[kgr]

Quote

BTW, I don't believe learning a so-called mordern 2/1 system will necessarily improve one's bidding skills.

Could be very true.
With my regular partner I play once a week MP's and I play also competition - IMP's. The competition is 14 matches per year.
Now I play kind of SAYC. I doubt if 2/1 is better then SAYC in MP's. I would start playing 2/1 mostly to start learning something new.
... Probably it would be more adventegous for my partnership to define meaning of certain bidding sequences. I'm afraid we have not suffiently done that.
Like meaning of simple biddings as:
- (1D)-1S-(1NT)-DBL
- (1D)-1S-(1NT)-2C
- (2H)-4H
- (3C)-4C
....
Other Example:
1D-(Pas)-1S-(DBL)
1NT-(Pas)-2C-(Pas) 2C:Crowhurst-Ask for Major
With : Axx-KJxx-Qxxx-Kx
I would normally bid 2H after the 2C inquiry, but after the DBL I decided to show my 3 card Spade support immediatly. Wasn't sure how 2H would be interpreted by my partner.
We went to 4S. My partner had a 5 card S and a 4 card H. Down 4 after a H lead because LHO had a void in H.

[EricK]

arrows, on Jun 15 2004, 08:51 AM, said:

imo, if you can still enjoy tournements with stayman the only convention, you are in the right track of improving your bidding techniques and doing pretty well.

Believe me, more than 90% of players cannot, because they learned some fancy systems or conventions before developing their logic and judgement skills of bidding.

What on Earth makes you think you need Stayman?

Eric

[Fluffy]

I´ve seen a couple of friends playing no convention expcept one, and they didn´t find much trouble, jus some lack of precision at game level sometimes, but when you card paly good it doesn´t have to matter against low level .

BTW, the convention they used wasn´t stayman but support double, I agree I would use that rather than stayman.

[JRG]

DrTodd13, on May 14 2004, 12:16 PM, said:

I had a partner last night assume I played Wolff signoff in the
sequence 1D-1H-2N-3D. How many people would assume 3D
was forcing if you just said "we play 2/1?"

Todd

This is not, strictly speaking, a 2/1-specific auction.

My long-time partner and I have played a form of 2/1 for quite a few years. Our agreement is that we don't try to improve the strain on the sequence:

1♦ - 1♥
2NT - ?

ANY further action, including 3♦ is forcing.

On the other hand, I know a lot of players would play 3♦ as a "sorry partner, I'd like to get out.Maybe I would have raised you to 2♦ if I could have, but we play inverted minors".