[Jinksy]

Suppose you're playing a version of Gazz, with a (semi)forcing 2/1.

It goes 1S 1N 2C back to you. Is there a clearly best system to deal with the following distributions when too weak for a 2D response?

1444, 1435,1453, 1345,1354, 1255

(if it makes a difference, 1S 1N 2N would have been a strong balanced hand. No room for it to be otherwise in our system)

[paulg]

Jinksy, on 2011-November-30, 05:01, said:

Suppose you're playing a version of Gazz, with a (semi)forcing 2/1.

It goes 1S 1N 2C back to you. Is there a clearly best system to deal with the following distributions when too weak for a 2D response?

1444, 1435,1453, 1345,1354, 1255

(if it makes a difference, 1S 1N 2N would have been a strong balanced hand. No room for it to be otherwise in our system)

Short answer: No.

Longer answer: The 1444 is the most problematic and I'd just bid two spades and hope to survive. With five clubs I just raise to three clubs. With five diamonds I bid 2NT which often implies secondary clubs and gives us a chance to play in three clubs when partner is not strong without a diamond fit.

[Jinksy]

After 1S 1N 2C, would 2H normally show 4+ or 5+?

[Free]

Not sure what you mean with "(semi)forcing 2/1", must be something new.

1444: as I described on my blog, this is THE problem case. There's no good solution, but usually I'll bid 2♥. This promisses 5+♥, but hey, nothing is perfect... If I have a stiff ♠ honor, I might be tempted to bid 2♠. If I have 4 small ♥s and a small ♠, then I usually bid 2NT showing both minors.

1435: easy 3♣.

1453: I prefer to bid 2NT with this.

1345: I prefer to bid 2NT with this, although 3♣ is also fine (depends on suit quality).

1354: easy 2NT.

1255: easy 2NT.

[zenko]

Jinksy, on 2011-November-30, 05:01, said:

Suppose you're playing a version of Gazz, with a (semi)forcing 2/1.

It goes 1S 1N 2C back to you. Is there a clearly best system to deal with the following distributions when too weak for a 2D response?

1444, 1435,1453, 1345,1354, 1255

(if it makes a difference, 1S 1N 2N would have been a strong balanced hand. No room for it to be otherwise in our system)

1444 - 2S
1435 - 2S/2N depending of the texture, most of the time 2S better
1453 - 2S
1345 - 2N
1354 - 2S
1255 - 2N

Key thing to consider is that the issue of missing club fit in real life rarely occurs, with a half a deck of points and likley 8 card fits in a red suit(s) they will almost never let you bid alone, which is actually a good thing in these cases, i.e. if they do not interefere assume pard has a strong option, and will knowe to bid again if needed after you "support" him with singleton, he is very much aware that you have exactly 1 or 2 spades and very crappy hand

[Free]

Unlike zenko I don't like bidding 2♠ with a singleton (except perhaps with a top honor and no better alternatives).

[han]

I play that

1S - 1NT
2C - 2H

shows 4+ hearts. I would bid it with 1444 as well as 1435 and 1453. The main disadvantage is that partner will pull more often, which can hurt when you hold 6+ hearts.

2NT shows both minors.

After 1H - 1NT - 2C we play that 2S and 2NT both show both minors, with 2NT showing longer diamonds.

[gwnn]

We showed both minors with 1444. a little silly but hey when you have 1444 sometimes you end up in silly contracts. with 53/35 in the minors I guess we had to bid 3m, which is even worse.

[Free]

han, on 2011-December-01, 03:20, said:

After 1H - 1NT - 2C we play that 2S and 2NT both show both minors, with 2NT showing longer diamonds.

We play 1♥-1NT-2♣-2♠ as 3 card ♠ and both minors. We've only had good experiences with this: once opener had 4♠ and had an easy pass, another time we just played 3m. This also means that 2NT denies 3♠ and 2♥, so you basically have at least 5-5 (because with 6-4 you bid your 6 card suit).

[mattias]

Jinksy, on 2011-November-30, 05:01, said:

Suppose you're playing a version of Gazz, with a (semi)forcing 2/1.

It goes 1S 1N 2C back to you. Is there a clearly best system to deal with the following distributions when too weak for a 2D response?

1444, 1435,1453, 1345,1354, 1255

(if it makes a difference, 1S 1N 2N would have been a strong balanced hand. No room for it to be otherwise in our system)

If you play a semi forcing 1NT, so that you bid 2♣ with a strong hand or with real clubs it's a good idea to switch the weak meaning in 2♣ and 2M. This way 2♣ becomes either strong or a weak onesuiter in M, and 2M becomes 11-15 with 5M and 4C. Most of your problem hands go away like this, but 1543 becomes harder to bid over 2M. In total however, you have fewer problems. Over a forcing NT where 2♣ could be a 3-card (or even a 2-card) suit this might not work so well though.

[Free]

mattias, on 2011-December-01, 11:49, said:

If you play a semi forcing 1NT, so that you bid 2♣ with a strong hand or with real clubs it's a good idea to switch the weak meaning in 2♣ and 2M. This way 2♣ becomes either strong or a weak onesuiter in M, and 2M becomes 11-15 with 5M and 4C. Most of your problem hands go away like this, but 1543 becomes harder to bid over 2M. In total however, you have fewer problems. Over a forcing NT where 2♣ could be a 3-card (or even a 2-card) suit this might not work so well though.

That's simply not true. Bidding over 2M is a lot more difficult when it shows 5M and possibly 2+♣. Playing normal Gazzilli the only problem hand is 1=4=4=4. All others have easy rebids, sometimes even multiple choices. You create more problems by reversing the meanings. Not only a 1=5=4=3, but also 1=4=5=3 are problems. Not to mention that opener can have a max balanced hand as well.