I really like the comments, you've got some really great ideas and you sparked a number of good thoughts. I am anticipating transfer acceptance is NF in my thoughts below, so after 1D-1M-1NT responder will give diamonds preference normally.
Kungsgeten, on 2014-November-17, 06:23, said:
Do you intend to play 1D-1H; 2D as non-forcing? If it is, then this may be better?
1D-1H;
2D = Minimum heart raise (perhaps 10-12) or GF raise with 3 hearts.
2H = Medium heart raise, like 12--14
2NT = GF heart raise (extras with 3 hearts, but non GF, and 6 diamonds go via the diamond transfer)
3H = Max non-GF heart raise, 15--17
Yeah, 2D as NF is the intention - the theory being responder is well positioned to select the contract particularly if it's 3 card vs 4 card raise (any hand with a 3 card raise has to have 5 diamonds, so he can safely play in an 8 card minor fit rather than a 7 card major fit if he so judges). I'm a bit stuck on resolving this, for partner getting to have two ways to raise was the primary value add of the methods and as a result he's going to get to make the final decision on what two ways to raise he would like to have. I anticipate that he will want to bid a bunch of hands with both and see what he thinks before we land in a final spot, but indicatively we've got good-bad.
This is a shame as the GF raise with 3 hearts in 2D is clever. I will float this with partner as you can easily pattern out. It also solves (many) of the problems in the table (see table at the bottom). I think if we commit to raising on 4, this is an easy addition.
Good suggestion with the GF heart raise in 2NT there - do you take the singleton self splinters out and put them in this? Then you could make the splinters void splinters, and use 3C as an ask for the singleton shortness after 1D-1M-2NT.
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I'm thinking that medium hands should be able to show their support at the 2-level, and that max (non-GF) hands could show it at the 3-level (with an option for diamonds) if there's not enough space at the 2-level. Something like:
Transfer to clubs, then 2 hearts: Medium 3-card heart raise, pattern out
Transfer to clubs, then 3 diamonds: Maximum 3-card heart raise, pattern out
This is very clever - I was initially afraid of losing strong 6-4 minor hands, but I really like this. Incidentally, when you say pattern out.. what for? After the sequence 1D-1H-1NT-2C-2H responder can surely place the final contract with his next bid (maybe you need 3H as a re-invite to bid the slim games). There is a 91% probability that partner is exactly 5 diamonds, 4 clubs and 3 card support with a stiff in oM. Surely now anything else is a slam try.
edit: Derp, what do we do with a stiff club and 4 spades.
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You'll have to create your own logic, but I think that being able to show four intervals would work:
- Minimum (if 3+ support, support directly via transfer to the major)
- Medium (direct support with 4, delayed support with 3)
- Max non GF (direct support with 4, delayed support with 3)
- GF (two bids depending on 3 or 4-card support
I think this makes a lot of sense, and I really like it, but I am stuck on where do we put the GF 3 card raise in the structure if I want to keep 1D-1M-2D as NF? I guess I'm happy to bury some of them. Often I think 3NT is going to be the play to play rather than 4-3 fit, and if opener has just finished describing his hand exactly we want it on the table in 3NT, but any auction that starts with a club transfer is going to have the closed hand relaying to the open hand if 3NT is the final spot. I actually have this concern generally with auctions that go
1D-1M-1NT-2C-3 card raise bid, because we've wrong sided NT. Not sure.
There are really 4 shape buckets as I see it:
All hands with 4 card support - partner is very strong on the view that these must raise directly, so I must allocate them all to direct raise, which is fine. (there are four sub types here, which is 6 diamonds, 4 clubs, 4 oM and 4441 hands, which I shall pretend do not exist).
6 diamonds 3 card support hands
5 diamonds, 3 card support, 4 oM
5 diamonds, 3 card support, 4 clubs
And 4 strengths of raise as you outline: trash, real opener, max, gameforce. So 16 hand types (well, ideally 28 but not sure I can squeeze everything in).
I'm just trying to jam everything in as we speak!
4 6 w/3 5 with 4oM 5 with 4 clubs
Trash 2D xD-P 1S Xfer clubs, pass
Opener 2M xD-H 1S Xfer clubs, bid 2H
Max 3M ??? 1S Xfer clubs, bid 3D?
GF 2NT 2NT Bid 2S Xfer clubs 3H?
As you can see from the table, not sure what to do with a big 15-17 hand with 3 card support and 6 diamonds. I think I just jettison the ability to show that with precision, and split it into cruder ranges, real opener, and near game force. Partner can always disambiguate over 1D-1M-2NT though it may leak some information if 3C is an ask with a better than minimum, whereas 3D is p/c and 3H is weak to play (responder can just raise to four with a GF).
I hate the strong 5 diamonds, 4 clubs, 3 hearts hands though because I feel like we are going to be wrong sided 3NT a lot.
I think the value of your proposed 3 card game force raise going through 2D is apparent here, because the following is possible:
4 6 w/3 5 with 4oM 5 with 4 clubs
Trash 2D xD-P 1S xC-Pass
Opener 2M xD-H 1S xC-2M
Max 3M 2NT 1S xC-3D
GF 2NT 2D-3D 2D-2oM 2D-3C (look ma, we haven't wrongsided 3NT!)
Still wrong sided 3NT a lot though, but much nicer. And we've still got the splinters to use for.. something. God knows what. I think you've sold me on the 1D-1M-2D GF w/3 concept.
Help
Now responder requires four card support to raise spades, otherwise he must bid 1NT (non-forcing), 2C (game forcing?), 2D (preference), 2H (I guess invitational since you have a weak jump shift available over 1D) or 2NT/3D (invitational). So: