[kenrexford]

Some friends of mine are playing a somewhat unusual style of Strong Club where a 2♦ opening shows 11-15 HCP with six diamonds. Apparently, this can feature a 4-card major. I am not vouching for the convention. However, they had a sequence to 3NT last night where they both had a four-card major, and yet no one ever mentioned this fact (despite both having an arguable opportunity to do so). When the auction was over (result was fine), I noted that their approach probably needs some means of locating possible 4-4 major fits. (They always ask me for suggestions, so I was not being rude.)

Anyway, when they asked me how to do this, I was stumped.

Does anyone have any experience with this sort of opening and how to unwind a possible 4-4 fit?

[awm]

kenrexford, on 2012-June-29, 07:50, said:

Some friends of mine are playing a somewhat unusual style of Strong Club where a 2♦ opening shows 11-15 HCP with six diamonds. Apparently, this can feature a 4-card major. I am not vouching for the convention. However, they had a sequence to 3NT last night where they both had a four-card major, and yet no one ever mentioned this fact (despite both having an arguable opportunity to do so). When the auction was over (result was fine), I noted that their approach probably needs some means of locating possible 4-4 major fits. (They always ask me for suggestions, so I was not being rude.)

Anyway, when they asked me how to do this, I was stumped.

Does anyone have any experience with this sort of opening and how to unwind a possible 4-4 fit?

Sam and I play the same opening. Our continuations are like this:

2M = 4+ in major, forcing one round, at least invitational
.... 2S over 2H = natural 4-card suit
.... 2N = minimum hand with at most doubleton M (now 3C is GF artificial continuations as 3D-3N below, 3D/3M are NF invites)
.... 3C = 3-card support for M (now 3D/3M are NF invites, 4D is slam try in diams, other suits are cues for M)
.... 3D = GF, maximum, club control, at most 2M
.... 3H over 2S = natural 4-card suit with max values
.... 3M = Hx in M with max values (not a normal "raise"), GF
.... 3N = maximum, stopper in OM, no club control, less than 2M
.... Jumps to 3S/4C/4D/4H over 2H or to 4C/4D/4H/4S over 2S = 4-card support showing max/min and high/low shortness
2N = constructive or better diamond raise
3C = natural and GF
3D = preemptive raise
3M = single suited GF with a very good suit
3NT = to play

Obviously we can miss major fits when responder is too weak to invite; this is a general problem with playing intermediate 2m openings, but you get a lot in terms of preemptive and descriptive value in exchange. Note that even if 2m denied a 4M you could have this problem on 5-3 fits (and probably even 6-3 fits, assuming you don't play 2M drop-dead which creates a huge number of other structural issues). However, we don't really miss major fits on game-going hands, and we have managed to also check back for side-suit controls (which tend to be more important when we are bidding 3NT hoping to run a diamond suit, rather than on two flat hands).