[rbforster]

I have been working on the precision auction where opener has a strong hand and then bids clubs naturally such as

1♣-1♦ 16+; 0-7
2♣-?   5+♣ unbalanced, less than a GF

The idea here was that since 2♣ was a pretty cheap bid, we could overload it a little with a wider range of club hands/shapes and hopefully things would still work out.

2♣ unbalanced with primary clubs - 5+♣ 16-21. Most but not all hand types, specifically:
    5♣/4♦ 16-19
    6+♣ 16-19, including 6/4's or just clubs
    5♣/4X 20-21
(missing are 5C/4M and 6C/5X on the low end, while the max hands have only 5/4 shape)

Range descriptions for opener are approximately min/inv/max corresponding to 16-17/18-19/20-21. For responder, sound invites are ~6-7 and weakish bids are ~4-5.

2♦ asking, semipositive values (5-7 or maybe a little less with a known fit)
....2♥ 16-19 6/4M with either major
..........2♠ asks for major
..................2N hearts
.........................P sound values with 4S/5+D and short clubs (misfit)
.........................3C 2+C signoff (had 4S)
.........................3D good raise to 3H
.........................3H signoff with fit
..................3C min 4S
.........................3D good raise to 3S
.........................3S signoff with fit
..................3D max 4S
...........2N sound invite with 4H/5+D and short clubs
...........3C 2+C sound invite, could have 4H (now 3H accepts with 4H)

...2♠ 16-19 5C/4♦ (not suited to appropriate NT bid)
...........2N lebensohl =>3C (weak with minor fit – will pass or correct to 3D)
...........3m good invite with fit

....2N 6+C inv, no major
...........P/3♣ to play
...........3D+ stoppers for NT

.....3♣ 6+C min, no major
.....3♦ 5C/4D max
.....3M 5C/4M max
.....3N good hand with running clubs

2M 5+ cards, typically ~5-7
2N inv with 44 majors, typically 4432 exactly
3♣ 3+♣ courtesy raise, ~4-5 pts (better raises go through 2D asking)

Any suggestions or obvious omissions? I couldn't think of a good use for some of the jumps past 3♣ by responder, but those are probably going to be pretty rare anyway (I think I'll be bidding 1-suited hands by responder differently so these aren't really a concern).

[benlessard]

What we play is

1C-----1D
2C-----???

2D multi inv (with a long M or without M)
-----2H i refuse a H inv
-----2S i accept a H inv but refuse a S inv.
-----2Nt stiff D but minimum hand.
-----3C+ accept all inv.

1C-----1D
2C-----2M

INV 4-5 cards , partner must have 3 to pass.

1C----1D
2C----2Nt GF without a suit. (our 1D isnt 0-7)

3C preemptive or courtesy

[keylime]

With us, we play our 2C module, in the 1C-1D-2C structure.

So, 2D/H are xfers, 2S is a range ask, 2NT forces 3C as a good raise in clubs, 3C is just a blah raise.

[rbforster]

Thanks for the comments. I had considered transfers, but think they might be less relevant in my system (in particular, I'd be using the sequence 1♣-1♦-1♥*-1♠*-2♣ instead of the normal 1♣-1♦-2♣ sequence to show natural clubs so there aren't right-siding issues in the majors).

In general, I'd like to find my 4-4 major fits, especially since these are pretty easy in standard methods. I admit I'm a little bias against the major responses which are 4-5 cards just because the ambiguity makes it's hard to know what to do as opener and can lead to lost/poor fits.

keylime, on Jan 14 2009, 10:22 AM, said:

With us, we play our 2C module, in the 1C-1D-2C structure.

So, 2D/H are xfers, 2S is a range ask, 2NT forces 3C as a good raise in clubs, 3C is just a blah raise.

A couple of questions for you -

- if by your "2C module" you mean the same as over a precision 2♣ opener, how do you hand the additional xx45 shape with clubs and diamonds (since that's not usually an allowed shape in a precision 2♣)? I like the option (but not requirement) to treat these hands as balanced , so I still want to bid something with those shapes.

- what are your continuations after your transfers?

Thanks.

[keylime]

Rob,

Since Larry and I play a canape setup, the 5C, 4M hands are not a problem.

We treat 2-2-4-5's as balanced, and bid as appopriate.

In terms of follow-ons:

Acceptance of the xfer shows tolerance (allows a 5-2 fit), and rebids from responder show maximums and GI intent.

Rejection of the xfer denies fit.

2♦ Transfer > 2♥ Promises 5+♥ & 8+ hcp

2♥ 2+♥

pass To Play

2♠ 5♥ & 5♠ G.I.

2NT 5♥ G.I.

3♣ 5♥ & 3♣ G.I.

3♦ 5♥ & 5♦ G.I.

3♥ 6♥ G.I.

3♠ 6♥ & 5♠ G.F.

3NT 5♥ G.F.

4♣ 5♥ & 4♣ G.F.

4♦ 5♥ & 5♦ G.F.

4♥ 6♥

2♠ 0-1♥ ♠ Stopper & Maximum

2NT 0-1♥ ♦ Stopper & Maximum

3♣ 0-1♥ 6+♣ & Minimum

3♥ 3+♥ Maximum

3NT ♣: AKQxxx

2♥ Transfer > 2♠ Promises 5 or more ♠:

2♠ 2+♠
2NT 0-1♠ & Maximum

3♣: 0-1♠ & Minimum

2♠ Transfer > range ask, sometimes a diamond bust

2NT all maximums;

3♣: 0-1♦ & Minimum;

[awm]

Rob's structure over the strong 2♣ rebid looks okay to me. The one concern I would have is that responder might occasionally pass with a weak misfitting hand. This is liable to be a good thing when opener has 6+♣ and a minimum strong club, since you are surely in a reasonable spot. But it gets worse when opener has only 5♣ (you may not have reached your best fit) and when opener has extras (you may have missed a game contract in some other strain). It seems like including 4-5 hands "but only when opener has extras" is somewhat awkward for this reason -- the times when you really want responder to pass opposite the 6+♣ min are exactly the wrong times to pass opposite the 4-5 extras hand.

I'm not really sure I get Keylime's structure. Obviously it is easier to design methods over a 2♣ opening that denies a four-card major. But it still seems like:

(1) The 2♦---4♦ sequence by responder to show 5-5 in the reds GF is simply horrible. What if you have no fit? What if you have slam in a red suit? You have consumed a huge amount of space, to the degree that opener can't really show any sort of slam suitability at a reasonable level and you can't get out in 3NT either.

(2) How do you make a slam try in hearts or a balanced slam try?

(3) There seems to be no check-back for stoppers at all before blasting 3NT. When opener is unbalanced with 6+♣ and 2♥, it seems quite likely that if responder is weak in a pointy suit, opponents may be running the first five tricks there (heck opener could have stiff). This situation is quite different from opposite a balanced opener where if there is no heart fit, it's unlikely that opener also has a small doubleton in another suit.

(4) There is also no way to find a 4-4 diamond fit if it exists, even on a slammish pair of hands. Of course, perhaps 4♦-6♣ opens 1♦ in these methods.

[keylime]

Adam,

That was a copy from the 2C opening module, and not the 1C-1D-2C module (I inadvertantly chose the wrong subset of the notes).

With regards to the 4D, 6C hand - that's 1D with us, rebid 2C for the canape.