[jillybean]

Hi, for those who missed the exciting last boards Zia-Rosenberg and Meckstroth-Rodwell I caught this little gem from one of the commentators, Debbie Rosenberg.

debrose: Rosenberg believes it is wrong to rebid 1N with a small doubleton on the side, and is better in the long haul to raise with three card support
debrose: With Qx and three bad trumps, I think he chooses 1N
debrose: I usually play the same style

Scoring: IMP

1♦:1♠
2♠

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[mikeh]

While I am not about to say that Zia and Rosenberg are 'wrong' in this approach, Debbie Rosenberg also mentioned that both of them got their early serious bridge training playing rubber bridge, and in rubber bridge, the key is to keep it simple...usually very few conventions are used, so one would not find partners using any form of new minor or checkback. Hence there would be extreme risk of missing 5-3 major suit fits if one did not raise with the given hand.

And Debbie also pointed out that one's early experiences tend to stay with one.

There is a spectrum of thought concerning a raise of a major response. Many weak no-trumpers require 4 card support because the 1N rebid shows 15-17 (if 1N opening is 11-14 or 12-14), and the single raise always delivers extras...if minimum hcp, then shape, if balanced, then a strong notrump.

And even some strong notrumpers require 4 to raise, and many require either 4 or a weak hand with a stiff on the side... and then we find the Zia-Rosenberg style....and none of these is 'right'....each approach can work well in the context pf a carefully thought out method...