to use , as many conventions as possible . By observing directly how different techniques operate , one can learn more about the structure of bidding and thus become a more sophisticated player . In time , if progress is satisfactory , a student will discard the clearly unsound conventions and select those that have true merit . It is the spirit of scientific experimentation that causes people to use many different conventions , perhaps a different set each week .
The problem is these players will overuse whatever particular convention ( s ) they have adopted : overbid , underbid , misbid in all sorts of ways , spurred to use a conventional device when holding any hand that bears the slightest resemblance to those calling for a correct application of the relevant method . They will overuse a bidding convention on unsuitable hands at every possible opportunity .
Why do people tend to use bidding conventions unwarrantedly ? An independent study conducted by the Notrump Foundation , which studied thousands of case histories over a seven-year period , revealed those to be among the major causes include : 1 . It ' s fun to use a convention . By making a conventional call , the player may feel important . They might believe that they know more about bridge than they did before , because they have used a convention . 2 . It shows partner a convention has been remembered . Players are anxious to convince their partners they have a worthy partnership . Many feel that by indicating they have remembered a convention ( and how else can you indicate that unless you use it ?), they will raise their partner ' s respect for them . In fact , the best way to influence partner ' s opinion is by doing the right thing most often , thereby winning . Unfortunately , players who try to use too many conventions generally do not realize this until it is too late . 3 . It satisfies the player ' s curiosity about how the convention works . Most conventions , if used appropriately , will be used rarely . This unfortunate state of affairs leads to a situation in which a player ' s curiosity is built to a feverish pitch . After waiting so long to use the convention , to see what happens when it is used , the pressure builds up and it gets used at the slightest excuse .
For these and perhaps other reasons , the great majority of players tend to overuse any convention they employ . The Blackwood convention is a typical example . Almost every bridge player who knows this convention feels an urge to use it when envisioning a possible slam . Yet , this technique is correctly applied to but a minority of deals in the slam zone . In reality , it is used too frequently .
Another example is the " unusual notrump overcall ." For the information of those readers who don ' t know the mechanics of this device , the unusual notrump convention specifies that certain notrump overcalls such as :
WEST NORTH EAST SOUTH
1♠
2NT
request partner to bid one of the two lower-ranking unbid suits – in this case , diamonds or clubs . The unusual notrump bidder presumably has a two-suited hand in the two suits indicated . Thus , in the above example , West can bid 2NT to ask East for the better minor , as opposed to a takeout double , which would invite East to advance in hearts as well .
It is difficult for me to judge the merits of the unusual notrump overcall , because I have had such good results when it was used against me . Ordinarily , this would indicate the convention to be inferior . But it is not fair to judge it on this basis , for the long series of disasters my opponents have had with the unusual notrump have been caused primarily by overuse . They have overcalled the sequence with anything from : ♠x ♥x ♦K Q 10 9 x ♣Q J 10 9 x x a powerful playing hand with little defensive strength to : ♠x x ♥A x ♦A Q x x ♣K J 9 x x a hand of indifferent offensive strength , good defense , and a relative lack of interest in hearts . How could their partners possibly take intelligent action without knowing which type of hand the unusual notrump overcall indicated ? Small wonders they have guessed wrong so often . It is not enough to describe the unusual notrump overcall by saying that it shows two particular suits . Further requirements , such as the amount of playing strength and the amount of defensive strength , should be specified within limits restrictive enough so that partner will be able to take intelligent action based on the bid . And unless you adhere to these limits strictly , whatever potential merit the convention has will be lost .
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