Tuesday, July 12, 2005 1:36 AM

Hand Evaluation  - Godfather 2NT ( Intermediate Hands )

PITBULLS:

            Lets enumerate how many times an invitational 2NT bid occurs in standard bidding as responder without biding a forcing 1NT first.  The humble

1♣ opener .  1♣-P-1♦-P  1♥-P-2NT or 1♣-P-1♦-P  1♠-P-2NT  or 1♣-P-1♥-P  1♠-P-2NT or  1♣-P-1♦-P   2♣-P-2NT or  1♣-P-1♥-P   2♣-P-2NT or  1♣-P-1♠-P   2♣-P-2NT

Next the 1♦ opener . 1♦-P-1♥-P  1♠-P-2NT or   1♦-P-1♥-P   2♦-P-2NT or  1♦-P-1♠-P   2♦-P-2NT  or 1♦-P-1♥-P   2♣-P-2NT or 1♦-P-1♠-P   2♣-P-2NT

Next the 1♥ opener    1♥-P-1♠-P 2♥-P-2NT   or  1♥-P-1♠-P  2♣-P-2NT   or  1♥-P-1♠-P  2♦-P-2NT 

        What is a leap to 3NT ? Exactly 12-14 with a stopper in the unbid suit(s) ?. A rebid at the two level by opener in a new suit or otherwise can be as high as 17 HCP ( intermediate )  . The best game or slam begins to be investigated at the 4 level after partner essentially has pre-empted the auction by bidding 3NT. What about all the responders hands in these auctions that are greater than 14 HCP ? You now must bid a phony 3rd suit or 4th suit forcing which wrong sides the NT so gives no idea to partner about the strength or distribution of your hand ? 4th suit forcing detracts from natural bidding & adds awkwardness.

            Would it not be nice to have a 2NT as a game force unless opener rebids her suit or otherwise escapes to stay in a partial ? This leaves 4th suit forcing or 3rd suit forcing to be natural & exploratory. Right siding the 3NT or investigating slams starts at a lower level. The 3 tiered structure of opening bids in standard bidding is addressed via the godfather 2NT by responder. The intermediate range of hands by opener have a chance to come out of the closet & be described by shaping out under 3NT !

            You have an intermediate hand 17 HCP with a 5-4-3-1 , open something that ends up partner leaping to 3NT ? Do you make a slam try ? Probably not , as you are in the 30 HCP range. What if your singleton matches partners Jxxx  or Axxx. You are cold for slam but did not even try to get there. You could be cold for 5 of a minor but in 3NT off 5 losers in a wide open suit . 4th suit forcing auctions are confusing. Would it not be nice if partner jumped to 3NT showing a strong NT opener as an  unambiguous ( picture bid ) so you leap to 6NT with your 16-17 HCP hand  knowing you have 33 HCP’s ?

Handling intermediate hands in standard has been traditionally done by lumping them into the same category as minimum hands. Responder was responsible for inviting in case openers hand was intermediate. Modern bidding has made this task almost impossible because opening bids are becoming lighter & lighter. The gap between minimum & intermediate has become quite substantial . The Godfather 2NT is now required in modern bidding , in my opinion anyway.  If not , switch to a forcing ♣ system :)

            The 2NT as a “new suit” simplifies auctions. Understandings allows us to escape in a partial otherwise you can “pattern out” to show your distribution & strength. Let’s try a few auctions :

1♥-P-1♠-P  
2♦-P-?       ♠J10xxx ♥Qx ♦AQxx ♣AQ     In standard methods you must bid 3♣ 4th suit forcing or leap to 3NT ?

        Let’s give opener ♠x ♥AKxxx ♦KJ10x ♣Kxx  , 6♦ is cold & impossible to reach. Give partner ♠Q ♥AKxxx ♦KJ10x ♣xxx ,  she has an impossible bid over 3♣. 3NT with no club stopper & wrong siding the contract ? Try these hands with 2NT forcing so you can pattern out or right side the 3NT. Ugly things happen in these 4th suit auctions like rebidding 4 card suits or rebidding bad 5 card suits. There are no bids left as opener was forced into a corner.

        I like playing a jump rebid as responder as “recovering the strong jump shift” so forcing with a good suit. This brings in new inferences or a refinement with NMF sequences . NMF no longer need to be restricted to 1NT rebids. Partner opens 1♦ , you respond 1♠ on ♠AJ10xxx ♥Jx ♦xx ♣Axx , partner rebids 2♦ . Rebidding 2♠ is a terrible underbid on a hand that was built for 3♠ invitational. Playing 2NT as a one round force allows you to use 3♣ as NMF for invitational hands ( similar to 2♦ after a 2♣ rebid) . 2♥ can be the 4^th suit forcing route. Partner cannot bid 3NT in these auctions as you did not bid a godfather 2NT forcing so an invitational sequence is coming up. Partner bids 3♥ or 3♦ , you bid 3♠ invitational. Similar auction after a 1♥-2♥ rebid auction with a 10 HCP spade hand.

        You hold ♠Axxx ♥Kx ♦xxxx ♣AQx  , partner opens 1♦ . You bid 1♠ as you are all controls so partner bids 2♦ so now what ? A leap to 3NT or a phony 3♣ which wrong sides the 3NT & forces partner into a corner ? Would it not be better to bid 2NT & over partners bid , support diamonds with your slamish quick tricks ? With an unsuitable hand partner can bail to 4NT so the NT is right sided. Partner hand is ♠x ♥Axxx ♦AKxxxx ♣xx so a grand slam in diamonds is on a hook ! Partner could hold many other hands where 3NT is the spot but right sided from the AQx of clubs side !

        I think the godfather 2NT concept as a “new suit” will pay dividends as it gets rid of the ugly 4th suit forcing at the two level. Right siding 3NT contracts or getting to nice slams or minor suit games will garner a lot of IMPS. As Granoveter says , the only thing you lose is playing in 2NT where exactly 2NT makes. We all know how many times that occurs in IMPS. The rest of our system is designed not to play in 2NT anyway so let’s make it complete.