'Attack is the best Defence'
Your RHO has opened 1♣ STRONG. This is a challenge you must meet immediately! Intervening will upset their preferred sequences...
Optional, following played with agreement only.
RHO has opened 1
and given you 2 valuable advantages! These are:
- This has gifted to you all the other 1-level bids - make use of them
- He has also failed to name any suit! - an invitation to block him
See my lips? INTERVENE!
We utilise TRAP
The opponents have shown 16+ and generally their first response shows responders strength or his shape/suit.
So follow TRAP do not fear of being doubled - the opponents have more to
lose than you do! And they believe they are still forward going... One can readily take away a full level of bidding -
look at it like this: it takes away all advantage they wanted to get by
opening low and get a maximum of bidding space to explore with! This
helps to bring them roughly inline with our own 2C and other strong
openings your team members may be using.
Responder must remember all TRAP bids are transfers (unless your RHO bids).
Once your partners overcall is understood, it may guide you into being
able to take your interference further - and this would be excellent.
It may also provide you with a subsequent invaluable guide as to which opening lead to make.
TRAP may also be used optionally as a defence over ACOL strong 2C openings.
Your LHO opened 1♣! Indicated as possibly short [system responses on trial
With 5-5 hands use usual bids: 2♣ cue-bid for both majors,2N, 3mi [Except 1N Multi for red suits]
1♦ 4-4 Hearts-Spades 10+ HCP or {4-5}
1♥ 5+Hearts 10+ HCP [followed by 3♦ shows H & ♦ 5-5]
1♠ 5+ Spades
* 16+ HCP
1N 12-14 Balanced
2D weak 2
2Ma weak 2
Your LHO opened 1♦! Indicated as possibly short [system responses on trial]
A VERY much modified Roman defence idea - that of treating the 'unusual with the unusual'. The raison etre is that natural bidding tends to bid FOR the opponents.
A further flaw in strong club systems is that they have to give
up 1
as an artificial bid too! As they invariably play 5
card majors, if they have a 4 card major they may well be opening 1 to
hear what their partner has to say.
Similarly in 5 card suit openings including Diamonds by 4¦5+ a 1C! opening has to be alerted as it could be 1 or 2 cards.
Again, aim to cramp their style so we do not overcall in our major suit
- that would only help them, Instead follow this schema:
This is experimental however I used it with encouraging results in
India where Strong Club openings are rampant! The following can be used
over any 1! opening 12-15. Similar continuations over 1! 12-15 alerted as 'can be 0-2 cards'.
- 1!-2: Natural 5+ cards - our usual way over artificial alerted minors 12-15. Over an alerted, non-precision 1 opening, 1!-2! this shows a shortage. While 1!-2 shows 5 cards natural, fianlly 1!-1! Shows a 12-15 T-O double. 1 - * is a regular T-O (denies diamond interest)
- 1!-2: : Shortage in Clubs (1!-2 12-15 HCP Natural with a 5+ card suit).
- T-O *: Our usual Take-out Double. 12+ HCP usually with shortage 0-2 in Opener's alerted minor. General support in other suits. Our usual 2 Negative etc.
- 1mi!-1N: Not our usual unusual 1NT 'multi' but still used to show 2-suits. Hearts are the required anchor suit.. Responder bids 2, a relay, as usual, rebids after a 1! opening are as follows (if used over 1! then replace with in all the following rebid meanings). Note: These rebids have nothing in common at all with our 1NT multi sequences which are still used over natural minor openings.
- 2
=
+ Strong
- 2=+ This sequence replaces direct: 1-2 used over natural 1 openings (similarly replacing 1 - 2) to show a weak 5-5 in the majors
- 2NT=+ Weak 5-5
- 1: Shows both minors 5-5 weak or strong. Partner bids preferred minor to play OR 1S forcing - then rebid 2 weak or 1NT (2N if opps intervene) strong
- 1: Weak, 6 card unspecified suit. 1NT relay (if RHO passes) asks for 6 card suit