[helene_t]

https://www.bridgeba...hj%7Cpc%7Cs5%7C

(1♠)-x-(pass)-1MT
(pass)-2♣

If this is nonforcing, South is a bit strong for it.

[Jyrki_63]

You would think that most human players would bid 3NT with that South hand for sure! I could think of two reasons not to do that:
A) Concern about hearts. After all North tends to deny a 4 carder in the unbid major (though where else could those 5+ points reside?).
B) Possibility of a high club contract (particularly if North has short hearts, and the points consist of SA, diamond quack and some club length. But in that case 3C would be a more logical rebid, unless systematically it would mean something else.

But is either of these a compelling motive? 3NT is the practical bid.

[helene_t]

 Jyrki_63, on 2023-February-11, 05:32, said:

3NT is the practical bid.

Yes, this was from a robot challenge, I won some IMPs by bidding 3NT at the other table.

But the 2♣ bid needs to mean something, and it seems that the North and South robots disagreed about whether it is forcing or not.

[pescetom]

 helene_t, on 2023-February-11, 15:20, said:

But the 2♣ bid needs to mean something, and it seems that the North and South robots disagreed about whether it is forcing or not.

The explanation does not say Forcing. Is there a system in which it would be? I agree that if not, it is both an underbid and misleading about NT prospects.

[helene_t]

 pescetom, on 2023-February-12, 14:38, said:

The explanation does not say Forcing. Is there a system in which it would be? I agree that if not, it is both an underbid and misleading about NT prospects.

I was taught that the NT response shows 7-10 and that a new suit by doubler shows 17+, so if that is what we play it seems it should be forcing. Actually I thought that was standard. But maybe I am wrong. It makes some sense to be able to bid 2♣ on 14-16 points with a 1435 or so.