Wednesday, October 08, 2003 2:45 AM

Hand Evaluation – Systemic ( Drury )

 

PITBULLS:

 

            Since we much prefer fit showing jumps to splinters as a passed hand  , there should be a way of showing splinters. One way is already built into the fit showing jumps structure itself. Cheapest 2NT asks for a singleton as the 2 suited responding hand quite often has a singleton. The other way is to use Drury to ask for the splinter . Combine Drury with Jacoby 2NT like responses and you have the best of both worlds.

 

            P-P-1♠-P

          2♣-P-2NT-P  

 

             You can bid 3NT to suggest a choice of contracts so why not give Jacoby 2NT meanings to the 2NT bid ?  3♣/♦/♥  response to the 2NT shows a singleton with 4 card support , 3NT shows 3 card support with a balanced hand or a stiff somewhere, 3♠ shows 4 trump with a maximum balanced hand , 4♠ shows 4 trump with a minimum balanced . A jump to 4♣/♦/♥ after 2NT can not be another suit or else you would have made a fit showing jump. Bidding Drury with a void is far fetched so a flower bid directly shows the 4 level spade raises.  The only meaning I can see for the jump is a type of flower bid with a maximum . Say  ♠KQx ♥xx ♦KQJ10 ♣xxxx  might qualify for a 4♦ bid after the 2NT probe.  Of course just rebidding your major instead of 2NT should end the auction. Comments ?

 

            My partner has added a Kokish game try element to Drury. Opener bids 2♦ as a Kokish game try or if opener bids another suit it is shortness. This works well & it fits in with the 2NT bid being interpreted as Jacoby like. Playing souped up Drury means you do not need 2NT as a passed hand as a major suit raise.

 

            Partner quite often opens light in 3rd seat so jumping to 2NT to show a natural flat hand with 12 HCP is a wasted & possibly dangerous bid . Bid 1NT with your 12 HCP so if partner passes then you are high enough . Maybe you will catch a balancer that way . 2♦ natural as a passed hand is a valuable bid . Drury takes care of the 2♣ bid  so you may as well define 2NT as a passed hand to show any splinter. This allows you stay below game if you are not interested in asking for the splinter location.