[han]

Here is my latest update for a structure that uses 1D-1M-2C as either natural or strong artificial.

We open 1NT with 14-16 HCP.

We rebid 1NT with most minimal hands without 3-card support (we always raise with 3), and bid 1D-1M-3C with minimal hands and 5-5 in the minors. The jump rebids of 2NT and 3m are used to describe 3-6 hands and 6+ hands resp. with 14-16 points. 1D-1M-2C is forcing with one of the following:

1) 5-4 or better in the minors, 14-16 HCP.
2) 3-card support and 17+ support points.
3) Strong, may be 17-19 balanced.

Responder bids:

2D: waiting.
2M: 5-card major, really bad hand (at most 7 points). Opener will usually pass, but may bid a non-forcing 3C, or try for game with 2NT, 3M or 3D.
2oM: 8-10 points, denies a 5-card major, either balanced or clubs. (3C is nonforcing)
2NT: 8-10 points, good stopper in the other major. denies a 5-card major. (3C is non-forcing)
3C: 5+ clubs, no five card major, really bad hand. (Opener can usually place the contract)
3D: 4+ diamonds, no five card major, 8-10 points.
3M: very good 6+ major, 8-10 points.

The idea is that responder bids 2D as much as possible with good hands, so that opener can pattern out. Over 1D-1M-2C-2D:

2M: 3+ support, 17-19 support points, may be balanced. Any bid by responder is GF except 3D.
2oM: strong, artificial. (may be both minors)
2NT: 17-19 balanced, 2 cards in responder's major.
3C: 14-16, 5-4 or better in the minors.
3D: 17+, 6+ diamonds.
3M: 3-card support, 20+ support points.
4M: splinter in the fourth suit.

[pclayton]

Hans:

Sounds a lot like Cole (although I havent played Cole; do you know how it differs?).

What is 1♦ - 1 maj - 2N? Is it like Ben's strong raise?

[inquiry]

pclayton, on Feb 25 2005, 11:12 AM, said:

Hans:

Sounds a lot like Cole (although I havent played Cole; do you know how it differs?).

What is 1♦ - 1 maj - 2N? Is it like Ben's strong raise?

Yes, 2C forcing 2D is basically cole treatment. In cole, the 1D-1M-2C can be real clubs, can be big balanced, but can also be 3 card support weak (simple rebid 2M over 2D).

Thus with cole, 1m-1M-2M is always foru card support, and next step is a relay. I am not certain if 1m-1M-2NT is actively described in cole. My impression is that it should show very good 4 card support.

Here is a link to a short discussion of cole.
http://www.reginabri...ions/cdcole.txt

[han]

Thanks for the link, that was very interesting. Though we don't play quite the same, it has a lot of similarities. For us, 2C always shows a fairly strong hand (it doesn't in Cole). If it is a 3-card raise, then it shows 17+ support points. If we have both minors then it shows 14+ points. We also bid this way with various other strong hand, including balanced 17-19.

We were experimenting with various ways of responding to 1D-1M-2C, and we found that the best way is to bid 2D with most hands, to give opener the chance to show what kind of hand he has. In this respect it is very similar to Cole. I think that there were versions of K-S where the 2C rebid was also used as forcing.

We indeed free up the 2NT rebid, but we use this to show 3-card support and a 6+ minor. Ben uses 2NT to show strong 4+ raise, and bids 3m with the 6-3 hands, but we bid 3m with 14-16 HCP and a very good suit. I don't know what Ben bids with that, probably 2C?