System Notes

I’m sorry to disappoint you, but currently I’m playing a fairly natural system, so there is no development or progression here. Maybe later, I stilll have some fertile ideas about Fantunes and some relay-gadgets I would like to work out. It’s all about time and priorities.

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So you probably already read about the origins of Vikings In Space.

Viking Precision.

Our system notes are all in Dutch, so that’s kind of problematic for the international status of my site, but I’ll give it a thought. Our system will evolve over time, tweaks and modifications will be added and deleted. So be patient, but check back every now and then if you’re interested.

General approach to bidding

The general approach is a strong system with a variable notrump opening. After a limited opening responder has one relaybid (the Viking relay, which is usually GF) to ask first for shape, than for strength, exact distribution and Aces, Kings and Queens of opener’s hand. The relay approach is that every consecutive bid (after the first relay) of responder is a relay, with the exception of a bid in a real suit of the opener at gamelevel or a 3NT bid. After the strong opening, it is the responder who describes his hand. Opener has now the same relaystructure available as above but he can also use specific suit/control asking relays (the Greek relays).

The approach to bidding in general is aggressive/very aggressive. When partner is a passed hand the weak bids will have a very wide range. The main idea is “In quick, out quick”.

On a biddingtechnical level, if the strong hand continues relaying, there is always a reason for it. Either he is considering an alternative contract (usually another game-level contract) or he is hoping to find the right distribution/controls for a slam. He is not just relaying to show that he can.

Opening Bid descriptions

1: 16+ any hand, can be slightly weaker (14+) with a good, distributional holding. Especially hands 14-16 with good tend to be opened as well with 1.
1: 11-15 no 5 card Major, no six , (both with the notable exception of six to go with them) balanced or unbalanced outside the NT-range. 11 HCP and bad 12 HCP tend to be passed when balanced if no 1NT is available.
1/: 12-15, 5+ card suit, can have longer minor.
1NT: NV 10-12 in first and second hand, otherwise 13-15, vulnerable always 14-16. 5422 with a 5 card minor is possible. 6crd minor occassionaly. 5 card Major never in 13-15/14-16 NT, very rarely in 10-12.
2: 10-15, 6+ or 5+ and 4 card Major, singlesuited clubhands tend to have an upperrange of 14, the stronger ones being opened 1.
2: 8-11, 5+ hearts, a 4 card suit is possible if at least six .
2: 8-11, at least 54 in the majors, in practice if opener holds 5 spades and 4 hearts, the hearts will be good and the spades sloppy.
2: 8-11, 5+ spades, can have a 4 card heart suit if at least 6 spades.
2NT: 3-9, at least 54 (nonvulnerable) or 55 (vulnerable) in the minors

Answers after 1:

1: 0-7, any distribution, but a hand with an ace and a king tends to be upgraded whatever the distribution and singlesuited hands with a great suit  (KQJxxx) are usually shown directly as well
1: 8+, 5+spades or 15+ balanced
1: 8-11, 5+ hearts or 8-11 balanced or 12+ with 5+ hearts and 5card minor or 12-14 balanced with 3343
1NT: 12+, 5+ hearts or 12-14 balanced (but no 3-3-4-3)
2 : 8+, 5+ diamonds
2 : 8+, 5+ clubs
2 : 8+, exactly 54 in the minors
2 : 8-11 or 15+ with a 4441 distribution and a black singleton
2NT: 8-11 or 15+ with a 4441 distribution and a red singleton
3 : 12-14 4441 distribution, black singleton
3 : 12-14 4441 distribution, red singleton
3 : solid suit (AKQxxxx) somewhere, no Napolitan controls (Ace = 2, King = 1) next to it
3 : solid suit somewhere + 1 Napolitan control
3NT: solid suit somewhere + 2 Napolitan controls

Answers after 1:

1: 6-13 with 4+ hearts or 6-10 balanced
1: 6-13 with 4+ spades
1NT: GF-relay
2: 2-9, at least 54 minors, sign-off
2: 2-9 with a 6 card Major, weak, or 11-13 balanced without a 4 card Major or 6 card Major + 4 card minor invitational
2: 2-9 at least 44 in the Majors, sign-off
2: at least 54 minors, invitational hand
2NT: singlesuited in a minor,invitational hand
3: preemptive
3: preemptive
3: preemptive
3: preemptive
3NT: to play

Answers after 1:

1: 6-13, 4+ spades
1NT: GF-relay
2: transfer to diamonds, heart support is possible
2: good raise to 2 or 11-13 balanced with 3 card support
2: bad raise to 2
2: transfer to 2/3 NT, 11-13
2NT: transfer to clubs, invitational
3//: fitbids
3: preemptive raise
3NT: 14-16 balanced
4/: fitbids
4: to play (can be rather strong)
4: to play

Answers after 1:

1NT: GF-relay
2: transfer to diamonds or 11-13 balanced without support or invitational hand with exactly 4 hearts
2: transfer to hearts, spade support is possible
2: good raise to 2 or 11-13 balanced with 3 card support
2: bad raise to 2
2NT: transfer to clubs, invitational
3//: fitbids
3: preemptive raise
3NT: 14-16 balanced
4/: fitbids
4: to play
4: to play (can be rather strong)

Answers after 1NT:

2: stayman relay, initiates a GF relay
2: transfer to hearts (can be a 4 card suit without 4 spades and an invitational hand)
2: transfer to spades
2: transfer to clubs
2NT: invitational for 3NT
3: invitational with diamonds
3: weak with diamonds
3: 54 in the minors, singleton heart
3: 54 in the minors, singleton spade
3NT: to play
4: transfer to hearts
4: transfer to spades
4: to play
4: to play

Answers after 2:

2: relay, at least invitational values
2: 6-11, 5+ hearts, non-forcing but constructive
2: 6-11, 5+ spades, non-forcing but constructive
2NT: either a preemptive raise to 3, or a GF twosuiter (55)
3: invitational
3: GF, 6 card suit
3: GF, 6 card suit
3: GF, 6 card suit
3NT: to play
4: preemptive raise

Answers after 2:

2: to play
2: GF 5+ spades or balanced hand invitational (transfer to 2NT)
2NT: transfer to clubs, at least game invitational values
3: transfer to diamonds, at least game invitational values
3: heart support, at least game invitational values
3: preemptive
3: 6+ spades, invitational
3NT: to play
4/: singleton, heart support

Answers after 2:

2: to play
2NT: relay
3: GF, singlesuited in a minor or twosuited (55) in the minors
3: game invitational in one of the majors
3/: preemptive
3NT: to play

Answers after 2:

2NT: transfer to clubs, at least game invitational values
3: transfer to diamonds, at least game invitational values
3: transfer to hearts, at least game invitational values
3: spade support, at least game invitational values
3: preemptive
3NT: to play
4/: singleton, spade support

Answers after 2NT:

3/: to play
3: game invitational for 5
3: game invitational for 5
3NT: to play
4: RKC for clubs
4: RKC for diamonds
4/: to play

Signals and agreements:

Low – High: even or encouraging. Distribution plays a very big role when we defend, attitude signals don’t have a high priority.
Give partner a break if he does his pressure things. Let him be, he’s bidding your cards as well.
Your partner is the best player at the table, don’t ever criticize during the match, play will not improve.