[han]

Scoring: MP

---

(1S) - pass - (1NT) - Dbl
(2S) - ???

Do you play GB-2NT here? What would you bid if you don't?



(the title rhymes if you have a Dutch accent )

[inquiry]

No, i do not play good/bad 2NT here. The reason is simple, with a bad hand you can just pass. I use 2NT to keep from guessing which suit to bid.

I have to admit that I would pass here.

[HeartA]

inquiry, on Feb 3 2005, 11:39 PM, said:

I have to admit that I would pass here.

me, too.

[NickToll]

Natural 2NT in this sequence would seem very questionable to me, so Good-Bad is more or less the only sensible meaning for 2NT. If so, I would bid it. We're green, my heart suit could be be the key for a successful contract, partner could have extras. Everything is risky in this bad world, so why not?

[Free]

2NT as scrambling is a good way to play here imo.

I'd probably bid 3♥, because of my length. It's quite agressive, but I need to learn such things the hard way

[cnszsun]

I would like to play 2nt here as good-bad rather than scrambling. I checked Roben/Segal book on this part, and found only 3 cases defined as scrambling in the book.
If double is not for penalty here, then it can be used to show two suiter hand with intention to compete.

[the hog]

Pass. This hand has far too many Quacks.

[mr1303]

2NT should be 2 places to play, likely 4-4 in two suits, unwilling to double because that would be at best undefined, and looks worryingly like a penalty double.

On Monday night's duplicate I was the only one to bid holding:

xx
T9xxxx
xx
Jxx

after (1S) X (2D) P
(3S) P (4S)

If I were to jump on the first round to 4H, this would show a stronger hand, which might influence partner to double 4S (which was cold). 5H was one off, but they took the push to 5S, which went one off. So I'll bid, and it'll be wrong. Presumably X is take-out of spades in this auction.

I'll bid 4H here as well, rather than 3.

[Winstonm]

I like the idea of good/bad here instead of a 2-suit shower. With this much bidding I am unlikely to hold much so I think it important to separate a totally competitive bid from one that has a few odds and ends in it or great shape with working cards. If I have 2 suits and a willingness to play at the 3-level I can use a responsive double.

On the given hand, I would compete at matchpoints; at imps, the QJ of spades and poor overall shape indicate to me a pass. Note that partner rates to hold 2-3 spades in this auction so those cards are pure losers. If the spades were in our suits, I would bid.

[helene_t]

3♥ only serves to chase them to 3♠ but they will probably bid that anyway. You might as well pass since 3♥ could encourgage partner to double 4♠. Alternatively, bid 4♥ to prevent LHO from an invitational 3♠. The law is on your side.

[tysen2k]

Was 1N forcing? If it's not then I don't think they will bid the game voluntarily and I'll settle for 3♥. If it was forcing then West could be hiding some values or support and I'll jump to 4♥. Someone has longer spades than they've shown. Neither of these bids should show any points, just shape.

Someone also has to have the missing points. I bet it's partner.

Tysen

[Rebound]

I would take a 3♥ bid here to show values. You should be willing to pass 3♠x I think and I wouldn't with this hand. Partner can always double again over 2♠ if he wishes to push the bidding further and then I'll bid 3♥ gladly. There's too much danger of being down 2 doubled against a part score IMO to bid 3♥ freely and I don't have the first clue about good/bad 2nt. Hearts is the suit you want to play in so bit it if you're going to bid at all in my book. Just my humble opinion of course :-)

p.s. I must admit to being old-fashioned. I strongly dislike so-called negative free bids. To me, a free bid should show extras in the same way that one should not "show the same values twice" if you know what I mean. In this case, for example, partner is free to balance with a double after 2♠-p-p...

[jikl]

I would pass. If partner has all the rest of the points you are going to hear from them again.

Sean