Chapter 8

2 D = 11-14 and 4-4 in the Majors

The requirements are 4-4 in the majors and a 4-4-3-2 or 4-4-4-1 pattern.  (Do I have this right?)  I coded this opening, and in 1,000,000 deals:

2 type	Number	Frequency
Standard	22663	2.27%.
Bailey	29331	2.93%.
Junior	31875	3.18%.

Your partnership has the 2 opening half of the time.  On the basis of frequency this treatment is acceptable.

When does the treatment gain/break even/lose?  If the system is weak notrump (open all balanced 11-14) then offensive gains, etc.  are:

• It is neutral when responder has more than 11 HCP (7509 deals).
• It is a gain when responder has four in one major and less than four in the other (8534).
• It is a loss half of the time that responder has a 2=2=4=5, 2=2=5=4, 2=1=5=5, or 1=2=5=5 distribution.  (878 /2 = 439)
• It is neutral when responder has
  • Three cards in a major and less than six cards in a minor (8538).
  • Or 4-4 in both majors (962).
  • Or five or more in a major (3780).
  • Or six or more in a minor (1629). 

Competitive gains occur when they err in competition.  It is harder to compete over 2 than 1NT, than over one-of-a-minor, than over a pass.  (Standard passes with 11 high.)  There is also the advantage of something different.  The loss is the errors that would occur over a weak 2 bid.  Finally, there is the question of what treatment of 2 is more fun.  (Change the range to 8-11 and go for it.  That might be the most fun.) 

In generating the above tables, I developed and coded responses.  My rules:

• 2 , 2 , and 3 are to play.  You can have three cards in the major.  3 shows six or more clubs.
• Without four cards in a major, pass with six diamonds.  Five-five and five-four in the minors either way and no three-card major are awkward.  I programmed a pass.
• 2NT, 3 , and 3 invite in those strains.
• 3NT, 4 , and 4 are shutout.
• 3 is artificial, forces 3 , and is a slam invite.  Then:
  • If spades are trump, responder bids 3 .  Opener cues.  With a minimum he does not go past 4 .
  • If the strain is notrump, and responder has only a slam invite, the bid is 3NT. 
  • If the continuation is at the four-level, opener assumes hearts are trump.  Again opener cues below 4 and continues past 4 with a maximum.  Responder may correct at the end to 6NT or 7NT. 
• I did not code four-level and higher bids in the minors.  I assume four-level is forcing, and five-level is to play.
• The system is not changed by a double of 2 .  Therefore, pass is to play. 

US system inventors always make 2NT forcing, and then have dumb responses.  If your juniors insist on 2NT forcing, make the response the longer minor.  In a million deals I found 1823 invitational 2NT, and this is to be compared with the 878/2=439 "guess a minor" hands.

Resolve the meaning of double of an overcall.  Opener is so well defined that all doubles by responder should be business.

"48. htm" contains the computer's auction on 48 deals.  Dealer is South, and silence was forced on East-West.  Probably need several times this number to fully define and evaluate the system.  Pluses are: 

• You find all 4-4 major fits. 
• East-West will make mistakes in competition. 
• North-South have a quick, non-informative auction to their final contract.
• On most deals, the hand whose count and distribution are unknown is concealed.  I think this is more important than any Jacoby effect when responder is weak. 
• Most players need practice on 4-3 fits. 

Minuses are: 

• You lose the East-West mistakes over a preemptive 2 . 
• No major - both minors in a weak hand are a minus position. 
• East-West have more information when they play the hand. 

If you play this treatment, you probably announce 11-14 4-4 Flannery, and don't have to prepare a defense.  However, most Flannery defenses use 2 as a cue-bid.  I do not think cuing is acceptable when opener has only four hearts.  We need a discussion and experimentation to determine the defense.  Discuss this plan.

In the immediate position: 

• A bid shows an opening or better. 
• Double shows (choose one)
  1. An opening bid or better, or
  2. A strong notrump or better. 
  Double invites partner to the party. 
• Suit bids, including the majors, are natural. 
• 2NT is unusual. 

• Doubles are takeout and/or responsive. 
• Suits are natural. 
• 2NT is a strong notrump. 

Game by the defenders is unlikely.  If there is a game, it probably is 3NT.  The most common result of bidding is to swing the plus from one side to the other.

In 48deals.htm, the dealer opens 2 and either LHO has 12 or more points, or responder makes one of the four minimum bids (Pass, 2 , 2 , or 3 ).  Deals like these are useful in practicing and revising our defense.

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