Sunday, November 14, 2004 5:09 AM

Hand Evaluation - Majors ( 3NT Response )

PITBULLS:

Once partner opens one of a major , bidding a 2/1 with a 4 card minor should be avoided if at all possible. It is not a very descriptive bid so can lead to some pretty bad contracts. There should be some “bidding security” that a 2/1 shows a 5 card or longer suit. A forcing NT should have an upper limit of a bad 13 HCP so covers all the balanced 12-13 HCP hands without a 5 card suit. Bidding 1NT forcing first followed by using your tools to show strong minor raises or bidding 2/3NT will get you out of this dilemma . If you are going to pre-empt partner with a leap to 3NT, at least make the bid descriptive. A hand with a strong NT range is consistent with the rest of your structure.

There are some hands where you are forced to bid a 2/1 with a flat NT opener with a 4 card minor after a major opener. If you have 3 card support for partner , a 2/1 is a given . If partner opens a spade, you have 4 hearts a 2/1 has to be manufactured. However , there is a tool to show all 4-4 in the minor hands with a doubleton in partners major & a strong NT range. A direct leap to 3NT shows these hands after a major opener.

This bid has the advantage of finding an immediate minor suit fit . If partner pulls 3NT to 4 of a minor , it is never out of a position of weakness . In fact , either minor is KCB for that minor ! Here is an example hand from a recent tournament . You have ♠KJxxx ♥xx ♦AQJxx ♣x and open 1♠ . Partner leaps to 3NT showing 2-3-4-4 and a strong NT opener. You bid 4♦ and partner bids 4♥ showing 1 or 4 key cards. Partner held ♠Ax ♥AJ10 ♦Kxxx ♣Axxx and you easily reach your +1370. Now try it with a 2/1 in clubs by partner. You may be reluctant to try for slam after hearing partner bidding a 2/1 in your stiff. Is partner required to raise diamonds or should he bid 2 or 3NT to show his balanced hand & heart stoppers ?

Anyway the 3NT jump to show 4-4 in the minors with a strong NT range is a handy bid for your arsenal. The bid narrows the 2/1 with a 4 card minor to a small range of hands mostly with a 3 card fit for your major. This leap to 3NT is a strict bid . You cannot improvise with a 4-3-3-3 or a 2-4-4-3 . The 3NT bid MUST hold 4-4 in the minors.

If you do have a balanced strong NT hand without the requisite 4-4 in the minors , bid a 2/1 in your 4 card minor followed by a leap to 3NT. A 2NT rebid is an either or bid showing a minimum or a 18-19 HCP balanced hand. With a 3-3-4-3 and a balanced strong NT , I would not even bother showing partner the support for his major , just leap to 3NT after his rebid. If I hold a hand like ♠Kxx ♥KQxx ♦Axx ♣Kxx , partner opens a spade I would bid 2♣ . Over his 2♦ rebid , I would bid 2♠ so subsequently try to steer the contract to 3NT. 9 tricks might be a better game if partner has a poor opener with queens & jacks.

Especially on the terrorist vulnerability , where you are giving maximum leeway , I see no reason for a jump to 3NT after you have bid a forcing NT. If partner can not bid over 2NT , you are high enough. In fact , you can have relays where you can bail out after 2NT . A direct leap to 3NT in my mind should indicate a choice of contracts between 3NT & 4 of partner’s major.