Opening a weak and intermediate NT with no 4 card major

[EthanMac]

My partner and I recently decided to learn precision. Nonvul, we open 1NT with 11-13 balanced and no 4 card major. Vul, we do the same thing but with a 14-16 range. All other balanced hands without a 5 card major (except hands with 5♣ not in the notrump range, which open 2♣) open 1♦. The justification behind this is that if responder is too weak for Stayman, we might miss a 4-4 fit that plays better than 1NT, a concern especially at matchpoints. This doesn't show up as much with strong notrump ranges because responder is unlikely to pass 1NT, but when responder is sitting opposite 11-13 and can pass with up to 11 points, we'd miss a lot of fits. 2♣ by responder, in our system, is an invitational+ bid asking about point count and 5 card minors.

 

Of course, this means that we open 1NT far less often than we like to, and we lose the precision and preemption of the bid. We're still able to describe our hands after a 1♦ opening but not as tightly. What I'm asking is:

 

1) Does the no major Notrump make sense? Has anyone ever played it, and do you make any changes to your bidding over 1♦ openings?

2) Is there a way to find 4-4 major fits over an 11-13 or 14-16 1NT without getting too high?

3) (Out of curiosity) Is a 11-16 notrump range illegal and would it be an awful agreement? I have a feeling that both are the case.

 

Thanks.

[wclass___]

1) Yes, it makes some sense. I have played quite similar 1NT opening, but other opening bids were enitrely different (Topic). 1N with 4M333 should be a must.

 

2) Answer to your question is ''yes''. You can't have everything though.

 

3) Wider range absolutely makes sense, but 11-16 is probably a bit too much.

 

Although it makes some sense, i am not foud of this idea - i like to open 1N with 4M or even with appropriate 5M332.

[Flameous]

I don't really see how you are going to sort out different ranges after 1♦. Say you are 24(43) and partner responds 1♠. Now your 1NT rebid is 11-16? Or 1♦-1M-2M is very wide ranging too.

 

You just have to accept the losses of missing major fits with weak NT, the gains come from putting opps in hard positions over and over again. Besides with T/O doubles, you may find your way to them major fits after opps interfere. Also sometimes the NT scores just the same amount of tricks and you win.

 

I'd also suggest playing garbage stayman, it at least finds you those fits at times and teaches you to play occasional 4-3 fits.

http://toohighagain.blogspot.com/2011/04/garbage-stayman-twist.html

Here is a bit more advanced version I've come up with.

[glen]

This BBO thread:

 

http://www.bridgebase.com/forums/topic/44231-match-point-precision-1nt-bid-no-4-card-majors/

 

has a discussion and link (http://www.usabridge.com/html/precision__1.html) to the most famous of the 1NT without a four card major systems: Match Point Precision.

 

This link has a picture of the book but should have mentioned that 1NT is without a four card major:

 

http://www.bridgeguys.com/Conventions/match_point_precision_opening_bids.html

 

Many pairs using the system played 1NT as 12-15 instead of 13-15.

 

In a regional pairs over 30 years ago (i.e. when the events were large), it seemed 40% of the field were using the system. Within five years, most had abandoned the system. Some reasons:

 

1) 2/1 (Hardy) became the new fad.

2) Precision systems such as Meckwell were more successful and were designed for all events, not just pairs.

3) The 1♦ opening had too many hand types, ranging from 1-1-7-4 to 4-3-3-3 to 1-4-2-6, and it was a mess if the bidding got competitive.

[newchemist]

Bridgefiles' version of Matchpoint Precision

 

enjoy :)

[glen]

Bridgefiles' version of Matchpoint Precision

 

enjoy :)

The Bridgefiles version seems to be scanned pages under copyright (without the copyright notice) posted online. Of course as csdenmark (Claus, the owner of bridgefiles) said in this thread:

 

http://www.bridgebase.com/forums/topic/2705-censorship-of-forums/

 

If you are an owner of a media you have the right to decide...

[mgoetze]

I've played a homegrown precision system with an 11-15 no-majors 1NT. Basically 2NT was invitational with 12-13 and 2♣ was invitational with 10-11. Worked fine.

[Cyberyeti]

I've played a homegrown precision system with an 11-15 no-majors 1NT. Basically 2NT was invitational with 12-13 and 2♣ was invitational with 10-11. Worked fine.

We played 1N 11-16 1/2 14-19 3/4 for a while in an acol context with a certain amount of success, no suit length restrictions other than balanced. The responses were complicated with 4 card invitational plus red suit transfers, but it can be managed, without a 4 card major it should be pretty easy. The big win was the 15-20 (11-16 in 4th) 1N overcall with system on, which worked incredibly well

[benlessard]

NV the cost of missing a 4/4 is almost completly compensated by burying the opponent fits with the 1Nt openings in the range 10-16.

 

 

Even vul holding a 2443 it make little sense to open 1D if you have the points range to open 1Nt. Even if partner got 4H the chance the opps outbid you in S is high enough that the gain you make by finding the 4/4 fit instead of missing it is not big enough to compensate the overall system cost. (ive taken into account the no 4M benefit after a 1Nt opening) (like 1Nt--3Nt) where responder can have 4M

 

The matchpoint argument is a poor one imho. Yes 2M vs 1nt is a bigger gain at mp than imps but opening 1Nt non-vul is just great at mp.

 

All in all i think opening 1D instead of 1Nt with both M or when red is probably playable (i dont think its a good idea but its playable) but NV i would hate it big time.

[EthanMac]

Thanks for your replies! We've taken your suggestions into account and made some adjustments. I'm happy with what we have now.