Responding to 2NT opening bid by Paul Bowyer

When partner opens 2NT he is showing a powerful, balanced hand.

Different partnerships play this in slightly different ways - some play an opening 2NT shows 20-22 points, some play that it shows 20-21 points. The difference is subtle and does not really concern us here. You, as a partnership, should have discussed this point together and come up with an agreement.

In this quiz we are considering the responder's action when partner has opened 2NT. The first rule to note is that the only weak bid is Pass. Anything else will find you in game. If you bid a suit (especially a major) it shows a five-card suit and asks partner for support. With three-card (or better) support the opener raises you - otherwise he will retreat to 3NT.

The sequence is similar in intent to the familiar one of 1NT - 3♥ - ? where the jump shows precisely five cards and asks opener to choose the spot.

Question 1

Your Hand
♠ J 6
♥ K 9 3
♦ J 5 3 2
♣ 10 6 5 2

Q: 1 - You are responder. Partner opens 2NT - what is your reply?

South	West	North	East
-	-	2 No-trumps	pass
?

A: 3NT. 5 points is enough to raise 2NT to 3NT. Between you there are at least 25 points and this hand may be all that partner needs to make game.

Your result so far:

Open Question

Question 2

Your Hand
♠ 6 4 2
♥ 9 7
♦ A J 10 7 4
♣ 10 6 5

Q: 2 - You are responder. Partner opens 2NT - what is your reply?

South	West	North	East
-	-	2 No-trumps	pass
?

A: 3NT. Minor suits are, in general, for the birds! 5♦ is a long way off so you should bid the most likely game contract. The Diamonds should provide a source of trick in No-trumps but would make a poor trump suit at 20 points a trick. As we have said so often, nine tricks are easier than eleven…

Your result so far:

Open Question

Question 3

Your Hand
♠ 6 4 2
♥ A J 10 7 4
♦ 9 7
♣ 10 6 5

Q: 3 - You are responder. Partner opens 2NT - what is your reply?

South	West	North	East
-	-	2 No-trumps	pass
?

A: 3♥. By contrast with Question 2 it is best practice to bid a five-card major if you have one. This bid shows precisely five Hearts and asks partner to choose between 4♥ and 3NT.

With three or four (or five!) Hearts North should bid 4♥; with just two Hearts he should prefer 3NT.

Your result so far:

Open Question

Question 4

Your Hand
♠ A J 10 7 4 2
♥ 9
♦ 6 4 2
♣ 10 6 5

Q: 4 - You are responder. Partner opens 2NT - what is your reply?

South	West	North	East
-	-	2 No-trumps	pass
?

A: 4♠. You are boss of the auction (2NT is a limit bid, remember) and you know that the partnership has eight Spades and 25 points between you. This information is sufficient to take a pot at 4♠. Don’t ask partner to do what you should do yourself.

Your result so far:

Open Question

Question 5

Your Hand
♠ 10 8 7 4 3 2
♥ 9
♦ 6 4 2
♣ 10 6 5

Q: 5 - You are responder. Partner opens 2NT - what is your reply?

South	West	North	East
-	-	2 No-trumps	pass
?

A: Pass. Although 3♠ figures to be a better spot than 2NT there is simply no way to arrange to play there. If you bid 3♠ partner will convert to 3NT or 4♠, contracts that are unlikely to prove successful. 2NT is very likely to go down but that’s life. There's nothing you can do.

Your result so far:

Open Question

Question 6

Your Hand
♠ 10 9 8 6 5 2
♥ 9
♦ A 6 2
♣ Q 6 5

Q: 6 - You are responder. Partner opens 2NT - what is your reply?

South	West	North	East
-	-	2 No-trumps	pass
?

A: 4♠. You know of at least eight Spades between you and at least 25 points. Never mind the quality of your Spades, just look at the length. Partner will either have Spades with you or he will have useful high cards in the side suits, making ten tricks possible.

Your result so far:

Open Question

Question 7

Your Hand
♠ 7 5 2
♥ 8 6
♦ A 10 9 6 4
♣ 9 7 4

Q: 7 - You are responder. Partner opens 2NT - what is your reply?

South	West	North	East
-	-	2 No-trumps	pass
?

A: 3NT. An Ace and a decent five-card suit is usually enough to try for Game opposite a 2NT opening bid. Much as you’d like to ask partner’s opinion you can’t – it’s a straight choice between Pass and 3NT. So it’s really a question of “Are you a man or a mouse?”

If partner has Diamond "fillers" (such as the ♦K Q) then game will be a breeze. If he hasn't - well, you might not make 2NT...

Your result so far:

Open Question

Question 8

Your Hand
♠ A Q 7
♥ 8 6 5 3 2
♦ 10 8 4 2
♣ 7

Q: 8 - You are responder. Partner opens 2NT - what is your reply?

South	West	North	East
-	-	2 No-trumps	pass
?

A: 3♥. As in Question 3 this bid shows precisely five Hearts and asks partner to choose between 4♥ and 3NT. With three or four (or five!) Hearts North should bid 4♥; with just two Hearts he should prefer 3NT. Never mind the quality, consider the length.

Your result so far:

Open Question

Question 9

Your Hand
♠ K 9 4
♥ J 9
♦ K 10 7 5
♣ K 7 5 2

Q: 9 - You are responder. Partner opens 2NT - what is your reply?

South	West	North	East
-	-	2 No-trumps	pass
?

A: 3NT. A whopping 10 points but that, even opposite a 2NT opening bid, does not justify doing anything more exciting than bidding game. You are entitled to expect overtricks in 3NT but don’t have enough to think about slams.

Your result so far:

Open Question

Question 10

Your Hand
♠ 5 2
♥ 8 3
♦ A Q 9 7 6 3
♣ 7 6 2

Q: 10 - You are responder. Partner opens 2NT - what is your reply?

South	West	North	East
-	-	2 No-trumps	pass
?

A: 3NT. Yes, it’s yet another forget-the-minors-and-have-a-bash-at-No-trumps hand. 3♦ wouldn't be an awful bid here but it is something of a waste of time. Nine tricks in No-trumps is usually much easier than eleven in a minor. (Have we mentioned that before?)

Your result so far:

Open Question

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What next? You may enjoy playing our prepared hands series.
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