[Winstonm]

jdonn, on Dec 26 2009, 11:58 AM, said:

Winstonm, on Dec 26 2009, 11:31 AM, said:

It is like (I believe) Al Roth used to say in Master Solvers: If I can only get past this round of bidding...

It's not like that at all. That refers to a situation where as long as no disaster happens this round you are all set next round. But you will have no idea what bid will work best on the next round after 1NT.

And your hand is already limited. You didn't open it.

I think I am much better set second round than first after 1N - partner knows now my strength (6-10): he knows whether or not there is much chance for game.

If he rebids spades, I can pass and not feel bad about it.
If he rebids hearts/clubs, I can jump aggressively without overstating my high card strength (thus indicating lots of shape)
If he rebids 2D, it sucks. But then it always would have.
If he rebids 2N, I can now try 3H and follow with 4C over 3N if I so wish.

And finally, if he passes 1N, I will wish I had signed off in clubs.

[nige1]

At partners' insistence, I've recently started to experiment with Drury. It seems to be a license to open light or psych in third seat. The American two-way idea ( 2♣ = 3, 2♦ = 4 card raise) seems excellent. I've also played and can recommend ...
S trong
N otrump
A fter
P assing
Even more extreme, in our 1960's version of Nottingham Club, no matter which seat opened, we played that 1N was the only non-jump response that was forcing.

[blackshoe]

For two way Drury, I've also seen

2♣: 4 trumps, 6-11(12)
...2♦: full opener
......2M: raise to 2 with four trump
2♦: 3 trumps, limit raise.

The expert who taught me this didn't have any fancy name for it. I called it "reverse two-way reverse Drury". I think he picked it up in Toronto.

[Winstonm]

FWIW, I'm Shackled With Drury Again could be sung to the tune of Gene Autry's "I'm Back in the Saddle Again".

[jdonn]

Winstonm, on Dec 26 2009, 12:58 PM, said:

I think I am much better set second round than first after 1N - partner knows now my strength (6-10): he knows whether or not there is much chance for game.

If you bid 2♥ partner knows your strength (8-11), and thus (opposite this smaller range than 6-10 and having heard us bid a suit) knows better than after 1NT whether or not there is much chance for game.

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If he rebids spades, I can pass and not feel bad about it.

You must feel worse than if you had bid 2♥, since someone who did that could also pass 2♠ but know they haven't missed a heart fit.

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If he rebids hearts/clubs, I can jump aggressively without overstating my high card strength (thus indicating lots of shape)

Of course supporting partner doesn't gain over bidding the suits yourself.

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If he rebids 2D, it sucks.  But then it always would have.

Not if you would have preempted the bid. He may bid 3♦ over 2♥ but that shows a better hand at least.

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If he rebids 2N, I can now try 3H and follow with 4C over 3N if I so wish.

Rather than bidding hearts, then clubs over 2NT, then not having to decide if you so wish to bypass 3NT to show your suits.

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And finally, if he passes 1N, I will wish I had signed off in clubs. 

Wait I thought we were playing drury. Someone is STILL not convinced?

[Winstonm]

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If you bid 2♥ partner knows your strength (8-11), and thus (opposite this smaller range than 6-10 and having heard us bid a suit) knows better than after 1NT whether or not there is much chance for game

My preferred style is to not open too light and therefore my passed-hand 2/1 is more like 10-12. I might shade that to 9 once and a great while with a real good 6-card suit. That makes 1N more the default bid with this type hand.

If your methods work for you, good. That doesn't mean they would work as well for me.