The System Design Process - Messy!

This long entry continues to expose the system design process. The frameworks given below are given in the order created. I did not document my thoughts into comments at the time I created the first seven frameworks, and have added them in for this entry once I decided I was going to blog this process, however messy and unreadable it turned out.

The focus of these entries are towards using a strong 1H opening (1H showing certain hand types that start at 15) in a system designed for IMPs at the highest levels. In addition I keep returning towards using 1NT as 14-16, my favourite range.

The two main criteria I used for evaluating the designs are very subjective:
1) Would I be happy playing this against world class players (or would I feel hindered instead of helped)?
2) Would I be concern playing a long match against opponents using these methods?

4cM = 4 card Major
Balanced or Bal = balanced, and will include semi-balanced shapes as necessary
Unbalanced or unbal = unbalanced, usually a singleton/void and/or a long suit

A) Two-way 1C
1C: 10-14 4-5Hs or 15+ 4+Ss
1D: less than 4Hs, 11-13 Bal (only 2Ds if 4=3=2=4 or 3=3=2=5) or 10+Ds, not 4+Ss if 15+
1H: 15+ Hs or Cs not 4Ss or balanced 17-19
1S: 10-14
1NT: 14-16
2C: 10-14, 5+Cs
2H/S: 10-14

Comments: This looks like a non-starter out of the gate - 1C and 1D look messy

B) 1C=Ss

1C: 4Ss, balanced only if 13-15 ,or 5+Ss 16+
1D: 4/5Hs balanced/semi-balanced 13-15 or 4+Hs 14+
1H: 15+balanced, or 15+ C or D not 4cM
1S: 10-15 5Ss
1NT: 11-14, no 4cM if 13-14
2m: 5+, no 4cM, 10-14
2H: 5+, 10-13

Comments: The 1C and 1D openings are focused on a major each. The 1H opening handles too much, 15+ balanced is too wide a range. The 1NT opening is nice, though I prefer 14-16.

C) 1C Hodge-Podge

1C: 14+ C or D not 4S or 17-19 balanced or 11-13 balanced not 4Ss or 5Hs
1D: 4Ss, balanced only if 11-13, or 5+Ss 16+
1H: 5+Hs
1S: 10-15 5+Ss
1NT: 14-16
2m: 5+, not 4S, 10-13, unbalanced

Comments: Here I stick everything I don't know what to do with in into 1C, and drop the strong 1H - 1C can be jammed. I like the rest of the openings, and if I was playing against it I would be concerned if the opponents got a lot of non-1C openings.

D) 13-16 2m openings

1C: 11-12 or 17+ 4+ C or D unbalanced not 4S, or 17-19 balanced, or 11-13 balanced not 4Ss or 5Hs
1D: 4Ss, balanced only if 11-13, or 5+Ss 16+
1H: 5+Hs
1S: 10-15 5+Ss
1NT: 14-16
2m: 5+, not 4S, 13-16, unbalanced, or less with good playing value

Comments: Here I layer 1C into 11-13 or 17+ types. What I don't like is if it goes 1C-1S-Pass-2S;-?, opener is sort of obliged to bid with all 17s here, since pass would imply a 11-13. The problem is the strong hand is not just strong enough to bid on its own the second time.

E) 1C=Ss, 1H=15+

1C: 4Ss, balanced only if 11-13, or 5+Ss 16+
1D: 11-13 balanced/semi-balanced not 4S or 10+ 4+Ds unbalanced not 4Ss
1H: 15+ 5+Hs or 15+ 5+Cs not 4Ss or 17-19 bal or 22+ Bal
1S: 10-15 5+Ss
1NT: 14-16
2C: 10-14, 5+Cs, not 4Ss
2D: Multi, can be GF in Ds
2H: 10-14, 5+Hs, unbalanced

Comments: I like a fair bit of this, though the H hands that are not unbalanced enough to open 2H get lost in the mix, and the very strong hand types are all over the place (1H if Cs or Hs or 22+ Bal, 1C if Ss, 2D if Ds)

F) 1D=limited in Ss

1C: 15+ any no 4cM, 17+ any
1D: 4Ss, 10-16 balanced only if 14-16
1H: 4/5Hs balanced/semi-balanced 14-16 or 4+Hs 10-16 not 4Ss
1S: 10-16 5+Ss
1NT: 11-14, no 4cM if 14
2m: 5+, no 4cM, 10-14
2H: 5+Hs, not 4Ss, 10-13

Comments: Workable. One can use 1C-1D;-1NT to show 17-19, while 1C-1D;-1H can be Kokish, to handle 4+Hs, or 15-16 balanced with no 4cM. I would be happier with a 14-16 1NT model.

G) 1C two-way

1C: 11-13 balanced not 4Ss or 19+ any
1D: 4Ss, 10-18, balanced only if 11-13, or 5+Ss 16-18
1H: 15-18 5+Hs, 5+Ds, 5+Cs, all not 4Ss, or 17-18 balanced
1S: 10-15 5+Ss
1NT: 14-16
2m: 5+, not 4S, 10-14, unbalanced
2H: 5+, not 4S, 10-14, unbalanced

Comments: 1C is nice but perhaps a bit under-utilized with the strong hands starting at 19+. 1H should handle a little more balanced.

H) 1C two-way, weak NT

1C: 11-14 4/5Hs not 4Ss or 18+ any
1D: 4Ss, 10-17, balanced only if 11-14
1H: 15-17 5+Hs, 5+Ds, 5+Cs, not 4Ss, or 15-17 balanced
1S: 10-17 5+Ss1NT: 11-14, no 4cM
2m: 5+, not 4S, 10-14, unbalanced
2H: 5+, not 4S, 10-14, unbalanced

Comments: Since 1C and 1D handle the 11-14 balanced with a major, 1NT ends up showing no 4cM -would block more often.

I) 1C two-way

1C: 10/11-13 balanced not 4Ss or 18+ unbalanced or 19/20+ balanced
1D: 4Ss, 10-17, balanced only if 10/11-13
1H: 15-17 5+Hs, 5+Ds, 5+Cs, not 4Ss, or 16/17-19 balanced
1S: 10-17 5+Ss
1NT: 13/14-16
2m: 5+, not 4S, 10-14, unbalanced
2H: 5+, not 4S, 10-14, unbalanced

Comments: This might be the best of the strong 1H openings - still suffers from a lack of a one level one heart opening.The problem is if we have 1NT 13/14-16 we have no where to park 11-13 bal no 4cM if we make 1C handle the Hs in 10-17. At this point I considered a number of radical shifts, to find a solution, but all have system gaps - hand types left in the dock.

J) 1C Hs little or any big

1C: 4/5Hs, 10-14, not 4Ss, balanced only if 10/11-13 or 18+ unbalanced or 19/20+ balanced
1D: 4Ss, 10-17, balanced only if 10/11-13
1H: 15-17 5+Hs, 5+Ds, 5+Cs, not 4Ss, or 16/17-19 balanced
1S: 10-17 5+Ss
1NT: 13-16, 13 with a five card suit or no 4cM
2m: 5+, no 4cM, 10-14, unbalanced
2H: 5+, not 4Ss, 10-14, unbalanced

Comments: Here we have a system where 11-12 bal no 4cM has to pass - the 1NT range is a touch too wide. Against that, if I open something like 2=3=4=4 13, I happy to stop the opponents from bidding a major at the one level.

K) 1C Hs or very big

1C: 4+Hs, 10-19, not 4Ss, balanced only if 10/11-13 or 20+ any
1D: 4Ss, balanced only if 10/11-13, 10-19
1H: 15-19 5+ minor, no 4cM, or 16/17-19 balanced
1S: 10-19 5+Ss
1NT: 13-16, 13 with a five card suit or no 4cM
2m: 5+, no 4cM, 10-14, unbalanced

Comments: Here we extend the major showing bids up to 19 - I don't mind doing this as always nice to get a major into the bidding naturally.

L) 1C Hs or 19+

1C: 4+Hs, 10-18, not 4Ss, balanced only if 10-12 or 19+ any
1D: 4Ss, 10-18, balanced only if 10-12
1H: 15-18 5+ minor, no 4cM, or 15/16-18 balanced
1S: 10-18 5+Ss
1NT: 12-15, 12 with a five card suit or no 4cM
2m: 5+, no 4cM, 10-14, unbalanced

Comments: Here, I shift the balanced ranges down by 1 point - it produces a core 1NT range of 13-15 which I don't like but I love getting into the auction with 10 balanced with a 4cM. Being able to upgrade a good 15 balanced into 1H is appealing too.

M) 1C Hs or 19+ (4Hs unbal into 1H, 2m)

1C: 4+Hs, 10-18, not 4Ss, balanced only if 10-12, and 4Hs only if balanced or 19+ any
1D: 4Ss, 10-18, balanced only if 10-12
1H: 15-18 5+ minor, no 4Ss, or 15/16-18 balanced
1S: 10-18 5+Ss
1NT: 12-15, 12 with a five card suit or no 4cM
2m: 5+, no 4Ss, 10-14, unbalanced
2H: 8-12, 5+Hs, not 4Ss, unbalanced

Comments: Compared to K, the 4H with longer minor are in 1H or 2m.

N) 1C Hs or 19+ Vul adjustment

1C: 4/5Hs, 10-18, not 4Ss, balanced only if 10-12 NV 11-13 V, and 4Hs only if balanced or 19+ any
1D: 4Ss, 10-18, balanced only if 10-12 NV 11-13
1H: 15-18 5+ minor, no 4Ss, or 15/16-18 balanced
1S: 10-18 5+Ss
1NT: 12-15, 12 with a five card suit or no 4cM (not 3=3=3=4 or 3=3=4=3), 13 V no 4cM
2m: 5+, no 4Ss, 10-14, unbalanced
2H: 8-12, 5+Hs, not 4Ss, unbalanced

Comments: This is like M but with adjustment to the balanced range when vulnerable. I like this system, since at vulnerable 1NT is mostly 13+ to 15, a comfortable range with good blocking ability.

O) 1C 5+Hs and/or 19+

1C: 5+Hs, 10-18, not 4Ss, or 19+ any
1D: 4Ss, 10-18, balanced only if 10-12 NV 11-13
1H: 15-18 5+ minor, no 4Ss, or 15/16-18 balanced
1S: 10-18 5+Ss
1NT: 12-15, 12 with a five card suit or not 4Ss (not a 4-3-3-3), 13 V no 4Ss
2m: 5+, no 4Ss, 10-14, unbalanced
2H: 8-12, 5+Hs, not 4Ss, unbalanced

Comments: This is like N but 4H balanced are moved into 1NT (or passed if 10-12).

At this point I going to end this, as the next step is to look how these later frameworks perform on actual hands. In the meantime I need to start working on the Worlds and the systems the Canadians will face in the round robin matches in Beijing.