Bocchi-Duboin's 1S and 1NT answer to 1H opening

[1eyedjack]

Ooops, one serious drawback of Granville that I reckon lately:

 

The 4-4 spades fit can be buried easily in competition.

 

1H-1S-(3C);??

 

Holding AQxx-KJ10xx-Kx-xx, opener can't investigate the possibility of spade fit as he is only minimum, and he is forced to pass. You can't be sure whether there is a good fit in spades or not.

If responder has started with a standard 1S, then you can give a raise here.

 

Maybe opener should play takeout double when the opponent sandwiches. It can help somehow, but you would probably perform less well than the standard bidders when there is a 4-4 spade fit and competition.

It is true that you can miss a Spade fit in these circumstances. But you will not lose (to use your hyperbole) a "good" Spade fit. The Spade fit, if it is lost, will be no better than an 8 card fit. If you have game in Spades on your way I reckon you will still get there after 3C overcall (bigger danger would be 4C overcall). If you don't have game on then you are Law-protected, if they have competed to the 3 level when there are only 8 card fits floating around ... content to defend.

 

And the problem is further diminished by the added power to your side in competition when the auction starts 1H-(P)-1N-(3C)

 

To my mind, the biggest drawback to Granville is the difficulty of creating forcing sequences after 1H-1S when responder has a strong balanced hand with 4 Spades.

 

Still, all methods have their drawbacks, I guess.