Try to relay over interference?

[straube]

After LHO overcalls our strong club, we use Rubensohl when we are short their suit and fear for a contested auction. Otherwise, we pass with a GF and reserve other bids for semipositives.

 

So 1C (1D) P* P

 

 

dbl shows 4 or more of the suit at hand. It does not promise any quality in this suit and opener may have a longer suit.

S1-1/2, 1, 1/3

suit order H/S/C/D

S2-2, 2/3

S3-bal

natural bidding over the balanced hand

S4-3

S5-4441

S6-4450

etc.

 

In this particular case, opener would rebid 1H to show a one or two-suited hand with hearts and responder would continue to relay for opener's shape. Hands with 4 diamonds are excluded because opener would have started with a double on these hands.

 

This means that opener might have to start X with an uncomfortable Ax AKQxx Axxx xx but responder will only sit when holding three+ diamonds and with an eye to vulnerability. If responder takes out the double, he's relaying his own hand using the same scheme.

 

The nice part about this is that we gain room by omitting hands that have the overcaller's suit. We have far fewer patterns to describe. Another nice thing is that we have a cheap way of showing our suit when they happen to overcall it. A bad thing is that we might wind up defending a 1-bid when we have a slam on, plus relays in competition are difficult to carry out.

 

Comments?

[dake50]

"dbl shows 4 or more of the suit at hand.

It does not promise any quality in this suit

and opener may have a longer suit." -- straube

.

I much prefer dbl to show misfit "featured Major"

(spades if no Major bid as in this auction).

Then penalty try is clearer: no M-game missed to try for penalty bonanza.

[PrecisionL]

Since 1♦ has not taken up much room, we play systems on. Pass is either 0-5 hcp or 6+ hcp and their suit, X is no 5-cd suit and 6+ hcp. 1M is a transfer to the other major. 1NT and higher are transfers to a good 6-cd suit and positive.

 

We have had several occasions when the double caught 1♣ opener with a penalty pass.