Forcing NT

[wickedbid1]

Does the decision to use the forcing NT in 2/1 affect the decision of weather to open a balanced hand with a 5 card major 1M or 1N?

I use a weak NT in a 2/1 structure (basically K-S). Historically, I have opened 1M whenever possible, but that basically gives up on a 1N final contract when that is often the best spot, because of the forcing 1N response. Then again, opening 1N basically gives up on playing 2M as a final contract, which is the best spot about as often.

I know that, in general, it is ok to open either way, but I assume that the other conventions used weigh in on the decision. Given that I use these two conventions (weak NT opener and forcing NT response), is opening 1M or 1N better with 5M332 and 12-14 points?

 

 

Here is another wrinkle for u to consider Phil. Playing wk nt is largely about yr run-out method, especially vul. There is another thread on this site discussing the merits of some of these. It is a good thread.

 

Putting 5 crd majors into one's wk nt puts strain on one's run-out methods, obviously. And life is even more difficult if one has both the lousy 5 crd majors & the good ones in the NT bid -- now in competitive auctions it can be tricky for the NT bidder's partner to make decisions, without info about the quality of the 5 crd major.

 

I would advocate putting just the Good 5 crd majors into the wk no-trump bid, rather than the bad ones, like some have suggested.

 

These r my reasons.

 

1) the negative inference of 1sp - (no raise by responder) helps the opener give up on sp when the spades r bad, & quickly consider finding a minor spot to land in. When these hands r stuck into 1NT by the time one is ready to investige for a minor fit, it is too late. Conversely the direct major raise auction(s) give opener confort in competitive decisions after opps put their two bits in.

 

2) Altho a good game can be missed when languishing in one's 1nt opening if responder is too cowardly to invite, the decent 5 crd major is one that can proudly be descriptively introduced in constructive situations. 1NT-p-2cl/2di-2hrt-2sp describes one's hand perfectly & very efficiently (sp is a touching suit with NT!). Balancing at the two level is much less scary with a decent five crd major to run to, as well. If one has bad five card majors in one's hand all the balancing decisions must be pre-balanced by pard, and pard will get them wrong a lot (cuz opener is not always as flat as pard is gessing).

 

3) In NT auctions it is responder who "takes charge" and starts showing stuff, or asking questions. If opener has a good side suit to introduce in a constructive sequence, this will only be good news, and will give our side lots of chances to get to optimal spots (an important consideration at matchpoints especially)

 

So, for example 1nt-p-2cl-p-2hrt-p-2sp-p-3hrt (now prd can pick the right game.)

 

1nt-p-2cl-p-2sp-p-2nt-p-3sp... (now prd can pick the right game)

 

Bad 5 crd majors can only be introduced in these sorts of sequences when u have started with a maximum, and they can only help pard judge whether to play NT or the major if they r known to be bad & not good. Two-way suit types on this sort of auction --so confusing.

 

I assume that with a good 5 crd major, yr hand has enough to accept any invitational sequence invite, (tho responder can obviously pass 3hrt/sp in the examples above when feeling nauseated) because a hand with a good five crd major & two wk side suits doesn't look notrumpy at all. It should be treated as "unbalanced" at first view.

 

Those r my thots. Happy hunting.

[mtvesuvius]

Here is another wrinkle for u to consider Phil. Playing wk nt is largely about yr run-out method, especially vul. There is another thread on this site discussing the merits of some of these. It is a good thread.

 

Putting 5 crd majors into one's wk nt puts strain on one's run-out methods, obviously. And life is even more difficult if one has both the lousy 5 crd majors & the good ones in the NT bid -- now in competitive auctions it can be tricky for the NT bidder's partner to make decisions, without info about the quality of the 5 crd major.

 

I would advocate putting just the Good 5 crd majors into the wk no-trump bid, rather than the bad ones, like some have suggested.

 

These r my reasons.

 

1) the negative inference of 1sp - (no raise by responder) helps the opener give up on sp when the spades r bad, & quickly consider finding a minor spot to land in. When these hands r stuck into 1NT by the time one is ready to investige for a minor fit, it is too late. Conversely the direct major raise auction(s) give opener confort in competitive decisions after opps put their two bits in.

 

2) Altho a good game can be missed when languishing in one's 1nt opening if responder is too cowardly to invite, the decent 5 crd major is one that can proudly be descriptively introduced in constructive situations. 1NT-p-2cl/2di-2hrt-2sp describes one's hand perfectly & very efficiently (sp is a touching suit with NT!). Balancing at the two level is much less scary with a decent five crd major to run to, as well. If one has bad five card majors in one's hand all the balancing decisions must be pre-balanced by pard, and pard will get them wrong a lot (cuz opener is not always as flat as pard is gessing).

 

3) In NT auctions it is responder who "takes charge" and starts showing stuff, or asking questions. If opener has a good side suit to introduce in a constructive sequence, this will only be good news, and will give our side lots of chances to get to optimal spots (an important consideration at matchpoints especially)

 

So, for example 1nt-p-2cl-p-2hrt-p-2sp-p-3hrt (now prd can pick the right game.)

 

1nt-p-2cl-p-2sp-p-2nt-p-3sp... (now prd can pick the right game)

 

Bad 5 crd majors can only be introduced in these sorts of sequences when u have started with a maximum, and they can only help pard judge whether to play NT or the major if they r known to be bad & not good. Two-way suit types on this sort of auction --so confusing.

 

I assume that with a good 5 crd major, yr hand has enough to accept any invitational sequence invite, (tho responder can obviously pass 3hrt/sp in the examples above when feeling nauseated) because a hand with a good five crd major & two wk side suits doesn't look notrumpy at all. It should be treated as "unbalanced" at first view.

 

Those r my thots. Happy hunting.

http://www.learntospell.org.uk/

[Phil]

Here is another wrinkle for u to consider Phil.

 

Why is this directed at me?

 

Playing wk nt is largely about yr run-out method, especially vul.

 

I stopped reading after this.

[helene_t]

Making a limit raise with 3-card support makes it hard to find slam in another strain, sometimes you want to be in 6m in a 4-4 or 4-5 fit when you also have a 5-3 M fit. So I would rather make the 3-card limit raises via either 1NT or an artificial 2♣. Or simply via a natural non-gf 2m response (not that I like to play non-gf 2/1 but when I do have a 3-card limit raise hand it is often great to be playing it). Bidding another suit en route to 3M (or 2M) may also make it easier for opener to decide whether to accept the invite.

[Vampyr]

Playing wk nt is largely about yr run-out method, especially vul.

 

Is it? I have played weak NT almost exclusively for over a decade, and do not use a "run-out method".