Response To 2NT

Responses To 2NT

Rev: September 4, 2000

Back to Treatments Back to Bridge Home

Treatment of NT Responses When:

	Opener bids 2NT (20 or 21 HCP) or overcalling 2NT over opponent's opening 1-bid in the balancing seat (no unusual 2NT here).
	Opener rebids 2NT after opening 2C (22 - 24 HCP).

Requirements for Bidding 2NT:

	A balanced hand.
	A worthless doubleton is OK.
	A stopper in opponent's suit is promised when overcalling 2NT in the balancing seat.
	Always open 2NT with a five-card major with 15 - 17 HCP and no more than one doubleton (which may be worthless). No exceptions.
	With a good 6-card minor suit and a shape of 2/3/2/6 it may be best to open 2NT if having high honors in shorts suits: Example: Ax_Axx_Ax_AKJxxx … open 2NT.

Responding When Opponents Interfere:

	Pass = some values, probably a King or better.
	Double = no values, probably less than 4 HCP and no king.

1. Popular Convention Available

1.1 Major Suits

	Regular Stayman (with or without Smolen)
	Puppet Stayman (instead of Regular Stayman)
	Smolen (only if Regular Stayman used)
	Jacoby Transfers
	Texas Transfers

1.2 Minor Suits

	Minor Suit Stayman
	No Minor Suit Transfers here

2. Responder's Approximate Strength Ranges Classified

	20 or 21 HCP Range	22 to 24 HCP Range
No Game Usually	Less than 5 points	Less than 3 points
Invitational (Majors or NT)	5 to 6 points	(not applicable)
Invitational (Minors)	8 to 9 points	(not applicable)
Game Going (Majors or NT)	6+ points	3+ points
Game Going (Minors)	9+ points	6+ points
Slam Interest	11+ points	8+ points
Slam For Sure	14+ points	11+ points

3. Convention Application Versus Strength Range

	No Game	Invite	Game Going	Slam Interest	Slam
Stayman			X	X	X
Puppet Stayman			X	X	X
Smolen			X	X	X
Jacoby	X	X	X	X	X
Texas			X	X	X
Minor Suit Stayman				X	X

4. Covention Application Versus Shape (* = less than 3 cards)

3/*

3/3

4/*

4/3

4/4

5/*

5/3

5/4

5/5

6/*

6/3

6/4

6/5

Stayman

Puppet Stayman

Smolen

Jacob1y

Texas

Minor Suit Stayman

5. My Preferred Treatment of Conventions

	Puppet Stayman - 3C/2NT (no regular Stayman and no Smolen)
	Minor Suit Stayman - 3S/2NT
	Both Jacoby and Texas Transfers - Used in conjunction with each other
	No Minor Suit Transfers

6. Convention Applications

6.1 Puppet Stayman (3C over 2NT) - Note: Regular Stayman and Smolen not used

Must have enough points for a at least a game-going contract in no trump or a major suit.

Must have ruffing potential with at least a doubleton somewhere.

Shape:

At least one 3-card major - example: 3/2/4/4

Or, two 3-card majors - example: 3/3/2/4

Or, a 3-card major and a 4-card major - example: 3/4/4/2

Or, a 4-card major - example: 4/2/5/2 or 4/2/4/3

Or, two 4-card majors - example: 4/4/1/4 or 4/4/3/2

6.2 Jacoby - Major Suit Transfers Used in Conjunction With Texas Transfers - Note: No Super Acceptance here.

Point Count:

From 0 to no upper limit.

Shape:

One major suit with 5 cards with or without slam interest.

One major suit with 6+ cards, with slam interest (without slam interest use Texas transfers).

4/5 with slam interest and with 4 spades and 5 hearts (transfer to hearts then bid 3S. This shows more hearts than spades but not the other way around.

5/5 in the majors with or without slam interest (transfer to spades then bid 4H).

6/4 or 6/5 in the majors with slam interest (without slam interest use Texas transfers).

6.3 Texas - Major Suit Transfers Used in Conjunction with Jacoby Transfers:

Point Count:

Game-going hand or better.

Shape:

One major suit with 6 or more cards, game-going hand with or without slam interest.

6/4 in the majors, no slam interest (with slam interest use Jacoby transfers).

6/5 in the majors, no slam interest (with slam interest use Jacoby transfers).

6.4 Minor Suit Stayman (Bid 3S only with slam interest)

Point Count

Enough for slam interest

Shape:

At least 5/4 in the minors.

7. Notes: Other First Bids by Responder

	3NT/2NT = Sign off.
	4C/2NT = Gerber.
	4NT/2NT = Quantitative.
	5 or 6 of any suit over 2NT is natural; opener passes.
	5NT/2NT = Forcing to 6NT; invites 7NT
	6NT/2NT = Sign off