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Mini No Trump... Hero or Villain?


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At least I was big enough to admit I was in error. Do I get Brownie points for that(?!) And FYI I do attend BIL classes...as a mentor(!)

 

I even made a rap song for dear Phil! Lyrics are done, working on the melody and beats. (ok I hate rap and this is my first try, so go easy on me!)http://www.bridgebase.com/forums/public/style_emoticons/default/tongue.gif

 

 

My name is Teemo

Where is my Phil00

I offered you a game of fair

Calling me out got lost in the air!

 

We have been reading you comments

These had been funny moments

You called me out in the light

What changed your mind last night?

 

You called us "palookas"

Attacked with your PASS ookas!

As if that wasn't enough.

You are killing us with more funny stuff!

 

My name is Teemo

Where is my Phil00!?

It is not the weak notrump

Phil00 is my HERO!

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I have always wondered why anyone would play a 10-12 1NT opening in third seat opposite a passed partner. You seem to be inviting the opponents to double you.

 

Sorry. for a bit later reply. But I can see multiple reasons when mini-NT can be winner 3rd seat. Of course red vs white positive sides aren't that big and negative sides increase a lot. That makes the 3rd seat mini 1NT scoring expectations highly depending on vulnerability.

 

1. 1NT is pre-emptive opening. Opponents will have hard time finding correct part-scores and games

2. Doubling even that 1NT with passed partner is not risk free for opponents. I have opened 10 hcp 3rd seat 12-14 1NT and ended up making it redoubled (partner had 10hcp too).

3. There is no game so whole 1NT system can be designed to look for the best part-score our way.

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1) yes (specifically, 8-"we don't have game").

2) we never opened 1NT in third seat in three years :-)

 

Specifically, p-1NT-3 would have showed 4 clubs and 10-12 (and by inference 4441); p-1NT-3 showed 4 diamonds and 10-12 (and by inference 4441; strong implication that it's 4=4=4=1). But that was a function of the EHAA pass.

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What about 4th seat?

 

I just opened 4th seat 11-13 1NT with 14 hcp in the latest Cayne match. We should probably explain those 1NT opening up to no game interest meaning quite many 14 hcp hands fit to the category.

 

[hv=lin=pn|suokko,migry,Derric,jillm|st%7C%7Cmd%7C2S9TQH57TKD48AC3JA%2CS25JKH389QD36C69Q%2CS7AH246D259JC248K%2C%7Crh%7C%7Cah%7CBoard%2016%7Csv%7Ce%7Cmb%7Cp%7Cmb%7Cp%7Cmb%7Cp%7Cmb%7C1N%7Can%7C11-13%20may%20have%20minor%20singletons%7Cmb%7Cp%7Cmb%7Cp%7Cmb%7Cp%7Cpc%7CH3%7Cpc%7CH2%7Cpc%7CHA%7Cpc%7CH5%7Cpc%7CDK%7Cpc%7CDA%7Cpc%7CD6%7Cpc%7CD2%7Cpc%7CD4%7Cpc%7CD3%7Cpc%7CD9%7Cpc%7CDT%7Cpc%7CHJ%7Cpc%7CHK%7Cpc%7CH8%7Cpc%7CH4%7Cpc%7CD8%7Cpc%7CS2%7Cpc%7CD5%7Cpc%7CDQ%7Cpc%7CS3%7Cpc%7CS9%7Cpc%7CSJ%7Cpc%7CSA%7Cpc%7CS7%7Cpc%7CS8%7Cpc%7CST%7Cpc%7CSK%7Cpc%7CS5%7Cpc%7CC2%7Cpc%7CS4%7Cpc%7CSQ%7Cpc%7CC3%7Cpc%7CC6%7Cpc%7CCK%7Cpc%7CC7%7Cpc%7CDJ%7Cpc%7CD7%7Cpc%7CH7%7Cpc%7CH9%7Cpc%7CH6%7Cpc%7CC5%7Cpc%7CHT%7Cpc%7CHQ%7Cpc%7CC9%7Cmc%7C8%7C]500|400[/hv]

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What does "no conventions" mean in practice? Would it be allowed to play, say:

2: invite or better, better minor no 5-card major

2: invite or better, better minor no 5-card major

2: To play

2NT: Invitational

3m: Invitational, 6-card suit

3M: Forcing, at least 5-card suit

 

With some partner we play white on red 1st and 2nd seat the following "crazy" system:

 

1NT: 9 - 12 NT

2NT: 13 - 14 NT

 

Similar to Zia's ploy in the Cavendish some years ago. We agreed that if we would lose IMPs on it, we would forget about it. This never happened. We had some 2NT-1 vs 1NT = hands but opponents, even good ones, have trouble shooting the weak 2NT because they are never sure bidding their own game isn't better.

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What does "no conventions" mean in practice? Would it be allowed to play, say:

2: invite or better, better minor no 5-card major

2: invite or better, better minor no 5-card major

2: To play

2NT: Invitational

3m: Invitational, 6-card suit

3M: Forcing, at least 5-card suit

I think it basically means "no artificial bids". These are all natural (when you bid a suit, it's your longest suit), the only necessary agreement is the strength they each show (which is also natural: the more you have, the higher you bid). So I think a system like this would be allowed.

 

If this weren't allowed, what would? The only less "conventional" response system would be that responder just bids what he thinks they can make, and opener is essentially barred.

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I think that would be allowed. However, "no conventions" also means:

  • No conventions later in the auction. That means no Gerber, Blackwood, no bidding a suit you don't have cards or the A or K in, throughout the auction.
  • No conventional defences, even to conventional defences to your openings. No SOS redoubles, takeout doubles, or bidding suits you don't intend to play in (including cuebids of their suits, bid or implied (again, unless it shows a stopper/control in that suit)). So when they *do* double you in 1NT, all calls are either "to play" or "INV, NAT".

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Is bidding 2 with a 6=6=1=0 invite really natural? Okay that's an extreme hand but it is going to be a 2 card suit quite often. My guess is that the meaning of "no conventions" is purely up to the TD/club and is likely to vary from place to place. As for what is more natural - 2X to play, 2NT/3X invite, 3NT/4X game would work. ;)
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Is bidding 2 with a 6=6=1=0 invite really natural?

His meaning of 2 is no 5-card major. That has two 5-card majors.

 

Or was your smiley because you interpreted "5-card major" to mean "exactly 5 cards", not "at least 5 cards" as obviously intended?

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His meaning of 2 is no 5-card major. That has two 5-card majors.

 

Or was your smiley because you interpreted "5-card major" to mean "exactly 5 cards", not "at least 5 cards" as obviously intended?

I actually missed that :blink: and it means that there is seemingly no bid available with any (45)xx invite or better hand. It is actually not far away from Culbertson's NT structure, believe it or not.

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I actually missed that :blink: and it means that there is seemingly no bid available with any (45)xx invite or better hand. It is actually not far away from Culbertson's NT structure, believe it or not.

Hardly surprising that when you're not allowed to play any conventions, there will be hands that are hard to describe.

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