[Syl20]

This might not be a new idea but I've never seen it anywhere.

For those playing strong club with 1♠ as second negative after:

1♣-1♦
1♥-1♠ = 0-4 Hcp any hand.

I thought of using 2♣ as GF with the same scheme as after 1♣ opening (just one step more), then:

2♦ = 3rd negative (0-2 Hcp)
other = same as over your 1♣ opening but with 3-4 Hcp.

The advantage is that opener can still inquire for exact distribution when he's very strong such as:

AKJx
Axx
AKx
ARD

since 6 clubs or speads with responder almost garantees small slam.

Any comment ?

[Free]

I've been playing the following:

1NT = (semi)balanced
2♣ = GF
2♦♥♠ and 3♣ canapé transfers
2NT = (semi)balanced, with extra's but not enough for GF
3♦♥♠ = 9 playing tricks

After the 2♣ GF, we use 2♦ as a waiting bid, and others are extremely weak: 2M 5+M, 2NT both minors, 3m 6+m.

Works just fine. Don't want to find out about exact shape (we're too high anyway)...

[Chamaco]

Jlall, on Nov 17 2005, 03:37 PM, said:

I play transfers over this auction.

1N=clubs
2C=diamonds
2D=6+ hearts
2H=flannery shape NF
higher=forcing.

This only works because 1C-1D-1H for me denies a balanced hand (5332 would always have bid some amount of NT).

I play


1♣-1♦
1♥ = generic strong hand (19+ or 4- losers)
and responder's 1♠ = aceless 0-4 hcp.

Justin, in the context I give, your xfers seem nice for responder's 5-7 positive, but how do you give the balanced 5-7 GF hand ?

[mike777]

Prefer this after strong club:
1d=0-2 controls
2 level response=0-6 hcp 6-7 card suit no more than one of top 3 honors
3 level response=7-8 card suit same.

1c=1d
2c=21+ often unbalanced or huge balanced hand and asks for exact number of controls, 2d=0,2h=1,2s=2 Now after 2d bid by responder jump bids are game forcing and all other bids are natural but not game forcing.

1c=1d
2nt=20-21 balanced

1c=1d
1h=4+ hearts, 2 suited hand, may have longer minor, 17-20 hcp
1c=1d
1h=1s(1s=weak non game force probe for promised second suit)

[han]

I like the transfer idea very much, it makes perfect sense.

[Robert]

Hello Syl20

Perhaps you should try to get a copy of the Ultimate Club system. They sold @ 3,000 copies.

I am not sure how far back the Ultimate Club goes, however, they had a famous 13 month string of victories in Bridge Worlds Challenge the Champs in the late 70's(I think) Huge victories and a 13 month string that has never been approached.

Ultimate Club bidding
1C-1D(weak)-
1H(20+?)-1S(weak)
2C(22/23+)-2D(very, very weak) responder was denying certain combinations of AKQ points.

They could break the relay bids by bidding 1C-1D-1H-1S-1NT showing about
21-22HCP(They rarely went down in this 1NT contract)

The early bids in Ultimate club showed combinations of AKQ points. They used a
3-2-1 scale as I remember.

After responder showed his AKQ points, he completely described his hand by relay bids. Later they used negative cue bids, if you skipped a suit, you had a control there. If you bid a suit, you did not have a control there.

Spiral scan type bidding. On some hands they would determine the Jacks held by partner. Rumor was that on at least one hand, opener claimed on the opening lead before seeing dummy. I hope that it was a friendly game.

Regards,
Robert

[Robert]

Hello again Syl20

You might also want to obtain a copy of Precision in the 90s. At least one WC seems to approve of these methods.

A non WC(me!) also likes many of their auctions. If you like a very well presented system, this book is for you.

It offers suggestions in both a basic and an advanced Precision version.

It also offers a variety of methods that you may pick and choose from. I play a fair amount of their methods myself.

Many of the competitive bidding auctions are worth the cost of the book by themselves.

Very highly recommended.

Regards,
Robert