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UNUSUAL.DBA
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1995-09-26
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UNUSUAL NOTRUMP
Definition: A notrump bid that could not reasonably be considered
natural. In general, an "unusual" notrump bid asks partner to
choose between the lower two unbid suits. With equal length, she
should select the lower ranking suit. Partner may not bid any suit
other than the ones asked for, unless the suit is so good that it
can play opposite a void (which is quite likely).
Unusual 1NT
A 1NT overcall is unusual notrump when made by a passed hand
directly over an opening bid (reopening 1NT bids are always
natural):
South West North East
Pass Pass Pass 1D
1NT - unusual notrump, hearts and clubs
See DEFENSIVE BIDDING BY A PASSED HAND.
Unusual 2NT
The jump to 2NT over an opening bid to show the lower two unbid
suits (or always both minors, even over 1C or 1D) is standard these
days, but not in this book.
A jump to 2NT by an unpassed hand is natural, as is a 2NT overcall
of a weak simple raise (but not an inverted minor raise):
South West North East
1S Pass 2S 2NT - natural
East has S-KJ H-J8 D-AKQ1087 C-AJ2. West should raise to 3NT with
a quick trick. Macho types bid 3NT with such hands, an unnecessary
risk.
Any other 2NT bid made between two bidders is unusual notrump:
South West North East
1H Pass 1NT 2NT - unusual notrump
A 2NT bid made over a natural two-level opening is usually
natural also. One exception is a 2NT bid over a strong two bid,
whether artificial or natural:
South West North East
2S Pass Pass 2NT - natural bid
South West
2C 2NT - unusual notrump if 2C is strong
natural if 2C shows 11-15 HCP
Other exceptions occur in various chapters of the "Counter-
measures" book.
Any 2NT bid by a passed hand is unusual notrump:
South West North East
Pass 1S Pass Pass
2NT - unusual notrump
A bid of 2NT when partner's takeout double has been redoubled is
unusual:
South West North East
1C Dbl Rdbl 2NT
The 2NT bid shows the lower two unbid suits, hearts and diamonds,
probably 4-6 in length, in a hand that might be quite weak.
South West North East
2H* Dbl Rdbl 2NT - both minors
* weak
A bid of 2NT when RHO overcalls partner's opening with 1NT is
unusual:
South West North
1D 1NT 2NT - hearts and clubs
The 2NT bid shows something like S- void H-Q107632 D-J C-A108432.
East is probably going to bid some big amount of spades, so opener
will find this information useful for deciding on his next call.
A 2NT bid is not unusual when the bidder has previously opened the
bidding or made a takeout double:
South West North East
1S 2H Pass Pass
2NT - natural, not a 5-0-4-4 hand
South West North East
1S Dbl 2S Pass
Pass 2NT - natural, not a 0-3-5-5 hand
However, a person who has previously denied the strength required
for a natural 2NT bid can use it as unusual notrump, even if he has
bid before:
South West North East
1H 1S 2H 2S
Pass Pass 2NT - unusual notrump
North could have made an action double to imply both minors, but
prefers unusual notrump with a poor defensive hand: S- void H-Q103
D-Q9762 C-Q10874.
Yet another occasion for the use of 2NT as unusual comes when
partner has shown a minor in which you hold three cards, and you
have five cards of the other minor:
South West North East
1C Pass 2C 2S
Pass Pass 2NT - unusual
North probably has five diamonds, three clubs, and too much to
pass. A similar auction:
South West North East
1H Dbl Pass 2C
Pass 2D 2H 2NT - unusual
East has five clubs, maybe six weak, and probably a strong
doubleton diamond. Having shown nothing so far, he bids 2NT to
compete: S-432 H-874 D-KJ C-A8763 West's 2D bid is not especially
strong (S-AQ65 H-10 D-A107652 C-K4), so East could not possibly
have a real 2NT bid after merely bidding 2C in response to the
double.
Unusual 3NT
A 3NT bid is unusual only in very obvious situations:
South West North East
1S Pass 3H 3NT
The 3NT bid is unusual notrump if North's jump is strong, natural
if the jump is a preemptive response.
Weakish use of the unusual notrump is unwise when the suits are
only 5-5, except in a reopening situation. Overuse of the conven-
tion is a good way to demoralize a partner. Too often she has the
other two suits. Also, the bid tends to help the other side
immensely in the play of the hand when they buy the contract.
The best use of unusual notrump is when you must do something.
Instead of guessing which suit to bid, you can give partner a
choice. The main idea of the convention is not so much to get into
the bidding more often, but to get in more accurately.
Unusual 4NT
For use of the 4NT bid as unusual notrump, see GETTING A PREFERENCE
AT THE FIVE LEVEL. Other pertinent chapters in this book are
NOTRUMP OVERCALLS and DEFENSIVE BIDDING BY A PASSED HAND. Also see
the chapters 4NT - BLACKWOOD OR NATURAL? in the book "Strong
Bidding," and CUE BIDS IN NOTRUMP in the book "Cue Bids."