[straube]

Cyberyeti, on 2012-November-12, 15:19, said:

I do know that if I was playing against you, once I worked out what you were playing, you would get almost no unopposed 1♣ auctions against me when I wasn't vulnerable.

That's good strategy. Of course, if you're bidding bad 4-cd suits, your partner won't be able to raise and it's that raise that really disrupts relays. So there's a tradeoff. We once had LHO introduce a 3-cd spade suit and that went for a number after his partner raised.

I think relay structures are more vulnerable than say Precision structures to interference, but we're not that bad. As much as our 1H all-pattern semipositive is critized, the fact that we separate double negative hands from semipositive hands helps a lot if RHO intervenes. It actually hurts our uncontested auction a bit and that's a price we're willing to pay.

[jogs]

straube, on 2012-November-12, 15:58, said:

I think relay structures are more vulnerable than say Precision structures to interference, but we're not that bad. As much as our 1H all-pattern semipositive is critized, the fact that we separate double negative hands from semipositive hands helps a lot if RHO intervenes. It actually hurts our uncontested auction a bit and that's a price we're willing to pay.

I think you have overvalued HCPs. HCP is just one of many variables used for finding the best contract. You need to show your side's suit much sooner. Opponents are given a free reign to interfere with your auctions. The theory is it is usually you hand when you open 1♣. Opponents are less interested in finding their best spot than denying you your best contract.

[straube]

jogs, on 2012-November-12, 16:36, said:

I think you have overvalued HCPs. HCP is just one of many variables used for finding the best contract. You need to show your side's suit much sooner. Opponents are given a free reign to interfere with your auctions. The theory is it is usually you hand when you open 1♣. Opponents are less interested in finding their best spot than denying you your best contract.

So what do you think of 1C P 1D as 0-7 any shape? Do you favor a Moscito system?

[dake50]

With Spades, let a positive be lower bottom, say working AQ.
With a minor positive starts at a good 9.
Stretch to get spades into the auction modifies those 1H:5-7 to not 7points with 5+spades.