[manudude03]

---

What do you open on this hand? If you open 2C, do you rebid 2S or 2NT? There may be a part 2 later.

[eagles123]

I would open 2C and rebid 2NT, just a bit too good for 2N opening imo

in terms of rebidding 2N or 2S i don't think it's close.

Eagles

[Zelandakh]

As eagles except it is a lot too good. I would sooner treat the hand as 24 than 22.

[gszes]

22 HCP with the AK combinations making your kings almost
as good as aces 1 length point in spades and at least +1
for having all 4 aces. The absolute minimum this hand is
worth would seem to be 24 and a strong case is available
for 26. If you have never learned puppet stayman this is
type of hand where it works at its best since opening this
hand 2c and rebidding 2s just seems wrong on several levels
with this type of hand.

Given a standardish 2c system I would have a tendency to
treat this as a 24 point hand just because bidding is too
difficult at the 3n and above level. At least by starting with
2c followed by 2n there are a much greater array of hands that
can be bid with some precision that would be ignored if I were
to open 3n or 2c followed by 3n------------------------------

2c followed by 2n but not overly happy to underbid this way:)

[manudude03]

I suspected this might be close to unanimous, so here's part 2.

---

Sounds simple enough, what do you do from here? What if the minors were reversed?

[Cyberyeti]

2♣-2♦-2N-3♣-3♠(5 cards)-4♠-P

I will miss the slam with minors reversed.

[Fluffy]

its a bunch of quaks, just settle for game, it would be harder if 2NT was unlimited.

[mike777]

I will try 3nt after 2nt.

[the hog]

After the 2C 2NT, bid 3C followed by 4S.

[gszes]

the hog, on 2014-February-17, 18:02, said:

After the 2C 2NT, bid 3C followed by 4S.

I can usually follow your logic but I admit to being lost here--
I do not see the benefit of 4s specifically vs 3s especically if
using puppet. please elaborate

[rmnka447]

I also agree with the hand being closer to 24 than 22 comment. If you make the "Bergin" adjustments for As and 10s vs. Qs and Js, it would suggest the hand is worth about a 2 point increase in value.

With the responding hand, I'd Stayman after 2 ♣-2 ♦-2 NT and settle for game in ♠.

[the hog]

gszes, on 2014-February-17, 19:02, said:

I can usually follow your logic but I admit to being lost here--
I do not see the benefit of 4s specifically vs 3s especically if
using puppet. please elaborate

My shorthand. I meant
2C 2D
2N 3C
3S 4S

[lycier]

For me，2♣=22P+
For this hand,I open 2♣ -2♦,I will bid 2nt since the balance is key.

[Zelandakh]

lycier, on 2014-February-18, 03:44, said:

For me，2♣=22P+

Nice for you. For me 1♣ is 15+ if balanced so wtp? The OP plays 2♣->2NT as 23-24 so answering the question based on 22+ is not going to be useful (yes I am guilty of this too sometimes). Your problem will presumably come down the line when you have to decide if this hand is worth 22-23 or 24+.

[fromageGB]

2♣ then 2NT playing a puppet variety, 2♣ then 2♠ if not.
On the follow-up I can't bid the reversed minor spade slam. 4♣ from me over 3♠ would be showing some non-fitting hearts and looking for a slam in clubs. Maybe if I tried 4♣ then 5♠ partner might get the idea? I doubt it.

[Cyberyeti]

fromageGB, on 2014-February-18, 14:54, said:

2♣ then 2NT playing a puppet variety, 2♣ then 2♠ if not.

You don't need to be playing puppet, you can play non puppet 5 card stayman (we do).

[HighLow21]

Way too good for a 2NT opening. By about 2 or 3 HCP. This would be the equivalent of opening 1NT with a good 18 points including a strong 5-card suit.

2C followed by 2S, and my next bid is either 4S with support, or 3NT without it. I realize that 2C/2NT will be the consensus here, but I want to get that spade suit in just in case partner has 3-5 small spades, shortness somewhere, and nothing else.

[HighLow21]

manudude03, on 2014-February-17, 17:00, said:

I suspected this might be close to unanimous, so here's part 2.

Sounds simple enough, what do you do from here? What if the minors were reversed?

Looks to me like 2C followed by 2S wins?

[HighLow21]

rmnka447, on 2014-February-17, 19:42, said:

I also agree with the hand being closer to 24 than 22 comment. If you make the "Bergin" adjustments for As and 10s vs. Qs and Js, it would suggest the hand is worth about a 2 point increase in value.

With the responding hand, I'd Stayman after 2 ♣-2 ♦-2 NT and settle for game in ♠.

Bergen is great for intermediates and beginners and there's a reason he's no longer a frontrunner on the national scene anymore. Much simpler evaluation: There are no wasted points (all prime cards), there are two tens, and there is a 5-card suit. This is going to play at least 1 trick better, on average, than a poorish 22 such as: ♠AQJ3 ♥J54 ♦KQ54 ♣AKQ. (By the way, this is a hand I would open 2♣ and rebid 2NT, but expect to go down fairly often.)

Push this actual 22-count hand to the limit and insist on game!