January 14, 2005 12:26 AM

Roman 2 Diamonds

PITBULLS:

I feel that partnerships should have two strong opening bids. The 2♣ opener is obvious but the 2♦ opener should also be a strong bid. I feel established partnerships should have the Roman 2♦ in their repertoire . Why ? because strong 4-4-4-1 hands are horribly hard to bid . They usually up the range also because opening 2♣ with strong 4-4-4-1 are also very hard to handle. The 2♦ opener is a strong bid and I just treat it as a special 2♣ opener but with 4-4-4-1 hands. Having strong 4-4-4-1 hands removed from your system and tucked into one bid has advantages. Other bidding sequences are now clarified as you can not hold a strong 4-4-4-1 . This virtually guarantees a 5 or longer minor when you rebid a major. This treatment removes the 4-4-4-1 hands from your two club structure which also clarifies those bids. Tom and I play a jump by the 2♣ opener as setting the suit and not a singleton .

A Roman 2♦ opening bid shows any 4-4-4-1 distribution with 17-24 HCP. Responder is expected to bid his best (longest) minor suit at the 3 level with some values under a 2NT response; with little preference, he bids 2♥. With a hand interested in playing a game (or slam) contract, responder can bid 2NT, artificial. This artificial 2NT response is also on in competition. The trick with this wide a range is describing the range variance. The following discusses ways of doing that.

After hearing a simple suit response, opener bids the next-highest suit with a minimum if responder happened to bid his short suit. Responder is then expected to correct, if necessary, to a better fit. Due to the wide HCP range of the 2♦ , we need a way to force to game after a simple response ( essentially 2♣ hands ) . If we do not wish to force to game , we of course, will just pass after we have found a fit. If we do not have a fit , we will just bid the next suit up if we do not wish to force to game. If we wish to game force , we will bid NT with no fit or show our stiff ( as long as its not the next ranking suit ) . examples 2♦-P-2♠-P 2NT is a game force with a stiff spade. 2♦-P-2♠-P 3♣ is just trying to find a better spot with a stiff spade. 2♦-P-2♠-P 3♦ is a stiff diamond and game forcing in spades.

17-24 has 2 ranges 17-20 & 21-24 so the responses to 2NT can take this range disparity into consideration. You can not hold a 5 card major but 5-4-4-0 with 5 card minors are permissible.

2NT asks and partner responds up the line in rank order with minimum taking priority over maximum and major stiffs taking priority over showing minor stiffs :

3♣ is a min with a stiff major                    3♦ asks             you bid your long major

3♦ is a max with a stiff major                   3♥ asks             3♠ is heart stiff, 3NT is a spade stiff

3♥ is a min with a stiff minor                    3♠ asks             bid your long minor

3♠ is a max with a stiff minor                   4♣ asks             4♦ is club stiff 4♥ is diamond stiff

Directly after the 2NT , jump to 4 of the 5 card minor to show the 4450 4405 min and 4 of a major to show the maximum 4450 4405 . 4♥ is a max with 5 clubs   4♠ is a max with 5 dia. Over these bids since there is a void involved , 4NT asks about controls (A=2 K=1) 5♣=5 5♦=6 5♥=7 5♠=8 5nt=9 (only 3 suits to worry about). To have 21 HCP the minimum is 5 controls and the max is 9 AKAKAK)

Tom Gandolfo was in 4^th seat with AKJx AK109 x AKxx . Opening a club in 4^th seat is dangerous as if partner with a scattering of points in a major passes you may even miss a slam. Qxxxxx xx xxx xx or Q10xx Qxxx xxx xx and partner might play this in 1♣ instead of +1430 in spades. Anyway Tom is in 4th seat and opens 2♦ and I hold xxx Qxx AJxxx xx . Since I have some values I should not bid a minimum 2♥. I am not strong enough to bid 2NT but I am strong enough to bid 3♦ . Tom just bids 3NT which is a good a contract as any. Take away my Ace and I have a 2♥ response instead.