[gnasher]

OleBerg, on Aug 12 2008, 06:34 AM, said:

I'd still expect 2nt to be forcing? (It is in Europe.)

That's a bold assertion. Europe contains about 45 countries, including, for example, Italy, France, the Netherlands, the UK, Sweden and Poland. Is 2NT forcing in all of these places?

[OleBerg]

gnasher, on Aug 12 2008, 09:54 AM, said:

OleBerg, on Aug 12 2008, 06:34 AM, said:

I'd still expect 2nt to be forcing? (It is in Europe.)

That's a bold assertion. Europe contains about 45 countries, including, for example, Italy, France, the Netherlands, the UK, Sweden and Poland. Is 2NT forcing in all of these places?

Right, to bold.

Still I'd expect it to be forcing in almost all of Europe.

Is it forcing in 2/1?

[mike777]

I would think most play a reverse promises a third bid by opener, even over what for many may be this artificial 2nt bid. I do anyway per structured reverses from Root-Pavilicek.

Here 2nt is a weakness bid. It does not promise a balanced hand, it does not promise stoppers.

http://www.reginabri...tions/rvstr.txt

[ASkolnick]

Well, the one auction they are missing is the:

1C-1S
2D auction.

I would tend to play 2H is the weakest action since the 4th suit is very much an unlikely place to play. When you don't have room, then 2N becomes the sign off. 2S could clearly be the right spot and you can get there. Parter may have Hx and have a nice 5-2 fit you could get on the two level.

[hackenbush]

East holding ♣Jxxx and ♦Q can envision declarer testing clubs before falling back on the diamond finesse, and thus leads a diamond to put North to a guess. This situation is more standout when holding the king in the finesse suit.

Now if you go up on trick 1 on a diamond lead and clubs break 4-2, then the second diamond from hand will be covered if possible. When diamonds also break 4-2, there're only 3 diamond tricks available due to the entry situation. Admittedly there're many chances for a 12th trick, but it's definitely possible to go down in the 50% * 45% case.

[mike777]

ASkolnick, on Aug 12 2008, 10:38 AM, said:

Well, the one auction they are missing is the:

1C-1S
2D     auction.

I would tend to play 2H is the weakest action since the 4th suit is very much an unlikely place to play.  When you don't have room, then 2N becomes the sign off.  2S could clearly be the right spot and you can get there.  Parter may have Hx and have a nice 5-2 fit you could get on the two level.

NO!
1)2h=game force..
2) 2s=5+spades...weak bid.
3)2nt=deny 5spades......but otherwise weak bid.....do not promise balanced hand..do not promise stoppers.
4) any 3 level bid=natural and game force.
5)Yes,not perfect but handles many many common hands.

[gnasher]

hackenbush, on Aug 15 2008, 10:46 AM, said:

East holding ♣Jxxx and ♦Q can envision declarer testing clubs before falling back on the diamond finesse, and thus leads a diamond to put North to a guess.

And North takes the finesse at trick one. Wasn't this covered by Jon's analysis, several days ago?