Defenses to 1NT opening

[Califdude]

What perecentage of experts would you judge use the following conventions for defense against 1NT openers?

 

Cappelletti/Hamilton/Pottage

Multi Landy

Ripstra

DONT

Other...if so ,what is it?

 

As always, thanks for replies.

 

If I've overlooked another popular convention for this, please keep the sarcasm to a moderate level.

[hotShot]

Lionel, because it works against any NT-range.

[awm]

I think multi-landy is by far the most popular among current world-class players. Typical is to include double as a "long minor, shorter major" against a strong notrump, or double as penalty against a weak notrump.

 

The popularity of other defenses depends on the meaning of "expert" -- a lot of older players still use whatever defense was in vogue when they were at the top of their game (i.e. capp has a lot of adherents).

[Cascade]

What perecentage of experts would you judge use the following conventions for defense against 1NT openers?

 

Cappelletti/Hamilton/Pottage

Multi Landy

Ripstra

DONT

Other...if so ,what is it?

 

As always, thanks for replies.

 

If I've overlooked another popular convention for this, please keep the sarcasm to a moderate level.

I think that there are some who play:

 

Landy

some variation of ASTRO/ASPRO or similar

I have also met a minority playing SUCTION

 

 

My ball park guesses would be

 

Capp 20-25%

Multi-Landy 20-25%

Landy 20-25%

Ripstra - I don't even know what this is

DONT 15%

ASTRO/ASPRO variations 10%

Other (maybe including natural) 10%

[jdonn]

Ripstra - I don't even know what this is

It's a very old fashioned method where both a 2♣ and 2♦ overcall show the majors, but you overcall in your better minor to give you a slightly better chance of hitting the right suit. I've never seen it played over 1NT at the table, but it actually has decent utility if played over a gambling 3NT opening or 3NT opening showing a minor suit preempt.

[shevek]

ASPRO, though multi-Landy seems popular in Sydney.

 

Multi: 2♣ = majors; 2♦ = like a multi 2♦ opening; 2♥/♠ = 5 cards & 4+ minor, usually 5-5.

 

I like 2♥ & 2♠ natural. Those Cappelletti 2M bids don't seem to go well -- too rare if 5-5, unsound if 5-4.

 

Aspro (2♣ = hearts & another, 2♦ = spades & a minor) is acceptable with those hands, not great with both major but better on the canapés. The big gain is on the 1-suited majors, particularly 2♠. Hate to have to bid 2♣/2♦/X with those.

 

I like double = penalty vs all notrumps. Ranges vary a lot in Australia.

[Cascade]

I started going through the Beijing system cards. In the limited sample that I looked through in order of frequency these were the defenses:

 

Multi-Landy was the most common (including a variation where 2D showed a bad overcall and 2M was a good overcall)

 

ASTRO/ASPRO variations

 

Landy

 

Cappelletti

 

DONT

 

Others

2C minors 2D Majors

Suction variations - one where 2C was majors and others were suit above or next two suits

[dburn]

Having been through many hundreds of convention cards at major international events, but not having kept a careful count while so doing, the most popular defence seems to be:

 

Against a weak no trump, double is penalty. Against a strong no trump, double shows a four-card major and a longer minor. Against any kind of no trump, 2♣ is majors, 2♦ is one major, 2M is the bid suit and a minor.

 

Having oberved many major international events at close quarters, I can say this: what you play over an opening 1NT never seems to make a blind bit of difference. I cannot recall a significant swing generated by a difference in method (as opposed to style) when overcalling an opening 1NT.

 

I did, while commentating today, observe a small swing on this deal from a tournament in Portugal:

 

[hv=d=n&v=b&n=sq752hqjdakqj8c84&w=sak94ha76d6cj9653&e=sjhk8543d752ckq72&s=s10863h1092d10943ca10]399|300|Scoring: IMP[/hv]

At both tables, North opened a strong no trump. I make no observation on the wisdom or otherwise of so doing - I reside at Table Mountain and my name is Truthful James.

 

At one table this was passed out, and the contract was made when the defenders foolishly put their faith in hearts rather than clubs, for 90 to North-South. At the other West was able to protect with 2♣, showing clubs and a higher-ranking suit (DONT, I believe the method is called). This became the final contract, and made a couple of overtricks.

 

How should East-West have bid their cold game in hearts? When you can tell me that, perhaps it will be worth discussing defences to 1NT with you.

[keylime]

In GCC events, I am a fan of Lionel.

Everywhere else in the world, Multi-Landy / Jassem /Woosley / Robinson (you get the idea).

[jdonn]

How should East-West have bid their cold game in hearts? When you can tell me that, perhaps it will be worth discussing defences to 1NT with you.

Personally, I'd be fairly pleased with myself if I bid the game with no interference at all.

[awm]

Well it's pretty easy to bid the game on David Burn's hand if east acts over 1NT. If east bids 2♥ showing hearts and a minor then west can pretty much bid game. In my preferred method east could double showing a major+minor and west bids 2♣ asking for five card suit, then looks for game when east shows 5+♥ and a 4+minor. I suppose you might have some problems if east bids over 1NT in a way that shows "clubs and another suit" rather than showing "hearts and another suit" but even then west has an obvious call and you might back into hearts later.

 

Of course, the problem with all this is that you need to have a style where you routinely bid over 1NT on the east hand. I'm sure some of us would do this at MP or at NV, but bidding at IMPs red on this hand can obviously lose you a lot of boards (quite likely more IMPs than it wins).

 

If the auction passes to west, then it seems difficult to reach the game which is in west's third longest suit.

 

We can also ask how good a game this is really, since a 4-1 heart break or a 3-1 club break seems to defeat it.

[Walddk]

How should East-West have bid their cold game in hearts? When you can tell me that, perhaps it will be worth discussing defences to 1NT with you.

Personally, I'd be fairly pleased with myself if I bid the game with no interference at all.

Well, is it really that hard? West dealer:

 

1.

1♣ - 1♥

2♥ - 4♥

 

2.

1♣ - 1♥

1♠ - 3♣

3♥ - 4♥

 

After a strong NT by North I don't think you can get there.

 

Roland

[jdonn]

2.

1♣ - 1♥

1♠ - 3♣

3♥ - 4♥

3♣, wow!!

[Walddk]

2.

1♣ - 1♥

1♠ - 3♣

3♥ - 4♥

3♣, wow!!

If you think 3♣ is an overbid (I don't because you would bid 2♣ with a spade more and a club less), then by all means bid 2♣. Opener should still bid 2♥, and now responder has an easy 4♥ opposite 4-3-1-5.

 

Roland

[jdonn]

2.

1♣ - 1♥

1♠ - 3♣

3♥ - 4♥

3♣, wow!!

If you think 3♣ is an overbid (I don't because you would bid 2♣ with a spade more and a club less), then by all means bid 2♣. Opener should still bid 2♥, and now responder has an easy 4♥ opposite 4-3-1-5.

 

Roland

2♥, wow!!

 

Well I guess I shouldn't be arguing anyway, I'm the one who admits he might miss game B) Maybe they will be kind enough to bid and raise diamonds to help me out.

[awm]

Next time I play in a big tournament I'll keep track of boards where defense to 1NT comes up. My feeling is that I win about 2-3 boards per nationals because of these methods, more often at MP or BAM than substantial IMP swings though. Unfortunately I'm not going to Boston so it'll be a while.

[BobElliott]

Someone recently posted a system called "VERTIGO"....

 

2C= C + 5M

 

2D= D + 5M

 

2H= 6H

 

2S= 6S

 

DBL.= H&S (OR) 4M + 5+m

 

seems to work well in direct seat. I use this in passout seat:

 

DBL= H&S OR C&D OR D

 

2C= C

 

2D= ONE MAJOR

 

2H= H&MINOR

 

2S=S&MINOR

[Free]

I'm a huge fan of Woolsey (= multi-landy but Dbl = 4M & 5+m) against strong NT, and Multi-Landy against weak NT.

[Gerben42]

I'm a huge fan of Woolsey

 

Me too, he plays great bridge, great backgammon and is deadly at Barbu.

[barmar]

2.

1♣ - 1♥

1♠ - 3♣

3♥ - 4♥

3♣, wow!!

If you think 3♣ is an overbid (I don't because you would bid 2♣ with a spade more and a club less), then by all means bid 2♣. Opener should still bid 2♥, and now responder has an easy 4♥ opposite 4-3-1-5.

 

Roland

How do you know it's a 5-card ♣ suit? Does everyone rebid 1NT if they're 4=3=2=4 or 4=3=3=3, even if the ♦ suit is weak?

[cherdano]

2.

1♣ - 1♥

1♠ - 3♣

3♥ - 4♥

3♣, wow!!

If you think 3♣ is an overbid (I don't because you would bid 2♣ with a spade more and a club less), then by all means bid 2♣. Opener should still bid 2♥, and now responder has an easy 4♥ opposite 4-3-1-5.

 

Roland

How do you know it's a 5-card ♣ suit? Does everyone rebid 1NT if they're 4=3=2=4 or 4=3=3=3, even if the ♦ suit is weak?

Nobody should bid 3 suits voluntarily when he is 4324 or 4333. Besides, nobody bids 1♠ with a 18-19 balanced hand, and nobody shows extras with 2♥ having a weak NT.

[jdonn]

2.

1♣ - 1♥

1♠ - 3♣

3♥ - 4♥

3♣, wow!!

If you think 3♣ is an overbid (I don't because you would bid 2♣ with a spade more and a club less), then by all means bid 2♣. Opener should still bid 2♥, and now responder has an easy 4♥ opposite 4-3-1-5.

 

Roland

How do you know it's a 5-card ♣ suit? Does everyone rebid 1NT if they're 4=3=2=4 or 4=3=3=3, even if the ♦ suit is weak?

Nobody should bid 3 suits voluntarily when he is 4324 or 4333. Besides, nobody bids 1♠ with a 18-19 balanced hand, and nobody shows extras with 2♥ having a weak NT.

He is referring to after the 1♠ bid...

[cherdano]

2.

1♣ - 1♥

1♠ - 3♣

3♥ - 4♥

3♣, wow!!

If you think 3♣ is an overbid (I don't because you would bid 2♣ with a spade more and a club less), then by all means bid 2♣. Opener should still bid 2♥, and now responder has an easy 4♥ opposite 4-3-1-5.

 

Roland

How do you know it's a 5-card ♣ suit? Does everyone rebid 1NT if they're 4=3=2=4 or 4=3=3=3, even if the ♦ suit is weak?

Nobody should bid 3 suits voluntarily when he is 4324 or 4333. Besides, nobody bids 1♠ with a 18-19 balanced hand, and nobody shows extras with 2♥ having a weak NT.

He is referring to after the 1♠ bid...

Well, in this case he misread what Roland wrote...

[benlessard]

"Ive said it once before but it bear repeating"

 

 

Its a must to know wich suit is longer if you like to get in with borderline 5/4 however there is better setup than Vertigo. My favorite for example is.

 

 

X= 5M and other suit maybe both M

 

2C= 5C+ other suit (maybe both m if you like)

2D= 5D +4M

 

The idea is that 5M+4m are less suceptible to preemption then 4M+5m. Also what you want is that

 

(1Nt)-----2D------(Z)--------3D is more frequent, if 2D show 5D instead of just 4D.

[nige1]

What perecentage of experts would you judge use the following conventions for defense against 1NT openers?

Cappelletti/Hamilton/Pottage

Multi Landy

Ripstra

DONT

Other...if so ,what is it?

As always, thanks for replies.

If I've overlooked another popular convention for this, please keep the sarcasm to a moderate level.

Multi-Landy, also called Reverse-Pottage, is one of many still popular conventions invented by Eric Crowhurst (Acol in Competition)

 

David Stevenson's web-site lists lots of other interesting defences, including Sharples.