System Summary Form (SSF), 2019 Open USBC
| Team: | Lo | Last Updated | Apr 23, 2019 at 18:20 |
| Players: | Ai-Tai Lo - Larry Robbins - Jiang Gu | ||
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Bids that Require Advance Preparation
1M-(x)-Transfer starting from 1NT ( ). Transfer into our suit shows a 3-card constructive raise, 7-9 HCP.
(1m)-1M-(x)-transfer starting from 1NT ( ). Transfer to opponent’s suit shows a 3-card limit raise or better.
1M-3M is mixed. 1M-3 is a 3/4 card limit raise by UPH.
1m-2M/1 -2 /1 -2 is invitational by UPH.
FSJ by PH. 1M-2NT shows by PH.
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General Bidding Style
| 5-card majors, 2/1 GF, semi-forcing NT.
1 could be a balanced hand with 2 and longer (at most 4), 11-14 or 18-19. With 5332 and 5 diamonds, we open 1.
1 promises 5+ diamond (could be 5332) unless 4441 with 4 diamonds.
1NT: 14+-17 HCP, could be 14 favorable. We open 1NT as often as we can; often with 5m+4M and a singleton honor or a 6-card minor suit not good enough for a jump rebid. With 5M+4m, we could open 1NT depending on the honor location, but not as often as 5m+4M. 3rd-seat 1NT/2NT opening can be shaded and off-shape (especially W vs R). For example, we might open 1NT with K Qxx AKJxxx xxx in 3rd seat favorable. We open 11 balanced (optional when vul), and 10 HCP unbalanced (occasionally 9 HCP with a good 6-card suit). 3rd seat opener could be as light as 8 HCP when we are favorable, 4-card M often. For example, we might open 1 with Ax QJxx Jxxxx xx in 3rd seat favorable.
May respond with a very weak hand (3 to 5 HCP, might be 0 HCP favorable but unlikely) if we have a fit or a long suit to get out with. We almost always respond to 1 opening unless we have 4+.
One level overcall shows 6+ HCP, two level sounder ((1 )-2 could be lighter than (1M)-2).
Preempts when we are favorable can be very bad especially in 1st seat (5-card suit often), e.g, we might open 2 with QJ9xx xx xxx xxx in 1st seat favorable. The shorter our majors (the other major) are, the more likely we might preempt with a very bad hand.
With minimum values, we might open a 3+-card suit with a longer side suit in 3rd seat for lead-directing purpose, e.g., we might open 1 with Axx xxx KQJ Jxxx. The 3-card suit should have at minimum two of the top three honors or KJ10.
With minimum values, we might overcall in a 4-card major with a longer minor in 3rd/4th seat for lead-directing purpose (almost always NV), e.g., we might overcall 1 with xx AKxx xx QJxxx over 1. The 4-card suit should have at minimum two of the top three honors or KJ10x.
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Opening Leads AND Leads in the Middle of the Hand
| vs NT: 4th best, 2nd from bad holdings (3rd in partner's suit).
vs NT: 3rd/5th in partner's suit. vs NT: K is power lead and A asks for attitude. vs NT: Rusinow in a 4-card suit or longer. vs suits: 3rd from even or 3, lowest from odd, but will lead high from nothing in partner's raised suit. vs suits: A from AKx(+) except against 5-level or higher, or AK doubleton, or ready to switch to a side singleton. Occasionally, we will lead K to ask for count when it's clear the opening leader does not have AK doubleton or side shortness. In the middle of the hand, spot card lead tends to be attitude. |
Defensive Signals
| Upside down count and attitude, standard suit preference and present count. The 2nd card in the same suit tends to be SP.
Upside down discard. The 2nd discard in the same suit tends to be SP. Signaling priority is Attitude, Suit Preference, Count. Occasional suit-preference in trumps if we can afford to. Attitude in partner's suit if dummy wins trick-1 vs NT with A, K or Q, otherwise it's count. Suit preference when dummy has a singleton, middle is ambiguous (no clear preference). When splitting honors, we play the second highest if we have two honors (J from QJx, Q from KQx), the highest if we have three (K from KQJ, Q from QJ10). We give true count early in the hand. Later in the hand, our count can be suspect. Sometimes, we would lead low from a doubleton for deception especially when we can overruff in opponent’s short suit. |