Robert

Hi everyone Your cue bidding style depends a lot on your chosen methods. I use 'Last Train'(the last possible 'bid below game{4D* 'if' hearts are trump}) and serious '3NT', so a 3S cuebid would be 'almost forced' with almost any hand. Partner can express his degree of slam interest by bidding a serious '3NT', making another cuebid or by bidding 'Last Train.' The assorted ways to show slam interest 'plus' being able to stop at the game level, while still being able to make a slam try are a big advantage IMHO. Regards, Robert

Hi everyone What exactly are the chances that you will hold 5+HCP after p-1C-1NT- X-? If opener has 12HCP, the 1NT bidder has 15 and the doubler has say 9HCP doesn't that account for 36HCPs? SOS redoubles 'without' some partnership agreement are a very good way to go 'minus 1000' rather than just giving up a much smaller penalty. Is your partner so sure that playing in some 4-3(4-2?) fit 'doubled' is going to be that much better? Do they think that you should not bid 2S with a 4=3=3=3 hand after that XX? Do they think that you should bid a 3 card suit holding 4=3=3=3 and accept the double that follows? Do they think that you could play a 3-3(or 3-2?) trump fit better than a 1NT doubled contract? Even if you do find a 4-4 fit, you now still have to make one more trick than the seven tricks that you had to make in 1NT. Defending 1NT is normally more difficult than defending 2(3?) of a suit. Overcalling 1NT is a very dangerous bid. The other side only has to count up their HCP to estimate whether a double is normally good for their side. If they do double, chances are that you are going down. I do play conventional 'escapes' from 1NT, however, I have already discussed that bidding 'prior' to our side being doubled. I sometimes just take my lumps as being the best solution to a bad situation. If I were playing assign the blame here, I would 'ask' why your partner would suggest that you might hold 5+HCPs in this auction. Regards, Robert

Hi everyone You are suggesting that 6412 or 6421 deals are more common than 54?? That conflicts with most of the Frost data is my guess. That fact that the bidding went 1S-p-p suggests that the number of spades in RHO may or may not total 3(4?) cards. He was too weak to bid so the number of spades in his hand does not greatly change the fact that he did pass. Even 'if' the methods permitted a weak 3M raise, holding 4333 is a big leap of faith in the bidding. I tend to bid less often 'holding' three cards in the opened suit 'rather' than two cards. Regards, Robert

Hi everyone Bidding is a matter of the partnership 'likes.' The current trend appears to be to open with weaker and weaker hands. Some exceptions continue to exist. One Italian pair currently plays a virtually unlimited one bid opening. Roth Stone cut a path in American bridge starting in the 50s(?) with their 'very sound' openings and solid 'free bid' standards. I suspect that most people like to bid, so they use a method that allows them to open more hands. Precision methods seem to have spread because they allowed more bids with hands that were passes using other methods. My Precision style from several decades ago was to play Precision '2 up and 2 down.' We played Precision with 1st and 2nd seats using ranges 2HCP lower and 3rd and 4th seats using ranges that were two HCP higher. 9-13HCP was the limited opening range in 1st and 2nd seats. Since we opened so light, we used a slightly more conservative style in 3rd and 4th seat. It was fun and we were able to bid more hands. Responder merely 'added' or subtracted' 2HCP to make the proper bid. IMO a system is chosen because a pair 'likes' to bid using 'that style.' Almost any good system will produce good results 'given a decent' partnership. A lesser pair will simply not produce the same results 'even' if they are trying to play the exact same methods. The Blue Team destroyed virtually all competition for several decades using an assortment of systems(Roman and Blue Team were just two of their bidding methods) I have seen comments that the Italians of those same years would have still won playing the methods of the other teams. I have little doubt that this was true. I currently play a highly modified Big Club system(it started out as Precision) so I think that the problem with typical "American" 2C methods has already been solved. :rolleyes: The advantages of a big club system are mainly gained from using the 'limited' bids. Regards, Robert

Hi everyone Pass. Since the question was given as a problem, I 'guessed' that bidding might be better. Pass. Bridge is a game of making the percentage bid and sometimes the best chance fails. People overcall(bid) in the sandwich postition(and other times) with either bad suits or indifferent suits all of the time. They also do not get doubled as often as they should because they are playing with players of their own level. As the level of the game goes up, the doubling 'percentage' tends to rise. You must have played against a somewhat weaker team to win by 89 IMPs over 14 boards or were very lucky. I once played with several of my bridge group in a team game against a 'bad' team. I called in the score and the person running the league asked me to repeat the final score. 123-3 Partner may have some diamond support, however, after dummy tables 'xx' this holding might not help if opener holds AQJx or AQxx and his partner 'reopens' with a double holding 2425 and decent values for his 1NT reply. Some bids pay off and some bids go for 800 opposite nothing. At IMPS I try and avoid the minus 800s whenever they might appear to be a doubtful result. Even playing MPs, my 2/1 bids in the sandwich position show good suits. Regards, Robert

Hi everyone Playing standard methods, this is not nearly an opening bid in my style. Pass and double for takeout 'if' the other side bids clubs. If partner opens, bid your suits 'up the line.' Doesn't rebidding diamonds supposed to show 5/6 diamonds in standard methods? If these two hands make 3NT. A lot of good things happened. Picture the result when a couple of hooks are 'offsides.' You really do not want to bid these kinds of hand to 3NT(except when you are vul. at IMPs.) Has North seen you open an 11HCP hand before and rebid your 4 card diamond suit? I do not understand the pass of 2Ds 'if' the hand was worthy of a 2C reply. Regards, Robert

Hi everyone I play a non standard Big Club with a lot of treatments which are also non standard, so please take my replies as just being my version of bidding here. 1. I suggest 7+HCPs at IMPs and 6+ at MPs. Do not make promises that you cannot keep. 2. They neither promise or deny a stopper. You have more flexiblity 'with' a stopper, I sometimes make a TO double holding 3(4?) cards in their suit(and GF values) to gain more information, 'if' partner happens to pass 'here' there will be blood all over the table. 3. I do not promise a 4 card major, what would you bid with 3325 over a 2D bid? Over a 2m bid, I imply 3+ cards in the other suits(I tend to have 443 'outside' the TO doubled suit 'if' minimum. 4. If you 'do not' hold a 'trump stack', majors have priority in the bidding. 5. You bid a minor witjout a stopper or 4 cards in a major. 6. Yes! You should have a super max. to bid 3NT at MPs, the partner with shortness is supposed to take action. 7. Yes, however, with 0-1 clubs, you are allowed to bid 2C-3C as GF Stayman. Regards, Robert

Hi everyone On strange auctions, I tend to try and 'sneak' a peek to 'see' if we are all playing with the same deck of cards. If the backs of the cards do not all match, perhaps the TD should be summoned? Partner may have misheard the auction, his attention may have wandered off and he suddenly decided to bid 3NT. I cannot think of a 'normal type' of reason to bid 3NT here. "If" the double of 3Cs 'had not' been for penalty, I do have a partnership understanding that 'strange' 3NT bids(by an passed hand) and 'strange' doubles/redoubles show an interest in bidding higher 'if' partner feels the urge with an offensive type hand. I play somewhat wide ranging jump overcalls and preempts so I like to 'consult' partner because I raise too high 'if' he has already 'taken a view.' Regards, Robert

Hi everyone The modern school normally plays a 'card showing' double at high levels. The higher the level, the more likely that the double will be left in. 4NT in this auction tends to show 'two places' to play. With equal minors, partner would normally bid 5Cs. With longer diamonds, partner can use the 4NT bid 'if' the partnership is on the same wavelenght. 'If' partner is a modern player, he might have Diamonds and Spades. Be warned. 5Cs with some partners and 6Cs with other players. I would guess 5Cs' unless I had some 'extra knowledge' about partners' bidding style. Regards, Robert

Hi kes I was not so concerned 'with' staying low as finding my major fits. I had played a lot of Blue Team Club and getting a 'xxx' raise of a Q10xx major opening was not something that I looked forward to playing. I built a pure Canape system using a Forcing Pass for 13-15NT/16+ type hands. Since I had already played quite a bit of Roman Club(almost a pure Canape system), playing Canape was not a big leap of faith. With 4-5 majors, I opened the 4 card major and made a Canape bid in the 5 card major. The search for a 4-4 fit was started by opener bidding his 4 card major. Reese 'used' the in between step to 'gain' information. The system started out as a protest against 'strange' systems, however, he found that the system seemed to have some advantages. Reese used an Acol background so that the bidding tended to be more direct than standard type approach bidding. I did not use the 'between' step that way(more of a waiting bid) We normally found our fit/non fit with little trouble and I think gave away less information in the process. Responder did not need to 'show' his 4M because partner would have opened a 4 card major. I am not a big fan of pure relay systems. I do like the Power structure and several of their bidding methods. The Viking Precision Club is mostly relays, however, I found that the symetric relays in Power were much easier to learn for me. Bidding out my shape is a habit from many years ago. I do tend to use some 'relay' type bidding to show 'assorted' hand types. Just suggesting a few different methods for your enjoyment. I am a systems nut and so I like to find out 'how' a system works. Regards, Robert

Hi everyone I built a 'simple' system based around 1M being and 'even' number(4+) in the suit bid and 'odd' numbered holdings opening 1m(better minor) and rebidding a major showed an 'odd' number 'starting with 5 cards. If opener bid 1M and rebid the same major, he held 6 cards. With 'only' five cards, you open your 'better minor' and rebid in your 5 card major suit. Reese built the 'Little Major' system which used 1C=4+Hs, 1D=4+Ss, 1H*=strong @20+(I think) 1S=minors, weak 1NT, 2m natural and limited(no 4M?) Reese used the step 'in between' to ask over a 1m bid and bid the major with no future in sight. I liked the genral approach, however, living in ACBL land 'you cannot play it here. B) Have you considered a relay method here? You could get the exact information by using relays. Regards, Robert

Hi everyone The responding hand does look a little too good for a limit raise IMO. That 4NT bid really started us down the path to disaster. 1S-1NT-(4H)-4S-5H would show slam interest and 'deny both minor Aces. I would have passed over 4S. Playing standard methods, a pass 'giving partner' some leeway for 'taking a push' would not be wrong. I do not think that assigning the blame 'works' on this hand. Either the pair(or partner?) was having an 'off night' or a 'bit of work' is also needed on the system. I suspect that this hand is a matter of 'not seeing' the cow that just flew by. The 4NT bid was very poor, however, that later Queen ask was proof that a wheel had already fallen off. Regards, Robert

Hi everyone When in doubt, cuebid(most of the time anyway) You do not know what to do after RKC, so do not use it. Your 5D bid gives your partner quite a bit of information about your hand. Let partner 'in' on that information. Regards, Robert

Hi everyone Steve Robinson in his "Washington Standard" book has most bidding situations explained in some detail. He plays 1m-1M-2NT-3C* as a puppet to 3Ds 1any-1M-2NT-3C-3D-3 of the same major(is sign off) 1m-1S-2NT-3H* as a weak 5S and 4H hand A rebid of 3Ds over 2NT 'by an unpassed hand' is a slam try in openers minor. A rebid of 3Ds over 2NT 'by a passed hand' is 'checkback' for a 5-3 major fit. Regards, Robert

Hi mikestar MickyB appears to also 'not get it.' I know that there are tradeoffs in using transfers. I feel that the advantages are more than worthwhile to use transfers. I strive to play in doubled(redoubled) lead directing bids 'because' the score is much higher and 'my partnership' gets to decide when to play there. Free lead directing bids are not 'free.' You might pay off to a very large redouble. You might push us into another 'better' game or we might now select a partscore 'as a result' or the free double. If you are not getting doubled after 1NT-2H*-2S-p-p- please allow for the fact that my partnership 'is not' at your table. You are trying to make nine(9) tricks with my partnership 'knowing' that one partner has 12-14HCP 'plus' 2+ cards in any suit that you bid. "If" you have a legal system that allows a 1NT-2S bid 'only when partner is weak' I have not read/heard about it. My methods and I both expect all 'other' legal methods show a range of @ 0-10HCP here. Opposite a 12HCP hand the average holding is 8HCP. This average gives my partnership @20HCP. The odds on holding a zero HCP hand are something around 1,800-1 against. Partner is normally hold @ 7-10HCP when he signs off. I fully agree that there are tradeoffs involved. I pick transfers because of their IMHO superior bidding results. The 'school of free doubles' bidders have paid a large cost in most of the hands 'where my partnership' decided to 'make them pay.' Thanks for the very detailed explanation. We generally agree(except of the 'costs' of doubling and 'not getting 'doubled' when you compete over a 'sign off bid 'by any method. Best Regards, Robert

Hi Gerben 42 I just do not get it. I prefer another method of bidding over an opening NT than you prefer and 'I do not get it.' I freely admit that the other pair does get additional chances to act over transfer auctions. That they are safer doing so depends on your viewpoint. A while back, I was doubled for penalty in my weak NT opening and partner 'send it back' with his modest 15HCP. I only made 5 redoubled overtricks, however, the score was a still a 'top.' If the risks 'are not there' for bidding into a 'live' auction, I 'really' do not get it. I watched a fairly decent pair get doubled in a Stayman auction. They 'sent it back' and they made multiple redoubled overtricks in 2Cs redoubled. I agree that transfer provide additional chances for the other pair to bid, however, I try and make them pay 'as much as possible and also as often as possible.' You allow me to voice my opinion. however, you also get to decide what is 'true'(and what is not true) Your view is 'correct' because you disagree with my opinion? How did my opinion get 'to be untrue' because it disagreed with yours? Thanks for the freedom to post and let you decide what is 'correct/true.' Regards, Robert

Hi everyone If the 2D bids shows min. hands 'up to and including' inv. type values, aren't you overloading the much more frequent bid? With a single suit hand 'without direction'(?), why not bid 3H(?) with inv. values and either cuebid(and later bid 4H) or bid 4H with a better hand? How often do you hold a game force 'with the other pair making a 2/1 overcall in your auction? The cuebid is a fairly rare bid after an enemy 2/1 overcall. Your making a simple reply to a negative double 'very wide ranging' seems to me to be creating many more problems than it might solve. If your method works for you, enjoy. I simply do not see the advantages of overloading the much more common bid to somewhat narrow the range of a fairly rare 'jump bid.' Should a 6-5 hand with something like 3.5-4 losers really get included in a non-forcing 'and not even inv. bid of 2Ds? Does your partner bid game "holding KQxx of diamonds and out" opposite your simple 2D reply? That seems to place a very great burden on your partner that requires their 'viewing' a sub minimum negative double as 'a required' invitation game bid after your very wide ranging 'non jump' 2D bid. Regards, Robert

Hi everyone I normally check to see 'if' everyone is using the same deck of cards in these type auctions. Are the backs of the cards all the same here? Is partner is reasonably sober?(Is it New Years Eve or the equivalent in this part of the world?) I suspect that I would only bid 6H here. Do you normally pass a 5S bid with say an 8-5 shape at MPs? I would guess either 7-5(+1) or 8-5 is the hand in question 'if' partner saw that he was Red vs White 'even' while playing MPs. Since I did already pass, I will cut partner some slack and bid 6Hs. If partner would bid 5H missing these cards, might he also take the push holding something less? x Axxxxxxx void KQJx aren't there two cashing Aces now? With an 8 card suit headed by the AQ, I suspect that many bridge players might attempt a 5H bid at MPs after 1S-4S. Regards, Robert

Hi everyone 3Ss. Even if your methods did not force to game(most 4sf methods force to game here) with that 4sf 2H bid, certainly a 3S bid now is game forcing. Your partner has shown at least 45(54) in the minors plus at a likely 2+ cards in hearts, however, your spade suit does not need trump support. Playing SAYC or 2/1 methods your partner may be minimum or have quite a good hand since 4th suit forcing is normally forcing to game. Partner should considerable his hand with a view of bidding a possible slam, 'if' he is not now bidding 4S or 3NT. If your partner has a hand with Aces and Kings, slam might be good. If partner opened a queen/jack HCP opening because of his minor shape, game(3NT/4S?) is likely your best contract. Regards, Robert

Hi Gerben42 Just because you prefer or dislike a bidding method 'does not' mean that your opinion is the only 'right' one and other choices are wrong. I never stated that any given NT structure was the 'best', I did suggest that I had a decent one. I know that I also did not say that I played two way Stayman, since I do not like the bid and do not use it in my NT bidding structure. Perhaps you could show me the point of 'not playing' transfers. After four decades of play, I still prefer transfer type methods(I have played most other methods) If your opinion is based on 4th hand 'only having 'one go', I would suggest that playing transfers 'only' the player in 4th seat has the same 'risks.' That 10 HCP hand that you 'offer' as evidence in support of your chosen method 'still' exists when I play my transfer methods. We would appear to 'break even' under your stated conditions of contest. If you are telling me that both transfer and 'sign off' methods cannot hold the exact same 10HCP(when both sign off), I did 'miss your point.' :) Please do not change your methods because of my different choice. I would like the same courtesy in return. :) Regards, Robert

Hi everyone I play the same NT structure over any range 1NT opening. I have played 1NT openers from 8-10, 9-11, 10-12, 11-13 and most other ranges up to a Roman 'type' 17-20HCP range. The advantages of bidding 1NT-2Y are 'not' nearly as good as the advantages 'gained' from a good NT reply structure IMHO. If you think that you are often going to play in 2Y 'with' a weak hand(and a long suit) opposite the 1NT bid 'with' a fit, the modern bidding style is to 'not' let you play either 1NT or 2Y. I can show many hand types(and with game type hands I often show shortness) The Roth style 1NT-transfer and rebid in a minor with a 5-5 shape 'not forcing', however, inv. by virtue of the shape is a great bidding tool. Super accepts are used with 'some' hands that are max., 4 card support and 'solid' values. A queen/jack collection with a high HCP count is just not going to take a lot of tricks on many hands. The 'non transfer' bidders will tell you that you are taking up more bidding space and that the other side will not be able to bid. You are taking up 'exactly' one bidding step 'less' by using transfers. The other pair 'does not' know what HCP range you hold when you transfer, so any action may be heavily punished. When the 'non transfer group' bids 1NT-2Y, they are telling the entire table that they do not have inv. values and that they do hold a 5+ card suit. This tends to 'help' the other pair in judging their actions. When you play transfers, the other pair does know that you are weak, however, only one of them will 'know' that information and they will 'only know after you pass the transfer bid. Playing 1NT-2Y 'as a sign off bid' both members of the other pair 'know' that you are 'signing off' and can either bid a long suit, use the 2NT bid for 'shaped' takeouts or double to 'consult' with their partner. Regards, Robert

Hi P_Marlowe I started playing Precision in the 70s(I think) and currently play a very modified version that is so far from 'book' Precision that I call it Big Club. Precision bidding was used in the question that was asked(with a second part about Polish Club) In Precision: 1C-1D=weak 0-7HCP any shape(or in 'book' Precision the 'impossible negative' 1444{any shortage} game forcing), 1C-1M=5+ cards with a game force, 1C-1NT=8-10(many other ranges are also played here) A reply of 1NT might very well contain "one or two" four card majors. The percentage that responder has 3/4 spades I believe would rise when a 2H overcall is made(at IMPs) "in the middle" of a game forcing auction. Looking at the two hands, I clearly see that your suggessed double is correct. This example hand is maybe 5-10% of normal 1NT replies after 1C-1NT 'with a 2H overcall.' I would guess that responder has 3(4?) spades @ 90% of the time in this auction and would hold 4 spades maybe 30-40 % of the time. I play most doubles for takeout in my system methods(whether Big Club or natural methods), however, my Precision background strongly suggest that I bid my fairly strong 5 card spade suit rather than miss a very likely 5-3(5-4?) spade fit. Precision players normally find their 4-4 fits after 1C-1NT by using Stayman. Regards, Robert

Hi Codo I see that you live in Germany. In American high level bridge, the fairly strong overcall is almost standard. I switched to the style after I read what Edgar Kaplan had to say on why he bid that way. On this side of the pond, we overcall to show our main suit and double later to show support for the unbid suits. If you double 'without' support for the unbid suits, how does partner bid an unbid suit at a high level or with modest values. His 'shortage' in hearts might not be of great value after you 'pull' his club bid to your heart contract. Play whatever style you are used to. Over here we tend to overcall with some pretty decent hands. My overcall range says 8-18(normally, however, with some exceptions!) Regards, Robert

Hi P_Marlowe 1) Do you nomally defend a 2H overcall 'after' making a forcing pass 'with both' Axx in the overcalled suit and an 'fairly strong unbid' 5 card major? It seems to me that your partner would double with 4=2=3-4 and 3=2=4=4 type hands. Defending at low levels with a 8-9 card fit is not normally going to get you good results. Your bidding appears to work on this hand, 'unless' that 2H overcall is a two suiter in hearts/diamonds(or hearts/clubs?) say maybe 6-4 or 6-5? x KQJxxx Axxxx x makes two hearts doubled and with 'stronger' diamond spots(AJ109) will either go down one or even make on a lucky day. Plus 500? If partner does not 'cover' your 'weak defensive holding' of QJ doubleton of clubs, overcaller holding KQJxxx hearts and AK10 of clubs is making 2Hs doubled 'at' IMPs. I almost never double a contract at IMPs without a two trick set in mind. Even 'if' you beat a 2H contract one(2?) trick, you will often have a bigger plus in 2S, 3S or 4S in your 8-9 card spade fit. Regards, Robert

Hi everyone I am not a big fan of Zar points, however, I do like the losing trick count. The opening bidder could not bid 2D 'with' the given hand. He has something like 3.5-4 losers depending on your losing trick count. Unless you play very strange methods, there are no heart losers. 'If' Zar 'bidders' do not at least jump to 3Ds(a large underrbid here) my opinion of Zar just fell even lower. Opener has to jump and a cue bid is not unreasonable 'if' the partnership promises diamonds. Should the negative doubler move holding KQxx and out over a 2D rebid? Looks like five is cold. hrothgar has a very good view on the value of the negative doubling hand. Misfit in hearts, zero controls in the black suits and he is making the correct value bid over a 2D bid. The fact that opener has ignored the 'very strong playing value' of his hand to misbid all the way to 2Ds suggests that anything he later bids will also be suspect. No point is proved or even suggested by opener misbidding this hand. If you do not jump with this opening bid opposite a negative double, you have a great deal to learn about bridge bidding. I believe that the 'superfit' example suggested a 'ten'(10) card fit and most players learn that ten trumps missing the queen is often not a problem when they hold the Ace and King. I would suggest fairly strongly to partner that a jump to 3Ds is a 'extreme' underbid holding a 65 hand with @ 3.5-4 losers. Well 'if' the overcaller has six(most of the time, that 'is' my style) the lack of a raise should suggest that opener has 2+ clubs. Looking at the bidding examples in this and other forums, pass seems to often be a dirty word and five card suit overcalls at the two level are much too common. The five card suit is also often fairly threadbare. It appears that opener did have a singleton club and 'still' that other pair did not manage to find a club raise of a 'presumed' six card suit. The bidding all around this table is not to be taken as serious bridge. Regards, Robert