The "Wimpy Standard" System
A few years ago, some players who knew me socially asked if I could make time to play with them semi-regularly. They were interested in improving their games, and were willing to put many of the principles that I advocated into practice. I agreed on the condition that I not have to try to remember to play 3 or 4 different systems depending on which person I was playing with. All agreed, and thus a unified system was born. One partner might play "Wimpy Standard without Flip Flop", or "Wimpy Standard with Upside Down Discards", but the basic system was in place. For anyone who wishes to play with me, I recommend learning the basics of "Wimpy Standard". It can be modified, (i.e. adding, subtracting, or changing conventions or treatments), but it is a valuable template to initiate a partnership understanding.
In its most basic description, Wimpy Standard is a 2/1 G.F. system which combines sound opening bids with aggressive raising, competing, and balancing. The system strives to uncover situations where "double fits" exist (suggesting an even more aggressive approach) while avoiding misfits. This suggests perhaps sometimes playing in less than optimum contracts at low levels rather than attempting to improve to a contract which may (or may not) be better. Partnerships generally bid boldly when there is an expectation of a fit somewhere, and attempt to bail out early when there is evidence that the combined hands do not mesh well together. For that reason, new suits tend to be forcing, and forward-going, rather than non-forcing with an "I think my suit will play better than yours" mentality. Although some part-scores may be played in a less than optimum contract, game and slam bidding are frequently more accurate - with improved results.
I suggest reading my first bidding treatment Opening Bids to get a grasp on what I will minimally expect from a hand which opens on the 1-level. I pass a great many hands which are routinely opened by other players. I use a Quick Trick evaluation with distributional considerations on borderline hands. By opening hands using my guidelines, and learning the treatments I propose below, I believe that a large majority of players could improve their bidding accuracy, their overall results, and might just find themselves playing with me someday.