[jillybean]

Comments?

NT run out

1nt (X) P* (P) XX

Pass forces XX
Pass by responder shows a strong hand and any escape from opponents must be doubled.
2C, clubs and hearts or spades. 2H by opener is pass or correct, 2D by opener is natural and a suggestion to play.
2D, diamonds and spades

1nt (X) XX* (P) 2C
XX shows a good 5 card suit, 2C is pass or correct


1nt (X) 2C*
4/4+ Clubs and diamonds. Pass or correct

1nt (X) 2D*
4/4+ diamonds and hearts. Pass or correct

1nt(X) 2H*
4/4+ hearts and spades, Pass or correct

Sometimes it will be 3 / 4. Or 4 / 3 in our touching suits , if we have to run, we have to run.

1nt (X) 2S
2S to play

1nt (X) 2nt/3C/3D/3H transfer to next higher suit, preemptive

After a balancing seat double: 1nt (P) P (X)
Opener can run with a nice 5c suit, otherwise wait for R to use DONT
XX relay to 2C pass or correct
2m: m + higher suit
2H 4/4+ hearts and spades
2S spades

[mycroft]

Well, I'm not sure what it gets you over either Guoba rescues (non-Canadians may know it as Moscow escapes, but they're wrong) or a rescue system with an immediate strength-showing XX.

Any pass-forces-redouble has two downsides:

• 4th seat gets two shots at it (although this one, where the strength showing nature is obvious round 1, probably has a different best meanings for each round than Guoba). This one, the doubler also gets a chance to reconsider, like the strength-showing XX, but also can continue to pass the decision to partner.
  
• You can't play 1NTx. Many experts have laughed at me for caring, as 1NTxx is game, but the number of huge matchpoint results I have got from -100 into partscores or -200 or -300 into game is at least memorable (and +180 is almost never worth any fewer matchpoints than +760 would have been). -200 into partscores, not so much. -400 or -600 into game? Also, not so much.

For a system that prioritises finding the least bad place to go down, this one seems very sensible. It's not my priority, as regular readers here will well know.

[mikeh]

I didn’t see any way to run to a 5 card suit unless it’s ‘good’. As someone who plays 10-13 on a regular basis, I wish all my five card suits were good, but they are often disappointingly bad.

Fwiw, here what I’ve been playing for more than 25 years:

1N (x)

P. Forces a redouble. May intend to play 1Nxx. Otherwise it shows two suits of which hearts is not one, or both majors with spades better or longer (or both) than hearts

After the xx, we do NOT play that the opps must be doubled if they run. I think that an extremely bad idea. It’s trivial to construct hands where 1N xx is probably making yet we can’t beat 2 of their suit. Remember, against 1N xx opening leader doesn’t have X-ray vision and will frequently make a lead that gives a skilled declarer an advantage, but when they have 18-20 hcp, a decent 8 or 9 card fit, a skilled opp will often make his contract.

An immediate bid of 2m shows that suit plus hearts. 2C is suspect…it ostensibly shows clubs and hearts and opener will assume such but it might be 3=4=3=3, in which case responder redoubles for takeout if 2C is doubled.

An immediate bid of 2H shows both majors, hearts better and or longer than spades

2S shows 5 spades and a hand willing to see partner raise if the opps compete and opener has 4 card support

2N is minors

3x is ‘to play’, which definitely isn’t the same as ‘weak’. Responder may have a zero count but he could also have a 10 count…..say x xxx KQJxxx QJx…..no way you want to risk 1N xx nor do you want them to find a major, so this is a clear 3D over the double.


xx shows a one suiter….opener is to bid 2C. If followed by 2S, responder does not want opener to raise under any circumstances.



After 1N P P x

Opener can run…definitely run…with a 6 card minor (very rare but possible since we don’t have a weak 2D bid) and can choose to run with a chunky 5 card minor and a min.

Assuming the balancing double is passed…


Responder bids DONT….any suit bid shows that suit and a higher. Bear in mind that responder ought not to hold a five card major.

A redouble shows a long (5+) minor, but 6 would be a very weak suit since we tend to blast to 3m over 1N with 0-10 and a decent suit (ok, zero would need a 7 card suit, lol)

We’ve gone for a few numbers…such is the price of doing business….but on the whole the results have justified our sticking with this. We’ve completely redone every aspect of our methods over the years…many aspects many times over…but this one is the same as when we started playing 27 years ago,

We’ve made 1N xx a number of times…firstly in the 2000 BB and most recently at the 2024 Toronto NABC, the day before I had to quit the NABC due to Covid

[jdiana]

This seems like a lot to remember. This is the extent of my old notes on the subject:

If opener’s LHO doubles, we ignore it and systems remain ON regardless of whether their double is conventional or for penalty. If it’s a conventional double, then a redouble by responder (NOT ALERTABLE) shows 8+ HCP and suggests that opponents made a mistake by entering the auction. Subsequent doubles of opponent’s bids are for penalty.

If they make a penalty double, then a redouble by responder (ALERTABLE) is for runout to a long minor suit. Opener must bid 2♣, which responder intends to pass or correct to 2♦.

If opener’s RHO doubles in the balancing seat (whether conventional or a penalty double), then systems are OFF and all bids are natural. Subsequent doubles of opponent’s bids are for penalty.

Baby steps. Given mikeh's comments, I might reconsider the "subsequent doubles of opponent’s bids are for penalty" part. (As always, the comments in our notes about alertability refer to my understanding of the ACBL alert procedures in effect at the time.)

[jillybean]

mikeh, on 2025-January-23, 19:42, said:

I didn’t see any way to run to a 5 card suit unless it’s ‘good’. As someone who plays 10-13 on a regular basis, I wish all my five card suits were good, but they are often disappointingly bad.

In this context, perhaps it's best that we consider any 5 card suit 'good'.

Is this run out the same as your 12-14nt run out?

[jillybean]

jdiana, on 2025-January-23, 20:08, said:

This seems like a lot to remember. This is the extent of my old notes on the subject:

If opener’s LHO doubles, we ignore it and systems remain ON regardless of whether their double is conventional or for penalty. If it’s a conventional double, then a redouble by responder (NOT ALERTABLE) shows 8+ HCP and suggests that opponents made a mistake by entering the auction. Subsequent doubles of opponent’s bids are for penalty.

If they make a penalty double, then a redouble by responder (ALERTABLE) is for runout to a long minor suit. Opener must bid 2♣, which responder intends to pass or correct to 2♦.

If opener’s RHO doubles in the balancing seat (whether conventional or a penalty double), then systems are OFF and all bids are natural. Subsequent doubles of opponent’s bids are for penalty.

Baby steps. Given mikeh's comments, I might reconsider the "subsequent doubles of opponent’s bids are for penalty" part. (As always, the comments in our notes about alertability refer to my understanding of the ACBL alert procedures in effect at the time.)

This sounds like a run out of a strong nt?

[jdiana]

jillybean, on 2025-January-23, 20:31, said:

This sounds like a run out of a strong nt?

Yes, sorry. I guess it's totally different with a weak nt. Never mind.

[mikeh]

jillybean, on 2025-January-23, 20:30, said:

In this context, perhaps it's best that we consider any 5 card suit 'good'.

Is this run out the same as your 12-14nt run out?

I don’t play 12-14 with anyone, and have no intention of doing so. But, it would be.

[jillybean]

mikeh, on 2025-January-23, 20:51, said:

I don’t play 12-14 with anyone, and have no intention of doing so. But, it would be.

Ok, I'll bite. What's wrong with 12-14nt?

[steve2005]

You have no way to say, I want to bid our contract.
Like with a good shapely 2 suiter, you want to show your suits Inviting or forcing to game. With limited defensive prospects, so you aren't going to double the opponents.