Conventional 2D Bid Over a 1NT Opener
Bob M
been suggested that Multi-Landy
is better. But it seems that the 2D bid to show an unspecified one-
suiter is not permitted by the
General Convention Chart. A double (DONT) to show an unspecified one
suiter is permitted, as is 2C
(Cap), however a 2D bid used in this fashion is not permitted. What is
the reason for this?
Presently I like to defend a strong 1NT opener with DONT and Cap (with
penalty double) vs a weak
notrumper. Any other suggestions for conventions that seem to work
well and are permitted by the
ACBL General Convention Chart?
Bob M
Stu G
You are correct in that (1N) - 2D must show at least one known suit to
be a GCC allowable convention. You can use your systemic 2D for a 1-
suited where Mid-Chart is allowed (I believe this is Mid-Chart 2,
which means you can use the convention in any Mid-Chart event which
has 2 or more boards per round).
Many players I know use 2D for a single suited hand until someone
points out that it is not allowed in a GCC event. I can only
speculate on why it is Mid-Chart: it is easy and common to play the
usual NT systems on over Dbl or 2C, not so over any higher bid. So it
does take some preparation to deal with such interference. For
example, what does an immediate DBL by responder mean versus a delayed
Dbl? Is 3D by responder natural or Stayman? If natural, how do you
ask for a major?
-Stu Goodgold
San Jose, CA
Chris
> Against a weak notrump opening I've been using Cappelletti but it has
> been suggested that Multi-Landy
> is better. But it seems that the 2D bid to show an unspecified one-
> suiter is not permitted by the
> General Convention Chart.
This has always seemed a bit unfair to me, considering that responder
to the 1NT opener is allowed to use any conventions he likes
(including 2D as an unspecified 1-suiter, which I have in fact
played).
By the way, I assume Multi-Landy is the same thing as "Woolsey, but
with a penalty double"?
I have always liked Apstro against weak NTs. (2C = hearts + another,
2D = spades + another; with both majors, show the shorter one first.)
There are a number of transfer based systems that also work well. My
favorite is 2-under transfers, which are in a sense just an extension
of Apstro.
Christopher Monsour
boblipton
Partner and I play Capelletti in first seat against all strengths,
varying the strength of the double to that of the NT opener.. It's a
decent system at all strengths, but it's a lot more fun against a weak
NT.
Bob
Michael Angelo Ravera
As Stu correctly said, using 2D as an unknown long suit is an MC-2
convention. It is MC-2 because it is allowed by Mid-Chart permission
#4 and specifically excluded under General Chart Competitive Permision
7b.
If you want to get most of the value of the 2D showing an unknown long
suit, you can do one of th efollowing:
1) Use what I refer to as the Psychic Compresed Transfer (Manhatten
Transfer). Overcaller bids 2C with an unknown long suit and Advancer
bids the suit in which she would least like to play (shortest suit,
worst doubleton, or cheapest trebbleton). This has the advantage that
Opener never knows whether he will get a chance to bid again after the
advance and often makes a bid that gets hopeless contracts off the
hook or makes a double that aids the overcalling side.
2) Use 2C to show a two- or three-suited hand with at least one major
of 4-cards or longer. Advancer answers in a like fashion to Stayman.
My strong suggestion is that you find some conventional use of a
double against strong 1NT openers. Unilateral penalties are almost
never right, even if you hold 22 HCP.
I don't know the reason for the prohibition since its prohibition
predates my interest in competitive Bridge. My hunch is that "it feels
too much like Multi-2D" (which has always been MC-2 and now is MC-6).
Keep in mind that you MAY use 2D to show an unknown long suit over
Strong forcing 1C, Strong forcing 1D, forcing 1NT, and Strong forcing
2C openers, but not a natural 1NT (even if it promises a balanced 19
count).
blackshoe
X = penalty
2C = transfer to diamonds, either diamonds or a major/minor two-suiter
(overcaller bids the major over 2D, advancer then can ask for the
minor with 2NT).
2D = transfer to hearts
2H = both majors
2S = spades
2NT = transfer to clubs
3C = both minors
3D = both majors, forcing.
As far as I know, it's all GCC legal.
Will in New Haven
DONT isn't ambitious enough for games and penalties to play versus
Weak NT, so we play a version of Astro:
DBL: Penalty, works out to 17+ balanced or 14+ with a good long suit
to lead.
2C: Hearts and another suit. If the other suit is Spades they are
shorter.
2D: Spades and another suit.
2H, 2S, 3C or 3D: One suit, not suitable for Penalty Double
2NT: At least 5-4 in the Minors and strong
--
Will in New Haven
Adam Beneschan
> Against a weak notrump opening I've been using Cappelletti but it has
> been suggested that Multi-Landy
> is better. But it seems that the 2D bid to show an unspecified one-
> suiter is not permitted by the
> General Convention Chart. A double (DONT) to show an unspecified one
> suiter is permitted, as is 2C
> (Cap), however a 2D bid used in this fashion is not permitted. What is
> the reason for this?
Somebody complained about Suction. That's the reason.
Anyway, although 2D is not allowed on the GCC, it may be allowed
anyway, depending on where you are. Previously, any defense against
1NT was GCC-legal. When the ACBL added the restriction, there was a
major outcry, and the ACBL reminded various districts that they had
the right to allow certain non-GCC conventions at their tournaments
provided that the information about what additional conventions are
allowed is included in the tournament advertising, or something like
that. I was also under the impression that the districts around
Southern California (Districts 22 and 23), as well as D21 and most of
the East Coast, allow Suction and other non-GCC 1NT defenses at their
regional tournaments, at least. I could be wrong about this. I've
seen this sort of notice on tournament flyers, but I just checked the
one for the upcoming San Diego regional and didn't see one. Maybe I
looked in the wrong place.
But you may still be able to use this convention, depending on where
you are. I'd ask.
(Personally, while I can understand what the ACBL was trying to do, I
think they made a serious error in adding this restriction to defenses
against *all* notrumps. If they had to add a restriction, they should
have allowed unrestricted defenses against weak notrumps, since in
those cases the notrump opening itself has some obstructive value and
the defense should have whatever tools available that they need to
overcome. I suggested this to a district official back then, and I
got the impression that she thought it was worth considering, but
nothing else ever came of it.)
-- Adam
Will in New Haven
Another thought is that they could make people who play weak NT sit in
the back of the bus. And they could mark water fountains "weak NT" and
"normal people" and have none of the ones marked "weak NT" work. The
strong NT opening has obstructive value also and there isn't any
reason in the world to protect the people who use it any more than the
people who use weak NT, except that the whiny majority of "I want my
points without effort" players play a strong NT.
Stu G
After talking about this to a regional DIC, I found out that was the
case a few years back; Suction and perhaps a few other Midchart
conventions were allowed in regional events in West Coast regionals.
However, that is no longer allowed. A tournament can allow Mid-Chart
in specific events provided that fact is announced or published.
However, the district or unit cannot selectively choose certain
conventions to allow or not allow. The event must conform to the ACBL
Mid-Chart convention restrictions and either all the allowed Mid-chart
can be used or no Mid-Chart conventions can be used.
Specifically, all sanctioned tournaments must comply with the ACBL
Conditions of Contest, which states:
The ACBL General Convention Chart will govern bidding and playing
methods unless the Sponsoring Organization has announced or published
that the Mid-Chart and/or SuperChart will be permitted.
It doesn't say anything about a partial Mid-Chart,; it say 'the' Mid-
Chart.
-Stu Goodgold
San Jose, CA
D21 Pres.
Adam Beneschan
Not nearly as much. When your opponent opens a strong notrump, the
chances are less likely that your side has a game. Not impossible,
but a lot less. The 10-12 notrumps (give or take a point) are the
ones I was really concerned about; if my RHO opens a 10-12 notrump,
the rest of the field is very likely dealing with a pass rather than a
1NT opener, and some of the tools we might have available to recover
and find our games got taken away.
> also and there isn't any
> reason in the world to protect the people who use it any more than the
> people who use weak NT, except that the whiny majority of "I want my
> points without effort" players play a strong NT.
There's always been differences of opinion as to how much "effort"
should be expected, or is too much to expect, when it comes to dealing
with opponents' conventions. Both sides are going to argue forever
and not everybody is going to be happy. That's really all that can be
said about it. This is certainly the last I'm going to say about it.
It's a religious war, and for now, I'm staying out of it.
-- Adam
Adam Beneschan
> After talking about this to a regional DIC, I found out that was the
> case a few years back; Suction and perhaps a few other Midchart
> conventions were allowed in regional events in West Coast regionals.
>
> However, that is no longer allowed. A tournament can allow Mid-Chart
> in specific events provided that fact is announced or published.
> However, the district or unit cannot selectively choose certain
> conventions to allow or not allow. The event must conform to the ACBL
> Mid-Chart convention restrictions and either all the allowed Mid-chart
> can be used or no Mid-Chart conventions can be used.
Thanks for the information, Stu.
I wonder when the ACBL decided to remove this option, and why---or,
for that matter, if they did so accidentally by not paying close
attention to their wording.
-- Adam
Michael Angelo Ravera
Actually it does say something about partial Mid-Chart. "This chart or
any part of it may be used ... " if it says so in the advertising. So,
a tournament could allow "any defense against a natural 1NT opening or
overcall."
When I was researching for our Unit (the board of which you are a
member) as chair of our Unit's C&C committee, the question that I
asked was effectively "Can we allow MC-6 in pairs events". The answer
that I got from the national tournaments chair Mr. Campbell (not the
chair of national tournaments) was that we could. A few days later I
got a contrary answer from the directors who direct in our area Mrs.
Paine and from the CTD Mr. Beye. My follow up question was "how
liberally can we interpret '6-board rounds'" and the answer that I got
(consisent from both the directors and the tournament chair this time)
was that we can be fairly liberal about it. For instance, Two 3-board
segments scheduled against the same team would allow us to allow MC-6,
if we chose.
What I got from the tournament chair was that we must use one of the
ACBL charts for our Unit Championships and that we may not, for
instance, allow all WBF red sticker conventions (as I would do, if I
had my choice and which is exactly what I allow in my club games).
As far as I am concerned, disallowing only WBF yellow and brown
sticker conventions makes the most sense, but the ACBL officials get
all in a huff the minute that you mention the WBF.
Travis Crump
In the DC area, when we prealert 2D as 1 major in AX events people look
at us funny and say 'oh we play that too'. Apparently it is attributed
to Steve Robinson in that area and pretty much everyone plays it.
Travis