Sunday, April 17, 2005 6:32 AM

Hand Evaluation - XYZ

 

PITBULLS:

 

 When 3 bids for a partnership remain at the one level , some confusing 4th suit forcing auctions can arise out of necessity. Avoiding these 4th suit  forcing auctions at the one level or otherwise is usually a good idea. In effect , your bidding system changes if the auction remains at the one level for 3 rounds . Just read an understanding on the Internet introduced by the Granovetters  . He calls it xyz with the letters representing any 3 bids all made at the one level. It is taking the 2-way NMF a step further  by playing the same understandings in any 4th suit forcing auction at the one level  with suits rebid rather than just  NT . This replaces the phony 4th suit forcing sequences with the same 2-way NMF made popular after a 1NT rebid. Essentially the advantages are the same with suits bid at  the one level as with a 1NT rebid.

 

            You can not have an auction remain at the one level for 3 bids without opening a minor first. Therefore , this treatment is minor suit orientated even though major suit fits are found later in the auction. Minor suit fits are emphasized with a belated bid to 2NT by responder as a relay to clubs. A further bid shows a stiff with a 4 card fit for partners minor.  This version of NMF at the one level follows the same principles : 2 is an artificial game force , 2♣ a relay to 2 showing invitational hands & jumps slamish & strong. This treatment avoids some of the 4th suit forcing problems at the one level . Jumps to the 3 level are no longer invitational so solves all matters of weak hands in misfit auctions . You can invent splinters & all sorts of other understandings within this structure. NT bids can have different understandings as it mirrors the same 2-way NMF structure made popular over a 1NT rebid. The only criteria for XYZ is that openers rebid remains at the one level.

 

            Here are some advantages of this method . Weak jump shifts after a minor opener are clarified with this structure or can be dropped altogether. For the in between range ( 6-7 HCP)  you can just respond your major & rebid it if the auction remains at the one level. Therefore a weak jump shift must be under this range or added to this range 4-7 . These suit rebids can not be invitational as you did not bid 2♣ first. Do not need any invitational  jump shifts in hearts , spades and diamonds anyway showing 8-12 if you play those. This structure clarifies all of  responders rebids  , if the auction kept at the one level. This treatment blends in with 2NT by responder as a new suit forcing one round (godfather 2NT ) . Now the other minor can be NMF and handle invitational hands in the majors.

 

 xx QJ10xxx Kxx ♣xx     1-P-1-P 

                1-P-2-P

 

xx KQJ10xx  Kxx ♣xx    1-P-1-P

               1-P-2♣-P

                2-P-2-P invite

  

 

            You have these 3 hands ♠xx Kxxxx Kxxxxx  , ♠xx Kxxxx AQxxx ♣x  and ♠xx AKxxx AKxxx  ♣x with partner opening 1 . You respond a heart with all of them , partner bids 1 keeping the auction at the one level. With the 1st hand you bid 2♣ planning to pass the 2 bid unless partner breaks the relay with a good hand. The 2nd hand you bid 2♣ as a relay & raise diamonds as an invite. The 3rd hand you make a slam try in diamonds at the 3 level directly.

 

            The Granovetters give some hands to try . Strong hands with minor fits are clumsy to handle with “normal” 4th suit forcing auctions.

 

ª K
© Kxx

¨ Kxxxx

§ AKxx

 

Partner opens 1♣ , you bid 1 . Partner bids 1 so you force to game with 2 , support clubs later getting to a nice 6♣  . With “normal” 4th suit forcing you make some stupid jump to 2♠ in order to force & then support clubs. Artificial bids & using up room are two bidding  no-no’s .

 

Another advantage of this treatment is that you do not need invitational jumps to the 3 level anymore as 2♣ keeps all invitational sequences at the 2 level. Invitational bids at the 3 level quite often go down !

 

West       East

ª A10xx    ª Qxxx

© x            © AJxx

¨ KJxxx    ¨ xx

§ Axx        § Kxx

 

1         1

1         2♣ (forces 2)

2         2 (invitational)

pass

 

This treatment also helps with the 4th suit forcing problem with big fits . You have ♠AKxx AKxxx xx ♣Ax , partner opens 1♣ so you respond 1 . Partner rebids 1 so  with standard 4th suit forcing methods you bid 2♣ ambiguous. With xyz   you bid 3  game forcing and slamish . No ambiguity between invitational ,  forcing or slam try  sequences .

 

OK within this structure you can have some fun inventing bids. Jumps can be fit showing splinters as we do not need invitational jumps anymore. 1♣-P-1-P  1-P-2-P  splinter in support of hearts. A jump to 2NT as invitational is redundant as you can bid 2♣ first followed by 2NT. Make it a club transfer.

 

♠xx Q10xx x ♣KQJxxx  partner opens 1 , you bid 1  . Partner bids 1 so you bid 2NT a transfer to clubs. With a suitable hand partner bids 3NT rather than accepting the club transfer otherwise he bails out to 3♣.

 

Lots of possibilities within this 2NT structure. 4 card fit minor fit hands forcing to game  can be shown after this 2NT relay sequence . After partner bids 3♣ you now bid your singleton as a 5-4-3-1 or 4-4-4-1 slam try .

 

A jump preference in partners minor is game forcing a la Goren so can show the tough to describe slamish 5-5 hands.

 

A responders jump rebid can be forcing showing a solid suit ( recovering the strong jump shift )

 

Since jump preferences are no longer invitational we can define them to be forcing with HCP’s but an upper range. A 2 bid followed by supporting the major would be a “picture bid” so a direct jump to game would be based on distribution only.  1-P-1-P   1-P-3-P   is a serious slam try similar to the “serious 3NT  .  2 first followed by raising spades is just 13 HCP’s so a  direct jump to 4 a distributional shot in the dark with good spades ( most of your points ).

 

 

You can use these understandings with opponents interfering as long as things are kept at the one level.

 

(opponents' calls in parenthesis):

 

1  (double)  redouble  (1)

1

 

1  (1)      double    (pass)

1NT

 

1  (pass)    1        (1)

double*                                       *  support double at one level