[hylins]

Using Multi-2♦, a hand with 5-5 in Majors and 7-10 HCPS has several approaches to do the weak preempt bidding.
They are:
1) bid 2♦
2) bid 2NT
3) bid 2♠ to show a 5-card ♠ suit and a 2nd 5-card suit

However, each one of them has problems such as: too many meanings in 2♦, need to find a new bid for 20-21 balanced NT hand, a response of 3♥ may be too high and still not the best match.

A new and better approach has been found. That is to use 2♥ showing a 5-card ♥ suit and a 2nd 5-card suit.

In the case,
a) when the responder has 3+ cards ♠, 2♠ will be bidding.

The opener will continue bidding as below:

2♥ 2♠ (3+ cards ♠. Ask for the 2nd 5-card suit and more)

2N 3-card ♠ (3550 or 3505, just in case the responder has 5-card ♠)
3♣ 5-card ♣
3♦ 5-card ♦
3♥ 5-card ♠, Max
3♠ 5-card ♠, min


b) when the responder has less than 3 cards ♠, 2N will be bidding.

The opener will continue bidding as below:

2♥ 2N (less than 3 cards ♠, Ask for the 2nd 5-card minor suit)

3♣ 5-card ♣
3♦ 5-card ♦
3♥ 5-card ♠

[awm]

1. What does opener bid with 5♠+5♥ after 2♥-2NT?
2. What does responder do with a pattern like 2-2-4-5 or 2-1-5-5? Obviously if opener has a minor you want to play there (maybe even in game) but if opener has both majors you want to play in two of the right major? Is this even possible?

I know plenty of people who play 2♥ as "hearts and another" but their 2♠ bid is "to play if opener has both majors" and very non-forcing, which seems quite different from what you propose.

[mw64ahw]

Canape overcalls (not takeout shape) work well for me aka The Overcall Structure. I've also modified this to include Weak2s. e.g. Over 1♦
2♦ Weak2 Major
2♥ 45xx or x4x5 c.f. Frelling 2♥
2♠ 4xx5
2N some preempt

[hylins]

awm, on 2026-January-27, 03:38, said:

1. What does opener bid with 5♠+5♥ after 2♥-2NT?
2. What does responder do with a pattern like 2-2-4-5 or 2-1-5-5? Obviously if opener has a minor you want to play there (maybe even in game) but if opener has both majors you want to play in two of the right major? Is this even possible?

I know plenty of people who play 2♥ as "hearts and another" but their 2♠ bid is "to play if opener has both majors" and very non-forcing, which seems quite different from what you propose.

1. 3♥ to show 55 Majors, Responder picks better Major or any appropriate bid.
2. One should PASS if not having enough strength to bid or search for a game. Therefore, any bidding after partner's prempt bidding is F!, the old fashing way.

[hylins]

mw64ahw, on 2026-January-27, 05:02, said:

Canape overcalls (not takeout shape) work well for me aka The Overcall Structure. I've also modified this to include Weak2s. e.g. Over 1♦
2♦ Weak2 Major
2♥ 45xx or x4x5 c.f. Frelling 2♥
2♠ 4xx5
2N some preempt

Personal preference is bidding with 55, not the aggresive 45.

[mw64ahw]

hylins, on 2026-January-27, 06:38, said:

Personal preference is bidding with 55, not the aggresive 45.

As an opening preempt/overcall an 'Ekren' style 2♥ overcall can be on as little as 44M with well defined follow-ups after 2N. Shape is much dependent on vulnerability though.

You could play a conservative Frelling approach for opening preempts. I.e
2♦ (5x)5x
2♥ 55xx, x5x5
2♠ 5xx5, 6xxx
You lose the weak 2♥

[awm]

hylins, on 2026-January-27, 06:33, said:

1. 3♥ to show 55 Majors, Responder picks better Major or any appropriate bid.
2. One should PASS if not having enough strength to bid or search for a game. Therefore, any bidding after partner's prempt bidding is F!, the old fashing way.

You will often have one of the following though:

1. A hand where you have about half the values and can make a game if there is a fit, but where you don't want to get too high otherwise. For example:

♠KQxxx ♥Kx ♦Axxx ♣xx

If partner has five spades and five hearts, you can make game pretty easily (say ♠JTxxx ♥Axxxx ♦x ♣Qx). But if partner has hearts and a minor, you'd much rather play 2♥ than three of anything. A similar thing is possible (but less likely) in a minor suit.

2. A hand where you are quite short in hearts and have enough points that the opponents probably cannot make a game. For example:

♠KQx ♥x ♦KJxx ♣Kxxxx

It would be rather silly to play 2♥ in a 5-1 fit when you have an eight or nine-card fit somewhere else. The points are pretty evenly divided and there's no big major fit, so the goal on these hands is to try to get a plus score; this is a lot more likely if you play in a strain where you have the majority of the trumps.

[mw64ahw]

hylins, on 2026-January-27, 01:58, said:

However, each one of them has problems such as: too many meanings in 2♦, need to find a new bid for 20-21 balanced NT hand...

You can put 20-21 through 2♣ using reverse 'birthright' with 2N becoming a ♣ preempt or 55 in the Majors. You can then use 3♦/3♥ to show relative strength in the Majors. 3♣ becomes 55 in the minors.