starryone

I am the partner of EarlPurple on playing this system and usually we do well but get into confusion sometimes about the strength of bids and we missed 2 games contracts today by this confusion. When opponent bid over 1♣ pass 1♦ they bid 1♠ and if opener has 4 hearts do you bid 2♥ or double for take-out, and which is stronger? I think 2♥ should be stronger because responder can more safely go to 2NT with spades and not hearts and over double can go to just 1NT. I think for a beginner they can simplify the 2 level and use 2♣ to show all the strong bids and no weak ones 2♥ and 2♠ as regular weak 2. You did not put the meaning of those bids in the system but we play they show 5-5 hands that suit and a lower one. The disadvantage is now you cannot use that for medium-strong hands, and I think it is good that 1-level bids are not too wide a strength. We had an auction last week that went 2♦ then opponent bid 3♦ and I had 7 spades and bid 3♠ intending to be sign-off if partner has the likely weak 2 in hearts, which partner did and 3♠ went 1 off for average but not sure what to do if I have a hand that wants to compete to 3♠ opposite weak 2 in spades or 4♥ if partner has hearts or something else if partner is strong. Should I double or should that be penalty which is normal when opponent calls over a pre-empt. Our opening bids are sound so usually we do not open with weak 11 points or even weak 12, so not a big problem of the 1NT rebid being too wide, it is normally 13-15 or a good 12 and we open on 11 only with distribution. 1♣ opening can often be canape After 1m 2♣, 2NT looks like it should be balanced and minimum, and 2♦ and 3♣ should show a long suit that goes with the major. There are also bids of 2♥ and 2♠ available. 2♥ can be maximum balanced, 2♠ maximum unbalanced then go on. Yeah we still have not shown a suit if we bid this. This is starting to get more artificial too. I do like having a game-force bid though and if 1NT is sign-off what can you do for an invitational value bid? 2♣ response might not show a suit but does deny 5 card major, and 4 card major over 1♣, and opponents like to come in with majors so it's good we know our strength in values at least to know we should own the hand.