Response to one diamnd....2/1 style

[pigpenz]

wow didnt know this question would get such a response considering the overwhelming response is to bid one notrump.

 

Actually:

found in an old Five Card Majors book by Max Hardy, it was called the hasty heart. Sometimes you have a to make a bid that doesnt fit into the system and it was called the hasy heart...he was referring to hands like

kxx

q98

qxx

axxx

 

but is was referring more to a hand that was too good for one notrump but not good enough for 2nt

 

1d 1h

2h 2nt showed this type of hand and was alertable as not being a four card heart suit

[coyot]

wow didnt know this question would get such a response considering the overwhelming response is to bid one notrump.

I'm even more suprised that noone here fears the opener with a good and long but not 100% solid diamonds to end up in some disaster slam when expecting at least a doubleton from the responder :)

[awm]

Systemically 1NT doesn't show a balanced hand. It would be the normal call on something like:

 

Kxx

Qxx

x

Kxxxxx

 

With the hand given, I would like to show an invite in clubs. Yes, I know that such a sequence would more typically show something like:

 

Kxx

xx

x

AQxxxxx

 

Surely no one bids 1NT on the above hand, which is probably a favorite for game opposite pretty much any opener with 3+ clubs. Any reasonable system has a way to invite with the above; I prefer to use a direct 3♣ to show this hand, but it seems in our methods we show this hand via 2♣ followed by 3♣.

 

I think the main question here is really evaluating the strengh of the hand. Eight card suits are very powerful, and holding the ace means you could well take seven tricks in the suit opposite two small. Axxxxxxx may be a better suit than AQxxxxx for many purposes. By showing an invite we are likely to get to game when partner has a marginal fit for clubs and good stoppers or controls. We are also likely to avoid playing the hand in 1NT. Yes, you can get some bad results if partner blasts to the stratosphere with a good hand and short clubs, but hopefully partner is sane. The example hand given of:

 

Axx

Axx

AKJxxxx

-

 

doesn't play particularly well opposite a "real" club invite either. I should hope that partner doesn't take 2♣ as game forcing, since evidently it's not in our methods.

[Double !]

I really don't like this system.

 

Either play 1D - 2C as almost gf or play 1D - 3C as inv..

 

I'm bidding 1H praying that I can make a Walsh jump of 3C over 1S or 1N. I hate 1N with a 2308 shape but I dislike 2C even more.

 

Maybe the best call over 1D playing these methods is a direct 5C.

I do not like pure 100% 2/1 GF, either.

I prefer 2/1 GF except for suit rebid. (we also play 2-way jump-shifts: a J-S is either strong, or it is a fit bid. P bids next step to ask which it is. If not 2-way, this bidding dinosaur strongly prefers strong J-Ss. As i have said in the past, there are just certain hands that you need to get off your chest early and then take your time.)

 

This hand is just another example of some structural problems inherent in strong NT systems.