[mike777]

 P_Marlowe, on 2026-May-31, 00:36, said:

I like the way we introduced the bid:
2NT in competitive auctions is always art., and given that we played only G/B it was always G/B.
Putting the goods hand into 2NT keeps the original meaning of rebidding openers suit, NF, constructive,
whatever.

You may even find ways to use the bid to describe hands, that are more offensive in the context of bidding,
than you believe.

After you got comfortable, you can add. additional meanings of the bid.
The only think to remember: 2NT is always art.

That certainly helps clarify things
You might add a couple of clarifying comments since competing opponents can be a confusing term

[mikeh]

mike777, on 2026-May-31, 09:24, said:

That certainly helps clarify things
You might add a couple of clarifying comments since competing opponents can be a confusing term

In my main partnership we have rules. 2N is GB only by opener. Never by any other seat. There have to have been 3 (or 4) non-passes in the round before 2N is bid. Iow it’s never GB if there have been two passes in the 4 bidding opportunities leading to opener’s call. And nobody has prempted. And nobody has bid a strong 1N….which means either opener or one of the opponents.

So 1D (2H) x (P) ? It’s opener’s turn, check. Three non-passes in previous 4 opportunities, check. But someone preempted so 2N is natural.

There are times when one needs a natural 2N and our rules allow us to know when that is the case. I think this issue is the main reason GB gets screwed up on occasion.

Saying that 2N is always artificial in competitive auctions simply creates ambiguity while eliminating an often useful natural bid.

[jillybean]

Back to the title of the thread.

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IMP

[mike777]

jillybean, on 2026-June-01, 07:25, said:

Back to the title of the thread.

---

IMP

Will invite in clubs, for me XYZ 2c then over the forced 2d I will rebid 3C
Normal auction and hand

[jillybean]

And, if you don't have xyz

[mikeh]

Depends on methods. For example, in my preferred version of xyz I can either bid 2C then 3C, invitational, or bid 2N, puppeting to 3C, either to play or to make a mild slam try. Or bid 2D then 3C, either gf, no slam interest, or strong slam interest

But not playing xyz, again it still depends on methods plus, here, valuation. What’s 3C in standard, assuming such a thing as ‘standard’ has any meaning here?


3C is tempting whether it’s forcing or invitational. Give him xxx KQxx QJx Axx and invitational is nice. Give him xx AKxx xxx AJxx and forcing is even nicer, lol. Obviously we ought to know whether it’s forcing or not. At mps I make an invite, at imps I force

[jillybean]

So, how do you evaluate this hand , is it to play at the 3 level, gf or mild slam try?