[Winstonm]

Scoring: IMP

How often do you feel lost with the above type North hand when partner opens a weak 2 bid ahead of you?

This problem plagued me for years and I found no current system of responses truly satisfactory - all the methods seemed intent on reaching 3NT, not the most logical contract - so I set out to find a better way through the "Mother of invention" - necessity.

The end product, "Losing Trick Count over Weak Two Bids", will be published soon in The Bridge World.

Me, a Bridge World author. Amazing. Who would of thunk it?

Winston

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[mike777]

Winstonm, on Aug 20 2005, 09:20 PM, said:

Scoring: IMP

How often do you feel lost with the above type North hand when partner opens a weak 2 bid ahead of you?

This problem plagued me for years and I found no current system of responses  truly satisfactory - all the methods seemed intent on reaching 3NT, not the most logical contract - so I set out to find a better way through the "Mother of invention" - necessity.

The end product, "Losing Trick Count over Weak Two Bids", will be published soon in The Bridge World.

Me, a Bridge World author.  Amazing.  Who would of thunk it?

Winston

---

What weak 2 bid?

Easy one spade opener!

Take away the K of clubs, now you have a maximum weak 2 spade bid.

[Elianna]

mike777, on Aug 20 2005, 07:30 PM, said:

Winstonm, on Aug 20 2005, 09:20 PM, said:

Scoring: IMP

How often do you feel lost with the above type North hand when partner opens a weak 2 bid ahead of you?

This problem plagued me for years and I found no current system of responses  truly satisfactory - all the methods seemed intent on reaching 3NT, not the most logical contract - so I set out to find a better way through the "Mother of invention" - necessity.

The end product, "Losing Trick Count over Weak Two Bids", will be published soon in The Bridge World.

Me, a Bridge World author.  Amazing.  Who would of thunk it?

Winston

---

What weak 2 bid?

Easy one spade opener!

Take away the K of clubs, now you have a maximum weak 2 spade bid.

Completely agree. This would never be my idea of a weak two openner.

[Winstonm]

mike777, on Aug 20 2005, 09:30 PM, said:

Winstonm, on Aug 20 2005, 09:20 PM, said:

Scoring: IMP

How often do you feel lost with the above type North hand when partner opens a weak 2 bid ahead of you?

This problem plagued me for years and I found no current system of responses  truly satisfactory - all the methods seemed intent on reaching 3NT, not the most logical contract - so I set out to find a better way through the "Mother of invention" - necessity.

The end product, "Losing Trick Count over Weak Two Bids", will be published soon in The Bridge World.

Me, a Bridge World author.  Amazing.  Who would of thunk it?

Winston

---

What weak 2 bid?

Easy one spade opener!

Take away the K of clubs, now you have a maximum weak 2 spade bid.

As usual it is partnership agreement that sets the range. LTC/W2 can be adjusted to accomodate most normal ranges.

There are arguments for both opening 1 or 2 with the South hand - the main one for 2S being IMO that over 2S-3H-? North is better placed to make a decision - based on range of the weak two, the seat in which it was opened, and the vulnerability - and is able to guage fairly accurately what the hand opposite looks like.

But opinions are like personality flaws - we better tolerate our own.

Winston

[Echognome]

Hi Winston,

That's a bit weird as Jeff Goldsmith has had an article on his website for a long time talking about using losing trick count after a weak 2 bid.

http://www.gg.caltec...ystem/september

Maybe yours is a bit different?

[Walddk]

I suspect that many will open 1♠ with that hand, but it's also quite common to open it a weak two (either Multi or 2♠), especially vulnerable. The issue is whether weak two's should be constructive or destructive.

If a weak two can be both, it's virtually impossible for responder to judge. If on the other hand you can distinguish between the constructive and destructive type, you will be much better off, and that is why many top pairs in Europe in recent years have adopted both.

They let 2MA be constructive and 2♦ Multi be destructive (including a 5-card suit). I have tried this method on a few occasions with some partners and haven't been disappointed yet. Another advantage is that 1♥ and 1♠ will now be a sound opening if the subsequent auction reveals that opener has a 6-card suit.

Roland

[pclayton]

Winston:

Its an OK idea in principle. I played this from 2001 -2002 (got it from Jeff's site) and got mixed results, but that might have been from the fact we threw 5 baggers into the mix.

[Winstonm]

pclayton, on Aug 21 2005, 10:19 AM, said:

Winston:

Its an OK idea in principle. I played this from 2001 -2002 (got it from Jeff's site) and got mixed results, but that might have been from the fact we threw 5 baggers into the mix.

Probably so. I ran a lot of simulations and found that there is a distinct difference between the requirements to make a game try depending on the the fit. Throwing an occassional 5 card suit in would skew the results badly I'm afraid.

Certainly this is not for everyone - but for anyone who plays a consistent weak 2 bid, that is either always 6 cards or alwyas 5 cards, the cover card requirements can be adjusted to fit the range.

I didn't know anyone else had even proposed the idea - I was just somewhat amazed that Bridge World thought it worthy of publishing.

Winston

[Winstonm]

Jlall, on Aug 21 2005, 11:28 AM, said:

congrats on getting published.

Thanks, Dude. Congrats on being a World Champion.

[flytoox]

No matter I agree it is a weak 2 or not, getting article published in BW worths three cheers.

Regarding the hand, I have no problem with 2S when we are red.

[pclayton]

And Winston, don't hold your breath on WHEN it gets pubbed. I had my article accepted NINE months ago.

Still waiting - but September hasn't arrived yet.

[pclayton]

Winston, don't hold your breath on WHEN it gets published. I've been waiting for 9 months now since "Juijitsu at Bridge" got pubbed :(.

September should be in the mail by now however. :)

[Winstonm]

pclayton, on Aug 21 2005, 05:01 PM, said:

Winston, don't hold your breath on WHEN it gets published. I've been waiting for 9 months now since "Juijitsu at Bridge" got pubbed .

September should be in the mail by now however.

Congrats on your article as well. I'll look for it.

[pclayton]

Sometimes I really HATE my Blackberry LOL