Remember when you could open this hand 1S (AKxxx,Axx,xx,xxx)? Partner bids 1N promising 6-9 and denying three spades. Cool, there was nothing else to do but pass this hand. Not true once we’ve learned 2/1 auctions. Now the 1N forcing bid could include three card spade support and any hand not worth a game forcing call e.g. up to 11 points. This forces opener to keep the bidding open by rebidding the longest three-card minor, 2C in the example hand above. Yuck, do you really want to suggest xxx as a trump suit? –and on a horrible day have partner lead it against a diamond contract?
The plot thickens when we are also forced to rebid 2C on strong shapely hands that value less than strong jump shift actions: AKxxx, xx, K, AKxxx. Although you’re more than happy to offer up AKxxx as a trump suit, does partner know from your basic sequence that you have almost a strong jump shift hand forcing to game?
The sequence 1S 1N, 2C auctions is one of the least defined auctions in 2/1 systems. This makes decisions as responder very difficult. For example, holding x, Axx, xxx, Qxxxxx one could easily pass AKxxx,Axx,xx,xxx and be satisfied. However, should partner hold : AKxxx, xx, K, AKxxx, you’re now missing a pretty good club slam if you pass.
It takes a lot of partnership work to gauge opener and responder actions in these situations. Imagine an auction such as 1C 1S, 2N. Isn’t opener’s hand defined between a very narrow range? Responder can pretty much gauge the potential of the hand. Not so with 1S 1N, 2C auctions where opener can have an extreme range of high card values and black suit shape.
When I was discussing this confusing situation with my mentor, he mentioned that strong club systems alleviate some of these issues— the powerful hands start with an artificial 1C bid. However. strong club sequences have problems of their own.
So, I offer you some parameters on which 3C bids can be made as responder. Since one could bid 2S on most hands for 5/2 spade fits, the minimum 3C hand should have lots of clubs. Lots of 3C hands contain only one spade. One should also have an ace somewhere in a non-trump suit to cover losers. Here are some examples:
1) x, Axx, xxx, Qxxxxx
2) x, Axx, xxxx, Kxxxx
Unfortunately, since no other bid is available but 3C to show less than game forcing hands, the 3C bid could also contain all invitational hands opposite a minimum that is not appropriate for no trump e.g. x, KQx, Jxx, KQxxxx,
Bottom line, these sequences are difficult, caution should be taken that one doesn’t get too high on trash and not high enough on potential game/slam hands. Bidding is not an exact science –however if you work on these parameters within your partnerships you should get as good at them as some of the other expert players who routinely field these auctions.
1S 1N!, 2d auctions have the same problems as those mentioned above. However, similar auctions that start with 1H are less problematic. As responder one can delineate the “courtesy bump” from the invitational hands with the “impossible 2S” calls, the latter being the stronger.
1) 1H 1N!, 2D 2S! (invitational hand with diamonds)
2) 1H 1N!, 2D 3D (less than an invitational hand with diamonds)
If your partnership is ready, you might try reversing the 1C/1S bid with 5/5 hands or play Bart relays. These treatments truly need partnership discussion and work! In the meantime, I hope the above discussion piece provided the need/reason for such work!
Tuesday, April 12, 2011
Sunday, April 3, 2011
Convention Card Development --Think Like a Bridge Player
Everyone knows teaching and sharing is not about teaching facts (ok, sometimes it is, but most of the time it isn't) . When you've been around A players a long time, you get into their heads and figure out how they think. I hope I share some of how A players think, otherwise, my sharing is really lacking in substance --
So, I offer the development team an effort at providing a structure for convention development and documentation --it's just a start --
Every player over 2000 mp will have their own favorite conventions and versions of them. Because one treatment has helped them one time beat the Lusky team, it will forever be inscribed in their prayer books and you won't be able to talk them out of that particular treatment. Remember, part of partnership development is keeping partner happy and even inferior methods are better than methods that are not discussed.
Whenever a structured partnership contemplates adding a new treatment to their card/system notes, they review the following --always. You should do likewise.
Name of convention and which version
Purpose
In comp strategies/Seat position rules
How to handle the bids the convention replaces
Caveats/Warnings
Example Sequences
Defense when others use the convention
Above that, the partnership usually does a "frequency versus memory overhead" assessment.
If the convention comes up once in five years, and takes 15% of brain power to remember it, well then, one might not want to add the treatment to your methods. That ratio is just too overbearing. One might want to adopt treatments in your early career that are portable to multiple partnerships.
Attached is a very basic attempt to define a drury convention. Telling your partner you want to play "drury" is like telling them you wish to play "bridge". There are so many versions, discussion is truly necessary. Likewise with most other conventions.
Enjoy.
DRURY AGREEMENTS
March 29, 2011
NAME: Reverse One-Way Drury
PURPOSE: To protect against getting too high opposite light third and fourth seat openings. Invitational sequences are replaced by a low-level 2C bid. Bail-outs, game tries and slam tries are based on confirming invitational values by passed hand in support of the opened major.
The drury query is sort of like Stayman. Temporarily, responder is in charge of the auction and opener, like Stayman is required to answer responder’s question. Responder may have passed a hand that has game-going values once a major suit fit is found but it’s up to responder to take the partnership there.
Light major suit openings in third seat are made to protect a passed 11 point hand where the partnership may still have up to 21 to 23 points combined. Light major suit openings are often psyched. Fourth seat openings may be light due to “rule of 15” calculations. Drury protects all of these openings from getting to the three level.
BASIC SEQUENCES-all bids require an alert:
2C by passed hand asks opener about the quality of his/her opening bid. Says nothing about clubs.
Responses: 2M –subminimum, I would not have opened this hand in first/second seat. 2D says nothing about diamonds but promises an opener in first or second seat. 4M I have game values opposite your promised invitational values. 3S slam invite, start Q bidding.
2N by opener is an offer to play, invites 3N.
3N by opener is an offer to play.
Any bid by either side between 2M and 3M is shortness –game try, of course.
IN-COMP TREATMENTS:
Drury is off over direct interference of any type. If you wish to show your invitational values for partner’s opener, use your regular methods (e.g. Q bid, XX’s, etc).
If there is interference at the two level after the 2C drury bid, 2M by opener is the weakest action. Pass is stronger. Opener is allowed to pass a weak hand over three level interference.
TREATMENTS OF BIDS THE CONVENTION REPLACES:
Drury bids replace 2C natural bids by passed hand. Those hands should start with 1N. A jump in clubs by a passed hand is invitational and implies six good clubs.
DEFENSE: Any X of a drury bid is take out for the other suits. Suit bids are natural.
EXAMPLES:
P 1M, 2C! 2D! I have a full opener, a hand I would have opened in first or second chair.
P 1M, 2C! 3M! I have a great hand, slam invite. Unless you have complete dog, please start Q bidding.
P 1M, 2C! 3C! I have a good hand and shortness in clubs. Watcha think responder?
(P) (1M), (2C!) X I have a TO bid of their major, please consider competing partner.
P 1H (1S) 2C natural non forcing.
CAVEATS/WARNINGS: Two-way (2 diamonds) drury gives up a valuable natural bid and allows the opponent easier choices when balancing. The “reverse” in the name is due to the fact that the 2M and 2D bids used to have opposite meanings than what is now mainstream.
If your partner neglects to alert your bid, treat your partner’s response as if you had bid drury. You are not allowed to take an action based on the fact that you did not hear an alert. That is unauthorized information.
So, I offer the development team an effort at providing a structure for convention development and documentation --it's just a start --
Every player over 2000 mp will have their own favorite conventions and versions of them. Because one treatment has helped them one time beat the Lusky team, it will forever be inscribed in their prayer books and you won't be able to talk them out of that particular treatment. Remember, part of partnership development is keeping partner happy and even inferior methods are better than methods that are not discussed.
Whenever a structured partnership contemplates adding a new treatment to their card/system notes, they review the following --always. You should do likewise.
Name of convention and which version
Purpose
In comp strategies/Seat position rules
How to handle the bids the convention replaces
Caveats/Warnings
Example Sequences
Defense when others use the convention
Above that, the partnership usually does a "frequency versus memory overhead" assessment.
If the convention comes up once in five years, and takes 15% of brain power to remember it, well then, one might not want to add the treatment to your methods. That ratio is just too overbearing. One might want to adopt treatments in your early career that are portable to multiple partnerships.
Attached is a very basic attempt to define a drury convention. Telling your partner you want to play "drury" is like telling them you wish to play "bridge". There are so many versions, discussion is truly necessary. Likewise with most other conventions.
Enjoy.
DRURY AGREEMENTS
March 29, 2011
NAME: Reverse One-Way Drury
PURPOSE: To protect against getting too high opposite light third and fourth seat openings. Invitational sequences are replaced by a low-level 2C bid. Bail-outs, game tries and slam tries are based on confirming invitational values by passed hand in support of the opened major.
The drury query is sort of like Stayman. Temporarily, responder is in charge of the auction and opener, like Stayman is required to answer responder’s question. Responder may have passed a hand that has game-going values once a major suit fit is found but it’s up to responder to take the partnership there.
Light major suit openings in third seat are made to protect a passed 11 point hand where the partnership may still have up to 21 to 23 points combined. Light major suit openings are often psyched. Fourth seat openings may be light due to “rule of 15” calculations. Drury protects all of these openings from getting to the three level.
BASIC SEQUENCES-all bids require an alert:
2C by passed hand asks opener about the quality of his/her opening bid. Says nothing about clubs.
Responses: 2M –subminimum, I would not have opened this hand in first/second seat. 2D says nothing about diamonds but promises an opener in first or second seat. 4M I have game values opposite your promised invitational values. 3S slam invite, start Q bidding.
2N by opener is an offer to play, invites 3N.
3N by opener is an offer to play.
Any bid by either side between 2M and 3M is shortness –game try, of course.
IN-COMP TREATMENTS:
Drury is off over direct interference of any type. If you wish to show your invitational values for partner’s opener, use your regular methods (e.g. Q bid, XX’s, etc).
If there is interference at the two level after the 2C drury bid, 2M by opener is the weakest action. Pass is stronger. Opener is allowed to pass a weak hand over three level interference.
TREATMENTS OF BIDS THE CONVENTION REPLACES:
Drury bids replace 2C natural bids by passed hand. Those hands should start with 1N. A jump in clubs by a passed hand is invitational and implies six good clubs.
DEFENSE: Any X of a drury bid is take out for the other suits. Suit bids are natural.
EXAMPLES:
P 1M, 2C! 2D! I have a full opener, a hand I would have opened in first or second chair.
P 1M, 2C! 3M! I have a great hand, slam invite. Unless you have complete dog, please start Q bidding.
P 1M, 2C! 3C! I have a good hand and shortness in clubs. Watcha think responder?
(P) (1M), (2C!) X I have a TO bid of their major, please consider competing partner.
P 1H (1S) 2C natural non forcing.
CAVEATS/WARNINGS: Two-way (2 diamonds) drury gives up a valuable natural bid and allows the opponent easier choices when balancing. The “reverse” in the name is due to the fact that the 2M and 2D bids used to have opposite meanings than what is now mainstream.
If your partner neglects to alert your bid, treat your partner’s response as if you had bid drury. You are not allowed to take an action based on the fact that you did not hear an alert. That is unauthorized information.
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