2 styles of negative freebid

[DJNeill]

Hi all,

Which negative freebid style is better? Assume 5crd majors, 2/1, unpassed hand.

 

Style 1 (get the weak hands bidding):

- 2-level freebids 6-9

- 3-level freebids NF but invite if no jump available

- jump freebids at 3-level show invit 6+crd suit

- all GF freebids and invites with 5(6)crds suit must double first

- 2N is natural in comp

 

Style 2 (wider free-bids but leave out the bad ones):

- 2-level freebids constructive/bad invite

- 3-level freebids GF

- invites must choose between going low (free-bid) or high (GF)

- jump free-bids are good 6crd suits GF

 

And in your post you can give your favorite style if not the above.

 

Thanks,

Dan

[Cascade]

We play a different style.

 

New suit at the two-level is non-forcing and quite wide ranging from around a six-count up to an average invite say 11 hcp or maybe even a bad 12 - we open quite light. Normally the free-bid is made on a six-card suit but occasionally a five-card suit is ok.

 

At the three-level the negative free-bids are more like 6-9 with a six-card suit.

 

Jump free-bids at the three-level show game forcing hands and some distribution at least a six-card suit.

 

Jump free-bids to the two-level are system on fit-showing jumps.

 

Other game force hands without a fit start with a double (and sometimes with a fit for partner's minor when we need to explore for a major).

 

2NT is almost always artificial showing a fit. There are many variations: 1m (1♦/1♥) 2NT - GF raise no singleton with a stopper; 1m (1♠) 2NT - Natural Invite; 1♥ (1♠) 2NT - Spade splinter; 1x (2y - lower ranking) 2NT - 7/8-9 or GF raise normally with a stopper when GF; 1x (2y - higher ranking) 6-9 or GF raise normally with a stopper when GF.

[dake50]

Transfers for both these styles. So ONE method vs. ANY opposition scheme: Michaels, Unusual, top-bottom, natural, Ghestem, ...etc --- not a plethora of special counters to each defense bid.