[luke warm]

i'm saving hands from vugraph on bbo for discussion later, but until i post them i wonder what the consensus is on a defense to mini...

my idea is to post some hands and see how the various defenses do... if you choose 'other' please put what it is thanks

[luke warm]

i might as well post my 'other' answer.. it's the same vs. strong nt

x=clubs and diamonds OR diamonds only OR pointed OR rounded (don't worry, it gets easier)
2C=diamonds and hearts OR hearts only
2D=majors OR spades only
2H=spades and clubs OR clubs only
2S=3 suited with spades
2NT=3 suited without spades

weakness may be no penalty x of anything at least i don't have to worry about the various runouts

[hrothgar]

I play the following in direct or balancing
[Recently consider the following tweak]

X = Spades and another suit
2C = Clubs and Hearts
2D = Diamonds and Hearts
2H = Hearts
2S = Spades
2N = Constructive, 2 suited, denies clubs
3C = Constructive, Clubs and another

[inquiry]

Hi Jimmy,

I voted other, although Capelletti (spelling) is ok against mini NT too. What I actually like is Cansino.

http://www.blakjak.d...uk/def_1nt1.htm

[luke warm]

whoaaaaaa... looks tuff ben, but i'm not sure i can figure out the 2C bids.. does have penalty x tho (which i think most people like)

[inquiry]

2♣ isn't magical... it just means I can play the hand in one of three suits, including clubs. I could be 4441 (any one suit but clubs), or even 4432 (any doubleton suit except clubs).

Ben

[luke warm]

first hand:

Scoring: IMP

---

West North East South

 -     Pass  1♦    1♠
 2♠    Pass  3♦    Pass
 3NT   Pass  Pass  Pass
 

result was 3nt by W, off one... how would bidding likely go if east opens 1NT using your favorite methods as N/S *and* as E/W (if in your methods south doesn't interfere)?

with me it would go 2D south (hearts and spades OR spades only) and i don't know what west would do now, but if n/s play 2S they should score 110 losing 3 hearts, a spade, and a diamond (i think)

if i'm west and if south doubles (for some reason), i pass and wait on redouble.. if south passes i pass

[1eyedjack]

I voted for other (Asptro, penalty double and anchor into weaker of two majors)

On first hand, with East West hands in an uncontested auction it would go 1N(E)-3N(W), which let's face it is where I want to be (even though it goes off on this occasion).

As South I would overcall 2C (Hearts and another which, if Spades, is longer).
Subsequent action depends on West. I doubt we get into the auction much after the 2C overcall, but South is on lead and will lead a Spade against 3N.

Conceivably this may guide declarer to the winning line (run D:T) but I am not sure that that is with the odds, even if South is reckoned to have 9 in the majors.

[Chamaco]

X = bal 15-17 or 21+. Responder will stayman or xfer
2C = Landy (54/45/55 in majors) OR 4M + longer minor
2D = 18-20 bal OR single suiter (not a reverse). Responses in 2D "Multi" style.
2H/S= natural 5+M + side minor
2NT = minors
3X = single suiter, reverse (max 5 losers)

[Free]

Some sort of multi-landy:

Dbl = opening value
2♣ = 44+M OR semi-GF singlesuiter
2♦ = 5+M OR GF singlesuiter
2M = 5M 4+m

[luke warm]

#2..

Scoring: IMP

---

West North East South

 -     -     Pass  Pass
 1♠    1NT   Pass  3NT
 Pass  Pass  Pass  

i put this in because i'd have opened the south hand 1nt .. 10hcp, 3 controls.. anyway, does west bid over 1nt? would *you*? if i did, again it'd be 2D showing hearts and spades or spades only

if i'm north and west passes, i bid 2D gf... south bids 2S, 3nt me.. if i'm north and west bids a suit, i bid 2nt leb, then 3nt over the 3c rebid.. if west doubles they're in big trouble

[Free]

hand 1: I'll bid 2♦, length in a Major. The difference between ♥ and ♠ is too big to show ♥s as well...

hand 2: Again, 2♦ (5+♠), not a Dbl worth imo.

[1eyedjack]

Hand 2, I pass with West's cards over a 1N opener by South.

[luke warm]

Free, on Jun 12 2004, 04:14 PM, said:

hand 1: I'll bid 2♦, length in a Major. The difference between ♥ and ♠ is too big to show ♥s as well...

hand 2: Again, 2♦ (5+♠), not a Dbl worth imo.

ok, 2D showing 5+ M or gf singlesuiter... now assume in both hands opener's partner bids 2nt leb, go around to advancer's hand... do you bid?

[1eyedjack]

luke warm, on Jun 12 2004, 10:37 AM, said:

Free, on Jun 12 2004, 04:14 PM, said:

hand 1: I'll bid 2♦, length in a Major.  The difference between ♥ and ♠ is too big to show ♥s as well...

hand 2: Again, 2♦ (5+♠), not a Dbl worth imo.

ok, 2D showing 5+ M or gf singlesuiter... now assume in both hands opener's partner bids 2nt leb, go around to advancer's hand... do you bid?

No (both times).
If overcaller cannot be 5332 (and he wouldn't be in my partnership) then the second hand is tempting.

[luke warm]

1eyedjack, on Jun 12 2004, 05:41 PM, said:

luke warm, on Jun 12 2004, 10:37 AM, said:

Free, on Jun 12 2004, 04:14 PM, said:

hand 1: I'll bid 2♦, length in a Major.  The difference between ♥ and ♠ is too big to show ♥s as well...

hand 2: Again, 2♦ (5+♠), not a Dbl worth imo.

ok, 2D showing 5+ M or gf singlesuiter... now assume in both hands opener's partner bids 2nt leb, go around to advancer's hand... do you bid?

No (both times).
If overcaller cannot be 5332 (and he wouldn't be in my partnership) then the second hand is tempting.

assume you're e/w and you're playing that 2D shows both majors OR spades only (yeah, my way lol - i'm prejudiced).. after south bids 1nt and you bid 2D, 2nt by north, is east now worth 3S? you know you have a spade fit, tho not how much of one

[1eyedjack]

luke warm, on Jun 12 2004, 10:46 AM, said:

1eyedjack, on Jun 12 2004, 05:41 PM, said:

luke warm, on Jun 12 2004, 10:37 AM, said:

Free, on Jun 12 2004, 04:14 PM, said:

hand 1: I'll bid 2♦, length in a Major.  The difference between ♥ and ♠ is too big to show ♥s as well...

hand 2: Again, 2♦ (5+♠), not a Dbl worth imo.

ok, 2D showing 5+ M or gf singlesuiter... now assume in both hands opener's partner bids 2nt leb, go around to advancer's hand... do you bid?

No (both times).
If overcaller cannot be 5332 (and he wouldn't be in my partnership) then the second hand is tempting.

assume you're e/w and you're playing that 2D shows both majors OR spades only (yeah, my way lol - i'm prejudiced).. after south bids 1nt and you bid 2D, 2nt by north, is east now worth 3S? you know you have a spade fit, tho not how much of one

Like I said, if West's hand is consistent with system, I pass with East.

I happen to think that it is not good strategy to overcall with 5332.

If I am playing an entirely natural system of overcalls, I could overcall 2S to show a single-suited hand with Spades. This is not to say that I would take that opportunity with 5♠332.

If the Spade single-suiter is wrapped up in some artificial overcall I don't think it makes it any more sensible to overcall with 5332.

[luke warm]

i tend to agree, vs. a mini/weak nt anyway... however, i don't like penalty doubles of a nt contract, on principle... i know i'm probably wrong, but there you go... i just find 1nt x'd so hard to beat, and i've never really minded when my 1nt was x'd

[Free]

Imo if you let opps bid their mini-NT they get the advantage. It's true to not bid weak vs weak, but 10HCP vs 10-13 HCP isn't weak, and suggests the HCP's are equally divided.

My philosophy vs 1NT is (I don't say it's correct, it's just a vision):
- against strong NT you need to distrupt them as much as possible and p doesn't need to do much, just find the best 2-level contract. That's why ALL 44+'s must be biddable, and also all singlesuiters, even if 5332 (good 5 card). Constructive bids aren't really necessary since game is very far away!
- against weak NT you need to be constructive, so no fancy crap with nothing. Just bid what you have, or what you would've opened if RHO passed. Usually opps have 1NT or 2M to play (and they have the advantage after their opening to find it), or they'll have a good score in going down one or two, so don't let them play 1NT too easy. Next to that you need contructive bids since game is quite possible, like the Dbl and multi-purpose 2m bids. Because of this, you can't show ALL 44+'s, not all singlesuiters,...

With the 5332 I have around 8 losers, so I'll show my ♠s. If p has some nice stuff, he can bid 2NT or 3M P/C or some other fancy stuff to find the game. If I let it up to p, it's harder to find, and if I let opps play their system we're screwed. NV I don't think to take a very big risk.

[inquiry]

Hand one, I would ignore the four card ♥suit and bid 2♠

Hand two, not good enough to overcall, so I pass over 1NT.