Mr. Wolff,
A question arising from today’s BWTA:
This frequently-occurring start to a competitive auction seems worth some thought and effort to find a sound approach for various Responder hands.
I know you are not a fan of Bergen Raises…but Partner and I are currently playing that over the Double, 3C and 3D are the normal four-trump Bergen Raises, 7-10 and 10+ respectively, while 2C and 2D show the same strength ranges, but with only three trumps. 2NT starts a relay to a long strong minor, while new Majors at 2-3 level are natural (both of these less likely by a passed-hand responder).
Partner and I want to get this right, for us. In your view, (assuming that Redouble,2NT and the weak jump-raise are as per your BWTA item), what are the best uses of the various other bidding spaces available over their TO Double?
Thanks

Hi Clarksburg,

At least to me, the following caveats are my choices, but keep in mind, only my personal opinion:

1. Anything that covers somewhat relevant constructive efforts in the bidding becomes worthwhile if:

A. It is desired, not forced fed, by both members of the partnership

B. It can, and more importantly, NEVER be forgotten by either player, even if it has not come up (nor been discussed) for months prior.
In my numeric opinion one forget will cancel ten slightly improved judgments, since too often in bridge, close percentage advantages (60-40) turn out to be actual losses.

C. Since I would rate the combined partnership confidence exuded by a partnership as even a step ahead of the actual overall choice of a mutually agreed basic bidding system e.g. Standard American vs. Precision Club, trying to exactly remember what rare bidding situations entail tends to take away focus from the basics of intense concentration and attention to detail which occur continuously while competing.

D. There would be no way (except some access to computer simulation of perhaps 1000 hands on the conventional subjects you name)
to even begin to venture a learned opinion on their worth.

E. My guess is that what you want to play is just fine, but I would never suggest doing it, unless by doing so, it makes both partners happy to deal with it.

F. There are plenty of more important bridge items for a partnership to discuss such as: choices of opening leads after specific bidding sequences, when in the defense of a hand, deception becomes more important than following conventional habits, when a partnership will tacticily overbid in order to get the opponents to err, come together in evaluation to simple oft occurring situations including when to either use or not to use Stayman (while holding a 4 card major) when responding to 1NT or when to open 1NT instead of a 5 card major, or when, if ever, it is right to open 2NT with a singleton or the specific use of common conventions when faced with dilemmas which occur.

And when a partnership merely overcalls 1 spade with 2 hearts holding. s. x, h. AKJ10x, d. AJxxxx, c.x and then hears 4 spades by one’s LHO passed around to you, now wondering how to bid diamonds and get partner to not give a preference to hearts with 3-3 or especially with 2-2 or please forbid, 2-3.

The above is what an up and coming potentially best and brightest bridge partnership should spend their time doing, although perhaps not as much fun, but surely more beneficial.

Sorry for not directly answering your question, but I would be guessing and I hope my overall advice is worth receiving.

Good luck!

Actually you did answer my question, perhaps indirectly but most helpfully, i.e. what we are now doing is probably quite OK… as long as we both want to do it, and neither ever forgets!
The more general and more important overall advice on building and maintaining a partnership, and what’s important in competing, is most appreciated. Having picked up many such general points at this blog site, we are continuously working along those directions.
Many thanks.