[Phil]

I know Welland - Auken play 1S - 1M as a GFR, and use 1S 2C as "forcing NT" response. As an aside, their 1S opening is unbalanced, so they have a little more flexibility with their hand types.

Does anyone know their response structure? If you were to define something, how would you go about it? I was thinking transfers, so:

2D = H
2H = 6+S
2S = 4 of a minor, limited (responder can pass) or bid 2N to inquire.
2N =5C or strong with 4
3C = 5D or strong with 4

TIA

[nullve]

I think that is what they (used to) play.

Here is a detailed CC from 2016:

http://www.clairebri...ken-Welland.pdf

See note 19 about occasionally opening 1M with a balanced hand.

I suppose that if they open 1♠ with 11-13/17-19 hcp and 53(32) they will always rebid 2♦("3+ H") over 1♠-2♣.

But with 11-13/17-19 hcp and 5233? Pretend to be 5S4+m? Always open 1♣?

[Kungsgeten]

Dan have a detailed write-up on their system: https://bridgewithda...d-auken-system/
I haven't read read it, but Dan's other publications are excellent.

[nullve]

In this thread I suggested taking all INV hands out of the Welland-Auken two-over-one responses (freeing up 2♥ in the process) and use a Zelandakh-style INV+ 1N relay instead. I still think that would be a significant improvement.

[Phil]

nullve, on 2021-February-15, 02:49, said:

In this thread I suggested taking all INV hands out of the Welland-Auken two-over-one responses (freeing up 2♥ in the process) and use a Zelandakh-style INV+ 1N relay instead. I still think that would be a significant improvement.

Right now, our one and (mostly) two bids are Fantunes. The 2 bids haven't been too effective and add a lot of randomness, especially against good opponents, and they ruin your slam bidding when partner has a good hand.

The unbalanced major approach works great for competitive auctions. This area (combined with a balanced club encompassing 5M332) works really well, so it frees up all of our two bids. We are considering:

2♣ - Strong 2N
2♦ - garbage multi
2M - 8-11 weak 2
2N - 8-11, both minors

Because we are opening more one bids, we expect the GFR to be used a lot more often, so it's important to bracket Opener's range faster, and use the 1st step of the relay for minimum hands.

This has a spillover affect on our relays itself. 1♦ and 1♥ use 1N but we currently use 1♠ - 2♣ and the GFR. When most 1♠ auctions start 1♠ - 2♣ - 2♦ - 2[he[ to relay, we are uber-cramped and 1♠ - 1N works so much better. Thus the inquiry about 1♠ - 2♣ as a F1NT.

Because 1♥ and 1♠ are forcing, it puts serious pressure on the "F1N" response to the 'new' 1M opening - it can be 0 to a poor 13 so I like the idea of putting the invites into the relay.

Early in Martian, we toyed with throwing invitational hands into the relay and breaking to tell partner, but since relays in the ACBL needed to be GF this was not going to work for many events we played in.

I'm pretty sure that a inv+ relay is OK for Open + so I will check out Zel's structure.

[Kungsgeten]

Phil: Could it make sense to make 1♠ less wide-ranging? I'm not sure if that is an option, but if the opening is giving you problems, then maybe? The MOSSO system has taken the route of making 1♠ limited (10-15 if I remember correctly) and open 1♣ with stronger spade hands. Their 2X openings (except spades) is Fantunes. An approach for you might be:

1♠ = Fantunes style.
2♣ = Strong balanced.
2♦ = Spades, 10-13 (a bit more space than opening 2♠)
2M = Weak.
2NT = Minors.

Yet another option could be:

1♠ = Wide-ranging but NF, as in "standard" but perhaps promising an unbalanced hand?
2♣ = Strong NT or GF spades.

Or if you really don't like the idea of not showing a suit directly when strong:

1♠ = Wide-ranging NF.
2♣ = Strong balanced or <weak range 1> with spades.
2♦ = Trash with hearts or <weak range 2> with spades.
2♥ = 8-11 with hearts.
2♠ = Nat GF.