My hand was
♠ Q
♥ AKxx
♦ KJxxx
♣ Axx
I opened 1♦, my partner bid 1♠, and I bid 2♥ (reversing) So far so good?
My partner bid 2NT, which I read as about as weak a bid as he could make.

My question: After reversing, and forcing responder to bid again, MUST I bid again?

Hi Herbert,

After your 2♥ reverse bid, everything is good so far. When responder now rebids 2NT (as he was forced to bid over the reverse), then as opener, you are not forced to bid again. If responder had enough points for a game (i.e. 8+ points), then it was his duty to make a forcing bid such as a game bid (i.e. 3NT if he has a stopper in clubs), or he can also bid 3♣ as “Artificial, Fourth suit game-forcing” which would now force us to bid.

Over his actual 2NT, this probably shows something like 6-7 points with a stopper in clubs, and with our minimum 17-point hand, we can for sure pass it out.

Some people play conventions over a reverse bid (i.e. 2NT as “Blackout”), but without any agreements, 2NT by responder is natural, and definitely not forcing opener to bid again.

Hope that helps,
Andy