Raison d'etre
BETA opens with 1♣
more frequently than any other opening bid.
The requirements for a BETA 1♣ opening are:-
2+ card in clubs
Usually that's balanced hands - without a void or singleton
12-18 HCP
BETA regular opening bids of 1N...3D if available take precedence over a 1C opening.
Also pre-emptive bids 3H & beyond are also unsuitable.
There is
a tendency for other bidding systems to also increase the frequency of
opening 1 in a minor. Perhaps with a definition of 'better minor' or simply just 1♣ showing 2 or 3+ cards and opening values. One frequent assertion is lacking a biddable 5 card Major.
As a consequence of this it behoves us to examine possible avenues of taking
advantage when opponents make a 1C|D opening.
Having the opening bid in chess gives a slight advantage and this is also true in Bridge.
However when oponents open 1C|D they are not conveying a great deal of
information but there is some useful information we can glean
from it! It is likely to be similar to our own 1C opening!
Basicly opening values but insufficient values or distribution for 1NT opening and no 5+ card Major.- see their card 12-14 or 15-17 useful information indeed and no 5 card Major either!
We believe that such openings give us a chance to get going and snatching more than the opening advantage! This document is an initial attempt for BETA to take
maximum advantage when opponents open 1mi and our early results confirm
significant promise.
BETA observes that many of our opening bids can now be bid as
overcalls following a 1mi opening bid. exercise to further our
advantage - one is likely to relate to our holding!
Also we can directly show a 5 card Major or Diamond suit over opponents 1C opening unless any of our more potent bids 1N...3D are available then they take preference.
With this schema our opponents would surely have lost any benefit from
opening the bidding! while BETA has retaken the initiative and
now well en route to finding our best contract!
This table gives the order of preference for choice of o'call following
a 1C or 1D opening by opponents. This table is valid except for Strong
1C (e.g. precision) defencde against which we recommend TRAP.
o'call following
1C|D openings
|
type
|
implied suits
|
Strength
|
...3C
|
5+-5
|
D+H
|
<7LTC
|
...3D
|
5+-5
|
H+S
|
<7LTC
|
...2D-2any-3D
|
5+-5
|
S+D
|
<7LTC
|
...2D-2any-3C
|
5+-5
|
H+C
|
<7LTC
|
...2D-2Ma-2N
|
balanced
|
may contain a 5 card Major -
|
19-20 HCP
|
...2D-2Ma-3N
|
balanced
|
may contain a 5 card Major
|
21-22 HCP
|
...2D-2N-3N
|
balanced
|
probable slam
|
32 HCP
|
...2N-
|
natural |
S+C
|
<7LTC
|
...1N
|
5+-5 |
C+D
|
<7LTC
|
...2Ma
|
5+-4 |
Ma + C|D|¬Ma
|
<5LTC
|
...2Ma
|
6+
|
Ma
|
<5LTC
|
...2D
|
6+
|
Major
|
5-7LTC
|
...1N
|
6+
|
C|D
|
5-7LTC
|
...2C
|
4-4
|
H+S
|
10+HCP
|
--*
|
1C
|
shows a 1C|1N Beta opening
|
12-18|12-14.
|
PASS
|
|
|
|
1C-1H
|
transfer
|
5+ S.
|
10+HCP
|
1C-1D
|
transfer
|
5+ H
|
10+HCP
|
1C-1S
|
transfer
|
5+D
|
10+HCP
|
1D-H|S
|
natural
|
5+H|S
|
10+HCP
|
PASS
|
natural
|
none of the above apply. 4th hand may bid
|
|
2Ma | 4mi
|
6+/7+
|
Vul /non-Vul
|
HP+DP
|
3N
|
7+
|
Solid minor
|
9+HCP in suit
|