[msjennifer]

roninbc, on 2018-December-09, 16:49, said:

Well, I learned to play a decade earlier than the mid-70's, but even at that "late" date, playing Precision, my regular partner and I would not open 1NT (weak) with two 4-card majors, not to mention any 5 card suits.

If you weren't 4333 or 4432 with at least one 4-card minor, you opened something else (usually 1D).

Sir,you are absolutely correct.Playing precision one never suppresses a 5M. and with both 4 card majors one opens as 1D or 2D (4414 or 4405).By opening a hand 1D the pair never misses a 2H/S contract when 1NT goes down easily.

[Tramticket]

My personal view is that I would like my 2NT to be a balanced (defined as 4333, 4432, 5332) and will try very hard to find a better opener if I am semi-balanced (5422, 6322, 4441). But maybe you have a 21-count with most of the strength in the short suits (something like: AK AKXX AQ JXXXX), it is often wisest to improvise a 2NT opening.

I have more serious concerns about the 20-22 range itself. Firstly, I believe that this is too large a range. What value do you need to raise? It is a mathematical curiosity that 20 HCP is more common that 21 HCP and 22 HCP combined, so you should generally tend to be cautious (at pairs at least) and risk missing a good game when partner is upper range. But maybe you are vulnerable at teams... It would be nice if we could have a bit more precision on the range.

My second issue is that playing 2NT opposite a partner with a (near) bust is almost always an unpleasant experience. You often lack entries to dummy and are forced to play away from your hand and since you are balanced, you are not even establishing length winners. I don't want to play 2NT unless partner has the values to respond to a one-level opening so the solution is to include 20-counts in our range of one-level openings.

Our no-trump ranges are: 12-14 open 1NT; 15-18 open a suit and rebid NT at the lowest level; 19-20 open a suit and jump in NT; 21-22 included in our multi 2♦; 23+ open 2♣. Our 2NT is weak with both minors.

[Cyberyeti]

Tramticket, on 2018-December-10, 03:59, said:

Our no-trump ranges are: 12-14 open 1NT; 15-18 open a suit and rebid NT at the lowest level; 19-20 open a suit and jump in NT; 21-22 included in our multi 2♦; 23+ open 2♣. Our 2NT is weak with both minors.

We play 12-14 1N, 15-bad 19 rebid 1N, good 19-21 2N allowing us to use the jump to 2N for something else. We also use Kokish over 2♣ to allow more ranges to be shown.

[pescetom]

Cyberyeti, on 2018-December-10, 04:19, said:

We also use Kokish over 2♣ to allow more ranges to be shown

and for those ranges to be narrower - we too.

[miamijd]

With respect to strength, I suggest you change to 20-21. The 2NT opener has its strengths and weaknesses, but dealing with a three-point range is very difficult. Open 2C with 22+, and if you want to eliminate the three-point ranges there, use Kokish relays.

With respect to shape, it depends on what your reaction will be if your 1x bid is passed out. I generally open 2NT on 5332 hands on the following hands:

1. 5332 with a five-card major
2. 4441 hands with a stiff in a minor (NOT with a stiff in a major, even a stiff honor)
3. 21 counts with 2245 or 2254

With 20 and two doubletons, there generally isn't the need to open 2NT for fear of a passout. If partner can't bid, you probably aren't making game and will be much better in 1 of your five-card minor than in 2NT.

Cheers,
mike

[neilkaz]

I agree with Mike above except that I am extremely reluctant to open 2NT with any stiff.

[fromageGB]

I certainly would NOT suggest a 20/21 2NT open, but thoroughly agree with those who say it should be no more than a 2-point range. How can responder unilaterally make the game decision opposite anything wider? I too used Kokish before I adopted transfer responses to 1♣, but suit bidding is better after 2♣ without Kokish getting in the way.

Out NT ranges are 12-14 starting 1♣, 15/16 opens 1NT, 17/18 starts 1♣, 19/20 starts 1♣ but has a different sequence to a 2NT rebid, 21/22 is 2NT, 23+ starts 2♣. I am more than happy with this choice.

[pescetom]

fromageGB, on 2018-December-11, 06:03, said:

I certainly would NOT suggest a 20/21 2NT open, but thoroughly agree with those who say it should be no more than a 2-point range. How can responder unilaterally make the game decision opposite anything wider? I too used Kokish before I adopted transfer responses to 1♣, but suit bidding is better after 2♣ without Kokish getting in the way.

Out NT ranges are 12-14 starting 1♣, 15/16 opens 1NT, 17/18 starts 1♣, 19/20 starts 1♣ but has a different sequence to a 2NT rebid, 21/22 is 2NT, 23+ starts 2♣. I am more than happy with this choice.

I would suggest a 20/21 2NT opening to those employing a 15-17 1NT opening, which is probably a majority of all bridge players. I wouldn't be surprised if 14-16 and 19/20 become widespread in the next decades though, as they are more aggressive and allow a greater percentage of hands to be played systems on.

[fromageGB]

Playing a 19/20 2NT was a fashion here quite a while ago, but most have sensibly dropped it. You can still now see crazy results from those that have not moved on.
You can play a 9-25 1NT for even more aggression and "systems on", but those are not my objectives.