Fantunes’ Intermediate Two’s

When considering hands in the range of 8-11 HCP, Zar Petkov found justification for opening distributional hands expressed in a Zar points scale that included substantial contributions for shape. It is possible to define opening bids at the 2-level that accommodate these hands.  The system of Fulvio Fantoni and Claudio Nunes (‘Fantunes’) have opening 2-bids for shapely hands, but these are defined to be in the range of 10 to 13 HCP. As these hands would be opened normally at the 1-level, there are no additional hands being accommodated by this definition.  One is curious to see how this could be of value, so let’s look at some hands where such opening bids were employed without success. First, here is a hand from the 2011 Reisinger BAM finals.

 

Dealer: North Vul: None	Doub ♠   J743 ♥   7 ♦   Q92 ♣  KQ853
Nunes ♠   AQ6 ♥   J863 ♦   J8543 ♣  A		Fantoni ♠   952 ♥   AQT2 ♦   KT6 ♣  T62
	Wildavsky ♠   KT8 ♥   K954 ♦   A7 ♣  J974

Nunes	Doub	Fantoni	Wildavsky
—	Pass	Pass	Pass
2♦*	Pass	Pass	Dbl
Pass	2♠	Dbl	All Pass

The result at the other table was 3♦ making for 110, so Doub would have had to have been defeated by 2 tricks in order for Fantunes to win the board. One sees the Total Tricks (TT) add up to 17, but EW have a double fit which improves the chances for 18 total tricks. So, if 2♠ is down 2 (6 tricks), the Law of Total Tricks indicates EW can make game.  That is hardly a realistic assessment with the passed hand in the East.

In reality, 9 tricks can be made in clubs, diamonds, or hearts, so TT are 18. Should Nunes have pulled his partner’s double, and if so to what contract? I maintain that the problem was inherent in the opening bid on the given hand which has a very large departure from the expected distribution of 3-4-5-1 HCP. The departure of 13 is due to the fact that the 2 shortest suits contain 10 of the 12 HCP. EW were on track to get it wrong. As the cards lie 2NT by Nunes would have survived, even on a club lead, losing 4 clubs and the ♦A. The shapely distribution was offset by the unusual placement of the controls.  Here is a rearrangement of the HCP more in keeping with expectations.

 

Dealer: North Vul: None	Doub ♠   KJ43 ♥   7 ♦   Q92 ♣   KQ853
Nunes ♠   Q76 ♥   KJ86 ♦   AJ854 ♣   4		Fantoni ♠   952 ♥   AQT2 ♦   KT6 ♣   T62
	Wildavsky ♠   AT8 ♥   9542 ♦   73 ♣   AJ97

Now West can make 9 tricks in diamonds and hearts, while North can make 9 tricks in spades and 10 tricks in clubs. A penalty double of 2♠ is even farther offline, however, West has a hand for which the temptation of passing the double is greatly reduced.  The diamonds are rebiddable, and even a 3♥ bid has appeal. That is normal, but it is difficult to recover from circumstances that don’t fit the expectations.

 Another point to make is that the original West hand can be opened 1♦ in standard bidding and the 4-4 heart fit will not be lost, as it was after the space-consuming 2♦ bid. It is a drawback when responder hasn’t enough stuff to risk asking for clarification. If we allow a ‘light’ 1♦ opening bid on 26 Zar points, we will not miss our heart fit and will have a greater chance of landing on our feet in a competitive auction. With a lesser hand we can pass or preempt 2♦, defined as showing 8-10 HCP rather than 10-13 HCP.

With 12 HCP one is more or less obliged to open the bidding. If the system demands we open at the 2-level, we have no choice but to do so, even if the hand is not well described by one bid. It is self-preemptive, as we have less chance of being able to make a descriptive rebid. Here is an example from the 2009 Bermuda Bowl Finals.

Fantoni	Nunes	F	N
♠ Q97             (1)	♠ AT852       (1)	2♥	2♠*
♥ QJ642         (3)	♥ —	3♦	Pass
♦ KT73           (1)	♦A862          (0)
♣ A                 (3)	♣ QJ53        (1)	Lead: ♣6
Departure    8	Departure   2

 

Rodwell	Meckstroth	R	M
♠ Q97              (1)	♠ AT852      (1)	1♥	1♠
♥ QJ642          (2)	♥ —	2♦	3♦
♦ KT73            (1)	♦A862         (0)	3♠	4♠
♣ A                  (3)	♣ QJ53       (1)	Pass
Departure    7	Departure    2	Lead: ♠3

Both declarers can make game, but only Meckstroth bid game. The opening bid needs refinement in its definition, and Rodwell was able to provide that, whereas Fantunes didn’t get it together. Nunes’ 2♠ was an artificial asking bid, and Fantoni showed his second suit in a (presumed) 5-4-3-1 shape. The fact that there was little wasted in hearts didn’t come across, so Nunes passed. Spades as trumps never entered the picture.

Useful Uncertainty
The Precision 1♦ is called ‘nebulous’ because the diamonds can be short. Information concerning the relative strength of the diamonds within the context of the hand is hidden. The Fantunes 2♦ shows at least 5 diamonds, presumably the opener’s best suit, but as we have seen, even though the length of the suit is confirmed, the strength of the suit is subject to variability. Which approach is better? In the cases where the search is on for a major suit fit, starting low is better. When the nature of the diamond suit is uncertain, the uncertainty may work in the opener’s advantage in a competitive auction, as the following deal for the 2009 Bermuda Bowl demonstrates in spectacular fashion.

 

Dealer: West Vul: NS	Katz ♠   875 ♥   8543 ♦   J862 ♣   93
Nunes ♠   T2 ♥   AJ972 ♦   97 ♣   K742		Fantoni ♠   964 ♥   T6 ♦   AKQT3 ♣   J86
	Nickell ♠   AKQJ3 ♥   KQ ♦   54 ♣   AQT5

Nunes	Katz	Fantoni	Nickell
Pass	Pass	2♦*	Dbl
Pass	2♥	Pass	3♠
Pass	4♠	All Pass

Here Fantoni’s points lay in the suit he bid. Good! His 2♦ bid provoked the opposition into overbidding, the psychological advantage that such a bid may carry to overcome in part its constructive defects. Nunes has decent values, but could not see his way to doubling the final contract of 4♠, nonetheless, +200 seemed to be a decent result. Surprisingly it represented a loss of 5 IMPs. Here is the auction at the other table.

Rodwell	Lauria	Meckstroth	Versace
Pass	Pass	1♦	Dbl
Pass	1♥	Pass	2♦
Swish

Meckstroth’s 1♦ could be as short as 2. Versace conveyed his power with a 2♦ cuebid, hitting his partner’s best suit. Although the diamond support was adequate the rest of the dummy was a disappointment. Down 4 translated into a loss of 400 points … the rest is not translatable. One might say that this was a once-in-a-partnership mix-up, but problems are common in the realm of uncertainty and not always solved satisfactorily.  Both results defy reason. Opposite a passed hand Fantoni hoped his 2♦ bid would cause discomfort, and it did, but so did Meckstrorth’s nebulous 1♦, and with less risk.

The Precision system allows 2♣ opening bids with 11-15 HCP and long clubs. Originally a 5-card club suit with a 4-card major was allowed, but it has been found that the competitive auctions are better treated if one requires the clubs to be at least 6-cards in length. An alternative bid of 1♦ is available. With the Precision 2♣, 2♦ is an economical ask, whereas the Fantunes 2-level bids are disadvantaged in that regard. So the Fantunes 2♦ bid which allows 5 diamonds and 4-card major is not likely to be successful.

Directing the Wrong Lead
If diamonds are one’s best suit, then opening 2♦, as Fantunes do, should prove beneficial when they end up on defence. That may not be true in the cases where the suit is thinly stocked with honours, as in the following hand from the 2009 BB Final.

Nunes	Fantoni
♠ —              (0)	♠ 97653
♥ AQJ6         (3)	♥ 853
♦ QT764       (2)	♦2
♣ Q843         (2)	♣ AT96
Departure    7	Lead ♦2

Three Norths bid to 3NT and 3 Easts led a club, the result being down 2, -200. The exception was Fantoni. Nunes had opened 2♦ which influenced his partner to lead his singleton diamond, the result being 3NT making 4 for a loss to Italy of 13 IMPs. Generally Fantoni is committed to singleton leads in his partner’s suit (as recommend by Garozzo?) even though the opponents may hold more cards in the suit than partner does. On such a weak hand and with such a weak suit as this where the opponents are likely to bid spades, I prefer the options of passing or opening 1♥ in third seat.