a more descriptive bid then 2NT . J109x Kxx Qx AJ10x I feel a redouble after partner opens 1♥ is better than a 2NT bid. If the opponents minor gets doubled , it will not play very well . If they get too frisky in spades that will not play well either. I think you must have a reason to show a limit raise hand and that reason is because we feel that the major game is most likely the best contract.

Most people respond to the Dormer 2NT with Jacoby like responses. Tom & I play 3♣ as any minimum over 2NT as that bid shows a limit raise or better . A rebid of the major shows a good hand with no singletons. Its business as usual with the 2NT treatment over a double, as the 2NT is a limit raise or better.

What about if partner bids 2NT over a double as a passed hand ? Tom and I play 2NT as a passed hand as a Bergen raise showing a 4 card raise with a 7-11 point range without a double. We prefer bidding 1NT with the 3 card limit raise as when partner can not bid over 1NT , we are not going anywhere. As a passed hand, we can redouble to show the 3 card fit , so a 2NT bid would always show 4 trump and the same range as when the opponents did not double.