Saturday, June 04, 2005 5:13 PM

Generalizations Part III

PITBULLS:

The more times you can say always or never with your Bridge system , the more your memory is assisted . If you depart from standard systems with your established partnership , you need to be aware of the differences between your system and Standard. Generalizations assist the memory. Here are some conceptual generalizations that assist us in playing our system.

We play disciplined openers with respect to Quick Tricks. Our pre-empts at the two & three level respect the vulnerability and seat position. Suicide bids are for terrorists. Our balancing techniques are predicated on the fact that the opponents are not disciplined with their opening bids or pre-empts. Off shape doubles are made at the right vulnerability to go for the throat. All doubles of 1NT and 1NT rebids by the opponents are penalty and not T/O. We try to never rescue the opponents as an initial action. We do not trap vul vrs not so we may have to manufacture bids to enter the auction. All other vulnerabilities we trap with their suit. Our balancing is predicated on the fact that partner has trapped so we use the double card quite often.

We play forcing pass theory when we own the auction and D.S.I.P. theory when we do not . D.S.I.P. theory defines the way we compete after openers , overcalls , T/O doubles or balances. Trump stack doubles after the opponents pre-empt are non existent and trump stack doubles are a rare animal.

Our overcall style is predicated on “shape before strength” . We will show our distribution first and strength later with a D.S.I.P. double. The belated doubles is not T/O or penalty is just shows “cards” . Our T/O doubles may be off shape with respect to the minors. We will always have the majors unless the rare hand where we were just too strong to overcall. We play equal level conversion at all levels due to our off shape T/O doubles especially in the balancing or after pre-empts.

Relays are a large part of the system when 2NT is bid either as invitational or a 2NT rebid. We always follow the Lebensohl principle. Natural is strong and the relay is to escape somewhere. We play the “good-bad 2NT” which is used in the sandwich position. Good bad 2NT forces a club relay.

We do not open hands at the one level that are so strong that we may miss game if partner does not respond. This defines our 2♣ structure. Therefore it is not necessary to psych a response just to keep the bidding opening. If you do psych a response , it is for tactical purposes only ( nv vrs Vul ? ) . We open strong two suiters with 2♣ or 2♦ and have relays to help describe them. Strong diamond hands , diamond two suiters or strong Roman 2♦ hands are opened with 2♦.

2/1 in competition is forcing to game unless the suit is rebid. We do not play the Standard 10+ but our 2/1 are more suit oriented. This is similar to negative free bids but with values concentrated in the suit if we do not intend to game force. We play weak jump shifts in competition even after majors which help us further define our 2/1 in competition.

We play strong jump shifts by responder as a passed hand or after overcalls. They are a specialized strong jump shift showing a fit and the suit in which we jumped. 2NT bid after a strong jump shift is always asking for a singleton. Raise of responders suit is forcing to game and openers suit non forcing.

Jump rebids by opener or overcaller are suit orientated rather than HCP strength orientated . We have a multi-purpose 3♣ jump shift to show strong hands so jump rebids are scaled down a bit and must have a decent suit. In overcall situations , jumps show good suits and jump shifts show distribution rather than HCP strength. We would Q bid instead to put on a game force rather than jump bidding.

Jump rebids by responder show semi-solid or solid suits and are game forcing. 4^th suit forcing auctions show the game forcing hands without the good suit. We play 2♣ with a 1NT rebid as a relay to 2♦ to show all invitational hands ( 2 way NMF ) . Therefore all jump rebids , jump shifts and jump preferences are strong and forcing a la Charles Goren.

Our reverses show an Ace above an opener or better so after a Lebensohl 2NT we can get out at the 3 level. To assist us in our reverse structure , we play jump shift reverses . There are 6-5 hands with 10-14 HCP’s . They are tactical bids and are only forcing to the level of preference.

4^th suit forcing has been modified to include 2NT as a 4^th suit by responder and a one round force. 2NT by responder is forcing to game in any auction unless opener relays with a weak distributional opener to escape. This is an excellent understanding to avoid some of the pitfalls of 4^th suit forcing. You right side the NT and avoid pre-empting partner by leaping to 3NT.

Our 1NT opening structure has some generalizations. After we have found a major fit with Stayman , all subsequent bids except 3♣ imply that fit. 3♣ is Re-Stayman saying describe your distribution to me as I am trying to find a minor fit. After a 2♦ response to Stayman , 2 level Smolen kicks in. 2♥ demands a relay to 2♠ and 2♠ demands a relay to 2NT. These sequences shows the 5-4 in the major hands and pinpoints the 5 card major.

Jacoby transfers to show a 5-5 are always a game force. If you want to show a 5-5 with invitational hands you use a relay. With hearts as the anchor suit to transfer to hearts and then relay to 2NT via a 2♠ bid. A suit now shows the invitational 5-5 with hearts as the anchor suit. Invitational 5-5’s with spades as the anchor suit is done with Stayman and a relay after a 2♦ or 2♥ response to Stayman.

Jumps after a 1NT opener are always minor orientated . 1NT-P-3♣-P is a weak 5-5 in the minors . 1NT-P-3♦-P shows a strong 5-5 in the minors. 1NT-P-3♥-P shows 5-4 in the minors with 3 hearts. 1NT-P-3♠-P shows 5-4 in the minors with 3 spades. The 3 level belongs to the minors is our generalization.

Our rebids after a 1NT response to a minor are not standard. Jump rebids in the minor are pre-emptive , 2NT is not invitational showing 18-19 specifically and the rebid of the minor is the only invitational response. This simple minor rebid at the two level shows the Goren jump rebids or non forcing to game reverses. Reverses are game forcing . A jump to 3NT ( gambling ) shows a minor that runs.

Our signaling is non standard. We have bought into the Gartaganis system in known count situations. Whenever partner should know there has been length or known count from the bidding , we switch to middle card encourages and other cards suit preference. Our attitude signals take into consideration the obvious shift principle so encouragement could mean that we just can not stand the shift.

Generalizations assist the memory in remembering the ways your system deviates from standard. Forgetting agreements is a sure recipe for disaster. It is an excellent generalization to have numerous generalizations with your bidding system J