[jillybean]

Im trying to play 2/1; inverted minors, 4 way transfers and no other gadgets so far.

I have modified my openings and will more often than not pass with a reasonable 11 count. Having passed originally I often have doubts how I should respond if partner opens the bidding. 2nt can be too much after a 3rd seat opening and 1nt not enough. This is of course also a problem playing sayc.

In writing this I think the answer is to continue to improve my hand evaluation skills and to add Drury
http://homepage.mac....ions/Drury.html


Any other suggestions? Im convention wary as the more I add the more I seem to forget.

[awm]

Remember that a 1NT response to 1M in 2/1 can be a pretty good hand; even as a passed hand you can respond 1NT with up to 11 points without a fit. This bid is usually called "semi-forcing" -- partner is allowed to pass with a rock-bottom minimum (including any hand he wouldn't have opened in first chair) but will bid on with hands like a balanced 14 (or make a natural bid with unbalanced hand of course). So after Pass-Pass-1M, you are safe to bid 1NT on virtually anything without a fit (including "almost opening" hands). Partner will fairly often pass if opening on third chair garbage, and otherwise you can try 2NT next or raising partner's rebid.

As for responding to one of a minor, I recommend playing "systems on" and not doing anything different from what you would do if you were not a passed hand. There are a few things that might be worth mentioning. While inverted minors are still on, Pass-Pass-1m-Pass-2m is exactly a limit raise, since you won't really have a game force as a passed hand. So partner can pass it with a minimum, and bidding on should show a bit extra. Similarly Pass-Pass-1♦-Pass-2♣ is not game forcing (regardless of whether you play it game forcing by an unpassed hand, it can't be game forcing by passed hand) and it should show some maximum passed hand with a club suit (keep in mind partner can pass, so 5-6♣ and 9-11 hcp is typical). Of course, partner can pass your 1M response if you are a passed hand (Pass-Pass-1m-Pass-1M-All Pass). Some people do this too frequently; I recommend only passing with exactly three cards in the major and a balanced 12-count or worse hand (otherwise there is a chance of playing in a 4-2 fit and/or missing a game, and opponents usually don't let you play 1M on an 8 or 9-card fit unless you're missing a game anyway). Finally, it makes sense to consider what is Pass-Pass-1m-Pass-2M? Obviously "strong jump shift" doesn't make a whole lot of sense because you would've opened! While "weak jump shift" might be possible (depending on how you play the point range), a lot of weak jump shift hands would have opened a weak two bid. It is popular to play this call as "fit showing" with five cards in the bid major and four cards (some play three) in opener's minor suit. These are hands that can easily make game on the double fit opposite three-card support and don't want to bid 1M and hear partner pass (for example ♠AQxxx ♥x ♦xxx ♣Axxx is a really good hand opposite a 1♣ opening from partner and makes game pretty easily opposite something like ♠Kxx ♥Axxx ♦xx ♣KQxx that might pass the passed-hand 1♠ bid).

[P_Marlowe]

Hi,

The only real problem occurs after a 1D opening
and you happen to hold bal. hand with 11HCP and
with 4 or 5 clubs without 4 diamonds.

Any other hand, will be able to find a bid, either a
suit response on the one level, an inv. raise or a
forcing NT response.

As it is, this hand type is awkward anyway.
One possible solution is to agree, that minor suit
openings in 3rd seat dont differ from minor suit
openings in other seats, in which case you can
respond 2NT.

With kind regards
Marlowe

[kenrexford]

The most powerful hands that you will have, where danger is present, is when you have either an unbalanced hand or a fit enhanced hand. Therefore, it probably makes sense to use some of the space available with jumps to handle these hands.

For example, a passed hand jump to 2♥ after a minor opening could either be used as a fit-showing bid OR as both majors and some range. Similarly, 2♠ could also be a fit-jump or both majors and a stronger range. If both majors, my preference is 2♠ as a max pass with 5♠/4-5♥ (2NT asks clarification of heart length and strength). 2♥ lighter with 5♥/4-5♠ (same 2NT but spade length instead). four/FOUR/five/FIVE.

2NT after a major typ. minors.

2♠ after 1♥ spades+minor works.

3minor after 1♠ as fit or as ♥+min.

Stuff like that.

With the balanced max pass, let partner do the work.

[fromageGB]

Adam's answer makes a lot of sense.
I would add that I prefer not to play light 3rd hand openings, so with a 5 card minor will respond 2/1 to a major opening. This is obviously invitational and not game forcing. Otherwise "system on" with a flat 11 responding a forcing next step (or forcing NT).

If you are allowed to play a multi 2♦ in your jurisdiction, you should investigate that. I bid 2♦ with a 6-10 count 6 card major, and 2♥/♠ with an 8-11 count 5 card major. (11 count 6 card majors are opened one.) This may be too staid for people who prefer weaker 2 bids, but takes all the problems away and makes life easy for partner.