[JmBrPotter]

Bill Gregg (WGregg) and I (JmBrPotter) are play testing a new both minors forcing bidding system in the BBO main bridge club. Current test session timing is Thursday and Saturday evenings at 6:00PM EST. The system is ACBL General Convention Chart compliant and it has had one outing at the ACBL Myrtle Beach Regional this past December.

The system's opening bid table follows:

1♣: 11+ HCP, Conventional, 1RF, Multi, Unlimited
1♦: 15+ HCP, Conventional, 1RF, Multi, Unlimited
1♥ & 1♠: Natural, 11-20 HCP, 4-card+ suit, Unbalanced, 1-suited or 2-suited
1NT: Natural, 10-13 HCP, Balanced, (Responses: 5-card Stayman, 4-suit transfers, Texas, Gerber)

2♣, 2♦, 2♥, & 2♠: Weak two opening bid (partnership defined responses & rebids)
2NT: 11-15 HCP, Minor suit 2-suited

3♣, 3♦, 3♥, & 3♠: Natural, preemptive, broken suit, side entry possible
3NT: Solid (AKQ5432 or better) 7-card suit, no side entry
4♣, 4♦, 4♥, 4♠, 5♣, 5♦, 5♥, & 5♠: Natural preempt per partnership
6♣, 6♦, 6♥, & 6♠: Natural, 12 winners, missing A, K, or Q of bid trump suit

Three-suited hands:

11-14, 18-20, 24-26 HCP: Open 1♣ and rebid 1♠ over 1♦ waiting
15-17, 21-23, 27-34 HCP: Open 1♦ and rebid 2♣ over 1♥ waiting

Balanced Hands Stronger than 13HCP open 1♣ or 1♦ and sort it out, later:
14-16, 22-23, 26-27, & 30+ HCP: Open 1♣
17-19, 20-21, 24-25, & 28-29 HCP: Open 1♦

Responses to forcing 1♣ & 1♦ openings:

Herbert (1♦ over 1♣ or 1♥ over 1♦): Waiting
1♦, 1♥ (over defensive Double or when not Herbert), & 1♠: 6-9 HCP, Balanced, 1NT Systems ON
              ... or ... 16+ HCP, Balanced
1NT: Natural, NF, 10-13 HCP, Balanced, 1NT Systems ON
2NT: Natural, NF (but should reach game or four of a minor), 14-15 HCP, Balanced, 2NT Systems ON
3NT: Natural, NF, 15-16 HCP, 4-3-3-3, 3NT Systems ON

2♣, 2♦, 2♥, & 2♠: Natural, NF, 3-8 HCP, 6-card suit
3♣, 3♦, 3♥, & 3♠: Natural, NF, 3-8 HCP, 7-card+ suit

Pass after defensive double or overcall: Negative (0-9ish HCP) Waiting
Double after adverse 1-level suit overcall: Take Out
After adverse 1NT overcall: DONT over natural o/c Unusual vs. Unusual for 2-suited o/c
After adverse overcall above 1NT: Lebenshol

The current system book is available upon request via e-mail message to "ClioBridgeGuy >at< att >dot< net". You may also request having your e-mail address added to the list of folks who receive e-mail notices of system play test times (on BBO) and system book updates.



Brian Potter (JmBrPotter)

[Free]

How do you bid strong hands with a Major? 1♣ with ♥ and 1♦ with ♠?

[JmBrPotter]

Exactly. The sequences beginning "1♣-1♦; 1♥" and "1♦-1♥; 1♠" show unbalanced one-suited or two-suited hands with 5+ cards in the rebid major, eight or more offensive winners, 3.5DQT or more, and 17HCP or more. Subsequent development may follow Precision, Acol, Standard American or 2/1 lines according to partnership preference. Any internally consistent response and rebid structure (e. g., Bergen Raises) for one of a major openings will work with an adjustment that totally busted responding hands must bid something (e.g., 1NT forcing) over the one of a major rebid. The auction is unconditionally forcing to two of the rebid major.



Brian

[ynrobinson]

I played against this pair once and it was fun. I recall three or four hands, all of which belonged to them. One was a beautifully bid 7NT, starting with 1♦ (15+) - 2NT (also 15) - 4♣ (Gerber) - whatever - 7NT. Another was a disastrously bid 6NT after one partner tried to relay 5♠ to 5NT but was taken to 6♣ instead IIRC. Strangely, with 10-11 HCP I didn't double and let them go down 2 undoubled. There was also a hand opened 1NT where 5-card Stayman turned up negative, missing a 4-4 major fit. I asked about this and was told they don't play 4-card Stayman.

It was a great learning experience for me playing against Will and Brian.

[hanp]

Gerber is always beautiful but perhaps that auction does not exactly display the strength of the system.

How good would you say you two are JmBrPotter?

[JmBrPotter]

Hanp & YNRobinson,

Bill and I consider ourselves "Intermediate" players. Bill earned his ACBL gold card last December during the District Seven New Years Regional at Myrtle Beach, SC. Our system made it's ACBL tournament debut there. Over nine sessions we played two KOs (finishing 2nd & 3/4) and a compact KO (winning). During that run, I completed my gold point requirements, but I still need thirty-odd MP to earn my gold card.

When we want to find a 4-4 major suit fit, the 5-card major Stayman bidder rebids a four-card major (game invitational and forcing to 2NT). Responder may raise (4-card support) to 3 (re-invite/not sure) or 4 (accepting invitation), bid 2♠ (4-cards) over 2♥, rebid 2NT (no 4-card major, either), or rebid 3NT (no 4-card major but accepting the invitation). We use this convoluted approach rather than Puppet because we also use 5-card major Stayman as a run out to 2♦, 2♥, or 2♠. This means that we cannot tolerate the 2NT Puppet response for "no 4-card major AND no 5-card major." When running away from 1NT or 1NTx via Stayman, responder usually has approximately 3-3=6=1 (4-3=5=1, 4-4=5=0, 3-3=5=2, etc.) distribution with 0-6HCP and will pass the Stayman response. When holding the upper end of the run out range, responder may double an adverse overcall outside clubs for penalty.

The run out tactics are important over the 10-13HCP 1NT opening, but we use nearly identical 1NT systems over "1♣-1♦; 1NT" (Opener has 14-16HCP, balanced.) and "1♦-1♥; 1NT" (17-19HCP & balanced) to simplify memory aids. One of the few differences is how we treat game going major suit 5-4 hands. Over a direct 1NT opening we ask with 5-card major Stayman and rebid the 5-card major at the three-level. Over the 1NT rebid by a 1♣ or 1♦ opener, we use Smolen.

[JmBrPotter]

YNRobinson,

I believe that the 7NT deal SHOULD have been a push, but many pairs stopped in six or played the grand in a suit.

There were two potential traps: (1) We had a suit fit or two. (2) The weaker hand (14-15HCP) was balanced. The player holding the strong, distributional hand needs to avoid fixation on long suits as trumps to focus on winners and losers. That focus on winners and losers makes it easy to bid Gerber over 2NT and count somewhere between 12 and 16 fast winners depending upon the number of missing queens in the long suits. With no more than one missing key queen, there are 13+ fast winners and there should be lively squeeze possibilities with two key queens missing. Playing in 7NT prevents any possible defensive ruff (a risk when you have two long suits you plan to run).

Our bidding methods made responder the "opener." The auction over Bill's 2NT response to my 1♦ opening made me the captain "responding" to Bill's 2NT "opening" with 2NT response and rebid systems enabled. Most bidding systems would have had me opening strong and artificial (I did, but I had not yet promised a powerhouse.), Bill making a waiting bid (2NT natural rather than a waiting bid), and me rebidding a long suit (That was about to happen until Bill's 2NT response.)

The 1♦ opening, though unlimited, usually shows a minor suit one-suiter with 16-20, a balanced 17-19, or a major-minor two suiter (major never shorter than the minor but equal length possible) with 16-20 (The weakest possible holding is a three-suited 15-17 count.) These are NICE hands but typically not good enough to drive to a grand opposite partner's balanced 14-15. I had extras.

[JmBrPotter]

JmBrPotter, on 2010-January-28, 08:00, said:

Bill Gregg (WGregg) and I (JmBrPotter) are play testing a new both minors forcing bidding system on BBO. We usually play in ACBL Speedball events but would also like strong, reliable opponents in the main bridge club. Current test session timing is early Wednesday or Thursday evenings or weekends on US Eastern Time. The system is ACBL General Convention Chart compliant and it has had five outings at the ACBL regionals (4 MABC New Years Regionals [Myrtle Beach or Charleston, SC] and Dayton's Flying Buckeye Regional).

The system's opening bid table follows:

1♣: 11+ HCP, Conventional, 1RF, Multi, Unlimited
1♦: 15+ HCP, Conventional, 1RF, Multi, Unlimited
1♥ & 1♠: Natural, 11-20 HCP, 4-card+ suit, Unbalanced, 1-suited or 2-suited
1NT: Natural, 10-14 HCP, Balanced, (Responses: 5-card Stayman, 4-suit transfers, Texas, Gerber)

2♣, 2♦, 2♥, & 2♠: Weak two opening bid (partnership defined responses & rebids)
2NT: 11-15 HCP, Minor suit 2-suited

3♣, 3♦, 3♥, & 3♠: Natural, preemptive, broken suit, side entry possible
3NT: Solid (AKQ5432 or better) 7-card suit, no side entry
4♣, 4♦, 4♥, 4♠, 5♣, 5♦, 5♥, & 5♠: Natural preempt per partnership
6♣, 6♦, 6♥, & 6♠: Natural, 12 winners, missing A, K, or Q of bid trump suit

Three-suited hands:

11-14, 18-20, 24-26 HCP: Open 1♣ and rebid 1♠ over 1♦ waiting
15-17, 21-23, 27-34 HCP: Open 1♦ and rebid 2♣ over 1♥ waiting

Balanced Hands Stronger than 14HCP open 1♣ or 1♦ and sort it out, later:
15-18, 23-24, 27-28 HCP: Open 1♣
19-22, 25-26, 29-37 HCP: Open 1♦

Responses to forcing 1♣ & 1♦ openings:

Herbert (1♦ over 1♣ or 1♥ over 1♦): Waiting
1♦, 1♥ (over defensive Double or when not Herbert), & 1♠: Natural 6-9 HCP, 5-card suit
         ... or ... 17+ HCP, Balanced
1NT: Natural, NF, 10-14 HCP, Balanced, 1NT Systems ON
2NT: Natural, NF (but should reach game or four of a minor), 15-16 HCP, Balanced, 2NT Systems ON
3NT: Natural, NF, 17-18 HCP, 4-3-3-3, 3NT Systems ON

2♣, 2♦, 2♥, & 2♠: Natural, NF, 3-8 HCP, 6-card suit
3♣, 3♦, 3♥, & 3♠: Natural, NF, 3-8 HCP, 7-card+ suit

Pass after defensive double or overcall: Negative (0-9ish HCP) Waiting
Double after adverse 1-level suit overcall: Take Out
After adverse 1NT overcall: DONT over natural o/c Unusual vs. Unusual for 2-suited o/c
After adverse overcall above 1NT: Lebenshol

The current system book is available upon request via e-mail message to "ClioBridgeGuy >at< att >dot< net". You may also request having your e-mail address added to the list of folks who receive e-mail notices of system play test times (on BBO) and system book updates.



Brian Potter (JmBrPotter)

Bill and I still seek play test opponents and teammates interested in joining us while we tilt at windmills. We have modified our notrump ranges, some initial responses to 1♣ and 1♦, and some rebids (changes inserted, above). We've also become more careful about opening 2NT on minor suit 5-4 hands. We still want strong BBO opponents and teammates. Our BBO IDs are "wgregg" and "JmBrPotter". We usually play on BBO weekends or early on Wednesday or Thursday evening (US Eastern time).

Bill and I have improved both our game and our bidding. Our defense lets fewer unsound adverse contracts slip through our clutches. My opening leads, in particular, are less likely to snatch defeat from the jaws of victory. Bill (and I when I remember to count) will declare effective effectively more often than we would have a year or two ago. Now, the greatest weakness in our partnership is my laxness about counting. That has to stop if we're going to the next level. I chucked a minimum of two matches all by myself at Myrtle Beach last month just by failure to count. THAT is a past due wake up call.

[Siegmund]

Sounds like a fun idea. I will have to see if I can twist any of my partners into testing driving a couple of my experiments sometime. On a Saturday I'm not away at a sectional, that is.

[PrecisionL]

Brian,

I am trying to get one of my two Precision partners to agree to practice against y'all.

Both systems are canape oriented with transfer positives to the strong club opening.

We would play canape jump overcalls over your 1 of a minor opening, plus Power Double and 1NT for takeout.

Will post possibilities on this post later today.

Edited 7:25 PM EST

Available weekdays (except Tuesday and Thursdays) most evenings.

Available January 28, 29

lnlowell@flash.net

[dake50]

Do you intend a system testing party regularly?
Say another in six months?
Let those involved evolve their systems from
in-the-fray results.
My partnership is likely ready then.

[JmBrPotter]

dake50, on 2012-January-15, 12:00, said:

Do you intend a system testing party regularly?
Say another in six months?
Let those involved evolve their systems from
in-the-fray results.
My partnership is likely ready then.

Dake,

Bill and I typically play once or twice a week. Usually, that is between 18:00 and 20:00 on Wednesday or Thursday evenings or a weekend US Eastern Time. With a small amount of planning we can arrange a fixed start time for a team or pairs match in the Main Bridge Club. Just let us know when you are ready. You may e-mail me by contacting the Bridge at the Village director to request the newest system book (if you are not the Dake on my making list) or schedule a match.

[JmBrPotter]

PrecisionL, on 2012-January-15, 11:49, said:

Brian,

I am trying to get one of my two Precision partners to agree to practice against y'all.

Both systems are canape oriented with transfer positives to the strong club opening.

We would play canape jump overcalls over your 1 of a minor opening, plus Power Double and 1NT for takeout.

Will post possibilities on this post later today.

Daniel,

Bill and I typically play once or twice a week. Usually, that is between 18:00 and 20:00 on Wednesday or Thursday evenings or a weekend US Eastern Time. With a small amount of planning we can arrange a fixed start time for a team or pairs match in the Main Bridge Club. Just let us know when you are ready. You may e-mail me by contacting the Bridge at the Village director to request the newest system book (the 2.3MB Acrobat portable document file inconvenient ultimate in full disclosure) or schedule a match. If Bill and I can get to Gatlinburg, maybe, we can team up there. I live in District-7, Unit-160 and manage/direct a club in Unit-153.

BTW, Bill and I have a prepared, DONT based defense to 1♣ forcing: 1-level overcalls are sound opening bid strength or better and natural. Double is like the overcall but balanced or with length in the doubled artificial suit or a lower ranking suit (We might also act at {1♣}-Pass-{1♦}-¿?.) 1NT is a DONT double. 2♣ or a higher bid is DONT. This defense caters to 1♣ strong being a strong notrump hand more frequently than most other individual cases. Typically, it propels us to a 2-level safe spot while wrecking most typical 1♣ response and rebid structures. We use a Lebenshol variant against 2-level or 3-level competition over our 1♣ and 1♦ openings. The same defense applies to an artifical 1♦ opening (Perhaps, the "nebulous diamond," too; that needs discussing.) and artificial 1♥ response. A version with beefier distribution requirements applies over 2♣ strong and artificial and the artificial 2♦ response thereto.

[Fluffy]

me and my partner try our strong club each tuesday, Night for me (europe) afternoon-evening for him (America). If you coould or would like to join us so we can test each other, Fluffy & jsabate

[JmBrPotter]

Fluffy, on 2012-January-18, 18:19, said:

me and my partner try our strong club each tuesday, Night for me (europe) afternoon-evening for him (America). If you coould or would like to join us so we can test each other, Fluffy & jsabate

Sr. Gonzalo Goded,

Thank you for the kind invitation. You and Sr. Sabaté are probably much stronger than Bill and I.

Unfortunately for us, Bill has a day job and a Tuesday evening club game where he is a club official. Times when we could accept you invitation are rare.

I've added both of you to my friends list. If a time comes when we can play on a Tuesday evening (US Eastern Time), I'll send BBO mail and look for the two of you.

Thank you,

Brian

[PrecisionL]

Brian,

what time Saturday (tomorrow) for BBO practice.

Larry