Friday, October 29, 2004 2:34 AM

Forcing 1NT - 2NT rebid

PITBULLS:

Playing strong NT’s and specifically opening 1NT with a 5 card major has a profound effect on your bidding system . If partner responds 1NT to a major or a minor , a bid of 2NT should be forcing not invitational. Think about it . All balanced hands 15-17 would have already been opened 1NT . This means the 2NT invitational range has to be 18-19 as you would have opened 2NT with 20 or even a very good 19. This makes the jump to 3NT extinct when partner responds 1NT over a major or a minor. Use the jump to 3NT to show a strong jump shift in clubs 5-4-2-2.

Take a hand tonight with the Bartons . Lucille opened 1♥ with ♠Axx ♥AQ1098 ♦AQ ♣Qxx and Lee responded 1NT with ♠x ♥xx ♦Jxxxxxx ♣AJ10 . Lucille jumped to 3NT and all pass. Spade lead by Maurice and we beat 3NT two tricks . Meanwhile , 6♦ makes with 2 of 3 finesses. I think a 3NT bid just pre-empts the forcing NT bidder from describing his “real” hand . My partners & I play relays over a 2NT rebid and Maurice & I transfers. If I wanted to sign off in 3♦ , I would bid 3♣ and he would relay to 3♦ which I could pass. With a 7 card diamond suit and a stiff spade I would try a direct 3♦ which shows some values. Partner could bid 3♠ and I would leap to 5♦ and that of course easily makes. 2NT forcing is an example of the useful space principle in action.

Try another auction which occurs quite frequently. This is of course missing your 4♥ game and playing 3NT . The culprit in these auctions is the leap to 3NT by the opening bidder. You hold ♠Axxxx ♥AKx ♦Axx ♣Kx and open 1♠ with partner responding 1NT with ♠x ♥Jxxxxx ♦KQx ♣J10x . Partner leaps to 3NT so now what ??. Do you try 4♥ and risk hitting partner with xx of hearts ? 3NT is the correct contract if that is the case. Certainly easier if partner bids 2NT which is virtually forcing to game. Playing our relays , I would bid 3♣ and partner would take the relay to 3♦. I would bid 3♥ to play but partner would bid 4♥ as he is rich in controls with 18 HCP’s and nice hearts.. After a forcing 1NT a leap to 3NT should be extinct or a club strong jump shift so as not to pre-empt partner from the right game.

Bidding a forcing 2NT helps with the limit raise fit hands also. 1♠ with ♠AKxxx ♥Axx ♦Kxx ♣Ax and partner bids 1NT with ♠QJx ♥Jx ♦AQxxx ♣xxx as you plan to make a limit raise in spades. Partner bids 2NT so if you have a weak spade hand you would relay first. You according bid 3♠ which shows the limit raise hand. Partner bids 4♣ and you comply with 4♦ which is all partner needs to hear. Partner bids 6♠ and you have 12 tricks for +1430.

Playing the multi purpose 3♣ bid makes a strong jump shift hand 5-4-3-1 hand with 4♣’s difficult to bid. Lets have the understanding that these 5-4-3-1 “club jump shift hands” can be included in our 2NT rebid. This allows responder to investigate game or slam at a lower level. If partner has a good hand , she bids it naturally so we get to our best spot. If responder has a weak hand, she is going to use the 3 club relay. If opener breaks the relay by bidding her stiff she shows the 5-4-3-1 strong jump shift ♣ hand. This , of course, only applies when opener raises to 2NT.

This understanding allows you to get to the best game if no stopper in the singleton suit. ♠AKxxx ♥x ♦Axx ♣AKxx so you open 1♠ and partner bids 1NT you bid 2NT so partner relays to 3♣ with ♠x ♥xxx ♦KQxxxx ♣xxx. Partner bids 3♥ so you leap to 5♦ on your known 6-3 fit. You can get to 5-3 heart games with this sequence also or in rare cases your rightful club slam. If you have a hand that might produce slam opposite a strong jump shift in clubs, bid 3♣ as a checkback after partner’s 2NT bid. If partner breaks the relay , you are off to the races otherwise bid 3NT. If partner has a stiff diamond , she can not bid 3♦ as that is just accepting the relay so she breaks the relay by bidding her original major. This shows the 5-4-3-1 strong jump shift in clubs with a stiff diamond.