[Gerben42]

Quote

If you want a system without transfers let me know

One that is not called condensed transfers?

[awm]

In comparing the diamond signoff versus stayman on weak hands, there are the following factors:

(1) Stayman helps you when you have 4441, (43)51 to find your best fit.
(2) Stayman helps you when you have (45)xx, 55xx to play in a better major fit.
(3) At MP scoring, 1NT often scores better than 2♦ anyway.
(4) Opponents are likely to balance over 2♦ more than over 1NT or 2M.

With all that said, I have gotten occasional good results from the 2-level diamond signoff. I just don't think it's clearly better than having garbage/crawling stayman.

[wclass___]

On what hands do people actually try to sign off in 2♦?

On what hands do they expect to get reasonable advantage comparing to standard methods?

1N-2♣-[2♥]- ? (When) Is opener allowed to bid something?

[Mbodell]

awm, on Aug 22 2010, 10:28 PM, said:

As someone who used to play Keri, I will comment that one of the major reasons I stopped playing Keri was that the 4-3 major fits did not score particularly well. Being able to stop at 2M on declined invites is (supposedly) a big advantage, but it seemed that as often as not we'd have been better off playing stayman and landing in 2NT.

The ability to sign off in 2♦ is nice obviously, but in exchange you lose garbage stayman which is actually surprisingly useful. I think this is roughly break even.

Another problem with Keri is that it's not so good for finding 4-4 and 5-4 minor fits when you have a pair of balanced hands. This is somewhat masked by the fact that a lot of other notrump systems aren't great at this either, but it's certainly possible to use some sort of relay and solve the problem. This is also less of an issue opposite a weak notrump (where slam hands are rare) than a strong notrump.

The one part of Keri that's produced some incredibly good results for me is the direct splinters at the three level. I've incorporated those into my later notrump systems as well.

Were you playing Keri over a strong nt or a weak nt? (I do weak/mini, although sort of like parts of strong over strong 1♣-1♦...1nt with and without kokish).

I've found the opposite that the 3-level splinters are one of the riskiest parts of Keri as the danger is that we avoid 3nt when it scores best when either they wouldn't have found the lead (without us telling them) or when we actually have it stopped enough but chickened out, JTxx in opener versus stiff Q with splinterer. More of a MP problem when we play 5m= versus 3nt+1, but I have noticed it is a not-uncommon occurrence.

[awm]

Mbodell, on Aug 23 2010, 05:18 PM, said:

Were you playing Keri over a strong nt or a weak nt? (I do weak/mini, although sort of like parts of strong over strong 1♣-1♦...1nt with and without kokish).

I've found the opposite that the 3-level splinters are one of the riskiest parts of Keri as the danger is that we avoid 3nt when it scores best when either they wouldn't have found the lead (without us telling them) or when we actually have it stopped enough but chickened out, JTxx in opener versus stiff Q with splinterer. More of a MP problem when we play 5m= versus 3nt+1, but I have noticed it is a not-uncommon occurrence.

Well I've played Keri in three different partnerships (still play it in two of them). The notrump ranges for these partnerships are:

(1) 10-12 when NV and 19-21 when V
(2) 10-12 in 1st/2nd NV and otherwise 14-16
(3) 13+ to 16- in all seats

For consistency we also use Keri in some follow-up auctions after an artificial opening and a 1NT rebid, so effectively I've also used it with the ranges 13-15 and 16-18.

You have to use a bit of judgment on the splinters; for example I usually do not splinter when I hold a stiff honor. Several times I've avoided a 4-4 major fit to play in 3NT when opener has a really strong holding opposite the splinter, I've found a few super-light slams opposite no wastage, and I've avoided a few bad 3NTs.

In my experience the "they might not lead the suit" idea is a bit overrated. People like to lead from their five-card suits and their strong four-card suits against 3NT, especially when the auction has indicated that at least one opponent doesn't have length there. So the odds that "they don't lead" the suit where we have xxx opposite x are quite slim.

[gnasher]

wclass___, on Aug 23 2010, 10:02 PM, said:

1N-2♣-[2♥]- ?    (When) Is opener allowed to bid something?

I used to play 1NT-2♣ as various invitational+ hands or a signoff in diamonds, but we stopped playing the signoff part, because of the difficulty of dealing with competition. Even worse than a 2♥ overcall is a 3♣ overcall - if opener can't go past 3♦ even with a maximum, you just cant exchange all the information you need to about shape and strength.

[ONEferBRID]

Some views on 1NT openers by Jeff Meckstroth ( from the Q & A on July 9, 2010 at the Bethesda Regional) .
Notes from Elliot Itkin ( PriorKnowledge online ):

"1N is his favorite bid. He opens it whenever he can. He opens 1N with a weak doubleton. He opens 1N with a 5-card major. He opens 1N with a 5-4-2-2, but not if the 5-card suit is a major. He will open 1N with a 6-card minor. He will even open 1N with a singleton king. He is not a fan of Puppet Stayman. He thinks it is more important to describe your strong NT hand and miss a 5-3 major fit. Sometimes in a competitive auction, opener gets a chance to show their 5-card major."


"Jeff’s favorite 1N range is 14-16. He has tried weak no trump openers, but his preference is to have a minimum of at least 14 points. The reason he dislikes weak no trump openers is that it makes it more difficult to find suit fits at lower levels. He noted that weak no trump openers do have a preemptive value, but in balance he felt the price you pay is not worth it. "

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
" For those who may not know, Jeff is considered the best bridge player in the world. He has won over 50 National Championships and 8 World Championships. He has been playing since he was 14, 40 years ago. Every time I hear him speak, I learn something. " -- Elliot.

[dougbennion]

ONEferBRID, on Aug 23 2010, 06:11 PM, said:

The reason he dislikes weak no trump openers is that it makes it more difficult to find suit fits at lower levels.

That's totally true, and especially for your opps. I think it was Kokish who said approximately "weak notrumps create problems for the other three players, thankfully two of which are your opponents".

And it's not like strong notrumpers don't miss some (albeit different) lower-level suit fits as well.

[wodahs]

Here is a slight improvement, to better hide opener's hand. After 1N 2♣, then 2♦ is 11-12 no 5M, 2♥/♠ is 11-12 with 5M. If responder wants to sign off, they have room to find 4=4 M fit at 2M, or 2NT. If responder wants to GF over 2♦, he asks again with 3♣ Puppet.

With any 13-14 maximum, opener rebids 2NT over 2♣. Responder can then ask again for shape with 3♣.

Using this method, opener usually doesn't have to reveal his shape unless asked.

[Zelandakh]

In the interview I saw M-R gave up the mini-NT because while it gave them positive imps the swings were more randomised than usual and it compared unfavourably with their normal imp score. Most of us do not expect a positive average against world class opponents so the comparison between them and others is not necessarily relevant. Of course when you are the best card player in your club then you want as many 'normal' contracts as possible. When you are a weak card player but a strong bidder then you want as many difficult auction situations as possible to create unusual contracts. Design our system around your strengths, not around someone else's strengths.