[blml] Is this a psych?

[Eric Landau]

At 06:09 PM 4/13/07, Robert wrote:

>We've been having a bit of discussion about the following
>hand in  Japan.   South is nv vs vul at imps, and holds
>        J7  754  Q762  KQ95
>North is dealer and opens 2D (multi) = a weak 2 in either major
>or a strong balanced hand.
>
>South bid 2NT, asking for North's hand type (strength/suit of
>weak 2 or strong 2nt).   Obviously this is a tactical bid and one
>would normally expect South to have more strength for his bid,
>but the question is, should this be considered  a "psych of
>an artificial conventional bid"?

Clearly 2NT is "an artificial conventional bid", so the issue is what 
it shows.  What matters isn't that "one" expects South to have 
strength; it is what *North* expects South to have (presumably there is 
no issue of lack of disclosure here).  If the N-S agreement is that 2NT 
shows strength (e.g. if it establishes forcing pass situations, or 
allows opener to bid above 3NT with a suitable weak-two type hand), 
then this 2NT bid is a psych.  If the N-S agreement is that this is 
merely an asking bid, promising nothing in particular about the asking 
hand, then the agreement hasn't been violated: not a psych.


Eric Landau                     ehaa at starpower.net
1107 Dale Drive                 (301) 608-0347
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