From: varvel@cs.utexas.edu (Donald A. Varvel)
Subject: Martel-Stansby 2NT as game-forcing major raise
Date: 21 Jul 1993 02:22:53 -0500
Organization: CS Dept, University of Texas at Austin


|From martel@cs.ucdavis.edu Mon Jul 19 18:44:41 1993
|
|You should feel free to post my 2N structure. It was also written up
|in Bridge Today. I don't remember Bergen's structure, but I remember thinking
|it was inferier to mine (I may be biased however).
|
|You may want to post a couple of comments with the system:

[Which I take as permission to post his comments verbatim. -- DV]

|I think playing that 3C shows ALL minimums is important and it is a good idea 
|to play that it shows a very minimum hand (NOT a very good 13 count if it has 
|a stiff, and not a good 14 with 5-4 or a 6 card suit). This allows you to often
|have the auction 1M-2N-3C-4M and give no information away.
|
|Note also that it is useful to think of the opening bidder's hand as being 
|split into three ranges of points (including distribution): very minimum 
|(12-15), middle (16-17) and strong (18+). With the strong hand opener will 
|drive to the five level, so when opener shows a non-minimum, responder 
|should assume the middle range hand (which has a fairly tight range), knowing 
|that opener will continue on over a 4M signoff.
|
|You should also post the stuff over interference. this is an important area
|since smart opponents will often bid over 2N and there is usually little 
|written on the subject. 
|
|One frill which might not have been in your version: After 1M-2N-3C: 3M says
|that slam is possible if opener has a maximum (minimum) with a stiff. Without
|such a hand opener signs off in 4M (thus again giving away no information
|or giving the opponents any bids to double).

So here's the system:

UNPASSED HAND

2NT: Game force, 4-card support; opener assumes balanced but could have a
     singleton.
Opener's rebids:
3C = Minimum.
3D = No splinter, some extra values, suitable for slam.
3H = Other Major splinter, extra values. | In general, when showing
3S = Diamond splinter, extra values.     | splinters, steps are high, middle,
3N = Club splinter, extra values         | low (or high, low if only 2)
4X = 5-card suit to A or K, extra values.

After 1M-2NT-3C, 3D asks.  Opener's rebids:
   3H = some splinter.  3S asks: high, middle, low;  4D = club splinter,
        slammish, 4H = club splinter, bad.
   3S = 6322    |
   3N = 5332    | Not bad for slam.
   4C, 4D, 4H/1S = side suit in 5422 hand (note that 4-5-2-2 is not
        possible because of Flannery).
   4M = No splinter, bad for slam.
1M-2NT-3C-3M = Slam interest opposite max + splinter.  Show splinter
   (H, M, L) with max (AKxxx,x,xxx,KQxx) else bid 4M.

After 1M-2NT-3D, 3H asks.  Opener's rebids:
   3S = 6322.
   3N = 5332.
   4C, 4D, 4H = side suit in 5422 hand (4H after 1H = 4522 [Note: too
       strong for Flannery -- DV]).

Subsequent cue-bidding normal except early signoffs show unsuitable or
minimum hands and do not deny specific controls.  3NT = cue bid similar
to DI 4NT.  

[Note: In general in Martel-Stansby when a major has been agreed and 
3NT is not a reasonable contract, a bid of 3NT by either partner shows 
a hand not entirely unsuited to slam, while a cuebid shows definite 
slam interest.  This is called "Frivolous 3NT".  A similar idea of 
Rodman is that the cuebids are "courtesy", while real slam interest
is shown by bidding 3NT.  This is called "Serious 3NT". -- DV]

When opponents compete after 2NT:
Ignore double except RDBL to look for penalty.
After 1M-(P)-2NT-(3X): P = Shaped minimum, X asks for clarification
                           (opener's 3NT = shaped, no stiff, 4M = 5332,
                           slammish; 3/our M = splinter in opponent's suit).
                       X = penalties (not of 3S).
                       Bid splinter or 3NT with extra (3/our major =
                           splinter in opponent's suit).
                       4/Major = balanced minimum.
1H-(P)-2NT-(3S): X  = stiff spade, 11-15 HCP.
                 3N = 15+ HCP, no stiff.
                 4S = stiff, very slammish (15+ HCP).

-- Don Varvel (varvel@cs.utexas.edu)