# Bridge: 7 No Trumps baby! **URL:** \ **Category:** The Game Room\ **Created:** [August 9, 2016, 9:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bridge-7-no-trumps-baby/762229 "2016-08-09T09:47:07Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 46
**Author:** ![amarone](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e0b2c6/32.png) [@amarone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/amarone)\ **Post date:** [November 3, 2018, 10:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bridge-7-no-trumps-baby/762229/903 "2018-11-03T10:36:27Z")
> [@septimus](#): > > I still don’t understand the criticism of my 3S double-jump. It didn’t keep them out of game, but it surely had a better chance of doing so than the timid 2S. I think 3S was reasonable. > [@](#): > > I try to be aggressive in many situations, but I would pass here. Sure, promote the aces and tens and call this 5 hcp, but you still have to subtract a point for 4-3-3-3 shape. In Acol, a 2-spade raise shows a 9-loser hand. This hand has 11 losers. Eleven with an E! There are some who play that any hand with an ace is worth a response, especially with 3-card trump support. I am with **K364** and would always raise partner with that. I also play 5-card majors, which is a little different from if you play Acol 4-card majors. > [@](#): > > May we agree that he should certainly have bid 4S when his RHO bid 4C over my 3S? Yes. ---
**Author:** ![Quartz](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/quartz/32/267_2.png) [@Quartz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Quartz)\ **Post date:** [November 3, 2018, 10:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bridge-7-no-trumps-baby/762229/904 "2018-11-03T10:42:36Z")
> [@septimus](#): > > May we agree that he should certainly have bid 4S when his RHO bid 4C over my 3S? Absolutely. You are showing six spades for your bid; he has three, so 3 is the safe level even with zero points, but he has an outside ace. I will also note that you were playing IMPs - Teams - so being 1 or 2 down (undoubled) isn’t ordinarily a big deal. ---
**Author:** ![amarone](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e0b2c6/32.png) [@amarone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/amarone)\ **Post date:** [November 7, 2018, 2:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bridge-7-no-trumps-baby/762229/905 "2018-11-07T14:19:59Z")
> [@septimus](#): > > @ **amarone** GNU Backgammon will tell me when I make a bad move; does Funbridge attempt that? I have discovered that Funbridge will tell you if you make a bid that does not match your system. It does not tell you at the time, but after the hand you can see if it flags your bidding as wrong. I held a 5332 10-count with AQxxx spades and three little hearts. Playing 2/1, partner opened 1H. I bid 1S and then over 2 of a minor, bid 3H. I expected this to be invitational. Partner raised to game on a 12-count, down 1. Afterwards, Funbridge flagged my 3H bid as wrong because it is game forcing and I need 14+ points (which sounds like too many anyway). I guess in the Funbridge 2/1 I have to ignore my spades and respond 1NT and then bid 3H. ---
**Author:** ![Quartz](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/quartz/32/267_2.png) [@Quartz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Quartz)\ **Post date:** [November 7, 2018, 3:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bridge-7-no-trumps-baby/762229/906 "2018-11-07T15:32:51Z")
I had a fun hand last night. I opened 1NT (12-14), partner bid 2C (Stayman) and passed my 2D response. I made all 13 tricks. Partner had 7 diamonds headed by AQJ and I had KT, I had CAQJxx and there was Txx on the table. The lead was a club and RHO went up with the King. So I made 12 tricks in the minors and an outside ace. This scored a bottom as someone else bid 3N and made 7 on the same lead. ---
**Author:** ![K364](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/k364/32/5_2.png) [@K364](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/K364)\ **Post date:** [November 7, 2018, 3:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bridge-7-no-trumps-baby/762229/907 "2018-11-07T15:54:59Z")
> [@amarone](#): > > I have discovered that Funbridge will tell you if you make a bid that does not match your system. It does not tell you at the time, but after the hand you can see if it flags your bidding as wrong. > > I held a 5332 10-count with AQxxx spades and three little hearts. Playing 2/1, partner opened 1H. I bid 1S and then over 2 of a minor, bid 3H. I expected this to be invitational. Partner raised to game on a 12-count, down 1. Afterwards, Funbridge flagged my 3H bid as wrong because it is game forcing and I need 14+ points (which sounds like too many anyway). > > I guess in the Funbridge 2/1 I have to ignore my spades and respond 1NT and then bid 3H. I think Funbridge is wrong. Your 3H call is invitational. ---
**Author:** ![merrick](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/58956e/32.png) [@merrick](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/merrick)\ **Post date:** [November 7, 2018, 7:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bridge-7-no-trumps-baby/762229/908 "2018-11-07T19:38:04Z")
> [@Quartz](#): > > I had a fun hand last night. I opened 1NT (12-14), partner bid 2C (Stayman) and passed my 2D response. I made all 13 tricks. Partner had 7 diamonds headed by AQJ and I had KT, I had CAQJxx and there was Txx on the table. The lead was a club and RHO went up with the King. So I made 12 tricks in the minors and an outside ace. This scored a bottom as someone else bid 3N and made 7 on the same lead. Good thing you can see the funny side. For my money your partner chose the wrong time to get creative - what was he planning to do over a positive Stayman response? I’ve seen players punt 3NT straight off on hands like that, but if he wants to stop why not just pass 1NT? Also - your opponents had a big double fit in the majors and they got a top for letting you play 2D? That’s some serious luck on their part. ---
**Author:** ![Quartz](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/quartz/32/267_2.png) [@Quartz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Quartz)\ **Post date:** [November 7, 2018, 9:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bridge-7-no-trumps-baby/762229/909 "2018-11-07T21:12:31Z")
> [@merrick](#): > > Good thing you can see the funny side. For my money your partner chose the wrong time to get creative - what was he planning to do over a positive Stayman response? I’ve seen players punt 3NT straight off on hands like that, but if he wants to stop why not just pass 1NT? She’s an expert player. Not quite national-level. We were playing transfers to the majors only so she would just have repeated the diamonds. > [@](#): > > Also - your opponents had a big double fit in the majors and they got a top for letting you play 2D? That’s some serious luck on their part. C’est la vie. On another lead I might have gone down in 3N. ---
**Author:** ![amarone](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e0b2c6/32.png) [@amarone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/amarone)\ **Post date:** [November 7, 2018, 11:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bridge-7-no-trumps-baby/762229/910 "2018-11-07T23:36:13Z")
> [@K364](#): > > I think Funbridge is wrong. Your 3H call is invitational. In North America, you are 100% correct. Funbridge apparently plays French 2/1, so I am learning some differences. ---
**Author:** ![K364](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/k364/32/5_2.png) [@K364](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/K364)\ **Post date:** [November 8, 2018, 12:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bridge-7-no-trumps-baby/762229/911 "2018-11-08T00:45:33Z")
So, you have to bid 2 Coeurs, and partner will try 3 Coeurs with anything slightly better than a minimum just in case you have the invitational hand. Sounds like the old Goren system. ---
**Author:** ![amarone](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e0b2c6/32.png) [@amarone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/amarone)\ **Post date:** [November 8, 2018, 12:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bridge-7-no-trumps-baby/762229/912 "2018-11-08T12:55:05Z")
> [@K364](#): > > So, you have to bid 2 Coeurs, and partner will try 3 Coeurs with anything slightly better than a minimum just in case you have the invitational hand. Sounds like the old Goren system. I did play bridge in France once while on vacation. It took a little getting used to the picture cards being RDV instead of KQJ, but we did okay. ---
**Author:** ![Quartz](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/quartz/32/267_2.png) [@Quartz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Quartz)\ **Post date:** [November 9, 2018, 8:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bridge-7-no-trumps-baby/762229/913 "2018-11-09T20:07:43Z")
Brag alert! I was playing against the best in the club last night and we came top! Our usual objective in that group is to not come last. ---
**Author:** ![K364](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/k364/32/5_2.png) [@K364](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/K364)\ **Post date:** [November 14, 2018, 11:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bridge-7-no-trumps-baby/762229/914 "2018-11-14T23:58:23Z")
Bidding goes 2C (strong) on your left, and 3C by partner. You play Michaels but using it over a strong 2C has never been discussed. I have some questions - is this Michaels or just a club suit? Would you make this bid with a Michaels hand considering it might be misinterpreted? How strong do you feel about your answers? ---
**Author:** ![Quartz](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/quartz/32/267_2.png) [@Quartz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Quartz)\ **Post date:** [November 15, 2018, 12:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bridge-7-no-trumps-baby/762229/915 "2018-11-15T00:17:24Z")
> [@K364](#): > > Bidding goes 2C (strong) on your left, and 3C by partner. You play Michaels but using it over a strong 2C has never been discussed. Funnily enough, I have bid 3C over an opening 2C. I had a stonking club suit. But I don’t play Michaels. ---
**Author:** ![Busy\_Scissors](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/d78d45/32.png) [@Busy\_Scissors](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Busy_Scissors)\ **Post date:** [November 15, 2018, 12:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bridge-7-no-trumps-baby/762229/916 "2018-11-15T00:29:29Z")
> [@K364](#): > > Bidding goes 2C (strong) on your left, and 3C by partner. You play Michaels but using it over a strong 2C has never been discussed. > > I have some questions - is this Michaels or just a club suit? Would you make this bid with a Michaels hand considering it might be misinterpreted? How strong do you feel about your answers? Michaels is not on over a conventional bid for me, but I have no strong feelings if that is the superior agreement. If you told me it was playable over strong 2C, precision openng bids etc I’d take your word for it. Rolling out ambiguous Michaels bids (or any convention) when you’ve got a natural way to bid your hand is just demonstrably awful, though - I’d expect a consensus opinion on that. Undiscussed just bid 2S and be happy you’ve bolloxed up their auction if opps are not strong. If they are and can deal with inteference you can prob bid hearts at some point anyhow. It’s a more difficult question when you’re certain you’ve discussed it, but are fairly sure pard’s forgotten it 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![amarone](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e0b2c6/32.png) [@amarone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/amarone)\ **Post date:** [November 15, 2018, 3:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bridge-7-no-trumps-baby/762229/917 "2018-11-15T15:42:03Z")
> [@K364](#): > > Bidding goes 2C (strong) on your left, and 3C by partner. You play Michaels but using it over a strong 2C has never been discussed. > > I have some questions - is this Michaels or just a club suit? Would you make this bid with a Michaels hand considering it might be misinterpreted? How strong do you feel about your answers? It’s clubs and I would never invite disaster by trotting it out with a Michaels hand. If you want to show two-suiters over 2C (and over a strong 1C), there are conventions. One such is CRASH. The calls of double, 2D and 2NT show, respectively, two suits of the same Color, RAnk and SHape. You can also play this after 2C - P - 2D, but now the calls are Double, 2NT and 3C. ---
**Author:** ![amarone](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e0b2c6/32.png) [@amarone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/amarone)\ **Post date:** [December 20, 2018, 10:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bridge-7-no-trumps-baby/762229/918 "2018-12-20T22:52:40Z")
My partner held x QJ10xx KQJxx Ax. He opened 1H, LHO doubled and partner bid 4C, splinter, back to him. Now what? We had only played a few times together and he did not know whether my cue-bidding style is to start with aces, or whether any 1st or 2nd round control is fine. If the latter, he could bid 4D. But he worked out he could bid 4NT, RKCB. If I have 3 key cards, he can bid slam; if fewer, the most I can bid (barring voids) is 5H, so we stay out of slam. But I bid… 5S. I had extra heart length (Kxxxx), and it is generally accepted that you can show the queen in that event as Kxxxx opposite Axxxx (probably with the jack) is high odds to play for no loser. My hand was KQx Kxxxx Axxx x. So, partner’s well thought out bid was foiled by me. In slam missing 2 aces despite using RKCB. This was a joint bottom with one other. The funny thing is that the two A pairs in the field both bid to slam off cashing aces, and all the B and C players avoided it. Another hand from the same session. You hold xxx J9x AJ10xxx Q9. Partner opens 2C. You bid 2D, which guarantees at least 1 control and is game forcing. Partner bids 2NT, 22+ balanced. Now what? ---
**Author:** ![Quartz](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/quartz/32/267_2.png) [@Quartz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Quartz)\ **Post date:** [December 20, 2018, 11:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bridge-7-no-trumps-baby/762229/919 "2018-12-20T23:27:57Z")
Yup. Your bid showed two aces and the queen, right? Tut tut! 🙂 Time for, “Sorry partner, I pulled the wrong card from the bidding box.” On your second hand what is the point range of the 2NT rebid? There’s got to be a top end, right? If it shows 22-24 points then 3NT is very tempting. If it’s open-ended, I rebid 3D. In an ACOL auction after partner opens 2NT (20-22) I bid 3NT; if the auction goes 2C - 2D - 2N showing 23-24 points then I get interested in a slam. ---
**Author:** ![amarone](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e0b2c6/32.png) [@amarone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/amarone)\ **Post date:** [December 20, 2018, 11:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bridge-7-no-trumps-baby/762229/920 "2018-12-20T23:40:35Z")
> [@Quartz](#): > > Yup. Your bid showed two aces and the queen, right? Tut tut! 🙂 Time for, “Sorry partner, I pulled the wrong card from the bidding box.” Not at all. Showing the queen when you hold extra length instead is a fairly standard thing to do. See the section **Extra Length** in this, from your side of the pond (although you can’t trust those Lancastrians): [Wigan Bridge Club, Lancashire England](http://www.bridgewebs.com/wigan/page7.html) > [@](#): > > On your second hand what is the point range of the 2NT rebid? There’s got to be a top end, right? Nope. 22+. We are in a game force . No need to jump around - let’s avail ourselves of all the methds we have over 2NT for finding a major suit fit (not relevant on this hand, but it often is). > [@](#): > > If it shows 22-24 points then 3NT is very tempting. If it’s open-ended, I rebid 3D. In an ACOL auction after partner opens 2NT (20-22) I bid 3NT; if the auction goes 2C - 2D - 2N showing 23-24 points then I get interested in a slam. 3D would be a transfer to hearts. After 2C - 2D - 2NT, we bid just as if we opened 2NT. Our 2NT opener is 20-21, so in this sequence it is 22+ ---
**Author:** ![K364](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/k364/32/5_2.png) [@K364](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/K364)\ **Post date:** [December 20, 2018, 11:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bridge-7-no-trumps-baby/762229/921 "2018-12-20T23:40:44Z")
I sympathise with both of you… using Blackwood with only one key card in that sequence would be totally unexpected but the hand has perfect texture and just needs controls. The second one I bid 3D if it’s natural and pass 3NT. If 3 of a major is bid over 3D I then bid 3NT. This implies a mild slam try with a good suit. If Jacoby is on, 3S is used by some to get out with a bust hand with a long minor. If so I just raise to 3NT. We play Jacoby Transfers with 2S is a relay to 2NT, and responder follows: 3C/3D is the weak hand, and 3H/3S show a good hand with clubs/diamonds respectively. That’s over 1NT of course, 2NT is the same idea though. ---
**Author:** ![Quartz](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/quartz/32/267_2.png) [@Quartz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Quartz)\ **Post date:** [December 21, 2018, 12:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bridge-7-no-trumps-baby/762229/922 "2018-12-21T00:22:30Z")
> [@amarone](#): > > Not at all. Showing the queen when you hold extra length instead is a fairly standard thing to do. See the section **Extra Length** in this, from your side of the pond (although you can’t trust those Lancastrians): [Wigan Bridge Club, Lancashire England](http://www.bridgewebs.com/wigan/page7.html) I have yet to master the hunt for the Queen but ISTM from that link that you’re using a second-round response and not a first-round one. > [@](#): > > 3D would be a transfer to hearts. After 2C - 2D - 2NT, we bid just as if we opened 2NT. Our 2NT opener is 20-21, so in this sequence it is 22+ In that case I’m going to bid 3S as a minor-suit transfer. Partner can either accept the transfer by bidding 4C or reject it by bidding 3NT. If partner accepts the transfer by bidding 4C I correct to 4D and partner can go Blackwood if he wishes or just bid 5D. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bridge-7-no-trumps-baby/762229.md?page=45) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bridge-7-no-trumps-baby/762229.md?page=47)