Pulling out of NT: Bridge Convention

Pulling out of NT

A while back we had an email discussing that in IMPS (match point players may have different ideas) that if you bid over an invitational 2NT, the bid is forcing. In other words, you cannot improve the partial without special understandings like relays. With a weak or distributional hand, you must take your lumps in 2NT even though it is an inferior partial and may go down. IMPS are geared towards games and slams and having a bid over a 2NT invitational as forcing works better towards that end.

What about 3NT bids by the partnership? It is another Bridge law that you do not pull 3NT to a minor from a position of weakness. You do not try to improve the 3NT contract if you are weak. Pass and hope they mis-defend. This "law" helps slam investigation. There is one exception to this rule which we will discuss. The major suit has a special status. Say you hold this hand:

AQJ10xx void Jxxxx Kx and you open 1 and LHO bids 3 and partner bids 3NT. You can pull to 4 out of a position of weakness. You cannot pull to 4 as partner may blast you to slam thinking you have something.

AQJ10xx void AKxxx Kx is a 4 pull of 3NT.

With no opponents in the auction and you and you partner bid up to 3NT then if you bid over 3NT you are interested in more. You have described your hand and partner bids 3NT. Pulling now means I have not quite shown my hand as I have way more HCP's then appears. Again the major suit if rebid a number of times is an exception to the rule.

1	Pass	2	Pass
2	Pass	3NT	Pass
4

This pull is out of weakness. If the two spade bidder bids 4/4/4 over 3NT then that is a slam try in spades not running from 3NT with another suit and a weak hand

Partnerships are so committed to the " you do not pull 3NT out of weakness law" that if you do pull the bid it is quite often KCB!

Rule : If you have agreed to the minor below 3NT, pulling 3NT to the minor is KCB

With no bidding by the opponents

1	Pass	2	Pass
2	Pass	3	Pass
3NT	Pass	4

The 2 bidder is obviously very strong and can come up with a better bid then 4 to invite a slam. 4 is a silly bid so let's make it KCB for diamonds.

Again the opponents are not bidding.

1	Pass	2	Pass
2	Pass	3NT	Pass
4	Pass

This pull of 3NT shows a slam try but it is not KCB. Why? In order for 4 of a minor to be Blackwood the fit must be found at the 3 level

What about single handed pull of 3NT's with your suit? Again this shows a slam try but it is not Blackwood.

1	Pass	2	Pass
2	Pass	3NT	Pass
4	Pass	4NT

The 4 bid is a slam try and 4NT says no way. Scientists like Klimo would use Kickback here. Kickback is the suit above the trump suit as KCB. In this case 4 would ask for Aces.

1	Pass	2	Pass
2	Pass	3NT	Pass
4	Pass	4

The 4 bid is a cuebid slam try in Diamonds (pulled 3NT) and 4 is a cuebid

1	Pass	2	Pass
2	Pass	3NT	Pass
4	Pass

This is a strong hand. A weak 6-4 should bid hearts first and then bid 4 over 3NT. Pulling 3NT out of a position of weakness is only allowed with a rebid major.

These auctions point out another interesting partnership understanding. In a 2/1 auction what does a leap to 3NT show as opposed to a 2NT bid?. The popular understanding now is that the leap to 3NT shows extra (15+) and 2NT the minimum or super max. Why jam your partner with a minimum? Bid 2NT and let her describe her hand.

Another point needed to bring up. If partner pulls your 3NT as a slam try and you bid 4NT - what is it? I think 4NT is to play and Kickback has to be learned quickly!