Bridge Quiz 26-2
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West
8 5
♥ K J 10
♦ A J 9 5
♣ A K 8 5
  East
K Q 9 2
♥ 6 4 3
♦ K 8 4 3 2
♣ Q

W N E S
1NT - 2♣  
2♦ - 3♦ -
3NT - Pass -

East must refrain from bidding NT, but instead bid 3♦. This alerts Opener to the fact that East has an unbalanced hand (or a semi-balanced hand with two weak doubletons), with 5+s and at least one 4-card major.
This gives Opener a good insight into East's hand. The response is forcing to Game and gives the Opener the choice of bidding either 3NT or 5♦.
In above example either contract is a viable proposition.

Bidding unbalanced hands
Neither the Opener, nor the Responder should bid NT as his/her first or second bid when holding an unbalanced (or semi-balanced) hand.

The only exception being a weak Responder (6-10 points) who is unable to raise Opener's suit or bid a new suit at the 1-level. In such case he occasionally may be forced to bid 1NT with an unbalanced hand.


Advanced level topic : Blackwood Theory of Distribution