Report this Page
119

Opening - 2NT

2 No Trumps as an opening bid shows 20-22 HCP and a balanced hand. It is a limit bid and is specific about its shape and its points.

Opening 2NT bid

The 2NT opening bid is similar to the 1NT opening, only much stronger- 20-22 HCP.
It’s not forcing. The responder normally chooses the final contract immediately.
To open 2NT you should try to ensure that you can control all your suits by having an honor card in each.
Notrump openings show a balanced hand and can be made with a five-card major suit or a five-card minor suit. You should also have an honor card of Queen or higher in all of the suits and your hand should not contain a void, a singleton or a worthless doubleton.
Distribution of your hand can be in either of the three following patterns
5, 3, 3, 2
or
4, 3, 3, 3
or
4, 4, 3, 2
If your cards are in either of these three patterns your hand is called "balanced" or "flat"
Opening 2NT 

· 20 - 22 HCP
· a balanced hand
· No more than 1 doubleton (2 cards)
· No worthless doubleton (having no honor cards)
· Your hand may contain a 5 card major suit (your partner will use the Stayman Convention to discover it).
· Your hand may contain a 5 card minor suit

Instant Progress Quiz - Check all the correct answers



 


  2NT

  2H

  2C




With this hand what do you bid?

  • ♠ A 9 4
  • ♥ A Q J
  • ♦ K Q J 10
  • ♣ K 4 3
Answer: Open 2NT. Responder simply calculates the total point count and decides whether or not to bid game and also whether to play the hand in a suit contract or NoTrumps.

Practice Responding to a Stayman Bid

Open 2NT with this hand

PLAY


Extra for Experts

A different game on the same subject as this lesson, with questions for community discussion in the comments area below.

PLAY