[alibodin]

Hi,

I currently play 2M opening is weak and shows 5 of the major and a 4+ minor.

Responses are

3♣ pass or correct
3♦ inviting game in the major
3M/3NT/4M to play

Our asking bid is 2NT and our replies are simple, 3♣ 3♦ weak with that minor, 3♥ 3♠ strong ♣/♦

I would like to have the 2M be still weak and be 4+ of any other, as this will make the bid more frequent.

Is this possible and in response to 2NT there are not enough bids below 3NT to describe opener hand as there 6 permutations.

SO perhaps a simple structure might be

3♣ clubs and strong
3♦ diamonds and strong
3M the major bid weak
3oM the other major, shows 4 and strong?

Thoughts suggestions?

[Tramticket]

We stopped playing this, but our responses to the 2NT inquiry were:

3min = lower end of range and that minor as second suit.
3H = lower end of range, with both majors.
3S = upper end of range, with both majors.
3NT = upper end of range, with a minor as the second suit.

We gave this up because there is less need to preempt when you hold both majors. Where are our opponents going?

[DavidKok]

Here's a few scattered thoughts, in no particular order.

• You can fit 8 hand types in the responses after asking with 2NT without going past 3NT - 3 in 3♣, 2 in 3♦ and 1 each in 3♥, 3♠ and 3NT. If you use natural bidding, rather than relay, you can share even more information (though it's no longer measured in 'number of hand types you can show'). What you cannot do, however, is stop in 3-of-a-minor reliably and fit this many hand types. If you find the 2M-2NT; 3m-P auctions important, something has to give. In your proposed structure you give this up by rebidding 3M with several of these hands - if you're making that sacrifice anyway, you can do better by rearranging the bids.
  
• I think the goal of increasing the frequency of 2M is at least partially misguided. Adding more hands is fine, but you should add them because you expect to profit on them by preempting instead of passing. Preempting for the sake of preempting is a poor idea. Hands with both majors are particularly unprofitable, as the opponents are less likely to want to stretch to come into the auction without holding a major of their own.
  
• The critical decision for partner actually comes before opener has to make a rebid. The tricky hands for partner are those that might have game opposite the right preempt, but can't make much of anything (perhaps not even 3-of-a-suit) opposite a misfitting minimum. With Muiderberg 2's partner at least knows not to search for 4-of-the-other-major. The structure you choose over 2NT is only a partial help here - expect to miss games and to bid yourself one off at the 3-level by making this change with some frequency.

[alibodin]

Thank you both for your comprehensive answers,

On reflection we will stick with what we have saves our aging brains learning something new for no tangible benefit.

I do like what we have, last in 1st white vs. red I open 2♠ with 5 spades and 4 clubs and 5 points, overcalled 3♦ and passed out, everyone else in 3NT or 5♦

Thanks again

[mw64ahw]

If you want to increase frequency of Weak 2s then Chris Ryall's website makes interesting reading. In particular Frelling 2s can be fun, but also a challenge with the variability of outcomes more volatile.

[alibodin]

Indeed Chris Ryall's website makes interesting reading and it is where I discovered Ekren which I enjoyed playing, my partner and I tried it but memory load was high so we reverted to 2♦ weak only multi, and 2M being 5M and 4+m and weak.

[Zelandakh]

You can refine your Muiderberg response structure very slightly over 2♠ by inverting the 3♦ and 3♥ calls, meaning that 3♦ is INV+ with hearts and 3♥ is a good spade raise. I looked at some options of including both majors in the 2M openings way back but determined that the downsides outweigh the benefits. There is a good argument for ditching the (generally less effective) 2♥ opening and switching that to an assumed fit style preempt with both 4+♥ and 4+♠, particularly NV, but in the end I decided that the additional memory load was not worth it. YMMV.