Complimentary Issue of Better Bridge Magazine March / April 2020 | Page 8

POINT OF VIEW
Vul: None
Dlr: South
Vul: E-W
Dlr: South
n
w
n
w
e
s
♠
♥
♦
♣
PANEL
S hawn
Q uinn
Top–ranked
female player
A ndrew
R obson
European and
North American
Champion
S ylvia
S hi
Gold medal
winner and many
time National
Champion
R obert
T odd
Professional
bridge player
and teacher
B etter
B ridge
S ummary
6
9 2
A 4
A K Q 9 7
A K 10 5
?
e
s
♠
♥
♦
♣
K Q 7 5
K 6
Q 4
A J 10 5 4
?
2NT – I like the preemptive value.
Many years ago, world-champion Bob
Hamman ran a bunch of simulations
with balanced 20 high-card point hands
to see if it was better to open 2NT or
a minor suit. The result indicated there
were many hands where the opponents
could overcall at the one level and find a
fit for a good save. I stand by that. 1NT – Change one of the kings to an
ace and I would open 1♣ since I have
a good rebid and occasionally we find a
major-suit fit and get to game on a hand
where partner would pass 1NT.
1♦ – Over partner’s one-level response, I
can jump to 3♣, a strong, game-forcing,
jump shift. Why distort my hand when
I can show it so nicely? And why hog
notrumps when notrump will probably
play better declared from partner’s side
of the table? 1♣ – I have an easy 1♠ rebid to show
my shape, so I don’t see any reason to
distort the description by opening 1NT.
1♦ – This hand is prime – aces and
kings – with an easy rebid of 3♣. 1♦
will make it a lot easier to find slams.
In general, 2NT should only be opened
with the three most balanced shapes –
4-3-3-3, 5-3-3-2, and 4-4-3-2 – since,
most of the other times, you will not
have a rebid problem. 1NT – Here, you are not strong enough
to jump shift, you are semi-balanced,
and you have the right point range.
Although the doubleton honors are
conducive for opening 1NT from your
side of the table, having them here is not
necessary to decide to open 1NT.
1♦ – Planning to jump shift to 3♣
next. I don’t have any positional values
to make it important to play notrump
from my side of the table, and partner
is an unpassed hand so there is the
possibility we belong in a slam contract. 1NT – This protects my ♥K-6 and ♦Q-
4. At the same time, it shows my general
hand type and values.
There are 20 high-card points plus 1
length point for the five-card diamond
suit. That puts the hand in the range for
opening 2NT, but the shape is only semi-
balanced. While one of the panelists feels
2NT is both descriptive and makes it
difficult for the opponents to come into
the auction, the majority prefer to show
the strength and minor-suit distribution
with a jump shift. Another semi-balanced hand that falls
into a notrump range - 15 high-card
plus 1 length point for the five-card club
suit. This time, the majority prefer to
describe the hand in one bid with 1NT,
holding honors in both the doubleton suits.
However, it isn’t unanimous, with one
panelist preferring to show the two-suited
nature of the hand.
A udrey G rant ’ s B etter B ridge | M arch -A pril 2020