System Summary Form (SSF), 2022 JLall Online Teams #5


Team: Donnelly Last Updated Dec 14, 2021 at 14:39
Players: Kyle Rockoff - Daniel Weiss

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Bids that Require Advance Preparation

We play a variant of Swedish Club with canape style 1D, 1H, 1S bids. Below are specifics which you may wish to discuss a defense:

-1C is Artificial, and shows 11(10+)-13 balanced with at least one 4 card major, 4=4=(4-1) dead min 11-12, or good 16+ any shape. 1C when 11-13 balanced could contain a 5cd major.

1C-1D is a 0-7 negative. 1C-1D-1M is 4+ cards and could be 11-13 or 16-21, and is NF. 1C-1D-1N is 16+-19 bal (generally no 5cd Major). Other rebids by opener are 16+.

1C-1M is 4+ cards, 8+. 1C-1N 8-11 near-bal no 4M. 1C-2C ART no 4M gen 11+, 1C-2D/2M/3m are minor-oriented no 4M 8-11 hands.

-Our 1D, 1H and 1S openings are all 4+ cards, and may contain a second suit that is as long, or longer than the suit we opened (Canape-style). These openings are usually 4 cards with a 5+ side suit, or 6+ cards. The opening will always be semi-balanced or unbalanced.

-Our 1N opening is 12 to a bad 16 balanced ("Modified Carrot NT"). It is weighted more towards 14 to a bad 16, because we only open 12-13 HCPs if we don't have a 4 card major (min bal with a major opens 1C). Per ACBL regulation, we cannot upgrade 11s into the range, so you will never see any upgrades on the lower end.

-Our 2D opening shows 10-15 4+Cs and exactly 5 of either major, or 20-21 balanced.
-Our 2H shows 13-15(16) 4441 or 4=4(50), with exactly 4H (with 4=1=4=4 10-15, we open 1S)
-Our 2S/2N/3C/3D openers are 2-under preempts, 0-10 HCPs, 6+ cards, and are very wide ranging.
-Our 3H/3S opener show a solid (AKQ 7th) single-suiter in the two touching suits (3H shows Cs or Ss, 3S shows Hs or Cs). By ACBL definition it must meet the rule of 19.
-Our 3N opening shows both majors or both minors, and is preemptive.

In the auction 1H-1S, responder's 1S response is artificial and only promises 3+ cards in the major. This is because if opener has support, it always is a minimum of 5 cards. Bypassing 1H-1N typically denies 3S (opener may pass 1N with a minimum and 5=4=2=2 shape so typically responder doesn't screw around).

1D-1H is an artificial one round force, asking partner to pattern his hand (1S = 5+ Ss, 1N = 5+ Hs, so it generally denies a long major). In competitive auctions, 1D-(X)-1M reverts to quasi-natural, and only promises 3+ cards.

In competition after a 1D, 1H and 1S opening, responder's initial double doesn't promise length in the unbid major (just takeout oriented, suggest tolerance for new strains).

Non-vulnerable, our first 3 overcalls + 2N starting with a simple cuebid show 2-suiters, usually with at least 4-cards in the first shown major and 5-cards in the other suit. These actions are wide-ranging and can be very light, especially with a very shapely hand.

General Bidding Style

We open all 11s in all seats, upgrade a good portion of unbalanced 10s and rarely even 9s, particularly that fit rule of 19 with close to 2+ defensive tricks.

Suit quality is not a requirement for a 1-level opening bid (xxxx Ax AKxxxx x would open 1S). If a 5-5 Major-Minor 2-suiter, we will treat the major as primary by opening 1D or the ART 2D opening (intending to show 4+C + exactly 5M). With both minors or majors, we could open either first. The first bid suit will typically be perceived as only being 4 cards, so if there is suit quality disparity, usually the worst suit is opened. If 6+-4 with a 6+ Major and 4cd minor and a dead minimum, we may sometimes open 1M (choosing to deny the 4-cd minor).

In 3rd seat, everything gets a bit lighter, we open all unbal 10s and good balanced 10s, but can open 1D/1H/1S as light as 8 favorable, particularly if we want to get in lead direction or have an easy way to get out low in the auction.

With the 2-under transfer preempts, we strive to bid with most 6+ suits, particularly the minors, particularly favorable, and particularly if not 6322.

Opening Leads AND Leads in the Middle of the Hand

3rd/low on opening leads versus suit. 4th best versus NT.

Tend to lead attitude mid-hand:
-4th/low from interest (only low from 5 versus suits, otherwise 4th best.)
-Second best, top, or MUD (from 3 cards) from a suit we don't want led back.

At NT, we lead the AQ for power (unblock) with AKJT or QJ98 or similar, and the K for count. At the 5-level or higher versus a suit contract, K is lead for count, A for attitude.

Defensive Signals

Our carding is upside-down count and attitude. We play standard current count. We play reverse Smith Echo versus NT, and trump suit preference.

Our priority of signals is first attitude, second count and third suit preference. With shortness in dummy in the suit lead, we usually give suit preference to an honor (unless we might want the board to ruff, or attitude looks more important).

We signal actively, particularly early in the hand. But, we will purposely false-card or discard neutrally to conceal information from declarer when we believe it is correct to do so.