Reverse Flannery Responses

[lowerline]

With RFR I mean the 2♥ response showing a weak 5♠4♥ and the 2♠

response showing an invitational 5♠4♥.

 

I've always thought that RFR were a gadget that Precision players use over their nebulous 1♦ opening so they would not miss a ♥-fit in some occasions.

 

Some people pointed out to me that this convention is also popular over natural 1minor openings (in a 2/1 context). A quick search showed that RFR is on the CC of both Levin-Weinstein and Gitelmann-Moss.

 

Can someone explain to me what their technical merit is, compared to more natural or old-fashioned methods? Is it because people want to play some kind of Bourke relay after 1♦-1♠-2♦?

[helene_t]

In one partnership I play RFR in response to 1♣. The idea is that with 5♥4♠ you can transfer to hearts and then pass any rebid. A weak hand with diamonds responds 1NT which shows diamonds, either weak or strong. (It's probably better somehow to squeeze the weak diamond hands into the 1♠ repsonse (primarily transfer to notrumps) but that's another issue).

[mike777]

I only use the 2h response, around 6-10 though last nite I had:

Axxxx...xxxx....xx..xx which would be a minimum response for me.

 

 

1d=1s

2d=2h=invite+, ok?

 

1d=1s

2d=3d or 2nt=invite.

 

Note 1c=(1d) or (x)=2H=reverse flannery is still on, ok? This is an auction to discuss with your partner.

 

1minor=2s=CrissCross=invite in minor, unbalanced often.

1minor=2minor=weak with poor shape

1minor=3minor=weak with more shape

1minor=jump in other minor(CrissCross)=game force in first bid minor, unbalanced often.

 

I also play Walsh responses to 1 minor openings, game force version.

Also xyz or 2 way checkback to handle the major suit invite+ hands.

 

This issue for reverse flannery is to handle 4hearts and 5 spade response hands, less than invite. ok?

 

Note in this style you do not play WJS or SJS. 2/1 is 100% game force.

[awm]

There are a number of problem hands, for example suppose I have 4♥+5♠ with a weakish hand and the auction starts:

 

1♦-1♠-2♣....

 

Now I cannot introduce hearts as that would be fourth suit forcing (to game?) and would not particularly suggest a heart suit. Nonetheless, partner's distribution could be:

 

1444 or 0454, in which case we can easily have game in hearts and end up playing a minor suit moysian.

 

2254, in which case the 5-2 spade fit will often be better than the 5-2 diamond fit (especially at MPs, but in any case it establishes entries to the weak hand).

 

Opener could have 17-18 hcp in which case we could have an easy 3NT, but I may have to pass 2♣ with 5413 or the like because I have no place to go.

 

Of course there are also problems after:

 

1♦ - 1♠ - 2♦....

 

Is 2♥ natural? Is it forcing? If you play natural and non-forcing, then establishing a force in this auction is very difficult (I suppose you have to bid all the way to 3♣, and this call is then a "random forcing bid" that says nothing about your hand). If you play natural and forcing, then you are committed to playing some awkward contracts if you bid 2♥ with a hand in the 6-9 range (you may have no fit and less than half the strength, and be playing at 2NT or above). If you play natural and forcing and pass with 5♠+4♥ and 6-9 then you could miss an easy game when opener has 6♦+4♥ and a half-decent hand.

 

Of course, reverse flannery is hardly necessary when opener rebids 1NT (you have plenty of bids and plenty of space) but using the convention potentially frees up 1♦-1♠-1NT-2♥ for another meaning (perhaps 5-5 semi-invitational is a good one).

[pclayton]

Adam expresses my thinking on the matter.

 

In Fred's original article, he had 2H as 5-9 with 4+ h's and 5+ s's. 2S shows exactly 5S/4H and 10-12.

 

We've dropped the 2S portion of RF. It doesn't seem to serve any use and we like it as a mixed raise in a minor.

[mcphee]

I use the jump to 2H to show 5S and 4H in the 5-9 range. The advantages are very good. The responder is able to show a hand with less than invitational values and indicate pattern in one bid. Now the better hand is closed and able to play the hand often protecting a weak holding from an attacking lead.

 

When the opening hand fits they are able to explore with an asking bid finding close games that are lost with otherwise.

 

Another huge benefit is 1C 1S, 1N 2H is now used as at least 5-5 majors less than invite values. Knowledge of the 5th H is big in this position again allowing the opening hand to better assess game potential.

 

I know many pairs who use this jump. Some play it can be 6S 4H. The jump to 2S to show invite range is less valuable I think so I do not bother with that.

 

Disadvantage is you need to have an asking bid for the good fitting hands allowing you to explore game. As the bid does not come up often this can become a memory issue of forgotten responses to the inquiry.

 

This is not a toy for casual partnerships.

[mike777]

I am not quite sure why an asking bid is needed. I suppose it cannot hurt but have not found a large need for it at the table. We just invite if need be. We should be bidding close games all the time anyway.

 

Again we use the 2S bid as an invite in the bid minor, unbalanced often.

[lowerline]

2♥ is the weak RFR over a 1♦ opening. Do you use 2♦ as the weak RFR over a 1♣ opening?

[mike777]

No, I described my minor suit raises above. 1c=2d is game force in clubs for me, often unbalanced. NO SJS or WJS. As discussed above an excellent auction to discuss with your partner is 1c=(x or 1d)=2H I play reverse flannery is still on.

 

2H is reverse flannery over minor suit openers.