[antonylee]

I am looking for a good writeup of the Meckstroth adjunct, where 1M-1NT; 2NT* shows various strong hands. In particular, after a 1S opener, how does one locate a 3=5 heart fit?
Thanks!
(Yes, I know, I should play Gazzilli instead )

[nullve]

antonylee, on 2019-April-26, 03:03, said:

I am looking for a good writeup of the Meckstroth adjunct, where 1M-1NT; 2NT* shows various strong hands.

There's a description of it, ostensibly by Jeff Meckstroth himself, in Max Hardy's Advanced Bidding for the 2st Century. It is extremely wordy, but can be condensed into

1M-1N(F1); ?:

2♣: now also with 17-18, 5M3m(32), in order to free up the 2N rebid
2♦: now also with 17-18, 5M332, in order to free up the 2N rebid
2N+ = Meckstroth Adjunct proper, i.e.
2N = GF, neither 5+ side suit nor 5M(332)
...3♣ = 2- M (then mandatory!)
......3♦ = 4 D
......3M = GF, 6+ M, 1-suited
......3OM = 4 OM
......3N = 5(6)M4C. If 6 M, then M not good enough to play 4M opposite singleton support
......4♣ = 6+M4C, M good enough to play 4M opposite singleton support
...3M = the 3c limit raise
...4M = the bad 3c raise
...other: does not exist(!)
3♣ = GF, 5+ C
3♦ = GF, 5+ D
3M = standard (so only INV)
3OM = GF, 5+ OM
3N = 19, 5M(332)

antonylee, on 2019-April-26, 03:03, said:

In particular, after a 1S opener, how does one locate a 3=5 heart fit?
Thanks!

If the bidding goes

1♠-1N; 2N-3♣; 3♠/3N/4♣

or

1♠-1N; 3♠/N,

then Responder is obviously unable to introduce his long hearts below the 4-level, so any 5-3 or 6-2 heart fit will likely be missed. And if the bidding goes

1♠-1N; 2N-3♣; 3♦

or

1♠-1N; 3m,

then although Responder is able to show long hearts at the 3-level, it's still impossible to consistently explore a heart fit in sufficient detail. (To see this, we need only look at the case where Opener and Responder have

a) 19 hcp, 5143
b) 19 hcp, 5242
c) 19 hcp, 5341

and

d) 7 hcp, 1534
e) 7 hcp, 1633,

respectively.)

One could obviously try to fix some of these problems by defining Responder's 3♦, 3♥ and 3N rebids over 1♠-1N; 2N. Other fixes include opening 1♣ with (17)18-19 BAL and playing something like Swedish T-Walsh. This not only frees up Opener's 3N rebid over 1M-1N, but helps on the 5M(332) 17-18 counts as well. For example with 18 hcp, 5332 opposite 7 hcp, 1543 the auction, instead of going

1♠-1N
2♦-P,

would end in 4♥ after

1♣-1♦ ("NAT or 11-13/17-19 BAL"; "4+ H")
1N-2♦ (17-19 BAL, 2-3 H; "5+ H")
2♥,

which is probably an identical start (except for the meanings) as in RM Precision (Meckstroth's system with regular partner Eric Rodwell), btw.

antonylee, on 2019-April-26, 03:03, said:

(Yes, I know, I should play Gazzilli instead )

I believe you can play versions of both at once, since that is sort of what I do, inspired by what Bocchi-Duboin once did. Then

* you get a more limited Gazzilli, which is good;
* the 3M rebid over 1M-1N can be freed up for some GF type hand if you want;
* you can play the same 2N+ structure over 1M-1N and 1M-1N; 2♣-2♦, except for the range.

[sakuragi]

I recall I have read a detail treatment of the sequence (1M-1NT-2NT as strong) in the book

Quote

Helgemo's world of bridge

But there is no mention of Meckstroth in the book in that section.
The book is not with me anymore. The book has a green colour cover.

[nullve]

sakuragi, on 2019-April-30, 07:05, said:

I recall I have read a detail treatment of the sequence (1M-1NT-2NT as strong) in the book



But there is no mention of Meckstroth in the book in that section.
The book is not with me anymore. The book has a green colour cover.

I haven't read the book, but my guess is that he played (and still plays) something like

1♥-1N(NF); ?:

(...)
2N = GF, no 5c or longer side suit
...3♣ = "5+ C"
...3♦ = "5+ D"
...3♥ = 3244
...3♠ or 3N (or both!) = "5+D5+C"
...(...)
3♣ = GF, 5+ C
3♦ = GF, 5+ D
3♥ = standard
(...)

1♠-1N(NF); ?:

(...)
2N = GF, no 5c or longer side suit
...3♣ = "5+ m"
......3♦ = asks m
.........3♥ = "5+ C"
.........3♠ = "5+ D"
.........(...)
......(...)
...3♦ = 5+ H*
...3♥ = "4 H"*
...3♠ = 2344
...3N = "5+D5+C" (NF, I guess)
...(...)
3♣ = GF, 5+ C
3♦ = GF, 5+ D
3♥ = GF, 5+ H
3♠ = standard
(...),

which seems to be a common expert agreement in Norway. I've never heard anyone call this structure 'Meckstroth Adjunct', though.

My main problem with the above 1M-1N; 2N structures is that although Responder gets to show his shape in some detail, his range is still 6-11 or wider, so Opener may not know whether it's safe to support (or not to support!) with support for Responder's minor. This is obviously much less of a problem after 1M-1N; 2N-3♣ in (standard) Meckstroth Adjunct, where Opener (the player about to describe his shape further) is already known to have a much narrower range.

* Brogeland-Lindqvist play

1♠-1N; 2N-3♦ = "4+ H" (or, to be precise, either 5+ H, 24(43) or 1444)

1♠-1N; 2N-3♦; 3♥(3+ H)-?:

3♠ = 2 S
3N = 1444
4♣+ = cuebidding w/ 5+ H.

which frees up 3♥ over 1♠-1N; 2N.

[Cascade]

I have no idea what Meckstroth play but what I play is:

1♠ 1NT
2NT ...

3♣ is either clubs or four or five hearts. Opener shows their heart support.
... 3♦ three hearts
... 3♥ four hearts
... 3♠ six spades not three hearts
... 3NT five spades not three hearts

3♦ Natural
3♥ Six or more hearts

After

1♥ 1NT
2NT ...

Continuations are more natural.

[nullve]

nullve, on 2019-April-26, 16:15, said:

2N = GF, neither 5+ side suit nor 5M(332)
...3♣ = 2- M (then mandatory!)
......3♦ = 4 D
......3M = GF, 6+ M, 1-suited
......3OM = 4 OM
......3N = 5(6)M4C. If 6 M, then M not good enough to play 4M opposite singleton support
......4♣ = 6+M4C, M good enough to play 4M opposite singleton support
...3M = the 3c limit raise
...4M = the bad 3c raise
...other: does not exist(!)
3♣ = GF, 5+ C
3♦ = GF, 5+ D
3M = standard (so only INV)
3OM = GF, 5+ OM
3N = 19, 5M(332)

Even uglier, perhaps, but better:

2N = GF, neither 4 C, 5+ D, 5+ OM nor 5M(332)
...3♣ = 2- M (then mandatory!)
......3♦ = 4 D
......3M = GF, 6+ M, 1-suited
......3OM = 4 OM
......3N = 5M5C
......4♣ = 6+M5+C
...3M = the 3c limit raise
...4M = the bad 3c raise
...other: does not exist(!)
3♣ = GF, 4 C
3♦ = GF, 5+ D
3M = standard (so only INV)
3OM = GF, 5+ OM
3N = 19, 5M(332).

[antonylee]

Thanks all