[32519]

Which option do you choose? Raptor NT or Natural NT overcall? Both have their merits. Frequency of occurrence and effectiveness should weigh in heavily. I don't know which one occurs more frequently after the opponents have already opened the bidding. A chunk of the available HCP has already been consumed.

Any thoughts?

[manudude03]

I definitely prefer Natural 1NT overcalls, just because the opponents open doesn't mean you have game on and it's generally easier to find games after a natural overcall than raptor.

I do play raptor as a passed hand though.

[Codo]

I guess that 90 % of the expert community prefer natural.

As far as I know this is, because Raptor is a nice tool to show this common hand type, but the downsides for putting the natural 1 NT into the double are too big for the gains you have.

I played Raptor for a long time, no natural for some years, I have no idea which approach had been an overall win for me.

[Cthulhu D]

What's the view on a power double (15+ semi bal) with 1NT for takeout ala the overcall structure?

[32519]

manudude03, on 2012-March-22, 03:58, said:

I do play raptor as a passed hand though.

I would like to hear some more on your reasoning here. Offhand from your post, this is what I understand:

P...1M...P...P
1NT.?

It looks as though opener has a big hand? 1NT has reopened the bidding with a 4M-5m bid?

[manudude03]

The auction I mean is:

P-P-P-1M
1NT

Simple reason is it keeps the takeout doubles pure and we man up and bid 2NT with both minors (if we haven't opened 2NT for the minors for some reason). If you double 1S with a skewed hand, say xx AQxx AT9xx xx and it gets raised, partner is in no position to compete effectively over 2S with a 3235 hand and such.

When 1NT is in the balancing seat, we keep it as natural (10-11) since partner might still have 13-14 (or more) and stuck for a bid.

[kenrexford]

The light T.O. 1NT is what i discussed in "Really Unusual Notrump (R.U.N.T.)", which also includes a specifcic discussion of structure if a passed hand comes in. Also sandwich position. Fwiw

[32519]

kenrexford, on 2012-March-22, 07:30, said:

The light T.O. 1NT is what i discussed in "Really Unusual Notrump (R.U.N.T.)", which also includes a specifcic discussion of structure if a passed hand comes in. Also sandwich position. Fwiw

Ken, you've introduced something else here I've never heard of before (R.U.N.T). Can you fill in some more details? Or a link to your discussion?

Sandwich 1NT I know. Maybe there are newbies who don't?

[Cthulhu D]

It's using 1NT instead of double as your three suited takeout shape hand. Ken plays it super light, Fout's overcall structure plays 8-14ish. Where you put the strong balanced hand becomes an issue, but I like the style

[kenrexford]

The RUNT concept is a two-way 1NT overcall as either a light TO (range is negotiable) or a very strong TO (19+ or so). The double then is limited on both ends (maybe opening strength to 18), with balanced hAnds included. Herbert Negatives by Advancer help the unwind of the double.

The Sandwich RUNT (bid-p-bid-1NT) is either three-suited but short in Responder's suit (e.g. 1C-P-1S-1NT as 1-4-4-4 or so) or two-suited if both opp suits are real (e.g. 1H-P-1S-1NT as minors).

The passed-hand RUNT is part of a greater structure to show which suit is longer of two and the like.

You can google the convention and find some write-ups. Also, JACK plays it.

The specifics are in my book.