mgoetze, on 2011-July-17, 02:52, said:
I don't think 1NT as 13-15 in a standard or 2/1 context would be a very good idea.
I am not so sure about this, theoretically I can see a lot of advantages of 13-15. But OK, nobody play it so it probably
is a bad idea.
For one thing, the 15-16 balanced hands are awkward in competitive auctions and by opening 1NT with 15 you have solved more than half of those problems.
Another thing is that if you play 12-14 in 1st/2nd then you really should be playing 14-16 in 3rd/4th. This is because the whole point of opening a weak NT opposite a passed p is to bid game when p has a maximum pass. But this is complicated, playing 13-15 throughout is easier.
You will obviously lose on the balanced 12-counts this way. But I am not sure the loss is that great. The standard bidders open a nebolous 1m which is of course less vulnerable to preemption than a pass but still quite vulnerable. The weak notrumpers open 1NT which is obviously a winner 1st seat white and probably a winner overall, but when holding a balanced 12 count at red I am not unhappy playing a system that doesn't force me to open 1NT.
The world would be such a happy place, if only everyone played Acol :) --- TramTicket