dworkin

Yes, I got myself more than a bit carried away when I wrote that it was impossible to sneak in the weak notrumps with five hearts at the two-level. I am unsure it is worth it, because there is more room after a 1♥ opening than after a 1♠ opening, and because a natural 2♠ offers more possibilities of preemption. But I am also unsure it isn't worth it. It also means that the pair has to play at the three-level when opener has a spade-minor Wilkosz if 2♠ shows a misfit for spades or that the pair has to play at the three-level when opener has both majors if 2♥ shows a misfit for either major and 2♠ shows a misfit for a spade-minor Wilkosz (I was unaware of the latter structure). (But if 2♥ shows merely a misfit for hearts, 2♠ by opener should cover all spade types IMO so that the defense doesn't know it has a fit for hearts.) Opening 2♠ with a weak notrump with spades forces opener to be declarer in spades and prevents responder to play 2♥. So I think I prefer opening 2M with five clubs and a four-card major. I am afraid 2N has to be invitational opposite a four-point range, though Flannery seems to do without it, so 3♦ should ask for pattern and responder has to bid 2N also with long diamonds, praying for a maximum. So probably it would be better to open 1♣ with 14HCP, and play 2N forcing over 2M. 2♣ should then be a weak notrump with a five-card major or perhaps with six clubs (or 632K, 7222, 732K) but not with any 6331. I prefer to open as many minimum openings with six clubs at the three-level as possible. (If responder has two or more clubs, the LAW says there are sixteen or more total tricks unless the enemy has seven spades, seven hearts and seven diamonds, and the percentage action is to go as soon as possible to the three level, and you probably belong in clubs at a partial level anyway.) The main reason for lumping the weak notrumps with five spades and the weak notrumps with six clubs together in a 2♥ opening bid is to force overcaller either to bid now without knowing opener's suit or to give time to responder. A secondary reason is to allow responder to ask for shortness over a 3♣ opening bid. (Well, 3♥ after 3♣ 3♦ may be balanced or short in hearts.) and to get a slightly better picture of opener's hand if he is balanced. In fact, 2♠ as a weak notrump seems too preemptive and 2♣ as a weak notrump with a five-card major or perhaps with six clubs seems not preemptive enough. There is also the possibility of opening 2M as 10-14 with six cards, or even 2♠ as 10-14 with six spades or 10-14 with six clubs and less then three spades (six clubs and less than two spades?). Ending in a 2-2 (2-1?) spade fit could be more infrequent than unpleasant. But knowing that 1♠ is unbalanced seems more useful than knowing opener hasn't a minimum with six spades. What bothers me more in my own structure is that 2♣ as 11-14 with five clubs and a four-card major seems too infrequent, though that's no reason not to open the minimum hands with six clubs and no four-card major at a higher level.

If 2♥ should cover the minimum opening bids with six hearts and some spade hands, I would prefer: 2♥ = either 10-14 with 6 hearts or a weak two-bid in spades 2♠ = 10-14 with 6 spades When responder has a fit for spades and a misfit for hearts, he would rather end into a 3-2 heart fit with less than half the deck. But I would still prefer 1♠ and probably 3♣ to be unbalanced, to have opposite a weak two-bid in spades responder be able to raise immediately to 3♠ or 4♠, and to have opposite a weak notrump with spades the undisclosed hand declare at spades. With hearts, I would suggest a kind of Kaplan Inversion/Granville: 1♥ = five or more hearts, 10-21, maybe 5332 if 11-13 (or a bad 14) ........1♠ = the equivalent of a one-notrump forcing answer, but may have four spades ................1N = clubs or diamonds ........................2♣ = to play in opener's minor ................................Pass = 11-15 with clubs ................................2♦ = 11-15 with diamonds ................................2♥ = 16+ with clubs ................................2♠ = 16+ with diamonds ........................2♦ = good preference to 2♥, 8+ ........................2♥ = bad preference, 4-7 ................2♣ = 4S ........................2♦ = 8+ ........................2♥ = bad preference, 4-7 ........................2♠ = bad preference, 4-7 ................2♦ = 5332, 11-13 ................................2♥ = to play ................................2♠ = 4=1=3=5 ................................3♣ = 6C ................2♥ = 6H, 10-14 (may have 4m) ........1N = five spades ................2♣ = 5H4C, but not 10-14 with 1=5=3=4, or 2=5=3=3, 11-13. Forcing ........................2♦ = relay ................................2♥ = 5H4C, either 2=5=2=4 or strong ................................2♠ = 2=5=3=3, 11-13 ................................3♣ = 5H5C, weak ................2♦ = 5H4D, or 10-14 with 1=5=3=4 (so that I end in a 3-3 minor fit with 5=1=3=4 opposite 1=5=3=4 rather than 5=1=4=3 opposite 2=5=3=3) ................2♥ = 6H, 10-14 (may have 4m) ................2♠ = minimum with 3S

Since I wish to open at the two-level the major weak two-bids, the Wilkosz types and the minimum opening bids with six clubs or five clubs and a four-card major, I am unable to sneak in both the weak notrumps with five spades and the weak notrumps with five hearts. So I would suggest: 2♣ = five clubs and a four-card major, 11-14 2♦ = either a heart weak two-bid or a Wilkosz type 2♥ = a weak notrump with five spades or six clubs (could be 7222, 633K or 732K), 11-13 (with 14 HCP, open 1N) 2♠ = weak 2N = club preempt or game force in hearts or spades (so that 1♣ is always clubs or balanced) 3♣ = six or seven clubs and some shortness, 11-13 (may have four diamonds) 2♥ follow-ups: 2♥ ........Pass = to play, with either six hearts or five hearts and less than three spades or 1=4=4=4... or a yarb nonvul ........2♠ = to play opposite spades ........2N = relay, either GF, GI with spades or intending to drop opener in 3♣ if he has spades ................3♣ = 5S332 ........................3♦ = relay without 5M ................................3♥ = 5=3=3=2 ................................3♠ = 5=3=2=3 ................................3N = 5=2=3=3 ........................3♥ = 5H ........................3♠ = invitational ................3♦ = 2=2=3=6 (with 633K, show the better tripleton) ................3♥ = 2=3=2=6 ................3♠ = 3=2=2=6 ................3N = 2=2=2=7 ........3♣ = to play opposite clubs, but intends to play at least 3♠ if opener has spades (or to drop him in 3♦) ................Pass = clubs ................3♦ = 5S332

Since 2♣ seems too valuable as a minimum opening with clubs, I would now suggest to use 2♦ as either a heart weak two-bid or a Wilkosz type and 2♠ as a spade weak two-bid. 2♦ follow-ups: 2♦ = either a weak two in hearts, 5-9, or a weak Polish two-suiter with at least one major, 7-9 (if N°2 passes, it commits the partnership to the three-level when opener has hearts and a minor) ........Pass = not completely systemic, but should happen sometimes with diamonds or a bust, so that N°2 may not pass entirely safely ........2♥ = less than three hearts, to play opposite a weak two with hearts ................Pass = weak two in hearts ................2♠ = spades and another (opponents have a heart fit, and if you disclose your minor, everyone will know it) ................2N = hearts and clubs ................3♣ = hearts and diamonds ........2♠ = three or more hearts, usually two spades, to play opposite spades and a minor ................Pass = spades and a minor ................2N = weak two in hearts, or hearts and another ........................3♣ = relay ................................3♦ = minimum weak two bid in hearts ................................3♥ = minimum with hearts and spades ................................4♥ = maximum, and/or hearts and a minor ................................3N = maximum weak two bid in hearts ........................3♥ = to play ........................4♥ = to play ........2N = strongish relay ................3♣ = clubs and a major ................3♦ = weak two bid in hearts ........................3♥ = invitational ........................3♠ = asks for shortness ........................3N = to play ........................4♥ = to play ........................4♠ = to play ................3♥ = hearts and diamonds ................3♠ = spades and diamonds ................3N = hearts and spades ........3♣ = to play in something else than spades ................Pass = spades and clubs ................3♦ = spades and diamonds ................3♥ = hearts ................4♥ = hearts with extra distributional values ........3♦ = invitational in hearts and spades. Promises two hearts and three spades. ................3♥ = neg ................3♠ = neg ................3N = pos w/ 5H5m ................4♥ = pos w/ 6H ................4♠ = pos w/ 5S5o ........3♥ = to play 3♥ or (at least) 3♠. Responder may be stuck with two hearts and a two-card (or less) minor. Opener may bid four with extra distribution. ........3♠ = to play 3♠ or 4♥. Opener may bid 4♠ with extra distribution. ........4♥ = to play 4♥ or 4♠.