1eyedjack, on Jan 10 2010, 08:40 PM, said:
awm, on Jan 10 2010, 08:34 PM, said:
It seems curious to me that a lot of the arguments against a four-point range also seem to imply that a two-point range would be better than a three-point range. Yet no one seems to be trying a two-point range and it got bad reviews from the forums too when it was brought up in a thread at some point.
There are just too many point-possibilities to fit into too few bids to justify the luxury of a 2 point range, perhaps? If you have a 2 point range somewhere then that would require a 4 or 5 point range somewhere else.
I don't agree with you here, as I think the 2 point range is optimum. I play 15-16 in 2 partnerships. The 2 point range makes it very easy to handle as responder, and we have even agreed that Stayman is now not invitational, so it can be played with any hand with a 4 card major that is happy to end in 2NT (to play) if there is no fit. This allows you to find your major fits with hand that in 15-17 you have to pass, as with a 3 point range you just have to have an invitational bid.
With 2 points it is much safer to adopt the policy of deciding "weak or game" with no in-between. This rectifies one of the downsides of the strong NT, as weak notrumpers will be finding their 2M contracts where the strong notrumpers play in 1NT, as responder is not strong enough to invite game.
The opening of balanced hands with 12-14 is very well managed with 1C and transfer walsh. Bids following the transfer walsh depend on your methods, but assuming you have only a doubleton in partner's bid major you can (if completion guaranteed 3 and is forcing) rebid 1NT to show 12-14 and 2NT with 17/18. With 19 you can bid 3NT if you don't want to handle it in a more convoluted way.
So the ranges here are 12-14 (3 points), 15-16 (2 points), 17-18 (2 points) 19 (1 point). All very manageable. We don't open with a balanced 11.
(You cant rebid 3NT without transfer Walsh, as then responder is stuck if he has 5 of his major.)
Singleton majors are not possible, incidentallly, as we play 1D open as diamonds or a shortage, so there is no danger - responder knows you have 2 of his major.
Of course if the completion of the transfer walsh in your methods is not forcing, the 1NT rebid is 17-18, and 19 goes (with other things) into the 2NT rebid.
So I am a strong supporter of the 2 point range to open 1NT.
Another benefit is that it throws the 17 point hands into the transfer walsh scenario, which is better.