Friday, August 12, 2005 7:11 AM

Hand Evaluation - Disturbing Opponents NT

 

PITBULLS:

 

            Everybody has a “toy” to disturb the opponents NT and “get in there” to describe their majors. One of the worse tools for this purpose in my opinion is Cappeletti. Any system that introduces ambiguity by concealing their long suit is just plain bad. The Cappeletti 2♣ bid is a horrible bid in that it conceals the suit thereby allowing the opponents to pre-empt you out of determining  the suit partner is holding. The simple act of the opponents leaping to 3NT prevents you from maybe a cheap sacrifice or even a double game swing if only you knew what the suit was ! Not knowing partners suit makes competing very difficult for the same reason so bids are wasted just determining partners hand.

 

            There are some good things about Capelletti also. The double as penalty is good. The major suit structure is good. The notion of showing two suits with one bid is good. 2♥ & 2♠ showing that suit with a minor is helpful.  A good replacement  for Capelletti which revolves around the major suits as the single suiter ,  is to play the following “multi” 2♦ system. 2♦ shows either a single suited heart hand or spade hand. You reduce the ambiguity down to the majors so you can act with major cards as with the multi 2♦.

 

Have 2♣ show spades & a red suit . Since hearts is a “red suit” , this 2♣ bid covers the majors but it is better than Capelletti in that it narrows down your other suit. This “either / or” structure allows for Paradox advances since you know the 2nd suit is either hearts or diamonds.  A 2♠ overcall now shows specifically spades & clubs which pinpoints the minor right away. 2♥ is still ambiguous as showing that major with an unknown minor. The double remains as penalty but change the Capelletti 2♦ bid to the multi 2♦ showing either major ! This system applies in the balancing spot also.

 

        This Paradox idea originated from the multi 2♦ diamond opener and uses some of the same tools i.e.. ParadoX Advances and jumps to the 4 level in a minor with a huge major suit fit for partner. A paradox bid is a non-forcing call of the suit you don't hold when length in one of two suits has been shown or implied by partner's bid, generally when the partnership expects to subside in one of these suits. After the multi 2♦ overcall , you bid 2♥ when you prefer to play in spades or a bad hand period and 2♠ when you prefer hearts as an invite. 2NT as usual with these sequences is the forcing bid.

If you have a fit with partners major after the 2♦ call & want to go to game leap to 4♣. Partner will bid 4♦ with hearts and 4♥ with spades allowing the strong NT on lead. If for some reason you want partner to play the hand ( bathroom break) bid 4♦ and partner will bid her major.

Tricks opposite the Multi 2 diamond overcall.

 

 However ParadoX allows similar bids at the three level - extending the preempt

♠ J54
♥ K853
♦ 9
♣ Q10732

This time game might be on for the opponents and a rapid ParadoX preempt extension of 3♠ makes things hard for them. In practice it always seems safe. Play there, or in 4 hearts. I have often made the same bid on ♠ Qx and four hearts and it works fine.

 

            The 2♣ overcall showing spades or a red suit is built for Paradox advances. By bidding the red suit you do not have , you are inviting in the other red suit. Two spades can be used as an out rather than just a preference. 2NT is a big hand normally without spades. Ex. ♠x ♥QJ10x ♦xxx ♣AJ109x   1NT-2♣*-P-2♦     if partner has hearts , she accepts the game invite , otherwise passes 2♦. If partner has both red suits , pre-emptive action can take place as it is a pass or correct situation.

 

The double should be an either/or bid. A strong NT with a good lead or a hand too strong to overcall. This structure applies in the balancing spot also and against strong or weak NT’s.

 

If the opponents open a minor & respond 1NT which gets passed out , you need a way to get back into the auction. A balancing double should always be penalty ( trap ) so Kantar suggest bidding the other minor as a T/O for the majors. This leaves the original minor as natural.  Tom Gandolfo recommends playing “minors/majors” with these auctions. 2♦ regardless of the minor opened , shows the majors & 2♣ regardless of the minor opened shows the minors . Discuss with partner.