[kfgauss]

joshs said:

the precision nebulous diamond is in fact a much more insideous bid than most anything else we have been discussing on the forum

What are people's defenses to nebulous 1D openers?

Do you differentiate based on whether 1D is symmetric with respect to the minors (which it usually isn't, but e.g. Adam plays this way commonly) or on minimum length promised?

My current agreements with most partners include treating it as a normal 1D opener (2D michaels, diamond bids are cuebids at the appropriate points, etc) for ease, with the understanding that a takeout double is mostly for the majors (ie club support can be lacking, but this is somewhat standard over natural 1D openers anyways). Note that this means I check both the "natural" and the "michaels" boxes on the ACBL convention card under direct cuebid over artificial bid, something I've never seen anyone do before, even people who play 2D as michaels here.

Andy

[Free]

We are used to play 2-suited overcalls with 4-4 or better hands. Over nebulous 1♦ we play something similar:

Dbl = 15+HCP, any distribution (powerdouble)
1M = 5+M
1NT = 5+m or both M (at least 4-4)
2m = 44+ m-M
2M = weak

(1NT+ is very similar to Meckwell btw)

No possibility to show 44+m. We have to pass those and hope our partner will intervene, or we get another chance.

[joshs]

Over a 2+D bid, I play normal stuff:
x takeout, but may have only 2 clubs
2D= michaels

(OK usually i play the overcall structure, so I still play the OS, but 1N for takeout becomes even more of a crap shoot)

Also, after 1D-P-1M I play x as a 3 suited takeout x not a 2 suited takeout x.


Over a symmetric 1D bid, or close to that I play modified woolsey:
x= takeout for the majors or a good hand
x then cheapist NT = 15+-18
1N=a 6 card minor or a 5 card minor and a 4 card major, about 8-14 white, and 12-15 red
2C=Majors, normally at least 5-4, about 8-14 white and 12-15 red
2D=1 major, about 5-11 white, more like 8-11 red
2M=that and a minor 5-11 white, more like 8-11 red

Extra shape of course compensates some for lack of HCPs.

[awm]

Until recently I played suction over these. This is probably not technically "best" but it creates a lot of confusion on both sides of the auction and is pretty fun.

As a more reasonable suggestion:

X = 4+/4+ majors with a decent hand, or 15+ hcp (any)
1M = natural, transfer advances starting with 2♣-->diams
1N = 5+ card minor and 4cM
2m = natural, decent hand, tend not to have 4cM
2M = natural preempt

Over 1♦-X-P, responders bids except NT natural and forcing one round. With a really bad hand tend to bid 3-card major if no 4-card major.

[whereagles]

kfgauss, on May 25 2006, 05:38 PM, said:

What are people's defenses to nebulous 1D openers?

Most precision 1♦ openers are like "a minor or weak NT hand", so there will be a few occasions where you'll have either diamond lenght or a take-out shape of clubs (not diamonds).

In principle you won't need much twinking. I find a simple scheme such as the following to be sufficient:

(1♦) dbl = take-out, emphasis on majors, short in ♣ OR ♦. Pard can pass with diamonds (if doubler later supports diams it's nat, not cue!) and should only bid clubs with 5+, preferably 6 if at the 3-level. If RHO bids over the double, pard's diamond bids are natural, not cues.

(1♦) 1M/1NT = nat. After 1M, any 2-level bid by pard, including 2♦, is nat and forcing. After 1NT system on.

(1♦) 2♦ = natural, usual 2-level overcall.

(1♦) 2NT = majors, 55. Intermediate or better strength. You can skip this bid, though.


Same thing in the balancing seat, except that..

(1♦) pass (pass) 2♦ = majors. With diamonds you just pass and let them go down in peace.

(1♦) pass (pass) 2NT = natural, 17-19 or thereabouts. System on.