[kingtoncs]

We play Benji
2C exactly 19 HCP - response 2D relay bid, can use staymen and transfer if the rebid by opener is 2NT
2NT 20-21
2D 23+ HCP. But what is the response? I thought use 2H as a relay with less that 8HCP and 2NT with 9+ HCP.
Any views on that?

[mw64ahw]

kingtoncs, on 2026-April-04, 00:00, said:

We play Benji
2C exactly 19 HCP - response 2D relay bid, can use staymen and transfer if the rebid by opener is 2NT
2NT 20-21
2D 23+ HCP. But what is the response? I thought use 2H as a relay with less that 8HCP and 2NT with 9+ HCP.
Any views on that?

Over 2♦ 2♥ is typically the default bid and 2N with a balanced 8+ hcp. I'd bid 2♠ with 5 and other suits with 6 given the 3-level, plus 8+hcp.
2♣ 8 playing tricks versus 2♦ 9+ playing tricks is the guide I see being quoted.
Personally, I find having two strong bids inefficient given the frequency they occur.

[pescetom]

mw64ahw, on 2026-April-04, 01:03, said:

Personally, I find having two strong bids inefficient given the frequency they occur.

I would be even less diplomatic.

[blackshoe]

mw64ahw, on 2026-April-04, 01:03, said:

Personally, I find having two strong bids inefficient given the frequency they occur.

pescetom, on 2026-April-04, 14:52, said:

I would be even less diplomatic.

Romex has four strong bids: 1NT (Art, F), 2♣ (Art, GF unless 2NT rebid, not primary diamonds), 2♦ (art, F, if unbalanced primary diamonds), 2NT (GF, balanced, 25-26).

[P_Marlowe]

kingtoncs, on 2026-April-04, 00:00, said:

We play Benji
2C exactly 19 HCP - response 2D relay bid, can use staymen and transfer if the rebid by opener is 2NT
2NT 20-21
2D 23+ HCP. But what is the response? I thought use 2H as a relay with less that 8HCP and 2NT with 9+ HCP.
Any views on that?

I think your 2C is too narrowly defined.
I think it is ok to play 2C as 19/20, 2NT as 21/22 and 2D as 23+ with regards to bal. hand.
Obv. there are other solutions ... Birth Right / Kokish, that but those ranges all in a 2C opening and use
various steps to show the ranges.
https://www.larryco....es/kokish-relay

In case you wonder: I dont play Kokish, it is not worth it for us, at least at the moment, there are other areas.

If you want to keep it fairly simple, and dont have a better usage with regards to 2D, than Benji is fine.

With regards to response structure: I think it would be good to reserve 2NT as openers rebid, enabling you to
use your 2NT structure.
Also a positive response should create a force up to 4NT, ..., I guess 9+ is ok, ... you could go lower make it
7+ (30HCP should be enough to play 4NT or a suit contract on the 5 level, take your pick, your comfort level).
This means, 2H should be less than the cut off, 2S should promise at least the cut off and force at least to 4NT.

The downside is wrong sidening the major suit contracts, ...

[mikeh]

kingtoncs, on 2026-April-04, 00:00, said:

We play Benji
2C exactly 19 HCP - response 2D relay bid, can use staymen and transfer if the rebid by opener is 2NT
2NT 20-21
2D 23+ HCP. But what is the response? I thought use 2H as a relay with less that 8HCP and 2NT with 9+ HCP.
Any views on that?

I infer from your description that with 22 hcp you pass.

My initial impression that making a 2C opening bid show precisely 19 hcp was an extremely unwise, and misguided, approach but that pales in comparison to having no bid to show 22 hcp, especially balanced.


(I do realize that might be a typo, but I occasionally play a pair at the club who have a home made system that divides opening bids by a rigid hcp method. 1C showed a balanced 16-18. 1D showed 11-14 with 5+ clubs or diamonds, 5 card majors and 1N 12-14. I asked what they bid with a balanced 15 hcp, no 5 card suit. They both looked at me with blank expressions: my impression was that they’d never thought about that gaping hole in their system)

Btw, we all learn point count as our initial valuation method. Later on almost all of learn to modify the hcp method to accommodate long suits or, with a trump fit, short suits. Some go beyond rigid arithmetical methods, using ‘judgement’…which is probably really merely subconscious processing based upon remembered experience.

In any event not all 19 hcp hands are of the same real life bridge power or strength so I do suggest the you change this particular useage.