[jillybean]

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How do you invite game?

[HardVector]

Is this a trick question? You bid 3h to invite in hearts, you bid 2n to invite in NT. Inviting in NT tends to imply you have 4 spades, unless you are playing a system that changes the meaning of 1n-2n.

[mikeh]

Also, probably just as useful…..with this hand, I’d pass 2H. Why? Because I would and, imo, should have passed 1N. By rolling the dice I’ve been very lucky and have improved the contract. 2H almost certainly scores better than does 1N, but going down in either 3H or 4H almost certainly scores worse than does 1N.

Responding to a 15-17 1N with this soft 8 count is a common mistake but it is most definitely a mistake.

Far too many players think that they have to bid on any excuse. They can argue that ‘all the experts bid on nothing’, which is largely true but overlooks that they don’t overbid on every hand and that they play their cards better than do most, s often take more tricks than most. Emulating their aggression while lacking their declarer play is….ill-advised.

Soft 8 counts lacking a 5 card suit should pass a 15-17 1N.

Yes, you’ll ‘miss’ some making games…even a few that are high percentage games, but you’ll also consistently improve your average score on these hands, most especially at mps.

Vul at imps, if you trust partner’s declarer play, it’s a slightly different story.

[jillybean]

the original hand was T7, KQT3, Q84, Q872 but most wanted to force to game so I downgraded a little.

[mikeh]

Edit. Duplicate post

[mikeh]

Most of who? At imps, maybe but at mps no. Look at it this way, if the percentage action is to pass 1N with your OP hand, how can it be percentage to drive to game by changing the heart jack to the queen? I know…you’ve slightly improved the spades but giving us the 10 doesn’t add very much… on most layouts it adds nothing, playing in hearts

Btw, I fully agree with stayman on the 9 count while I think it a horrible bid on an 8 count as originally presented

[jillybean]

"Most" may be an overbid, many of the players in my (MP) game wanted to force to game opposite 15-17 with T7, KQT3, Q84, Q872 but this thread is more to do with the correct 1nt sequence of 1nt 2♣ 2♥ 3♥ showing an invitational hand with 4 hearts. A surprising number wanted to invite with 2nt in this sequence.

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*unless you play 4 way transfers