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MARV2S.CVA
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1995-11-05
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MARVIN TWO SPADES
The popular "Gambling 3NT" opening shows a solid seven-card minor
with little outside strength. Besides being rather restrictive as
to suit quality, the notrump contract is played from the wrong
side. Not only is the lead through dummy's strength, but the
exposure of that hand lets the opponents put up a "double dummy"
defense. If responder can't support a 3NT contract, the bidding
ends up at the dangerous four level.
Marvin Two Spades shows the same sort of hand, or (nine times as
frequent) a semi-solid (KQJ or AQJ) seven-card minor with one ace
or king outside. The hand must contain at least one ace, so
responder can count on seven playing tricks. Besides a solid minor,
opener could have:
S-32 H-A7 D-KQJ8762 C-J2
or
S-K3 H-9 D-962 C-AQJ9432
or
S-875 H-92 D-AQJ7652 C-A
A third-seat bidder might cheat with an eight-card suit or regard
an AKJ10 suit as solid.
Responder bids 3C to sign off, whereupon opener will pass with
clubs, or rebid 3D with diamonds. If responder would raise clubs
but not diamonds, she responds 3D. If she would raise diamonds but
not clubs, she bids 3C. If she would raise either equally (or
diamonds higher than clubs), she raises by bidding 4C or more.
Opener can correct if responder bids the wrong suit.
A response of 3H or 3S is forcing. Opener bids 3NT to show Qx, xxx,
or better support, so responder (perhaps fishing for a notrump
contract) need not have a real suit (e.g., respond 3H with S-A7532
H-J76 D-A87 C-K2). Although this response must be alerted ("That
is an asking bid, not a telling bid."), its ambiguous nature can
make it useful as a lead inhibitor, or as a complete psych when an
opposing game is feared.
A 2NT response asks for clarification. Opener bids 3NT with a solid
minor, or indicates where the outside high card is located when the
minor is only semi-solid:
Opener Responder
2S 2NT?
3NT - solid minor suit
3C - club suit, high card in diamonds
3D - diamond suit, high card in clubs
3H - high card in spades, may have either minor
3S - high card in hearts, may have either minor
Opener's rebid will usually give responder the information she
needs to place the contract. These bids are designed so that
opener's LHO cannot double to direct a lead through the high card
(perhaps an unguarded king).
A 4C response asks opener to show a short suit:
Opener Responder
2S 4C?
4D/4H/4S/5C - short suit
4NT - no short suit
A 4D response asks for a major suit preference ("Ripstra"), and 4NT
is Blackwood (5C or 5D with one ace--must have one--5H with two).
A game response is a signoff, but a jump to 5C may be corrected to
5D. Jump to 5C with S-Q9 H-AKQ D-A764 C-6542.
Summarizing the advantages of Marvin 2S over Gambling 3NT:
1) It gives an accurate picture of more hard-to-describe hands.
2) It comes up ten times as often.
3) Notrump is played from the right side.
4) Responder can bail out at the three level.
5) Responder can inquire about a major at the three level.
6) Responder can ask for a short suit.
7) It frees the 3NT opening for another purpose (e.g., a nine-trick
notrump hand, also hard to describe).
With a normal weak two bid in spades, you can use the Marvin 2H
opening, which shows a strong two bid in hearts or a weak two bid
in spades. MARVIN TWO HEARTS is included as a chapter in this book.
The complete text of MARVIN TWO SPADES comprises three single-
spaced pages. It includes procedures for coping with competitive
action by the opponents.
MARVIN TWO SPADES was published in Popular Bridge magazine, August
1980, included in an article entitled "Two-Way Bids." It was also
published in The Contract Bridge Forum, February 1992, within an
article entitled "Multiplex Bids."