[olien]

I have devised the following 2-suited overcall structure by combining the aspects of ghestem and top and bottom cues and my own thoughts. I want to get some objective opinions about its effectiveness and how it might be improved:

Vs 1C:
2C...Natural
2D...Majors forcing (not necessarily strong)
2N...Diamonds and Hearts
3C...strong with Spades and Diamonds

Vs 1D:
2D...Spades and Clubs
2H...Hearts and Spades, non forcing
2N...Clubs and Hearts
3D...Hearts and Spades, strong

Vs 1H:
2H...Spades and Clubs
2N...both minors
3C...Spades and Diamonds

Vs 1S:
2S...Hearts and Clubs
2N...both minors
3C...Hearts and Diamonds

[Quantumcat]

The problem with most of them is that you can't play in the suit bid, removing a possible auction. Better is to bid one of the suits that you have, maybe like this:

over 1♣
2♣ natural
2♦ diamonds and hearts
2♥ hearts and spades
2♠ spades
2NT = diamonds and spades

over 1♦
2♣, 2♦ natural
2♥ hearts and spades
2♠ spades
2NT = clubs and spades

[straube]

I think I'd rather keep the single-suited preempts (1C-2D, 1D-2H, 1H-3C, 1S-3C)

[rbforster]

Quantumcat, on Sep 30 2009, 08:48 PM, said:

The problem with most of them is that you can't play in the suit bid, removing a possible auction. Better is to bid one of the suits that you have

Overcall structure is pretty good at that. Jump bids show the cheaper of touching suits (or 2N if too strong for a non-forcing jump), and cuebid shows the non-touching combination. You don't get all your weak jump overcalls of course, but still some of them.

[Zelandakh]

This is my version which takes account of Quantumcat's point but does not give up on the strong hands or the weak jumps:-

1♣:-
2♣ = MULTI: wjo in a major, or ♠ + ♦, strong
2♥ = majors, weak (I play this as 5+♥s, 4+♠s, but standard 5-5 is fine)
2♠ = ♠ + ♦, weak (again, this can be played as 5+♠s, 4+♦s)
2NT = red, weak or strong
3♣ = majors, strong

1♦:-
2♦ = MULTI: wjo in a major, or ♠ + ♣, strong
2♥ = majors, weak (I play this as 5+♥s, 4+♠s, but standard 5-5 is fine)
2♠ = ♠ + ♣, weak (again, this can be played as 5+♠s, 4+♣s)
2NT = ♥ + ♣, weak or strong
3♦ = majors, strong

[Jlall]

Quantumcat, on Sep 30 2009, 08:48 PM, said:

The problem with most of them is that you can't play in the suit bid, removing a possible auction.

I'm sure he did this on purpose so that you can make these bids with an unlimited upper range without fear that partner is going to pass.

[ONEferBRID]

I was introduced to Danish Cuebids awhile back.
It shows specific 2-suiters, which is advantageous, but I'm not all that thrilled with it:

( 1A ) - 2A! = 2 highest
( 1A ) - 2NT!= Highest and lowest
( 1A ) - 3♣(always) = 2 lowest *
______________________________
* When A = Clubs you may want to use: ( 1♣ ) - 2♦ = 2 lowest

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Another system that I was introduced to recently is Bailey Cuebids.
It combines Michaels and Un2NT, and gets the Spade suit into the "action" all the time ( when it is an unbid suit ). You can't say that with straight Michaels.
The disadvantage is that you still don't show both suits as in straight Michaels.

In General:

( 1A ) - 2NT! = 2 lowest unbid ( this is the same Un2NT! ), all cases

( 1A ) - 2A! = Highest and ONE of the 2 lowest unbid.
       Note: "Highest" is always Spades unless A = Spades

The follow-ups are also very interesing:

-- Simple Advances are for "pass or correct".
-- Advancer "cues" to show a strong unbalanced hand.
-- Advancer bids 2NT! to show a strong balanced hand.
w/stop(s) in Opener's suit.
-- If Advancer bids the "known" suit ( usually Sp),
Overcaller bids his "unknown" suit to show the stronger hand.
-- If Advancer bids his "unknown" suit, Overcaller cues
OR bids 2NT to show suit agreement and the stronger hand.

[ Compliments of Michael Angelo Ravera ].

[straube]

Zelandakh, on Oct 15 2009, 08:35 AM, said:

This is my version which takes account of Quantumcat's point but does not give up on the strong hands or the weak jumps:-

1♣:-
2♣ = MULTI: wjo in a major, or ♠ + ♦, strong
2♥ = majors, weak (I play this as 5+♥s, 4+♠s, but standard 5-5 is fine)
2♠ = ♠ + ♦, weak (again, this can be played as 5+♠s, 4+♦s)
2NT = red, weak or strong
3♣ = majors, strong

1♦:-
2♦ = MULTI: wjo in a major, or ♠ + ♣, strong
2♥ = majors, weak (I play this as 5+♥s, 4+♠s, but standard 5-5 is fine)
2♠ = ♠ + ♣, weak (again, this can be played as 5+♠s, 4+♣s)
2NT = ♥ + ♣, weak or strong
3♦ = majors, strong

I like this. You get much better use out of the cue bid than does Michaels. Is it GCC legal? I would think it is. If you have continuations, please post them.

[Free]

I wonder if the 1m-2m multi is a brown sticker convention according to the WBF rules... I know for opening this would be allowed, but for overcalls I'm not sure.

[ONEferBRID]

Free, on Oct 16 2009, 02:56 AM, said:

I wonder if the 1m-2m multi is a brown sticker convention according to the WBF rules...  I know for opening this would be allowed, but for overcalls I'm not sure.

According to WBF rules it would be Brown Sticker.

" An overcall of a natural opening at the one level (that ) does not promise 4 cards in a known suit. "

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Brown sticker is a category of contract bridge conventional agreements defined by the World Bridge Federation (WBF).

Brown sticker conventions are considered, by some, to be difficult to defend against, and thus are only permitted at the highest levels of tournament play in most locations. Only highly unusual methods (HUMs) have a higher classification.

The official definition can be found on the WBF website[1].

A short summary would be that a convention qualifies for a brown sticker if it fulfills any of the following criteria:

1. An opening bid of 2♣ through 3♠ may be weak and does not promise a known suit.
2. An overcall of a natural opening at the one level does not promise 4 cards in a known suit.
3. A weak two-suited bid where one of the suits by definition may be only 3 cards or shorter.
4. It is used for protection of psychic bids, or systemically required psyches.

Notable exceptions are the Multi 2 diamonds (due to its popularity), a natural 1NT overcall, and cue bids on strong hands to force partner.

The bottom line is, that if a bid is weak (or potentially weak having multiple options) and does not promise 4 cards in a defined suit (when weak) then it is likely to have a brown sticker.