How does your answer compare to the experts?

Shawn Quinn

Top-ranked female player

2NT – I have a balanced hand with slow tricks, so this is my best description. It keeps the auction low so there is more room to explore for the best contract. Partner will know I have some heart support to bid notrump. With a singleton or void, I wouldn’t bid notrump at my first opportunity.

Andrew Robson

European and North American Champion

3♥️ – I would raise to 4♥️ if I held three-card support. With a low doubleton, however, I’d do something else, such as 2NT.

Sylvia Shi

Gold medal winner and many time National Champion

2NT – This sounds a tad more encouraging than 3♦️. While I generally don’t mind raising with a doubleton in this type of auction, I don’t want to force us to play in hearts with this hand when I have no shortness and soft values.

Robert Todd

Professional bridge player and teacher

4♥️ – At favorable vulnerability, this is a maximum 2♦️ pre-empt for me. So partner can’t expect much more than this. If I’d opened with this hand at unfavorable vulnerability, I’d raise to only 3♥️.

Better Bridge Summary

Some disagreement here about what to do when partner responds in a new suit, forcing, after you open a weak two-bid. The panel is split between raising hearts with two-card support – perhaps even to game – or bidding notrump to show a relatively balanced hand with a doubleton heart.