Defence to 1NT-ASPTRO –a reply
The recent
club website article gives an excellent exposition of the Asptro defence to 1NT,
but is, I feel, rather harsh in consigning 3 suit systems to the historical
dustbin alongside such items as the 35mm camera and the vinyl disc!
Whatever one’s chosen 1NT defence method, there is always a
faint feeling of apprehension as one reaches for the 2♣ or 2♦ bidding card over a weak 1NT opening
by the opposition. All 1NT defence conventions are less than ideal; by using a
conventional defence one leaves the comfort zone of allowing the 1NT
contract to stand (usually the approach of the majority of the field at club
level), for riskier territory. Use of one’s pet convention is likely to result
in either a pleasing Top or, hopefully less often, a costly Bottom. It is a
chastening experience to be informed by a smug opponent, as one contemplates
–200 compared to -90 everywhere else: “I only use natural bids
myself.”
Undaunted by such negative thinking, my regular
partner and I have played the 3 suit Modified Cansino defence to 1NT for several
years and it has yielded generally good results. Yes, we have experienced the
occasional 3-3 trump fit doubled and vulnerable, but at match points it is the
probability of success which counts, not the rare
disaster.
The convention is simple and runs as follows over a
weak 1NT opening, either in 2nd or 4th seat, always with
10-14 hcp:
2♣ shows a hand playable in Clubs plus 2 other suits,
and
2♦
shows a hand playable in Diamonds, Hearts and Spades.
Two of
the suits must be of at least 4 cards and the third at least 3 cards. “Playable”
means a 4 card suit with an honour or a 3 card suit with 2 honours. All
subsequent bids are natural and usually consist of “up the line” bids at the 2
level until an acceptable fit is found.
The convention is
therefore suitable for 4-4-3-2,4-4-4-1,5-4-3-1 and 5-4-4-0 hand patterns which
collectively account for about 38% of all hands, so it is not correct to assert
that 3 suit systems are too restrictive to be effective; indeed, our original
attraction to the method was because of its relatively wide application. Of
course the 38% figure includes “non-playable” hands unsuitable for the use of
the convention, or hands with insufficient or excessive hcp, but these factors
will presumably apply to any conventional defence system, 2 or 3 suited. We also
feel that Modified Cansino maximises the chance of finding a 4-4 fit in
all suits rather than emphasising the majors. A further advantage of the
convention is that the final contract is usually at the 2 rather than 3 level,
as can be the case with other systems such as Asptro.
I hope
that the above comments demonstrate that there are remedies other than Asptro
available at the convention pharmacy to alleviate the 1NT headache, and that one
or two pairs might be tempted to explore Modified
Cansino.
David Spencer