Ariel

Open Questions

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Things the partnership still needs to settle. When a point is decided, write the answer into the relevant page and delete it here. Comment on any line to discuss it.

Terms the system uses but never defines

Discuss
  • Kori relay — General Principles #22 says when it applies (a relay auction that stops in 3♠︎/3NT after three suits are shown), but the responses are not written anywhere.
  • 5-4 Body (R) — the relay scheme named on the 1♥︎ and 1♠︎ 2♣︎ Game-Forcing Relay pages has no page of its own.
  • RF after 1M – 1NT — undefined abbreviation (relay forcing? round forcing?). Both major pages use it.
  • "The next step" (the original долепяне) — the cheapest bid used as an ask. Worth one sentence of definition on General Principles, since it is used on the 1♦︎ pages, in Modified XYZ and in principles #10 and #22.
  • "Straight" leads and returns (the original право) on Leads & Signals — say explicitly what it means (4th best? honest count?).
  • 7-card "Asak" suit in the 1♣︎ – 1♦︎ – 1♥︎ section — read as a 7-card suit headed by AK; confirm.
  • "Offer-to-play" bids in 1♣︎ – 2♣︎ — are they passable?

Contradictions between pages

Discuss
  • Opening ranges: the Opening Bids Overview says 1♦︎ = 9–15, 1♥︎/1♠︎ = 8–15, 1NT = 14–16 (or 13 with a 5-card suit) and 3-level preempts = 5+ cards; the opening pages say 1♦︎ = 10–13 BAL, 1♥︎/1♠︎ = 10–14 (5 cards) / 9–14 (6 cards), 1NT = 15–17 in 3rd/4th seat and preempts = 6+ cards. Which is right?
  • 1♠︎ responses: 3♥︎ is defined twice (mixed raise 6–9, and "3M = preemptive"), and 2NT is defined twice (INV with a shortage + 3♣︎ relay, and the older 3♣︎/3♦︎/3♠︎ accept/decline scheme on the 1♠︎ – 2NT section).
  • 1♦︎2♠︎3♦︎3♠︎the responses page says "bid 3NT", the 2♣︎/2♦︎/2♠︎ page says "♠︎ shortage".
  • 1♥︎1♠︎2♠︎ trial bids: 3♦︎ = values in ♥︎ and 3♥︎ = values in ♠︎ (the agreed suit) — looks shifted compared with the 1♠︎ – 2♠︎ and 1♥︎ – 2♥︎ schemes.
  • 1NT2♥︎2♠︎3♠︎0544 / 3NT = ♦︎ stopper — impossible after a spade transfer; probably copied from the heart version (5044 / ♥︎ stopper).
  • Modified XYZ, 1♦︎ – 1♥︎ – 1♠︎ – 2♦︎ – 2♠︎ (3 spades) – 3NT = 1444 — impossible with three spades; 3442 is missing from that table.
  • Modified XYZ, "3♦︎ – 4153/4063, then 3♦︎ asks" — 3♦︎ cannot ask over 3♦︎; presumably 3♥︎ asks.
  • Modified XYZ, principle 10 — the example says both "3♦︎ to hear MIN/MAX" and "3♣︎ = say MIN or MAX, then Kori relay"; which bid asks?
  • 2♥︎ opening (non-vul) 3♣︎ relay — the summary says "3♠︎ = none" but the detailed 2♥︎ – 3♣︎ section has 3♠︎ vs 3NT swapped.
  • 1♣︎1♦︎ list has no 2NT (21–22) rebid and no home for 19–20 balanced hands (only the notrump-ranges page mentions them).
  • 1♣︎1♦︎1♥︎1♠︎1NT / 2NT rebids exist only on the notrump-ranges page.

Gaps left in the original

Discuss
  • 1♦︎2♣︎2♦︎which hands splinter? how do we bid 5-5? is 3♣︎ = 5422 with 5 clubs? what do we bid after 2NT balanced?
  • 1♦︎1♥︎2♣︎2♠︎two bids are marked "ALERT (unclear problem)" — undefined.
  • 1♦︎1M2♦︎2NT relay — referenced, answers never written out.
  • 1♥︎1♠︎2♣︎ when they double 2♣︎ — the relay is off, but what applies instead is not stated.
  • 1♥︎1♠︎opener's direct 2NT rebid is never defined (only its 3♣︎ follow-ups).
  • Opener's 2♣︎ – 2♦︎ – 2M – 2NT – 3♣︎ (min) – 3♦︎ scheme lists only 5-4 shapes, so a minimum 6-4 has no slot.
  • 2NT opening: the continuation after "3♠︎ – Puppet to 3NT" is missing.
  • Preempts: the 3♦︎/3♥︎/3♠︎ opening blocks sit under the "3♣︎ – 3♦︎ – 3♥︎" heading with no headings of their own; Namyats 3NT's own meaning is not stated on the page.
  • Defensive bidding covers only advances of partner's overcall and the defence to Multi 2♦︎ — our overcall structure and the defence to 1NT are missing.
  • Competitive doubles: the 1♥︎ page defines no X over (2♣︎)/(2♦︎)/(2♥︎)/(2♠︎); the 1♠︎ page has X – HCP, GF over (2♠︎) only.
  • Slam conventions (RKCB, Exclusion, optional Blackwood, REPO-DEPO) are spread over five pages; a single page would help.

Small things to confirm

Discuss
  • General Principles #5 ("over Precision") — the opponents' Precision 1♣︎ or our own strong club?
  • #17 "0–13 points" — describes the passed partner or the opener?
  • #19 "after a 5–7(8) double" and "10–" in #20 (up to 10, or a typo for 10+?).
  • 1♠︎ opening in 3rd/4th seat "non-vul" for the good 4-card suit — or regardless of vulnerability?
  • 1NT4NT replies: "key cards" without an agreed suit — aces?
  • 2♦︎ Multi (vulnerable): are 3♥︎/3♠︎ pass-or-correct?
  • "2♠︎ – balanced without a stopper → 2NT = 4+4+ minors" — which hand bids the 2NT?

Discussion

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