orion1147

If you are willing to memorize several conventional response structures after interference, it is not usually a problem to get your hand across to the 1C opener. Bids over 1-level interference are clearly defined, usually allowing for more descriptive bids than if opponents pass. Over higher-level interference, bad results when we miss our best game or slam are balanced out by good results when opener was a minimum and opponents can't find the right partscore (sometimes game) or when we can penalize. Opponents who wildly overcall as if it were a big club are right sometimes, but not only are they sometimes wrong because they can go for a big number, sometimes they are wrong because the hand belongs to them. It may be true that the system is best-suited for matchpoints. While the 1C system is well-designed, particulary for the 19+ point hands, my favorite part of AUC is when we open something other than 1C. AUC is compatible with most any 5-card major system and it allows 1D to guarantee 4 cards, and all openings other than 1C are limited to at most 18 pts. The 2C opening allows you to explore for NT without fearing that you are missing your major-suit fit. Further, you can play 2D/H/S however you like, and 2NT can be a pre-empt in both minor suits. When we do open 1C and it is not the 19+ hand (clarified at opener's second bid), opener never has a diamond suit (15-17 bal with 4 diamonds is opened 1D) so all diamond bids are available for conventional uses. This is just fantastic! For example in the following auctions 1S by responder shows 6+ pts and 4+ spades and the 2D bid makes everything easier: 1C - 1S - 2D: weak reverse, 5 clubs, 4 hearts, 11-14 pts 1C - 1S - 2H: strong reverse, 5 clubs, 4 hearts, 15-18 pts 1C - 1S - 2S: 3 or (usually) 4 spades, at most 16 pts 1C - 1S - 3D: diamond splinter, 4-card raise, 17-18 pts 1C - 1S - 3H: heart splinter, 4-card raise, 17-18 pts 1C - 1S - 3S: balanced 4-card raise, 17-18 pts Common hands are handled by low-level bids and specific rare hands can be clearly described at a higher level. The rest of the system after 1C - 1S: 1C - 1S - 1N: 15-16 bal 1C - 1S - 2C: game forcing, 19+ 1C - 1S - 2N: 17-18 bal 1C - 1S - 3C: 6+ clubs, no 4cM, 16-18 pts