TWO4BRIDGE

Say it ain't so .... I have to give up GERBER ? lol But seriously, your two posts ( # 15 and # 22 ) show a profound improvement for Responder describing slammish hands with one or both minors ( for 2NT auctions ).

Yes, I believe Fred Hamilton suggested that.

When using an "alternative Jacoby" , I have seen that "extras" is defined as 15+ . Alternative methods have come from Sweden: Swedish2NT or Stenberg2NT (I'm not saying they are any better than Roger's or Gwnn's ) . 1M - Alternative2NT!( which could be as weak as a limit raise ) ?? .. 3C! = any minimum ( 3D! then asks shortness; 3M would show the limit raise hand w/4 cards ) .. 3D! = "extras", no shortness .. 3H! = "extras" w/♣shortness .. 3S! = "extras" w/Diam shortness . 3NT! = "extras" w/other Major shortness .. 4-level new suit bid = 2nd 5 card suit ( ergo shortness somewhere ) So for the given OP hand: South....... North 1H - Alternative2NT! 3D! ( extras, no shortness ) - 3S ( cheapest courtesy cue ) 4C ( cue ) - 4D ( cue ) 4S! ( kickback-RKC for ♥ ) - 5H ( 2 + ♥Q ) 5S! ( K -ask ) - 6H ( no outside K's ) pass ( Opener is concerned about no outside K's; but surprise, surprise when he sees dummy's ♣ suit )

Texas Transfers are ON through 3C interference: 1NT - ( 3C ) - 4D! = Texas but: 1NT - ( 3D ) - 4D! is needed for Stayman and 1NT - ( 3D ) - 4H = natural, not a transfer.

I've seen this quoted before: " ANYTHING ..... is better than ( regular ) Jac2NT ".

Also... doorbell ... reviewing screwups on previous hand(s) .

The hand seems to be on the "cusp" . A balancing 2H should be a 6 card suit ( and here you have a very good one ) and Opening values of ~ 13-15 ( if you include "distribution points" , this hand just barely qualifies ). I'm going with 2♥ with this fine 6 card suit.

Re: Gametry with lower Bergen ( mixed raise, 7-10 hcp or perhaps Art's range ), I've proposed a Losing Trick Count gametry method where most normal openings are 7 LTC ; and a 6 LTC ( or lower ) shows "extras" 1H - 3C! 3D! ( general gametry with a 6 LTC ; says nothing about Diam ) - ?? 4H ( accept with 8 LTC or lower >> 24 - 8 - 6 = 10 tricks ) 3H ( decline with 9 LTC or higher )

And here I thought I was the only one getting a headache from those "partial" diagrams. Yes, Dummy is West and Declarer is East. You are South.... on lead with the ♥Ace.

Unusual for the minors. It is not the same with a 4th seat balance where: 1H - p - p - 2NT = natural .

If you play "systems on" over 2C interference, wouldn't you have a bid for the minors immediately ? ( It may be 2S! ).

Are you referring to Reversing Art's Bergen Raises ? If so, then 1♥ - 3♦! ( = mixed raise ) has absolutely no gametry. Do Bergen limit raises really need a gametry ? [ I guess they do these days since opening 1-bids have become weaker and weaker as evidenced in these forums ) .

I hope you are not saying that a "FP" of 3H could be a singleton ? ( I play that 3H could be as little as 2 card support and denys 4 cards in the 2nd suit, Cl ) .

( What does "FP" mean? ) Anyway, the first cuebid ( after ♥ agreed ) should be 4C ( not 4D ). Sure, the 3C SJS would imply a Ctrl or two, but 4C will leave room for Responder to show ( or deny ) a Diam Ctrl. But now it gets "sticky" . How can Opener "ask" ( RKC ) with a Sp-void ? Enter Meckwell: ... 4S! would be kickback-RKC for Hts and ... 4NT! would be Exclusion-RKC for Hts, excluding the Sp Ace . 1H - 1S 3C - 3H 4C - 4D 4NT! - 5H ( 2 - hQ ) 6C! ( cQ-ask, ie. 3rd Rnd Ctrl-ask; since 5NT=K-ask was by-passed ) - 6H ( no cQ or xx doubleton ) pass

Go ahead... and "pile on" . Good thing there aren't any "down votes" anymore. I am still writhing from the 4 that I got for mentioning a SPLINTER in the B/I . Respectively, I didn't realize you have to promise at least 5 cards for a 2/1 GF ? ( if you do in SAYC, then I apologize ). I promise 4+ cards for a 2/1 GF Response ( for ♣ or ♦ ) and of course 5+ for ♥. I wouldn't call A Q x x of ♦ holding as "weird" or "unorthodox" for a 2/1 and setting a GF immediately. And 1♥ - 2♦ - 3♦= would promise at least 4 cards in my world ( small as it may be ) . - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - And I share Hog's view regarding the prevailing condescending attitude toward the B & I's ....

Re: "Extolling the virtures.... " If playing 2/1 GF ( and I'm not sure OP was ), why respond 1♠ when you have a perfectly good 2♦ bid . If you have a 4-4 Sp fit, you will find it since a 2♠ rebid by Opener will show 4 cards but not necessarily reverse strength ( in most cases .... unless you have a special treatment to show extras ). In this case: 1H - 2D! 3H ( sets trump and demands cuebids ) - 4C ( cue, denying a Sp Ctrl ) 4NT ( RKC; partner has already denied the ♠A ) - 5H ( 2 - ♥Q ) 6C! ( 3rd Rnd Ctrl-ask; partner has already shown the ♣ K ) - 6H ( don't have it ) pass

As weak as opener is, it seems the most important information to give to partner ( after his 2/1 GF )-- sooner rather than later -- is knowledge of the 6th ♠ either by a 2S rebid or 2NT! -- whatever your agreement is .

3NT-jump was a picture bid showing 15-17 ..... ( in a 2/1 GF auction...with less than 3 cards in Opener's 1st suit and less than 4 cards in Opener's 2nd suit ) . In general: 1x 2y 2N = 12-14 or 18-19 (18-19 will bid above 3N) 1x 2y 3N = 15-17 1x 2y 2z 2N = 12-14 or 18-19 (18-19 will bid above 3N) 1x 2y 2z 3N = 15-17

1C - 1H/1S 2C - 2D! ( now Responder had an inexpensive and easy "cheapest new suit forcing " -- may be artificial; not GF ) 3D ( now partner knows I am 4d/5+c, no 3 cards in Responder's major, and can take appropriate action ) It's possible in the 1S response case that you could rebid 2NT after 2D! --- ostensibly showing a stop in ♥ ( the other major ).

Decision 1: 3NT

ditto

If both slams are making, of course the major scores better than the minor at MP. But the chances of making are better in the 4-4 or 5-4 fit ( Diam could be 4-4 ) because you have a better use of the 5-3 suit fit for discard(s)..... in this case the 2 losing ♥ can be discarded on the long ♠. Edit: I didn't see wank's post as I was typing mine..... basically, the same answer.

2♦... and then 3♦ after either 2♠ or 2♥! ( Lebensohl ) to show at least a 5d /6+c hand.

I think we are in slam territory. Doesn't 4♣! say: " I have a max pass and both 4 card majors, pick 1 ? " Not knowing what 4NT would be interpreted here as ... or 4-new suit ... or 5♣ ... or 5♠, I'll just blurt out: 6♠ ... needing as little as ♠ K-4th and ♥ A-4th and ♣ shortness.

1) This type of hand comes up frequently in the Forums. The latest was last month by CBGibson ( http://www.bridgebase.com/forums/topic/50684-what-are-your-thoughts/page__st__20 ) 2) posts # 5 ( Ron [ Hog ] ) and # 6 [ Codo ] point out that there are: " methods to separate the hands with fit for both suits from the ones with no fit and with just one fit. " I too have expressed such methods before ( ad nauseum ), but I'm especially interested in Ron's where " a 4 level bid here shows a control and support for both suits " . ( 4H! here would show a ♥ Ctrl, agreeing both ♠ & ♦ ) .... and at the same time would DENY a ♣ Ctrl ! ! I wonder what the follow-ups are ? 6Ace-RKC or just bid 6D ? because as Codo said 6D is far superior to 6S ... and RKC may force you into 6S . 3) Ron's method would also keep you out of slam when warranted. Let's say Opener was: K 9 x Q x x A K x x A J x 1NT - 2H! 2S - 3D 4C! ( advance Ctrl cue agreeing both suits ) - 4D ( waiting for another cue; assuming it is not RKC ) 4S ( NO ♥ Ctrl ) - PASS