Jacoby 2NT

16^th July – Board 23. Game All. Dealer South.

Of all the modern advancements in bidding theory the use of a forcing 2NT bid after partner has opened 1S/H must be the most useful.

	North: S A K J 5 H A J 8 6 D 10 7 C Q 10 3
West: S 7 4 2 H 5 D Q 9 8 6 5 C A K 9 6		East: S 10 3 H 7 3 2 D K J 4 2 C 8 7 4 2
	South: S Q 9 8 6 H K Q 10 9 4 D A 3 C J 5

West	North	East	South
			1H
No	2NT	No	3H
No	3S	No	4D
No	4H	End

Without the use of some gadget North has an impossible bid once his partner opens 1H. To bid 1S and then raise to game in hearts suggests just three card support while to bid a direct 4H is feeble. So 2NT it is, game forcing with four-card support. There are many ways to proceed after this start but a sensible method is to bid 3C with a strong hand, with a three level bid in any other suit as showing a limited hand with a singleton in the bid suit. (With a singleton club bid 3NT.) Three of the bid major shows a hand that still might produce a slam without a singleton, while four of the major shows a weak hand. Here 3H denies a singleton but is not completely minimum and now a series of cue-bids ensues. Once opener does not cue-bid in clubs North knows there is a weakness there and just bids game. Any rampant Blackwood bidders will get too high with three losers on a diamond lead or switch, although ironically there are always eleven tricks if the hand is played in spades.