How do you counter Capp 2C?

[dougbennion]

I think Capp is a bad system for a number of reasons, but primarily because you have to bid 2C with the likes of Kx AKxxxx xx xxx, just begging your opps to find their fit before you are able to introduce your suit.

 

That said, a lot of your opps insist on using it, and especially weak notrumpers should have some system to quickly and efficiently probe for a fit of their own.

 

Anyone have a system they like? I've recently been using this, but the sample size is too small to draw any conclusions. I also use it after the DONT X. After 1NT (2C) ??

 

Pass then X is primarily takeout

X = invitational+ Stayman

2D = 5+ hearts or 5+ spades, relay to 2H

2H = 4 hearts and some 5m, strong enough to play at 3m

2S = 4 spades and some 5m, strong enough to play at 3m

2N = Leb

higher = forcing

 

Not perfect but nothing is.

[gwnn]

systems on.

[kenrexford]

systems on.

Systems on, PLUS double is Stayman.

 

ANA, if 2♣ is D.O.N.T.:

 

2♠ for me is usually MSS, so now just a club transfer.

 

3M for me is usually 3-1 in majors (bid short), 5-4 in minors. Makes more sense now as immediate Smolen:

 

1NT-(2♣)-3M = 5-4 majors, bidding shorter major

[gnasher]

I think it's a good idea to be able to bid three of a suit (especially 3♣/♦) to play. If the opponents play silly methods, it's important to make them suffer for it.

[dburn]

I am not sure that bidding three of a suit to play is the best way to make them suffer - I think that might make it easier in some ways for them to know that they should compete.

 

There are so many defences to 1NT floating around that I have lost track of them all. Fortunately, the methods I prefer to play do not require me to keep track of any of them.

 

These involve simply treating responder's double of an overcall as takeout of the suit overcaller has bid, not necessarily the suit or suits he has shown. If the intervention was 2♣, any bid means what it would have meant had the overcall been a pass ("system on", in other words). If the intervention was some other bid, then two of a suit is natural and non-forcing, 2NT and higher are transfers.

[hanp]

I prefer to play double as values, creating a force through 2NT. Transfers are on, as well as transfer lebensohl.

[dougbennion]

Thanks.

 

I'm often looking at hands the likes of Kxxx x KQxxx xxx when partner opens a weak notrump and overcaller bids 2C. A 'systems on' X = Stayman kind of works provided a retreat to 3D is to play, but is risky. The system I've been using ... I bid 2S with that hand, promising 5m ... allows opener to rest in a 4=3 spade fit with the likes of 3=4=2=4 (instead of risking a 5=2 diamond fit at the 3-level).

 

I suppose with that hand I could pass first, then neg X the expected 2H rebid, but that allows RHO to announce his suit.

[gnasher]

I am not sure that bidding three of a suit to play  is the best way to make them suffer - I think that might make it easier in some ways for them to know that they should compete.

Why does it tell them that they should compete? All it says is that I think it's right for our side to bid three of our suit over two of their suit. They can hardly be better placed after

  1NT (2♣) [multi] 3♦

than after

  1NT (2♥) [natural] 3♦

(or the equivalent sequences using Somethingensohl)

[karlson]

I actually quite like the OP's idea -- I always wait to make a takeout double with the 4135 type hand and now they actually do compete to 3h sometimes, whereas fourth hand can rarely compete if we bid anything at all right away (pretty much needs support for 3 suits and some decent values).

 

On the downside, you'll occasionally miss some penalties when their suit turns out not to be your short suit after all, and on a rare (becoming more rare the more values you demand for these 2M bids) occasion, you'll actually walk into a misfit and go for a number on that type of hand.

 

The other downside for me is that I don't play against dont or capp often enough to justify developing a separate system.

[Hairy_Scot]

Bit confused here.

 

Are we discussing how to counter Capp (and other DONT systems) or which is the best way to counter opps 1NT opening?

[dake50]

Have ONE system for all opponents' competition: transfers. With double for the next suit, but promises values to set 1-level higher.

[Zelandakh]

There are so many defences to 1NT floating around that I have lost track of them all. Fortunately, the methods I prefer to play do not require me to keep track of any of them.

 

These involve simply treating responder's double of an overcall as takeout of the suit overcaller has bid, not necessarily the suit or suits he has shown. If the intervention was 2♣, any bid means what it would have meant had the overcall been a pass ("system on", in other words). If the intervention was some other bid, then two of a suit is natural and non-forcing, 2NT and higher are transfers.

I play the same David but just call it Rubinsohl :). Out of interest do you not make an exception for 2C Landy? Using X, 2D and 2H all to show the opp suits does not seem optimal somehow.

[mycroft]

I read in one book (I think Anderson's), and have seen proven in my real life (although it's very uncommon over here) that an option is to treat a Landy 2C as clubs and play whatever you play over it. After all, it is clubs (and not majors) a significant fraction of the time.

[bucky]

I read in one book (I think Anderson's), and have seen proven in my real life (although it's very uncommon over here) that an option is to treat a Landy 2C as clubs and play whatever you play over it. After all, it is clubs (and not majors) a significant fraction of the time.

I am a bit confused. What do you mean in the last sentence? When an opp bid Landy, shouldn't that show majors 100% of time, and clubs 0% of time?

[blackshoe]

I think what he's saying is that people who claim to be playing Landy often forget and bid 2♣ because they have clubs.

[mycroft]

I think what he's saying is that people who claim to be playing Landy often forget and bid 2♣ because they have clubs.

<agreement mode="Drunk Asterix">Zigackly. Ferpectly correct.</agreement>

Of course, they *also* bid 2C when they have both majors, but still :-)