[P_Marlowe]

2C is probably the simples lie, you can always
convert to diamonds.

The alternative would be to hide the diamonds fit
entierly and bid 3NT, showing 13-15 bal (unless this
gets shown by a 2NT bid already, I seem to recall
this meaning as well, but 10-12 bal. is also quite often
taught).

With kind regards
Marlowe

[P_Marlowe]

Codo, on Jun 20 2007, 02:19 AM, said:

<snip>

For all the guys who invite a two club bid:
How do you proceed after:

1 ♦ 2 ♣ 2 ♦? Is 2 Heart now stopper asking or showing?
or 2 NT? Does this really promise stopper in both suits?
3 ♣? Which game will you reach?

Yes, you survived this round but you will get problems in the next one.


Of course there are many hands, where you need a forcing minor suit raise, but I would have no problem with this hand: Too balanced and too weak for a slam try on my own and in that case 3 NT is the place to play.

I believe you are talking about

1D - 2C
2D

the next bid is 3D, establishing the
fit and creating a game force.

Of ourse partner will play me for
3 diamonds and 4/5 clubs and not
the other way round, but ...

With kind regards
Marlowe

[P_Marlowe]

Fluffy, on Jun 19 2007, 03:53 PM, said:

Stephen Tu, on Jun 19 2007, 08:21 PM, said:

Under the given conditions, I don't understand why anyone prefers 1♥ to 2♣.  If you bid clubs first, if partner starts going nuts raising you it's easy to get back to diamonds on the same level.  What is the gain in bidding 1♥?

you gain space to investigate diamond slam whenever partner doesn't have 4.

but the gain of space gets countered by the gain of
safety. I can always convert to diamonds without
raising the level, but this is not true for hearts.

With kind regards
Marlowe

[helene_t]

jillybean2, on Jun 19 2007, 10:04 PM, said:

Ok, so the next obvious question is what DO serious players play? Do you just keep adding on conventions?

Serious partnerships play more conventions than those included in SAYC.

Most have a forcing raise of a minor suit. Not all. Dany Kleinman doesn't like inverted minors.

Two serious players, forming a non-regular partnership, might agree not to play any forcing raise of the minors. Playing limit jump raises is considered inferior by most, but it's simple, and if you don't have months to discuss system you'll have to concentrate of the essentials. Forcing minor suit raises don't come up that frequently, and the follow-ups are less standardized than those in SAYC.

[skjaeran]

Gerben42, on Jun 20 2007, 09:49 AM, said:

To respond to Jillybean's question "what DO experts play?", the answer is that they will add SOME conventions. Inverted minors happen to be standard practice (and this hand is a big commercial for inv. minors!), for example, as is some kind of New Minor Forcing or Checkback Stayman.

Some add more conventions than others.

Agree with Gerben.

I play 1m-2m as GF and 1m-3m as preemptive. Hands with support between these ranges, that can't be shown as balanced NF, thus needs to be bid in a different way. I use 1♣-2♠ and 1♦-3♣ to show an unbalanced or semibalanced raise with (8)9-11(12) hcp. Suit lenght required of course depends upon minimum lenght to open 1m.