Know Your System

NORTH
♠ AKxxx
♥ Kxx
♦ AJx
♣ xx
W ♠ Jxxx ♠ xxx E
E ♥ xxx ♥ Jx A
S ♦ xxx ♦ xxxx S
T ♣ Jxxx ♣ AKx T
♠ Q
♥ AQxxx
♦ KQx
♣ Qxxx
SOUTH

Elsewhere on this web site is a file describing Crowhurst responses to wide ranging 1NT rebids.
I first learnt this over 30 years ago.
It hadn't come up for a while and then the deal above or something vey close to it happened.

The bidding, with no interference, went: South 1 North 1 ♠ South 1NT(1) North 2 ♣(2) South Pass(3)
(1) 12-16 points
(2) How many points, how many Hearts, How many Spades ?
(3) I forgot we were playing Crowhurst and thought it was a weak bid asking me to choose one of Partners suits

Needless to say Partner made 10 tricks via 3 Spades, 3 Diamonds, 2 Hearts, a Spade ruff and the Queen of Clubs.

Of course it was a disaster as 4 Hearts, 4 Spades and even 3 No Trumps make.
My Partner at the time forgave me but it is a reminder that if you are introducing new conventions make sure you remember you are playing them.

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