3m in response to the Multi

[DozyDom]

Playing a weak-only Multi 2D with one of my partners next weak & I can't seem to find a great source on what 3m should mean in response. Playing it as natural and a signoff as Bridgebum suggests seems a waste of a bid - there's no guarantee that will play any better than partner's major. Meanwhile, the last thread on multi responses that I can find ended with a post saying that playing them as natural and forcing - which I think is pretty standard never came up and they should be incorporated into some sort of raise structure, but offering no further detail.

 

Any thoughts on what is the best way of playing them?

[helene_t]

I think natural an forcing is ok. Opener then transfers to his suit and you can still stop in 3M if opener is minimum (accepting the transfer would be invitational).

 

You could also play 3♣ as the constructive raise instead of 2NT. Opener transfers to his suit except with certain maximum hands (a maximum could also start with the transfer and then bid on). If you do this, 2NT could be used as something else, maybe as a transfer to clubs.

 

3♣ as a sign off would have to mean "sign off opposite (say) hearts but invite opposite (say) spades". It is too rare that you have a sign off regardless of which suit opener holds. And if you do have 1-1 in the majors and a weak hand, sure opps will bid the major which opener doesn't have.

 

You could play 3♣ as a sign off opposite hearts: with a sign off (in 3♣) opposite spades, you can bid 2♥ and then correct 2♠ to 3♣. Of course, this doesn't allow you to invite opposite hearts at the same time.

[awm]

One fairly common hand type is a strong hand with a major of my own. It's useful to be able to offer choice of games and/or look for slam in such situations, and this might be a good use for one or both 3m bids.

 

I've seen people try the tactic of bidding their own major at the two-level expecting a correction (and then bid on) but this is somewhat risky (what if partner has the same major and passes you out? this is okay when you're pretty minimum since opponents have a contract in the other major, but not so okay when responder is very strong). It's also nice to have sequences like 2♦-2♥-2♠-3♣ available as natural non-forcing (say you have a 0247 hand for example) and the "bid your own major" method would have this as a strong hand with the rounded suits.

[sfi]

I quite using the responses described in the Wilkosz 2D convention (weak two-suiter with one or both majors):

 

2H/2S = pass or correct

2NT = forcing enquiry

3D = invitational with both majors

3H/3S = pass or correct

4C = asks for transfer to partner's major

4D = asks partner to bid the major

4H/S = to play (responder's suit)

 

This leaves 3C free, which is undefined in the published notes. It seems sensible to use this as "forcing with my own suit". Partner can then bid 3D to ask and you get to show it below game.

[pescetom]

Those still playing Multi in Italy usually play 3m as natural and game forcing with replies:

3♦ = strong with ♦

3♥ = ♥, min no fit

3♠ = ♠, min no fit

3NT = ♥ or ♠, AKQxxxx

4♣ = ♥, max with fit

4♦ = ♠, max with fit

4♥ = ♥, min with fit

4♠ = ♠, min with fit

 

As you are playing without a strong ♦ variant in the Multi then you could use 3♦/3♥ as transfers like Helene suggests and 3♠/3NT to show solid major without/with fit.

[pescetom]

Playing a weak-only Multi 2D with one of my partners next weak

Are you sure that a weak-only version is allowed?

It would not be here in Italy.

The (old) discussion below suggests that in EBU it would be allowed only at Level 4, whatever that means.

 

Relevant discussion

[helene_t]

Are you sure that a weak-only version is allowed?

It would not be here in Italy.

The (old) discussion below suggests that in EBU it would be allowed only at Level 4, whatever that means.

 

Relevant discussion

OP says UK. Weak-only multi is ok in most events.

[pescetom]

OP says UK. Weak-only multi is ok in most events.

 

The discussion I linked suggests that in UK it is not ok in most events, but is old - hence my enquiry.

[DozyDom]

The discussion I linked suggests that in UK it is not ok in most events, but is old - hence my enquiry.

Weak only multi is indeed legal only at level 4 and above, so you're correct that it's restricted, but the vast majority of events satisfy that; level 3 would disallow that, but these days that doesn't really exist as only a few clubs class events as such; it would most definitely be impermissible at level 2, but I don't intend to be playing in one of those events any time soon.