Continuations over 1NT-(Dbl)-pass-?

[Free]

In several threads we're discussing Dbl's over 1NT as natural (strong stuff). I just wonder how you continue the bidding over such bids.

 

Vulnerability, NT range and scoring might also influence this imo, suppose you're V vs NV, you might want to be able to bid game instead of playing something -3 or less.

 

How do you find the best way out when your partner doubles and you have absolutely nothing in your hand?

 

What's the standard approach? Do you have a better alternative?

 

Tnx

[awm]

Here's what I play:

 

- With a balanced hand and some scattered values, pass or bid 3NT. Usually passing seems to be right here, since the tempo from opening lead often gives us one more trick than we would make when declaring, but with right around 9 hcp and at unfavorable, I can see some reason for 3NT.

 

- With a long suit and some values, it can be best to pull the double. Holding a strong suit and little outside, we are likely to make 3NT but in order to set 1NT more than a trick or two, we will need partner to find the lead of our suit early in the hand (often unlikely). In some cases just bidding 3NT is fine here; in addition I play a JUMP to three of a suit as natural, nonforcing, but invitational (i.e. something like KQJxxx in suit and little outside).

 

- With a very two suited hand, I will bid 2NT. These sorts of hands often do best in a suit game; it may well be that 1NT is down only one or two and 3NT our way has no play either (makes about same number of tricks) but we are cold for four of a major.

 

- With a bad hand, we need to get out of 1NTX (or XX). I play suit bids as natural, generally five card suits. If we are in a situation where I may not get another chance to bid, then 2♣ is an artificial "running" call asking partner to do something intelligent. It normally implies some clubs, but could easily be a two or three card suit with no five-carder to bid.

 

So over 1NT-X-Pass, assuming the pass is NOT forcing:

 

Pass = to play, some values

2♣ = running, not necessarily a real suit, ask partner to "fix it"

2♦-2♠ = five card suit and too weak a hand to defend

2NT = unspecified two suiter, forcing to game

3♣-3♠ = natural, invitational, a good 6+ card suit and not much else

3NT = to play

 

After 1NT-X-Pass, where the pass IS forcing:

 

Pass = either to play, or a really bad hand with no place to run

2-suit = five-card suit, too weak to defend

2NT+ = same as above

 

Fortunately, a lot of people seem to play 1NT-X-Pass as forcing, so the problem of getting only 500 against 1NTX when we are cold for 600 in 3NT= is pretty rare.

[luke warm]

yes, 1nt (x) p is forcing to xx (usually), but so what? responder might be perfectly happy to play it there.. if he passes opener's xx, advancer then needs to do some deep thinking, but by then you might be in deep doo doo

[Gerben42]

If pass is forcing, Mike Lawrence suggests bidding a suit if you have one, and if you have two suits wait until they bid 1NT X p p X p p and then bid your suits up the line. I like this.

 

If pass is not forcing he suggests Stayman and Transfers. I don't like this much. I rather play:

Suit = natural but if you get doubled and then redouble you have at least two of the remaining suits, for example

1NT X p 2♣

X p p XX = pick a different suit

 

The final situation is where you have a 4333-hand or so and pass is forcing. That would bid:

1NT X p* p

XX p p 2♣

X p p XX = I am happy with whatever suit you choose.