Getting to 3NT after minor limit raise

[johnallen]

Please help me understand standard practice for this common situation. I have not found a good written description of this.

 

I open 1-minor, and partner raises to 3-minor. He has about 11 points, 5+ support, and no four card major. Now what?

 

1. If I have a minimum minimum, I think I should pass.

 

2. If some of his points are dummy points, he may have 9 HCP, so 3NT may be a bad idea unless I have a medium hand. Do I ignore this possibility?

 

3. If I have a good minimum or a medium hand, I want to try for 3NT. If I have the other suits stopped, I can bid 3NT directly. If a suit is open (e.g., a worthless doubleton), I think I should bid stoppers and see if partner can bid 3NT.

 

Example:

 

My 1 club opening is raised to 3 clubs. I have a worthless doubleton in diamonds. I bid 3 hearts to show a stopper and deny a diamond stopper. If partner has a diamond stopper, what does he do?

 

Question: What is the general approach for deciding when to try for 3NT, and how does a partnership bid and ask for stoppers?

 

Regards,

Allen Woolfrey

[TylerE]

I'm recommend making betters agreements. SAYC 1m-3m is pretty much unplayable if you actually care about having good auctions.

[HeavyDluxe]

Allen,

 

Assuming 1m-3m = limit raise:

One thing I was told is that you can bid heart/spade stops on the way to 3NT, but that's about it. Otherwise, you're passing or retreating to 4m.

 

To Tyler's point, I think this is why inverted minor raises have become so popular. They take advantage of the preemptive value of 1m-3m while allowing a lot more real estate for exploring after the limit or better 1m-2m auctions.

 

http://homepage.mac.com/bridgeguys/Convent...rtedMinors.html

 

Good luck.

[vuroth]

Inverted minors will help you when it's right to stop in 2NT/3m instead of 3NT/4m. Valuable, yes, but it is possible to float without them. You'll just miss some hands that IMs could have helped with.

 

Playing SAYC, the OP question is a good one.

 

1♣ - 3♣

3♥ - ?

 

Does 3♠ show/deny a spade stopper? Show/deny a diamond stopper?

Same for 3NT?

 

I suppose the same thing happens in inverted minors?

1♣ - 2♣

2♥ - ?

 

2♠ shows spade stopper, denies diamond stopper?

2NT shows both pointed suit stoppers?

 

Since the question is "what's standard?", maybe there is not good answer, as most people don't play SAYC. Maybe the best answer is - discuss with partner?