Brozel Convention

[Laird]

Hello All

 

In the Brozel convention used against opps no trump openings, the following responses are stated

 

X = 1 suited ( take out to 2C to find suit)

2C = Hearts and clubs

2D = Hearts and Diamonds

2H = Hearts and Spades

2S = Hearts and Minor

2NT = Both Minors.

 

My question is what would typical shape and texture of such responses be :-

 

a. when vul

b. when not vul

c. when playing against strong nt

d. when playing against weak nt

 

What does single suited mean?

 

Again the use of this convention seems to alert the opps to other possibilities for their contract.

 

ty John

[Flame]

You have a little typo mistake about 2sp which should be spade+ minor.

normally 1 suiter is considered 6 card suit.

2 suiters are 5-5 and 5-4 on good vul(some might play 4-4), this is a matter of style so someone might play 5-4 even in bad vul, or atleast when all vul, while others will play always 5-5 or maybe 5-4 when not vul vs vul (only recently i learned that against 1nt when all non vul its even better to act then when non vul vs vul). its also 2sp and 2NT should have better shape then 2c/2d/2h.

The different between brozel against Weak andr strong NT should be in how constractive the bid is, against weak NT your bids should show more, on the other hand its might be better to be carful vs strong, so vs strong you want more shape and need less hcp, while vs weak you can have less shape and more hcp.

[inquiry]

Hi John,

 

Brozell (which I think is the same as pinpointed astro), seems to have fallen very much out of favor (at least around here). What "one-suited" means is the doubler has a one-suited hand.

 

The most common treatment I use to see when it was played a lot was that the one suit had to be "good" (aka, semi-solid or better). This means that advancer with a little bit of scattered valuses could make a penalty pass.. since opener had a good lead available. A lot of people relax this "good suit" requirement, which makes it harder for advancer to make a penalty pass unless he is strong himself.

 

IF you use the semi-solid or solid one suiter rule, then of course, that is what the double must have. How good your hand has to be to use these bids (not only double but also the two suit showing bids), depends (As you note) on vulnerabilty and your own theory of how to disturb their 1NT... but most experts like to get them out of 1NT and will bid with any reasonable excuse, especially not vul.

 

Ben

[Free]

1-suited theoreticly means you have only 1 suit with at least 4 cards, and is not balanced. In practice you need at least a 6-card, or a good 5 card (5332).

 

As for shape and texture, I usually base myself on LTC to intervene:

V -7 LTC (maximum 7 losers)

NV -8 LTC (maximum 8 losers)

 

Shape is not that important for me, unless your second suit is lower than your bid. So for 2♣, 2♦ and 2♥, I find 4-4 good enough. For the 2♠ bid, you need at least 5-4, usually 5+♠ and 4+m, but you can turn that around if you want.

 

I don't know what the original Brozel-inventor thought, but these days you can easily intervene with a decent 4432 or 5332, and find a playable contract. I think it was Ben who once posted some statistics, and if you don't intervene over 1NT you have an average of -1 imp if I remember correct.

[Laird]

Hello All... thanks for replies.

 

Ben says. .... 'but most experts like to get them out of 1NT and will bid with any reasonable excuse, especially not vul'.

 

My recent experience of using Brozel is that I only succeeded in getting ops out of 1nt and pushing them into successful other Major contract. :)

 

How does Brozel compare with Woolsey Defense as a convention ...

 

John