[Kungsgeten]

Hi! Me and partner has decided to leave our forcing pass system for now, and adapt a strong club instead. The system will be similar to Moscito (using a MAFIA approach), but have some differences. Comments are appreciated!

1C - 15+ any
1D - 4+H (not 4333/4432), may have longer minor
1H - 4+S (not 4333/4432), may have longer minor
1S - 5-4 minors, 5-5 minors or 6+D. No major.
1NT - 11+-14 hcp, no 5 card major
2C - 6+ clubs. No major.
2D - Wilkosz (weak with 5-5 in a major and another, may be both majors)
2M - Weak
2NT - Weak with 5-5 minors

1red, 1S and 2C shows 10-14 hcp, but 8-14 (or even weaker if that seems profitable) in third seat.

Over 1red we play a structure very similar to Magic Diamond, where 1NT+ is transfers. We also have the relay of 1M available however. The relay shows:

a) A weakish hand wanting to play opener's longer suit
b) GF values
c) INV values and a splinter

I did not quite like the structure I found over the Moscito 1S opener (not being able to play 2m very easily). Below is the structure I've suggested to partner, any comments?

1S--
1NT - a) GF relay b) 4+ clubs, INV or worse c) Balanced and INV
...2C - Any hand with 4+ clubs (now 2D is GF relay, pass is clubs, others are INV)
...2D - 6+D, single suiter (pass is weak, 2H is GF relay, others are INV)
2C - pass/correct
2red - Transfer (first step shows 2-3 card support, second step shows shortness and max, 3M shows 3-cards and max, others show shortness and min)
2S - INV with at least 3-3 minors (original structure)
2NT - Limit raise in diamonds (original structure)
3C - pass/correct (original structure)
3D - To play (original structure)

Another subject is the club opening. We've decided to use normal negative/GF bids instead of the Moscito structure, at least for now. Here's what we use:

1C--
1D - Any non-GF, 0-8 hcp. We give up on relays after this response. Alternatives for better continuations?
1H - Super positive, 13/14+ or any hand that wants to relay opener for some reason
1S - GF. a) 5+ hearts b) balanced c) any 4441 d) Any 5440 with 5 clubs
1N - GF. 5+ spades
2C - GF. 5+ diamonds, single-suiter, 4+ diamonds or 4 hearts
2D - GF. 5+ clubs, no major
2H - GF. 5+ diamonds, 4 spades or any 5440 with 5 diamonds
2S - GF. 5+ clubs, 4 hearts
2N - GF. At least 5-5 majors
3C+ - GF. Zooms into hands with 5+ clubs and 4 spades

In third seat we plan on using the same opening structure. Now the relays over 1red show 2-3 card support. 1N over 1S shows either 4+ clubs or a hand wanting to play 2D. Playing transfer openings in third seat may not be optimal, but partner does not like to open 4-card "may be canapé with longer clubs", which seems to be the alternative (have also thought of (3)4+ diamonds, 5+ majors, 2C 6+ and 2D precision, or even SAYC in third seat).

Here's another topic: When partner opens 1C as 15+ in third seat, what should responders bid show? Straube posted some passed hand structures a while back, and I've looked at these. Here's the one I'm currently suggesting:

pass-1C;
1D - Semi-positive (5-9 hcp) with a) 5-8 balanced b) 4M, 5+m c) any 4441
...1H - Natural or GF relay
...Other - Natural (1NT 15-17, 2NT 18-19)
1H - Any double negative (0-5 hcp) or 9-11 balanced or a minimum GF 2m response (see below) which doesn't want to risk being passed out
...1S - Game forcing (now 1NT is 9-11, 2C waiting, and 2red transfers)
...1N - 15-20(21) semibal
...2X - Natural, NF
...2N - 21-24
1S - Semi-positive, 5+ hearts
...1N - Forcing no trump, if followed by 2NT then 18-19
...2C - GF relay
...2N - INV+ with 4+ support
...3H - INV with 3-card support
...Other - Natural
1N - Semi-positive, 5+ spades
...2C - GF relay
...2S - May be only 2 card support
...2N - 18-19
...3D - INV with 4+ support (now 3H transfers)
...3S - INV with 3-card support
...Other - Natural
2m - Semi-positive, 5+ minor and unbalanced (no major, 2C with 5-5)
...2m+1 - GF relay
...Other - INV and pretty natural (2NT over 2D shows 5+ hearts)
2H - Semi-positive, 5-5 majors (ca 5-6 hcp red vs white, to weak for Wilkosz)
...pass/2S - To play
...2N - GF relay
...3C - Good INV with hearts
...3D - Good INV with spades
...3M - Weaker INV
Other - Currently undefined

I think the structure above would work, but my main concern is the 1D response, which uses a set of relays which are not seen in other parts of the system and hence may be hard to remember.

At last I've also thought about opening a weak NT in third/fourth seat, when partner is limited to 0-9 unbal or 0-11 bal. I've got two suggestions, which would you play?:

pass-1NT;
2X - To play
2N - INV (11 balanced)
3m - INV (max for passed hand and 6 card minor)

or (all bids NF unless it says otherwise)

pass-1NT;
2C - Stayman, does not require a major (may want to play clubs)
...pass - May be an alternative with 5 good clubs and a hand that would not accept an INV
...2D - No major
......pass - Probably a three-suiter with short clubs
......2H - Equal length in majors, pass/correct
......2S - To play (5+ spades, 4 hearts)
......2N - INV with a 4 card major
......3m - To play (5+m and 4M or just a club suit wanting to sign off)
...2M - Natural, 2H with both
......2S - 4 spades, longer minor
......2N - INV with other major
......3m - To play
Other - As above, but 2NT denies 4-card major

[hrothgar]

Kungsgeten, on 2013-May-13, 23:46, said:

I did not quite like the structure I found over the Moscito 1S opener (not being able to play 2m very easily).

I never had much trouble signing off in 2m after a 1♠ opening...

After 1S - 1N, holding clubs, you pass a 2♣ response (or, alternatively raise in clubs)
If you hold a single suiter with Diamonds, simply bid 2D (2H is used as the relay)

[Kungsgeten]

Quote

After 1S - 1N, holding clubs, you pass a 2♣ response (or, alternatively raise in clubs)
If you hold a single suiter with Diamonds, simply bid 2D (2H is used as the relay)

Yeah, that's a way of doing it. I'm mostly thinking about 4432 hands or 4333 hands with 4 card major(s). It seems like we'd rather play at the best fit here (5-2 or 5-3 as opposed to 4-2 or 4-3). Do you always transfer with a 5 card major? With say 5422 I would probably bid a pass/correct bid at the two-level if available. It may be true however that this isn't much of a problem. Having 2m as two-under transfers seems good.

Do you have any tips on how to play after interference over 1S?

[hrothgar]

Kungsgeten, on 2013-May-14, 08:46, said:

Yeah, that's a way of doing it. I'm mostly thinking about 4432 hands or 4333 hands with 4 card major(s). It seems like we'd rather play at the best fit here (5-2 or 5-3 as opposed to 4-2 or 4-3). Do you always transfer with a 5 card major? With say 5422 I would probably bid a pass/correct bid at the two-level if available. It may be true however that this isn't much of a problem. Having 2m as two-under transfers seems good.

It is quite possible to land in a 4-3 fit at the two level when a 5-3 fit is also available.
(Holding a 4333 pattern is a classic example)

All I can say is that MOSCITO gives you lots of opportunities to improve your declarer play with 4-3 fits...

Holding a 5422 with a five card major, I'll typically transfer with hearts.
Holding spades I'll either transfer or make a slightly heavy pass

[Kungsgeten]

Hehe, yeah we've been playing transfer style openings in our forcing pass system, so 4-3 fits isn't unusual territory We've "solved it" somewhat by being able to relay with weak hands, even if holding three-card support, but this has disadventages as well (and doesn't have the preemptive effect of 1red-2M, ofcourse).

[Free]

Looks indeed a lot like MOSCITO

My remarks:
- With the 1♣ structure you can do whatever you want. I won't discuss this, there are already enough topics about strong ♣ structures.
- The 1♠ structure has always been a tricky one imo. I'd advise you to just play something you feel comfortable with, because I don't think there's an optimal solution. The only thing you really need to keep is 1♠-1NT-2♣-2♦ as signoff.
- 1red-1NT+ as transfer is a really good treatment imo. Since MOSCITO 2005 this has been introduced as around 6-11HCP (still using step 1 for all GF hands), and I think it's a clear improvement over the older versions. Not sure if it should be limited though. I don't have enough experience with it to give advice about it.
- I really hate that 1♠ and 2♣ deny a 4 card M. With 5m-4M it's definitely ok to open the Major, but once you have a 6-4 or even more extreme (7-4, 8-4, 9-4) suit quality is imo much more important. I prefer to show my ♦ suit with 5432-x-AKQJxxxx-x, while I don't have a problem opening 1♥ with AKQJ-x-8765432-x for example.
- 2♦ and higher can be used for anything you want. I like Wilkosz and weak two's, good choice imo.

[MickyB]

I think opening defining 1red as unbalanced is good. I do not think the transfer responses to 1red should be limited. Balanced hands ask, unbalanced hands describe.

[Kungsgeten]

Free, on 2013-May-14, 14:03, said:

Looks indeed a lot like MOSCITO

My remarks:
- With the 1♣ structure you can do whatever you want. I won't discuss this, there are already enough topics about strong ♣ structures.
- The 1♠ structure has always been a tricky one imo. I'd advise you to just play something you feel comfortable with, because I don't think there's an optimal solution. The only thing you really need to keep is 1♠-1NT-2♣-2♦ as signoff.
- 1red-1NT+ as transfer is a really good treatment imo. Since MOSCITO 2005 this has been introduced as around 6-11HCP (still using step 1 for all GF hands), and I think it's a clear improvement over the older versions. Not sure if it should be limited though. I don't have enough experience with it to give advice about it.
- I really hate that 1♠ and 2♣ deny a 4 card M. With 5m-4M it's definitely ok to open the Major, but once you have a 6-4 or even more extreme (7-4, 8-4, 9-4) suit quality is imo much more important. I prefer to show my ♦ suit with 5432-x-AKQJxxxx-x, while I don't have a problem opening 1♥ with AKQJ-x-8765432-x for example.
- 2♦ and higher can be used for anything you want. I like Wilkosz and weak two's, good choice imo.

Right now 1S-1NT; 2C-2D; is GF relay, but perhaps it shouldn't be. We'll see about how the structure works in practice.

We've played transfers over our 1red openings in the previous system (same as here, but 1red showed 8-11 instead of 10-14). There's some tricky situations, and sometimes you have to guess what to do. We usually don't bid transfers with GF hands, unless balanced (we play transfering to a suit and then bidding a new suit as INV and non-forcing).

Having 1S and 2C deny 4-card majors may not be a good choice, I do not know. In our previous system we had to do this due to the design of the system as a whole, while you do not have to in Moscito. For me its mostly a matter of saving space in the relays (and also being able to have the relays as symmetrical as possible) and to avoid an auction like 1S-1NT; 2M, which seems awkward when holding a weak hand. Also it seems strange that opening 2C can be done with a 4 card major, but not 4 diamonds. This would mean that with 7 clubs and 4 diamonds, you open 1S etc (like the example you gave). During practice today I held a hand with 6 diamonds and a bad 4 card major and opened 1S, intending to show it as 3361 later.

From the start we thought of just modifying our old opening structure of 1S and 2m. This would make 1S 11-13 balanced, 1NT 14-16 balanced and 2m 5+ unbalanced without a 4 card major. We'll try out the Moscito variant however, which seems good and exciting, and makes 2D available for funny stuff