[Siegmund]

In a non-2/1 context, I like Bergen much better than any of the off-the-shelf alternatives.

I do think there is room for fine-tuning it: I prefer to have the cheapest jump show the 6-9 4-card raise with a singleton somewhere, and either have another call for the 6-9 4-card raise with no shortness or just allow those flat hands to respond 2M. I also like having two strengths of splinters available.

After a double or as a passed hand, I am torn as to whether fit-jumps or Bergen, or some sort of half-and-half arrangement, is better. (And I'd MUCH rather have Bergen on in 3rd and 4th than be forced into giving up two bids for 2-way drury.) Perhaps one can have the best of both worlds as a passed hand: 1S-2NT as an artifical raise, 1S-3new as a fit-jump usually with 3-card support.

I gather a lot of 2/1 folk like to use the jump shifts to 3m to take some invitational hands out of the 1NTF response (the hands that once would have responded 2m and rebid a nonforcing 3m.) Playing non-GF 2/1s that is pretty much off the table.

[Vampyr]

Siegmund, on 2012-January-08, 18:59, said:

After a double or as a passed hand, I am torn as to whether fit-jumps or Bergen, or some sort of half-and-half arrangement, is better. (And I'd MUCH rather have Bergen on in 3rd and 4th than be forced into giving up two bids for 2-way drury.) Perhaps one can have the best of both worlds as a passed hand: 1S-2NT as an artifical raise, 1S-3new as a fit-jump usually with 3-card support.

You can use 2NT and 3♣ as any fit jump or any mini-splinter, respectively, for example, and still have 3♦ and 3♥ available. I wouldn't like to force to the 3-level without 4 trumps though.

[Zelandakh]

Perhaps this is misplaced in B/I but I think a nice alternative to Bergen is:-

Over 1H
=======
2S = mini-splinter or in-between splinter
2N = GF raise
3C = limit raise
3D = mixed raise
3/4H = preemptive
3S = void splinter
3N = spade singleton splinter
4m = singleton splinter

and

Over 1S
=======
2N = mini-splinter or in-between splinter
3C = GF raise
3D = limit raise
3H = mixed raise
3/4S = preemptive
3N = void splinter
4m/H = singleton splinter

How effective Bergen is is to some extent dependent on how advanced your opponents are. Weaker opponents tend not to compete enough against 2M, especially at MPs. I do think Bergen (or an equivalent such as above) is a winner overall though.

[mycroft]

1) I like 1M-3M preemptive. If I can get it without Bergen, so be it. If I need Bergen for it, that's okay, too.
2) I like 1M-3m Bergen, because that way my partners can't play them as WJS. It's not, I think, the best use for those calls, but I know that WJS isn't - especially the way "generic partner" plays WJS into the minor.

[TWO4BRIDGE]

Zelandakh, on 2012-January-09, 08:29, said:

Perhaps this is misplaced in B/I but I think a nice alternative to Bergen is:-

Over 1H
=======
2S = mini-splinter or in-between splinter
2N = GF raise
3C = limit raise
3D = mixed raise
3/4H = preemptive
3S = void splinter
3N = spade singleton splinter
4m = singleton splinter

@ Zel ... Some questions:

-- You seem to be showing the ♠-singleton TWICE ??
....... a ) with the direct 3NT-jump over 1H open and
....... b ) with 2S!( jump) - 2NT! ( asks ) - 3C/3D/ and 3H! = ♠ - singleton

EDIT: I see it now. 3NT! and 4m! must be "maxi-splinters" .

-- Am I interpreting this correctly:
........ 1H - 3S! = void "somewhere"
........ 3NT!( asks ) - 4C/4D and 4H! = ♠ - void

This post has been edited by TWO4BRIDGE: 2012-March-11, 10:10

[Cthulhu D]

Lots of people around here play them, but most are not playing 2/1 GF. My view as a beginner is that I do not like them with 2/1 GF because it means 1NT probably needs to be forcing. Playing a 14-16 NT and with the jump shift being the invitational hands, most hands that cannot force to game or make one of the invitational moves can be safely passed without much risk of missing a game. We play 1M - 2NT as limit plus, and 1M-3M as a bit less than a limit raise with 4 card support.

[Zelandakh]

TWO4BRIDGE, on 2012-March-11, 08:38, said:

@ Zel ... Some questions:

-- You seem to be showing the ♠-singleton TWICE ??
....... a ) with the direct 3NT-jump over 1H open and
....... b ) with 2S!( jump) - 2NT! ( asks ) - 3C/3D/ and 3H! = ♠ - singleton

EDIT: I see it now. 3NT! and 4m! must be "maxi-splinters" .

-- Am I interpreting this correctly:
........ 1H - 3S! = void "somewhere"
........ 3NT!( asks ) - 4C/4D and 4H! = ♠ - void

Yes, the direct splinter bids are normal splinters (min GF or willing to bid again beyond 4M) and going via 2M+1 is either invitational or "in-between", that is ~16-19 or so support points. This gives a continuous range for splinters from invitational hands all the way to slam forces (although the latter might choose to go via 2M+2). Your reading of 1♥ - 3♠ is also correct (and naturally 1♠ - 3NT works the same way). The 4♥ rebid shows a spade void and a minimum game force (normal splinter); with the stronger splinter type and a spade void then 4♠ or higher may be bid.

[CSGibson]

I play Bergen raises if my partner wants to play Bergen raises, and I play something else if partner wants to play something else. I don't have strong feelings about it one way or another - my feeling is that when one of those specialized jump shift bids come up, we should be getting a good score, and I've found that to be the case for fit jumps, Bergen raises, and for intermediate (invitational) jump shifts, so I don't have a strong feeling between the three.