[pbleighton]

I have seen this referred to in several places as the "modern" NT range. I have been playing it recently in a system in which it is required, and have played it a little in Precision. I'm interested in how widely this is played, and why. I can see the following advantages:

1) It's good for 16 point strong club systems, where 8 counts force to game, since it takes the balanced 16s out of the 1C opening, but still takes a lot of bids out of the limited bids (particularly 1D in Precision).
2) It occurs 33% more frequently than 15-17. Because you invite with 9, you don't miss nearly as many 4-4 major suit fits as you do with a 12-14 NT, where you need 11. You also don't go down much after 1NT - all pass. It thus has some of the frequency advantage of the weak NT without (mostly) its disadvantages.
3) The opener's NT rebid limits his strength to 13. This is particularly useful if you open light, so your NT rebid range is 11-13 vs 11-14 in 15-17. OTOH, the NT jump rebid shows 17-19 vs 18-19.

My questions are:
a) Have you played it, and do you like it? I do so far.
What advantages and/or disadvantages do you see, apart from the above?
c) How many people are playing it? From what I have been able to glean, it is pretty popular among strong clubbers. Apart from them, it seems to be unusual in the U.S. (where I live), but seems to have some popularity elsewhere, especially in the U.K.

Comments?

Peter

[inquiry]

My questions are:
a) Have you played it, and do you like it? I do so far.

Yes, I like it a lot. But I also like 11-14 NT too.

What advantages and/or disadvantages do you see, apart from the above?

I think you covered the big advantages, it limits your 1NT rebids, you open it more often.

c) How many people are playing it? From what I have been able to glean, it is pretty popular among strong clubbers.

More and more people are playing it. Even if they don't always quite admit it. You see a lot of 15-17 people "upgrading" a 14 point hand due to 10's or location of honors or five card suit, and upgrading 17 pt hands for being too good for the same reason.

[luke warm]

i *really* like the 10-13 nt opening, so i'm pretty sure i'd like this.. i like it for its preempt effect, as long as there are rules and escapes

not many seem to play weak nt, but i think it gives an advantage to those who do.. and i like to use it with 2/1 system

[easy]

My questions are:
a) Have you played it, and do you like it? I do so far.

I play it and like it
What advantages and/or disadvantages do you see, apart from the above?
I like it because my balanced minimum now falls in the 11-13 point range and thus i get to open more balanced hands and not get buried by pard.

c) How many people are playing it? From what I have been able to glean, it is pretty popular among strong clubbers. Apart from them, it seems to be unusual in the U.S. (where I live), but seems to have some popularity elsewhere, especially in the U.K.

I live in Florida and since Meckwell resides in Fl. there are lots of mimics of their ideas. Thus in the Fl. regionals u see it quite frequently