2NT 5-5 minors

[firmit]

1) What do people play over 2NT for minors 6-11hp - response structure? Need suggestions - link or full structure.

 

2) What do you play as defence against it? Same as for 1x - (2NT)?

[rbforster]

For constructive bidding, all bids natural NF works ok. Decide whether you want 4m to be invitational or preemptive. Decide whether partner will ever pass with a weak hand at NV - if not you can include some very strong both minors hands too that want to play 5m or 6m in partner's minor preference.

 

For defense, if you assume 2N is effectively forcing, you've got lots of options - pass and bid or X later, X and then bid, bid one minor or the other etc. Decide what hand types you want to show early in the auction and start with those - minimum hands with one major, stronger hands with one major, both majors, penalty oriented, etc.

[hrothgar]

4M = to play

4♦ = preempt

4♣ = preempt

3N = range ask

3♠ = puppet to 3N

3♥ = relay

3♦ = to play

3♣ = to play

[kenrexford]

A nice tweak to a "mostly natural" response structure is to invert the meanings of 3♥ and 3♠.

 

3♥ = transfer to 3♠. Allows a rare escape at 3♠. Shows spades, though. Allows Opener to super-accept with spade support, however you want to do this.

 

3♠ = forcing, with hearts.

[Free]

Haven't had much trouble with a standard approach:

3♥ = relay, rest natural

 

After 2NT-3♥:

3♠ = void ♥ (5530 or 6520)

3NT = 5521 unknown Majors

4m = 6m, 5Om, 1-1M

4♥ = void ♠ (5530 or 6520)

4♠ = 6610, void ♥

4NT = 6610, void ♠

[Hilver]

I played this convention for several years and just used simple constructive bidding.

3C?D = to play

3H/S = forcing to game in bid M

3NT = to play

4C/D = strong, staring control bidding

4H/S = to play, sign off

5C/D = to play, maybe preemptive

 

Defense:

dbl = 15+

3C = strong, better H then S, at least 5/4

3D = strong, better S then H, at least 5/4

3H/S = 12-15, (5)/6+-card M

[pclayton]

I've played this for about 8 years and iit doesn't come up a whole lot, so don't panic if you feel you don't have an optimal structure. The goal of this is to make life tough for your opponents. When pard does have a strong hand, you'll frequenty have to guess.

 

From experience I can tell you that your range shouldn't be too wide in 1/2 seat. Don't do it with a 6-5 or a 6-6 bust. 5 to 9 seems to work pretty well. Also - it is a net loser to do it with a 5-4 even green in 1st. Making the call on a 5-4 just randomizes things.

 

Here's what we play:

 

--3, 4 or 5 of a minor = to play / blocking.

--3N = to play

--4N = pick a minor

 

 

--3♥ puppets to 3♠ then:

----pass = to play

----3N = pass if you are max, bail out in 4m if you aren't

----4m = invitational

----4M / 5m = mild slam invites - bid on if you have 3 covers

 

 

--3♠ puppets to 3N, and then:

----4[CL = key card

----4M / 5m = strong slam try. Only pass if you have 0-1 covers

 

What I don't like about this structure is that its find a 6-2 major fit when it exists. I could be persuaded to use a direct 3N as some sort of asking bid - perhaps to ask about a major suit fragment.

 

-------------

 

For a defense, I like:

 

dbl = cards - 16+ balanced usually

3♣ = ♥ + ♠ = better ♥'s

3♦ = ♥+ ♠ - better ♠'s

3M = natural

3N = to play

4m = Namyats

[OleBerg]

1) What do people play over 2NT for minors 6-11hp - response structure? Need suggestions - link or full structure.

 

2) What do you play as defence against it? Same as for 1x - (2NT)?

For what its worth; Defence:

 

3♣ = 5+ hearts, 4 spades.

3♦ = 5+ spades, 4 hearts.

3♥ = Natural.

3♠ = Natural.

 

X = Either strenght and none of the above, or excessive strenght.

 

 

On 3♣/3♦ a bid of 4♣ is forcing with hearts, and 4♦ is forcing with spades.

 

On X, defence has one takeout-double betweem them, penalty after that.

 

Edit: Having read the thread, I will hurry to include Namyats. Thx.

[keylime]

With Larry and I it's 7-10 NV, 8-11 VUL. The tight range allows us to not hang each other. We play the Polish style responses where 3H is a relay asking for more information.

 

I play Ben's defense when I have to deal with this.

[gwnn]

What I don't like about this structure is that its find a 6-2 major fit when it exists. I could be persuaded to use a direct 3N as some sort of asking bid - perhaps to ask about a major suit fragment.

How about

 

3♥->3♠ then 4M to show uncertainty about this contract? Opener would bid 4NT if they have inadequate support (you can agree on a criterion, maybe a stiff honour or a small doubleton is good enough)

[mtvesuvius]

I use 3m/3♠/3NT/4m/5m as to play. 3♥ is an OGUST bid with 3♠-4♦ OGUST responses. 4♥ shows 6-5, 4♠ shows 6-6 or better. 2NT - 4♥ is RKC for ♣ and 2NT - 4♠ is RKC for ♦. It's not the greatest structure, but it seems to work pretty well for me.

[mycroft]

One thing if you're playing this and playing a lot (so it will come up more than once):

 

Have ways to 5KC in either suit, and a 6KC call. When partner has the nuts, he'll appreciate being able to pinpoint the (grand) slam.

 

(in the case it came up with us, it was only the difference between +13 and +17, but if our opponents' teammates had been better able to resolve the double-minor fit, it would have been the difference between 0 and +13)

 

If you don't play 5 000+ hands a year, there are better places to put your system-time.

[jdonn]

1) What do people play over 2NT for minors 6-11hp - response structure? Need suggestions - link or full structure.

 

2) What do you play as defence against it? Same as for 1x - (2NT)?

For what its worth; Defence:

 

3♣ = 5+ hearts, 4 spades.

3♦ = 5+ spades, 4 hearts.

3♥ = Natural.

3♠ = Natural.

And with 5-5 in the majors?

[mtvesuvius]

1) What do people play over 2NT for minors 6-11hp - response structure? Need suggestions - link or full structure.

 

2) What do you play as defence against it? Same as for 1x - (2NT)?

For what its worth; Defence:

 

3♣ = 5+ hearts, 4 spades.

3♦ = 5+ spades, 4 hearts.

3♥ = Natural.

3♠ = Natural.

And with 5-5 in the majors?

Move a Major suit card to a Minor. Very simple solution :)

[MFA]

I have been playing something complicated that never seems to come up :).

 

3♥: Major length ask. This is used if interested in a major suit contract or just the major suit distribution.

Responses:

3♠= short spades, "long" hearts

3NT = short hearts, "long" spades

4m = 6511's

 

Now 4M is to play, 4m is keycard for that suit with 1st step=void, rest= 0,1-Q,1+Q,2-Q,2+Q. After "void" one can ask again with the cheapest bid.

 

3♠: Inv+ in a minor.

Responses:

3NT=min strongest ♣

4♣=min strongest ♦

4♦=max

On these 4M is keycard for the corresponding suit, 4♥ for ♣, 4♠ for ♦. 4m is just sign-off.

[whereagles]

When I played it, the responses were something like 3♥ relay and the rest natural.

 

Richard's (hrothgar) scheme with a 3♠ puppet is clearly superior and I'm gonna copy-cat it next time I play that opener :)