[Phil]

So one of my ftf pards and I have dropped 1M - 2N as a GF balanced hand. I have him convinced to go with 2♣ as clubs or GF balanced.

Do any of you have a simple method here? I play something with Gnome that's OK, but I wanted to get some other ideas.

[Echognome]

Simple route:

Responder bids 2NT at his next turn (if a legal call) if he has the balanced GF. All other bids are natural.

In order to handle the rest, you have to tell me what 2NT+ mean in your system.

[awm]

How about a transfer-based approach like:

1♠ - 2♣:
---> 2♦ shows 4+♥
--------> 2♥ shows balanced hand "relay"
--------> Else natural with clubs, 2NT normally singleton ♠
---> 2♥ is balanced or 6+♠ or 5♠/4+♣
--------> 2♠ shows balanced hand "relay"
--------> Else natural with clubs, 2NT normally singleton ♠
---> 2♠ shows 4+♦
--------> 2NT balanced or 1435 usually not 4♦
--------> 3♣ natural 6+♣
--------> 3♦ sets diamonds (4+♦)
--------> 3♥ pure hand with round suits
--------> 3♠ sets spades
--------> 4-level agreeing spades, implies real clubs
---> 2NT+ are natural, pure hands with a lot of extras

[kenrexford]

I think simple works:

2♣ = clubs or balanced or support for the major

Opener's bids are normal, except that 2♦ by Opener is either diamonds or balanced also (hence, 2NT is BIG balanced).

Responder bids normal now, as well. If he has trumps with partner, he bids 2M. If he has a balanced hand, he bids 2NT or 3NT, as appropriate.

If the auction is 1M-P-2♣-P-2♦-P-2NT, Opener can raise clubs or rebid diamonds or anything else logical.

There's more to this, but you just kind of have to think through the auctions.

[hanp]

Try to get a copy of mikeh's relays. They might not be easy but they are based on the fibonacci numbers so you can't go wrong.

[paulg]

Our methods are based on Ambra, that can be found on Dan's system page.

[david_c]

Probably the simplest is just to have a 2♦ catch-all and otherwise natural bidding.

Personally I think it's very important to have a way to distinguish strength, as this is very difficult to achieve by purely natural bidding. The simplest method I know of that does this is as follows:

2♦ = any minimum
2♥ = max, precisely 5 M, not 4 OM
2♠ = max, 4+ OM
2NT = max, 6+ M
3♣/3♦ = max, good 5-5

You can revert to natual bidding after that; alternatively after 1M : 2♣ , 2♦ you can do something like this -

2♥ asks (including any balanced hand) :
... 2♠ = precisely 5 M, no other 5-card suit
... 2NT = 6+ M
... 3-suit = 5 cards
2♠ = artificial GF showing real clubs
2NT = three-suited short in M (maybe not great clubs)

and again this allows a quick return to natural bidding.

[benlessard]

You can think about 2C as fit or balanced, and use 2nt and 3 level bids to show GF with clubs.

[mikeh]

hanp, on May 19 2009, 02:54 PM, said:

Try to get a copy of mikeh's relays. They might not be easy but they are based on the fibonacci numbers so you can't go wrong.

I wouldn't recommend the relays I played to anyone but a hardcore partnership....you would need many hours to learn them, and would need (if you are anything like me) to spend hours before every tournament going over them again. I'm not sure I have them electronically anymore... I have them hardcopy so could scan an email to anyone seriously interested.