TylerE

This was a system I was introduced to by a partner of mine - I am unsure if it's a creation of his, or something he learned from someone else, but I quite like it and have had good results playing it. Bids are as follows. 1♠-1NT: Semi-forcing, never 3♠ 1♠-2♠: Normal 3 card raise 1♠-2NT: Jacoby 1♠-3♣: 4 card raise, 6-12 1♠-3♣-3♦: Range ask 1♠-3♣-3♦-3♠: Minimum 1♠-3♣-3♦-Anything else: good 9-12, anything besides 4♠ shows a source of tricks. 3N suggests playing it there. 1♠-3♦: 3 card limit 1♠-3♠: Preemptive There are a number of advantages of this system over standard Bergen raises.... It allows you play 1N as only semi-forcing (Or I suppose, even non-forcing), if you wish. With a 4 card non-preemptive raise it hides responder's strength unless opener actually needs to know Always an immediate fit-showing bid with 3+ support Disambiguates the auction 1M-1N(*)-2x-2M (Now shows exactly 2 card support)

0. What's the experience level of the individual players? Are they novices or have the been around the track a few times? Are they of sufficient calibre such that they'd be expected to have rough idea of what UI is? 1. Somethings fishy with the diagram. YOu have both S and W holding the 9♠. 2. A slow 4NT would tend to suggest IMO, that S isn't sure wether it's blackwood or not. I think N, by bidding 5♣, does the ethical thing, after perhaps spending some time thinking about his obligations. Given that 3N was offered, presumably to play opposite no extras, then a pass of 4N is sort of double shotty - it works whenever slam doesn't make (or the field doesn't bid it), or when 4N really was to play. 3. I think pass is ok. Since S presumably meant 4N to play (Side note: Seriously? With a non running suit a VERY questionable single entry?), 5♣ is a signal that the auction has gone off the rails, and at this point he's allowed to wake up at look at the contents of his hand and pass. So, to sum up, I see no reason to make a ruling on this hand.

No, you don't. You need 13 That 37pt thing is such a load of crap. Out of thousands and thousands of bridge hands I've played, that has not once been a useful guideline.

While I can't really comment on your specific situation, I would be very interested in a copy of that spreadsheet. I've had the idea of doing something like that with some of my partners, but I've never quite overcome the inertia and gotten motivated enough to actually do it.

100% kickback. 1♠ is forcing. That said, it wouldn't be terrible to set a rule that responder can never kickback with his FIRST bid, and must bid something else forcing first, e.g. 1♥-2♣-2NT-4♠, or something.

I think it does prove that X here isn't near as good or automatic.

Just because something is "normal" (and in this case I don't really agree), don't mean it's right.

The pair in question have a combined age pushing 190 years. They don't bid 4♣ here. Sure, but the pair in question weren't playing any of them. 1x-1y-2N was undefined.

Learn kickback. When you can guarantee to have 4 steps available below 5suit, everything becomes a lot easier.

I think mindless doubling here is kinda bad, to be honest. This is frequently a hand where nobody makes 10 tricks anywhere, and I'd much rather be plus than minus. Given my hand, which I don't think has offensive strength commiserate with it's HCP, and given that partner passed over 3♦, I think it's actually a fairly small range where doubling wins. If playing very old fashioned agreements, with takeout doubles only through 3♠ or something, I'd feel better about doubling.

No, at least one of the pairs I've seen them bid at least 20-30 times over several years. It really is always Gerber. For the other - because there is no hole. The pair that played it (they came to their senses and stopped) had no system hole. They just didn't bid 1m-1banana-2N as 18-19, rather opening 2d with it for some reason.

Worst I can remember is probably the pair playing a "Mexican"/Romex 2♦ (18-19 balanced(ish)) while playing an otherwise standard system. A few 4♣ is always Gerber pairs (even on suit auctions, and even when clubs shown, and even when opened)

I'm not going to fall in love with my hand here. I have a LOT of losers, especially if opener doesn't have the A♦, which always seems to show up in dummy on these auctions...

Pass in tempo.

Do we really want to be in 6 here?

1N-2C 2S-3N No, I don't get to slam. I'm not going to over-think things. I think the N hand is ok for NT. The spade holding is an upgrade, but the the rest of the hand is neutral or downgrade worthy.

I like a small heart here

Does it really matter? Given the final contract and myhands it takes less than 5 seconds to find the hand and all 4 players.

A lot more to do with suit quality and loser/winner count than HCP.

Honestly, looks like just a random idiot. Had just gone for 1100 in 7♦ on the previous hand, and his averages over the last month are well below average (44.69% on MP hands, -2.4 imps/bd at imps)

1NT Stoppers are for bottles.

Surely this could be faked by the system? For instance, when a player with the new profile sits with a partner using the old client, the system generates a chat message with a link that opens a browser window to display the profile, much as is done for BBO news.

How exactly do you to to 4NT when 4♠ gets passed out?

Hate double with 3 small and nothing else going for the hand.

It's red at imps, I have AKx of trumps, and opening count, and partner bid freely? Why am I thinking here. 100% north. At these colors just shoot it out, if it's down, it's down., plus you don't give E a chance to double 3♥ or bid 4♥ and help the opponents figure out if they have a sac.