REVIEWS

Workbook on the Two Over One System by Mike Lawrence

Reviewed By Alan Shook

In this book, Mike Lawrence has written not a 2/1 system reference but rather, as the title implies, a guide to help the reader sort through the pertinent issues and craft a playable 2/1 dialect reflecting his own preferences.

This book is best read with a favorite partner. The partnership will need experience playing a 5 card major system such as SAYC or other Standard American dialects and be looking to refine their agreements into a playable 2/1 system. A set of system notes, perhaps as simple as an ACBL convention card, is a useful complementary document to guide a discussion of the points Lawrence makes.

The second chapter contains a list of the "must" questions to be answered, reflecting the various 2/1 dialects. In this chapter, Lawrence poses the questions, offers the possible answers, explains the extended implications and the advantages and disadvantages of each. For example, he addresses the question of "is a two-over-always game forcing or are there possible exceptions?" by presenting these examples:

Here he says, by making 3§ forcing, the partnership can conduct a delicate cue bidding auction ending in the very good Grand Slam. If 3§ is not forcing East could not bid 3§, resulting in wasted space or distorted shape.

He goes on to show the downside to the 100% game forcing agreement. Lawrence's position is that if 2§ is game forcing, then 3§ must be weak and preemptive and 1NT (forcing) followed by 3§ must be used to show an invitational hand. He makes a set of recommendations but his reasoning and the explanation of the interrelationships between the answers exemplifies his approach throughout the workbook. In the end, a partnership can use this book to work out a set of agreements confident that the crafted agreements are consistent and complete.

This work is typical of Mike Lawrence's writings. It is not meant for a casual read. It will require an active participation of (preferably) a partnership, but a reward the readers will have a foundation for building a bidding system that is playable and sound.