LukeG

My comments were made on the assumption that we were using Capp, in which case the 2H/2S overcall shows a two suiter with the bid major and an unknown minor.

I see if differentlly. If you decide to bid 2C and LHO bids 2S, you MUST bid 3H. Game chances are too good to go quietly. You might make 4H opposite as little as AKx of hearts and a doubleton diamond. Of course, if you knew that LHO was going to bid 2S passed back to you, you would start with 2H. After 1NT-2H-2S-p-p, I play that 2NT shows 6-4 (partner's 3C is then P/C) and that 3C/3D show 5-5. After being burned a few times, I tend not to overcall 2H/2S with only four cards in the major.

Bridge Base Online and OKBridge, the two sites where I play, each publish their own standard systems. For the BBO versions, see the Training Rooms. In theory, partners agree to play one of those systems and shouldn't have any problems. In practice, most people don't adhere 100% to these standards and use their own set of favorite conventions and treatments. That's online bridge!

In my experience in the USA, the most popular variation (aka "standard") is as follows. Opener's rebids are: new suit at three level = shortness new suit at four level = 5-5 (with the bid suit) 4 of the major = balanced, minimum 3NT = balanced, moderate strength 3 of the major = balanced, stronger than 3NT After this start, a bid of four of the major by either partner shows lack of slam interest. If responder rebids three of the major he is inviting opener to cue bid. If you are willing to tolerate some complexity, there are better schemes that let opener provide range information (min/max) as well as major suit length (5/6). As an example, see Fred Gitelman's article "Improving 2/1 GF, Part 3" in the Bridge Library here at BBO.

Hey Dan, How about playing Svan with me to I can tune up for the GNT? If so, I will reciprocate and learn one of your systems. Luke

Here are the actual hands and my results. On the first hand, 2NT would have worked marvelously, whether it was takeout or natural. Partner had x, J9xx, AK10xx, K9x. Three diamonds is laydown and you can even make 3NT if they start with two rounds of spades and you guess the diamonds - opening bidder had AQxxxx, AKQ, J, Qxx. I passed for -110. On the second hand, I bid 4C. This goaded LHO into bidding 4H with K10xx, J109xx, xxxx, (void) and made it easy for RHO to raise to 6H with AQx, KQxx, AKQxxx, (void). Should partner, with J9xx, A, Jx, AQJ10xx, take the sac in 7C. On this hand, with me having only three pointed suit cards, it's only -800 but that seems like the smallest number that you will pay out if you take the dive. Luke

Hello all, Here are two hands from last night where I got poor results. What would you have done in my place? 1) Neither vul, IMPs: KJ10, 10x, 9xxx, Axxx RHO opens 1S, pass, pass, partner doubles, RHO bids 2S and you? 2) Both vul, IMPs: xx, xxx, x, K9xxxxx Partner opens 1C, RHO doubles, and you? Thanks ... Luke

Sometimes, especially when the choice is between passing and bidding, how well your choice fares depends on factors like partner's actual shape or location of high cards, things that you can't determine from the previous bidding. Yes, it would be nice to have something like KJ10xxx of diamonds for the sequence 1S-1NT-2C-2D. The actual pattern of 1-4-5-3 poses a problem because the partnership's best/longest fit might be in clubs (5-2-1-5) or diamonds (5-1-3-4 or 5-2-3-3) or hearts (5-3-1-4 or 5-3-2-3). Passing 2C is a guess, as is bidding 2D. With the same strength and 1-3-5-4, passing 2C is more attactive than bidding 2D on a weak suit because 2C is much more likely to be a decent spot (compared to 1-4-5-3) and opener's 2H rebid does not provide a possible resting place.

Peter, With 1-4-4-4 shape, regardless of where the high cards are located, your should just pass 2C. You might consider bidding 2S with stiff A or K, which could work well if your partner has a strong spade suit and three weak clubs. However, it could work out very badly if partner has a weak spade suit and four clubs. With 1-4-5-3 shape, bid 2D. You probably have as many or more diamonds than clubs between the two hands. You also have the extra vigorish of partner continuing with 2H if he has 5-3-1-4 and extra values, allowing you to pass and put down a nice dummy! The downside to bidding 2D is catching partner with 5-3-1-4 and a minimum, in which case you have reached a putrid spot.

Richard's summry of basic Precision is pretty good with the exception that a 1D opening usually shows 2+ diamonds, not 3+ diamonds. As you gain experience with Precision, you will find that having to open 2C with only 5 clubs and a side 4 card major is one of the weak spots in the system. For example, it's very difficult (unless the opps bid) to play a 4-4 major suit fit at the 2 level. Without taking into account the various relay systems built around a strong 1C opening, there are three major variants from the basic approach. The first two that I will mention have different solutions to the 4M-5C hand pattern. 1) Remove all length restrictions on the 1D opening bid so that it's completely artificial and can be done with a diamond void. This type of system opens the 4M-5C hand with 1D. Since the 2D opening bid is no longer needed for 3 suited hands short in diamonds (these patterns now open 1D) it can be used for Multi or whatever else you wish. Meckwell use this type of 1D opening bid. 2) Open four card majors! This type of system opens the 4M-5C hand with 1M. Blue Team Club is the most popular 4 card major system, and it has a unique set of responses to 1C. They show the number of controls (counting A=2 and K=1) with 1D = negative, 1H = positive but 2 or fewer controls, 1S = 3 controls, 1NT = 4 controls, etc. 3) Open 1C with balanced 11-13 as well as strong hands. This type of system does nothing for the 4M-5C hand, but the 1D opening shows 4+ diamonds and is always unbalanced.

Peter, You can download the Svan (aka Swan) notes from Daniel Neill's web page at http://www.geocities.com/daniel_neill_2000.../sys/index.html. Transfer responses to a 1C opening bid are GCC-legal if either the 1C opening promises 15+ HCP or the transfer is forcing to game. However, note that GCC gives preferential treatment to the strong 1C opening and to 1NT openings and overcalls. Suit openings and overcalls are second-class citizens. MCC allows "Any call that promises four or more cards in a known suit". This means that transfers and tunfers (two-under transfers) are always MCC-legal.

Paul, I have notes on the Nightmare System that Daniel Neill translated from the original Italian, after which Leah Newell tidied them up. If you want a copy then send me an email. I am playing Svan, a Swedish two-way club system, in the GNT at the Long Beach NABC and have been in contact with the ACBL re: GCC compliance. Here are some observations relating to 1C systems: 1) 1C and 1D opening bids are unrestricted as long as they promise 10+ HCP. The 1D response to 1C is also unrestricted. 2) If the 1C opening always promises 15+ (Precision, Blue Team, Nightmare, etc.) then you can use any response and rebid structure. 3) If the 1C opening does not always promise 15+ (Svan, etc.) then responses to 1C must be either natural or game forcing; conventional responses that are not GF are not allowed. Luke

Yes, transfer positives are legal. GCC Responses and Rebids, item 6, permits "Artificial or conventional calls after strong (15+), forcing opening bids." In fact, almost anything goes after a strong 1C, except for relay responses. Although transfers are always allowed after a 1NT opening bid or overcall (another situation where almost anything goes), you can only use transfers after a suit opening bid or overcall if either (1) the transfer promises game-forcing values or (2) the opponent made a conventional call, which includes any double that is not for penalties! So, if your partner opens 1S it's legal to use 2D as a transfer to hearts if the next hand doubles but not if the next hand bids a natural 1NT or 2C!

GCC doesn't even allow transfers in competition if your partner's last call was in a suit, unless you play said transfer as game forcing! But it does allow you to play any convention under the sun in response to a 1NT opening bid or overcall, as long as the 1NT bidder doesn't commit the blasphemy of having fewer than the magic 10 HCP.

I grew up playing Roth-Stone in which this is an easy and obvious pass. I would also pass playing SAYC or 2/1 because I like to have 3 controls (A=2, K=1) for an opening one bid. Playing a strong club system I would either open 2C or pass depending on my mood.

Hi PB, Moscito is not GCC legal, in spite of what other posters may claim. Look at GCC Responses and Rebids, item 3, which permits "Conventional responses which guarantee game forcing or better values, may NOT be part of a relay system" and GCC Definitions, item 3, which states "A sequence of relay bids is defined as a system if, after an opening bid of one of a suit, it is started prior to opener's rebid". Does this mean that you can't play Moscito in a GCC event? Well, you can always try but be prepared to have an opponent call a tournament director who will then prohibit your use of Moscito for the duration of the event.