[Quantumcat]

Inspired by the post below (system design) maybe you guys can help me turn this into a system that can work? I have come up with a couple in the past, and always been told "nope won't work". I hope this one will!


Intro:
All 1-suit bids, if weak non-canapé (rebid suit or pass in competition, rebid suit non-competition), if strong, canapé (rebid longer suit, bid NT, jump-rebid your suit or possibly double in competition)

1-level openings:
pass = 0-3 any, 4-9 bal or 16+ any
1♣/1♦/1♥/1♠ = 4-7 or 12-15
1nt = 10-12

with 13-15 open 1♣ and rebid NT

2-level openings:
2♣/2♦/2♥ = 8-11 with a higher suit or 6 cards
2♠ = 8-11 with 6 cards
2nt = 8-11 good 6+ card suit (constructive 3-opening)

Responses to 1-level openings:
step = either GF opp. weak or non-GF opp. strong (19+ or 0-11)
else = natural, non-GF opp. weak, GF opp. strong (12-18)
jump-raise & jump-shift = pre-emptive opp. weak opening, invitational opp. strong (10-12)

Responses to 2-level openings:
step = Ask for other suit (can be passed)
2NT = GF enquiry
other = natural invitational
jump-shift = natural GF 6+ good suit

Responses to 1nt opening:
(my own system)
2♣ puppet to 2♦, any invite or slam invite + in major (rebid 3 major)
2♦ GF stayman or balanced 5 card major or slam invite + in minor (rebid 3 minor)
2♥/♠ to play
2NT GF unbal with 5 card major (bid suits with values in them up the line, whoever first knows 3NT is ok bids it, otherwise end up in a suit)
3♣+ to play

Rebids:
With the weak option rebid your suit at cheapest level, or give a simple raise if responder bids a suit.
With the strong option change suit, bid NT, jump-rebid your suit, or jump-raise partner.
Once you are limited, bid whatever you like to get to the right fit.

After a pass:
What do people normally do? Maybe 1♦ = non-opening, up to invitational opp. 16+ (0-8). otherwise natural normal openings, 9+ and GF opp. 16+ (but all balanced hands start with 1♣). 1NT response to non-1♦ opening is 7-9.

[Free]

Lots of info, so first let me get this straight.

Your 1-level bids (lets forget the balanced range in 1♣ for now) are natural, 4 card suits and unbalanced. When 4-7HCP it's not canapé, when 12-15 it is canapé. I suppose the step response will come up quite often, so after 1♥-1♠ opener rebids:
2♥ = 4-7, any??
1NT = 6+♥??
2m = 12-15 canapé
2♠ = 12-15 canapé
Is this correct? What do you do after 1♣ and 1♠ openings exactly?

The 2-level openings are basically like DONT, except that you can also have a 6 card suit. I've played something similar in the past (2m was 44+m-M / 2♥ was weak 44+M) but I think you'll have trouble because there are too many hand types in the openings, especially in 2♣. Responder won't know what to do on many occasions. If you have a 6 card suit, you'll want to play 2X, but partner will scramble for the second suit and you'll be a level higher (with a poor 6 card suit btw). Also, I think you open 2♦ on hands like AKQxx-xxx-xxxx-x, as well as xxxx-xxx-AKQxx-x (to give an extreme example). It's very difficult to make an accurate decision if you're obligated to open these with the same bid, plus you might miss an easy ♥ fit.

I won't comment on the 1NT structure. This has nothing to do with the rest of your system, and there's already enough material on that subject.

Another few questions:
- what do you with all the 4441's?
- do you consider some 5422's (and 6322's) balanced?

[Quantumcat]

I only just thought of it, but in answer to your first few questions,

A 1NT rebid after step will show the step suit as the second suit. Except after a 1♣ opening where it will show any balanced 12-15 (you are likely to be able to bid the second suit at the 1-level anyway) Shape can be 5-5 or 4-5 (pass correction to 1st suit) or 4-6 (bid 2nd suit after a correction). Bidding the second suit instead of 1NT will show anything better than this (5-6 or 6-6).

Free, on 2011-May-13, 02:05, said:

The 2-level openings are basically like DONT, except that you can also have a 6 card suit. I've played something similar in the past (2m was 44+m-M / 2♥ was weak 44+M) but I think you'll have trouble because there are too many hand types in the openings, especially in 2♣. Responder won't know what to do on many occasions. If you have a 6 card suit, you'll want to play 2X, but partner will scramble for the second suit and you'll be a level higher (with a poor 6 card suit btw). Also, I think you open 2♦ on hands like AKQxx-xxx-xxxx-x, as well as xxxx-xxx-AKQxx-x (to give an extreme example). It's very difficult to make an accurate decision if you're obligated to open these with the same bid, plus you might miss an easy ♥ fit.

Yeah, the two-openings suck. Playing a level higher shouldn't be a problem though, if the suit is rebid it will be the quality of most people's vulnerable 3-openings. (Except bidding slower may make it easier for opps to bid or double for penalty)
Also you could easily play in a seven-card fit when you have a nine-card fit available, when responder is less than invitational. However, this is only a problem at matchpoints when you are vul and might go for 200 (when the opponents don't have a game on).
Do you have any suggestions for improvements? (Or maybe the whole idea of the 1-openings being either one range or the other simply can't work)

Quote

Another few questions:
- what do you with all the 4441's?
- do you consider some 5422's (and 6322's) balanced?

Everybody hates 4441s! Probably pretend it's balanced, and deal with the consequences like other people who don't have a bid for 4441s. You never know, the opponents might be kind and interfere so you can make a takeout double.

6322s with 12-15 I would probably open the suit: if there is a step-response, I can rebid it gently and pretend I have a weak hand because if they have 19+ they will continue bidding, and if they don't, we didn't have game anyway. With 10-12 I would open 1NT.
With 5422 same as above, if pard makes a step response and has quite a weak hand I'd rather play in a suit, and I don't have a good takeout hand so when opponents interfere (pard hasn't shown a suit) we still can't find a fit. With 10-12 I would open 1NT. I like to open 1NT as often as possible :-)

[Free]

Quantumcat, on 2011-May-16, 18:07, said:

Do you have any suggestions for improvements? (Or maybe the whole idea of the 1-openings being either one range or the other simply can't work)

I think much more playable would be something like:
1NT = 10-12 balanced or semibalanced
2X = 8-11, 5+X, unbalanced
This is very similar to Fantunes Two's. The only difference with your original scheme is that 5422's and 4441's with 8-9HCP now need to be passed.

The 2-range 1-openings are an interesting idea. It hasn't become famous probably because it's HUM.
I know someone who likes her 3M preempts to be 8-9HCP or 12-13HCP. That's a much higher level, theoretically unsound imo, but it works for her she says...
At low level you have much more space to show the difference between the ranges, so it should be pretty playable at first glance. As long as you don't want full relays over all openings.