[helene_t]

I recall JLall once said that when playing against GIB and opening 1NT with a 5-card major, it is best to respond 2♦ to Stayman as responder will usually have the other major only. GIBs passive and major-oriented lead style means that it will often lead you major suit against 3NT.

I have lately adopted a style in which I only show a major in response to Stayman if I am 4-4 (or 5-4). I think this works well after a 1NT opening but not so well after a 2NT opening.

Anyone else who has experience with this?

[sfi]

I'm not sure I buy the idea of only showing a major if I'm 4-4, although I could be convinced. The first thing that comes to mind is that you avoid the major fit when you are 4333, but that's only part of the hands where you don't show a major. What is your reasoning behind it?

I do think Justin had an interesting point, and did pick up a hand kind of on that theme a couple of years ago. I had AKQJxx in hearts and some other stuff that meant I chose to open 2NT. Partner asked for a major and I really wanted to deny one. However I followed system and showed five hearts, which got us to 4H-1 when 3NT had the same 9 tricks.

[helene_t]

 sfi, on 2022-May-25, 06:46, said:

The first thing that comes to mind is that you avoid the major fit when you are 4333, but that's only part of the hands where you don't show a major. What is your reasoning behind it?

Obviously it leads to a lot of 3NT contracts that are double dummy inferior to a major suit contract.

On the other hand
- GIB will usually lead one of the major suits that you denied, often one in which you hold 4 or 5 cards. This will sometimes make 3NT better than 4M even when it shouldn't be.
- If one of the minor suits is wide open, you may get away with it because GIB will think that you don't hold a 4-card major and attack your suit until quite late in the play.
- When you don't have a 4-4 major suit fit, the two above advantages come for free.

But sometimes you hold a very weak 4-card major and maybe it would be good to bid it to discourage the lead.

[sfi]

Apologies - I missed that this was just about playing against the bots. I'll stop thinking about it now.

[helene_t]

 sfi, on 2022-May-25, 07:33, said:

Apologies - I missed that this was just about playing against the bots. I'll stop thinking about it now.

Yeah, sorry if it wasn't clear But playing against humans with a human partner, we would have to alert my 2♦ response at that would ruin the plot.

[nullve]

 helene_t, on 2022-May-25, 05:03, said:

I have lately adopted a style in which I only show a major in response to Stayman if I am 4-4 (or 5-4). I think this works well after a 1NT opening but not so well after a 2NT opening.

Anyone else who has experience with this?

Yes.

Unbenownst to the three robots at the table I play

1N-(P)-2♣-(P); ?:

2♦ = one major
2♥ = both majors
2♠: does not exist
2N = no major

and

2N-(P)-3♣-(P); ?: / 2♣-(P)-2♦-(P); 2N-(P)-3♣-(P); ?:

3♦ = one major
3♥ = both majors
3♠: does not exist
3N = no major

.

[pescetom]

 nullve, on 2022-May-25, 11:20, said:

Yes.

Unbenownst to the three robots at the table I play

1N-(P)-2♣-(P); ?:

2♦ = one major
2♥ = both majors
2♠: does not exist
2N = no major

C'est magnifique mais ce n'est pas bridge

What does GIB make of 1N-(P)-2♣-(P); 2N ?

[nullve]

 pescetom, on 2022-May-25, 12:49, said:

What does GIB make of 1N-(P)-2♣-(P); 2N ?

"Invitational to 3NT -- 2-5 ♣; 2-5 ♦; 2-5 ♥; 2-5 ♠; 17 HCP; 18 total points"

[pescetom]

 nullve, on 2022-May-25, 13:04, said:

"Invitational to 3NT -- 2-5 ♣; 2-5 ♦; 2-5 ♥; 2-5 ♠; 17 HCP; 18 total points"

Interesting, not in (or consistent with) the System Notes.
If a human-robot partnership ever bids like this against me, I will call TD and claim an undisclosed agreement

[johnu]

Never tried "Dishonest Stayman" but I guess it could work playing against GIB. Or you could combine this with "Dishonest Opening 1NT" where you open 1NT on just about any hand less than a reverse strength hand and then you might really have something.

[pigpenz]

seemed to work out ok for Leo