[kenrexford]

In light of the discussion about the ambiguities of the GCC, I thought people might have fun devising technically legal (perhaps) GCC conventions. The idea is to design the most absurd possible conventions that would be GCC legal. Merit to the convention is irrelevant except for bonus points. The idea is the absurd.

The obvious dumb choices do not get many points for creativity. For instance, simply having 4-card preemptive 3-bids would be dumb, unless at least attached to a possible canapé meaning. 1NT openings that promise a 6-card or up to 9-card side suit is better (never 7-2-2-2, but could technically be 8-2-2-1 because it has at most two doubletons and generally no stiffs, hence 9-2-2-0 is also OK if rare).

Also too lame and easy are 1♣ and 1♦ "all purpose" openings, because that's too easy. You just require 10 HCP and then make any absurd convention you want.

You have to be more creative.

A few of mine:

1. Rexford Two Clubs for Trump Quality

The GCC lets you open at the two-level or higher to ask about trump quality, as long as the bid shows "strength." Thus, I propose Rexford 2♣. This opening bid shows 16+ HCP and asks partner about his trump quality. I, however, have not yet named trumps, because I am allowing partner to name trumps. He will do that later. Right now, he shows me trump quality.

An example auction:

2♣(I have 16+ HCP)-P-2♥(I have one of the top three honors in trumps)-P-

2♠(what suit is trumps?)-P-2NT(step one = clubs)

2. Modified Rexford Two Clubs for Trump Quality

The modified version is for those who are more pattern oriented. The GCC allows this bid to be an asking bid, but it also allows any responses I want. The response structure is that 7-level bids show very good trump quality, meaning a solid or semi-solid 12-card suit (or longer). All other bids means whatever seems right, contextually.

3. Rexford Really Gambling 3NT

The GCC lets me open 3NT if I have a minor one-suiter. A major is natural if 4+, so I have 3-3 in the majors. A minor is natural if 3+, so I have one doubleton minor. Thus, I have a 5-card holding in the other minor. This is a one-suited hand. I have any number of points. Partner passes or corrects.

4. Game Force Jump to 4♥

The GCC allows anything goes if the call is forcing to game. Because 4♥ forces game, my 4♥ jump shift means nothing else. I can have any hand that I want. Partner is expected to act accordingly.

[CamHenry]

How about two-way bids after a strong (minimum possible threshold for strong) 1♣? e.g.:
1♣ - I have a strong hand
1♥ - I have the A or K of ♥, but not both; I have both or neither in ♦.

Opener rebids NT if we can't find a suit with AK in opposite hands, non-jump candidate suits (♠ and ♣ in this example) with exactly one of AK in that suit and neither in ♥, or bids a non-candidate suit if we've found a key suit.

Why do we need a key? So we can encrypt subsequent bids! For example:
1♣ - 1♥
2♥ agrees ♥ as the key suit, and shows hearts if holding the ♥K but denies hearts if holding the ♥A. You might then have the auction:

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[barmar]

I'm very tempted to move this thread to Non-Natural System Discussion. Or is that intended for serious discussions of such systems, not frivolity like this?

[paulg]

Water cooler.

[barmar]

paulg, on 2014-March-14, 10:56, said:

Water cooler.

yeah, that was going through my mind as well. It's not generally supposed to be used for bridge-related discussion, although it sounds like this is pretty far removed from real bridge

[mycroft]

I have *played* minor suit Flannery (2♣ shows 5♦/4♣ less than reverse values), as part of a "you think what we play normally shouldn't be allowed?" system. It also included relays by opener over (most) responder's calls, which included the first step "whiny relay" - "I don't wanna describe my hand, you do it!"

I'm guessing the overcalls will be more fun, though.

[steve2005]

I like reverse minor suit Flannery 2♣, 5♣4♦ 11-15 hcp

the fun part is playing without a forcing 2♣ bid in MP