Table of Contents
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After the enemy opens other than 1N
The defensive system is a mixture of Ghestem two-suited bids and Kaplan structure and philosophy. The Kaplan part consists of natural good overcalls with a new suit forcing by advancer (i.e. the partner of the person taking the first action for the defensive pair). In addition most jump overcalls are preemptive in nature.
Special situations:
If we overcall 1(Removed, too many cases of not recognizing the constructive raise, or mistakenly used when a natural bid was intended.)
or 1
and the next hand makes a negative double, then the cheapest bid in the (so far) unbid major is a constructive and artificial raise of our suit.- Jump raises are preemptive in nature.
- Cue bid of LHO's bid is a constructive limit raise
- Cue bid of RHO's bid is natural.
- A 4
or 4
call over a one level opening bid shows a strong Namyats 4 or 4 bid respectively - After the opponents open 2N or an artificial strong 1 or 2, we play “suction”
- Suit bids made with or without a jump show the next higher suit or the two lower suits;
- NT bids show two non-touching suits. In the case of a 2N opening bid, the double is used to show the two non-touching suits
The 1N overcall shows 15-18 HCP (11-14 HCP in balancing seat). The responses are the same as those over a 1N opening bid.
The 2-suit overcalls show 5 or 6 losers and go as follows:
Over any (natural) 1 suit bid in direct seat and in balancing seat from passed hand:
- Cue bid is top and bottom
- 2N is lowest two suits
- 3 shows the two highest suits, except when 1 is opened. Then the bid showing the two highest suits is 2.
In balancing seat from unpassed hand:
- Cue bid is Michaels (1m-2m: majors, 1M-2M: other major and a minor)
- Jump new suit is 15-17 good suit
- 2NT is 18-19 points balanced.
Over natural, preemptive 2 level openings, and over 3 minor openings by opponent (both in direct and balancing seat) we play Leaping Michaels.
- Jump to an unbid 4 minor shows a two suiter with that minor and an (unbid) major, GF.
- (2)-4: and an unspecified major (forcing)
- (2M)-4m: This minor and the other Major (forcing). Over (2H)-4m-(4H)-p is also forcing.
- (3)-4: and an unspecified major (forcing).
- 4 level cuebids are excluding the two-suiter combinations listed above:
- (2)-4: Majors
- (3)-4: Majors
- (3)-4: Unknown suits, as (3)-4 is natural. Could also be a very strong 3 suiter.
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After the enemy opens 1N
If the range of the NT is such that a 13 HCP hand is too weak to open 1N, it is a “strong” NT. We use DONT with Paradox responses to the double. What in heavens name is Paradox responses? Advancer with a constructive hand, skips suits that he would be willing to play at the next level, if that is doubler's suit.
If the range of the NT includes 13 or fewer HCP hands, it is a “weak” NT. We use Cappelletti structure in both seats
with Paradox responses to the 2 overall.
After the enemy opens 1N (Aspro)
The following general structure is used by both the immediate seat and the passout seat over all No Trump strengths. There is a small modification in the case of mini-N opening bids (NT opening bids which include 10 HCP in the range). The basic approach is like ASTRO, but major two suiters are treated differently.
The structure is major suit oriented because creating a system that caters to 54 in the minors is a losing proposition. More violent minor suit patterns are handled with a 2N overcall. Also, unlike some other methods, this method keeps a double for its natural meaning; and the structure need not be changed regardless of the opponents No Trump range.
Double is penalty in direct seat. Advancer (i.e. the partner of the person taking the first action for the defensive pair) passes the double unless he has a freakish hand. A yarborough is not a freak! If third-hand makes a non-pass and 2N is still available, then that call by advancer is to be treated as competitive.[Gabor: Like in lebensohl, with a one suiter - forcing partner for 3C, after which pass or showing the suit?] 3 suit is “strong”. [Gabor: What about 2 level suit bids from advancer? For simplicity, can we say we play lebensohl after responder bid a 2 level runout (as if overcaller had bid 1N originally Yes, that sounds good)? What is the meaning of X by advancer (esp. after an artifical bid, like transfer? E.g. (1N)-X-(2 - hearts)-X. (What would 2 be instead of X? double is penalty, 2 would be takeout)]
In the passout seat after a 1N bid on the left, then the rules are amended as follows:
If fourth hand has not passed previously, then a double shows a good hand with a one suiter. Second hand bids 2 to get to the suit [Gabor: No paradox raises? OK, Paradox is on]. The immediate 2/2/3/3 are of the “balancing type”.
If fourth hand has passed originally, then the double is an “action double” with a hand playable in three suits (a 4441 or 5431 type hand or if not vulnerable even a 4432 hand). Second seat can still leave it in, of course.
If the opponents are playing mini-N, then an extension called “Kurman” (the name of a player in the Los Angeles area) is played. The idea here is that advancer's pass over a two level run out is forcing on the doubler. This means, therefore, that a double by the advancer is penalty oriented. He passes with a good hand, without a trump “stack”. After a pass by advancer, doubler can either double (with trumps) or bid the step suit (2N over 2) as a takeout bid.
Immediate bids of 2, 2, 3 and 3 are natural, and limited by the fact that a double was not bid. The bids generally deny holding a second suit. Ogust responses are used when the overcall is 2 or 2. Example: (1N) 2 (P) 2N (P) ?
- 3 - bad hand, bad suit
- 3 - bad hand, good suit
- 3 - good hand, bad suit
- 3 - good hand, good suit
- 3N - Solid suit
2N is to be taken as a 2 suit takeout for the minors, but if the 2N bidder later jumps into a new suit, he is showing a strong (offensively) 2 suiter with the suit named plus the next higher ranking (s are higher ranking than s). [Gabor: does it need to be a jump? E.g. 2N-3-3 should be strong and , same for 2N-3-4.]No, does not need to be a jump
That leaves 2 and 2. 2 show s and (any) other suit; 2 shows s and (any) other suit. Notice that / two suiters can be shown with two different bids. If the “other” suit is the other major, then the second suit shown is better (usually better means longer).
The responses to the (2 and 2) overcalls are:
- Bid of the anchor suit at the two level (2 or 2) promises 3 card support and is not encouraging;
- Bid of the anchor suit at the three level is encouraging;
- A bid of the next higher suit (2 over 2, 2 over 2) is semi-artificial. It asks Overcaller to bid his 5 card suit. (Usually advancer does not have 3+ in overcaller's indicated major). Overcaller shows his long suit by:
- passing if the advancer has just bid it;
- “rebid” his major if it's 5 cards or more
- bids a “new” suit
- A pass by advancer says that the artificial bid has hit a long suit in his hand and he “hates” overcaller's indicated suit.
- A new suit by advancer (i.e. not a bid of the anchor major or the step bid), is constructive and natural, but not forcing.
- A 2N bid by advancer tells overcaller to bid his other suit and is somewhat forward going. If advancer then bids the originally shown major, he is showing an invitational raise with just three card support.
Sample auction:
- (1N) 2 (P) ?
- pass: Greatly preferss to s and is usually weak
- 2: What is your 5 card suit?
- 2: 3 or more s; not encouraging
- 2: a suit (constructive, NF)
- 2N: tells overcaller to bid his other suit (it doesn't ask which is his longer suit - so overcaller bids his minor even if it's shorter than his major suit)
- 3/3: natural (constructive, NF)
- 3: invitational (4 card support)