[Evies Dad]

This is not the usual question on raising with a 3-card suit.
More about replicating some of the structures that Responder has available to raise a major opening - Jacoby GF or Inv+ , limited Splinters, ambiguous Splinters
I hope this is not too complex for an Advanced discussion.

As an aside some of you may have views on whether there is the same need for Opener to be able to replicate some of the same structures in the context of an auction that has moved on a bid - Opener is limited in ways that Responder is not.


After 1m-1M just looking at the raises we might want to make.
Balanced - min/inv/GF
Unbalanced - min/inv/GF
3-card raise - min unbalanced
We might want to distinguish 5422 shapes from to 4M333

If we want to make room for some of these hand types we are going to have to merge or drop other bids - maybe merge some of the non-fit GF bids into a single "multi" bid


I'm looking for ideas. Are there any common treatments ?


Specific things I'd like to address.

• Is a splinter by Opener always GF
  
• Especially like not to have to rebid 1m-1M-4M with a GF balanced or semi-balanced 4-card fit as we think (correctly or otherwise) it inhibits slam aspirations
  
• I am reluctant to make 1m-1H-1S 100% forcing - so currently use 1m-1H-2S as a natural high reverse
  
• Retain where possible the likelihood of declaring in 2M - i.e. reduce the need for Responder to have to invite if Opener shows a fit

Our system is 5cM, Weak NT.
Assume 1D is a 4-card suit, but not necessarily unbalanced. 3442 we'd open 1D.
We do not open 2NT as a strong, balanced opening - so we do use the 3NT jump rebid as part of our NT tree (we handle solid minors wanting to play 3NT elsewhere)

I am aware of Transfer Walsh 1C-1R (which adds bidding paths) and Gazzilli after 1H-1S (which is less relevant).
But am perhaps looking for something more easy to plug in.
1D-1H seems especially difficult to create space.

Regards
M

[DavidKok]

There are a lot of different ways to solve this, but I'm not sure what type of solutions you'll accept. For example:

• In Dutch Doubleton, 1♣-1M; 2NT is forcing to game. This lets you compress the strong balanced raise with a non-raise. More advanced versions of DD use 1♣-1M; 2♦ as a game forcing multi-way bid to resolve strong hand types, including raises.
  
• In Transfer Walsh, 1♣-1R; 1NT can show the 18-19 NT. This frees up some jump rebids for strong 4-card or 3-card raises.
  
• In a 'balanced club, unbalanced diamond' approach opener's rebids on 1♦-1M give a lot of freedom, using e.g. transfers or Gazzilli to get more ways to raise.
  
• On specific auctions, like 1♣-1M, people sometimes use 3♦ for particular raises. You can use 1♦-1♠; 3♥ in a similar way, but don't have this option on 1♦-1♥.
  
• I don't know what you do with a strong NT on 1m-1M, but I think this might be one of the system weaknesses that you have to deal with. I found this difficult to reconcile with the semibalanced and unbalanced raises.

In short, I have a lot of solutions for you I am very happy with, but it sounds like they might be incompatible with your current system and the wish to not change much.

[pescetom]

You might like the Multirever treatment I will be playing with most partners next year, to solve some of the problems you identified after 1m-1M with a strong opening hand. It has the advantage (that you too seem to be seeking) of not requiring change to the underlying 4 card diamonds 2/1 approach. Essentially it bundles multiple strong hands (including those with fit) into the cheapest reverse available. Other reverses remain natural with Moderateur follow ups.


It's still shaking down but no obvious bugs have emerged, let me know if you are interested in details.

[Evies Dad]

DavidKok, on 2025-December-16, 08:58, said:

There are a lot of different ways to solve this, but I'm not sure what type of solutions you'll accept. For example:

In short, I have a lot of solutions for you I am very happy with, but it sounds like they might be incompatible with your current system and the wish to not change much.

Thanks David.

I don't think anything is set in stone.
We came to this from a UK 4cM mindset and haven't really got as far as embracing the advantages of unbalanced D openings.

I can look up Gazilli after an unbalanced 1D-1M and see what it might offer us.

Our 1NT rebid over 1m-1M is not a problem.
We try to funnel auctions that way Walsh style and by making 1m-1H-1S unbalanced.
We have a good 1NT checkback system. It works just as well when we open 1D as 1C.
4441 hands can be a problem.

Quite happy for 1m-1H-2S to be more than just Spades.

M

[Evies Dad]

pescetom, on 2025-December-16, 09:43, said:

You might like the Multirever treatment I will be playing with most partners next year, to solve some of the problems you identified after 1m-1M with a strong opening hand. It has the advantage (that you too seem to be seeking) of not requiring change to the underlying 4 card diamonds 2/1 approach. Essentially it bundles multiple strong hands (including those with fit) into the cheapest reverse available. Other reverses remain natural with Moderateur follow ups.


It's still shaking down but no obvious bugs have emerged, let me know if you are interested in details.

Yes please.
I'll happily have a close look.
Feel free to PM me directly.

[mw64ahw]

pescetom, on 2025-December-16, 09:43, said:

You might like the Multirever treatment I will be playing with most partners next year, to solve some of the problems you identified after 1m-1M with a strong opening hand. It has the advantage (that you too seem to be seeking) of not requiring change to the underlying 4 card diamonds 2/1 approach. Essentially it bundles multiple strong hands (including those with fit) into the cheapest reverse available. Other reverses remain natural with Moderateur follow ups.


It's still shaking down but no obvious bugs have emerged, let me know if you are interested in details.

French terminology I guess?
I use something similar, but I think Ill need to revisit to see if I have the most efficient approach

[pescetom]

mw64ahw, on 2025-December-17, 05:24, said:

French terminology I guess?
I use something similar, but I think Ill need to revisit to see if I have the most efficient approach

Moderateur is a French treatment popular in much of Europe, essentially 2NT is the negative response (I like it for the analogy with inserting moderating boron rods into a nuclear reactor, saying "calm down" ) to Opener's reverse.
Multirever is an Italian treatment bundling multiple strong hands into the cheapest reverse, expert versions can be extremely complicated but is also playable in a relatively natural manner as in my version. A lot depends upon the rest of the system (for instance, the national level players all open 18-19 balanced as 2♦ and so they do not need to handle the major raise here).
Unfortunately the two conflict somewhat, as 2NT is the negative in Moderateur but can be the positive in Multirever. I tied with unifying them in a single convention, but it is not efficient and might cause even more confusion if we are playing different combinations with different players.

[mikeh]

While I don’t have any ideas on the larger issues raised by the OP, it is possible to have opener be able to make some splinter raises without forcing to game.

1C 1S

Both 3D and 3H can be played as invitational or better. Responder signs off in 3S with a hand that would reject the invitational splinter. One can use artificiality here when responder has extras. Over 3D, 3H is gf and asking…I leave it to interested readers to develop their preferred follow-ups. Over 1C 1S 3H, use 3N

Obviously opener bids game over an attempted signoff with a gf splinter

1C 1H. Only 3D is available here and one can use 3S as the gf ask

1D 1H. There isn’t room for anything

1D 1S. Only 3H is available

This isn’t perfect. There is an advantage to forcing to game immediately. Even if one uses an asking relay, as suggested above, you’re still taking up bidding space without communicating much precise information and this can reduce the efficiency of slam sequences. And if one doesn’t use a relay…then while responder creates the gf opposite what could be just an invitational hand, opener could have extras and not have an easy way to show it. However, bidding anything other than 3M or 4M shows mild interest or better opposite an invitation. 3M rejects an invitation while 4M accepts but warns opener that responder is not interested in slam opposite a ‘normal’ gf splinter.

These sequences are rare so beware of the likelihood of a ‘forget’

Btw, a very minor side benefit…minor due to rarity…is that a 4-level splinter can be used to show gf values with a void.