Iancu - Agica system notes

♣ ♦ ♥ ♠

Introduction

This document aims to provide a complete explanation of the MOSCITO bidding system used by Stefan Iancu and Bogdan Agica. It is mainly based on Richard Willey’s and Paul Marston’s system old-notes, which have provided invaluable help.

The MOSCITO bidding system was designed to support a “Quick in - quick out” auction style. We find that placing most hands in a playable contract as quickly as possible is providing a significant tactical advantage.

Most constructive bidding is based on relays, which are designed to make the unknown hand the declarer in ~90% of the time. It’s anchored by a strong club (15+ HCP) opening, which makes room for light, constructive and descriptive opening bids.

Transfer opening bids are used (1♦ → ♥, 1♥ → ♠, 1♠ → ♦), in order to ensure the comparatively well-defined hand is exposed in the dummy.

Opening bids

Balanced hands open at least 10HCP, only with lead directing purposes. Adjustments for wildly unbalanced hands will be taken into account, e.g. Kxxxx / Kxxxxx / xx / - is an opening hand.

Opening bid	Meaning	3rd/4th Position
1♣	15+ HCP, any distribution	17+ HCP, any distribution
1♦	4+♥, ♥>♠, 8-14 HCP	10-16 HCP
1♥	4+♠, ♠>♥, 8-14 HCP	10-16 HCP
1♠	4+♦, either 6♦, or 5-4 minors, could have 6♦4M	10-16 HCP
1NT	12-14 BAL or SEMIBAL, no 5+M	13-16 HCP
2♣	6+♣, could have 4M, 8-14 HCP	10-16 HCP

Limited opening bids

1♦

The 1♦ opening bid promises at least 4 ♥, hearts longer than spades, and roughly 8-14HCP. It could be balanced, with at least 10 HCP...

Raise structure:

Bid	Meaning
4♥	To play. Could be anything.
4♦, 4♣, 3♠	SPL, 4+H
3♥	Value raise. 6-10HCP, 4+H, good ODR
3♦, 3♣, 2NT	Fit-showing jumps. 4+♥, 5+suit (2NT → ♠)
2♥	3+♥, 6-10HCP, 4♥ if low ODR

Other bids:

2♠	INV, 5+♠, 5+m
2♦, 2♣, 1NT	NAT, NF
1♠	NAT, F1
1♥	Relay

Relay structure:

:!:

1♦ - 1♥:

Bid	Meanings
1♠	0-3♠, BAL or 3SUIT or 5♥ + 4+♣
1NT	44♥♠ BAL or 3SUIT					Relay
2♣	♥+♦				Relay
2♦	♥ 1SUIT			Relay
2♥	Reverser 4♥ + 5+♣		Relay	Reverser 4♥ + 5+♦
2♠+	♥+♠ 2suit	Relay → 2SUIT	→1SUIT	55♦+♥, etc
2NT+						BAL (2NT 5332, 44♦♥, 2434, 3424)

1♥

The 1♥ opening bid promises 4+♠ , spades longer than hearts, and roughly 8-14 HCP.

Raise structure:

Bid	Meaning
4♠	To play. Could be anything.
4♣♦♥	SPL
3♠	Value raise. 4+♠, ~6-10HCP, good ODR
3♣♦♥	FSJ. 5+ cards, 4+♠, INV
2♠	3+♠, ~6-10HCP. Low ODR if 4♠

Other bids:

Bid	Meaning
2NT	INV, 5+♥ + 5+m
2♣♦♥	NAT, NF
1NT	NAT, NF
1♠	Relay

Relay structure after 1♥ - 1♠:

:!:

Bid	Meanings
1NT	BAL or 3SUIT or 5+♠ 4+♥
2♣	♠+♦ 2SUIT				Relay
2♦	5+♠ 4+♣ 2SUIT			Relay	BAL
2♥	Reverser 4♠ + 5+♣		Relay	Reverser 4♠ + 5+♦	3SUIT with ♥ shortage
2♠+	♠ 1SUIT	Relay → 2SUIT		♦+♠ 2SUIT	5+♠ 4+♥ 2SUIT

Three-suited hands with minor shortage

There are two patterns to worry about (5=4=0=4 and 5=4=4=0). They are resolved with a 3NT bid, either through 2NT (high shortage) for 5=4=0=4, or directly for 5=4=4=0. The 7-4-2-0 distribution is therefore displaced a step.

Balanced hands

Balanced hands are shown with a 1♥ - 1♠(R) - 1NT - 2♣(R) - 2♦ development. After the 2♥ relay, the whole structure is downshifted a step, due to the lack of 4♥ in opener’s hand. Thus:

Bid	Meaning
2♠	5332
2NT	4♦4♠(32)
3♣	4=2=3=4
3♦	4=3=2=4, zoom

1♠

The 1♠ promises at least 4+♦, either 5-4 minors either way, or 6+♦, and roughly 8-14HCP. It could hold 6+♦ + 4M.

Raise structure

Bid	Meaning
3♥, 3♠, 4♣	SPL, 4+♦
3♦	Value raise, ~6-9 HCP, 4+♦
3♣	P/C to better minor

Other bids

Bid	Meaning
2NT
2♥, 2♠	NAT, NF, 6+ cards
2♦	5+♠, F1
2♣	5+♥, F1
1NT	Relay, not necessarily strong

Relay structure

The 1NT response to 1♠ is F1, however not necessarily strong. After that:

Bid	Meanings
2♣	5-4 minors
2♦	6+♦		To play
2♥	6+♦ + 4♥	Relay	Relay
2♠	6+♦ + 4♠	→ 1SUIT	→ 2SUIT

1NT

The 1NT opening bid promises 12-14HCP and a BAL or SEMIBAL distribution. It cannot contain a 5M. The system is fairly relaxed on whether to open 1NT with 1 or 2 4M.

Choosing whether to open 1M or 1NT

With a good 4M, especially with a small doubleton, it’s advisable we open 1♦ or 1♥. Always open 1NT with 4333.

Response structure

FIXME

2♣

The 2♣ opening bid promises 6+♣, 0-3♦, 0-4M, and roughly 8-14 HCP.

Response structure

Bid	Meanings
2D	Relay
2♥, 2♠	F1, NAT	6+♣ + 4M
2NT	BAL, INV	→ 1SUIT
3,4,5♣	PRE

1♣ opening bid

The 1♣ opening bid is the cornerstone of the system. It shows ~15+ HCP (~17+ HCP in 3rd/4th POS). We tend to upgrade very distributional hands, and to downgrade bad balanced hands.

The response structure is based on a negative 1♦ response and transfer canape responses. Any step that is omitted denies the actual significance of that step. E.g. 1♣ - 1♠ (4+♥, UNBAL, POS) denies the significance of 1♣ - 1♥ (4+♠, UNBAL, POS), therefore implies 0-3♠.

Response structure

Bid	Meaning
1♦	Negative, 0-7HCP or 0-1CTRL, any distribution
1♥	4+♠, UNBAL, could have longer suit, could be 3SUIT with ♥+♠+m
1♠	4+♥, 0-3♠, UNBAL, could have longer suit		Relay
1NT	Any BAL, POS (4333, 4432, 5332)	Relay	4+♥, 4+♠, 2SUIT or 3SUIT
2♣	4+♦, either 1SUIT, or 3SUIT with ♣+♦+M	4+♥, 4+♦, 2SUIT	4+♠, 4+♦, 2SUIT
2♦	6+♣, 1SUIT	6+♥, 1SUIT	6+♠, 1SUIT
2♥+	♣ + ♦, 2SUIT	4+♥, 4+♣, 2SUIT

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