Continuations after 2
2
; 2NT and Similar
2; 2NT and Similar
Although the Double Club System's 2NT opening bid is artificial, we nevertheless need a 2NT Response System.
If we open with an artificial 1 or 2 bid
and (without any natural suit being bid by either partner) opener rebids 2NT
then we need a 2NT Response System for the same reasons that standard bidders do over their 2NT opening bid.
After a natural 2NT rebid by opener, when no natural suit has yet been bid by either partner, we play a standard Extended Puppet Stayman system and red-suit transfers. Specifically, these are the following sequences where our 2NT Response System applies:
, 2; 2NT, showing 23-24 hcp;, 1; 2NT, showing 25-26 hcp;, 1; 1
, 1
; 2NT, showing 27-30 hcp;Extended Puppet Stayman will shortly be described in detail. However, since most readers will be familiar with Puppet Stayman, it may be useful for me briefly to describe the difference between that system and Extended Puppet Stayman.
In Puppet Stayman, responder enquires about opener's major suits
by bidding 3.
Opener bids a 5-card major if he has one,
bids 3 if he has a 4-card major (or both),
otherwise bids 3NT.
Extended Puppet Stayman is exactly the same
except that opener additionally bids bids 3
if he has a 3-card spade suit.
This enables responder, when he has 5 spades and 4 hearts,
to find a 5-3 spade fit or a 4-4 heart fit if either exists.
Extended Puppet Stayman usually manages to right-side the contract but it will not always do so when responder has both majors. If you want something that guarantees right-siding of all major suit contracts then I recommend Muppet Stayman. However, Muppet Stayman has a number of counter-intuitive sequences, so it is suitable only for those partnerships who are prepared to put a lot of work into practicing something that will only occur infrequently, and who trust absolutely each other's memory and concentration. Selecting the best contract is more important than right-siding the chosen contract, and Extended Puppet Stayman will achieve that without taxing your memory too much.
The particular advantage that Extended Puppet Stayman has over standard Puppet Stayman
is that it caters for responder's hand that has 5 spades and 4 hearts,
saving our having to allocate the immediate bid of 3 for that purpose
(as most Puppet Stayman players do).
3 is better used as Minor Suit Stayman,
not least because it lets our 2NT Response System system mirror the pattern of three-level continuations by responder
after a 1NT opening bid and a negative reply to 5-Card Stayman.
Consistency of meaning in a bidding system is a goal worth seeking.
Our 2NT Response System allows responder to find
any 4-card or 5-card major held by opener
by asking with 3, Extended Puppet Stayman.
Responder can show any 5-card or longer major suit that he holds by making a transfer,
or show both minors and slam interest by bidding 3 (Minor Suit Stayman).
If responder has 5 hearts and 4 spades he can transfer to hearts and then bid spades. If responder has 5 spades and 4 hearts he must use Extended Puppet Stayman, which will identify either a 4-card heart suit or a 3-card spade suit in opener's hand.
Gerber: When partner's previous bid was either 1NT or 2NT (natural and balanced),
then 4 is the Gerber ace-asking convention.
Gerber is not used in any other circumstances.
Note: Your partnership may have different rules about when Gerber applies, or may choose not to use Gerber at all.
See below for some more detailed notes on Responder's Stratgegy in the less common situations.
if he has a 4-card major (or both majors),
or if he has a 3-card spade suit,
otherwise to bid 3NT.
and follow with 4 on the next round.
An immediate 4 bid is Gerber.
.
His later bid of a minor suit is natural.
When responder has slam interest with a 5-card or longer minor suit and a 4-card major suit,
he should start with 3 (Puppet Stayman)
to see if opener has a 4-card or longer major opposite his own 4-card major.
If opener bids 3
then responder next bids the major suit he doesn't hold, as normal,
and if opener bids game in responder's major suit then all is fine:
responder can bid slam, invite slam with a raise to five,
or bid 4NT (RKB, since the suit is agreed) to check on Key Cards.
But if opener bids 3NT, denying a mjor suit fit,
responder can bid 4
or 4 to show a 5-card or longer suit.
Opener will bid 4NT with only a doubleton,
and responder will know whether to pass or continue.
If opener bids 3NT (showing 2 spades and 3 hearts),
then opener must have at least 3 cards in each minor.
Responder can bid 4 to set clubs as trumps
or 4 to set diamonds as trumps.
If opener shows a 5-card suit that does not match responder's major suit,
responder can bid 4
or 4 to show a 5-card or longer suit.
Opener will bid 4NT with only a doubleton,
and responder will know whether to pass or continue.
When responder has slam interest with a 6-card or longer minor suit,
he probably will not be interested in any 5-card major that opener may hold.
If his suit is diamonds he can bid 4,
showing a 6-card suit.
If his suit is clubs he cannot bid a natural 4
(unless your partnership chooses not to use Gerber),
so he must bid 3 initially
and follow with 4 on the next round.
This shows only a 5-card suit,
but responder can insist on clubs on the next round.
When responder has slam interest with a 5-3-3-2 shape having a 5-card minor,
he can start with 3 (Puppet Stayman),
to see if opener has a 5-card major opposite his own 3-card major.
If opener bids 3
then responder's 4
or 4 are natural,
showing a 5-card suit and slam interest.
Author: Chris Burton
Gravesend Bridge Club