A Simple System Discussion

This hand, I find, is more fascinating because of the many different approaches you could have to the auction. Depending on your fundamental system agreements, you may open this 1♣, 2♣ or even for some people open it some level of NT (although this is by far the least common).

In my systems, I just open the standard 2♣ with plans to rebid 2NT. Now, for some players, they would choose with the North hand over a 2♣ opening to respond 2♠. I think this is a very aggressive take with the North hand. In general, unless I have an overwhelming preference or fairly strong hand, I would prefer to let the 2♣ opener take the reigns. So with this hand, I choose to bid 2♦.

South has a normal 2NT rebid at this point.

Now comes another question as to system agreements. One thing that’s important to recognize here is that whatever structure you use over a 2NT opening is generally the same system you would use here. So if you play puppet stayman, 3♣ would still be puppet stayman. In my systems, we play 3♣ as regular stayman (unless I’m playing with my husband, in which case we use a fairly complicated Modified Muppet — but that’s for another day). What’s nice about doing that is we still can use “Smolen” (and if you don’t already have this in your arsenal, I strongly recommend it) — this allows us to explore for a 5-3 fit after partner has denied a 4-card major through stayman (and right side the contract!). As we see in this example auction, North rebids 3♥ to show that they have 4 hearts and 5 spades (you bid your 4 card suit) and game forcing values. Over this, South can raise to 4♠ or rebid 3NT if they do not have a fit (as they do here).

So after 3NT, North is not satisfied and pushes one more time, still searching for the optimal level. North has 8 HCP, knowing that South has 22-24, it’s possible we hold a 32-bagger between the two of us which is the number we’re often looking for when we’re striving for 6NT. North has a lot of soft values and no known fit, so it would not be unreasonable for them to pass 3NT, but I find it’s better to err on the aggressive side. So they bid 4NT quantitative and South shuts them down, once again, by passing.

How many tricks do you think NS will take in 4NT?