ali quarg

I don't treat 3♣ as a Strong jump-shift, but as an Intermediate hand with 5+♣ & 5+M. This hand feels more intermediate than strong at this stage in the bidding so ♣ is a clear descriptive bid for me.

3NT can be used to deny 2 of the top 3 majors when you have bid trumps first or 1 of top 3 when supporting. If 3NT is bid it could be passable if suit strength is deficient I've also seen the suggestion that bypassing X (X<>1) number of suits indicates control in those suits. This may be more flexible In the above case given you haven't bid 3NT immediately I guess you could use 3NT to show control in the other 2 suits, but does 3NT say something about trump controls as well?

Thanks for the reply I've just started looking at strong 1♣ systems and am considering the varieties. I'm OK with the way my system is evolving and caters for Strong hands well, but I find that it is those 15-17 2-suited hands that can sometimes be hard to pin down especially when the longer one is a minor.

This is how I do it The normal 2NT goes into a Multi2D leaving 2NT free for V. Strong 55 or sub-Minimum opening hands

As a side question for the experts: Are there any 1♣ systems that open 1♣ with 15-17hcp or long ♣s

I started learning bridge from an old Goren 5CM book, and have only being playing casual bridge for a couple of years. I wish the MLT approach had been in the book. I find it much easier using this approach to assess contract level when a fit is found than trying to decide how many points I need to add as per the author of this article. Adding with halves is simple and the more experienced can go down to quarters and eighths. It also helps to distinguish between what is a good or a bad X points; a term that is banded around , but not often well-defined. This approach feels like one of the basics that ought to be taught at the outset when learning bridge. I also note your comment 'almost as much work as distribution points'.

Basic LTC has its issues as it values Aces the same as Queens For the Modified Loosing Trick count Ace = 1.5 King = 1 Queen = 0.5 Value every suit missing the above working down to the number of cards in the suit Axx = 1.5 missing a K & Q xx = 2.5 missing A & K AKQ = 0 etc. An opening hand has roughly 7.5 MLT - may be a touch lower if balanced. If you both have opening hands and an 8+card fit the safe level of the contract is given by 19 - 7.5 - 7.5 = 4 Slams will be a strong hand 5.5 + an opening hand upward 19-5.5-7.5 = 6 or any other combination The approach is remarkable consistent in predicting the appropriate contract bar opponents trump holdings being lopsided

I use shortage points for initial evaluation so V-3, S-2, D-1 When responder finds a 8-card fit I would add V-2, S-1, 2xD-1 When responder finds a 9-card fit I would add V-3, S-2, 2xD-1 With a 10-card fit as above, but add one for the extra trump Opener revalues his hand Add 1 for a 5-card trump suit Add 2 for a 5-card trump suit & a 2nd 5-card suit Add 3 for a 6-card trump suit Marty Bergen’s “Adjust-3 Method” http://fourseasonsbridge.com/harold/TOPICS/mb_adj_3.pdf I now use an adjusted modified loosing trick count when a fit is found as I find this simpler since distributional points are largely built in.

With a 15-17NT opening - assume a modified loosing trick count of 6.5 West also has 6.5 MLTC before any adjustments so I would be looking for the slam in ♠ from the outset

vs a 15-17 NT with a good 10 transfer into the 5 card suit and bid the 4 card suit at the 3 level. Good/bad 10 5-5: transfer into ♥ & bid 2♠ following the transfer. Subsequent bidding decides contract/level with a bad 10 Stayman 2♣ and then a Quest Transfer (i.e. transfer into the 5 card suit at the 3 level) after 2♦. Opener selects game if maximum otherwise chooses contract

Playing Kaplpan Inversion here I use 1NT for 5+♠ with a MLTC > 8 and 1S when the MLTC <= 8. 2♠ would be GI versus 3♠ and a non-minimum hand or 3NT versus a non-minimum hand and side suit stoppers

Playing Double as a Power Double - 1H to show weak & 4+♥s

Try below to find 4-4 & 5-3 major fits 1NT-2♣ --2♦ No 5 card major - not 2♠ & 3♥ ----2♥ Denies 4♥ ------2♠ 4♠ --------2NT Denies 4♠ --2♠ 4♥ Denies 4♠ --2NT 4-4 Majors --2♥ 5♥ --2♠ 5♠ --2NT 2♠ & 3♥ 1NT-2♦ 5+♥ --2♥ 5+♥ ----2♠ 5+♥ & 5+♠ invitational