[cwiggins]

Recently I finished going through Mike Lawrence's CD on 2/1 bidding.

After 1M (Dbl) Lawrence recommends that 2NT be Jordan, a limit (or limit plus) with 4-card support. With 3-card support, he recommends that Responder start with a redouble and then support Opener at Responder's next bid. If the opening bid is in a minor, Lawrence recommends against 2NT being Jordan. Presumably Responder starts with a redouble.

These agreements seem mostly okay. The only danger I can see is if the auction goes
1♥ (X) XX (2♠)
P (3♠)
Responder won't have had a chance to show support, which might make Opener feel very different about what to bid. If the auction starts with 1m, it would seem Responder is liklier to encounter awkwardness because of both the inability to show real raises directly (raises are preemptive) and the greater likeliehood that opponents have a fit in a suit higher ranking than the minor that Opener has.

After 1M (simple overcall), Lawrence recommends that the cue bid show 4+ card support and limit+ values. With 3-card support, you might start with a negative double and then support, or you might relax the 4-card restriction.

The methods after an overcall don't feel comfortable. After 1M, it seems right to have a way to raise with 3-card support directly.

My questions are: (1) Are these methods standard in North America? (2) Are there better methods than this for separating 3- and 4-card support after the overcall? Hopefully ones that won't severely tax memory?

Thanks for any help you can provide.

Chris

[Flame]

Hi Chris

yes there are ways to solve the problem, two ways recommanded in the partnership bidding after 1M double are :
1. save 2c for the 3 card support, the rest of the bids remain natural.
2. all bids between 1nt and 2M-1 are transfers, so the 2M-1 is showing the 3 card support.
in option 1 you lose the natural 2c, in option 2 you lose the natural 1nt.
i think both ways are good and better then redouble.
after an overcall again there are methods to distinguish the amount of support.
after 1M and overcall, 2nt shows 4 card support and cue bid show 3 card support.
After a minor opening and double you might want to play 2nt for support but after double its better stay natural.

[EarlPurple]

I play a similar method to Flame after 1M is overcalled - cue-bid is 3-card support and 2NT is 4-card support, but it also includes fit-jumps, so if you have support and a good suit you can fit-jump.

With 3-card support and a good outside suit you have to decide whether to show the outside suit with a simple overcall (and risk not being able to show support until later), or make a fit-jump (thus do you promise 4-card support or just 3?) or cue-bid (ignoring the side suit).

I think it's best to show your suit one way or another, and which one to choose may depend on situation - what is the vulnerability, what is their suit and what is yours? If your suit is hearts and theirs is spades then definitely fit-jump because it's all too likely they will bid 4♠.

[Free]

Transfer advances might be a sollution:

2♦ = good ♥ support, 3 card
2♥ = preemptive (usually 3 card)
2NT = good ♥ support, 4 card
3♥ = preemptive (usually 4 card)

[EarlPurple]

Transfer responses may have some merits but there are weaknesses, mainly the inability to show a side-suit, whether as a fit-showing response or simply because I have them.

♠xx ♥Kxx ♦AQJxx ♣Jxx

1♥ (1♠) ?

I want to be able to bid 3♦ here to show a good diamond suit with heart support, i.e. a fit-showing jump, and enough values to 3♥.

If the opps go to 3♠ partner should know what to do with:

♠Ax ♥AQJxx ♦Kxx ♣xxx (10 easy tricks after they cash the first 3 in clubs, if they bother leading one. In defence we'll take 5 tricks)

♠xx ♥AQJxx ♦x ♣A9xxx (looks shapely but we probably won't make 4H and 3S probably 2 off, 4S 3 off if they bid it).

Of course, give partner

♠x ♥AQJxx ♦Kxxxx ♣Kx

and he'll now bid 5♦ over 4♠ by them (might go down on a club lead).

[Free]

Bidding is quite simple:

1♥ - (1♠) - 2♣* - (2♠)
3♦ - (3♠) - 4♥...

* = trf ♦, weak, strong, intermediate, whatever

With a double fit, you don't have to hesitate to bid 4♥ imo.

Anyway, the example hand you give (♠xx ♥Kxx ♦AQJxx ♣Jxx) me is a GF hand, not an invitational!

[Trpltrbl]

You can play different stuff.
I still play Bergen after X, therefore 2 NT is open for balanced 3 card limitraise.
And on top of that I play Transfers after X, showing a 2 card support, and 5+ in suit transfrerred to.
So we have XX left for all 1 card support or less with 10+ HCP.
Easy, isn't it? Especially the BergenRaise, now people have to figure out at 3 level what's going on.

Mike