It Never Ends

Prologue (Fall 2009)

Julie and I were not used to playing in the Friday night game, but my teaching schedule this semester did not leave us many options.  Friday nights had a bad reputation among beginners like us; the game was populated by advanced players who would show no mercy.  On this Friday evening, I uncomfortably imagined that the other players were happy to see such easy prey enter the room.

Julie and I had studied the seemingly endless possible responses to a 1NT opening.  Pass, transfer, stayman, invite, game, suit or no trump . . .  each decision with its own set of rules that had been carefully memorized.  I was galvanized into action when finally the right hand came up and Julie opened this bid.

I mentally went through all of the options before I bid 2 hearts, a transfer to spades.  I sat back, quite proud of myself for coming up with the correct bid.  However, my complacency quickly turned to horror when Julie raised my hearts.  Oh no, I thought as I pulled out the pass card.  This is not good.

Correcting to spades did not occur to me.

Monday Night Game (May 2012)

My partner and I were sitting north-south and I could see Julie a few tables down, sitting in the same direction as me.  It will be interesting to compare notes afterwards, I thought, as I observed her chatting with her partner.  We'll be able to see if we made the same bids.

The game was going quite well when my partner opened 1NT.  I was momentarily surprised; I had 12 high card points and had been planning to open or overcall.  Responses to an opening 1NT were now automatic, and I smiled to myself remembering how I used to agonize over what to do.  As I waited my turn, my RHO bid 2 hearts.

Not a problem.  Julie and I play that systems are on through 2 spades, so I bid 3 clubs for stayman, showing a 4 card major.  (Important note:  I was not playing with Julie.)   My partner could bid 3 spades which I would then take to game, or 3 diamonds to which I would respond 3NT.  Since the opponents had bid hearts, I was not expecting a heart response.

My LHO passed, and my partner pondered what to do.  She asked about the 2 hearts overcall and thought some more.  What's the problem, I wondered.  I started sending mental messages:  bid bid bid.  She finally bid 3NT, making 4 for a very good board.

What was the problem?  Apparently the rest of the world plays that a 3 club bid over a 2 heart overcall is natural, not stayman.  As I thought about it, I realized that I had never actually understood what "systems on through 2 spades" meant.  After serious consideration, I had decided that it meant systems were on if the overcaller bid up to 2 spades; however, now I wondered if maybe it meant that systems were on as long as the responder can bid up to 2 spades.

Later that evening I heard about several ways to handle 1NT overcalls,  including systems on only over 2 clubs and doubles or systems on if you can make your usual bid; a double means stolen bid or a double is for penalty; cue bids signal stayman; other bids too confusing to pay attention to also came up (something to do with signaling stoppers).

In the midst of this discussion, Julie and I looked at each other.  (Yes, she had also made the 3 club bid signaling stayman.)  "Let's just have a 'partnership agreement' and do whatever we want," Julie quietly suggested.  Sounds good to me.