3NT responses to 2NT openers (Per Facinelli)

[olegeorge]

Peter Facinelli - p.8, March, 2011 - Bridge Bulletin - references responses to 2NT opening bids where:

 

2NT + 3♠ which requires opener to rebid 3NT - is used for:

 

1.) To play hands in 3NT,

2.) To show single suited hands with slam interest in ♣ / ♦ - 2NT + 3♠ + 3NT + 4♣ /4♦ and

3.) To show slam interest with both minor suits - bidding similar to 2.) above (over the 3NT bid) 4♥ / ♠ - shows a singleton in the suit bid and 5/5 in the minors.

 

Can anyone explain - the bidding in this method - related to: 2NT + 3NT ??- Facinelli states: "With five spades and four hearts and game values we bid 3NT over 2NT..." It's not clear to me if the 3NT bid is reserved for this single situation - which would I guess allow one to have a bidding sequence such as -

2NT + 3♦ + 3♥ + 3♠ - if desired and agreed upon - to show 5/4 in hearts/spades - in both cases allowing opening bidder to end up in 3NT - with both 5/4 major suit situations when desired.

 

It seems like this set of bids potentially allows responder and opener - to deal with quite a few possible not-so-common, but potentially important situations without giving up anything significant - (with regular transfers, Puppet Stayman and Gerber).

 

 

Any further explanations beyond this and what Facinelli discussed in the Bridge Bulletin would be most welcome and/or other ideas related to how one could potentially use the 3NT response - which could have other meanings including being forcing (if this sequence is not already forcing).

 

Thanks!

[nigel_k]

You can deal with the 5♠ and 4♥ heart hand by modifying puppet. 2NT-3NT as artifical is going to be forgotten by one partner or the other fairly often. Also you allow a lead directing double by bidding 3♠ when intending to play 3NT.

[Free]

I usually show the 5♠-4♥ hands via muppet stayman or romex. When I play 3♠ as a gadget, I use 3NT as a transfer to ♣ (and 4♣ as a transfer to ♦). 2NT-3♠ shows 3NT signoff or slam interest with both minors in that case. If you also include the single suited minor hands in 3♠ like the description above, I'm not sure what you could use 3NT for. Perhaps minor suit stayman, dunno.

[Vampyr]

I use what I gather is called Muppet Stayman to handle 4♥/5♠ hands. 3♠ is a request for 3NT, either to play or to make minor-suit slam tries (4m 2-suited, 4M single-suited). 2NT-3NT is Baron. If you are concerned about 2NT-3NT artificial, you could play the rest and leave this out; it never comes up. I also play 2NT-4♣ is pick a major, Texas transfers, 2NT-4♠ ace-asking (something else that never comes up).