[rbforster]

Playing 2/1, I held the below hand after partner opened 1♥:

Scoring: MP

1♥-2♣
2♦-2♥
4♥-P

---

I didn't like making a 2/1 bid with such a bad suit, but without 4 card support I didn't want to make a 2N (Jacoby) raise. Any suggestions on other ways to bid this?

In this particular case partner downgraded his minimum opening with a club void and we missed a good 6♥. He held something like

Scoring: MP

1♥-2♣
2♦-2♥
4♥-P

---

[gwnn]

You should play a 2/1 system where you can show a balanced hand with 3 card support, this will typically start with a 2♣ bid "♣'s or balanced" followed by relays or not followed by relays. There are many of these systems lurking around I think.

[Gerben42]

I will just plug in Fred's article on this subject.

Improving 2/1 GF (by F.G.)

I play a version of these methods with my regular partner and am happy with how we manage it.

As a point of interest, we have added symmetry to the structure and play:

1M - 2M+1 as balanced GF
1M - 2M+2 as "Jacoby"

This way, opener can bid the Flannery handtype cheaper if partner is balanced:

1♥ - 2♠* - 2NT = 4-card ♠

* min. GF or slammish, balanced

[Codo]

But even without any nice treatments.

You need so few cards to make slam good that he should have bid more then a lame 4 HEart.

I don't know your methods, but online I had bid 2 Spade as a Help suit. Pd had gladly cooperated with 3 Spade, showing no control in the minors but a better hand then just 3 Heart.

In my actual partnership I could have bid 3 Club as a short suit. Had helped but is not standard.

[kenrexford]

A good rule is to never leap from a GF 2♥ to an immediate 4♥ with 4 controls. Or, at a minimum, no jump if the answer would be "two with the Queen." Add a void in, and 4♥ was hopeless.

[Gerben42]

Quote

  A good rule is to never leap from a GF 2♥ to an immediate 4♥ with 4 controls. Or, at a minimum, no jump if the answer would be "two with the Queen." Add a void in, and 4♥ was hopeless.

Agree with this, but as a commentator I would replace "hopeless" with "rather pessimistic".

[han]

If you are not playing 2NT as a natural GF then 2C is automatic. Your partner should know that 2C can be bid with as little as xxxx.

[ASkolnick]

OK. You made a 2/1 game force and partner has a 4 loser hand. Using the LTC count (24-4 (his) -7 (yours)). You should make about 13 ticks. Let's assume he is worried about wasted values in clubs. He has no reason to jump. So the auction can go

1♥-2♣
2♦-2♥
3♦-3♠ (Your QJ diamonds are huge cards now, AS and no wasted clubs, you no longer have a min)
4♣-4♦

Off to the races. So I don't think it was relative that you started the auction with 2 Clubs, when partner could have kept bidding his hand out. When you show wasted values in clubs, he can give up.

[Gerben42]

Quote

Using the LTC count (24-4 (his) -7 (yours)). You should make about 13 ticks.

I love it when opponents use such arguments as an excuse for bad results. You cannot just add partner's losers to your own, the important number is how many of your losers are covered by your partner. His own number of losers is at best correlated with that.

I prefer "if a working minimum makes slam lay down, try for it". It's okay to be worried with this hand, after all if partner has ♣A instead of ♠A, you cannot afford to go past game. Luckily, this is something you can find out

[rogerclee]

4♥ is unthinkably poor.

[Apollo81]

2♣ can be bid with a variety of hands with 3-card support for the major, and doesn't promise significant club length or strength. Opener's job after 2♥ is to keep describing his own hand, so he has an automatic 3♦ call.

[peachy]

The 2C bid was not the cause of missing anything. The 4H bid was very ill-judged. Opener should bid 3D and describe his hand.

[han]

rogerclee, on Oct 20 2008, 10:51 AM, said:

4♥ is unthinkably poor.

Nono, it's "rather pessimistic".

[Apollo81]

peachy, on Oct 20 2008, 02:06 PM, said:

The 2C bid was not the cause of missing anything. The 4H bid was very ill-judged. Opener should bid 3D and describe his hand.

I don't think it was "ill judged" I think that player just does not understand how these auctions work.

[kenrexford]

han, on Oct 20 2008, 01:26 PM, said:

rogerclee, on Oct 20 2008, 10:51 AM, said:

4♥ is unthinkably poor.

Nono, it's "rather pessimistic".

[mike777]

rogerclee, on Oct 20 2008, 10:51 AM, said:

4♥ is unthinkably poor.

ditto.

[kenberg]

They say confession cleanses the soul so let me do a little cleansing. I suspect that I would, as North, begin with 1NT. Yes that bid is limited to 12 highs in theory but the QJ tight is worth 3, more than 3, because of the great fit. My plan would be that after an expected response of 2D I would next bid 4H, hoping pard can make it but not betting the house on it. If South, over 1N, is inspired to bid 3D instead of 2D we might well find our slam but it is a 27 hcp slam based on an exceptional fit. We all miss those slams sometimes no matter the system.

Feel free to tell me I'm nuts.

[Gerben42]

Quote

I suspect that I would, as North, begin with 1NT. Yes that bid is limited to 12 highs in theory

If 1NT is forcing, it doesn't need to deny a GF hand.

[han]

It doesn't need to but it does.

[655321]

kenberg, on Oct 22 2008, 08:05 AM, said:

suspect that I would, as North, begin with 1NT.

1NT is "rather pessimistic"