Bids after 2C (3x) x

[dustinst22]

After an auction like 2♣ (3♦) x

 

where x is a bust, are all bids by opener forcing?

 

We had a disaster on this auction at GNT today.

[1eyedjack]

You can certainly agree either way. The question is whether one of those agreements is ridiculous.

 

Arguing in favour of it being NGF

Especially in US style, the 2C opener is not GF.

The cards have not been redealt since he opened.

Responder has shown the one hand type consistent with the partnership not wishing to end in game.

If all bids are forcing you are virtually bound to end in game.

 

Arguing in favour of it being GF

Whilst acknowledging the possibility of your not having game on, there is a respectable chance that opener has game in is own hand and even if not there is a respectable chance of responder having an adequate fit for game to be on despite the meaning of X.

On grounds of frequency it might pay to sacrifice the occasional minus score through overreaching in favour of more accurate game bidding on those hands where it makes.

Opener does not have a double available, that having been used up by his partner, so available bidding space to investigate game is particularly cramped.

The extent of a "disaster" by overbidding a trick in getting to game is likely to be less in the long run than the extent of missing game or getting into the wrong one.

 

On balance I favour the GF route, but my style of opening 2C is probably a bit stronger than most.

 

Another option to consider is to revisit whether it is sensible for responder's X to show a bust without any shape constraints.

[helene_t]

I suppose you play the double this way because you want to be able to stop in a partial?

[MrAce]

After an auction like 2♣ (3♦) x

 

where x is a bust, are all bids by opener forcing?

 

We had a disaster on this auction at GNT today.

 

Of course all bids are forcing. The fact that responder says he is broke does not change the fact that 2♣ opening is start of a GF auction with a very few exceptions that you don't really worry about under competition.

 

You can try to play them NF and stop on a dime in partscore, or you play them forcing and try to find your best fit or best game w/o opener having to jump or do other silly things in order to prevent staying below game. It doesnot need a brain surgeon to figure which is better as long as you do not open 2♣ each and everytime you see a 20-21 hcp.