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OTHERS.AMA
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1995-08-23
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OTHER ONE-LEVEL SUIT OPENINGS
This chapter assumes that opener has decided not to open the
bidding with 1D, 2D, or 1NT:
-- Four-card majors may be opened provided there is a convenient
call on the next round. Suit quality is emphasized. Light openings
of 1C. 1H, or 1S are avoided in first or second seat, especially
if the suit is weak. A three-card club opening is a last resort,
when no other call is acceptable.
-- Up-the-line responding or rebidding is neither required nor
encouraged, so very weak suits are often bypassed (especially with
4-3-3-3 hands, if a notrump bid is in order). Raise of a club
opening does not deny a four-card major. The raise is preferable
with a weak hand and a weak major.
-- Major suit opening bids or responses may be raised with three
cards, preferably J10x or better. We do play 4-3 fits occasional-
ly, but we avoid bidding suits weaker than Q10xx, so it's okay.
-- Two-over-one responses do not promise another bid, so a 1NT
response shows 6-9 HCP, is not forcing, and may bypass a very weak
major (as may a 1NT rebid by opener) with a balanced hand.
-- Opener implies extra values when he raises a two-over-one minor
suit response or rebids 2NT after any two-over-one response. Four
cards or two of the top three honors in responder's suit constitute
"extra values" for a minor suit raise. Raising a 2H response to a
1S opening does not require extra values. A raise of any two-over-
one bid definitely shows extra values if responder is a passed
hand, since opener can pass with minimum values.
-- A jump preference at the three level is a non-forcing raise,
even after a two-over-one response, since a simple preference is
not a raise:
South West North East
1S Pass 2C Pass
2H Pass 2S - preference
3S - raise, not forcing
-- Reverses by opener are not forcing on a one-over-one responder
unless he has bid a five-card suit, and do not promise another
bid if responder's next bid is of a minimum nature. Use the jump
reverse as an absolute force (to game). Reverses are forcing on a
two-over-one bidder, but do not promise another bid.
-- A "high reverse" after a two-over-one response (e.g.,
1S-2H-3C) does promise another bid, even if responder just rebids
her suit or makes a simple preference.
-- Reverses by responder are forcing for one round only, but a
subsequent raise of opener's suit is forcing.
-- One notrump response to all suit openings shows 6-9 HCP. May
bypass a fair diamond suit or any weak four-card major, especial-
ly with a 4-3-3-3 hand.
-- Two notrump response to any suit opening is forcing to game
(13-15 HCP).
Choice of Suit for One-Level Opening Bids
The following guides for opening 1C, 1H, or 1S assume the hand
does not qualify for a 1D or 1NT opening:
Distribution:
4-3-3-3 With a strong four-card major and at least 15 HCP, open
the major. Otherwise open 1C and rebid 1NT (not 1H
or 1S, which guarantees at least four clubs). How-
ever, most 4-3-3-3 hands are opened with 1D or
1NT.
4-4-3-2 Bid the higher ranking of touching suits if it is a
major, 1S with 4-3-4-2, 1C with four clubs. Most
4-2-4-3 hands qualify for a 1D or 1NT opening, so the
undesirable 1C opening on three cards should be rare
(example: S-8743 H-76 D-AKJ2 C-AQ3). With strong spades
you can open 1S with 4-2-4-3 if the hand is good enough
to rebid 2NT (15-16 HCP) when the response is 2H (or if
responder is a passed hand and you can pass 2H).
4-4-4-1 Bid the first biddable suit below the singleton unless
it is diamonds, but bid 1C with 4-4-1-4 regardless of
the club strength. A "biddable suit" is Q10xx or
better.
5-4-3-1
5-4-2-2 Bid the five-card suit, but with touching suits 4-5 bid
the four-card suit first if it is strong and the five-
card suit is weak. Always bid the five-card suit first
however, if you are strong enough to reverse (16 HCP or
more).
5-5 Bid the higher ranking suit, but with weak spades,
strong clubs, and a weak to moderate hand, bid 1C.
After opening 1S with 5-5 in the black suits, rebid 2S
after a red suit response unless you are very strong
(3C is forcing and promises another bid).
6-5 Bid the longer suit, but with 5-6 in touching suits bid
the higher ranking if it is much stronger and the hand
is near minimum.
With a minimum opening, it is usually a good idea to treat a very
weak five-card suit as if it were a four-card suit. Open 1C with
S-85432 H-J3 D-AJ C-AQJ6.
A new suit response by a passed hand is not forcing, so the rules
for suit selection, which are mainly aimed at providing a con-
venient rebid, can be violated freely in third or fourth seat.
The rules can also be ignored when the hand strength is such that
no forcing response will be inconvenient. Open 1S with S-AKJ3
H-65 D-J765 C-AQJ, because the hand is good enough to bid 2NT
after a 2H response, or to raise a minor suit response. Avoid
bidding bad suits (which include any three-card club suit) with
good hands.
Recommended Offensive Conventions and Treatments
Limit raises in all suits
Checkback Stayman by opener (after 1NT response)
Checkback Stayman by responder (after 1NT rebid)
Fourth suit by responder artificial (forcing one round)
Splinter responses and rebids
3NT artificial strong major suit raise
Omnibus
Two-Four-One
Three diamonds as game-forcing club raise (1C-P-3D)
Stoplight
Weak jump takeout responses in competition
2NT over a double is limit raise
Weak two bids
Optional offensive conventions:
Negative doubles
Some of these conventions and treatments are included in the
author's book, Four-Card Majors. Others are contained in his
Marvin's Conventions and Treatments and his Useful Conventions
and Treatments. Defensive bidding conventions and treatments are
the subject of the author's Marvin's Defensive Bidding. Defenses
against opposing conventions and treatments is the subject of the
author's book Countermeasures.