[RunemPard]

Playing a 15-17 NT, how do you play after the following auctions?
Where 1N-2C-2D-2M shows an INV w/ 5 in the bidden major and 4 in the other major.

1N-2♣
2♦-2♥
?

1N-2♣
2♦-2♠
?

Is using 2N as an artificial forcing bid more logical than natural, to play?

Curious..thanks!

-Don

[Cthulhu D]

Doesn't the answer to this depend on if you open 5422 or 6322 shapes with long minors 1NT? I guess you can play in a 5-2 fit always.

[Stephen Tu]

I think natural makes more sense. Sometimes one opens 1nt with awkward rebid hands with say stiff spade honor and a min, it would be nice to play 2nt rather than the 5-1 fit or 3nt in these cases. And responder's bid already has an incredibly narrow range and narrow distribution, so what would the 2nt inquire about, what advantage do you really hope to gain?

Personally I long ago gave up these sequences for garbage Stayman, on a frequency basis, and with an inv 5-4 in the majors just either FG or downgrade it to a partial hand and treat it as garbage Stayman if partner answers 2♦ to Stayman. I get dealt a lot more hands 0-8 hcp both majors than exactly 9 hcp both majors so am willing to sacrifice accuracy on the latter to get better results on the former.

[RunemPard]

Cthulhu D, on 2015-September-25, 07:46, said:

Doesn't the answer to this depend on if you open 5422 or 6322 shapes with long minors 1NT? I guess you can play in a 5-2 fit always.

Sorry forgot to include that in the OP. Yes, 5M, 6m, 2254, sometimes difficult hands w/ 5m+4H

[RunemPard]

Stephen Tu, on 2015-September-25, 08:20, said:

I think natural makes more sense. Sometimes one opens 1nt with awkward rebid hands with say stiff spade honor and a min, it would be nice to play 2nt rather than the 5-1 fit or 3nt in these cases. And responder's bid already has an incredibly narrow range and narrow distribution, so what would the 2nt inquire about, what advantage do you really hope to gain?

Personally I long ago gave up these sequences for garbage Stayman, on a frequency basis, and with an inv 5-4 in the majors just either FG or downgrade it to a partial hand and treat it as garbage Stayman if partner answers 2♦ to Stayman. I get dealt a lot more hands 0-8 hcp both majors than exactly 9 hcp both majors so am willing to sacrifice accuracy on the latter to get better results on the former.

I was thinking it could be similar to after a natural 2M-2N auction, asking for a feature, or asking for single minor...I personally have only had one time where I had a hand and felt I had the need to use garbage stayman, but I understand that it does help. I guess my thinking is that it could be useful if partner has an ok hand and wants to ask what my minors look like before deciding game or not.

I don't know, however, what plays better...a misfitting 2254 vs a 54xx or 2M. We never bid 1N with a single major though. Just thinking while writing down some 1N response notes for partner and I and thought I would see if anyone has anything they typically play.