Weak inverted minor raise

[paulhar]

You are playing inverted minors (the way you play them, if you play them.)

 

You open 1D, partner bids 3D (preemptive), and you hold a typical balanced 18-count.

 

(For example, AKx, KJx, AJxx, Q10x)

 

What do you bid in each of the following scenarios:

 

A. 1D pass 3D pass to you

B. 1D double 3D pass to you

C. 1D 1S 3D pass to you

[whereagles]

This is the wrong hand to bid 3NT on, but since 3♦ is usually 5-9 hcp, I have no choice but to try for it anyway. If the ♥KJx were the ace, 3NT would be much more attractive.

[awm]

In auction A, Elianna and I play a convention called "Grant's Hack." This basically allows opener to ask whether the 3♦ raise is based on a real hand or just a preempt, and also to decide who should declare the notrump. So on this hand I bid 3♥, allowing partner to choose from bidding 3♠ (transfer to 3NT), 3NT (to play), or 4♦ (just joking about the raise partner).

 

On auction C I would bid 3NT if vulnerable and pass if NV. At red, I prefer to play jump raises as a "mixed" raise (typically around 7-9) which should provide enough for game. At white, I would bid 2♦ followed by 3♦ on a mixed raise hand and the direct jump is a pure preempt.

 

On auction B, Elianna and I play 3♦ as a limit raise (2NT would be the weak raise). With this treatment it's pretty clear to bid 3NT. If we were playing 3♦ as weakish I would do the same as in auction C (bid 3NT if red, pass if white).

[SoTired]

My version of inverted minors is 1m-2m=10+, 1m-jsom=7-9, and 1m-3m=0-6. It is on over a dbl, off over a simple overcall. Over a simple overcall, 1m 1x 2m = a normal 5-9 raise. 1m 1x 3m = more preemptive

 

Since my system clearly shows that partner is very weak, I pass with a balanced 18, but will gladly double any 3-level contract the opps attempt.

[P_Marlowe]

Hi,

 

we are green vs. red, I will pass,

if we are red vs. green I will bid 3NT.

 

For the other cases, ... no idea.

 

With kind regards

Marlowe

[Winstonm]

I play the double raise as 5-7, just a low end raise. The effects of a real weak 3m bid isn't that great and risks losing NT...with a weak hand and sufficient distribution I prefer 1m-4m as the preempt. 8-10 are bid with 1N - not great but that is what we do.

[Gerben42]

I play here that 1♦ - 3♦ shows a BAD hand, with 3♣ the mixed raise and 2♦ inverted.

 

After Dbl: 2NT is the good raise, 2♦ the mixed and 3♦ still junk.

After 1♠: cuebid the good raise, 2♦ mixed.

 

So I pass in all cases.

[jtfanclub]

You are playing inverted minors (the way you play them, if you play them.)

Well, if partner has xx xx K9xxxx xxx we have 8 tricks for certain, and I don't think it's likely that he'd bid with that.

 

So I'll hope he has at least a jack to go with it, and bid 3NT.

[Gerben42]

I'd be happy to find Kxxxxx and out in pds hand :)

[paulhar]

Thank y'all for your answers. I'm sure some of you are sick of seeing my polls by now (I'm happy to see that, unlike a couple of years ago, nobody is posting that I'm totally clueless.) The reason for these polls: We've been doing a lot of research lately using some of the modern bridge literature, and each poll comes about because "all" the books are suggesting methods that fly in the face of what I have considered to be standard treatments.

 

In this case, I had played 1D-3D as being a totally wretched hand (I would pass all three.) Several books I have suggest that this bid shows 6-9. Bridge World Standard states that it should be able to support 3NT or 4 of a minor opposite a balanced 18-19 point hand.

 

A lot of the people that I used to play against (competent Flight A players) all played the bid as I did, weak in all cases. So I was just curious whether it was my own little circle of the world that played it that way.

 

I love the suggestion about the jump shift in the other minor showing one range and the double jump showing the other. However, it would seem that an overcall could derail this treatment in some cases (for example, 1C (1S) ? )

[sfbp]

I don't bid 3N over (under) the double. On auction B i pass because LHO has no clue that I have an 18 count, so all kinds of good things can happen.

 

I once raised partner to 3D on 1 point and opener bid 3NT. He made his contract. Meanwhile i had a heart attack.