[Zelandakh]

You could also combine that with Frivolous/Serous, Don. For example:

1♠ - 2NT;
3♦ - 3♥;
====
3♠ = heart shortage (then 3NT is a slam try; 4♣ asks about clubs; 4♦ asks about diamonds; 4♥ asks if heart is singleon or void)
3NT = club shortage, bad hand (then 4♣ asks about hearts; 4♦ asks about diamonds; 4♥ asks if club is singleon or void)
4♣ = club shortage, good hand, no heart control (then 4♦ asks about diamonds; 4♥ asks if club is singleon or void)
4♦ = club shortage, good hand, heart control, no diamond control (then 4♥ asks if club is singleon or void)
4♥ = club shortage, good hand, heart and diamond controls, singleton club
4♠ = club shortage, good hand, heart and diamond controls, club void

That gives the auction
1♠ - 2NT;
3♦ - 3♥;
4♥ - 5♦;
6♣ - 7♠

Again, the key feature is that North can find out about the heart situation and then follow up with an Exclusion ask.

[TWO4BRIDGE]

Zelandakh, on 2012-December-10, 02:06, said:

You could also combine that with Frivolous/Serous, Don. For example:.......

Brilliant.... as usual .... thx Zel.
I did have concerns about the "strength" issue.

I was hoping for an "improvement" from you eventho it competes with your mini/maxi splinter gadget.

ps: There must be a similar treatment for the 1H open.....
but I'm thinking 1H - 2S! = Jacoby .... in order for Opener to show a 4 card Spade side-suit BELOW the 3H bid .

[ahydra]

TWO4BRIDGE, on 2012-December-10, 08:25, said:

ps: There must be a similar treatment for the 1H open.....
but I'm thinking 1H - 2S! = Jacoby .... in order for Opener to show a 4 card Spade side-suit BELOW the 3H bid .

Indeed I wonder why not 1H-2S = Jacoby (similar to how some people play 1H-3S is any singleton / any void, cf. 1S-3NT). I guess if you do actually have a weak/fit/strong/whatever jump-shift in spades you've now lost it and most people aren't happy to give that up. I know my partner wouldn't be.

ahydra

[ArtK78]

I have posted the system of major suit raises that I use a number of times. Without going into detail, 1♥ - 2♠ is a heart raise of invitational or better values either balanced or a mini- or maxi-splinter. Opener relays to find out. Use of the 2♠ heart raise cedes control of the auction to opener.

1♥ - 2NT is Jacoby, and responder takes control of the auction.

Over spades, the auction 1♠ - 2NT is the invitational or better raise of various types and 1♠ - 3♣ is Jacoby.

[Zelandakh]

Similar to Art, I use 1♥ - 2♠ for the same as 1♠ - 2NT, and so on up in steps (with 1♥ - 2NT and 1♠ - 3♣ as the GF raise). The reasons for 2NT being the good raise over either major suit opening are essentially historical, because that allows the rest of the bidding to remain as natural as possible. If you do happen to play that 1♥ - 2♠ is a weak jump shift then that is a good reason for keeping 2NT as the strong raise over either major suit opening; in most other cases I think it is simply better (theoretically at least) to use 2♠ over 1♥. Note that Fred has suggested using 1M - 2NT as a balanced GF and for 1♥ - 2♠ and 1♠ - 3♣ to be the strong raise. That works too but needs a little more work since the structures have to be slightly different.