[el mister]

Hi there - can people give me some pointers on the following? I am learning the game and am learning to play a basic acol system.

1. We play Stayman and Jacoby transfers over an opening of 1nt, but are wondering what to do when opposition puts a bid in immediately over my 1nt opening? What is a common treatment for this - I guess you could agree that transfers are off and just bid naturally?

2. Responding with a weak 2/3 type hand. We've played a few boards recently and not known how to communicate these hands effectively when responding to partner. Say I open 1♠ and partner has 6 hearts, 6 hcps, for example.
I would take a bid of 2♥ to mean 5 hearts, at least 10 hcps. A bid of 3♥ would be a jump shift and indicate a very strong hand. How can partner show this hand - should they bid this hand?

We've found that the weak jump overcall works well against opps for this type ofhand, so i guess we just need ideas on how to bid weak-raises ourselves.

3. Doubling sacrifice bids. Knowing when to penalty double is a challenge for me right now. However, can one generalise that if a sacrifice bid has been tabled by opps, when they are non-vulnerable, then a penalty double is called for? Say we feel comfortable for 4♥ (have a fit, 25 hcps) and opps bid 5♦. If they make it, then we are likely getting bottom board, so doubling it won't make any difference negatively speaking. It could make a big difference positively speaking, if they go off by 2 or 3. We play match point scoring.

Thanks for any advice

[helene_t]

el mister, on Oct 15 2007, 01:45 PM, said:

1. We play Stayman and Jacoby transfers over an opening of 1nt, but are wondering what to do when opposition puts a bid in immediately over my 1nt opening? What is a common treatment for this - I guess you could agree that transfers are off and just bid naturally?

Yes. Standard is
suit at the 2-level: To play.
suit at the 3-level: Forcing, 5-card.
dbl: penalty
bid in opps' suit: asks opener for a 4-card major (like Stayman)

If opps double 1NT, everything is natural. I.e. no Stayman or transfers. A strong hand can start with a redouble.

Advanced partnerships often agree on something more complex, but the above will do.

Quote

2. Responding with a weak 2/3 type hand. We've played a few boards recently and not known how to communicate these hands effectively when responding to partner. Say I open 1♠ and partner has 6 hearts, 6 hcps, for example.
I would take a bid of 2♥ to mean 5 hearts, at least 10 hcps. A bid of 3♥ would be a jump shift and indicate a very strong hand. How can partner show this hand - should they bid this hand?

You must start with 1NT. Sometimes you will get the oportunity to show your suit later, while you have already limited your hand with the 1NT bid. For example
1♠-1NT
2♣-2♥*
shows 6-9 points and a 6-card (or longer) hearts. Now opener will almost always pass.

Quote

3. Doubling sacrifice bids.

This is very complex. Maybe Larry Cohen's "To bid or not to bid" will help you. Maybe not. Some people have strong opinions for or against that book. (Personally I think it's very useful).

[ralph23]

1. We play Stayman and Jacoby transfers over an opening of 1nt, but are wondering what to do when opposition puts a bid in immediately over my 1nt opening? What is a common treatment for this - I guess you could agree that transfers are off and just bid naturally?

Yes, and you can use Lebensohl. I suspect most advanced players in BBF use this in some form, or some other "sohl"-type system. You can find a description (several) on the Internet.


2. Responding with a weak 2/3 type hand. We've played a few boards recently and not known how to communicate these hands effectively when responding to partner. Say I open 1♠ and partner has 6 hearts, 6 hcps, for example.
I would take a bid of 2♥ to mean 5 hearts, at least 10 hcps. A bid of 3♥ would be a jump shift and indicate a very strong hand. How can partner show this hand - should they bid this hand?

With as much as 6 HCP, just bid 1nt. That is just the catch-all.


3. Doubling sacrifice bids. Knowing when to penalty double is a challenge for me right now. However, can one generalise that if a sacrifice bid has been tabled by opps, when they are non-vulnerable, then a penalty double is called for?

No, you can't. When you are vul and they are NV, then it behooves them to sac and get doubled, on the (often true) theory that the penalty (even doubled) they suffer will be less costly than letting you score up your vul game (or slam!). For instance, suppose those colors and the opps sac in 5♥. Should you bid 5♠ or double? If your partnership has high offense-to-defense ratio in your hands, then bidding on may be right; you will score up 650 to make it, and you will have to set them four tricks to collect 800.

I would suggest for an exercise you make up a little chart based on the vuls; this is easy and a good exercise. For each vul condition -- there are 4 in all -- what is the result of setting them 2 doubled (e.g.), versus the result of our making the contract?

But when they sac, you as a general rule want to either double them or play it yourself; don't (generally) let them play it undoubled. Maybe that is your question.... You may be ready for the concept of the "forcing pass" when it is "your" hand and they are sacrificing against you!

Say we feel comfortable for 4♥ (have a fit, 25 hcps) and opps bid 5♦. If they make it, then we are likely getting bottom board, so doubling it won't make any difference negatively speaking. It could make a big difference positively speaking, if they go off by 2 or 3. We play match point scoring.

Either double them or bid 5♥, depending.

[Fluffy]

All what Helene said is the best treatment I think for non experienced players (I am more experienced, yet play almost the same)


About 3, this is one of the most complex parts of the game, what you need is experience, and only playing (and asking good players about specific hands) will you know how to compete. I would give you 2 rules:

-When you bid a game to make, you should not let the opponents play undoubled contract (normally double them). This should be easy and obvious, of course it is not always perfect.

-After that if you have a more experience, next step is to avoid doubling with a double fit hand (but you will have to learn this the hard way, it will be tough, but I hope you learn it quicker if you know )

[P_Marlowe]

Hi,

Re #1 A good book is "Competive Bidding in
the 21st century" by Marshall Miles.
It describes a complete System for comp.
Bidding, contrary to other books / articles,
which quite often deal only with certain
specific auctions.

Re #2 Was already answered, although you
may encounter peopble, who play jump shifts
by responder as weak.

Re #3 as was already said, the most
complicate issue.

Playing IMPs the best advice is usually
"Take the money and Run", i.e. if they
sacrifice take the money unless it is obvious.
Obvious means, you hold a real freak,
a freak cant expect.
This is just another wording of
since it was not mentioned so called
"offense-to-defense ratio".

A complete book was written about this, the
book is worth reading even for B/I players,
you may be able to pick up ore to ideas.
You can find the PDF File of the book under the following link
http://www.geocities.com/daniel_neill_2000...ingAtBridge.ZIP

With kind regards
Marlowe