Meckwell's 1NT System

[jmc]

I am interested in Meckwell’s system over a 14-16 NT. Here is what I have come up with. I have no idea if any of this is particularly accurate and would appreciate any insight people could share. In many of the sequences the followups are totally unknown..

 

1NT-2♣ Stayman.

 

1NT-2♦, 2♥ Transfers

 

1NT-2♠ Range Ask

2♠ asks opener to bid 2NT with a minimum and 3♣ with a maximum showing their “Range.” This may be used to determine the correct level or responder may have a bad hand with long clubs. Over opener’s 2NT, 3♣ is to play.

 

1NT-2♠-2NT-3♦, 3♥, 3♠?

1NT-2♠-3♣-3♦,3♥,3♠?

 

1NT-2NT Puppet Stayman

Typically responder will have a game force and either interest in a major or a (13)(54) hand. Responses are: 3♣ No 5-card major, 3♦ ???, 3M 5-cards in the major. Following the 3♣ bid denying a 5-card major responder can bid:

3♦ Shows (13)(54). Opener can ask shortness with 3♥. Responder bids 3♠ with spade shortness and 3NT with ♥ shortness. ??? Openers 3S over 3D perhaps asks minor lengths???

3♥ Shows 4♠, less than 4♥.

3♠ Shows 4♥, less than 4♠

3NT To play.

 

1NT-3♣ ??? Transfer to ♦ either to play or so responder can follow up by bidding a M to show long CLUBS and M shortage???

 

1NT-3♦ ??? 7+d and major shortage somewhere???

 

1NT-3♥,3♠ ??? game force with 5-5 or better in the minors and shortage in the Major.

 

1NT-3NT to play

 

1NT-4♦, ♥ Texas

 

1NT-4S ?????

[bluecalm]

This is the part of their system I've never much cared about. I like their idea of 2nd transfers:

 

1NT - 2H

2S - 2N/3C = transfer to 4+ clubs/diamonds which makes slam bidding with those hands much easier.

 

I also like their idea of many game choice bid. If I remember correctly they have "choice of games" bids available after major suit transfers so opener doesn't have to guess with support and NT'ish hand.

There are over 500 hands in vugraph history of them opening 1NT but only a few with responses higher than 2NT (different than 3NT, 4D,4H) so this resource won't be too helpful to you.

As to 1NT - 3m, the vugraph archives only contains those:

 

['MECKSTROTH', 'WANG Weimi', 'RODWELL Er', 'ZHUANG Zej']

('QJ7.KQ8.KQJ86.J4', '983.A7.7.AK96532')

p 1N p 3C

p 3D p 3H

p 3N p p

p p p p

 

['MECKSTROTH', 'VERSACE', 'RODWELL', 'LAURIA']

('K65.AKJ74.85.KJ2', '84.986.KQJT72.Q9')

p 1N p 3C

p 3D p p

p p p p

 

['Meckstroth', 'Cheek', 'Rodwell', 'Grue']

('A32.AKQ73.Q7.J95', 'KJ.T.AK9532.K642')

p 1N p 3D

p 3H p 4C

p 4D p 4N

p 5N p 6C

p p p p

 

I am too lazy to check if this 6C is mistype by vu operator now (sometimes you have different bids in the bidding than in final contract in lin files and final contract is usually accurate).

 

For detailed agreements you will probably have to ask them.

When you manage to contact them please ask about follow ups to 1D - 2D and of course about competitive stuff which would be much help :-)

[straube]

My understanding of their responses is the same as jmc.

 

I've always wondered how they handle the 6cd minor suits...since 3D (for example) promises a 7 cd suit with major shortage, what would they do with 3-1-6-3 for example?

 

I think they use...

 

1N-2C, 2M-3C as responder wanting to show shortness. 3D then relays for shortness. That might handle some of them.

 

With hands that are interested in 5m or 6m it's probably most practical to show shortness and if there isn't wastage continue to explore for a fit after 3N has been passed. There just isn't enough room to show very many of the minor suited patterns before 3N.

[jmc]

I think it is a bit odd that there is no way to invite in a minor.

 

Is it possible that 1NT-2C-2X-3m is invitational in the minor? Or do they just blast game with an invitational minor hand and this sequence shows 6-4 game force slam interest?

[straube]

I think it is a bit odd that there is no way to invite in a minor.

 

Is it possible that 1NT-2C-2X-3m is invitational in the minor? Or do they just blast game with an invitational minor hand and this sequence shows 6-4 game force slam interest?

 

They don't invite in a minor. Inviting in a minor is expensive in terms of what else you can assign those bids toward. Klinger proposed a way to invite a minor in his "Bid Better" book about NT, but he's reassigned that sequence for something else. It's just not worth it.

[jmc]

The following link is to the 2007 Meckwell WBF convention card. The NT section seems identical to the WBF CC listed for Philadelphia. On the second page there is a section for NT responses. There is also a footnote labeled 13. These sections make a few things clearer but leave me wondering how to decode the following:

 

After 1NT-2S range ask-2NT,3C- then "3D FG SPL♦, 3♥=♦ST, 3♠=♦SPL♣"

 

Some things clarified:

 

1NT-2C-2D-3c is 6+ in a minor

1NT-2C-2D-3D is splinter in a major. I assume 1444 or 4144.

1NT-2C-2D-3M is Smolen.

1NT-2C-2M-3D is game force in the major.

1NT-3C is either weak in D or GF+ in clubs.

1NT-2D-2H-2S is some sort of artificial invite with re-transfers.

1NT-3M shows 5-5 or better minors and stiff in the OTHER MAJOR.

As a passed hand 1NT-2C-2X-3m is weak and 1NT-3m is invitational.

 

http://www.ecatsbridge.com/documents/files/ConventionCards/2007BermudaBowlShanghai/bermuda-bowl/USA%202/meckstroth-rodwell.pdf

 

http://www.ecatsbridge.com/documents/files/ConventionCards/2010nonJuniorPhiladelphia/meckstroth-rodwell.pdf

[bluecalm]

1NT-2D-2H-2S is some sort of artificial invite with re-transfers

 

They play 2nd transfers after major suit transfers so:

 

1NT - 2D

2H - ????

2S = transfer to 2NT (invitational hand with 5H)

2NT = 4+clubs

3C = 4+diamonds

higher = I am not sure but one of them is choice of games

 

1NT - 2H

2S - ????

2NT = transfer to 4+clubs

3C = transfer to 4+diamonds

3D = transfer to 4+hearts

higher = as above

 

You may ask what about balanced hand with 5spades - answer: they bid stayman with that and then 2S.

 

This is what I remember. I am not a fan of playing like them here because I don't like opening every 14-15balanced with 1NT. I think opening 1M is better on many hands so I like to have a choice. This makes all their stuff after 1NT and 2/1 not for me.

[olien]

I play a simplified version of their structure. As a side note, they play different structures depending on: a) if partner is passed and b) if its a NT overcall as opposed to an opening. I love the 2NT bid as puppet stayman as the opponents get no lead directional double, and one can bid this on almost all GF balanced hands looking for a 4-4 fit and not disclose if partner has 4 cards in the other major.

 

Their inability to invite in a minor is a matter of their mentality and the different hand types they're able to show by the extra step they gain.

 

Here is the simpler Meckwell structure that I play with a partner. It is not the same, and is vastly simplified in many areas, even though I do know both structures but am not allowed to post the official version.

 

2♣ stayman, with normal continuations

2♦/♥ transfers

2♠ range or ♣

2NT puppet stayman

3♣ 6+♦ any strength

3♦ 6+♦, 0-1♣, GF

3M shortness, 5+/5+ minors, GF

3NT to play

4♦/♥ transfers

 

 

After 1NT-2♠:

2NT minimum

3♣ maximum

........P/3♣ to play

........3♦ 6+♣ GF, 0-1♦ or no short (3♥ now relays then 3♠=0-1♦, 3N=no short, mild SI, etc)

........3M 6+♣ GF, 0-1M

........3NT to play

........4m 2245m, quantitative+

 

 

After 1NT-2NT:

3♣ no 5M

.......3♦ (31)(54) GF (now 3♥ relays, then 3♠=0-1♥, 3NT=0-1♠ NF, 4m=1345m SI)

.......3M 4 other major GF, denies 4 other major

.......4m 5m(332), slam interest

3♥ 5♥

.......3♠ artificial strong ♥ raise

.......3NT to play

.......4m 5m slam interest, no ♥ fit

3♠ 5♠

.......4m 5m slam interest, no ♠ fit

.......4♥ artificial strong ♠ raise

 

 

1NT-3♣// 3♦ (forced)

3M shortness

3NT 6+♦ no short, mild slam interest

4♣ 11(56) GF

4♦ 6+♦ no short, strong SI

4♥ RKC for ♦

 

 

With some partners, I play the 2nd round transfers (after a transfer to 2M), but with most I choose not to because of the complexity. My partners and I just play fairly standard continuations after 1N-2♣ and 1N-2♦/♥.

 

For the record, meckwell play 1N-2♠ as MSS and 1N-2N and 1N-3m as natural invites if responder is passed or the 1NT bid was an overcall.

[A2003]

Meckwell System 1NT responses (One variation)

 

Full disclosure card. click on each bid to see the meaning.

To see 3rd and 4th hand position, need to play around details and options. Need to click pass and pass to see the bids.

 

If FD needed, download the text below and open with BidEdit and save it.

Meckwell System 1NT Responses.txt

[bluecalm]

Sweet! Do you have those available for other parts of their system ? :)

[whereagles]

Why do you want to know their system? There are dozens of good NT schemes out there.

 

Besides, I'm far from being a pro and keep changing stuff every 2 months... you can imagine how it is with them :)

[jmc]

I was mostly interested in Meckwell's 1NT-2S range ask and 1NT-2NT Puppet Stayman and was mainly curious what they do with the other bids. Clearly it is a system geared more for imps than mps. I appreciate people's comments and the FD card above. Olien's post comes closest to what I have found for them, though it is different in several ways. With Bluecalm's hand finding database help, I went through about 500 hands for Meckwell and Greco-Hampson. In a follow-up post I'll post what I am planning on trying, though it differs from Meckwell in several places.

[granguru]

Just wanted to know about the actions over an overcall over the 1NT opening in direct and 4th position...