Favorite NT Defense

[awm]

Supposing that opponents are passing after their 1NT opening:

 

(1NT)-X-(Pass)...

 

2♣ = the usual advance; asking for a five card suit. Doubler bids a five-card suit or passes if holding five clubs. After this advance we are in the same boat as woolsey. If doubler rebids 2M then he would've overcalled a woolsey 2M (and we can still bid 3m, 2NT, etc). If doubler rebids 2♦ then he would've bid 2♦ over the same woolsey sequence (and we can still bid 2♥ pass/correct for the major, 2NT asking, etc).

 

2♦ = asking for doubler's major; this is generally 4+/4+ in the majors or some hand with singleton club and 3+/3+ in the majors. Doubler bids his 4+ card major. This does create some ambiguity as to whether doubler has four cards or five (which really only matters if there are game prospects anyway); however with the guarantee of 3+ in support doubler can in principle bid beyond 2M if holding serious extras with a 5M. Also responder has asking bids available after opener's 2M call in this sequence (since 2♦ is forcing). Note that barring game possibilities we are again reaching the same contract as woolsey (same auction if doubler has 5m-4M), and the ambiguity about doubler's major suit length can make defense/balancing harder on the opening side too.

 

2M = natural, (usually) 6-card suit of advancer's. This lets us get out in 2♥ when doubler has 5♠-4m which is impossible in woolsey. It also disambiguates some spade hands; in woolsey potentially 1NT-2♥-P-2♠ could be either self-sufficient spades or a hand with five spades and singleton or void hearts (i.e. offering a resting place but accepting 3m if overcaller is short in spades). In these methods self-sufficient spades would bid 2♠ over the double whereas bidding 2♣ and then pulling 2♥ to 2♠ shows five spades and can be removed to 3m.

 

Neither Elianna nor I put Meyerson in Wikipedia. This convention is actually spreading fairly quickly, from me to my partners to their partners etc. It's now played by a number of young players from the bay area (including several people I've never partnered in anything) as well as to John Jones and partners in LA (a friend of mine, but I've never played anything serious as his partner) and Noble Shore (a semi-regular partner of mine about six years ago, but we haven't played in anything serious lately) and his partners back east. I suspect Noble put it in Wikipedia.

[jdonn]

Ok, the 2♣ call makes a lot more sense than what I was thinking!

 

On more thinking, I think the biggest downside would be that it's much harder to pass the double.

[mikeh]

I don't have a true favourite, but am happy with whichever of these 3 partner likes:

 

Suction

 

Multi landy

 

Molson (x is clubs or a major or the majors, 2minor is 4+ in that minor and 5+ in a major, 2Major is 4 in that suit and a longer minor.

 

Of all, Molson is the most fun to play, but also the most flawed, I think.... so far, we have avoided disaster, however.

[Phil]

I'm surprised about all of the support for Suction.

 

Against a competent pair, Suction isn't really effective. You can incorporate takeout and card showing doubles, since responder can pass most of the time and let them sort of their hand type. Its also difficult for the advancer to do much preempting since he needs to fit both of the overcaller's hand types.

 

It is fun to play however.

[Oof Arted]

:)

 

natural keep all your conventions

 

:)

[gwnn]

I remember someone mentioning 2♣=majors and rest=transfers a while back and me wanting to try it. How does that work?

[keylime]

I like Larry and I's defense, called "Nickel"

 

X = either clubs, or both majors

2C = either diamonds, or clubs and major

2D = diamonds and major

2H/S = natural

2NT = club preempt

3C = both minors

3D = diamond preempt

[Mbodell]

I'm surprised about all of the support for Suction.

 

Against a competent pair, Suction isn't really effective. You can incorporate takeout and card showing doubles, since responder can pass most of the time and let them sort of their hand type. Its also difficult for the advancer to do much preempting since he needs to fit both of the overcaller's hand types.

 

It is fun to play however.

It does depend what type of suction you play. If you play psycho and/or psycho-inverted then the choices are less.

 

I enjoy psycho-inverted (where the suit bid shows a 2 suiter with the suit bid and the one above OR the one suiter 2 above).

 

It is true that super jacking of preempts is rare and a downside, but I think the ambiguity and the pressure it puts on the stronger side is worth it.

[lexlogan]

A really simple defense I like versus strong notrump is to double with any two or three suited hand and natural, one-suited overcalls. Requires far less discussion than anything else.

 

What I normally play is a Lionel double along with Modified Cap.

[pirate22]

"pirate Def" to strong or weak n/t

 

2nd position transfer's and stayman(response 2d no 4 card major)

 

4th position stayman and natural (Same 2d no 4 card major)

 

just remember position example pass pass 1n/t (you are in 2nd position)

*pass 1nt-pass-pass-

* now in 4th positin

[glen]

... 2nd position transfer's and stayman(response 2d no 4 card major) ...

One has to like 1NT-2♣: Alert!, yes?, Stayman. Double, Alert!, yes? Stayman.

[mycroft]

I played something simple for years, which I was very happy with:

 

Transfers direct, natural balance. In exchange for giving them (usually, see below) two kicks at the cat, you get the (strong) NTer on lead, while allowing two-suited continuations (with decent hands).

 

Of course, at least twice it went (1NT) 2D! - p! "?" "His diamonds are better than my hearts".