[ajm218]

Hi all

Am playing in a pairs competition in London with someone I have almost never played with before (bar a couple of times on BBO).

Bar a strong no trump which I have to play as i don't want to be making 2/1 bids on 9 counts, what other system should we play? I think his only demands were not 4suit transfers and 1M 3M is 9-11 with four card support.

My regular system uses a five card spade suit and a four card heart suit, kind of a a half way house between Acol and SAYC.

What do you think we SHOULD play and why? (It is a matchpointed pairs comp)

[Echognome]

I think that you should play as SIMPLE a system as you can. Obviously you don't play together often, so why set yourself up for misunderstandings. I would just agree to a basic system like SAYC or Acol. If you prefer strong NT, then just play SAYC. It's probably better to discuss what your competitive bidding and carding is going to be. Better to discuss what style of preempts and overcalls you are playing.

[Gerben42]

I think you should play what YOU are comfortable with (so your system with 5♠ and 4♥) if it doesn't seem to matter for your partner. That will make you worry about more important things like judgement and card play.

And make sure partner also does not 2/1 on those 9-counts.

[helene_t]

Pick some well-documented standard system such as Bergen or Lawrence or SAYC or EBU-Acol or whatever, so that you can just agree to read the system documentation and don't have to discuss any details. Re-inventing the wheel is great fun but only with a regular p.

Preempt style and overcall style are important to discuss.

[MickyB]

Problem is, there are so many versions of Acol and interpretations of SAYC that it still isn't easy to be on the same wavelength.

If you are playing with a strong partner, and like declaring 4-3 fits major fits at the 2 level then 14-16 NT, 4 card suits, 2/1 GF is a lot of fun, and probably needs less discussion than most other systems - you just need to be on the same wavelength after a 2/1. My preference is -

reverses show extras
picture jumps (1H:2D, 2H:4H denies a 1st/2nd round control outside of the red suits)
frivolous 3NT (when a major fit is agreed, 3NT leaves room for partner to cue if he has extras, bypassing 3NT to cuebid shows interest in slam)
Mixed cues
If responder bids and rebids his suit, that is invitational and NF. Alternatively you can play 2/1s as 100% GF and have a single jump to the 3 level show the invitational hand.

[Walddk]

High from a doubleton, no F & G, good judgement and "nose", period. In other words: as little as possible. You have almost won the event already. Congrats!

Roland

[Sigi_BC84]

Walddk, on Mar 9 2006, 04:36 PM, said:

High from a doubleton, no F & G, good judgement and "nose",

What is "F&G"? --Sigi

[Gerben42]

Sorry we can't tell you Sigi, only hint.

F is something on the 2-level showing both majors, G is something asking for aces. Sorry can't tell you more.

[whereagles]

F&G is teh evil! An exorcism is in order!

[P_Marlowe]

Hi,

you should play the system, you played
on BBO.

To invest more would only be justified,
if you intend to play again with this
partner, i.e. you want to create a new
partner ship:
- in which case the results
of the tournament is irrelvant, what counts:
is the atmosphere on the table,
how partner deals with neg. scores,
or the event is serious:
- you wont have the time to better most
partnerships if it comes to depth of agreeement,
i.e. you need to have luck and have trust in your
playing skills in your judgement.

With kind regards
Marlowe

[Sigi_BC84]

Gerben42, on Mar 9 2006, 05:13 PM, said:

Sorry we can't tell you Sigi, only hint.

F is something on the 2-level showing both majors, G is something asking for aces. Sorry can't tell you more.

OIC. I don't get why F should be useful at all (probably it making no sense is why people hate it ;-), and G hasn't come up in my (admittedly young) bridge career (low frequency probably being the reason why people hate it, don't see any other actually).

I don't get why Roland mentions it in this context (apart from feeling like bashing some hated conventions of course, which is always a good reason to do so ;-). Nobody will be so insane as to propose playing F (?) and playing G probably won't lose you (m)any IMPs...

--Sigi

[luke warm]

"F" is a convention played by past and present world champions, none of whom have chosen to post here ... not sure about "G" (i mean, about who has played it)