Jack, mostly (not completely) I agree with your guesses. The problem is that it really does come down to guessing. If there are no further agreements then there are no further agreements. Since it is hard to imagine a 1NT response that is better suited for playing in 5
opposite a very shapely opening bid, and since it is hard to imagine why pard would bid this way if he did not regard 5
as at least a possible final contract, I figure I'll just bid 5
. I can imagine a hand where 6
comes in, but with "no further agreements" I will just forget about it.
If we were to set out agreements then the first thing is to decide whether 2NT is or is not Leb. After 1m-1NT (6-10, not 7-10)-2M I think 2NT is often, and perhaps best, played as natural. A modest hand that is not enthusiastic about anything. Opener can pass, or opener can rebid 3m and I'll pass.
But a big purpose for Leb is to give responder, when he wants to play in
, to sign off in 3
, invite going on in
, and force to game showing
. With your agreements, 3
can be a
fit with absolutely minimal values, it just says "no, I am not rebidding a passable 2NT if you have all those
,and 4
is forcing. I think this mighty be the right choice of agreements but does partner think so?
Now a quote from BWS
" In response to one diamond: two clubs is forcing to game; three clubs is invitational. A one-notrump response shows 6-10 points."
So we have to include the possibility that responder, after 1
-1NT - 2
wants to bid 3
with 6 highs since he might well want to do this with too few
to bid 3
over 1
. Also 1
- 1NT precludes a hand such as Qxx/xx/Qxx/KQJxxx since with that hand it would go 1
- 3
. Probably it would go that way with Qxx/xx/Jxx/KQJxxx. This makes it unlikely that, after 1
- 1NT - 2
, responder will want to invite game in
. Not impossible, but pretty unlikely. Which, I suppose, means that 4
could show a good hand with a
fit and a
control.
But I am not betting on what 4
would show.
In a sense, this problem is a good problem for IAC, or more generally for the typical player. Currently, I have no partner with whom I have discussed 1
- 1NT - 2
and, apparently, even if we have agreed to play BWS, we have not really discussed this auction (so long
, something inn
, but beyond that?). It's hardly unusual for me to say "I am not really sure just what would mean what here and I doubt partner is either so I think I will just make a guess. Bidding 5
will no doubt be taken as meaning I am up for playing in 5
".