Responding to 1NT over overcall of 2m=majors

[David Stevenson]

My apologies that I was not taking note, and I know this was discussed
fairly recently, but please could you tell me any views as to the
meaning of calls the way you play it after

1NT (2C=majors) ?
1NT (2D=majors) ?
1NT (2H=majors) ?

--
David Stevenson Bridge RTFLB Cats Railways
Liverpool, England, UK bluejak on BBO Mbl: +44 7778 409 955
<webj...@googlemail.com> EBL TD Tel: +44 151 677 7412
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[Will in New Haven]

On Feb 5, 7:49 pm, David Stevenson <brid...@nospam.demon.co.uk> wrote:
>    My apologies that I was not taking note, and I know this was discussed
> fairly recently, but please could you tell me any views as to the
> meaning of calls the way you play it after
>
> 1NT (2C=majors) ?
> 1NT (2D=majors) ?
> 1NT (2H=majors) ?

Double of 2C: At least invitational values. I don't mind defending
2CX. If neither of us wants to double their eventual contract, we will
bid our own contract. I can probably double at least one Major and can
sit for a double of either.

Double of 2C: At least invitational values. I don't mind defending
2CX. If neither of us wants to double their eventual contract, we will
bid our own contract. I can probably double at least one Major and can
sit for a double of either.

Double of 2D: At least invitational values. I don't mind defending
2DX. If neither of us wants to double their eventual contract, we will
bid our own contract. I can probably double at least one Major and can
sit for a double of either.

Double of 2H: At least invitational values. Penalty double of 2H. If
neither of us wants to double another eventual contract, we will bid
our own contract.

--
Will in New Haven
All change for Round Seven; slow pairs please go home.

[dak...@aol.com]

Systemically, what of your regular 1NT scheme are you willing
to surrender/change in deference to what opponents have said?
I play a transfer scheme here, mostly geared to showing stops.
The double has invite values AND top cards for penalties,
but it is a transfer to the lowest suit, likely a stopper.
After the Dbl as transfer, rebids by Dbl-er show that was a stop
OR that was my start to describe my hand.
I think I'm keeping much flexibility and countering their attempt.

[Fred.]

This is a case where we surrender the part score
battle. 3m is natural, forcing. With at least
invitational values:

2H, 2S = natural cue bid
DBL of 2C, 2D = cards,
tends to deny major suit values,
usually short of game force
DBL of 2H = heart stop, cooperative

Fred.

[Paul Hightower]

"David Stevenson" <bri...@nospam.demon.co.uk> wrote in message
news:cpaIv9BQOyLPFw$U...@blakjak.demon.co.uk...

>
> My apologies that I was not taking note, and I know this was discussed
> fairly recently, but please could you tell me any views as to the meaning
> of calls the way you play it after
>
> 1NT (2C=majors) ?
> 1NT (2D=majors) ?
> 1NT (2H=majors) ?
>

I'd want to know whether "majors" means 5-5, or 5-4, or 4-4. I assume we may
want to play in a strong major despite four cards in a (known) opponent's
hand, but not against a known 5.

Assuming 4-4 or 5-4: double = 8+ balanced (or a minimum of 23 hcp combined
if the range is other than 15-17), suit bids natural, non-forcing at 2
level, forcing at 3 level, 2NT lebensohl. (Transfers starting at 2NT are
probably better, just haven't played those.)

In any known five card suit (maybe they specify 5 spades or 5 hearts or, of
course, 5 of both) cue-bid asks for a stopper, or shows one if both majors
are known to be five.

3NT is to play, with stoppers -- double or make a forcing minor suit bid if
you lack stoppers.

[Co Wiersma]

Op 6-2-2012 16:11, Paul Hightower schreef:

4 usually means
at least 4
and then I think it be wise to forget about playing that suit

[Frances]

On Feb 6, 12:49 am, David Stevenson <brid...@nospam.demon.co.uk>
wrote:

>    My apologies that I was not taking note, and I know this was discussed
> fairly recently, but please could you tell me any views as to the
> meaning of calls the way you play it after
>
> 1NT (2C=majors) ?
> 1NT (2D=majors) ?
> 1NT (2H=majors) ?
>
> --
> David Stevenson            Bridge      RTFLB     Cats         Railways
> Liverpool, England, UK     bluejak on BBO        Mbl: +44 7778 409 955

> <webjak...@googlemail.com>       EBL TD          Tel: +44 151 677 7412

> bluejak666 on Skype        Bridgepage:http://blakjak.org/brg_menu.htm

After 2C or 2D = majors, we play
Dbl = at least some interest in defending, sets up forcing pass at the
2-level (we then play first double as take-out, but you can play
either way round - be consistent with your other penalty-taking
auctions). This includes all balanced invite+ hands.
2D (if available) = natural, non-forcing
2major = natural non-forcing (assuming they haven't promised more than
4 cards in each major)
2NT+ consistent with our other auctions after intervention over 1NT.
So as we usually play Rubensohl (transfers), we continue to play them
here (2NT = clubs, 3C = diamonds, 3D = hearts, 3H = spades, 3S = FG
with both minors). If I usually played lebensohl, I'd also play that
here.

Given that I've seen plenty of "2C=majors" overcalls with a suits,
say, 7xxx AQxxx in the majors, we can easily want to play in a major.
If they promised 5-5 majors we'd do something different, but I've
never seen that.

Pass then double is a light distributional take-out (e.g. 1NT 2C P 2S
P P dbl, playing a strong NT I might double on x Qxxx xxxx Kxxx)

After 2H = majors, we play dbl as take-out, others as above.

[David Stevenson]

David Stevenson wrote

>
> My apologies that I was not taking note, and I know this was
>discussed fairly recently, but please could you tell me any views as to
>the meaning of calls the way you play it after
>
>1NT (2C=majors) ?
>1NT (2D=majors) ?
>1NT (2H=majors) ?

Thanks for the replies. A summary:

Pass then double
Light takeout

Dbl of 2m
Invitation+: willing to defend 2m doubled
Invitation+: asks opener to bid next suit
Invitation+: usually not game values, tends to deny major suit values
Invitation+: balanced

Dbl of 2H
Invitation+: penalties
Invitation+: asks opener to bid next suit
Invitation+: heart stop, co-operative
Invitation+: balanced
Take-out

2D
Natural, non-forcing

2M
Natural cue bid.
[I have no idea what natural cue bid means, I am afraid]
Natural, non-forcing
If known five-card suit, stopper ask [or show if both suits 5+]
Not natural, no details given

2NT
Lebensohl

3m
Natural, forcing

3NT
To play, with stoppers

I think currently I play what Frances said pretty much, but have not
discussed it explicitly.

It looks to me sensible, but I wonder about delayed bids of a major,
eg:

1NT (2C) Dbl (2H)
P P Dbl P
3C P 3S

or

1NT (2C) 2NT P
3C P 3H

[Frances]

>    I think currently I play what Frances said pretty much, but have not
> discussed it explicitly.
>
>    It looks to me sensible, but I wonder about delayed bids of a major,
> eg:
>
> 1NT (2C) Dbl (2H)
>   P    P  Dbl  P
> 3C    P  3S
>

I don't entirely understand this auction.
If the first double meant 'interest in defending, sets up a forcing
pass' then
- if double of 2H was for penalties, opener has no business removing
it to 3C
- if double of 2H was for take-out, and opener doesn't want to defend,
why didn't opener double 2H himself?

Hence to understand responder's 3S bid you have to know what hands
opener first passes 2H then bids over partner's double.

[we've agreed that if opener has a weak off-shape NT opener, he would
bid 3C directly over 2H rather than pass then bid; so we take this
sequence to mean that opener has a maximum with 6 clubs, low doubleton
heart and would rather play in game than defend even if responder
wants to defend. On that auction 3S shows a spade stop.]

>    or
>
> 1NT (2C) 2NT P
> 3C    P  3H
>

Playing lebensohl, this would traditionally show an invitational hand
with hearts, so I assume that is what it means here. I would assume
it is very short in spades as responder has shown no interest in
defending.

> --
> David Stevenson            Bridge      RTFLB     Cats         Railways
> Liverpool, England, UK     bluejak on BBO        Mbl: +44 7778 409 955

> <webjak...@googlemail.com>       EBL TD          Tel: +44 151 677 7412

[Michael Angelo Ravera]

On Sunday, February 5, 2012 4:49:20 PM UTC-8, David Stevenson wrote:
> My apologies that I was not taking note, and I know this was discussed
> fairly recently, but please could you tell me any views as to the
> meaning of calls the way you play it after
>
> 1NT (2C=majors) ?
> 1NT (2D=majors) ?
> 1NT (2H=majors) ?

Playing strong 1NT, I would suggest that double offers to penalize both the artificial suit and one of the majors (penalize both majors when doubling 2H).
Bidding 2M over 2m shows the minor of the same shape with invitational or better values and bidding the minor naturally is an offer to play with less than invitational values.
Over 2H, I would make 2S a transfer to clubs and 2NT a transfer to diamonds. Your normal method of preaccepting should be used.
If 2D was available as a natural bid (as it would be over 2C), I suggest that 3D show game values with bad values in or shortage in the majors. (A two-suit stop inquiry).
In any case, both 3M bids should be stop inquiries. 3S should show some values in hearts. You can use 3H without a spade stop, but opener has to bid 3S lacking a spade stop, if you allow this (and assuing that you don't have 3D available as a double inquiry).
3NT should show a stop in ONE of the majors and a 6+-card minor suit with 3 of the top 4 cards. With other strong hands, you should usually get a double on the table first, since it may well be easier to take 6 or 7 tricks on defense than 9 on offense. You can always try for a minor suit slam after opener pulls the double.

Playing lighter 1NT openers, it is going to be rare that a real penality opportunity comes up, so you may want to make the double more about the artificial suit (or a takeout of hearts over 2H).

[Eric Leong]

On Sunday, February 5, 2012 4:49:20 PM UTC-8, David Stevenson wrote:

I play basically:
Double shows willingness to double at least one of the major suits.
Pass then double is a cooperative penalty double with three cards in the major.
Bid of a major shows a stopper in that major but not in the other major.

Eric Leong