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- DEFENSE AGAINST TWO-SUITED CONVENTIONS
-
-
- Two-suited conventions are of five types:
-
- 1) A call that shows two specific suits, neither of which is named
-
- 2) A bid that shows the suit named, plus another specified suit
-
- 3) A bid that shows the suit named, plus an unspecified suit
-
- 4) A call that shows a suit not named, plus an unspecified suit
-
- 5) A call that shows two unspecified suits
-
-
- Type 1 Defense - Unusual Over Unusual
-
- One of the most popular conventions for showing a two-suited hand
- is the Unusual Notrump, wherein a notrump bid that could not be
- "usual" asks partner to choose between the minor suits (or two
- lower unbid suits). The defense shown here may be used against any
- other artificial call that shows two specific suits, neither of
- which has been named, such as:
-
- -- Michaels cue bid over a minor opening, showing both majors
-
- -- Top-and-bottom cue bid over any opening, showing the highest
- and lowest-ranking unbid suits
-
- -- Conventional doubles that show two specific suits, such as a
- double of an opening notrump to show both majors
-
- Unusual Over Unusual is applied a bit differently to the Flannery
- 2D opening, which shows five hearts and four spades. See chapter
- MARVIN VS FLANNERY.
-
- Here's the defense:
-
- -- Jump raises or jumps in a new suit are preemptive, although
- jumps in an opposing suit retain their normal meaning:
-
- South West North
- 1S 2NT 4H/4S - preemptive
- 4C/4D - splinter bid
-
- The 4H response should be a natural preemptive bid, even when
- normally playing splinter responses to a major opening. All four-
- level jumps after an opening 1NT ignore the opposing bid, however
- (i.e., "systems on"):
-
- South West North
- 1NT 2NT 4C - Gerber
- 4D/4H - Texas transfer bids
-
- -- A double of an artificial notrump bid shows "cards," enough
- strength to suggest that the hand belongs to the opening side, but
- with no suitable bid. The double does not promise another bid,
- however. If opener passes RHO's response to the conventional call,
- the doubler may also pass if he has no reasonable alternative.
- Similarly, a pass or later suit bid by the doubler is not forcing
- on opener:
-
- South West North East
- 1S 2NT Dbl Pass
- Pass 3C Pass/3H/3S - not forcing
-
- Neither the pass nor 3H bid is forcing on South. A 3H bid by North
- implies a hand that wanted to double an opposing 3D bid, but is not
- interested in defending against 3C. The heart suit is probably five
- long, so South may "correct" to 3S with short hearts and good
- spades. A 3S bid by North at this point implies three-card support
- and a good hand, but is not forcing.
-
- -- A double of a conventional suit bid (usually partner's suit)
- shows minimum values for a bid of that suit at that level:
-
- South West North
- 1D 2D Dbl - weakish diamond raise
-
- The 2D bid was Michaels, showing both majors. North's double denies
- values for a 3D bid, which should be fairly sound, and she may have
- only three-card support for diamonds.
-
- -- A bid in the higher ranking of the two suits indicated by the
- opponent shows: a) if partner has bid a suit, full values (or
- better) for a raise of partner's suit, or b) if partner has not bid
- a suit, full values for a bid in the higher ranking of the other
- two suits. Merely bidding those suits immediately is a weaker
- action. For instance, after an "unusual" 2NT:
-
- South West North
- 1S 2NT 3D - limit raise or better
- 3S - competitive spade raise
-
- If South rebids 3S over 3D, North may pass.
-
- South West North
- 1NT 2NT 3D - strong spade response
- 3S - invitational
-
- The 3D response is forcing to game. To sign off in spades, North
- must pass and bid 3S on the next round.
-
- A 2NT overcall of a minor suit opening changes the strength
- implications of a natural or conventional raise:
-
- South West North
- 1C 2NT 3H - strong club raise
- 3C - good raise
- 4C/4S/5C - preemptive
-
- The 2NT bid showed hearts and diamonds. North's bid of the higher
- suit, hearts, is equivalent to a strong club raise, necessarily a
- bit better than a normal limit raise. It is not game-forcing,
- however, so North may pass a 4C bid by South. The 3C bid implies
- full values for a three-level raise, since there is no other way
- to show such a hand. With less strength North can only pass, or
- perhaps double to show "cards."
-
- -- A bid in the lower ranking of the two suits indicated by the
- opponent shows a) if partner has bid a suit, full values for a
- game-forcing bid in the fourth suit, or b) if partner has not bid
- a suit, full values for a bid in the lower ranking of the two
- "unbid" suits.
-
- South West North
- 1H 2NT 3C - forcing spade bid
- 3S - not forcing
-
- The 3C response shows full values for a forcing 3S bid, while 3S
- shows a limited hand, something like S-AJ10932 H-K2 D-852 C-65.
- South can therefore pass a 3S response. The 3S bid is somewhat
- invitational, however, so don't make the call with a weaker hand.
- The 3C bid is forcing to game; North will not pass a 3H or 3S rebid
- by South. With neither spade support nor a good heart suit, South
- bids 3D (artificially), the "other" opposing suit, if he has
- nothing better to say. If North then bids 3H or 3S, that is
- forcing.
-
- South West North
- 1NT 2NT 3C - strong heart response
- 3H - invitational
-
- The 3C response is forcing to game. To sign off in hearts, North
- must pass and bid 3H on the next round.
-
- -- A notrump bid is natural, not forcing:
-
- South West North
- 1C 2C 2NT - not forcing
-
- A bid in an opposing suit is conventional only when made directly
- over the opponent's conventional call. A later bid in one of the
- suits is natural, showing strength in the suit:
-
- South West North East
- 1D 2D 2H Pass
- 3C Pass 3S
-
- The 2D bid was Michaels, showing length in both majors. North's 2H
- bid is therefore Unusual Over Unusual, showing full values for a
- forcing 3C bid. If she had bid 3C instead, that would not be
- forcing. Her 3S bid shows spade strength and implies heart
- weakness, suggesting that South bid 3NT with a heart stopper.
- South's 3C (a raise of North's known clubs) is forcing, in view of
- North's announced strong hand.
-
- When a player passes the conventional call and acts later, he
- denies a good hand:
-
- South West North East
- 1S 2NT Pass 3C
- Pass Pass Dbl
-
- North has enough to beat 3C, but cannot support any further action
- by South.
-
-
- Type 2 Defense
-
- This defense applies to a bid that shows the suit named, plus
- another specified suit. Examples:
-
- -- A 2H opening that shows five hearts and four spades
-
- -- An overcall that shows the suit bid plus another specified suit
-
- There are four cases of type 2 conventions:
-
- 1) Partner has not bid or doubled.
-
- 2) Partner has opened in notrump.
-
- 3) Partner has doubled 1NT for business.
-
- 4) Partner has opened with a suit bid.
-
- Case 1) applies when an opponent opens the bidding with a conven-
- tional bid that shows the suit bid, plus another specified suit.
-
- Case 2), wherein partner's opening notrump bid is overcalled with
- a conventional bid that shows the suit named plus another specific
- suit, is frequently encountered. An example is the Brozel conven-
- tion, in which a 2C or 2D overcall of 1NT shows the minor named and
- a heart suit too. A 2H overcall shows hearts and spades.
-
- The case 3) situation, in which the conventional bid is made over
- partner's business double of a 1NT opening, is handled identically
- to case 2).
-
- The case 4) situation, in which an opposing overcall of a suit
- opening shows the suit bid plus another specified suit, has a
- similar defense.
-
-
- Type 3 Defense
-
- The type 3 two-suit convention shows the suit named, plus an
- unspecified suit. The second suit may be described as being a
- major, a minor, or red, or black, etc., but is not specifically
- identified. Examples:
-
- -- A 2S overcall of a 1NT opening, showing spades plus a minor suit
-
- -- A 1S opening that shows spades plus a minor suit
-
- -- A Pender 2H or 2S opening, showing the suit bid plus a minor
-
-
- Type 4 Defense
-
- A type 4 two-suit convention shows a specific suit other than the
- one named, plus an unspecified suit. That is, the conventional bid
- does not name one of the suits held, and only one suit is specifi-
- cally identified. Examples:
-
- -- Michaels cue bid over a major opening, showing the other major
- plus a minor suit
-
- -- Astro overcalls of a 1NT opening (2D shows spades and another
- suit, 2C shows hearts plus a minor)
-
-
- Type 5 Defense
-
- The type 5 two-suit convention shows an unspecified two-suiter.
- Examples: Cansino double of 1NT, showing both minors or both
- majors; 2C overcall of 1NT, showing an unspecified two-suiter.
-
-
- The complete text of DEFENSE VS TWO-SUITED CONVENTIONS comprises
- eleven single-spaced pages. Besides adding more detail to the
- Type 1 Defense, including defenses against top-and-bottom cue bids
- and doubles that show two specific suits, it includes defenses for
- all cases of Type 2 through Type 5 two-suited conventions.
-
- DEFENSE VS TWO-SUITED CONVENTIONS was published in The Bridge World
- magazine, April 1977, with the title "Countering the Two-Suiters."
- It was also published in Popular Bridge magazine, October 1978.