Sunday, April 17, 2005 6:32 AM
XYZ - One level
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 ♦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