Articles›Other Activities›Spector Wolpert 2N-3S System
Spector Wolpert 2N-3S System
Tue, Jun 14, 2022Gavin WolpertOther ActivitiesNews
For those interested, here is what warren and I play over 2NT
It is incredibly complex so its not something I would ever recommend you playing unless you absolutely love system or are trying to compete at the top level. I'm happy to answer any questions through comments.
Warren and I play 2N-4C shows single suited diamonds (optional keycard the same way that I described in the lesson, 4D reject)
By doing this our 2NT -3S now shows both minors or clubs.
We now play 2NT 3S asks partner for 4 card minors over which partner bids 3NT with no minor or bids 4 of the OTHER minor with a 4 card minor.
This sounds weird but we do this because it means that
2N-3S-3N (no minor)
And
2N-3S-4C (4 diamonds)
Both allow responder to bid 4D to show 6+C (just like I taught in the class as optional keycard).
2N-3S-4D (showing 4C) means that we have an established club fit because 3S always has clubs (either both minors or long clubs). So our follow ups to 4D are that 4H is keycard for clubs, 4NT is quantitative and 4S is a slam try for clubs.
2N-3S-4m-4N = quantitative with both minors (i.e. we found a fit but now I need to know do you have a good hand).
After 2N-3S-3N- we now have all bids except 4D to show both minors. This is how we use them:
2N-3S-3N-4C = exactly 5 diamonds (optional keycard)
Then if partner rejects we play 4M is 5-5 in the minors with shortness and 4NT is 5D 4C to play
2N-3S-3N-4M shows a singleton in that minor 3 of the other major and 5/4 either way in the minors.
Here is the system without explanations
2N 3S 3N = No minoir
4C = 4D (opener bids opposite minor)
4D = 4C (opener bids opposite minor)
2N 3S
3N 4C = 5D (optional keycard see below)
4D = 6+C optional keycard (same follow ups)
4H = 4D 5C 1H 3S slam try+
4S = 4D 5C 1S 3H slam try+
4N = quantitative
2N 3S
4C 4D = 6+C optional keycard
4H = keycard in diamonds
4S = Control bid for diamonds
4N = Quantitative
2N 3S
4D 4H = keycard for clubs
4S = slam try for clubs
4N = quantitative
2N 3S
3N 4C
4D = Reject
4H = 3 card diamond fit 1/4 keycards
4S = 3 card diamond fit 3/0
Etc
The system gains because we get to establish minor suit fits a lot lower and get to bid keycard on a lot of hands that most pairs do not. It hasn't mattered yet but one day we will get to a grand slam more easily because we could keycard and we will have a little system win party!
Comments
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I have had a few hands where partner has a six card minor and very few points, Passing 2 nt did not seem as good as playing 4 of the minor, so I have been playing that 3 spades over 2 nt requires opener to bid 4 clubs and responder passes or bids 4 diamonds. We don't have a system to locate a minor suit fit but I don't recall that being as great a concern.
ok then you and I are on different pages of what we are concerned about. I couldnt care less about signing off in 4m. So many of those hands will make 3NT when partner has a 3 card fit.
Hi Gavin, Thanks for sharing. I note that you play 2NT-4S as long diamond, and 5C afterward as KC. What's the different between 2NT-4S and 2NT-4C showing diamond?
I do not play 2N-4♠ as long diamonds. All of my long diamond hands bid 4♣. Where did you see that I play 2N-4♠ as diamonds?
Also, how do you distinguish (31)54 hands from, say (30)55 hands?
5-5 hands bid one way and 5-4 hands bid a different way. 2N-3S 3N-4C=5D 4D=reject-4M=5-5 in the minors with shortness. With 5-4 hands you go one of two routes 2N-3S 3N-4C =5D 4D=reject 4NT to play 5D 4C any major shape (the major shape wont be very important when we don't have a minor fit) 2N-3S 3N-4M = 5C 4D shortness in M
Just to be clear, what does opener bid when holding exactly 4 cards in each minor, and why? Thanks!
Opener always bids 4♣ with 4-4 because it leaves more room. It lets partner show their single suited and/or their both minors hand. IF you bid 4D, you have a club fit but you won't know for sure if partner has a single suited club hand or both minors when they look for slam. Its nice to know if your diamond points are useful or not.
In this system, if responder has 6D 4C and slam interest, what is your recommendation for the bidding route that they should take? 1. Ignore clubs and look for diamond fit: 2N - 4C (6+D, optional keycard). Drawback is that opener could have club fit and a 4-4 club fit as trump allows us to set up the diamond suit for winners. 2. Treat it as 5D-4C hand: After 2N - 3S, if opener shows a 4card minor, then we have a fit so follow-ups are as listed above. If it goes 2N - 3S - 3N, then we bid 4C to show 5D and 4C. Now what do we do if opener rejects with 4D but we still want to persist with known diamond fit? The notes above say that now “4M is 5-5 in the minors with shortness and 4NT is 5D 4C to play”. Should we just take a call between 5D or 6D without having a way to check for keycards? 3. Lie about shape and bid 2N-3S-3N-4M to show shortness in M, 3 cards in other major, and 5/4 either way in minors. This is risky because opener might drive to slam based on a presumed 5-3 fit in the other major. I think Option 2 is superior in general, but I’m wondering why we don’t have 2N-3S-3N-4C-4D-4H be a key card ask for diamonds, along the same lines as the optional keycard structure? Is it because hands with 5-4 or 5-5 in the minors are more common than 6-4 shapes, so it is worthwhile to differentiate between the former and let 6D-4C shape be collateral damage?
Its really interesting that you found the one hole in the system so quickly. Vince and Kran have updated their 2NT-3♠ structure to have a way to show 6-4 in the minors but it made the follow ups even more confusing so we just decided to leave this hole and decide each time which way to go, depending on our suit quality. I think you would typically want to show both minors and then show 5♦ 4♣, just because there is so much value in finding a 4-4 club fit. Just to clear up, 2N-3S-3N-4M is not 5/4 either way in the minors, it shows 5C 4D. With 5D-4C we always go through 4C to show 5D. Thats an interesting thought about 4C-4D-4H being keycard for diamonds. We went this route because we felt like showing our 5-5 with shortness was more important. They are more common than 6D 4C specifically.
Thanks for the detailed response. I wasn’t trying to look for a hole. I think it’s a great system and I was just trying to make sense of everything. Good to know that you recommend Option 2 as well. I’m glad that I was not far off from your line of thinking. Thanks for the clarification about 2N-3S-3N-4M. I literally copied the explanation about “5/4 either way in the minors” from the notes above, so perhaps when you get a chance, you could make the correction in the main body so that everyone can benefit. Thanks again for sharing this system!
I didnt mean to imply that you were looking for the hole. I was genuinely impressed that you understood it well enough to see that flaw. (if you can call it a flaw... hard to believe any system can handle these hand types very well) Thanks for noticing the error I fixed that line to say 5C 4D
2N--3S--3N--4M shows a singleton in that "minor"; think you mean "major", just so you know there's a typo. Nice system!
Thanks, I’ll fix it when I have a chance.