Monday, August 15, 2005 1:58 AM
Hand Evaluation –
Godfather 2NT ( Patterning Out )
PITBULLS:
My partner & I won a number of IMPS on boards where we
played in a 4-3 major suit fit when it looked like 3NT was not the place
to play it. Partner had ♠K10x
♥x ♦10987x ♣AKQx ,
opened 1♦ . I responded a spade so what is you rebid ? I feel partner made the best bid of 2♠. Why bid 2♣ ? You are not
strong enough to “pattern out” & encourage partner. If you rebid 2♣
with partner leaping to 3NT , do you now pull to 4♠ ? This can be very wrong , if
there is duplication of value in hearts. 3NT was played at the other table so
we won 10 IMPs for our 4♠ Moysean making . The opponents at
the other table did not support spades & when the leap to 3NT was
made they were trapped in that contract.
We
play 2NT by responder as a “new suit” forcing one round.
This bid is also called the “godfather 2NT” or an invitation you cannot
refuse. This is an excellent addition to natural bidding that allows the
opener to pattern out before 3NT is reached. This
allows you to investigate properly at the 3 level rather than the
4 level. I held ♠AK9x ♥xx ♦Axxx ♣Qxx , partner opened 1♥ . I
responded 1♠ , partner bid 2♣ . I bid 2NT forcing one round &
partner patterned out by bidding 3♠. I had horrible diamond spots so with partner showing
a singleton diamond encouraged me to bid 4♠ for another pickup. Partner held ♠Jxx
♥AKxxx ♦x ♣Axxx & 3NT is a
hopeless contract . I made 4♠ by ruffing
a number of diamonds. Which contract would you rather be in with a diamond lead ?
A
natural system has an advantage over a forcing club system by the
ability to “pattern out” .
The godfather 2NT forcing by responder as a new suit is built
for this hand evaluation strategy. Partner can pattern out so
nice minor suit slams can be reached after the 2NT bid. Partner opens a diamond , you respond a spade. Partner bids 2♣ so you have ♠Jxxx ♥AQx ♦KJx
♣Kxx .
In standard methods you leapt to 3NT so partner passes with ♠x ♥Kxx ♦AQxxx ♣AQJ10. With the new suit
forcing bid , partner “patterns out” to show
extra by bidding 3♥ so +1370 is reached
in diamonds. A leap to 3NT
, of course pre-empts partner & constructive
bidding is halted.
Jumping
to 3NT pre-empts opener so “patterning out “ at
the 4 level is risky so not recommended. If partner leaps to 3NT, it usually ends
all contracts. With the 2NT by responder as the
new suit concept , a leap to 3NT can be a “picture” bid
showing exactly a 15-17 NT opener range & quantitative bidding or
pulling the 3NT to a minor from a position of strength can dictate the final
contract. A leap to 3NT with the opponents in the auction can also be just a shot.
Playing the godfather 2NT forcing one round prevents the ugly 4th suit forcing auction where the NT gets wrong sided. The 2NT forcing allows natural bidding in a natural system , hence the advantage over artificiality. The range of a two level rebid by opener