rbforster

I disagree with you. I don't think adding one specific possibility changes the general meaning of the bid. Otherwise you could define every bid as 'either something otherwise-illegal or 13 clubs' or something like that. You can disagree and maybe most random TDs would likely to agree with you, but that's not what's written on the GCC: It doesn't say, usually has inv+ values, or 90% of the time has inv+ values. It says it cannot 100% guarantee inv+ values. If there's a hand type with less than invitational strength that systematically bids 1N(f), this is GCC legal. It doesn't say that the weaker hand type(s) have to be at least X% of all hands that bid 1N or anything like that, despite what some people might wish.

It's possible to use 1♠-2♣ as a "non-forcing NT response" which you bid on most semibalanced hands (of course typically only those with 3+ clubs). It's limited to <GI so opener basically makes his natural rebid as if it went 1♠-1N(f), except that if he would have bid clubs he passes most of the time (or raises with a very strong hand). Specifically, 1♠-? 1N(f) GI+ or 6+♥ weaker than GI 2♣ 3+♣, weaker and usually semibalanced 2♦ 6+♦, weaker 2♥ 5♥, weaker 2♠ 3+ raise as usual With this you could use 2♦ as a "weak two bid" and 2♥ as natural GF, for example. If you don't need 2♥ as natural GF (which would no doubt help untangle the 1N(f) continuations), you could use it as natural with a decent 5 suit and less than GI values, a spade limit raise (to stay low), etc. Remember that if you're bidding 2♣ on 3+ clubs and don't have support for spades, you've got at least a 5 card red suit. With less than GI values, passing is certain an option with some of these (esp with short spades), and the 6+ suits can usually show their suit somehow. The version with 2♥ as 5 and 1N(f) with 6+ covers basically all the common shapes except 2452.

I agree with Adam and karlson in that the practical rules about relay systems depend much more on how you describe the bid than anything else. If you have any relay breaks defined, you can just list the hand types not included in those relay breaks and now the "relay bid" sounds descriptive ("showing X,Y or Z") rather than inquiring ("asking for X, Y or Z"). Forget the later auction, isn't the 1NT bid itself illegal under GCC? No, see the weak option highlighted above. For those of you who play under GCC and want to play 1NT forcing and GI+, feel free to extend this to 8+ hearts.

Pass - Rather defend spades than hearts.

Are you sure you want to go past 3N when opener's got a minimum 5/5 hand and no guaranteed fit? I'd suggest adding your 5/5 minimums to your cheapest step so opener can break to 3N if he doesn't see a fit and without slam interest. Have the direct 4m bids be extras with 5/5, and have the delayed ones (3♣ min, 3♦ ask, 4m) show the minimum's.

I like 2♣ as weak Clubs + Major in 1st/2nd. I take the unconventional stance of passing with 11-15 single suited club hands however (again in 1st/2nd). This is in a precision base, where 1♣ is all 16+.

Overcall structure is pretty good at that. Jump bids show the cheaper of touching suits (or 2N if too strong for a non-forcing jump), and cuebid shows the non-touching combination. You don't get all your weak jump overcalls of course, but still some of them.

You're correct that 2N with 18-19 balanced is the rebid after 1♣-1X even with a 4 card major. When unbalanced, say 4414 or 4405 (or (43)15, etc), bid your major naturally showing an unbalanced hand (in the Walsh style, where NT bids can have a 4cM). So with these either 1M or 2M depending on whether you feel you're strong enough to force to game. I'm less sure what's "standard" with 4-4 in both majors, but with an unbalanced hand you're rebidding one of them :). I think many people play 1♠ as natural after 1♣-1♦-1♥-1♠ (and 2♠ is 4th suit GF). After 2♠ 4th suit GF, 3♠ would show a good hand with 4 spades I expect (4414 or 4405). I'm not sure this question qualifies as "basics" but hopefully this helps.

You like very sound preempts :) My current choice was derived from Free's suggestions, which is to basically play "DONT" at the 2 level, with the caveat that the only bid for minors is 2N (5/5+). 2m 5+ in that minor, 4+ Major (note: major could be longer) 2♥ 5+ Hearts, 4+ Spades (note: either major could be longer) 2♠ weak two 2N 5/5+ minors These are all "preemptive" strength, which is something like 4-9. We played these in national GCC events with no issues (not to get into rehashing the natural & conventional debate), although having 5+ in the suit bid was a choice dictated by regulations. I believe 4/4+ in the suits shown is used by some, especially at favorable colors (ie. Ekren's 2♥ for the majors 4/4+). I like these bids for two main reasons: 1) you have some flexibility in how to open awkward hands, like x4(5x) near the bottom of your 1 level range 2) hands with lots of shape, 5/5's or 6/4's or 6/5's can all be opened without fear of losing the (other) major In addition, the pure 6+ 1-suited weak twos can sometimes be opened at the 3 level, making the opportunity cost lower than might be thought given you're replacing the 2 level bids.

The same idea comes up in a lot of places, where putting the other major first is likely more important than a natural forcing minor bid. You could just as easily play this inversion in 2/1 after 1♠ is opened: 1♠-?: 2♣ ♥ inv+ 2♦ nat GF 2♥ ♣ GF ... or after a weak two by your side: 2♠-?: 2N ask 3♣ forcing with ♥ 3♦ forcing nat 3♥ forcing with ♣ Sorry I dont have more details on the continuations.

I don't think that's an "SOS" redouble anymore. Besides, 1♦XX isn't even game :).

3N probably, maybe double show an acceptance but not willing to commit to 3N?

I'm not sure how much was recorded, but you can see some of records of the old site here.

What would 4♦ be by advancer?

I know I'm spoiled by playing precision, but I'd take one of the lower roads on this one. At MP's 2♥ rather than pass, 2N is reasonable but seems marginal to me.

Just blur your eyes a little, and luckily the cursor lights up the same color so you don't even need to refocus in order to answer.

2n 3h. 20-21 bal; tranfer to ♠ 4c 4h. Cue for spades; retransfer 5c 5h. Cue again; re-retransfer 5h. You are playing this, one way or the other

You're on the right track. In addition to looking at how your bid works when it comes up, you should also look at how your convention does when it doesn't come up. If you're playing (1♦♥♠)-2♣ as clubs and major, you can't naturally overcall 2♣. So you should also look at how the natural club overcallers do when they have a normal overcall, vs how you do with whatever your alternative bid is (pass?). If you have a very simple test where you just switch 2 bids, then it's easy to look at all the hands where they both come up in "standard" and see how you do. For example, in Overcall Structure (1 of a suit) - 1NT is like a takeout double of their suit (3-suited) (1 of a suit) - X is either a strong NT, or any hand that would have doubled based on strength in standard Now you can just check all the auctions starting with (1Y)-1N or (1Y)-X in standard and see how you do. But when you start permuting things around as part of a system (2♣ overcall is 2-suited, 1-suited club overcalls bid 3♣ intermediate, weak jump overcalls in clubs pass), then you start having to check a lot more auctions to really see what's going on.

lol ;)

That depends on how you play 2♣ and I'm not sure there's a consensus. I know people who normally open their 5M-6m hands in the minor (1♦ or 2♣) even without downgrading a 5 small suit to be treated as a 4 card one. Others prefer to open 1M on these. At any rate, with the hand you gave having only 4 losers I'm opening that 1♣ rather than 1♠ or 2♣, but perhaps others would not.

Their homepage is gone but the Net remembers. Viking is a pretty standard 5cM precision in terms of openings, and uses mostly natural positive responses to the strong 1♣. They do have shape relays, for example after 1M-1N as GF relay. Over 1♦ or 2♣, the cheapest step is a relay but not necessarily GF (1♦-1♥ natural or GF relay). They play a mostly weak but variable NT range, with 2-way stayman.

I'll take the 14th trick for sure! With 1 less diamond I might upgrade to 1♣, with one less heart or club I think a natural opening would be better.

Here's a simple way to add an encryption attempt early in your strong club relays. After any positive response, for example a transfer positive: 1♣*-1♥* strong; showing spades now opener uses his first and second steps as relays showing if he holds exactly one of the AK in partner's suit. So 1♣-1♥-1♠ relay, shows 1 of the AK♠ by opener (attempted key exchange) 1♣-1♥-1N relay, shows 0 or 2 of the AK♠ by opener (continue with unencrypted relays) If opener shows 0 or 2, relays proceed unencrypted with responses of 2♣+, having lost one step of bidding space in the attempt. If opener shows 1, responder bids the cheapest step (1N) to confirm the encryption or bids 2♣+ as before to deny a high honor and without encryption. 1♣-1♥ 1♠*-2♣+ showing 1 of AK♠; unencrypted relays denying the other 1♣-1♥ 1♠*-1N* showing 1 of AK♠; confirming the other 2♣-... encrypted relays proceed with 2♦ and higher responses So when you fail to get a key, you have lost 1 step for trying (2♣+ relay responses instead of 1N+). When you get a key, you'll have lost 2 steps (start relays with 2♦+). Note that if you are going to eventually ask for honors in partner's primary suit, such as with denial cue bids, you will be able to skip this step and regain the "lost" space on those auctions. Since this is a simple modification that anyone can make to their favorite strong club system and since it preserves the normal suit-showing first responses (in case of interference), it seems like this would be a fun thing to test to see if the encryption helps.

...in which case you can play attitude leads, so that low is always from an honor and high is always a stiff or doubleton :) Makes it easy for partner to read without thinking too much.

Probably a pass for me. I'd be worried that partner would play me for more like a 10 count (or better) and this isnt one of those sequences where I've got a good and bad raise to 3♣ available. Our likely game (if any) looks like 3N given my major holdings, so I doubt we're making on power unless partner's got a really heavy 2♣ bid and even then I feel like we're going to get too high more often when he's got a 15 count instead of 18.