[relknes]

I was wondering, given that most strong club systems routinely open 11 points hands, and often open shapely 10 point hands, what responses people use when you have passed and partner opens 1M.
Obviously, you cannot force to game without a great fit. But do people still play a new suit as forcing for a round to differentiate between 3 and 4 cared support, or is it better to use 2m as a suggestion to play and just raise partner's suit with 3 card support? Or do people play 2m as some form of Drury?

[steve2005]

1N as semi-forcing
i think 2♣ crucial as rev drury.
would have 2♦ natural, so no differentiation between 3/4 card support
2♥(over 1♠) natural
3♣ as a natural invite
all other bids above 2M should be some sort of very strong raise(else why go so high) i like mini-splinters with 2N being ♣ shortage as using 3♣ natural

[straube]

We use 2M-1 as a constructive raise and 2N as a LR. FSJs, too. The difference between a CR and a LR has mostly to do with the fourth trump.

I've always wondered (for strong clubbers) what P P 1S P 2H ought really show if it's natural. What sort of hand declines to preempt 2H and now wants to mention hearts...without taking a considerable misfit risk. I suppose it could show spade tolerance. I don't know.

Anyway, this frees up 2m to usually be natural and show something like a weak 2 in the minor. Not that this is super-valuable but I'd rather trot out such a hand at the 2-level than commit to the 3-level in a possibly contested auction.

[relknes]

I like Straube's idea of using 2M-1 for the raise instead of drury, and having the 2m bids show a weak hand with a 6+ suit and no support. How is this for a response structure?

1♠ (over 1♥) = 4+, 8-11 points
1N = 8-11, denies 4 spades or 3+ support
2♣ = 5-9 points, 6+ clubs, denies 3+ support or 4+ major
2♦ (over 1♠) = 5-9 points, 6+ diamonds, denies 3+ support or 4+ major
2♦ (over 1♥) = 10+ support points, 3+ hearts
2♥ (over 1♠) = 10+ support points, 3+ spades
2M = 6-9 support points, 3+ support
JS = mini-splinter, 4+ support, 9-11 HCP and a singleton in the bid suit

As you can probably tell, we open all 12+ HCP hands. We also open 10-11 point unbalanced hands that are not 4441. Our preempts in first or second seat show a 6+ suit, less than 10 points, and follow the "Rule of 2 and 3."

[Free]

Our 3/4 seat structure is very Major oriented:
1H-1S nat
1NT up to 10hcp, no 3 card fit
2C Reversed Drury 3 card fit
2D 5OM-2M to play at 2-level
2M weak raise
2NT inv with 4+M
3M mixed 4 card raise
Fit jumps
Void splinters
1S-2H shows H without interest in S (otherwise bid 2D). It's constructive but NF.

[Zelandakh]

I play the first step (1♥ - 1♠ or 1♠ - 1NT) for all invitational hands without 4 card support and the next 4 steps are weak hands and natural (except 1♥ - 1NT is weak with spades). Bidding the relay followed by supporting Opener's suit is the system equivalent of 3 card Drury.

1♥
==
1♠ = relay with an invitational hand
1NT = weak with spades
2m = weak and natural
2♥ = weak raise
2♠ = mini-splinter in undefined suit
2NT = 4 card GF raise (rare)
3♣ = 4 card limit raise
3♦ = mixed raise
3♥ = preemptive raise


1♠
==
1NT = relay with an invitational hand
2m = weak and natural
2♥ = weak and natural
2♠ = weak raise
2NT = mini-splinter in undefined suit
3♣ = 4 card GF raise (rare)
3♦ = 4 card limit raise
3♥ = mixed raise
3♠ = preemptive raise