Summary
WHAT would you open on this hand after three passes? YOU often get hands on which you have no perfectly descriptive bid, and this is when you need to decide which will be the least misleading. Here you have four possible options - 1., 2., 2NT, or 2. (if using Benji Acol). The worst of these is 2. (strong), because you have not got an eightplaying trick hand. 1. will be safe and sound, especially if partner is an optimistic responder, but there is the danger of him passing and an easy game being missed, or the opponents might be able to intervene in spades.
My choice would be 2NT; a bit of a gamble - yes, but you wouldn't hesitate to make this bid if one of your hearts was a little spade, and the vulnerability in spades would be nearly as great. You must simply hope that partner has .Jxx or better. At least you will have shown your 20-22 point range and partner knows he can raise you on a five-count. Playing Pairs, you won't get a poor score when the opponents take the first six spade tricks, because others are sure to have done the same. Beginners should note that it is not 'illegal' or improper to open 2NT with a singleton. Partner will not be aware of this, and sometimes you have no sensible alternative.See the full content of this document
Extract
Bridge
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