[jillybean]

pescetom, on 2026-March-20, 07:00, said:

I for one play ambiguous 2♣ and 2♠ that can be 2 card support: I don't see any contradiction between the two treatments, although I agree that 3 card support is playable and has its merits.

What type of hand would you bid 2♠ on after 1♠ 2♣ 2♥?

[mikeh]

jillybean, on 2026-March-20, 10:45, said:

What type of hand would you bid 2♠ on after 1♠ 2♣ 2♥?

This is a difficult sequence in standard methods. After 1S 2C 2 D, one can play that 2H is just a noise…it might show hearts but it denies 3+spades and the ability to make any other descriptive call, such as notrump, rebid of clubs, or raise of diamonds.

But after opener rebids 2H, the only potentially artificial call available is the unwieldy 3D bid.

I don’t have this problem in my main partnership, although avoiding this issue is not cost-free. But in other partnerships 2S is ambiguous.

[DavidKok]

It depends on your partnership priorities. I think using 2♠ as 'can be doubleton' is playable, though it combines poorly with my Maas 1♠-2NT. I think when playing J2NT the 1♠-2♣ sequence denies (or tends to deny) 4(+) spades, so that responder can have at most 3. This likely makes it less economical to reserve the 2♠ rebid for showing a 3-card suit.

I'll share my personal meaning of responder's rebids here, but rather than just stating it outright let me go in order. I reserve major suit bids for confirming a fit, so 2♠ is 3(+) and 3♥ is 4(+). Rebidding the clubs shows 6(+). What hands are still stuck for a rebid? At most 2 spades, 3 hearts, 4 diamonds and 5 clubs (as well as the rare 5(+)♦6(+)♣ hands) - '2345 minus a card'. These have to be divided between 2NT and 3♦ - I leave the jump rebids of 3♠ and up idle¹. It might make sense to say that 2NT is balanced and 3♦ shows x=y=4=5, but actually I permit 2NT on some x=y=4=5 hands as well to save space. So 3♦ shows 4(+)♦, 5(+)♣ and shows doubt about strain - with 4=6 in the minors I would rebid 3♣, but with 5=6 I'd introduce the diamonds - while 2NT is usually balanced (meaning 2=3=4=4 or 2=3=3=5) but can be 1=3=4=5 or 2=2=4=5 in a suitable hand, leaving extra room for opener to pattern out.


I imagine that in a system where 2♠ can be a doubleton the immediate higher bids are much more tightly defined, and opener can confirm the 6-2 fit more easily.


¹Technically they are allocated to rare hearts raise hands, but let's ignore that for now.

[mike777]

 jillybean, on 2026-March-20, 10:45, said:

What type of hand would you bid 2♠ on after 1♠ 2♣ 2♥?

In the air to my annual baseball group reunion in Chicago
Lots of baseball, Rotisserie baseball, baseball, since we are getting older probably compare medical complications..

1S-2C
2H-2S

Three card support, extras, slam try, very often at least two keys with spades as trump

I suppose it might be Hx in theory but I can't think of examples at the moment...

[HardVector]

jillybean, on 2026-March-20, 10:45, said:

What type of hand would you bid 2♠ on after 1♠ 2♣ 2♥?

Kx-QJx-Txx-AKJxx

[mw64ahw]

May not help you, but playing 1M-2♣ as game invitational
2♦ is minimum
2♥ 4oM
3M 3M 8 mod. loser limit raise
Other bids are game forcing showing shape

Now after 2♦/2♥ over 1♠
2M M doubleton/2N M shortage is to play opposite 11 to bad 13
2oM over 2♦ is game forcing asking for opener's shape.
Other bids are game forcing and shape specific and tend to show shortage in the Major

[jillybean]

HardVector, on 2026-March-20, 13:39, said:

Kx-QJx-Txx-AKJxx

Balanced

I agree with the other sequence upthread

[P_Marlowe]

jillybean, on 2026-March-21, 08:33, said:

Balanced

I agree with the other sequence upthread

If you play 2C after a 1M opening, as gf with
a) clubs
b) bal. hand with or without 3 card support for openers major

you still need to decide, if you show the shape, but with a
possible hole in diamonds or make a waiting bid, 2S as 2+
is something like that.
DavidKok prefers shape showing, I partially agree, but other
disagree.

If your 2S showes 3+, than you prefer the shape showing style.

As it is, I prefer to show the fit direct, ommiting the distinction
between 3 / 4 card support.

[jillybean]

P_Marlowe, on 2026-March-21, 10:22, said:

you still need to decide, if you show the shape, but with a
possible hole in diamonds or make a waiting bid, 2S as 2+
is something like that.

In this sequence 2♠ is an asking bid for a diamond stopper, I assume.

I expect pescetom will also clarify when he's finished in the tournament.