I have a new most-asked question. It used to be: "Should I open 1NT with a 5-card major."
Now, because I seem to have been asked 1,000 times, the new "hot topic" has become an issue with 2/1 GF and responding in a major or minor.
The basic question goes like this: "Larry, I have opening-bid strength with a 4-card major. Do I respond in the major, or with a 2/1 GF response?"
For example, what is the response to 1
holding:
K765
A2
K3
AJ1062?
Either 1
or 2
would be technically acceptable. I strongly prefer 2
. You won't lose a 4-4 spade fit. Your side still has plenty of time to reach spades. Meanwhile, the auction is more comfortable. I will explain this a few paragraphs later.
BUT -- Don't invent bids. Don't respond in a "non-suit." With, say,
AQJ6
K87
K762
Q3,
respond 1
(you don't have enough clubs to bid 2
).
With a 5-card major, respond in the major. So, 1
is your response to 1
with:
AJ876
A6
K3
Q872.
(2
would be a jump-shift, and has nothing to do with 2/1 GF. 2
is a bid you shouldn't make unless you and your partnership know what it means--most play it as weak.)
Also, if you don't have enough points to force to game, you mustn't respond with a 2/1 GF bid! So, respond 1
to 1
with:
K2
QJ76
32
Q7654.
Here is why I like starting with a 2/1 GF response when possible. Say opener holds:
A2
54
QJ10986
KQ2.
Responder holds the hand mentioned earlier (
K765
A2
K3
AJ1062).
You would belong in 5
(or 5
). But, you'd belong in 3NT opposite, say:
Q9
QJ2
AQJ765
Q8.
Auctions go more smoothly if responder can start with a 2/1 GF. Look at two of the hands above and observe how the auctions begin:
OPENER |
RESPONDER |
A2
54
QJ10986
KQ2 |
K765
A2
K3
AJ1062 |
1
|
1 (not my recommendation) |
2
|
3 -- cramped auction |
or |
|
1
|
2 (much better) |
2
|
2
|
3
|
3
|
etc. |
|
Notice how much more efficient the second auction is. Responder got to do "everything" without fear of being passed. In the first auction, where he responded 1
, he never forced to game. His second bid gets the auction too high too fast.
Summary:
- With GF strength and only 4 in the major, respond with a 2/1 GF in a minor (assuming you have 4+ cards in that minor). So, after 1
by partner, respond 2
with a 4=2=5=2 opening bid.
- With a 5+card major, always respond in the major.
- With less than GF strength, respond in the major (on the 1 level).
- All of the issues here involve a 1
or 1
opening. (If the opening is 1
, there is no 2/1 GF bid available; if the opening is 1
, there is no possible 1-level major-suit response.)
- Even with only a 4-card minor (if decent), I prefer to initiate a (natural) 2/1 GF auction by responding in 2-of-the-minor. The 4-4 major suit fit (if one exists) will always be located.
Notes (advanced):
- With 6-5 (a 5-card major and a 6-card minor) and GF strength, it is okay to start with 2/1 in the minor and then try to bid the major twice.
- There is an expert trend to start with 2/1 GF (typically 2
) even without clubs. Just about all GF hands are starting with the 2/1 (artificially). But, I don't recommend this for my readers/students.
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