Untangling Three Diamonds after 1NT opening

Jean-Pierre Perez, Saint-Cloud, France

Proposal (2015, January)

Considérations générales

De quel espace faut-il disposer pour vérifier que le camp possède tous les arrêts nécessaires afin d'envisager d'atteindre la manche à Sans-atout ? Donc, sans dépasser l'enchère magique de 3SA qui clôt la plupart des échanges.

Cela dépend du nombre de couleurs demandant à être vérifiées.

  • Une couleur incertaine : on a besoin de 2 espaces avant 3SA. Ces espaces seront 3♠ et 3SA, autrement dit, il ne faut pas que l'on ne soit pas plus haut que l'enchère de 3♥ au moment de commencer la quête.
  • Deux couleurs : il faut 3 espaces, en conséquence, la limite est atteinte à 3♦
  • Trois couleurs : il faut 4 espaces, la limite se situe donc à 3♣

    Comment se démêler losrque la déclaration 3♦ a lieu, déclaration la plus embarrassante à propos de laquelle porte cet article ?

    Pour s'en convaincre, comparez les deux séquences suivantes :

    Ouest

    Passe     		Ouvreur
    1♥|1♠
    3 ♦1     		Est
    Passe
    Passe     		Répondant
    2 ♦
    ..?2..     		Séquence n°1
    		1. Impératif avec quatre cartes à ♦. Peut être produit dès 15 points HDL (S.E.F. 2012).
    2. Avec l'intention d'atteindre 3SA, que faire avec l'arrêt à ♣ sans rien dans l'autre couleur majeure que celle de l'ouvreur ? Sans doute donner un faux fit dans la majeure de l'ouvreur ?

    Ouest

    Passe     		Ouvreur
    1♥|1♠
    3 ♣1     		Est
    Passe
    Passe     		Répondant
    2 ♣
    ..?2..     		Séquence n°2
    		1. Impératif avec quatre cartes à ♣. Peut être produit 15 points HDL (S.E.F. 2012).
    2. L'espace ne manque plus.

    Michael Rosenberg wrote (The Bridge World, January 2013)...

    Michael Rosenberg wrote this following sequence have always been problematic in standard bidding :

    West

    Pass     		Opener
    1♥|1♠
    3 ♦1     		East
    Pass
    Pass     		Responder
    2 ♦
    ..?..     		Sample n°1
    		1. Forcing with four ♦ cards.

    He added for most pairs responder can support opener's major (M) with three-card fit, bid three notrump with stoppers in the unbid suits, or bid three of the other major with a stopper there. What can one do with ♣ stopper but no stopper in oM (other Major) ? A common possible solution could be :

    Note : pour l'anecdote, il se trouve que cette artifice est d'origine française ! Cet artifice a été utilisé, et même enseigné, il y a plus de vingt ans en France. Jérôme Rombaut et Philippe Cronier pourront le confirmer. Du reste, un Bridgeur américain mentionne ce point dans “Bits and Pieces” (Bridge World, June 2014). En vérité, ce n'est pas important.

    Note : l'article contient d'autres séquences.

    Untangling Three Diamonds after 1NT opening

    Jean-Pierre Perez, Saint-Cloud, France

    Proposal (2015, January)

    This following sequence have always been problematic in standard bidding :

    West

    Pass     		Opener
    1♥|1♠
    3 ♦1     		East
    Pass
    Pass     		Responder
    2 ♦
    ..?..     		Sample n°1
    		1. Forcing with four ♦ cards.

    For most pairs this sequence is more or less ambiguous. Responder can support opener's major (M) with three-card fit, bid three notrump with stoppers in the unbid suits, or bid three of the other major with a stopper there. What can one do with ♣ stopper but no stopper in oM (other Major) ? A common possible solution could be :

    The essential aspects of this usefulAlmost mechanical proposal (Michael Rosenberg. The Bridge World — “Untangling Three Diamonds”, 2013, January) may be expanded in a straightforward manner to related sequences initiated with 1NT opening followed by a strong Jacoby transfer or Stayman bid.

    To cover all relevant cases, in particular a responder holding 5-4 in the the majors, a simple modification of the Smolen convention (Le “Chassé-croisé”) will be proposed at conclusion.

    1 NT and Jacoby transfer with game-forcing hand and 4 plus diamonds.

    This following sequence, after 1NT opening, have always been problematic as well in standard bidding :

    West

    Pass
    Pass     		Opener
    1 NT
    2♥|2♠
    ..?..     		East
    Pass
    Pass     		Responder
    2 ♦1|2 ♥1
    3 ♦2     		Jacoby transfer
    		1. Transfer for ♥|♠.
    2. Two suited hand with four+ diamonds cards usually with a singleton.

    A common possible solution could be :

    1 NT opening and Stayman response with game-forcing hand and 5 plus diamonds.

    In the previous sequence we know two suits en front of the opener. See now two situations for which the opener responds to a Stayman.

    West

    Pass
    Pass     		Opener
    1 NT
    2 ♠
    ..?..     		East
    Pass
    Pass     		Responder
    2 ♣1
    3 ♦2     		Stayman (a')
    		1. Four possible responses (2NT rebid with hands thar are 4-4 in the majors).
    2. Showing game-forcing hands that are 5♦-4(oM). At this stage, it's not a slam try !

    West

    Pass
    Pass     		Opener
    1 NT
    2 ♥
    ..?..     		East
    Pass
    Pass     		Responder
    2 ♣1
    3 ♦2     		Stayman (a'')
    		1. Four possible responses (2NT rebid with hands thar are 4-4 in the majors).
    2. Showing game-forcing hands that are 5♦-4(oM). At this stage, it's not a slam try !

    In the both current sequences — Stayman (a) — three suits should be stopped. So, what about a club stopper ? For the moment :

    To avoid a 3NT contract with 2 or 3 small cards facing shortness in dummy.
    West

    Pass
    Pass     		Opener
    1 NT
    2 ♦
    ..?3..     		East
    Pass
    Pass     		Responder
    2 ♣1
    3 ♣2     		Stayman (Note)
    		1. Four responses (2NT rebid with hands thar are 4-4 in the majors).
    2. Showing game-forcing hands that are 5♣-4(unknown major).
    3. No concern to show stoppers of any kind.
    West

    Pass
    		Opener
    1 NT
    2 ♦
    		East
    Pass
    Pass     		Responder
    2 ♣1
    3 ?2     		Stayman (b)
    		1. Four responses (2NT rebid with hands thar are 4-4 in the majors).
    2. Showing game-forcing hands that are 5♦-4(unknown major)

    Smolen transfer workaround

    The required Smolen convention modification for game-forcing responses to 1 NT with 5-4 in the majors :

    West

    Passe
    		Opener
    1 NT
    ..?..     		East
    Pass
    		Responder
    3 ♦1.
    		Smolen transfer
    workaround
    		1. Game-forcing response to 1 NT with 5-4 in the majors ! You should not forget it, specially if the sequence 1NT — 4♦ already describes for you for you a 5-5 in the majors (not a Texas).
    Note : if 2NT is for you a Jaboby transfer showing ♦, you can use a free 3♣ “Landy response” as well.

    There should then be no difficulty in arriving at the best major suit game or slam contract (or occasionally a 3 NT contract with 8 cards in either major).


    Des deux mains ! Jean-Pierre.

    68, rue Henri Regnault
    92210 Saint-Cloud
    01 46 02 50 64
    06 85 91 04 07

    perez-jp@wanadoo.fr ou koatmalouen@gmail.com