System Summary Form (SSF), 2025 Mixed USBC


Team: Gu Last Updated Apr 12, 2025 at 11:44
Players: John Miller - Lynn Shannon

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Bids that Require Advance Preparation

2C overcall of natural 1C opening bid is natural.

General Bidding Style

Typical gadgety 2/1.

NT range 14+ (plus usually includes a five+ length suit) - 17. Opening 1m can be similarly upgraded 11 HCP or unbalanced equivalent. 1M can be as little as ten HCP with suitable distributional hand.

Weak twos include diamonds. Moderately aggressive, but not crazy. Could be five cards if NV, but not 5332.

Third seat openers could be modestly understrength. Third seat 1M opener could be four cards.

Overcall style varies by sequence. Could be aggressive (e.g. (1C)- 1S) or conservative (e.g. (1S) - 2C).

Opening Leads AND Leads in the Middle of the Hand

Suits: third from even, low from odd. Ace from AK at four-level and below, King at five-level and above. If we have raised partner's suit and have no honor, we lead top from three small and second from four small.

NT: Fourth best from suits we want returned, top from three small or second from four+ small if leading passively. From 9xx we lead middle. King is the power lead for unblock or count. J, T, or 9 show the next higher honor from four+, deny it from three or fewer. Q is either QJx or KQ(any). A from AK if we do not want an unblock.

Honor leads in middle of the hand are standard. Spot card returns in middle of the hand are count. Spot card shifts in middle of the hand are attitude.

Defensive Signals

Generally upside-down count, attitude, and suit preference, including current count. On an Ace lead (both suits and NT) at the four-level or below, we revert to standard count and attitude for trick one. Reverse Smith against NT contracts.

Attitude general signal at trick one. Exception 1 ... if singleton in dummy, usually suit preference, although can be attitude if tapping dummy is conceivable defense. Exception 2 ... if third hand cannot beat dummy's spot card in partner's suit, count. Count signals on declarer's lead are inconsistent. Lots of suit preference.

When executing a defensive ruffing finesse (or potential one), Q and T are suit preference for lower suit, J and 9 are suit preference for higher.