Bidding in 2 over 1

[Laplace0]

After, 1♥-1♠-pass,i had to bid with ♠xx♥Kxx♦K10xx♣AKJxx. Playing transfer advances, with 2♣,2♦ not forcing after an first level intervention,2N Jordan, 2♥ limit raise with 3 card support, no forcing bid available.

[Stephen Tu]

(1) This problem has nothing to do with 2-over-1. It's a question of best methods to advance an overcall, assuming transfer advances in effect, what the other bids should mean. 2/1 is irrelevant, that only matters when you are making a 2/1 response to a 1 suit *opening*.

 

(2) You have 14 cards in your example.

 

(3) Personally, I prefer if there is no transfer available to a suit in question, for a jump in the suit to be forcing. E.g. 3c forcing here if 2c is NF. But I don't consider this hand anywhere near strong enough to force, given that I like to overcall 1S very lightly.

 

(4) I think it's a big hole to not have a natural 2nt response available in the absence of bidding by 3rd hand, responder to the opener. You don't need that many raises of an overcall, slam is much less frequent than after an uncontested opening. Just include 4 cd raises in the transfer-raise.

[mw64ahw]

Combine 2♥ and 2NT into a single 2♥ bid with appropriate response leaving 2NT available as natural invitational

[Laplace0]

Despite (1) and (2) your comments (3) and (4) are sound and valuable. Thanks!

[Laplace0]

Combine 2♥ and 2NT into a single 2♥ bid with appropriate response leaving 2NT available as natural invitational

Thanks!

[Gilithin]

If your system neither has a way to show 13-15 with a stop and no fit, nor a way of showing clubs constructively, you should probably rethink your methods. In addition to the 14 cards already pointed out, Jordan to me means bidding 2NT after a Double to show a limit raise or better. Perhaps you would like to correct the hand and describe your existing methods in more detail if you want serious advice on this auction.

[helene_t]

I am confused, if 2♣ and 2♦ are non-forcing, then we aren't really playing transfer advances, are we?

 

Anyway, if we don't have a natural 2NT available (nor some other way to show the equivalent of a natural 2NT), assuming that we have five clubs, I would bid 2♣ or 3♣ depending on overcall style.

 

If we have only four clubs, I would probably bid 2♥ followed by 2NT if partner rebids 2♠. He might not figure out that I have this exactly, but even then we might do ok in 3♠ or 4♠.

 

A direct 3NT is also and option if partner's overcalls are not very light, but I am not sure if he will correct to 4♠ holding a 6-card spade suit and no help in hearts.

[Stephen Tu]

I am confused, if 2♣ and 2♦ are non-forcing, then we aren't really playing transfer advances, are we?

In the most commonly played scheme of transfer advances, as introduced by Rubens, transfers only start with the cue bid. I think a natural 1nt nf advance or stuff like a cheap natural 1S advance after (1d)-1h-p-? were considered too valuable to give up. So the less space the overcall consumes, the fewer suits you have to transfer to. I think the key on this auction is that 1h-2s-p-2h is supposed to guarantee 3+ spade fit and not other hand types. So natural 2nt is important to have.