[Zelandakh]

PhilKing, on 2012-October-17, 17:29, said:

It's only recommended for intermediate level and above.

I come from there too and even played it this way as a beginner. Before making intermediate I had learned better.

[helene_t]

If opps open 1m playing five-card majors we could easily belong in their minor suit after 1m-p-p-1N, so playing the cuebid as natural has merits.

Even though advancer will rarely have an invitational or stronger hand with a 5-card suit (he didn't overcall after all), transfers are still useful as it is important to get opener on lead.

Some play bids below the cue as natural, cue through 2♥ as transfers, and 2♠ as stayman. This is a nice compromise between transfers and natural, but using 2♠ as stayman means that you can't manage as wide a range for the 1NT overcall as you would be able to do using 2♣ as stayman.

[PhilKing]

Zelandakh, on 2012-October-18, 03:21, said:

I come from there too and even played it this way as a beginner. Before making intermediate I had learned better.

You mean you now do it with a good nine, I assume.

[mgoetze]

PhilKing, on 2012-October-17, 17:29, said:

It's only recommended for intermediate level and above.

[citation needed][weasel words][original research?]

[ArtK78]

PhilKing, on 2012-October-17, 17:29, said:

It's only recommended for intermediate level and above.

In other words, these bids are for professionals. Don't try this at home!

[PhilKing]

mgoetze, on 2012-October-18, 11:46, said:

[citation needed][weasel words][original research?]

Weasling was in response to several glib comments (citations available) and I am sure he can defend himself with more of the same.

But back to the point: http://www.larryco.c...x?articleID=554

Or: http://www.marvinfre...dbook/08-05.pdf

[gnasher]

Phil, I can understand citing Larry Cohen as an authority, but what exactly is the other link supposed to tell us?

[PhilKing]

gnasher, on 2012-October-19, 01:32, said:

Phil, I can understand citing Larry Cohen as an authority, but what exactly is the other link supposed to tell us?

He's not a famous player, but is regularly published in the Bridge World over a 40-year period and seems solid on theory.

[Zelandakh]

Marvin French also recommends it show a 2-suiter. Is this really the source you wanted to quote?

[PhilKing]

Zelandakh, on 2012-October-19, 05:20, said:

Marvin French also recommends it show a 2-suiter. Is this really the source you wanted to quote?

Yes. Did you even get to page 2? He plays it as 10-12 bal.

[Zelandakh]

Hmmm, that is very interesting. I have great respect for French and have incorporated some of his ideas into my methods. I also find it interesting that in his article on re-opening 1NT as a non-passed hand he points out that it is often a bad idea to do it with 11-12 and passing is to be preferred. This seems somewhat inconsistent; it cannot make that much difference if the opening was in first or second seat! It would be nice if he, or some other known theorist, gave their reasons for preferring natural to the alternatives. One thing worth noting is that if you open very light, the only "good" hands you have to re-open with are likely to be the maximum balanced type; but from memory he does not advocate any such light opening scheme.

[PhilKing]

When it goes Pass-1x-Pass-Pass it is implausible that you have a genuine two-suiter given the lack of action, and if so you can just bid your highest suit.

Hands with 10-11 balanced have no such luxury and are way more common. No ones pointing a gun at your head though. But with Qx Axx xxx KJxxx I would certainly bid a happy 1NT if a spade came round to me at any vulnerability and I like partner to give me game with a decent 13, playing for the "Haggis sandwich". Yes, you could double, but that just does not work for me.

[FrancesHinden]

I was taught as a beginner that P 1x P P 1NT was natural and I've seen no reason to change since.

Back to the original questions:
1x P P 1NT P with or without an initial pass:

- No I don't play system on, I play 2C as range ask (game forcing opposite a max), 2NT as a weaker invite & 2 suit (or 3C) as natural and weak. In practice I've found the only bids I make are (i) a weak take-out into a suit below opener's or (ii) a raise to 3NT

after a sandwich NT 1x P 1y 1NT we play 2y as an artificial force and 2x as natural
if they haven't bothered to bid a natural suit yet e.g. 1C polish P 1D neg 1NT P then we go back to 2C stayman.

in practice I'm not sure I've ever done anything opposite a sandwich NT other than pass or bid 3NT.