Home Cooking - Invitational 2 Diamonds

[inquiry]

Many of us, no doubt, have come up with some wacky conventions... mostly all of them terrible failures. But maybe there is something to past failures if we can discuss them and drag some kernal of truth out of them. I would like to see and discuss some of the "out there" conventions.

 

So I will start the ball rolling with a group of conventions to a 1NT opening bid, each builds on the use of the other. The first part is what I termed the "Invitational 2D". AFTER partner opens 1NT nearly all game invitational hands begin with a two diamond intial response... the only exception is a hand with a four card major (still use stayman) and game going hands with two 5 card card long or longer majors.

 

In response to 2D, your partner bids responds with paradox bidding. So, for example, if your partner would deny a game try in hearts, he bids 2H. The 2H bid says nothing about min/max or whether he would accept a game try in spades, NT or a minor. IF he accepts game try in hearts, he next decides if he accepts game try in SPADES. If no, obviously bids 2S, if yes, then nt, etc.

 

Of couirse, this is not all THAT useful. But it separates game try hands from all other. So other bids are either weak or strong. So I added what I called jumping jacoby to the complesx, where 2NT through 3H are transfers. 3D and 3H game force, other signoff or game force. But here is the trick. The response to 3D or 3H is based to some degree on fit, and to degree on SIGNIFICANT FIT CARDS. The significant fit cards are the four ACES plus the KQ of trumps (so total of 6). With 5 such cards (must be 3ACES and KQ of triumps) opener bids 4NT (invitational) openers hand is open book, responder places the contract gneerally.

 

With 4 Significant cards, but 2 card fit, bid 3NT. With 0-1 significant cards and fit, bid  4 of major. With 2-3 significant cards, fit or no, just complete transfer. With 4 significant cards, and fit, cue-bid cheapest ACE. After these responses, responder can show distribituion, use EXCLUSION cue bids to seek additional high cards out side of exclusion suit, and my favorite, reverse josephine looking for grand slam if among opener's signficant cards, the TRUMP queen is missing.

 

Lot more of course, due to the type of hands available if you fail to use Invitational 2 Diamonds (I-2-D). For example, 1NT-2C-2D-3D can no longer be natural (I play game force, 5-5 in major or better, asking partner to show a three card major). But such discussions will have to wait until interest is shown. Biggest disadvantage is strong NT goes on table after 1NT-2H or 1NT-2S auctions.

 

I would be glad to discuss the I-2-D and any other home cooked conventions other people have invented/tried.

[alanb]

How would you modify this opposite a 12-14 NT?

 

2D seems to allow for only a very general game try, as opposed to the more specific side suit/help suit/whatever game tries you can have after a transfer.

 

Are the 2H/S bids unilateral sign-offs, or do they promise enough values that opener can raise on an extreme fit?

[inquiry]

How would you modify this opposite a 12-14 NT?

 

2D seems to allow for only a very general game try, as opposed to the more specific side suit/help suit/whatever game tries you can have after a transfer.

 

Are the 2H/S bids unilateral sign-offs, or do they promise enough values that opener can raise on an extreme fit?

 

Playing against weak notrump, a couple of changes are necessary. The first is the hand that the bidding would go...

1N - 2D

2any - 3C/3D

 

With strong notrump, I use this to show 6 card suit headed by AQ, AK, or KQ. The idea is that if partner has the right matching hand, he can count 9 tricks and bid 3NT. This will not be good enough playing weak notrump. The hand has to be stronger than this.

 

As for if the bidding goes, 1N - 2H can opener raise to 3H? I think as a LOTT kind of thing, with 4 card fit he could with the idea of keeping the opponents out of the  bidding. But as an invitation to 4H, no.

 

You can issue weak and strong game tries through 2D if you are so inclined....

 

1H-2D

2S-3H        

 

2S = accept game try in hearts, not spades

3H = I have a weak game try....

 

1N-2D

2H-3H

 

2H = I don't accept a game try in hearts,

3H = I have a really good game try in hearts....

 

In practice these bids are of very little value versus a strong Notrump, but maybe more useful opposite a 1NT of 11-14 strength. I also used 4C/4D transfer after partner accepted a game try and 4H/4S to play from myside after an acceptance... depending upon my hand.      

 

I do not play this convention now. This was primarily to stimulate other "roll your own" conventions.