[Laplace0]

How to bid the following hand ♠Axx♥KQJ9♦QJ10♣KQx after a 2/1 1S opening, considering that 2N shows a 4-card support, RKC is problematic with this D holding and 2H requires a 5-card holding?

[gordontd]

Laplace0, on 2020-February-19, 05:31, said:

How to bid the following hand ♠Axx♥KQJ9♦QJ10♣KQx after a 2/1 1S opening, considering that 2N shows a 4-card support, RKC is problematic with this D holding and 2H requires a 5-card holding?

Start by bidding 2C and then bid 3S (or raise a 2H rebid to 3H).

[fromageGB]

Easy if you play a multi 2♣ as I do. 2♣ is always followed by a 2♦ relay and then :
2M = 11/12 hcp and 3 card support, passable. All other options are GF.
3M = 13+ and 3 card support
2♥ (after a 1♠ open) is 16+ hcp with 4 hearts
2NT = 16+ hcp with a hand without 4 hearts or a 5 card minor.
3♣ = natural 2/1 in clubs, 5+ cards

The 16+ aspects are because I play a forcing NT, so a balanced hand up to 15 hcp can bid 1NT. If you prefer a non-forcing NT then your strength requirement for the bids may be lowered, but it sure helps when you get this type of hand. I feel that the solid gains given by the multi 2♣ more than offset the loss of the extra round of bidding when you actually have a 13+ with 5 clubs.

[Laplace0]

Thank you both. I thought 2♣/2♦ shows a 4+ suit and 2♥ a 5-carder. Is the proposed multi 2♣ part of a more comprehensive development?

[gordontd]

Laplace0, on 2020-February-19, 10:00, said:

Thank you both. I thought 2♣/2♦ shows a 4+ suit and 2♥ a 5-carder. Is the proposed multi 2♣ part of a more comprehensive development?

Traditionally, 3433 hands respond 2C in response to 1S, so that 2H can always show five cards or more.

[apollo1201]

Absent specific gadgets, 2C is indeed fine considering the « quality » of the suit. But with excellent H and less good C, I might consider 2H as more descriptive and a potential source of tricks despite having only 4. You can always correct back to S if partner gives you a fit and heavily insists in H. The risk is you could lose a better playing 44 fit sometimes.

[pescetom]

gordontd, on 2020-February-19, 10:53, said:

Traditionally, 3433 hands respond 2C in response to 1S, so that 2H can always show five cards or more.

Tradition aside (I am no fan of using 2NT as 4-card game forcing rather than 4-card invitational) and believing that 2H should always show five cards in any case, I think a semi-artificial 2C response is ideal here because it enables us to use a successive 3-level major fit as a display of potential slam interest, inviting a control-bid.

[fromageGB]

Laplace0, on 2020-February-19, 10:00, said:

Is the proposed multi 2♣ part of a more comprehensive development?

No, that's it in its entirety. It is just another convention you can agree with a partner. However, the benefits are large, because when you do bid 1M 2♦, or 2♣ then 3♣, opener knows you have a 5+ card minor, and when you are in slam zone 6m scores better than 3NT. On this particular hand, a rebid of 2♥ to show 4 cards and the 16+ count, followed by 3♠ over say 2NT, gives partner what he needs to know. Often it can be tricky to know both hands are medium strong that together make slam, when neither party is strong enough to look unilaterally.

You will cue if he supports hearts, and otherwise when you bid 3♠ he is strongly encouraged to make a cue bid. However, if he just bids 4♠ (or non-serious 3NT), even though you are stronger than you have shown, I would pass on the view that if I were in his shoes and had 2 aces and the ♠KQ I would be making a cue bid.

[helene_t]

2♣ with this specific shape, but otherwise showing 4+, is quite normal. You do that in SAYC and Acol also.

In Lawrence's style, a natural forcing 2NT is available, so then 2♣ would be unbalanced, 5+ unless 1444.

[Vampyr]

helene_t, on 2020-February-19, 17:09, said:

2♣ with this specific shape, but otherwise showing 4+, is quite normal. You do that in SAYC and Acol also.

In Lawrence's style, a natural forcing 2NT is available, so then 2♣ would be unbalanced, 5+ unless 1444.

Another possibility that some friends of mine really like is to play a jump-shift in the other major to show a GF 3-card raise. (Playing Acol. Probably too space-consuming in 2/1GF, though it does tighten up your 2/1s.

[msjennifer]

Sir,Lawrence 2NT response takes away too much bidding space.We always respond 2C whether playing 2/1 or SAYC.Makes things far too easy if one really has the concept of constructive bidding when the response is 2C.How the further auction proceeds is already elaborated by other valued posters.Pairs may also treat the 2C response as Reverse Drury if they find it more comfortable.Thanks.

[bluenikki]

Laplace0, on 2020-February-19, 05:31, said:

How to bid the following hand ♠Axx♥KQJ9♦QJ10♣KQx after a 2/1 1S opening, considering that 2N shows a 4-card support, RKC is problematic with this D holding and 2H requires a 5-card holding?

A 4333 hand with slam interest can never take command except in a relay system. If you use rkc, for example, your subsequent placing of the contract would be a wild stab.

Do any of the proposed methods let partner know you are *this* strong?

[Zelandakh]

bluenikki, on 2020-February-20, 09:44, said:

Do any of the proposed methods let partner know you are *this* strong?

Several do. Soloway Jump Shifts contain big balanced as one of the hand types. A Baron 2NT response is a similar alternative. Some modern experts use a version of this with 1♥ - 2♠ and 1♠ - 3♣ becoming their game forcing raise. This a pretty good alternative if you want to keep your 2/1 auctions pure, which does in turn help partner make sensible decisions more often.

[bluenikki]

Zelandakh, on 2020-February-20, 10:40, said:

Several do. Soloway Jump Shifts contain big balanced as one of the hand types. A Baron 2NT response is a similar alternative. Some modern experts use a version of this with 1♥ - 2♠ and 1♠ - 3♣ becoming their game forcing raise. This a pretty good alternative if you want to keep your 2/1 auctions pure, which does in turn help partner make sensible decisions more often.

Yes, we play 2NT response for 16+ hands with no 6-card or 5-5. Artificial replies. (Opener can take over.)

But I thought we were alone.

[miamijd]

2C is the textbook response. Then you bid 3S next round to show the strong hand.

If you play Gitelman-style responses (where all 2/1 responses over 1M show legit 5-card suits), then you bid 3NT with this hand showing a balanced hand with 3-card support and 16-18.

Honestly, this 6-loser, 3-card support hand isn't nearly as good as it might appear. If partner doesn't have better-than-minimum hand, 3NT is likely your best spot (particularly at MPs).

Cheers,
Mike

[fromageGB]

bluenikki, on 2020-February-20, 12:02, said:

Yes, we play 2NT response for 16+ hands with no 6-card or 5-5. Artificial replies. (Opener can take over.)

But I thought we were alone.

That multi-2♣ shows both the 16+ and the 4 hearts, even better.

[Laplace0]

Thank you all; very helpful!!