[ynhhyjb]

Who has a good structure for 2N:20-21 responses? Please recommend.

[mikeh]

It would help to have some idea of your skill level. For the vast majority of players a relatively simple structure involving transfers at the 3 and 4 level would be a good start. Some pairs like puppet stayman over 2N. I won’t usually play a basic puppet over 2N…I think losing smolen is too costly but I do play a form of muppet, which covers both opener’s possible 5 card major and allows responder to show a 5=4/4=5 major hand as well.

You can find write ups of Jacoby and Texas transfers as well as puppet and muppet online.

If that’s too basic for you, i don’t know where to point you. Most expert pairs who are seriously into systems use methods of their own devising. In my main partnership we play a very complicated method. It’s so complex that I read the notes on it before any serious event we may play.

A partial summary would include, after a 2N bid:

3C is stayman. Opener’s 3D denies a 4 or 5 card heart suit or a 4 card spade suit, but may have 5S….3H by responder asks. Responders 3S or 3N bids over 3D are smolen.

The responses to stayman are 3H shows 4-5 hearts and denies spades. Responder’s 3S bid asks for heart length. 3S by opener is 4=4 majors, responder transfers to his preferred major if he’s found a fit. 3N by opener is 4S, responder can transfer back to spades

3D/H are Jacoby transfers.

3S is a relay to 3N, either to play or responder will show either both minors 5=5 or better or one minor, both gf.

3N shows some 5=4 or 4=5 minor hand with mild slam interest. We have gadgets over that

4C is 5S and 4 diamonds, slam interest

4D/ H are Texas transfers.

We play a form of optional keycard if responder shows a minor. We play a lot of asking bids by responder. For example, 2N 3D 3H…now 3S asks opener for his heart length…3N is 2….with 3+ opener bids 4C min or answers keycards with a good hand. Responder only bids 3S with slam interest…he can offer a choice of games via 3N over 3H.

There’s a lot of detail I’ve omitted since I doubt this would be of much interest to most readers. But I outlined a little of it.

2N is famously called a slam killer. I don’t accept that at all…but I do agree that most pairs bid poorly after their side opens 2N, because simple methods just can’t do a good job on a consistent basis,

[DavidKok]

Here's what I play, with some thoughts at the end:

• 3♣: Puppet Stayman (see end).
  
• 3♦: 5(+)♥, forcing to game.
  
• 3♥: 5(+)♠, forcing to game.
  
• 3♠: At least (54)+ in the minors, forcing to game.
  
• 3NT: To play.
  
• 4♣: 6(+)♥, at least mild slam interest.
  
• 4♦: 6(+)♠, at least mild slam interest.
  
• 4♥: 6(+)♣, at least mild slam interest.
  
• 4♠: 6(+)♦, at least mild slam interest.
  
• 4NT: Quantitative.
  
• 5♣: To play.
  
• 5♦: To play.

Here are a few thoughts on this structure, and advantages of them over other 2NT structures I'm familiar with:

• Puppet Stayman is probably inferior to both Muppet Stayman and regular Stayman (using 2NT-3♣; 3♦-3M as Smolen). I play it because everybody does here, and it's what I grew up playing, and the difference isn't huge. However, I think it is not best, and I'd be very open to changing this.
  
• A lot of the details are in the continuations after a Puppet Stayman or Jacoby bid, which I haven't spelled out here. I play most sequences natural on those starts.
  
• The Jacoby transfers being forcing to game is really nice. Opener completes the transfer with a fit and rejects it without one. The point is that stopping on a dime in 3M is a bad idea, even with a very weak hand, as you can't diagnose when it's right to pass 2NT/play 3M/go to game. The extra space helps a bunch if responder is stronger and you can unambiguously look for slam. It is possible to flip opener's rebids - transfer complete denies a fit and rejecting it shows one - which is basically 'mandatory superaccepts with fit'. However, I think it is worse. The space is more important on the fit auction, and we want the 2NT opener to be the first to bid the trump suit.
  
• I strongly recommend playing 3NT as natural, and not using some '3♠ is a relay to 3NT' gadget as a substitute. Artificial 2NT-3NT sequences have a huge reputation for mistakes as well as for UI of the worst kind. My own 3♠ always shows both minors, so that opener is in a good position to evaluate the hand. I know others instead use it to show either minor (rather than both), which I think is worse. Now opener has little safety in bypassing 3NT, so you don't get as much of a dialogue.
  
• The two-under transfers are nice, though not terrific. Responding one step up shows a slam-positive hand for this suit, while completing the two-under transfer instead shows a slam-negative hand.

[mw64ahw]

I like bids over a (semi)-balanced 20-21 to be game forcing, but also the ability to stop in a 3-level contract. To achieve this I play a 'reverse birthright' structure where 2♣-2♦-2♥-2♠-2N shows 20-21. Responder breaks the sequence by not bidding 2♠

The backbone of the bidding structure is a non-promissory 5-card Major ask, which will find all Major suit fits and still manage to stop in 3N when respond we had 55xx opposite 22(54).
After 3♣:
3♦ denies 5M, not 2/3♥2♠, includes 54xx & 55xx
.. 3♥ denies 4♥
.. 3♠ shows 4♥
.. 3N 44xx
.. 4m 54xx & 55xx SI. There must be a Major suit fit.
.. 4♥ 54xx & 55xx GF. There must be a Major suit fit
3♥ 2/3♥2♠ allows play in 3N when 55xx opposite 22(54)
.. 3♠ 55xx
3♠ 5♠
3N 5♥

Other bids
3♦ 5+♥ GF, includes 45xx, 6+♥ SI
.. 3♥ 2/3♥ forcing
.... 3♠ relay to 3N
.... 3N 45xx
.. 3♠ 5233

3♥ 5+♠, includes 6+♠ SI
.. 3♠ 2/3♠
.. 3N 2533

3♠ puppet to 3N to play, xx(6x), (xs)55 SI
.. 4♣ 6♣ SI
.. 4♦ 6♦ SI
.. 4♥ xs55
.. 4♠ sx55

3N xx(54) SI
4♣ Gerber CRO
4♦ 6+♥ GF, some (4432)/(4333) SI
4♥ 6+♠ GF, some (4432)/(4333) SI
4♠ some (4432)/(4333) SI
See 'Yellow Rose of Texas' for (4432)/(4333) SI hands