Highly
theoretical article for those who have bought into the “godfather 2NT concept”
2008-05-16 01:32
Hand Evaluation - Forcing 1NT ( Godfather )
PITBULLS:
We do not like to bid
a 2/1 with a 4 card suit & 12
to a bad 14 HCP’s after partner opens a major. Quite
often it is better to right side the NT while showing a balanced hand & bid a
forcing NT instead. This sequence describes your balanced hand in this HCP
range more efficiently than by going to the 2 level .
The more times that you indicate balanced
hands with a NT bid in
bidding theory , the better off you will be.
Bidding this way means that your 2/1
bid almost always shows a 5 card
suit if in this HCP range. If you have 14+ HCP’s, you may have to bid a 2/1 with a 4
card suit ( no choice ) as you are beyond the forcing NT range. This understanding comes
with a price though, as you need bids to
show this upper range
of the forcing 1NT without leaping to 3NT later which normally pre-empts &
ends all auctions. If partner opens a major & rebids 2♣
, we have no problem as 2♦ by responder is a one round force. With these auctions , a
2NT bid by the responder can have its normal meaning as invitational & can
be passed.
The
problem hands are all the other
rebids at the two level. A rebid of the
original major , a new major or diamonds. In all these
instances , 2NT by responder should be forcing one round. The “new suit 2NT” or “godfather
2NT” by responder is now complete. A leap to 3NT can be a
picture bid as defined by the partnership. Probably a 13 HCP hand with no fit
for either of partner’s suits. Over 2NT , opener
patterns out to show extra and/or identifying a NT weakness. If opener wants to
bail , she bids 3♣ & responder places the
contract with a fit & relays to 3♦ otherwise. Opener now can get out with a weak 5-5 or a
weak 6-4 . Natural bidding by opener is a game force . Natural clubs
never enter the picture with these auctions so the 2NT is not a forced relay to
3♣ , it is more like a Jacoby 2NT or a 2NT after a weak two where 3♣ shows all minimums by the opening bidder.
If
responder gives preference after the 3♣ bail ,
this will end the auction.
Responder must bid a new suit to
force to game. My partner opened 1♠ & I held ♠xx ♥Axx ♦AJ98 ♣A109x . I bid 1NT to show
the flat hand & partner bids 2♦ now what ? Leaping to 3NT is not right as there are many hands
where 6♦ would be lay down & 3NT fails. ♠AKxxx ♥x ♦KQxxx ♣xx
. So I bid 2NT & partner bids 3♦ followed by a 3♥ bid by me agreeing
diamonds. We now get to our 6♦ contract. Say partner had a weaker hand ♠AKQxx ♥J ♦Qxxx ♣xxx , he would bail
to 3♣ . 3♦ by me would end the auction but I will try 3NT which
is a lucky make with the diamonds on side.
You
open 1♠ with ♠AKxxx
♥KJ10xx
♦xx ♣x & partner bids
1NT. You bid 2♥ , partner bids 2NT so
you bail to 3♣. Partner does not have a fit with you so she bids 3♦ , you correct to 3♥ & you described
a 5-5 bow-wow. You open 1♠ with ♠AQ10xxx
♥x ♦AJxx ♣xx.
Partner
responds 1NT so you bid 2♦. Partner bids 2NT so
you bail to 3♣ & correct to 3♠. If you just bid naturally with
these 6-4’s or 5-5’s it is forcing to game somewhere.
Partner
opens 1♠ & you have ♠x ♥KQxx ♦Kxxx ♣Axxx so you bid 1NT &
partner bids 2♥. 4♥ by you is lame as
there could be a 6♥ slam very easily.
Therefore you could bid 2NT & partner bids 3♦ (
patterning out ) showing extra with a stiff club. You now bid KCB & drive the
hand to 6♥. If opener
bids 3♣ or 3NT over your 2NT , you bid 4♥ which should end the
auction. You show a very strong heart hand , which is
what you have. Jumps can be fit showing on these auctions.
Partner
opens with 1♠ . You hold ♠Qx ♥AQxx ♦KJxx ♣J10x so again you avoid
going to the two level & bid 1NT. Partner bids 2♠
so you bid 2NT & partner bids 3♣ to bail. You do not let her &
bid 4♠ which ends the auction. Instead of 3♣ ,
partner bids 3♦ with ♠AKxxxx ♥KJx ♦Axx ♣x so you make
your way to 6♠. Alternatively if the spade opener had better spades , she could splinter to 4♣ over 2NT & that
would get the hand to slam very quickly.
The
advantage of the 2NT forcing by responder is that you keep the bidding low while
showing a maximum or invitational
1NT response. The 3♣ mechanism allows an out for weak opening bids at the
3 level & patterning
out might avoid 3NT with no stopper. Since these sequences do not apply after a 2♣ rebid
, using 3♣ as an artificial out works well. ♠Jxx ♥xx ♦KQxx ♣AKxx partner opens 1♥ you respond 1NT.
Partner bids 2♥ so you bid 2NT followed by a 3♠ bid by partner. ♠KQ10 ♥AQ10xxx ♦J ♣QJx so you get to 3NT
which does not even need the heart suit to make which was ♥KJ98 off side anyway. What if opener held ♠x ♥AKxxxx ♦AJx ♣Qxx so could bid 3♦ over 2NT. Looks like
spades will be a problem , so you bid 4♥.
Partner
opens 1♠ & you have ♠Axx ♥xx ♦KQxx ♣Axxx so with the fit is there any advantage to bidding 2♣ ? I recommend bidding 1NT & when partner bids 2♠
you bid 2NT forcing . Partner now with ♠KQxxxx ♥Axx ♦Axx ♣x likes her stiff club
so you get to +1430. By bidding 2♣ , partner
will drag her feat as she has a stiff in your so
called suit.
What
if you had a legitimate invitational 2NT hand ? Well , you must play the hand well as partner is putting you
into 3NT with any flat hand & bailing to 3♣ with distributional
minimums. This is the flaw to “new suit 2NT” is that you will be reaching some dicey 3NT contacts.
This is IMPS , so this is not all bad. They defend
badly against Meckwell so why not against you also ?