Sunday, April 17, 2005 6:32 AM
Hand Evaluation - XYZ ( Granovettors )
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 when 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 structure 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 all suits bid at the one level as with a 1NT rebid.
You cannot have an auction remain at
the one level for 3 bids without opening a minor first ( excluding the 1NT rebid ) . 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. You get out in diamonds by passing the 2♦ relay. 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
♦Kxxxx ♣x ,
♠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