Friday, March 04, 2005 4:54 AM

Playing the Vulnerability – Systemic Toys

PITBULLS:

Most Bridge players have an arsenal of systemic toys , Michaels Q , Unusual 2NT and defense vrs their NT bids. Playing these bids as 0-40 HCP’s makes these bids almost useless in competition as partner has no idea how to judge the auctions. Therefore partnerships reign in these bids by playing them as either very strong or pre-emptive . The intermediate range hands are handled by overcalling or doubling.

OK how does vulnerability effect these bids ? Of course with favourable vulnerability you would never use these systemic bids with an intermediate hand. At unfavourable vulnerability you would not have a weak hand period as your bid would either be intermediate or very strong. At equal vulnerability , you still should avoid making these bids with intermediate range hands. At this vulnerability you must have some level of safety but quite often overcalls ot T/O doubles if you have defense are preferred. The advantage of these tools is that they describe your suits in one bid in case the auction takes off. With equal vulnerability , the odds that the auction gets pre-empted or “takes off “ is less. With equal vulnerability the sacrificing aspect is not completely thrown out so the playing strength rather than HCP’s is still the main factor in deciding to make this bid.

You are vul against vul and you hold this hand xx void AQ109x Q1098xx and they open 1♠ do you bid 2NT . Why not ? You have a decent playing hand in the minors and the bid is very descriptive. Alter the hand to xx x AKxxx AKxxx do you bid 2NT at equal vulnerability ? I would prefer just overcalling 2♦ as that describes the HCP range but not the distribution. I back in clubs later to complete the picture. If you do bid 2NT with this hand and partner bids a minor you must give an obligatory raise to the 4 level. Partner is 2-2 and the doubling starts. If you pass the minor at the 3 level you may miss vulnerable games if partner has some values so it’s a lose lose proposition to bid 2NT.

You are equal vul and RHO opens 1♠ and you hold Axx void AQ98x Q1098x do you bid 2NT or overcall ? The litmus test is if you bid 2NT and partner bids a minor at the 3 level you must automatically pass without fear of missing a game. The other criteria is if partner passes the overcall is there a chance for game in the other suit ? I think 2NT would be a better bid with this hand as there is a safety factor with the 2 suits. You overcall 2♦ and the auctions gets passed out with xx xxxxx xx AKxx 6♣ has a chance and 2♦ may go down !

What about the Michaels hands ? They open 1♦ and equal vul and you hold AKxxx AKxxx xx x do you overcall or Michaels ? At equal vul , you are less likely to get jammed on the auction so overcalling with this hand is probably better. Vul against not vul I would use the vulnerability to my advantage and Michaels. The chance of us getting jammed out of our heart suit increases with this vulnerability. Partner will assume I have a good hand vul against not.

At favourable and unfavourable vulnerability , these systemic toys are well defined. Vul against not they are decent hands and not vul against vul they are never intermediate. The problems arise at equal vulnerability as intermediate hands enter the picture. At equal vulnerability some established partnerships use Lebensohl to determine the strength of the hand and to grope for 3NT . Two of the major of course is drop dead and a jump to the 3 level is invitational. What kind of a hand would 2NT be and what use could you give to the other minor in these auctions ? I would make the Lebensohl really simple. If I accept the relay to 3♣ I have a minimum. If I break the relay and bid a major I have a good hand that is suitable for 3NT due to HCP strength rather than distribution. The only use I can see for the other minor is I have that minor so get out of my face (I do not like your majors ).