benlessard

In Mp you should definitively avoid transfers. The X/delayed X just hurt too much + having the strong hand on lead aint that big advantage. But If you insist on transfer In Mp it make sense to use 2C/2D as suction. So IMHO a superior compromise would be 2C= D or both M 2D=H or S+m 2H=H+m 2S=S 2C=D or both M 2D=M+m (Wilcosz style) 2H=H 2S=S for all around stick to Meckwell vs strong.

5C should play well facing a doubleton. So only when partner has 4/5 D and a stiff C 4Nt will turn out better then 5C. The 3D 2C & 4D/3C are more likely.

LOL

Partner Vul reopen X should at least promise something. He shouldnt be X only to force them to 3S with no hope of setting it (but he will if hes a beginner). Hes either expecting to make something at the 4 level(not likely) or expecting to push them in 3S and have a chance to put it down. Expecting to steal a partscore at the 3 level (make 3 something & opps are making 3S but dont compete) is naive. So now its a clear X for me. agree 200% Of course you should play that 2Nt after a reopening X is scrambling.

1P----pass-----pass for me. I dont like passing with 4 trumps but 4333 isnt like having 4 trumps in my book. Of course ill force to game wtih 5422 18 pts all in in A &K. a 2 H rebid is ridiculous. Even if playing Gaz i would still force to game, this hand is in the 19-20 range not in the 15-17 range. Well for the 2nd hand do your system allow to open 1D with 5S ? If no, i cant think of word strong enough to express my disgust at the 1D opening. Usually a 1M response on a 3M is reserved for weakish, GF hands (relay) or limit raise. Why did you change ur mind and rebid 1Nt ? I don't understand why the hand isnt a limit raise anymore after the 1S responses. You have no C stopper and the hand is likely to play 3D as well as in 1Nt (its imps right ?). If you dont want to make a limit at least rebid 2D not 1Nt. I find it funny that you consider these 2 hands bidding problems.

Is it for imps or Mp or both ?

Agree Bypassing a side suit of KJTxx to show a singleton doesnt make any sense for me. I just cant understand the logic of those who want to show the fit immediatly. Are you afraid of not being able to show the fit later ? Showing fit is easy and can be done at any level while showing a side sut can only be done at turn 1. Also 2C setup forcing pass. 1D---P----2D(inv)-----(4M) ??? no FP. 1D---P----2C(GF)------(4M) ??? FP =big difference in my book.

If you cant overcall 1Nt with this might as well play 1Nt as 2 suit take-out or whatever. When responder doesnt show strenght it make sense to use 1Nt as 15-18 unknown suit overcall. (1C)---P-----(1H)----??? X= H 1S take out of S 1Nt --15-18 2 level overcall 2C = C 8-14 2D = D 8-14 passing and 1Nt would be natural. After 3D its an easy pass.

Im pretty opinionated when it come to def VS NT. 1- the most imporant is that 2S & 2H should be natural... I think any system where 2M isnt natural is inferior. For me Capp is the dumbest conv i know (and i know many completly useless convention) 2- 2D is better as D+M then only D. If you have vlong diamond to strech to bid them at the 3 level is probably best anyway because your expectation to buy the hand in 2D arent great. Wanting to put them out of 1NT is an honorable goal in MP but to put them in 2M in 4-4 fit instead of letting them in 1Nt is painful. So in a sense the value of a 2D bid must be based on putting them out of 1Nt but with fair chance of buying the contract. With only D your chance to buy the contract are greatly diminished and start mostly at the 3 level. + the frequency of 4M+5D outweight the 6D hands. However in balancing there is the lead directing to take into account. But even in balance my preference goes to D+M The tough part is 2C and X. Many things are possible both M both m m+M with no regards to length long m long m + 3/4 S long m + 4H X penalty etc What i like to play is to sacrifice the long m hands to make a distinction between 54,55 & 45,46 so X = long M + other suit, (5M+m or both M) 2C= C+ shorter M or C+D (5C+4M or 6C+4M or both m) 2D= 5D 4M or 6D4M if i make a comparaison I get. --my method yours 2Nt--both m with extra shapes or free for something else both m 2S&2H -- to play to play 2D--long D+shorter M D+M but dont know if the D are same lenght or longer or shorter 2C--C+M (with longer C) or both m (lighter shape) C+M (but dont know lenght) or long D X--5M+m or both M (without lenght knowledge) both M but you will be able to tell wich is longer (if opps dont compete) or Clubs. The most important advantage of your method is to pinpoint wich M is longer if 5/4 with both M. The smaller advantage is the ability to show long m (in transfers) The advantage of my method is to pinpoint wich M or m is longer when holding Mm. You method= With both M there is 64,54,55,45,46 but some 64 are better bid as 1 suiter so the gain is with 5S+4H or 5H+4S + some of the 6S4H + 6H4S + one suiter long m The gain with my method= 16 holding With long S+D there is 55,54 since almost all 64 are better bid as 1 suiter. With long H+D there is 55,54 since almost all 64 are better bid as 1 suiter. With long S+C there is 55,54 since almost all 64 are better bid as 1 suiter. With long H+C there is 55,54 since almost all 64 are better bid as 1 suiter. With long D+S there is 64,54 with long D+H there is 64,54 With long C+S there is 64,54 With long C+H there is 64,54 So with 2 suiter you show about 2.5 holding I show 16. Are the ability to show a single long m enough compensation for this ? im pretty sure no. Of course holding a 5/4 2 suiter sometimes partner will choose right but the odds are at least 55% that he will get it wrong. Some smaller points worth considering... 1-Some of the 6m+4M will be better bid as a single suiter for you but for me ill be forced to show 5m+4M. 2-your single suiter are in transfer wich is letting opps more wriggles. 3- you cannot raise your partner 2C bid + they can X lighter. 4- i can bid both m and play in any suit at the 2 level (useful when big misfit) while ur partner will be less tempted to pass your 2C or to bid 2M over 2C.

WTP pass. If partner did psych then he will be happy they are not in game. If he didnt then he know your are void with probably 5C a a couple of spades.

WTP X

1- clear pass for me if partner cannot find a bid over 2Nt then its unlikely we have game. With a stronger hand i would X to show cards. 2- Without established defense but with a top notch partner i assume X = D 5D=super long D 5C=C X & 5C = both m equal lenght X & 4Nt = D+C longer D 4Nt = C+D longer C But you should play a 2 suiter defense since in IMPS 2 suiter are so important. 4- WTP 4♣ will pass a 4S by opps

I dont buy into the D instead of S. Partner is heavy favorite to have 4S (or 5 if your system allow it). Otherwise they would have bid spades or make a take-out X of some sort). So i think a S lead is normal lead.

Once in a while we see a RKC disaster. 1 made an agressive limit raise with 0 keycard but later after a 30 response his partner thought he had 3 keycards. I sometimes feel its barely possible to not be sure on how many keycard partner hold after his responses.So my feeling is when its 1 or 3 or 2-4 the chance are much higher. [hv=n=saqjtxhkxxxdxxckx&s=skxxhaqjtxxxdkxcx]133|200|[/hv] 1S---2H 3H---3S 4C---4D 4H---5C (cue+ odd number of keycards.)

Well of course i would need to see the full system to better understand. But... If partner 2H is forcing and the 2S rebid is forcing then 2H is forcing the partnership to at least 2Nt with probably a strong willingness to play 3H or 3S (even unfitted) so 2H should not be bid with complete garbage(at least 12 pts imho). Now try to find a hand where you dont mind playing 3M or 2Nt unfitted but are not willing to play game facing a fit ??? Even beginners know that a fit is worth at least 1 trick. The only type of hands that are possibles are hands with solid 6 or 7 carder where partner support is irrelevant (you would prefer partner to have longer side suits instead of trumps and no long suits). No need to tell you that these hands dont occur too frequently and you shouldnt put to much ressources for them. Almost all experts will tell you that playing 3M in IMPS (in uncontested auction) is a losing strategy, its the first thing i tell to students when they ask the differences between imps & MP. Same for 1S---2S ----??? auctions i honestly think its stupid to play game tries here. All inv that will force you to a possible risky contract of 2Nt or 3M in imps are close to worthless IMHO. A X of a void isnt a lead directing its either Lightner(asking for opponent non-trumps suit (or higher-lowest unbid suits methods) or a maybe an invite to sacrifice (white vs red). Also when a exclusion is made 1 or 2 step before trumps you should play that the trumps bid is not interested. So after 5D---- 5H = not interested since ive got heavy D wastage 5S = 14 5Nt etc... I prefer to play that ERKC is a way of showing a void instead of a pure asking bid.

Well if you cannot show a void here might as well not play it. Considering you could have 10 pts your hand as enough extras to be at the 5 level. I assume partner 2 level bid show something like 12 pts so unless heavy wastage in D we should be safe at the 5 level. To play 1S---2H----3H & 1S----2H-----3S as non-forcing in IMPS is something that doesnt make any sense.

2♠ W vs R i dont like to pass with a 5 card M suit. Qt9 is extras

At a quick glance I think ill play TD at trick 2. If RHO has the A his best return his clubs wich will forme me to take club finesse. But if he misdefend I can play 1 trump in my hand unblock H and D play trump to the K. If trumps are 2-2 i can Ruff a D high. otherwise ill take the club finesse.

Imps red vs white 432 432 2 AKJT98 To think about 2C or 3C is a joke right ? I really hope you are kidding. Jxx KQx x KQJTxx Not a reopening for me. Not because the risk are that high. But what are the benefits ? Partner with 3C or with 5M & 2C (without points in D) will strive for action. So after his pass I don`t expect to make anything. Even if we do they (because of a M fit) they will make 3D anyway. Taking a small risk just to push them at a level they will make anyway isnt my style. Kxx xxx x KQJxxx This aint a 2C red overcall for me but i know since its over (1D)---2C you are taking more space. This is the reason why I don`t like pure negative X anymore. Don`t get me wrong i truly understand the power of lead directing & space consuming overcalls (and after 1D---2C we play pure neg X anyway). Just that since we play more cards showing X and more semi penalty X instead of pure neg X i wish to play against juniors 365 days a year. I agree 100% that the competitive/negative/take-out double have a higher frequency then a power/semi-penalty/card showing doubles. Just that in imps with today modern agressive overcall/preempt style pure take-out double are not hte optimal methods. A thing i lke to play is that 1M---(2X) show a standard junior style overcall (8-14 pts) or even a weak 2 in the suit. and 1M---(1NT) is artificial and show a grandpa 2 level overcall (15-18) in an unknown suit. The downside is that 1M---(1Nt)----??? here the opps can play neg free bids or raise with complete scrap. 1S----(1Nt)-----pass-------2C (art rejection bids) 3S----??? here we are preempted. The 2nd is that we lose the natural 1Nt overcall. The upside is that we preempt them more often then we are victim of their preempt. (1S)------2H (could be almost a weak 2) We can use the 3 level for something else. We are also not forced to raise 2 to 3 in case partner had a 15-18 hands. (1S)---2H-------(pass)-------??? with 2 aces and nothing else you have an easy pass. And after (1S)----1NT we are doing wonders when overcaller has a 2 suited hands with strongish values.

2C first round and now 2♠. Inverted minors is 1 of the rare convention that i always refuse to play in my partnership.

I sometime X instead of making a 2C overcall with 3316. But a hand with strong clubs where the lead directing and stolen space is more important then showing the majors is possible. Jxx KQx x KQJTxx I see no intelligent reason to balance after 2D but im willing to make a red 2♣ overcall.

IMHO the problems are not the GF hands the problems are the 19-22 pts range where opening at 1 is dangerous but you are not really well placed if you open 2C. So playing like the french. 2C = a strong2 not GF & 2D full GF make more sense to me. But i think a weak 2♦ will wield more profits.

I didnt have any followed up. I would assume that leaping michaels (but after 1 level) are on also. (1D)---p-----(p)------??? 2D= unknown 2 suiter 3D= ask for a stop (long clubs) 4C= C+M 4D= both M

At these colors i like to play that X by the preemptor mean intend to bid on but with some defense just in case partner want to pass. So for me this hand is near perfect for this.

There is also the fact that with ♣Ax LHO might be tempted to switch clubs. Nothing beat a good read B)