A recent thread on forums.bridgebase.com asked for strong H structures. Here's what I came up with:

http://forums.bridgebase.com/index.php?showtopic=13720&st=16

Of course I should have used this time to complete the NT 06 structure but it was a pleasent diversion.

See the web site for Super Stolen.

Work on this and KaplanVille and notrump structures and systems have me reaching this:

5Ss and balanced should show balanced hand type first, since spades can usually be shown next

5Hs and balanced should show Hs first, since if the opponents bid Ss, Hs can get lost

Thus the next version of ETM Gold will move to this.

Strong 2C structures was the topic of a recent thread on forums.bridgebase.com (http://forums.bridgebase.com/index.php?showtopic=13468) and playing in a regional over the long weekend brought back the thought and experience that space consuming positives are no fun. In particular I hate:

2NT as a positive balanced hand
3D as a positive with 5 or longer Ds

Here's a structure given as food for thought:

Positives: 2+ controls, at least two honors in the suit if positive shows a particular suit.

2D: Hand not appropriate for a positive. Now 2H is Kokish (showing Hs or GF balanced, responder bids 2S usually and then 2NT shows GF balanced, rest Hs), all others natural.

2H: Multi-Positive, either balanced, or with any 4-4-4-1, or with a minor suit and another suit.

2S: Positive 5+Hs. 2NT asks hand type, responder rebidding one under.

2NT: Positive 5+Ss. 3C asks hand type, responder rebidding one under. 3NT shows 5Ss and Cs and not much extras. With extras bid 4C or if 6+Ss, transfer to 3S first.

3C: Positive 6+Ds, usually no second suit.

3D: Positive 6+Cs, usually no second suit.

3H: Positive 6+Ss and almost solid suit.

3S: Positive with 6+ minor and almost solid suit.

After 2H multi-positive, opener rebids:

2S: 4+Ss, can be balanced or have longer minor. Now 3NT+ is natural with 4+S, 2NT and 3D natural, 3C with 4-4+ in minors, and 3H and 3S both with 5+Cs and 4Hs, 3S showing 3Ss also.

2NT: 4+Hs, can be balanced or have longer minor, not 4-4 exactly in majors. 3NT+ is natural with 4+Hs, 3D natural, 3C balanced or minors, and 3H and 3S both with 5+Cs and 4Ss, 3H showing 3Hs also. Over 3C, 3S is natural, 3D asks hand type, 3H showing balanced, 3S both minors no S stopper, and 3NT+ both minors and S stopper. 3H asks hand type with 5+Hs, 3S showing both minors and less than 3Hs, 3NT balanced or semi-balanced with less than 3Hs, 4X with fit or balanced and considerable extras.

3C/D: Natural without a 4 card major. Natural bidding now.

3H: Unbalanced with a good six card or longer H suit.

3S: Both minors, at least 5-5.

3NT: Flat minimum 2C opening hand without a four card major.


Also at the regional we had an opponent with 22+ marked on their cc for 2C, open with 15 HCP and long Ss. This happens a bunch in tournament play, so be aware not to assume anybody's 2C is rich in high cards.

Kaplanville complete.

As can be seen by this set of blog entries, one purpose of this blog is to show some of the thinking and revisions that goes into design work.

Here's a Kaplanville summary:

Kaplanville is a structure that can be played after the 1H-1S like-a-forcing-notrump Kaplan Inversion/Granville. When using this, 1H-1NT is often used to show 5+Ss, forcing.

With Kaplanville, after 1H-1S, opener rebids:
- 1NT with up to 14, no five card or longer minor, and not 0-5-4-4, and not 4Ss.
- 2D with 4+Ss, using 3D to show game force with Ss.
- 2S with 4+Ss and a hand in between 2D and 3D - about 16/17-18 or 6-5+.
- 2H with 15-18 and fewer than 4+Ds, or 5-5+ with Cs and up to 17.
- 2C with 4+Ds, too good or too distributional for 1NT, or with 6+Hs.

Over 2C, responder with minimum takes preference to Ds or Hs or bids 3C with long suit and no D or H semi-fit. With 9/10+, responder often rebids 2NT or 3D, but can rebid 2S which shows own long suit. Over 2S opener bids 2NT if 6+Hs, allowing responder now to show minor suit and also H fit if holding one; without 6+Hs, opener bids 3C if 5-5+ in the reds and minimum, and bids above 3C show 15+ with Ds, establishing a game force.

Return to Kaplanville

See http://forums.bridgebase.com/index.php?act=ST&f=6&t=13308&st=17
for the latest

I now like 1H-1S(Kaplanville)-2C to show Ds or 6+Hs, and 1H-1S-1NT to handle most of hands with 14 or less and fewer than 6Hs and not 5-5.

Over 2C, 2D is then to be dropped with minimum Ds, and 2H is to be dropped with min both hand types.

This allows 1H-1S-2D to show Ss and 1H-1S-2H to show 15-18 with Cs, 15-17 Bal, or up to 16 with 5-5+ and Cs.

Update to Kaplanville

Since the last post I've tinkered with the mappings, to produce the following. To see this with suit symbols, see:

http://forums.bridgebase.com/index.php?act=ST&f=6&t=13308&st=17


The structure, keeping 2[CL] rebid for a minor or balanced, often 15+.

After 1[HE]-1[SP]:

1NT: Maximum of 14. Balanced or with exactly a four card minor (not 0-5-4-4). Now 2m is to play, 2[SP] is an artificial game force, 2[HE] an invite with 2[HE]s and (or poor invite with 3[HE]s), 3X natural invite.

2[CL]: Four or longer minor and 14/15+, or five or longer minor any strength, or 0-5-4-4 any strength or 15+ balanced. Structure below.

2[DI]: 4+[SP]s, up to 16 (not 5[SP]s if 14-16).

2[SP]: 4+[SP]s, 16/17-18 if 4[SP]s, 14-16 if 5+[SP]s.

2NT: 6/7[HE]s and no void/small singleton 19+, or 5+[HE]s and 4+[SP]s and 19+. Now 3[HE] asks if 4[SP]s, with 3[SP] saying yes and 3NT no. 3[CL] asks hand type, with 3NT denying 4[SP]s and 3X shape showing with 4[SP]s (3[DI] if 4-5-2-2). 3NT is to play, 3[DI] shows long [CL]s and 3[SP] shows long [DI]s.

3[CL]/[DI]: 16/17+ with 6+[HE]s and void/small singleton in suit bid and no other four card or longer suit. 3[HE] is non-forcing but opener bids again with extras.
3[HE]: 16/17-18 with 6+[HE]s, no singleton or [SP] void/small singleton and no other four card or longer suit. 3[SP] asks if short, 3NT says no.
3[SP]: 18/19+ with 6+[HE]s and [SP] void/small singleton and no other four card or longer suit.
3NT: 18+ with solid suit, stoppers or semi-stoppers in other suits.
4[CL]/[DI]: Distributional 6-5 or better, good playing value but not strong.

After 1[HE]-1[SP]--2[CL]:

Pass: Possible with long [CL]s and awful hand.
2[DI]: Up to 9, 4+[DI]s or 3[DI]s and short [HE]s. If 6+[DI]s quite weak Now:
**** Pass: 4+[DI]s, no game interest.
**** 2[HE]: 4[CL]s with 15-18 or 5+[CL]s up to 16 or balanced 15-18. 3[CL] to play and 3[DI] weak with long [DI]s. 2NT is a non-forcing game try with 4/5[CL]s. 2[SP] asks, 2NT shows 15-16, 3[CL] 5-5 not max, 3[DI] if 4[CL]s 17-18, 3[HE] if 6-4, 3[SP] if 5-5 maximum, and 3NT if 17-18 balanced.
**** 2[SP]: 4+[DI]s and game interest, forcing just to 2NT.
**** 2NT: Balanced or semi-balanced hand with good game interest, about 18/19-20.
**** 3[CL]: 18/19+ game force with 4+[CL]s. 3[DI] asks hand type.
**** 3[DI]: 17/18+ game force with 5+[DI]s.
**** 3[HE]: 6+[HE]s and 4+[DI]s, game forcing (bid 2[SP] first if lesser values).
**** 3[SP]: 5-5+ with [CL]s, game force.
**** 3NT: To play.

2[HE]: Up to 9, 2[HE]s & 4-5[CL]s. Now:
**** Pass: 4+[DI]s or balanced, no game interest.
**** 2[SP]: Shows [CL]s suit or fragment, could be 2 or 3 only if game force. Asks responder to bid 2NT if maximum, 3[CL] if minimum, then opener bids 3[CL] to signoff (or passes 3[CL]) or bids 3X to shape out, 3[DI] being a suit or a stopper.
**** 2NT: Balanced or semi-balanced hand with game interest, about 17-18.
**** 3[CL]: 3[CL]s (often with 4+[DI]s), game invite.
**** 3[DI]: 5+[DI]s game invite.
**** 3[HE]: Game invite with 6[HE]s.
**** 3[SP]: 5-5+ with [DI]s, game force.
**** 3NT: To play.

2[SP]: Most hands with 9/10+ (see 2NT and 3[HE]+ alternatives). Now:
**** 2NT asks, not super shapely except can be 5-5 non-game force with [CL]s. Responder bids:

******** 3[CL]: Nothing to say. Now opener can pass if minimum 5-5 or bid 3NT to play, or bids 3[HE] to show [CL]s or 3[SP] to show [DI]s or re-asks with 3[DI]: 3[HE] says fairly flat, and now 3[SP] asks if extras (3NT=no), 3[SP] shows 5[DI]s, 3NT shows 6+[DI]s with 3[CL]s.
******** 3[DI]: 6+[DI]s and fewer than 3[CL]s.
******** 3[HE]: 5[CL]s. 3[SP] asks if 4[DI]s (3NT says no).
******** 3[SP]: 6+[CL]s.
******** 3NT: Maximum without 5+[CL]s. Opener can now continue with natural slam try.
******** 4[CL]: 6+[CL]s and 4+[DI]s.
******** 4[DI]: 6+[DI]s and 4[CL]s.

**** 3[CL] shows 5-5 in the reds, not forcing - responder can pass with long [CL]s or bid 3[DI] with a fit/semi-fit.
**** 3[DI] shows 4+[DI]s, game force, and either 5-5 or 6-4. 3[HE] asks, and 3[SP] shows 5-5, all other bids showing 6-4 or better.
**** 3[HE] shows 4+[CL]s, game force, and either 5-5 or 6-4. 3[SP] asks, and 3NT or 4[CL] shows 5-5 (the latter with considerable extras), all other bids showing 6-4 or better.
**** 3[SP] shows weak doubleton [SP] or shorter, asks partner to bid 3NT with [SP]s stopped or to explore for a best minor suit game or slam.
**** 3NT to play, responder should pass even with 12.
**** 4[CL]/[DI] with big 6-5+.
**** 4[HE] with 6+[HE]s, 4[CL]s and 18/19+.

2NT: 10+ with 4-2-2-5 exactly and a hand that wants to play 2NT opposite 5[DI]s up to 13.
**** 3X is now natural and forcing to 3NT or 4X.

3[CL]/[DI]: Six or longer suit, up to bad 9. 3X by opener is now forcing to 3NT.

3[HE]: Game invite with 3[HE]s. Opener only passes with minimum 5-5.

3[SP]: 5-5 in the minors, 9/10+.

3NT: Game going with 3[HE]s - offers opener the chance to try for slam by cuebidding.

4[CL]/[DI]: 6-5 or better in the minors, 9/10+.

How to handle opener's rebid after the Kaplan/Granville Inversion and the related subject of how to handle 1[SP]-1NT forcing (in particular how to combine Bart and Gazzilli - one attempt is in ETM Gold Premium) holds great interest for me - however a recent rec.games.bridge posting asking about Bart/Gazzilli had zero replies so most do not find it so absorbing, so I'll understand that most will skip the rest of this or skim unread it.

To avoid repetition below, all sequences that begin 1[HE]-1[SP] are using the Kaplanville Inversion, where 1[SP] acts like a proxy "forcing notrump". In this style, 1[HE]-1NT shows 5+[SP]s.

Most of the design work in this area involves mapping hand types to opener's rebid, and deciding what works or not. For example I considered 1[HE]-1[SP]--2[CL] to show either 4[SP]s or 6[HE]s (opener's 2[HE] rebid shows [CL]s - thus a remapping). Now responder can signoff in 2[HE] or can bid 2[DI] to ask. However some hands want to invite opposite 6[HE]s but pass opposite 5 (i.e. if 4[SP]s), so the scheme has flaws.

Canadian experts Vincent Demuy and Gavin Wolpert play (or played?) a method where 1[HE]-1[SP]--1NT shows a balanced hand or [DI]s. This allows them to play 1[HE]-1[SP]-2[DI] to show 4[SP]s (sort of a delayed Flannery). The problem with this mapping is that the range of 1NT is considerable, forcing responder to move on when a pass would be better. Also the distributional [HE]s & [DI]s hands might place a notrump contract by the wrong side.

Currently I favour this approach:

After 1[HE]-1[SP]:

1NT: Maximum of 14. Balanced or with exactly a four card minor (not 0-5-4-4). Now 2m is to play, 2[SP] is an artificial game force, 2[HE] and invite with 2[HE]s and (or poor invite with 3[HE]s), 3X natural invite.

2[CL]: Four or longer minor and 14/15+, or five or longer minor, or any 18/19+. Structure below.

2[DI]: 4+[SP]s, up to 16 (not 5[SP]s if 14-16).

2[SP]: 4+[SP]s, 16/17-18 if 4[SP]s, 14-16 if 5+[SP]s.

3[CL]/[DI]: 5-5+, 13/14-16.

Rest fairly standard.

After 1[HE]-1[SP]--2[CL]:

2[DI]: Up to 9, 4-5[DI]s or 3[DI]s and short [HE]s. Now:
**** Pass: 4+[DI]s, no game interest.
**** 2[HE]: 4[CL]s and 15-18 or 5+[CL]s up to 13. 3[CL] to play. 2[SP] asks, 2NT shows 15-16, 3[CL] 5-5+, above 3[CL] if 17-18
**** 2[SP]: 4+[DI]s and game interest, forcing just to 2NT.
**** 2NT: 18/19+ Puppet to 3[CL] or [CL] signoff with 6+[CL]s. After responder bids 3[CL], 3[DI] shows 4[DI]s, 3[HE] and 3[SP] show 4[SP]s (the latter with 3/4[DI]s), 3NT is flat with 6[HE]s.
**** 3[CL]: 18/19+ with 4+[CL]s. 3[DI] asks hand type.
**** 3[DI]: 17/18+ with 5+[DI]s.
**** 3[HE] and higher: Hands with 6+[HE]s and a singleton/void.

2[HE]: Up to 9, 2[HE]s & 4-5[CL]s. Now:
**** Pass: 4+[DI]s, no game interest.
**** 2[SP]: 4+[DI]s and game interest, forcing just to 2NT.
**** 2NT: 18/19+ Puppet to 3[CL] or [CL] signoff. As 2NT puppet above.
**** 3[CL]: 17/18+ with 4+[CL]s. 3[DI] asks hand type.
**** 3[DI]: 18/19+ with 5+[DI]s.
**** 3[HE] and higher: Hands with 6+[HE]s and a singleton/void.

2[SP]: Most hands with 9/10+ (see 2NT alternative). Now:
**** 2NT transfer to 3[CL] with [CL]s – opener can pass 3[CL] if 5-5 but will bid again if 14/15+ to show shape. 3[SP] over 3[CL] shows 4[SP]s and short [DI]s. Responder does not have to accept the transfer - in particular can bid 3NT with 12 and can bid 3[DI]s with 6+[DI]s.
**** 3[CL] shows 5-5 in the reds, not forcing - responder can pass with long [CL]s.
**** 3[DI] is natural and forcing.
**** 3[HE] and 3[SP] are natural, 18/19+.
**** 3NT to play.
**** 4[CL]/[DI] with big 6-5+.

**** 3NT to play.
**** 4[CL]/[DI] with big 6-5+.

2NT: 10+ with 4-2-2-5 exactly and a hand that wants to play 2NT opposite 5[DI]s up to 13.
**** 3X is now natural and forcing to 3NT or 4X.

3[CL]/[DI]: Six or longer suit, up to bad 9. 3X by opener is now forcing to 3NT.

3[HE]: Game invite with 3[HE]s.

3[SP]: 5-5+ in the minors, 10+.