Name your favourite anti-NT convention

[Sigi_BC84]

Since there's one of those advocacy threads about systems against 1NT running at the moment, I thought I might use the opportunity for this poll. My apologies if I missed a method that should "obviously" have been included above.

 

--Sigi

[pbleighton]

Caveat: this is assuming playing against a strong NT.

 

Meckwell.

 

It lets you bid 2M directly (which I do routinely with 5 cards NV), and lets you find a fit on the two level except with both minors (allowing 4-4 bids NV), and avoids the dreadful DONT 2C call, where if you don't like clubs pd can have any other suit.

 

Peter

[Gerben42]

1. Woolsey (is different from Multi Landy in that Dbl of a strong NT is not penalty)

 

2. Lionel

 

<big gap>

 

The rest.

 

Anyway, for WJ fans Jassem is the same as Woolsey but one of them uses 1NT x p 2♦ as "pick a major", the other as "pass or correct". I play the "pick a major" type.

[awm]

Meyerson vs. NT has been mentioned on these forums many times before. It's Landy plus an artificial double showing a major-minor two suiter (5-4 or better, either suit can be longer) along with various followups to the double (similar to after woolsey double except 2♣ demands a five-card suit rather than being pass/correct for a minor suit).

 

This often works similarly to woolsey or multi-landy in terms of the contracts you reach (i.e. which hands have to play at the three-level, having the ability to sort out the longer suit, etc). The main advantages to Meyerson are that you can bid diamonds at the two-level, partner always knows your suit right away when you have the one-suiter, the one-suited bids are more preemptive, and the double is more frequent (allowing partner to convert and/or introduce his own suit naturally at the two-level). The only real disadvantage I've found is that the double can occasionally allow opponents back into the auction at a lower level than bidding 2M directly.

[cherdano]

I prefer Flannery.

[Sigi_BC84]

1. Woolsey (is different from Multi Landy in that Dbl of a strong NT is not penalty)

Yes, that's what Hannie said but I decided to not make a distinction here because most people won't play X as pens against strong NT anyway and the rest of the two conventions are exactly the same.

 

--Sigi

[Sigi_BC84]

Meyerson vs. NT has been mentioned on these forums many times before.

Silly question maybe, but: Is it named after you or another Meyerson?

 

--Sigi

[jdonn]

One that seems to have lost popularity is called HELLO. It's not the best one, but it's better than at least half on your list, nice for people who want to keep a penalty double and utilizing a transfer principle.

 

DBL: Penalty

2♣: Diamonds or a major/minor

2♦: Hearts

2♥: Majors

2♠: Spades

2NT: Clubs

3♣: Minors (last two bids could be reversed)

3♦: Good hand with majors so 2♥ won't get passed. Other option is to leave 3♦ natural and start 2♦ on these hands, but then you have to agree that 2♦ can't be passed by responder on weak hands with long diamonds.

 

Pros:

- Preemptive direct 2♠ bid

- Transfer principles with D/H/C, and whatever advantages that entails

- 2♥ a better bid to use for majors than 2♦ (though worse than 2♣)

 

Cons:

- No 4M+5m bid

- 2♣ bid not so great, for similar reasons as in Capp.

 

This is essentially just an improvement on Capp.

[joshs]

Another good but not common method:

 

Washington Don't: A hybrid between don't and woolsey:

x: 4M, 5+m OR 6+D OR 6+H

2C:4+C, 5+ in some M

2D: 4+D, 5+ in some M

2H: majors

2S:Spades

[han]

Meyerson vs. NT has been mentioned on these forums many times before.

Silly question maybe, but: Is it named after you or another Meyerson?

 

--Sigi

It is named after our own awm of course!

 

 

I won't vote, there are at least 5 conventions that I'm happy to play, and I usually let my partner pick. Now, if you'd ask me which of these conventions I *don't* like...

[Free]

This should actually have 2 polls, or even 3: against weak NT, against strong NT, and maybe against intermediate NT as well...

 

Against strong: Meckwell

Against weak: some ASPTRO version :)

[SAcol]

would anyone mind posting the bids of Meckwell over 1NT please :D

[joshs]

would anyone mind posting the bids of Meckwell over 1NT please :D

Meckwell:

x=Both majors or 1 minor

2m=that and a major

2M=natural

[civill]

I think P/C Wrangler is acceptible:

 

2♣:both minors ,P/C

2♥:both majors,P/C

2♦:puppet P/C;

2♠:puppet P/C; and better HCPs than above;

...

 

That's the basis of Wrangler.

[Canuckstan]

I'm surprized I was the first vote for Capp, considering that it's certainly the most popular anti-NT conventions at the major online sites. I know "popular" isn't necessarily "best," but if most of your pards are online pick-up partners, you need to talk a language that is most likely to be understood by others. I like the simplicity of Landy but it doesn't appear on many profiles. Clearly, DONT is the other common one.

[pclayton]

I'm surprized I was the first vote for Capp, considering that it's certainly the most popular anti-NT conventions at the major online sites. I know "popular" isn't necessarily "best," but if most of your pards are online pick-up partners, you need to talk a language that is most likely to be understood by others. I like the simplicity of Landy but it doesn't appear on many profiles. Clearly, DONT is the other common one.

I would rather play natural over 1N than cap/ham. DONT if I really, really have to.

[Gerben42]

I'm surprized I was the first vote for Capp, considering that it's certainly the most popular anti-NT conventions at the major online sites. I know "popular" isn't necessarily "best," but if most of your pards are online pick-up partners, you need to talk a language that is most likely to be understood by others. I like the simplicity of Landy but it doesn't appear on many profiles. Clearly, DONT is the other common one.

 

It's probably popular because it's being taught all over the US. Just like Phil I'd rather play natural than either of them. I have no idea why it is so popular.

 

Preferred method to teach beginners:

* 2x = natural

* Dbl = both majors

[keylime]

I like over strong Nt Meckwell or Lionel, over weak NT Becker.

[joshs]

Since Meyerson has a NT convention, I propose Sher over NT (aka, Modified Meyerson):

 

x: Clubs Or a Major/Minor 2 suiter

2C Majors

2D/H/S Natural

 

After 1N-x-2C:

P=Clubs

2D=5+D and a 4 card major

2M=5+M and a 4 card minor

 

 

OK, I still like woolsey, at least in the direct seat...

[zasanya]

It's probably popular because it's being taught all over the US. Just like Phil I'd rather play natural than either of them. I have no idea why it is so popular.

I play capp and I think its popular because

1) It allows you to double for penalty.

2)It allows you to bid single suiters (at least 3 of them ) at 2 level

3)It allows you to show all the 6, 2 suiter combinations.

4)Its easy to remember

5)Its popular. :P

What more does a beginner/intermediate/advanced player want?

[jdonn]

I play capp and I think its popular because

 

.....

 

5)Its popular. :P

hmmmmm

[Gerben42]

play capp and I think its popular because

1) It allows you to double for penalty.

 

You don't want this after a strong NT

 

2)It allows you to bid single suiters (at least 3 of them ) at 2 level

 

This is a misconception. You usually get to show you have a 1-suiter. Then opps bid and you can forget about your 1-suiter.

 

3)It allows you to show all the 6, 2 suiter combinations.

 

Okay. But so do many other schemes. 2♦ as both majors is the WORST possible bid to show that hand. After 2♣ you get to find out which is longer, 2♥ is preemptive, 2♦ is the worst of both.

 

4)Its easy to remember

 

Disagree with this. It's not easier or harder than most. If anything it's harder since every bid up to 2NT has a special meaning.

 

5)Its popular. 

 

What more does a beginner/intermediate/advanced player want?

 

Natural bidding after 1NT (for beginner / int.). For Advanced, a better convention.

[Sigi_BC84]

2)It allows you to bid single suiters (at least 3 of them ) at 2 level

This is a misconception. You usually get to show you have a 1-suiter. Then opps bid and you can forget about your 1-suiter.

This leads to another one-suiter convention that I think is debatable: the Double (as in DONT). It's not preemptive but it gives you the option to pass it out with a reasonable flat hand and hoping to set 1NT with the help of the long suit. It would require that the suit is really good and maybe a potential side entry too.

 

Any opinions on that?

 

--Sigi

[Stephen Tu]

(Capp):

> 1) It allows you to double for penalty.

> 2)It allows you to bid single suiters (at least 3 of them ) at 2 level

 

So does natural bidding. Or Landy. Without getting preempted out of showing your suit.

 

>3)It allows you to show all the 6, 2 suiter combinations.

 

No, not really. It's not really practical to include hands with long minor & only 4 cd major in the 2M bids. Partner has to be able to pass your major suit bid with a doubleton, secure of the knowledge of at least a 5-2 fit. If he has to cater to frequent 4 bagger majors in the 2M bids, you will find yourself getting into too many dangerous adventures at the 3 level. Other conventions can show minor-major combos & be able to play 2m.

 

The only positive about Capp is that most people know what it is. I'd rather play natural.

[Echognome]

If anyone is curious about a more exhaustive list, you can check out David Stevenson's bridgepage. He has a list of Defenses to 1NT and also escapes from 1NT - (X) along with many other articles. You can find there a reprint of One Night at the Crypto Club, which is quite fun.

 

http://www.blakjak.demon.co.uk/def_1nt01.htm