System Summary Form (SSF), 2019 Senior USBC


Team: Lall Last Updated May 15, 2019 at 11:52
Players: Hemant Lall - Reese Milner

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Bids that Require Advance Preparation

Over NT, we play:
2C=M; 2D=1M; 2H=H+m; 2S=S+m;
Double = good hand against weak NT, and 4 card major with longer minor against strong NT

1m - 2S = 5S + 4/5H invitational
1m - 2H = 5S + 4/5H mixed

General Bidding Style

At favorable, can have as few as 11HCP.

In third seat, may have 10HCP with 4 card suit as lead director.

With 4-4 in minors, we open 1D. With 4-5, we open either depending on rebid considerations.

We open 1NT with 5 card majors, and often with 5422 or 6 card minor. Sometimes, we may have a singleton e.g. with 1453 and 15HCP.

We upgrade frequently if non-vul; hardly ever downgrade.

Preempt at 2 level is almost always 6 card suit, sometimes 7. Systemically, may have a side 4 card suit including major. Strength varies with vulnerability and seat, but seldom very weak.

Passed hand bidding: single jumps are suit plus fit.

We almost always respond 1M over 1C even with 4D. We bid 1NT even with 44 in majors if partner responds 1D. We could respond to opening bids with 4HCP. 2/1 GF. Generally sound. 1NT over 1M could be as many as 11 HCP. Over 1M opening, we could bid 2C GF with as few as 2C e.g. 3442 distribution.

Doubles in competition tend to be for takeout, especially at lower levels. If we are in GF, doubles are for penalty. Double of a splinter requests lead of higher ranking unbid suit.

In competition, 2/1 is F1. If we open or overcall 1M, and opponent doubles, we play transfers. We play support doubles and redoubles in many situations.

We rarely psyche.

Opening Leads AND Leads in the Middle of the Hand

Against suits: 3rd from even, low from odd; A from AK

Against NT: 4th best (headed by 10 or better); but, 2nd or 4th from bad holdings (headed by 9 or lower); K is power lead

Generally attitude shifts in middle of the hand; standard honor leads

We sometimes lead wrong spot card to be deceptive.

We lead K from AK if we have a doubleton; otherwise A. However, at 5 or 6 level, lead of K asks for count and A asks for attitude.

If partner has bid suit, we lead 3rd from even and low from odd even against NT. If we have supported partner's suit, we may lead high without an honor.

Defensive Signals

Standard count & attitude; regular suit-preference; we signal when we feel it will help the defense; regular smith echo against NT; suit preference when opponents lead trumps. In order of importance: we give attitude, count, suit preference. If dummy hits with shortness, we give suit preference.