Sunday, December 04, 2005 3:30 AM
Hand Evaluation – Godfather 2NT ( Competition )
PITBULLS:
An excellent tweak to standard bidding is to throw away the invitational 2NT bid by responder & treat the bid as a
“new suit” & a one round force even
in competition. This treatment is
known as the “godfather 2NT” or an invitation you cannot refuse. This understanding
immediately does a number of nice things.
You do not pre-empt opener by leaping to 3NT forcing partner to describe her
hand at the 4 level. You do not
have to distort your hand by
playing an ugly 4th suit forcing
to make a forcing bid. You “right side”
the NT while keeping
the bidding at the two level for exploring alternative games or
slams. However , one of the best uses of this bid
is relieving the “over burdened” Q bid as an ambiguous noise to keep the
bidding open in competitive bidding .
2NT is used as a new suit ( one round force) &
augments a
Q bid to force. In fact , the new bid redefines or
at least clarifies the Q bid & Western Q bid in competition.
My partner held this hand ♠KQ109x ♥Kxxx ♦xx
♣AQ , I opened 1♦ . He responded 1♠ , my RHO bid 2♣
& I bid 2♦ so around to him. This hand is very
simple in our system. You bid 2NT which is forcing one round. If I had hearts
, I would now describe my 6-4 in the reds by bidding hearts . I cannot have too many spades as I did not make a support double. Obviously
partner must play the NT with a
forcing bid , so we have that base covered.
With this new understanding , what does a 3♣ Q
bid mean ? In the absence of a forcing 2NT bid , the Q
bid is narrowed down to two meanings in this auction. A strong distributional diamond raise or a simple Western Q bid. The Q bid also allows you to show a “partial
stopper” for NT. Change partner’s hand
to ♠KQ109x ♥Kxxx ♦Ax
♣Qx
, he can bid 3♣ as a
Western Q bid. I have ♠Ax
♥Ax ♦KQJ10xx
♣Jxx so I bid 3♦. Partner now bids 3NT so
in the absence of a 2NT forcing bid
originally, he must be showing only a partial
stopper !!
A Q
bid is an ambiguous bid so should usually imply a fit of limit raise
or better. The more times you reserve
the Q bid for that purpose , the simpler the auctions can be. D.S.I.P.
doubles are used to show big hands without a
fit in competitive auctions. This double gives the partner the
option to convert but better still you do not
need a Q bid without a fit
to force one round. The 2NT bid as a one
round force also relieves
your system of an ambiguous Q bid
to show strength without a fit when converting for penalty is an
unsatisfactory option.. When you do Q bid , you must have a fit for partner’s suit as “strength
showing” Q bids are history.
Change partner’s hand again to ♠KQ10xx ♥Kxx ♦Kxxx ♣x , on our auction
he bids 3♣. I actually held ♠A10 ♥Axx ♦Axxxxx ♣xx and we get to a 23 HCP +1370 !! Knowing that
partner has a diamond fit immediately, simplifies auctions & brings KCB or Q bidding
into play.
The godfather 2NT redefines 4th
suit forcing without interference. In competition ,
the godfather 2NT redefines or clarifies both the Q bid & the D.S.I.P.
double. A D.S.I.P. double ca not be a strong NT hand
in the absence of a godfather 2NT. New means for a 3NT bid emerge & 4th
suit forcing in completion is more likely to be natural !
Q bids & competitive doubles help in competition so add the godfather 2NT
in your competitive arsenal for completeness.
When you have a 2NT bid available as forcing one round in competition, what
would a leap to 3NT mean ? You can make the bid
consistent with all 3NT
jumps in your system. After a 2/1 , a
leap to 3NT by either side shows a hand that evaluates to a strong 1NT opener. This is the so called picture bid. The 3NT bid in this auction
should deny a fit
with a hand in the 15-17 HCP range which is NT suitable with queens &
jacks. Say ♠KQ10x ♥KQxx ♦xx
♣AQx is certainly a 3NT “picture bid” . You have a lot of strength but have no
interest in diamond
slams or alternative
contracts. However , in competition the 3NT jump might mean just a soft hand & a shot. You do not want to
map out an opening lead so you “fast arrival”. Discuss with
partner.
Do not forget that competition
brings the entire 3 tiered
opening bidding structure ( strong , intermediate
& weak ) into play. The fact that
they have competed , opener
can have all 3 ranges of openers opposite your 2NT bid
! I cannot remember the last time I
played exactly 2NT in competition in
IMPS ( matchpoints different though ) . 2NT as a non forcing invitational bid should
become extinct in IMPS. Partner will scramble to a minor with a minimum so you
only lose 2NT as a contract. 2NT as a godfather “new
suit” , forcing one round has replaced that bid . People compete more & are more
destructive in the modern game. The godfather 2NT allows constructive bidding in
competition & is based on the popular “limit raise or better” concept made
popular by Q bids. Do not leave home or
compete without it !