We currently open 1♠ lightly and therefore when responder has 3♠ and an invite, we regularly end up going down in 3♠. Therefore I have been thinking some time about a system in which responder can show an invite and still stop in 2♠. On the other hand, I also want to try some GF relay over major suit openings for some time now. I recently read an article over transfer responses to an 1♠ opening, which seemed to fit nicely with my objectives. I started to think of a system based around this and this is what I came up with. 1♠: 11-19 HCP 5+♠ (we use a strong 1NT and most 15-17 balanced hands with 5♠ open 1NT) -1NT: 6+♣ / (semi)-balanced / GF relay, any strength -2♣: 5+♦, any strength (usually 6+ if weak) -2♦: 5+♥, any strength (usually 6+ if weak) -2♥: 3+♠, 10+HCP -2♠: 3♠ (or bad 4), 6-9 -higher: some other hands, any suggestions? 1♠-1NT: -2♣: 4+♥ / 6+♠ / some strong hands -2♦: 4+♦ -2♥: 4+♣ -2♠: 5(332) 12-14 -higher: some other strong hands 1♠-1NT-2♣: -2♦: relay -2♥: 4♥, possibly invite and singleton ♠ (since if they relay, they would be stuck after 2♠ response). Maybe also some 2-suited GF hands with ♣ and ♥? -2♠: would give preference to ♠ if opener has 4+♥ -2NT: invite, short ♠, not 4 ♥ -3♣: to play -higher: some GF with clubs 1♠-1NT-2♣-2♦: -2♥: 4+♥ -2♠: 6+♠ -higher: the strong hands 1♠-1NT-2♣-2♦-2♥: -2♠: GF relay (responder would have bid 2♠ before if he wanted to give preference) -2NT: invite -3♣: invite -3♥: invite -other: some GF with clubs 1♠-1NT-2♣-2♦-2♠: -2NT: GF relay (responder would not have relayed with an invite if he has short ♠) -3♣: invite -3♠: invite -other: some GF with clubs 1♠-1NT-2♦: -2♥: relay (responder can't have long ♥, since then he would have transfered to it) -2♠: preference -2NT: invite -3♣: to play -higher: some GF with clubs 1♠-1NT-2♦-2♥: -2♠: minimum, now 2NT is GF relay and 3♣ invite -higher: GF 1♠-1NT-2♥: continuations here are a bit more difficult, but at least we have found a big fit if responder has ♣. Maybe we should limit 2♥ more? : -2♠: preference -2[notrump]: invite -3♣: to play -higher: GF 1♠-1NT-2♠: -2NT: invite. Unfortunately we can't show an invite with 6+♣ anymore here. Maybe we should drop it from the 1NT response and bid 3♣ immediately? -3♣: to play -higher: GF A system over the other responses to 1♠ should be developed as well, but it seems that those easier and this post is already quite long. I would like to know what you think of a system like this. Have you maybe even seen or played something like this? What could be problematic hands? Do you have any suggestions? Note that I don't have to worry about regulations much: almost anything is allowed here. Any help is appreciated.
