flytoox

I remembered i read somewhere that when you open 1N with 5-card major, u shold also have 3-card in another major. This is because otherwise u may play 5-2 fit major while there is another 5-3 fit major. Another issue, if your major suit quality is good, then consider NT. if it is bad, then should open suit, as it will provide more tricks in suit contract. fly

I am thinking about another related issue, i.e., the third hand 1NT opening range. When you hold 11-12hcp and heard pd opened in the third seat, then usually you will be very keen on game. However, in the third seat, pd will usually open light. This two facts often bring you and pd to bad 3NT contract, it is bad because 3N is usually a result of wihtout fit. How to solve this problem? My thought: 1. 1M opening at third hand can be light, though not necessay, but 1m opening must be either sound or shapely, with balanced 12hcp hand, facing a passed pd, you are not going anywhere. 2. Adjusting NT range. Open 1N=13-14, so pd can invite with 11. so one level opening and 1N rebid =15-16(17). one level opening and rebid the original suit at two level is shapely hand. Any comments? Fly

only semi-forcing as far as i know. so opener's rebid shld implie feature or extra strength, with min 5332, simply pass 1n

1d, if u start with 2c, u will show ur first suit d at 3 level

Mike, how to handle 5s4h invitational hand? if 2c-2d-2s show balanced gf hand? perhaps better to list ur whole nt structure b4 i evaluate this:) fly

if it is 5422, i will try 1n, if it is 5431, yes, i will open 2c. I know many top players think 2c should show 6-card, but i think that is too infrequent. the reason they can do it is that they play 2d as any short d hand, 4441,4405, or 5431. I open 4414 or 4405 hand with 2h, and those 4315 or 3415 hand with 2c. I agree that if i hold 5card broke c and 4 card Major, i will have a problem. I hate it but i hate 1d to be any 0 to 3 cards.

Hehe, Ben, I read that article too and was thinking to play 14-16. But there is another problem, with 12-13hcp balanced hand, esp. short diamond, if you have to open this hand, then 1d is the only choice. one reason i like precision is that you can avoid opening short suit. I really hate to open 1d with 2 or 3 cards and min hand. so after thought for a while, i gave up and go back to 13-15nt. with 12hcp balanced hand, i simply pass. now i can raise pd's d opening happily, esp. in competition. fly

Ben, isnot this simply the 1M-2C structure we tried days ago? I think playing 4-seat Drury is a nice treatment.

After 1M-2C, i think you can still play natural bid rather than relay. However, I do agree with you that 0-8 is far too wide. But if this is played with precision limited opening, it will be very useful. In reality, when you raise pd with 3 card, you will usually have something, even one k, or q and a doubleton. In this situation, 1M-2M is a bar bid. opener can continue only if he has far more than min.

Not exactly flytoox. I'm using a simple structure over limited openings: 1N is semi forcing including invitational hands. 2x is game forcing with the exception that balanced game forcing hands start with 2c as well as hands with 5+ clubs. yes, i mean only the basic structure. I think the way u paly 1M-2c is more like the top italian players are using now. I think some italian guys once said this method is very popular in Italy.

Hi, Luis, I think 1N with 12-15 is too large. with balanced 12hcp hand, i think it wont hurt to pass. 2d can be played as either weak two major or balanced 22-23 hand, or 4441 17hcp hand. so 2n can be played as minor two suiter, either 0-11 or 16+. you seem forget 4441 hand within 11-15hcp. i like to open 2h with this. 2s just played as natural s preempt, but better than 2d then 2s, or minor 3 level preempt. I like 2s to be s suit, coz i think 2s has very good preempt effect while 2h not. gl with ur new ptnership fly

Hi,Luis, this system is exactly what i like. I think the 1M-2C can be played as 4-seat drury, so any rebid other than two level original suit is GF. 2C can be either 9-11hcp 3-card raise. The basic structure is: 1M-? 1N: deny spt, forcing 2C: GF with c suit or 9-11hcp 3-card raise 2M: 6-8hcp 3-card raise 2N: limited raise or better 3M: 5-8hcp, 4-card raise, semi-premetive after 1M-2C OPENER rebid 2M to show min balanced hand. after 1M-2N, opener rebid 3M as min balanced hand(5332), any other rebid is gf. I have a precision note adopte this method and perhaps we can try it sometime. fly

hehe, i kibtzed this hand. I was wondering what 2N shld mean too at that time. as 1N is natural, I think 2N shold show sth weak. with a good hand, pd would dbl. Another related question, do you treat 1M-LHO OVERCALL-PD'S 3M as preempt or still limited raise? If played as limited raise, then 2N must be for minor.

I am not against a weak opening approach, but it does NOT mesh well with a disciplined 2/1 system I had the honor once to have played with the master, Barry Crane. These hands, were of course opened, but we played Drury in ALL seats. That does not fit in with the 2/1 system I play now. I agree that playing 2/1, sound opening is even more important than in other sys. The reason is that with good 12 or better, you will always force to game facing an opened pd. so if pd open too light, u will bid too many bad games.

I dont think you can bid 6d even pd opened 1S, I dont think 6c is a good contract either. After pd's 3c, i will bid 3N with that hand, good control, and stopper. 3N rates to make most of time.

I agree 2S is a bad bid and 2N is just perfect. But I think 6N is the worst bid. pd's jump to 6D, after showing h and s spt, implies he must be short in c. his 2S, though bad, has already fully showed his value. He has no reason to change pd's 6D bid. I will always pass in this kind situation. Even it is wrong, pd will not blame me for passing that, as what he bid is what he think we can make.

I think there is every evidence showing that pd are short in both c and d, I think 2Nt, even played as good/bad 2N, wont bring you a good score. better pass.

Yes, I thin you shld balance with this hand at MP, but pass is ok at IMPs.

I would like to join misho to say thx too. I enjoy it and learn a lot here. Thanks BBO and all friends here. fly

this hand doest not qualify a strong jump shift, i think. 1c-2h, 2h shows either solid suit or h plus good c fit.

i can try precision, if you want. my id is flytoox

Thanks Luis. Slam may not be of much concern, but as you said, losing invitation might be a problem. I think it occurs quite often that pd open weak NT and you want to invite. This method may be very effective in MP, when bidding game is not that important compared to IMP, esp. marginal game.

I noticed there are some players here playing weak NT, 12-14. and one level opening and rebid NT showing 15-16. I think this seems a nice treatment. What do you guys think are the best continuation after pd's weak nt opening? should we use xfer? any suggestion and comments? thx fly

I agree that you'd better to stop here, but i think pd is more likely to be 3-2-2-6 rather thand any 5332. If he is 5332, he would rebid 1NT.

William B. Root and Richard Pavlieck's Modern Bridge Convention will serve you well. As a beginner, just read those marked one star convention. This book is clear, concise,and particularly fit for standard american or sayc sys.