[benlessard]

This is a just a first draft. The basic idea is to invert 1H and 1S in combination with a 1S gadget rebid from opener. It should allow you to show the S (by bidding 1H) before the H even with 55,45,46 shapes making the start 1D-1H-1S more frequent and giving you more overall bidding space.

This is a follow up to http://www.bridgebas...onses-after-1d/

1D-1H (1H show 4+S but may have longer H.)
1S-?? (The 1S rebid by opener show 4H or 3S)

1NT not forcing denies 4H and 4D, may have 5S.

2C like XYZ, to play 2D or to show many inv hand or some rare GF hands.

2D art either weakish with 4H or art GF or 6S inv.

2H at least 5H not inv, NF (46,45,55)

2S 6S not inv denies 4H

2NT could be a relay to 3C (or whatever you prefer)

Rest is GF

---possible that 2H as art GF is simpler and better. The weaker than inv 5S/5H or 4S/5H or 4S/6H have a lower importance than the unclear GF.


--------------------

1D-1H
1S-1NT
??

2C = 3?44, 15 or less

2D = 3?6? 15 or less (note with 4H+6D min you need to pass 1Nt)

2H = ?46? 15+ (could be slightly weaker than usual reverse strengt)

2S = 3442 or 3451

2NT = INV with 3S

rest is GF showing 3S.

----------Being stuck to play 1Nt instead of 2D when holding 4H+6D is a minus but its not a deal breaker. Being able to show 6D+3D vs 6D not 3S is more important anyway.

Note that Im not a fan of the XYZ 2D as being 100% GF anyway. (Standard XYZ sequence 1D-1H-1S-2D!)

--------------------------------

1D-1H
1S-2C
??

2D = 11-16 many shapes

2H = 16+, 4H standard reverse

2S = 16-17 with 3S (BW death hand)

rest is GF with 3S

---------------------------------

1D-1H
1S-2D
??


2H= 4H limited to 17.

2S = 3S limited to 17 denies 4H.

2NT = 4H 18+

rest is denies 4H show 3S 18+.

-------------------------------------

1D-1H
1S-2H
??

pass = at least 2H

2S = 31??

3H = 16-17 raise.

rest is 17+

-------------------------------------------

1D-1H
1S-2C
2D--??

2H = at least 4H inv

2S = exactly 5S INV, denies 4H

2NT = INV with exactly 4S without 4H.

-----------------------------------

Note that its possible that some hands with 6H+4S will be in 1D--1S(showing H) to liberate some space from the 1D-1H-1S start.

[straube]

I don't really understand why you want 1D-1H, 1S as a 2-way bid. Why can't it just show hearts? Then you have 1D-1H, 2H as your 3-cd spade raise since you don't need it for a reverse. Why shouldn't opener show just four hearts and then decide to raise spades with three or rebid diamonds with 6, etc?

I still think you need 1D-2H as Flannery or perhaps Reverse Flannery.

Also, you do give up on 1D-1H, 1S-P which is rare but not that rare.

[newroad]

Hi Ben,

This is a tangential answer to your question, so apologise if of no interest.

For some years in a secondary partnership, I have played 2♥ as a minimum opening, circa 11-15 hcp, 4♥/5+m. The reasons for doing so are because we could, it has useful offensive versus defensive properties, and it avoids the rebid problems inherent in most natural methods after 1m 1♠.

It had the consequence of allowing us to consider our 1♦ response structure. We switched to

• 1♦ 1NT showing 5+♠, F1
  
• 1♦ 1♠ showing 5+♥, F1
  
• 1♦ 1♥ denying the ability to do either of the above (or anything else sensible)

in a somewhat Kaplan Inversion like style. The competitive advantages of knowing partner has a 5M in response are significant and being able to hide 4♥ in response doesn't hurt either.

If of further interest, by all means, let me know and I would be happy to expand further.

Regards, Newroad

[awm]

So I thought one of the advantages of this style was that you could find the 4-4 heart fit when opener has x46x and responder has 5/4 in the majors. This is potentially difficult in standard methods (unless you play reverse flannery or opener's 2♥ rebid as NF over 2♦, both of which present a lot of other issues).

But now it looks like you can't reach 2♦ on these hands in the more common case where the 4-4 heart fit does not materialize, which seems like a more significant loss (on the same opener hands) than being able to find the (relatively rare) 4-4 heart fit!

It seems like you could just play that 1♦-1♥-1♠-1NT-2♠ shows three spades and long diamonds; you are usually okay playing 2♠ on those hands and responder can always correct to 3♦ on the occasion that seems much better. This (occasionally playing one level higher if responder can't stand the moysian) seems much better than being stuck in 1NT when opener has x46x after the same four calls.

[straube]

1D-1H

.....1S-4 hearts (or 1345 if you want to be fancy)
..........1N-no fit
...............2C-forces 2D for p/c
...............2D-4/6, plus hand
...............2H-5/6, plus hand
...............2S-3451, plus hand
...............2N-inv
...............3C-1444 inv
...............etc-gf
..........2C-XYZ
..........2D-XYZ
.....1N-bal
.....2C-C/D (5D/4C if you want to be fancy)
.....2D-D
.....2H-good spade raise
.....3S-bad spade raise

1D-2H=4+S/5H

1D-1H, 2m-2H=artificial GF

[benlessard]

Quote

I don't really understand why you want 1D-1H, 1S as a 2-way bid. Why can't it just show hearts?

I strongly think putting 2 hand type into 1S is going to be an improvement since its a good spot to spread and maximize the allocated bidding space. Im not sure at all about "4H or 3S" but it looked like a sensible place to start.

Quote

But now it looks like you can't reach 2D

For the 6D+4H its when responder is not inv & without 4H/4D/6S (where he will rebid 1NT).

1D-1H-1S-1NT AP. Going down there while 2D would have make doesnt bother me since ive probably saw 2D going down while 1Nt would make as often. However its the 4H+6D and 15-16 pts that I find more annoying. But these hand are annoying in standard anyway after 1D-1S-??.

I agree that if 1D-1H-2S show 6D+3S then 1D-1H-1S-1Nt-2D is free to be 6D+4H but I dont think its an improvement. Even if its an improvement its going to be a tiny one. I prefer to play the better of 2D/2S and a wrong 1NTvs2D rather than the better 2Dvs1NT but play 2S/3D.

Anyway you have to also look at all the advantages, no more BW death hand, no more strong jump shift with 3 card support on the side. No need to checkback after a jump to 2NT no more both Majors trouble after

1D-1S-2D-?? do i show my hearts or not.

Same for 1D-1S-2C-?? with 5/5 in the M. These are huge huge plus imo.

Compared to solution like 1D-1S-2NT (art GF with 3S) my solution is better its not really close at all.

[awm]

So if the auction starts:

1♦ - 1♥! - 2♣

and you have 5/5 majors, what do you do? You know that you don't have a 5-3 spade fit, but you could easily miss a 5-3 heart fit here?

In standard your auction goes:

1♦ - 1♠ - 2♣

and again you know that you don't have a 5-3 spade fit, but you could easily miss a 5-3 heart fit.

So the only difference is when there is a nine card heart fit, but that's pretty unlikely (0454 exactly I guess, 1444 if you bid this way, which I don't). It doesn't seem like a huge difference.

Same goes for 1♦-1♥-2♦ with 5/5 majors. You won't miss a nine-card heart fit or an eight-card spade fit, but the standard bidders won't miss an eight-card spade fit either, and you still can't find an eight-card heart fit.

It seems like your only advantage here is when opener has an unbalanced hand which includes four hearts, and responder has four-plus hearts, and you don't have game-going hands. That is a real advantage, but it is certainly reduced in standard methods if opener is rebidding 1nt on a lot of 1444/1453 type patterns (allowing us to find the heart fit anyway). Against this you have the following hands:

1. Opener has 4♥+6♦ and responder has 4-5♠ without 4♥. Now you have to play 1NT instead of 2♦ which seems extremely likely to be worse.
2. Opener has 3-3 in the majors and responder has 5♥+4♠. Now you play 2♠ instead of 2♥, which can easily be substantially worse.
3. Opener has 3♥ and 0-2♠ in an unbalanced hand and responder has 5♥+4♠. Now you have some auction like 1♦-1♥!-2♦ or 1♦-1♥!-2♣ and miss your 5-3 heart fit, whereas in standard responder has an easy raise of a natural heart response.

[benlessard]

after

1D-1H!
2C-??

I think I would play 2H! as art GF or 6S INV and 2S as natural not inv. Ive tought about 2H nat NF and 2S! art GF but this mean that with 6S (with or without 4H) I would need to use a gadget like 1D-2M.

However for 1D-1H!-2D 2H should clearly be NF (not dead minimum) since responder is going to have 5H a fair amount of times. Opener denied 3S/4C so hes not likely to be short in H. GForcing at 3C give me no problem since opener possible shapes are limited. Being able to stop in 2H is a nice plus.

Quote

1. Opener has 4♥+6♦ and responder has 4-5♠ without 4♥. Now you have to play 1NT instead of 2♦ which seems extremely likely to be worse.

I disagree here, in my experience the difference between 1NT and 2D is small. Im almost sure that cases where going in 1Nt while 2D would make versus the opposite is going to be small. I see it as a minus but a small one. Maybe it deserve a sim.

Quote

2. Opener has 3-3 in the majors and responder has 5H+4♠. Now you play 2♠ instead of 2♥, which can easily be substantially worse.

Only if responder is INV and opener min.

If responder is weak with 5H its going to go

1D-1H!
1S!-2H (showing 5H)

if responder is weak with only 4H

1D-1H
1S-2D!


if hes INV
1D-1H!
1S!-2C!
2D!-2H wich could be 54 or 45. (not perfect I admit)


For 3 its the same thing. Its only when 1354 vs 45?? (not INV) that I will play 2m instead of 2H,3H,4H.

Note thats its possible that some 46?? or 45?? hands with a problematic range of pts will be in

1D-1S(showing H).

So if these are my biggest problems I think im in pretty good shape here, all the other advantages will clearly offset those things imo.


1D-1H-??
both 2H & 2S promising 4S.


1D-1H
??

2C,2D,2NT,3D and the 3C jump shift are denying 3S and 4H. These are huge plus IMO, not at all in the same weight classes than the 4H+6D problem.