What’s your call?
| 1NT | ||||
| 2♣ | 2♦ | 2♥ | 2♠ | 2NT |
| 3♣ | 3♦ | 3♥ | 3♠ | 3NT |
| 4♣ | 4♦ | 4♥ | 4♠ | 4NT |
| 5♣ | 5♦ | 5♥ | 5♠ | 5NT |
| 6♣ | 6♦ | 6♥ | 6♠ | 6NT |
| 7♣ | 7♦ | 7♥ | 7♠ | 7NT |
| Pass | Dbl |
While a number of panelists choose unusual-notrump calls to show the two lower-ranking suits at once, an equal number just go ahead and pick their favorite minor and bid lots of them.
Lawrence is one. “5♦ . Not 2NT or 4NT. If partner bids clubs, it isn’t clear that clubs is our best suit. I may well bid clubs later, which will give partner an accurate description of my minors.”
Weinstein, too. “I’m void-void in the majors. Good time to preempt. I’m not willing to give the opponents two cuebids in order to bring clubs into the picture.”
Sanborn leaps to 5♦ . “I do have a preference! I might not be done yet, though.”
Lee: “5♦ . On hands like this, making them guess is about as good a strategy as any. If they bid out and partner doesn’t double, I’m going to come back in.”
Cohen jacks up the auction for the same reason. “2NT followed by 5♦ is possible, but gives the opponents more chance to get together.”
5♦ by Colchamiro. “If partner has three clubs and zero diamonds, I still want to play in diamonds.”
Boehm says the fun is just beginning. “2NT. I make some attempt to gauge partner’s club holding before facing a decision later.”
Robinson starts low with 2NT for the same reason, “to get the most information about what partner has in clubs.”
Meckstroth, simple: “2NT for the minors.”
Ditto Hampson: “I start by showing my two suits and will then judge how high to compete.”
Meyers, too. “2NT and then I am going to bid again. I will certainly not stop short of 5♦ , or 5♣ if we have a club fit.”
Rigal starts low with 2♦ . “If this gets passed out, I won’t just eat my hat, I’ll eat the editors, too. (I meant to put an apostrophe after editors but I think on reflection, I will actually eat the editors, not just their hats.)”
Falk bids 4NT. “It’s close between this or expressing my strong preference for diamonds immediately and keeping the opponents from exchanging information below the five level. Holding zero major-suit cards, I think 4NT is a reasonable compromise. I’m going to correct 5♣ to 5♦ , but will pass 6♣.”
So does Stack. “Preemption and a likely-to-make minor-suit contract – what could be better? 4NT is an easy bid to make, but what will we do on the next round after partner or the opponents bid and partner passes? If LHO bids and partner passes, then we might push on with 5NT. A wise man one said you must ‘bid the freaks like they are freaks,’ and this hand certainly qualifies.”
