Monday, July 25, 2005 6:52 AM

1 Club – 2♦ WJS

 

PITBULLS:

 

            Bidding theorists realize that a 1♣-P-2♦-P is a rather lame bid. The bid does not cut it as a pre-emptive action as it keeps nobody out of the auction. A 3♦ bid after partners opens 1♣ does the job much better. Many partnerships have sought out different meanings for the 2♦ bid after a club opener. Weak major suit hands are sometimes shut out after partner opens 1♣ . The club opener has hearts and is too weak to reverse after a spade response. The club opener rebids two clubs but has good 3 card support for a major and responder passes. Quite often partner opens a club with a strong hand with the majors and partner is too weak to respond so a game in the major is missed. This causes partner to respond without the required HCP’s and this leads to more trouble more often than not.

 

          Here is a treatment that helps solve this problem after a 1♣ opening bid.

 

1♣      2♦       weak hand < 9 HCP with at least 5-4 in the majors;

 

                     IF 5 ♠ AND 4 ♥, THEN 4 TO 8

                     IF 4 ♠ AND 5 ♥, THEN 4 TO 8

                     IF 5 ♠ AND 5 ♥, THEN 3 TO 6

 

1♣      2♦

2♥/♠              to play

2NT              F1 round

3♣                to play

3♥/3♠            invitational

3NT              to play

 

1♣      2♦

2NT    3♣      maximum hand so 3♦ asks ( responses below )

          3♦       minimum, 4 ♠ AND 5 ♥

          3♥      minimum, 5 ♠ AND 4 ♥       steps base on spades

          3♠      minimum, 5 ♠ AND 5 ♥

 

1♣      2♦

2NT    3♣      maximum so going to game

3♦       3♥/3♠  4 card suit, 5 in other major (Smolen)

          3NT    5-5