Re: Smolen & Puppet

On Apr 30, 3:17=A0pm, "Jim Greer" <jim...@[EMAIL PROTECTED]
> wrote:
> I have been playing Smolen for years and have never played Puppet
although=

> I'm familiar with the rudiments.
>
> Am considering adding Puppet but would like to know if there are
conflicts=
..
>
> Thanks in advance for replies.
>
> --
>
> Jim Greer
> Home: (203) 966-9469
> Cell: =A0 =A0 (203) 979-6236

I play Puppet over 2n (20-21) and over 2c-2d-2n (22-24) and use what
is basicly called Dutch Puppet stayman which I learned from the Jack
bridge program to incorparate smolen .Puppet over 1n is complicated
(see Pavlicek's websight -systems page) and I don't recommend it.
  I assume you know Puppet .In this version ,say over 2n ,responder
cannot just bid 3n without a 4 card major ,but must bid 3c (which
responder does usually anyway to find out about a 5 card major)
first .If responder bids 3n directly over 2n this shows 5 spades and 4
hearts.I also added (not in the Jack version) that if responder
transfers to hearts and then bids 3n this shows 5 hearts and 4
spades;and if instead responder transfers to hearts and then bids
3s ,responder shows 5 hearts but denies 4 spades asking opener to
choose just between 3n and 4 hearts.You have to remember all this so
you must be good at conventions.
  I played puppet stayman for years over 2n giving up smollen but
refused to play it over 2c strong.I was attracted to Dutch Puppet to
be able to use it over 2c also and still have smollen.I now play it
with 2 regular partners but again it is expensive if you forget .
  Jack uses another extension also-if responder transfers to
hearts ,opener may refuse the transfer and bid 3n instead to show that
opener has  5 spades and 2 hearts.This seems good also but I didn't
want to press my luck after getting my partners to use the rest of it.
  So don't let anyone say you can't have both Puppet and Smolen .smn