To my audience (small as it might well be), I’m sorry for the delay in getting this blog done. It came from reviewing as to how best to use the “Pivot” I alluded to earlier, and in particular, how the overall raise structure may work.
What seems clear is that the first step, the R step, should be for powerful hands, where slam might be possible opposite the right opener, or for more moderate hands, without clear direction and/or something to show. The 1NT “Pivot” should contain hands unsuitable for the above, which will usually mean they have a clear direction, and are probably not FG.
You had a flavour of what this might be in the previous blog, but here are the basic response to 1D(=H).
- 1H: R(elay), ART(ificial). The kinds of hands included are likely to be from one of the following catgories: (i) Slam Interest, or (ii) FG, but strain not clear, or (iii) INV, but strain not clear, or (iv) INV, with 3H, or (v) a hand that might bid 1NT if available in it’s natural sense.
- 1S: 4+S, F1 (Forcing 1 Round), < INV (about 6 to 11 3/4 ppc)
- 1NT: “Pivot”: A puppet to 2C. Continuations to be fleshed out more fully, but will include (i) INV with 4-5H, and (ii) INV with a primary suit that isn’t H, and (iii) INV, 5+5+ not H, and probably (iv) a slightly stronger way to bid 2H than directly
- 2C: 5+C, NNF, < INV
- 2D: 5+D, NNF, < INV
- 2H: 3H (sometimes 4H BAL), little if any game interest
- 2S: Fit-showing, NF, 6+S, usually only 3H
- 2NT: 4+H, BAL INV or FG SPL
- 3C: Fit-showing, NF, 6+C, usually only 3H
- 3D: it-showing, NF, 6+D, usually only 3H
- 3H: 4H (sometimes 5H BAL), little if any game interest
- 3S: 4+H, REV TRF VOID (D) SPL
- 3NT: 4H, BAL, FG
- 4C: 4+H, REV TRF VOID (S) SPL
- 4D:4+H, REV TRF VOID (C) SPL
- Game: to play
I expect the above to both (i) flesh out, and (ii) change – once it’s used a bit more in anger. But, it gives a fair to good indication as to the direction DIP is heading in.
I’ll try to get the 1H response structure out a little more quickly, but it should be quite analagous to the above.
Regards, DipBridge
