Partner opened with 2C -- I responded with 2D (I have 2 pts)-- Partner responded with 3C.
Is the rebid 3C by partner forcing me to bid (I don’t have enough clubs) or can I pass here?
It's just that I heard from some sources the advice "with strong hand '2C' - the partnership must get to game."
On the other hand however, we might have 25 pts, but not have 8-card fit, or stopper in suit for NT play.
Is it legal to pass?
It's "legal", as in not against the law; but ill advised if you expect and desire to play with this partner again.
Modern agreements tend to the line of "forcing to 2NT, or 3 of a major, or 4 of a minor".
This guarantees the 2C opener 3 calls to define the hand, and infers that a 2C opening based on a strong minor suit must either be suitable for NT or about a trick better than one based on a strong major suit.
Also, consider partner's problem with a strong club or diamond hand. How could partner possibly describe this hand without the assurance of not being passed in a 3C or 3D rebid?
Update:
In regards to your specific situation, I would rank possible bids over partner's 3C rebid in this order with 2 HCP as follows:
Your 3NT should never end up as the final contract, because partner has denied all interest in NT by bidding 3C. This bid denies any extremely unbalanced hand, by failing the criteria for all the higher preferences; this is valuable to partner in assessing level and denomination.
If partner continues with 4C over any of these calls, you can pass. If partner bids a new suit this continues the force, and you must choose between:
No other possibilities exist. This scheme is not in any way conventional, but simply common-sense natural bidding. Even the splinter jump has become a natural call, as what is termed an "impossible value-showing hand", and thus must be the exact opposite of it's literal meaning: instead of strong, length-showing denying support, it must be weak, shortness showing, and confirming support. While not all partners will recognize this call, all experts will.
If partner bids 4NT over your rebid this is Blackwood (with clubs as trump if you play key-card), and consequently forcing.
Questions like this depend on what you have agreed with partner (presumably not applicable here) or the default for your system. The default for Acol, for example, is that, unless the bidding goes 2C-2D-2NT, you must continue until game is reached. Here, partner is showing a long club suit as well as points, and would like to know your best suit before deciding on which game.
These kind of issue, of course, mostly depends on your agreement with your partner.
but I think making 2C - 2D - 3C passable is ill advised.
just ask yourself this question: If partner can allow you to pass now, why didn't s/he just open 1C?
to open 2C with unbalanced hands: you will need 9+ tricks for major(s), and 10+ trick for minor(s)
