[han]

In the US (I don't know where you are from David) an artificial 2C response is also not legal (in general convention chart), but you can get around this. 2C would be natural if it promises 3+ clubs. If you are 11-12 balanced without 3-card support (not sure if Ben includes this in 2C) then you always have 3 clubs, and when you have a 3-card limit raise then you usually have 3 clubs (almost always over 1H, as you have at most 3 spades). With less than 3 clubs, either overbid or bid a non-forcing 1NT. (of course, you can also "psych" a 2C response, but this seems unethical to me as you are knowingly "violating" a rule)

Funny consequence is that 1M-1NT-2m-3M shows at most 2 clubs!

[mr1303]

David is from sunny Manchester, like myself. We're limited by the EBU orange book, and as most of the competitions we play in are level III, this is even more strictly controlled.