Saturday, June 04, 2005 5:13 PM
Generalizations Part III
PITBULLS:
The more times you
can say always or never with your Bridge system , the more
your memory is assisted . If you depart
from standard systems with your established
partnership , you need to be aware of the differences between your system and Standard. Generalizations assist the memory. Here are some conceptual
generalizations that assist us in playing our system.
We play
disciplined openers with respect
to Quick Tricks. Our pre-empts at
the two & three level respect the vulnerability and seat position. Suicide
bids are for terrorists. Our balancing techniques are predicated on the fact
that the opponents are not
disciplined with their opening bids or pre-empts. Off shape
doubles are made at the right vulnerability to go for the throat. All doubles
of 1NT and 1NT rebids by the opponents are penalty and not T/O. We try to never rescue the opponents as an initial action.
We do not trap vul vrs not so we may have to manufacture
bids to enter the auction. All other vulnerabilities we trap with their suit. Our balancing is predicated on
the fact that partner has trapped so we use the double card quite often.
We
play forcing pass theory when we own the auction and D.S.I.P. theory when we
do not . D.S.I.P. theory defines
the way we compete after openers , overcalls , T/O doubles or balances. Trump
stack doubles after the opponents pre-empt are non existent and trump stack
doubles are a rare animal.
Our
overcall style is predicated on “shape before
strength” . We will show our distribution first and strength later
with a D.S.I.P. double. The belated doubles is not T/O or penalty is just shows
“cards” . Our T/O doubles may be off shape with respect to the minors. We will
always have the majors unless the rare hand where we were just too strong to
overcall. We play equal level conversion
at all levels due to our off shape T/O doubles especially in the balancing or
after pre-empts.
Relays
are a large part of the system when 2NT is bid either as invitational or a 2NT
rebid. We always follow the Lebensohl principle. Natural is strong and the
relay is to escape somewhere. We play the “good-bad
2NT” which is used in the sandwich position. Good bad 2NT forces a club
relay.
We
do not open hands at the one level
that are so strong that we may
miss game if partner does not respond. This defines our 2♣ structure. Therefore
it is not necessary to psych a
response just to keep the bidding opening. If you do psych a response , it is
for tactical purposes only ( nv vrs Vul ? ) . We open strong two suiters with
2♣ or 2♦ and have relays
to help describe them. Strong diamond hands , diamond two suiters or strong
Roman 2♦ hands are opened with 2♦.
2/1
in competition is forcing to game unless the suit is rebid. We do not play the
Standard 10+ but our 2/1 are more suit
oriented. This is similar to negative
free bids but with values concentrated in the suit if we do not
intend to game force. We play weak jump shifts in competition even after majors
which help us further define our 2/1 in competition.
We
play strong jump shifts by responder
as a passed hand or
after overcalls. They are a specialized strong jump shift showing a fit and the suit in which we
jumped. 2NT bid after a strong jump shift is always asking for a singleton.
Raise of responders suit is forcing to game and openers suit non forcing.
Jump
rebids by opener or overcaller
are suit orientated rather than HCP strength orientated . We have a
multi-purpose 3♣ jump shift to show strong hands so jump rebids are scaled down
a bit and must have a decent suit.
In overcall situations , jumps show good suits and jump shifts show
distribution rather than HCP strength. We would Q bid instead to put on a game
force rather than jump bidding.
Jump
rebids by responder show
semi-solid or solid suits and are game forcing. 4th suit forcing
auctions show the game forcing hands without the
good suit. We play 2♣ with a 1NT rebid as a relay to 2♦ to show all invitational hands ( 2 way NMF ) .
Therefore all jump rebids , jump
shifts and jump preferences are strong and forcing a la Charles Goren.
Our
reverses show an Ace above an opener or better so after a Lebensohl 2NT we can get
out at the 3 level. To assist us in our reverse structure , we play jump shift reverses . There are 6-5 hands
with 10-14 HCP’s . They are tactical bids and are only forcing to the level of
preference.
4th suit forcing has been
modified to include 2NT as a 4th suit by responder and a one round force. 2NT by responder is forcing to game in any auction
unless opener relays with a weak distributional opener to escape. This is an
excellent understanding to avoid some of the pitfalls of 4th suit
forcing. You right side the NT and avoid pre-empting partner by leaping to
3NT.
Our
1NT opening structure has some generalizations. After we have found a major fit
with Stayman , all subsequent bids except 3♣ imply
that fit. 3♣ is Re-Stayman saying describe your distribution to me
as I am trying to find a minor fit.
After a 2♦ response to Stayman , 2 level Smolen kicks in. 2♥ demands a relay to 2♠ and 2♠
demands a relay to 2NT. These sequences shows the 5-4 in the major hands and
pinpoints the 5 card major.
Jacoby
transfers to show a 5-5 are always a
game force. If you want to show a 5-5 with invitational hands you use a relay. With hearts as the anchor suit
to transfer to hearts and then relay to 2NT via a 2♠ bid. A
suit now shows the invitational 5-5 with hearts as the anchor suit.
Invitational 5-5’s with spades as the anchor suit is done with Stayman and a relay after a 2♦ or 2♥ response
to Stayman.
Jumps
after a 1NT opener are always minor
orientated . 1NT-P-3♣-P is a weak 5-5 in the minors . 1NT-P-3♦-P shows a strong 5-5 in the minors. 1NT-P-3♥-P shows 5-4 in the minors with 3 hearts. 1NT-P-3♠-P
shows 5-4 in the minors with 3 spades.
The 3 level belongs to the minors is our generalization.
Our
rebids after a 1NT response to a minor are not
standard. Jump rebids in the minor are pre-emptive , 2NT is not
invitational showing 18-19 specifically and the rebid of the minor is the only
invitational response. This simple minor
rebid at the two level
shows the Goren jump rebids
or non forcing to game reverses. Reverses are game forcing . A jump to
3NT ( gambling ) shows a minor that runs.
Our
signaling is non standard. We have bought into the Gartaganis system in known
count situations. Whenever partner should know there has been length or known
count from the bidding , we switch to middle card encourages and other cards
suit preference. Our attitude signals take into consideration the obvious shift
principle so encouragement could mean that we just can not stand the
shift.
Generalizations assist the memory in remembering the
ways your system deviates from standard.
Forgetting agreements is a sure recipe for disaster. It is an excellent generalization to have numerous
generalizations with your bidding system J