[Kungsgeten]

So this is a natural system idea, but I think "novel" ideas are better suited for the non-natural forum. helene_t has posted about the Boring Club which tries to separate balanced hands from unbalanced hands as quick as possible. This is interesting, but a bit extreme (and a very wide ranging balanced opening bid of 1C) for my taste.

Another way could be to play 5542, with 1C covering balanced hands and hands with clubs. This club is often three-way, which to me makes it hard to handle (especially minimum opening hands with clubs, which may no be able to act later in the auction). If you also want to play 1M as unbalanced, there's a lot of hand types in 1C. You could ofcourse remove the strong NT hands to the 2-level (making 1C a weak NT or clubs), which is gaining popularity by top Swedish pairs.

So my concept is this:

1C = (14)15-17 NT (could be 5M332) or natural, if 5C and 4D then reverse strength.
1D = 4+ suit unbalanced. Could have 5C and 4D if less than reverse strength.
1M = 5+ suit unbalanced or 18-19 NT.
1NT = (11)12-14 NT, usually not 5M332 unless bad suit
2C = 18-19 NT or any GF
2D = Multi. Weak major or 22-24 NT
2M = (Semi)balanced, decent+ five card suit, (10)11-14
2NT = 20-21

You could easily swap the 12-14 and 15-17 ranges, but the idea was that 1C should show clubs as often as possible. You could also remove the canapé hands from 1D, but minimum hands with 5C and 4D are problematic after a 1C opening (especially when it can be a short suit), and it also raises the frequency of the 1D opening somewhat without distorting it too much.

[nullve]

Kungsgeten, on 2016-November-18, 08:55, said:

You could easily swap the 12-14 and 15-17 ranges, but the idea was that 1C should show clubs as often as possible.

How about

1m = "11-21, 4+ m". If bal. then either 12-14 or 18-19.
1N = 12-14, either 4M333 or 44(32) / 15-17 bal.
...2♣ = range ask, GF opposite 15-17
......2♦ = 12-14, 4333 or 44(32), NF
......2♥ = 12-14, 3433, NF
......2♠+ = 15-17
...2♦ = "0-7", 5+ M / ?
......2M = P/C
......(...)
...2M = "8-11", 5+ M, to play opposite 12-14, 2-3 M, GF opposite 15-17
...(...)
2♣ = 18-19, either 4M333 or 44(32) / any GF
other: as above

?

(Hopefully the 1N opening is not as bad(?) as Blue Club's or Carrot Club's.)

[Siegmund]

Most of my system experiments the past few years have been in the direction of shape-first.
I've not had one where 1C was any more natural than in a typical Polish system though. The more familiar-feeling way is something like

1C = 11-14 bal with 4CM, or 15+ bal or 16+ minor or strong
1D = 11-18ish, unbal with 4CM (4441 or 4M5+m)
1M = 5+ as usual
1NT = (11)12-14 bal no 4CM
2m = 6+ no 4CM


The 1C works very much like Polish, but the temptation to bid 1C-1D-1M on a 3-card suit and a weak balanced hand is removed.


Thanks to that pesky GCC rule against transfers over not-strong 1C openings, I've also played with a 4-card-major version

1C strong
1D balanced with 4CM
1M, unbalanced (except for 6322 and maximum 5332)
1NT/2C/2D as above.

I find them fun to play, but I a) have no idea what is the best way to respond to the 1D opening, and b) find it much harder to interest partners in playing them, as compared to 'simple' Polish or Unassuming Club.

[Kungsgeten]

nullve: I haven't tried playing a wide ranging NT like that, but to me it seems hard to play.

Siegmund: Isn't it hard in a contested auction to distinguish weak NT and stronger NT in your 1C opening? My experience is that you want a gap between the minimum range and the strong range, we've even removed 18-19 NT from our Swedish Club in order to make the gap from the weak NT and the strong hand bigger. Do you open 2m with 5-4 and 5-5 minors too? I've considered a structure like yours, but the weak NT with a four card major was included in the 1D opening (so 1D promises a four card major, balanced or unbalanced) and 1C strong (well, 15+ at least).

[Kungsgeten]

I actually played the system below a couple of times (non-vul), WOS shape first style

Pass = 15+ any
1m = 4+ suit, unbalanced 8-14
1M = 5+ suit, 8-14 (5M332 possible if 8-10)
1NT = 11-14
2X = 4+ suit, 0-7
2NT = 8-10 NT, no five card major

It was very random.

[Siegmund]

Quote

Siegmund: Isn't it hard in a contested auction to distinguish weak NT and stronger NT in your 1C opening? My experience is that you want a gap between the minimum range and the strong range...

Life is easier if you can tell every handtype apart. Pity they only gave us 36 initial actions to choose from. One price of a "Shape First" system is that you are going to have actions where shape is better defined but strength is worse-defined.

But generally speaking, my solution is that the weak notrump hand is expected not to take a second call without a fit. Not so different from standard american where after 1C-P-1H-(2D) you don't do anything stupid with a flat 12 count if you can't raise hearts. After 1C-P-1D(neg)-(2D), X is the 15-18 balanced, a suit is natural and strong.


Sure there are problems. They just don't seem to be much worse than the ones I would already have playing regular Polish.

Quote

Do you open 2m with 5-4 and 5-5 minors too?

2D with 5-4. 2NT with 4-5 or 5-5 (or 5-6, etc, clubs either equal or longer than diamonds, so responder always picks clubs with xx/xx or xxx/xxx) if I open. I don't have much field experience with 2NT.

[Zelandakh]

Siegmund, on 2016-November-19, 12:34, said:

Thanks to that pesky GCC rule against transfers over not-strong 1C openings, I've also played with a 4-card-major version

Why not simply reverse the NT ranges from Polish so 1♣ is 15+ bal or 15+ nat or 18+ any, thus qualifying as a strong club opening? You lose the protection to preemption but get some compensating efficiency gains in return.

[ucrman]

My Super Canape system is all about distribution first. Here is a summary:
The super canape system divides the hands into four types: one-suiters, two-suiters, three-suiters, and balanced hands.
One-suiters are opened at the one level in the suit.
- A one-suited club hand has 6+ Cs with 11+ HCP and denies a side 4-card or longer suit.
- A one-suited diamond hand has 6+ Ds with 11+ HCP and denies a 4-card or longer major and 5 or more clubs. If it is a 4-loser or less hand with 4 Cs, it is treated as a two¬-suiter and is opened 1C.
- A one-suited heart or spade hand has 6+ cards with 10+ HCP and denies 4 or more cards in the other major and 5 cards in either minor. If it has a 4-card minor, it is treated as a two-suiter if the hand has 4 losers or less and is opened in the 4-card suit.
Two-suiters (5-4, 6-5, 5-5, 6-6, and 6-4) are usually opened in the shorter suit. All 5-4, 5-5, 6-5, and 6-6 hands are considered two-suiters. 6-4 hands are treated as one-suiters (1) when the longer suit is a major and the shorter suit is a minor with more than 4 losers or (2) when the longer suit is diamonds and the shorter suit is clubs with more than 4 losers. 6-4 hands are treated as two-suiters (1) when the shorter suit is a major suit, (2) when the longer suit is clubs, (3) when the longer suit is a major and the shorter suit is a minor with less than 5 losers, or (4) when the longer suit is diamonds and the shorter suit is clubs with less than 5 losers. The only time it is opened in the longer suit is when there is a 6-card minor and a 5-card major -- the emphasis is to show the 5-card major. With 5-5, with one major and one minor, the minor is considered the shorter suit; with both minors usually treat Cs as the shorter suit; and with both majors, treat Ss as the shorter suit. But if there is a big difference in strength of the 5-5 suits, Cs may be treated as longer than Ds and Ss may be treated as longer than Hs. The rule of 20 (length of the two suits plus HCP) is good for determining opening bids. Two-suiters with secondary Cs are opened 2S, 2H, or 2D if less than 16 HCP and are opened 1C with 16 HCP or more.
Three-suiters are opened 2C. You should have 12+ HCP (13+ HCP with short Ss). All 4-4-4-1 hands and 5-4-4-0 hands with a 5-card minor are three-suiters. 5-4-4-0 hands with a 5-card major may be treated as a three-suiter or a two-suiter. Holding 5-4-4-0 with a 5-card major and a 4-card major, the hand should in opened in the 4-card major if not treated as a three-suiter.
Balanced hands (all 4-3-3-3, 4-4-3-2, and 5-3-3-2) are opened as follows:
12-14 HCP open 1C.
15-17 HCP open 1NT.
18-20 HCP open 1C.
21-24 HCP open 2NT.
24+ HCP (4-3-3-3 and 4-4-3-2) open 1C.
24+ HCP with 5-3-3-2 open one of 5-card suit.

Opening bids
1C - Shows one of following hand types, always guarantees 2+ Cs.
- balanced hand (4-3-3-3, 4-4-3-2, 5-3-3-2) with 12-14 HCP.
- balanced hand (4-3-3-3, 4-4-3-2, 5-3-3-2) with 18-20 HCP.
- 6+ Cs without a side 4-card suit, 11+ HCP.
- 4+ Cs and 5+ cards in another suit, 16+ HCP (secondary Cs). Could have 6 Cs and a 5-card major.
- balanced hand with 24+ HCP, may have 5 Cs with 23+ HCP.
1D – 11+ HCP with 4+ Ds, shows one of the following types of hands:
- 6+ Ds - 11+ HCP (usually ignore 4-card C suit unless very strong.)
- 4+Ds and 5+ cards in another suit, 11+ HCP (10+ HCP with 5-5). Usually open 2D or 1C with 5 Ds and 5 Cs. Open 1D with 5-6 Ds and a 5-card major.
- A strong balanced hand, 23-24+ HCP with 5-6 Ds.
1H – 10+ HCP with 4 + Hs, shows one of the following types of hands:
- 6+ Hs - a good 10+ HCP, 6-7 loser hand, generally ignore 4-card m’s.
- 4+ Hs and 5+ cards in another suit, 11+ HCP. Usually open 1S with 5 Ss and 5 Hs.
- A strong balanced hand, 24+ HCP with 5 Hs.
1S - 10+ HCP with 4 + Ss, shows one of the following types of hands:
- 6+ Ss - a good 10+ HCP, 6-7 loser hand, generally ignore 4-card m’s. Usually open 1S with 5 Ss and 5 Hs.
- 4+ Ss and 5+ cards in another suit, 11+ HCP (10+ HCP with 5 Ss and 5 Hs).
- A strong balanced hand, 24+ HCP with 5 Ss.
1NT - 15-17 HCP. All 4-3-3-3, 4-4-3-2, and 5-3-3-2 hands with 15-17 HCP should be opened 1NT.
2C – 12+ HCP with 4-4-5-0 or 4-4-0-5, usually not a 5-card major, 13+ HCP with short Ss.
2D – 11-15 HCP with 5+Ds and 4+Cs. Ds are longer than or equal to Cs.
2M - 11-15 HCP with 5 cards in the M and 4+ Cs (10+ HCP with 5-5). May have 6 Cs and a 5-card M or a 6-card M with 5 Cs.
2NT - 21-23 HCP, balanced
3NT - Gambling, no outside A or K, solid 7 or 8 card minor.
4NT - Blackwood.