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Where do bad players get their ideas from?


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Art, one easy extension would be for 2 to show an invitational hand but that the invite might be to slam. Then 1NT - 2; 2 - 3NT might be something similar to a regular 4NT response. This strikes me as easy to remember and consistent with the core concept.
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While I know that "traditional" two-way Stayman is legal in the ACBL, I am not sure about having two responses (2 and 2) to the mini-NT which can both contain game forcing hands. But that is a regulatory problem, not a bridge problem.

It's also a problem that's very easily solved. The ACBL General Convention Chart tells us that "ALL CALLS" are allowed in response to a 10-12 notrump opening.

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  • 2 weeks later...

A couple of bad ideas from last night:

 

1. Opp's bidding (and these are one of the better pairs in the club)

1 1

34

44

56

The first 3 bids are natural. The 4th is Gerber (obviously). Well actually it is some sort of RKG as the 4 bid shows 1 or 4. The 4 bid was bid after some hesitation, as was the 5, and the 6. Anybody care to guess what was going on?

 

The 4 was not a sign-off, nor even a conditional sign-off assuming partner had 1. It was asking for Kings. 5 presumably showed 2 Kings as dummy's hand was J986 K93 QT AKJ8. Although what other bids show is a mystery - as is why that is a 3 raise

 

 

2. Playing with a pick-up

Pard RHO Me LHO

P 2 2NT P

3P

Now, we had agreed that opposite a 1NT overcall, bids are natural except an immediate cue which is strong and Stayman-esque. I wasn't sure what partner meant by this bid, but in the end decided to pass. After the opening lead, as I was putting down dummy, I mentioned our agreement over 1NT and that I hoped I had guessed right. At which point my RHO said something like "Oh isn't that the unusual NT? I think your partner forgot to alert." And indeed everybody at the table thought that 2NT in this position showed both minors.

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A couple of bad ideas from last night:

 

1. Opp's bidding (and these are one of the better pairs in the club)

1 1

34

44

56

The first 3 bids are natural. The 4th is Gerber (obviously). Well actually it is some sort of RKG as the 4 bid shows 1 or 4. The 4 bid was bid after some hesitation, as was the 5, and the 6. Anybody care to guess what was going on?

 

The 4 was not a sign-off, nor even a conditional sign-off assuming partner had 1. It was asking for Kings. 5 presumably showed 2 Kings as dummy's hand was J986 K93 QT AKJ8. Although what other bids show is a mystery - as is why that is a 3 raise

 

 

2. Playing with a pick-up

Pard RHO Me LHO

P 2 2NT P

3P

Now, we had agreed that opposite a 1NT overcall, bids are natural except an immediate cue which is strong and Stayman-esque. I wasn't sure what partner meant by this bid, but in the end decided to pass. After the opening lead, as I was putting down dummy, I mentioned our agreement over 1NT and that I hoped I had guessed right. At which point my RHO said something like "Oh isn't that the unusual NT? I think your partner forgot to alert." And indeed everybody at the table thought that 2NT in this position showed both minors.

These exhibits do not rise to the level of bad ideas. In order to be bad ideas, there has to be an idea to begin with.

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Theoretically there is no need for 2 as forcing Stayman. You can always have some sort of relay system after regular 2 Stayman to handle the GF hands you would use 2 for.

 

That said, if you're using 12-14, 10-12 or a similar 1N range and have decided not to use transfers using 2 as GF Stayman can really simplify your bidding system.

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If you don't want opponents to balance over your transfers, you might just try something like

1NT 2=weak with or inv+ with

1NT 2=weak with or inv+ with

Which makes direct actions dangerous for 4th hand B-) and good for rightsiding.

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what? you never made 3NT on 24 HCP? ya newbie :P

 

I got caught on this one and passed . . . something like 1, 1, 2NT all pass . . . leading to a lecture from my RHO. "If she's got 18-19 and you've got 6 or 7, min. . . . <yawn> . . . ." P considers herself lucky when I put down a K and 2 Js. :P

 

I dunno, maybe he was planning some kind of snake in the grass x.

 

In my book, it is unethically rude to comment on OPPs bidding in their presence unless asked.

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I got caught on this one and passed . . . something like 1, 1, 2NT all pass . . . leading to a lecture from my RHO. "If she's got 18-19 and you've got 6 or 7, min. . . . <yawn> . . . ." P considers herself lucky when I put down a K and 2 Js. :P

 

I dunno, maybe he was planning some kind of snake in the grass x.

 

In my book, it is unethically rude to comment on OPPs bidding in their presence unless asked.

I don't mind conversation unrelated to bridge before a hand is taken out of the first board of the round, or after the last board is scored up, but I abhor any discussion by anybody of hands previously played in the session at any time, or any discussion of anything at all unrelated to the current hand during the round.

 

The time for post-mortems is after the session is over. Preferably over a beer, or after some sessions a case of Scotch. Or tequila. :P

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playing a weak NT in a strong NT country for many years now. Now I play transfers but used to play no transfers, not a big deal one way or another. I think no transfers is slightly better in a 11-14 range in a 12-14 range both are about equals.
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  • 1 month later...

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