Style and rules
- T/o X
- light
- 1st lvl OC
- moderate
- 2nd+ lvl OC
- sound
- preempts
- moderate
- psychics
- seldom
- 1st round of bidding by responder
- deceptive leads
- INVs
- sound
- 3rd/4th M OP
- 10+, may be 4 cards only w/♠
In most sequences, when you bid your suit three times, you promise KQJTxx or better. In one over one situation, where we can see slam aspirations, we may skip a very poor 4M suit. Note: you need another reason to do this (AKQx oM or 4333 distribution). If we have 9+ cards in a major, it is trumps. No new trump suits at the fourth level. When facing 2NT INV (not after we have shown a 6+ carder), 3m is nat weak, 3M is GF 3-card fragment if the partner has bid that M, or shortness if he had bid 1NT before and we are not limited yet. 55 hands w/9HCP that are clear openers: consider passing with weak short holdings (especially vul). 55 hands w/10HCP - always bid - it’s safer to open at the one-level than to pass and act later, especially vul.
Srs control bids and non-srs slam tries – the introduction
Fast Arrival principle applies.
Only when partner shows GF and extras, the Fast Arrival is rare. It should be made on a sub-minimum, less than 11.5HCP, not working values. With a normal opening, we almost always use srs/non-srs control bids.
Opener uses the srs/non-srs depending on the zone he has already shown before.
- 11-20
- = up to 14.5 is no extras, e.g. 1♠-2♥-4♥
- = 14.5 and more is extras, e.g. 1♠-2♥-3♥
After opener’s 3♥, responder thus bids srs/non-srs controls – no Fast Arrival, as our GF should be sound.
- 12.5-15.5
- = no extras, bid non-srs control, partner will continue to search for a slam with 17.5+
- 15.5+
- = extras, bid srs S/T
If the opener’s range has been limited more:
- 11-16/18
- = 11.0-12.0 non-working super-minimum – e.g. in 1♦-1♥-1♠-2♦-2♥-3♥* now just bid 4♥
- 11-16/18
- = 12.0-14.5 not real extras – bid non-srs S/T
- = 14.5+ real extras, bid serious control
- 11-13
- = 11.5-12.5 or not working values at all - bid non-srs S/T
- = 12.5-14.00 or a really nice working minimum – bid serious control
*3♥ is already extras (he could bid four)