[mike777]

1nt=(2d)=3c?=p
3d?

Assume 1nt=14-16
Assume 2d=majors


1) What do YOU play 3c here to mean?
2) What do YOU think is expert standard here over 2d(majors)
3) What does 3d show here in YOUR style?

[peachy]

Most good players have Lebensohl or something on the card. Then, 3C is either constructive/inv natural or forcing natural. Some people dont have Lebensohl so 3C for them is Stayman and 3D then says "no 4-card major". Some people who don't have Lebensohl use cue as Stayman so this is then again clubs, and matter of agreement if it is forcing or just competitive nonforcing. But when 2D is "Majors", Stayman is pretty obsolete and then 3C should be natural in all cases, even without agreements.

For me
1) 3C is forcing natural
2) I think that natural is standard, but whether it is forcing or constructive/competitive is a matter of agreement. Prob 50/50. Weak club hands go via 2NT.
3) Since 2D was Majors, 3D should be natural, same as 3C is and again ,atter of agreement if it is forcing or just constructive (not weak)

[mikegill]

Normal expert standard (as well as what I play) should be to play 2M shows a good hand with the respective minor and thus 3m is NF. As for 3♦ I don't see how it can be forward-going so I would play it to be a 6-card suit (or maybe a great 5) and a doubleton club and to play.

[Phil]

3♣ is GF. 3♦ is a suit. 3M is a stop with a concern about the other major - or maybe a super hand with club support.

[bluecalm]

I think expert standard is now 2NT = lebensohl and 3♣ natural GF but it seems that more and more players go towards transfers which might be better solution.

[Mbodell]

I don't think it is standard to play lebensohl over 2 suited overcalls when both suits are known. Especially over 2♣ or 2♦ for the majors I think U/U makes more sense.

[Ant590]

I do not know what is expert standard, but I play:

dbl = points, sets up FP beneath 2NT
2♥ = weak t/o to minors
2♠ = strong (inv+) t/o to minors
2NT = Leb (Leb then 3M is showing stopper in M)
3 suits = natural & forcing

[gwnn]

3♣=GF natural (5 or more but usually 6)
3♦=natural (5 or more)

[Free]

Not sure what expert standard is (if there is one), but this is what I play:
Dbl = ready for penalties
2M = values, INV+, looking for 3NT
2NT = both minors
3m = natural NF

We play 3m NF because it puts more pressure to the opponents. They can't simply show preference at 2-level and compete afterwards.

With strong hands we pass first, let them bid their fit, and continue like they intervened naturally in that suit. Most of the time they don't go to 3-level, so no big issues there. We can even find our Major fits after this.

This has worked very well so far for us (we encounter many pairs that play 2♣ as both Majors).

[hanp]

2H = inv+ with both minors.
2S = weak both minors.
2NT and higher transfer lebensohl.

So 3C is diamonds, at least invitational, and 3D by opener shows a minimum.

[kenberg]

I won't try to give my non-expert opinion of what expert opinion is. However, my simple starter agreement looks like this: If the suit they bid shows a suit that they have, with or without another known or unknown suit, then Lebensohl is on and refers to the bid suit. In this case then, Lebensohl is off. Given that, now what is what? I do play with some people that over (2D=majors) that 2M shows the corresponding minor and is strong but I think I prefer the simple agreement that after the major showing 2D we just play 3m is natural and forcing. If so, I suppose that 3D rebid over 3C is more or less natural and awaits a stopper showing bid from the 3C bidder, with plan B as 5m, probably 5C, if the needed stopper does not appear.

It is probably too un-imaginative to have 3C show a good hand with clubs, but I like it.

[aguahombre]

kenberg, on Aug 27 2010, 10:40 AM, said:

I do play with some people that over (2D=majors) that 2M shows the corresponding minor and is strong but I think I prefer the simple agreement that after the major showing 2D we just play 3m is natural and forcing.

Does this mean 2M over 2D (Majors) is weak with the corresponding minor? Or do you just not show the weak one? And what does 2NT mean, since Leben is off according to your agreement over 2D=majors?

This is mere curiosity, not to be construed as an argument.

[kenberg]

Fair enough question. The following is fairly workable I think. After 1NT-(2D majors), a bid of 2M shows a stopper plus values. People like to get into the auction over 1NT on all sorts of junk, certainly 5-4 is pretty common, so we may want to keep 3NT as a live option. With a weak hand and clubs one can always (gasp) pass and then trot out 3C later. It gives them room to exchange information but maybe not all that much information because after 1NT-(2D)-pass, fourth hand will be bidding, say, 2H on all sorts of hands.

It would not surprise me if, over (2D), using 2NT as a minor suit take-out is more useful than natural. Definitely I think minor suit TO would be more useful than as a relay to clubs. I think I need to talk to some partners about what 2NT is.

Mike asked for expert practice and I doubt this is it. But he also asked for what we play, and this is pretty playable I think.