Help
I'd like to see what, if any, consensus is out there on a few questions about unusual 2NT. I hope some will respond with short or long answers. Thank you
1) Can you tell me your agreements as to hand strength when you make an unusual 2NT bid ? e.g (5-8) or 15+
2) (How) does your agreement vary by favorable/non favorable vulnerability?
3) Aside from 5-5 distribution, can you tell me what I might expect about the quality of both suits, if anything ?
4) If your distribution was something like: KQJ9x 98742 Qxx x, would you be more apt to overcall or do an unusual 2NT ?
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A few unusual 2NT questions
#2
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Posted Yesterday, 13:26
strong 1c, on 2026-June-07, 12:36, said:
I'd like to see what, if any, consensus is out there on a few questions about unusual 2NT. I hope some will respond with short or long answers. Thank you
1) Can you tell me your agreements as to hand strength when you make an unusual 2NT bid ? e.g (5-8) or 15+
2) (How) does your agreement vary by favorable/non favorable vulnerability?
3) Aside from 5-5 distribution, can you tell me what I might expect about the quality of both suits, if anything ?
4) If your distribution was something like: KQJ9x 98742 Qxx x, would you be more apt to overcall or do an unusual 2NT ?
1) Can you tell me your agreements as to hand strength when you make an unusual 2NT bid ? e.g (5-8) or 15+
2) (How) does your agreement vary by favorable/non favorable vulnerability?
3) Aside from 5-5 distribution, can you tell me what I might expect about the quality of both suits, if anything ?
4) If your distribution was something like: KQJ9x 98742 Qxx x, would you be more apt to overcall or do an unusual 2NT ?
On point 4, I doubt you’d find many willing to make a bid that shows 5=5 or better in the minors when hold g not only 5=5 in the majors but also 14 cards. That would indeed be an ‘unusual’ notrump.
'one of the great markers of the advance of human kindness is the howls you will hear from the Men of God' Johann Hari
#3
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Posted Yesterday, 13:47
mikeh, on 2026-June-07, 13:26, said:
On point 4, I doubt you’d find many willing to make a bid that shows 5=5 or better in the minors when hold g not only 5=5 in the majors but also 14 cards. That would indeed be an ‘unusual’ notrump.
ah, yes too many cards...I didn't mean the distribution to be specifically majors, but two 5-5's where one was strong and the other weak...I'm thinking the 2NT as the two lower unbid, not the necessarily the minors, if my semantics is wrong
#4
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Posted Yesterday, 15:22
You asked in I/A, so I feel entitled to reply even if not expert and I currently have no partners willing to discuss such things.
FWIW I play it very wide ranging at favourable, it's a description of distribution.
It's rare that one suit is rubbish, never both.
FWIW I play it very wide ranging at favourable, it's a description of distribution.
It's rare that one suit is rubbish, never both.
#5
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Posted Yesterday, 23:23
#1 / #2 we play it as 5+ - 4+ continious range, but red vs. green it will start with opening strength, 5+-5+
the 5/4 shapes will occur green, and in 3rd not being red. (red vs. red ... hands may exist)
In short shape rules.
#3 / #4 If you introduce 2-suits, they should be roughly equal, i.e. you dont mind playing in either, if
p with equal length picks your weaker one.
=> the difference in suit quality in #4 is a warning sign, given that it it is 55 it may only be seen
as yellow, if one allowes 5/4
The 2NT enables the opponent side to show non-min hands, by allowing to X the 2NT bid, and the 3 level is already
pretty high.
In short, I have toned the freq. down making 2-suited overcalls, and just because one can make the bid, does not mean
one has to use it.
To a certain degree the disruptive effect is not huge (the counter method unusal vs. unusal allowes them to judge the high),
depending the position is should send the message, that you dont mind a sac., outside values are another warning signal.
the 5/4 shapes will occur green, and in 3rd not being red. (red vs. red ... hands may exist)
In short shape rules.
#3 / #4 If you introduce 2-suits, they should be roughly equal, i.e. you dont mind playing in either, if
p with equal length picks your weaker one.
=> the difference in suit quality in #4 is a warning sign, given that it it is 55 it may only be seen
as yellow, if one allowes 5/4
The 2NT enables the opponent side to show non-min hands, by allowing to X the 2NT bid, and the 3 level is already
pretty high.
In short, I have toned the freq. down making 2-suited overcalls, and just because one can make the bid, does not mean
one has to use it.
To a certain degree the disruptive effect is not huge (the counter method unusal vs. unusal allowes them to judge the high),
depending the position is should send the message, that you dont mind a sac., outside values are another warning signal.
With kind regards
Uwe Gebhardt (P_Marlowe)
Uwe Gebhardt (P_Marlowe)
#6
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Posted Yesterday, 23:41
strong 1c, on 2026-June-07, 12:36, said:
I'd like to see what, if any, consensus is out there on a few questions about unusual 2NT. I hope some will respond with short or long answers. Thank you
1) Can you tell me your agreements as to hand strength when you make an unusual 2NT bid ? e.g (5-8) or 15+
2) (How) does your agreement vary by favorable/non favorable vulnerability?
3) Aside from 5-5 distribution, can you tell me what I might expect about the quality of both suits, if anything ?
4) If your distribution was something like: KQJ9x 98742 Qxx x, would you be more apt to overcall or do an unusual 2NT ?
1) Can you tell me your agreements as to hand strength when you make an unusual 2NT bid ? e.g (5-8) or 15+
2) (How) does your agreement vary by favorable/non favorable vulnerability?
3) Aside from 5-5 distribution, can you tell me what I might expect about the quality of both suits, if anything ?
4) If your distribution was something like: KQJ9x 98742 Qxx x, would you be more apt to overcall or do an unusual 2NT ?
Fwiw
My goals with two suited hands
1. My priority is to be preemptive/obstructive at the cost of being constructive when NV.
2. My priority is to be constructive at the cost of being obstructive when Vul.
_-+±±----------
So you have a two suited overcall, what is YOUR priority on the particular deal?
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