I found an older convention card and located in this a few scribbled notes. I'm not sure if I ever posted the idea, but I kind of like it. The idea concerned a better way to find major fits after Opener starts a strong Two Clubs and then rebids a minor.
First, after a 3C rebid, 3M promises 5+, with 3H possibly showing 5H/4S. So far, nothing exciting.
Second, after 3C, Responder's 3D is "modified Stayman." Opener bids 3NT with hearts or 3S with spades. With no 4-card major, Opener rebids 3H. This allows Responder to then rebid 3S with 5S/4H.
So, after 3C, Responder has these options:
With just five spades, bid 3S.
With five spades and four hearts, bid 3D modified Stayman and then, if necessary, bid 3S after the 3H-no-major rebid.
With just five hearts, bid 3H.
With 5H/4S, bid 3H and see if opener bids 3S.
With one or both 4-card majors, bid 3D.
The simplicity of this is the key. Everything is natural, except that Opener rebids 3NT to show four hearts and rebids 3H to deny a four-card major after Responder's artificial 3D rebid.
So, next to the 3D rebid. Opener solves the problems himself, by describing his major holdings, a reversal of roles!
2C-P-2D-P-3H = diamonds with four hearts, and might be 3451 (Responder needs five spades to introduce them).
2C-P-2D-P-3S = diamonds with four spades, with fewer than three hearts.
This eliminates some holdings from the 3D rebid. Not all that the one common method uses are included (which leaves a problem finding the 5-3 heart fit if Opener is 4351 or 4360).
Opener's 3D call, with these methods, becomes a "natural but Puppet" call. Responder can bid 3S with five spades (as usual) or 3NT with five hearts! (With five hearts and extras, a higher call would work.) With no five-card majors, Responder rebids 3H. This allows Opener to rebid 3S with 4351.
This method allows Opener to distinguish/handle the "other major" sufficiently for Responder.
2 comments:
Yours is a decent way to work with the 2C opening, unlike many of the 2C or Benjamin 2D structures out there. I have been tinkering with these responses, as well as the idea of having a 2H response to 2C as automatic with 5+H, except in the case of wanting to sign off with 5H opposite a 22-23 balanced hand. (With 6+H and a bust, it doesn't seem to lose much to force to game.) This allows 3H to always be artificial after responding 2D. Also, it alleviates the problem of 4360 and 4351; these will just rebid 3S as per your structure over a 2D response.
Other advantages are both being able to show delayed black suits and to split responder's ranges. 2C-2D-3D-3H can be two-way: club positive or bust, after which opener's 3S shows interest in the club positive while 3NT is uninterested opposite either; 3S shows 5S (though this can be swapped with the club positive in 3H for transfer purposes) and 3NT shows a smattering of values.
Even though there is a dash of artificiality, these methods seem more intuitive than control showing or double negative responses, when it becomes impossible to know if you're patterning or cuebidding later in the auction. Now if I could just find someone to play them... :)
Not bad. A lot of cures seem to come from solving a particular strain early, enabling that strain to later emerge as the artificial cover for unbiddable problem hands.
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