[Sigi_BC84]

Hannie, on Feb 22 2006, 09:36 PM, said:

Relays: learn to play bridge first!

That one is lovely! Almost worth a wildcard for every non-trivial convention.
--Sigi

[dogsbreath]

hi

I like flannery swiftly followed a dose of delusion blackwood

Rgds Dog

[pclayton]

My most hated in no particular order (excluding Capp, NFB's (unless playing Precision) stolen bid x's and mini-roman, which have already been mentioned).

1. Strong 2N aka Slam Killa
2. Western Q
3. Jacoby 2N (without modifications)
4. Sequences that begin (and usually end) 1 minor - 1 major - 4 major

[the saint]

As discussed on the Junior Camrose commentary:

Extended Stayman
Stayman-in-doubt
Drury
Hackett defence to Weak 2s (Its an English thing beloved by grannies and anyone playing against it similar in principle to Fishbein)

[SteelWheel]

One of my least favorite conventions/treatments are the "runout" schemes that most people play after our side has opened a weak NT, and next hand makes a value/penalty-oriented double.

I've seen so many partnerships play immediate bids as two places to play, or some such...this is ok as far as it goes. The horrid part is that so many play a pass here as a conventional call, demanding that partner redouble, which responder can either convert, or take another call, usually showing a one-suiter.

This is bad on so many levels: It allows 4th hand to either pass or bid, knowing that he'll get another chance to bid. It gives the original doubler a chance to "change his mind" and bid again. Worst of all, it prevents us from ever playing 1NT doubled--we have to either play 1NTXX or some contract on the 2-level. 1NTX is often a great spot at matchpoints, when NV. -100 is often a fine score. Obviously, when red, greater care must be taken--but still, it's amazing how often those +180s can come in. And at IMPs, playing "pass forces redouble" can often turn a nothing board into a significant loss.

I urge all my weak NT opponents to play this scheme, however.

[luke warm]

SteelWheel, on Feb 23 2006, 10:51 PM, said:

I urge all my weak NT opponents to play this scheme, however.

thank you, i will

[Gerben42]

Justin: Have you tried "Smirny & Gerben42"'s Puppet Stayman? It's better. And kills less slams too.

Agree with most horrible conventions being horrible.

This one I need to let off: A system in which 1♣ promises at least three Clubs is no good! Thanks for your attention.

Also the natural sandwich 1NT. Correct explanation would be: "a strong balanced hand and a desire to play 1NT doubled".

Most common sequences when opps try this against me are "1x" (Pass) "1y" (1NT - not alerted) DOUBLE! or usually, when I am the opening bidder and I have a minimum, it'll go: "1x" (Pass) "1y" (1NT - not alerted) "Pass" (Pass) DOUBLE! And the advantage is, we already know which suits we have If that ALSO doesn't happen, usually a misunderstanding about Stayman, Transfers and cuebids follows, because people have agreed followup after 1NT opening bid (always), 1NT overcall (usually), balancing 1NT overcall (less common), but rarely a sandwich 1NT.

[Elianna]

Gambling 3NT.

1st for all the normal reasons (wrong siding NT, etc.)

2nd for a personal reason. It is the convention that I'm most likely forget, and that forgetting always happens in the same way: If partner opens 3NT, I remember what it is; if I'm looking at a long-running minor suit in my hand and considering what to bid, I always forget that this is a possibility.

[Sigi_BC84]

Elianna, on Feb 24 2006, 11:12 PM, said:

Gambling 3NT.

I was waiting for Gambling 3NT to be mentioned. I also think that it's not a very sound convention from a theoretical point of view.

But its so damn rare, so you won't lose much because of it. Also I haven't seen a really convincing alternative for that 3NT bid yet (is there any?).

How freely do you open a Gambling hand? I think if you take it really seriously, a proper Gambling hand is much too rare to be bothered by any shortcomings of that opening (compare that to Stayman, which gives away unnecessary information all the time).

BTW my least favourite "convention" is the natural 2NT opener. I get the feeling that it's almost a guarantee for a bad result...

--Sigi

[MickyB]

the saint, on Feb 23 2006, 10:14 PM, said:

As discussed on the Junior Camrose commentary:

Extended Stayman
Stayman-in-doubt
Drury
Hackett defence to Weak 2s (Its an English thing beloved by grannies and anyone playing against it similar in principle to Fishbein)

I love that you rate Drury as one of the worst, and I one of the best remind me to have an argument with you about it sometime.

[mike777]

MickyB, on Feb 24 2006, 10:22 PM, said:

the saint, on Feb 23 2006, 10:14 PM, said:

As discussed on the Junior Camrose commentary:

Extended Stayman
Stayman-in-doubt
Drury
Hackett defence to Weak 2s (Its an English thing beloved by grannies and anyone playing against it similar in principle to Fishbein)

I love that you rate Drury as one of the worst, and I one of the best remind me to have an argument with you about it sometime.

If you open almost all limit raise hands with 3 of major in first or second seat then Drury becomes too rare. With 4 card support just bid to LOTT with Bergen even if passed hand.

Keep in mind you can cue if RHO overcalls so now you really have very few limit raise hands with 3 card support.

If you open almost all balanced 11 hcp hands and 1s=2s by passed hand shows 3 and 7-10 hcp..not too many limit raise hands with 3 left in the deck.

btw1 Assuming very sound opening, just bid a natural 2/1 pard should not pass KNOWING i can have 13 hcp 6 loser hand even as a passed hand. .

btw2 If you are saying Drury is the least of the issues we int. players should worry about, you are correct. .

[MickyB]

Mike

Playing strong NT (14-17 or so) and 4 card suits, as I prefer to do in 3rd+4th seat, I want to be able to pass a 2/1 response when I have nowhere else to go - typically 11-13 balanced, but sometimes an unbalanced hand with tolerance for responder's suit. For that reason, I want a 2/1 response to show 5 cards in the bid suit and deny 3 cards in mine - otherwise we miss our major suit 5-3 fit which could easily produce a game.

[MickyB]

Cheers Justin - just goes to show that Bob is a reasonable player

Actually, I reckon that it ties in with his passion for opening 4 card majors.

[mike777]

Jlall, on Feb 25 2006, 12:02 AM, said:

Bob Hamman rated drury as his favorite convention in a recent national where they polled numerous experts on their fav conventions.

good pt and also as quoted by Karen McCallum he said he would be better off bidding zero slams and making zero slam tries over his career. Perhaps this is a misquote or just a very late night quote.

If anyone can get by without Drury I would think it is Mr. Hamman but he also loves Flannery I think?

Perhaps as Mike mentioned it is a function of 4 card majors...which I do love.....but only Jimmy will play that with me...thanks Jimmy.....

See Bridge Today Magazine.

[the saint]

MickyB, on Feb 25 2006, 03:22 AM, said:

the saint, on Feb 23 2006, 10:14 PM, said:

As discussed on the Junior Camrose commentary:

Extended Stayman
Stayman-in-doubt
Drury
Hackett defence to Weak 2s (Its an English thing beloved by grannies and anyone playing against it similar in principle to Fishbein)

I love that you rate Drury as one of the worst, and I one of the best remind me to have an argument with you about it sometime.

I'm bigger than you Micky! Argument over!

And while someone mentioned it - Bergen Raises. What a load of tripe taking away all those lovely natural bids.

[luke warm]

the saint, on Feb 25 2006, 03:17 AM, said:

And while someone mentioned it - Bergen Raises. What a load of tripe taking away all those lovely natural bids.

i've seen *many* world class players use bergen raises (not to mention the inventor of the convention)... but maybe your judgment as to its merits are better, who knows... of course you may be able to convince them they're wrong because you're bigger

[MickyB]

the saint, on Feb 25 2006, 08:17 AM, said:

Quote

I love that you rate Drury as one of the worst, and I one of the best remind me to have an argument with you about it sometime.

I'm bigger than you Micky! Argument over!

And while someone mentioned it - Bergen Raises. What a load of tripe taking away all those lovely natural bids.

Something tells me I have a weight advantage

Lovely natural bids? You meant to say "lovely mini-splinters", I presume?

[MickyB]

luke warm, on Feb 25 2006, 03:08 PM, said:

the saint, on Feb 25 2006, 03:17 AM, said:

And while someone mentioned it - Bergen Raises. What a load of tripe taking away all those lovely natural bids.

i've seen *many* world class players use bergen raises (not to mention the inventor of the convention)... but maybe your judgment as to its merits are better, who knows... of course you may be able to convince them they're wrong because you're bigger

I agree with Alan about Bergen Raises - I think something like

1♠:3♠ = 3-7
1♠:3♦ = 8-11 (now 3♥ = reinvite)

will perform nearly as well on those hands, and then 3♣ is free for something else. If you are prepared to stick the limit raises into the 2NT raise then all of your jump-shifts are free.