Responder - How many cards needed to bid a major suit?

[JimB]

Playing Standard American 5-Card Major, it's obvious that you need five to open in a major suit. But what about the responder? I've always thought that a responder needs four cards in a major to name that suit when partner opens something else. However, just now I read that if south opens 1 spade, north needs five hearts in order to bid 2 hearts. What are the rules that dictate whether responder needs four or five cards to name an unbid major suit? Thanks.

[t***@att.net]

Post by JimB
Playing Standard American 5-Card Major, it's obvious that you need five to open in a major suit. But what about the responder? I've always thought that a responder needs four cards in a major to name that suit when partner opens something else. However, just now I read that if south opens 1 spade, north needs five hearts in order to bid 2 hearts. What are the rules that dictate whether responder needs four or five cards to name an unbid major suit? Thanks.

Generally, the requirement is that only 2H over 1S is a problem. The other suit patterns can be handled by bidding a 4-Card Major at the 1-level or bidding 1NT with Minor Suite strength. After the sequence 1S-2H, Opener needs to Reverse to show a second suit, thus Responder needs 5 Hearts to bid a 2-over 1. One may sometimes if useful to skip a 5-Card Minor but never a 5-Card Major.

[Kenny McCormack]

In article <b4810bc7-1bc7-435e-a49a-***@googlegroups.com>,
<***@att.net> wrote:
...

Post by t***@att.net
Generally, the requirement is that only 2H over 1S is a problem. The other suit
patterns can be handled by bidding a 4-Card Major at the 1-level or bidding 1NT
with Minor Suite strength. After the sequence 1S-2H, Opener needs to Reverse to
show a second suit, thus Responder needs 5 Hearts to bid a 2-over 1. One may
sometimes if useful to skip a 5-Card Minor but never a 5-Card Major.

Really? What do you respond to 1S with:

-
AKxxx
AJxxxxxx
-

[Barry Margolin]

Post by Kenny McCormack
...

Post by t***@att.net
Generally, the requirement is that only 2H over 1S is a problem. The other suit
patterns can be handled by bidding a 4-Card Major at the 1-level or bidding 1NT
with Minor Suite strength. After the sequence 1S-2H, Opener needs to Reverse to
show a second suit, thus Responder needs 5 Hearts to bid a 2-over 1. One may
sometimes if useful to skip a 5-Card Minor but never a 5-Card Major.

-
AKxxx
AJxxxxxx
-

2D, planning on bidding hearts twice afterward. How does that contradict
what you quoted?

[David Goldfarb]

Post by JimB
Playing Standard American 5-Card Major, it's obvious that you need five
to open in a major suit. But what about the responder? I've always
thought that a responder needs four cards in a major to name that suit
when partner opens something else. However, just now I read that if
south opens 1 spade, north needs five hearts in order to bid 2 hearts.
What are the rules that dictate whether responder needs four or five
cards to name an unbid major suit? Thanks.

You need four cards for any suit bid at the 1-level. A 2-level response
is different. In particular, 1S-2H takes up a whole level of bidding
space. If you have four hearts and also 4+ in a minor, and are strong
enough to reply at the 2-level, bid the minor, because after 1S-2m,
opener will rebid 2H if holding four, and a 4-4 fit will not be lost.

[Charles Brenner]

Post by JimB
Playing Standard American 5-Card Major, it's obvious that you need five to open in a major suit. But what about the responder? I've always thought that a responder needs four cards in a major to name that suit when partner opens something else. However, just now I read that if south opens 1 spade, north needs five hearts in order to bid 2 hearts. What are the rules that dictate whether responder needs four or five cards to name an unbid major suit? Thanks.

If you're bidding 1-under -- the suit just below partner's -- partner will expect a 5-card suit. This applies to 1D - 2C just as to 1S - 2H. The reason is that if opener cannot raise with three, opener will often have no good bid. In fact even if opener *can* rely on you for 5 cards, opener will sometimes be awkwardly placed but we can't help that -- responder has to be allowed to bid a 5-card suit. But alternatives to bidding a 1-under 4-card suit are usually easy to find.

One exception though -- when partner opens 1S and you have a game-going hand with 3 spades along with 4 good hearts, bidding 2H is unlikely to hurt and sometimes it works out very well. If partner raises you bid 3S of course and then play in hearts only if partner insists. In the meantime you've shown your real hand instead of bidding a fake minor.

[Kenny McCormack]

In article <173934e8-1e98-4359-bd69-***@googlegroups.com>,
Charles Brenner <***@gmail.com> wrote:
...

Post by Charles Brenner
If you're bidding 1-under -- the suit just below partner's -- partner will expect
a 5-card suit. This applies to 1D - 2C just as to 1S - 2H. The reason is that if
opener cannot raise with three, opener will often have no good bid. In fact even
if opener *can* rely on you for 5 cards, opener will sometimes be awkwardly
placed but we can't help that -- responder has to be allowed to bid a 5-card
suit. But alternatives to bidding a 1-under 4-card suit are usually easy to find.

Interesting. I've never heard that as a general principle before.
Everything I've read just treats 1S/2H as a special case.

After pd opens 1D, how about:

xx
AJx
Kxxx
AJxx

Assume you are playing very standard - no 2/1 GF, no inverted minors, 2N not
forcing. Your bid?

Post by Charles Brenner
One exception though -- when partner opens 1S and you have a game-going hand with
3 spades along with 4 good hearts, bidding 2H is unlikely to hurt and sometimes
it works out very well. If partner raises you bid 3S of course and then play in
hearts only if partner insists. In the meantime you've shown your real hand
instead of bidding a fake minor.

I think this only works if you are playing 2/1 GF.

[Lorne Anderson]

Post by Kenny McCormack
Interesting. I've never heard that as a general principle before.
Everything I've read just treats 1S/2H as a special case.
xx
AJx
Kxxx
AJxx
Assume you are playing very standard - no 2/1 GF, no inverted minors, 2N not
forcing. Your bid?

2C would be clear for me and certainly only promises 4 cards. I think
that the popularity of inverted minors leads people to believe 2C
promises 5.

[Player]

There are some really silly opinions expressed in this thread.
Many playes will now bid 2c on 2 cards only with a balanced hand in response. This is common in modern US bidding. It has been common in PC for years. It means that if pd opens 1M 2D will always be a good 5 card suit and not some rubbish like 5 to the knave. Some even bid 2c over 1h with 4 cards in s just to set up the gf; I must admit I don' like this.

Now lets look at some othe hands. Kenny gives a 0580 hand and pd opens 1s. Is 2d so obvious? You are going to have problems with anything you bid. Say you bid 2d now after 2s what? 3h? Is this even a suit or are you probing for a c stopper in pd's hand? If you bid 2h and pd does not raies, at least you know he has 0 1 or 2 pieces of h. Thankfully these freaks are rare. I am not saying I would not bid 2d, just that is not obvious and may well lead to problems. Of course if pd bids 2h we will have an orgasm but how likely is that?

[Charles Brenner]

Post by Kenny McCormack
...

Post by Charles Brenner
If you're bidding 1-under -- the suit just below partner's -- partner will expect
a 5-card suit. This applies to 1D - 2C just as to 1S - 2H. The reason is that if
opener cannot raise with three, opener will often have no good bid. In fact even
if opener *can* rely on you for 5 cards, opener will sometimes be awkwardly
placed but we can't help that -- responder has to be allowed to bid a 5-card
suit. But alternatives to bidding a 1-under 4-card suit are usually easy to find.

Interesting. I've never heard that as a general principle before.
Everything I've read just treats 1S/2H as a special case.
xx
AJx
Kxxx
AJxx
Assume you are playing very standard - no 2/1 GF, no inverted minors, 2N not
forcing. Your bid?

Point taken. You could even have made it tougher -- what if I'm 3334? No good bid. 2C is fraught because regardless of whether we've prepared for this situation because it's statistically an outlier for my expected hands. While we might land on our feet after 2C, we might equally wander up to 5 of a minor with two balanced hands. But what can you do? Bridge isn't an elegant game.

Post by Kenny McCormack

Post by Charles Brenner
One exception though -- when partner opens 1S and you have a game-going hand with
3 spades along with 4 good hearts, bidding 2H is unlikely to hurt and sometimes
it works out very well. If partner raises you bid 3S of course and then play in
hearts only if partner insists. In the meantime you've shown your real hand
instead of bidding a fake minor.

I think this only works if you are playing 2/1 GF.

I don't follow this objection unless you suppose that 1S - 2H - 3H - 3S is nonforcing, which would not have occurred to me.

[[e-mail]]

Post by JimB
Playing Standard American 5-Card Major, it's obvious that you need five to open in a major suit. But what about the responder? I've always thought that a responder needs four cards in a major to name that suit when partner opens something else. However, just now I read that if south opens 1 spade, north needs five hearts in order to bid 2 hearts. What are the rules that dictate whether responder needs four or five cards to name an unbid major suit? Thanks.

Not a new thing. In Root's 1986 "Commonsense bidding," he says if you respond 2H to 1S, partner will assume you have 5. That is not quite the same as saying you must have 5. Partner will raise freely with 3, but that may not be a problem. For example, if you can outbid him in spades at any level.

For example, suppose you have 5 spades and 4 hearts, with sound values for game. but xx in both minors.

Carl

[jogs]

Post by JimB
Playing Standard American 5-Card Major, it's obvious that you need five to open in a major suit. But what about the responder? I've always thought that a responder needs four cards in a major to name that suit when partner opens something else. However, just now I read that if south opens 1 spade, north needs five hearts in order to bid 2 hearts. What are the rules that dictate whether responder needs four or five cards to name an unbid major suit? Thanks.

Yes, five hearts. Don't be a handhog. After a 2 of a minor call, opener will rebid 2H with 5 spades and 4 hearts. With less than 4-4 in hearts, it is unlikely hearts will be the best strain.

[smn]

Post by JimB
Playing Standard American 5-Card Major, it's obvious that you need five to open in a major suit. But what about the responder? I've always thought that a responder needs four cards in a major to name that suit when partner opens something else. However, just now I read that if south opens 1 spade, north needs five hearts in order to bid 2 hearts. What are the rules that dictate whether responder needs four or five cards to name an unbid major suit? Thanks.

generally 4 spades to respond .However with one partner ,we play Flannery with 5hts-4spades 11-15 hcp ,we open 2d :So if opener says 1h we require 5 spades to respond since an opener of 1h won't usually have 4 spades unless 1. he has more then 15 hcp in which case he will reverse into 2s or 2. opener has 6+ hearts and 4 spades which we think doesn't come up enough to bother with. smn

[c***@gmail.com]

Post by JimB
Playing Standard American 5-Card Major, it's obvious that you need five to open in a major suit. But what about the responder? I've always thought that a responder needs four cards in a major to name that suit when partner opens something else. However, just now I read that if south opens 1 spade, north needs five hearts in order to bid 2 hearts. What are the rules that dictate whether responder needs four or five cards to name an unbid major suit? Thanks.

I too play Flannery, but I respond 1 Spade to my partner's one heart opening with 4. This allows him to rebid 1 NT with a minimum which I can pass. If i have a decent hand with 5 spades, I can bid a minor over his 1 NT and he can now support spades with 3.

[Player]

Post by c***@gmail.com

Post by JimB
Playing Standard American 5-Card Major, it's obvious that you need five to open in a major suit. But what about the responder? I've always thought that a responder needs four cards in a major to name that suit when partner opens something else. However, just now I read that if south opens 1 spade, north needs five hearts in order to bid 2 hearts. What are the rules that dictate whether responder needs four or five cards to name an unbid major suit? Thanks.

I too play Flannery, but I respond 1 Spade to my partner's one heart opening with 4. This allows him to rebid 1 NT with a minimum which I can pass. If i have a decent hand with 5 spades, I can bid a minor over his 1 NT and he can now support spades with 3.

How does this work when you have:
Qxxx
x
KJxxxx
xx

[[e-mail]]

Post by Player

Post by c***@gmail.com

Post by JimB
Playing Standard American 5-Card Major, it's obvious that you need five to open in a major suit. But what about the responder? I've always thought that a responder needs four cards in a major to name that suit when partner opens something else. However, just now I read that if south opens 1 spade, north needs five hearts in order to bid 2 hearts. What are the rules that dictate whether responder needs four or five cards to name an unbid major suit? Thanks.

I too play Flannery, but I respond 1 Spade to my partner's one heart opening with 4. This allows him to rebid 1 NT with a minimum which I can pass. If i have a decent hand with 5 spades, I can bid a minor over his 1 NT and he can now support spades with 3.

Qxxx
x
KJxxxx
xx

This hand is inherently trouble facing a 1H opening, regardless of method.

Unless you have a reserved low-level response to show weak 4=1=6=2 or 4=1=2=6.

Major-over-major and minor-over-minor produce really bad auctions. It's just the way things are.

Carl

[f***@googlemail.com]

Post by ***@verizon.net

Post by Player

Post by c***@gmail.com

Post by JimB
Playing Standard American 5-Card Major, it's obvious that you need five to open in a major suit. But what about the responder? I've always thought that a responder needs four cards in a major to name that suit when partner opens something else. However, just now I read that if south opens 1 spade, north needs five hearts in order to bid 2 hearts. What are the rules that dictate whether responder needs four or five cards to name an unbid major suit? Thanks.

I too play Flannery, but I respond 1 Spade to my partner's one heart opening with 4. This allows him to rebid 1 NT with a minimum which I can pass. If i have a decent hand with 5 spades, I can bid a minor over his 1 NT and he can now support spades with 3.

Qxxx
x
KJxxxx
xx

This hand is inherently trouble facing a 1H opening, regardless of method.
Unless you have a reserved low-level response to show weak 4=1=6=2 or 4=1=2=6.
Major-over-major and minor-over-minor produce really bad auctions. It's just the way things are.
Carl

No it's not inherently trouble 'regardless of method'

Kaplan Inversion (1H - 1NT = 5+ spades, 1H-1S = forcing NT) plus some sensible continuations by opener solves it as far as it can be solved i.e. allows you to find a spade fit and play in diamonds opposite a balanced hand

It's one of the advantages of the method

You may not want to play a lot of system here, but that's a different debate

[[e-mail]]

Post by f***@googlemail.com

Post by ***@verizon.net

Post by Player

Post by c***@gmail.com

Post by JimB
Playing Standard American 5-Card Major, it's obvious that you need five to open in a major suit. But what about the responder? I've always thought that a responder needs four cards in a major to name that suit when partner opens something else. However, just now I read that if south opens 1 spade, north needs five hearts in order to bid 2 hearts. What are the rules that dictate whether responder needs four or five cards to name an unbid major suit? Thanks.

I too play Flannery, but I respond 1 Spade to my partner's one heart opening with 4. This allows him to rebid 1 NT with a minimum which I can pass. If i have a decent hand with 5 spades, I can bid a minor over his 1 NT and he can now support spades with 3.

Qxxx
x
KJxxxx
xx

This hand is inherently trouble facing a 1H opening, regardless of method.
Unless you have a reserved low-level response to show weak 4=1=6=2 or 4=1=2=6.
Major-over-major and minor-over-minor produce really bad auctions. It's just the way things are.
Carl

No it's not inherently trouble 'regardless of method'
Kaplan Inversion (1H - 1NT = 5+ spades, 1H-1S = forcing NT) plus some sensible continuations by opener solves it as far as it can be solved i.e. allows you to find a spade fit and play in diamonds opposite a balanced hand
It's one of the advantages of the method
You may not want to play a lot of system here, but that's a different debate

OK: You have reserved a low-level segment of the auction to allow for a very low-probabliity deal in the part-score zone.

Carl

[Fred.]

Post by ***@verizon.net

Post by f***@googlemail.com

Post by ***@verizon.net

Post by Player

Post by c***@gmail.com

Post by JimB
Playing Standard American 5-Card Major, it's obvious that you need five to open in a major suit. But what about the responder? I've always thought that a responder needs four cards in a major to name that suit when partner opens something else. However, just now I read that if south opens 1 spade, north needs five hearts in order to bid 2 hearts. What are the rules that dictate whether responder needs four or five cards to name an unbid major suit? Thanks.

I too play Flannery, but I respond 1 Spade to my partner's one heart opening with 4. This allows him to rebid 1 NT with a minimum which I can pass. If i have a decent hand with 5 spades, I can bid a minor over his 1 NT and he can now support spades with 3.

Qxxx
x
KJxxxx
xx

This hand is inherently trouble facing a 1H opening, regardless of method.
Unless you have a reserved low-level response to show weak 4=1=6=2 or 4=1=2=6.
Major-over-major and minor-over-minor produce really bad auctions. It's just the way things are.
Carl

No it's not inherently trouble 'regardless of method'
Kaplan Inversion (1H - 1NT = 5+ spades, 1H-1S = forcing NT) plus some sensible continuations by opener solves it as far as it can be solved i.e. allows you to find a spade fit and play in diamonds opposite a balanced hand
It's one of the advantages of the method
You may not want to play a lot of system here, but that's a different debate

OK: You have reserved a low-level segment of the auction to allow for a very low-probabliity deal in the part-score zone.
Carl

Except, of course, Kaplan Inversion's main intent is resolving the issue
of 4 versus 5+ spades in the responding hand, often critical in game
bidding. This is made at a cost incurred in some very low-probability
deals in the part-score zone.

However, this also helps on some other very low-probability deals after
the possibility of a 4-4 spade fit has been quickly eliminated.

Fred.

[[e-mail]]

Post by Fred.

Post by ***@verizon.net

Post by f***@googlemail.com

Post by ***@verizon.net

Post by Player

Post by c***@gmail.com

Post by JimB
Playing Standard American 5-Card Major, it's obvious that you need five to open in a major suit. But what about the responder? I've always thought that a responder needs four cards in a major to name that suit when partner opens something else. However, just now I read that if south opens 1 spade, north needs five hearts in order to bid 2 hearts. What are the rules that dictate whether responder needs four or five cards to name an unbid major suit? Thanks.

I too play Flannery, but I respond 1 Spade to my partner's one heart opening with 4. This allows him to rebid 1 NT with a minimum which I can pass. If i have a decent hand with 5 spades, I can bid a minor over his 1 NT and he can now support spades with 3.

Qxxx
x
KJxxxx
xx

This hand is inherently trouble facing a 1H opening, regardless of method.
Unless you have a reserved low-level response to show weak 4=1=6=2 or 4=1=2=6.
Major-over-major and minor-over-minor produce really bad auctions. It's just the way things are.
Carl

No it's not inherently trouble 'regardless of method'
Kaplan Inversion (1H - 1NT = 5+ spades, 1H-1S = forcing NT) plus some sensible continuations by opener solves it as far as it can be solved i.e. allows you to find a spade fit and play in diamonds opposite a balanced hand
It's one of the advantages of the method
You may not want to play a lot of system here, but that's a different debate

OK: You have reserved a low-level segment of the auction to allow for a very low-probabliity deal in the part-score zone.
Carl

Except, of course, Kaplan Inversion's main intent is resolving the issue
of 4 versus 5+ spades in the responding hand, often critical in game
bidding. This is made at a cost incurred in some very low-probability
deals in the part-score zone.
However, this also helps on some other very low-probability deals after
the possibility of a 4-4 spade fit has been quickly eliminated.
Fred.

The problem isn't the 1S bid denying 5. The problem is reserving a lot of follow-up auctions for fine-tuned partscore exploration.

Carl

[Fred.]

Post by ***@verizon.net

Post by Fred.

Post by ***@verizon.net

Post by f***@googlemail.com

Post by ***@verizon.net

Post by Player

Post by c***@gmail.com

Post by JimB
Playing Standard American 5-Card Major, it's obvious that you need five to open in a major suit. But what about the responder? I've always thought that a responder needs four cards in a major to name that suit when partner opens something else. However, just now I read that if south opens 1 spade, north needs five hearts in order to bid 2 hearts. What are the rules that dictate whether responder needs four or five cards to name an unbid major suit? Thanks.

I too play Flannery, but I respond 1 Spade to my partner's one heart opening with 4. This allows him to rebid 1 NT with a minimum which I can pass. If i have a decent hand with 5 spades, I can bid a minor over his 1 NT and he can now support spades with 3.

Qxxx
x
KJxxxx
xx

This hand is inherently trouble facing a 1H opening, regardless of method.
Unless you have a reserved low-level response to show weak 4=1=6=2 or 4=1=2=6.
Major-over-major and minor-over-minor produce really bad auctions. It's just the way things are.
Carl

No it's not inherently trouble 'regardless of method'
Kaplan Inversion (1H - 1NT = 5+ spades, 1H-1S = forcing NT) plus some sensible continuations by opener solves it as far as it can be solved i.e. allows you to find a spade fit and play in diamonds opposite a balanced hand
It's one of the advantages of the method
You may not want to play a lot of system here, but that's a different debate

OK: You have reserved a low-level segment of the auction to allow for a very low-probabliity deal in the part-score zone.
Carl

Except, of course, Kaplan Inversion's main intent is resolving the issue
of 4 versus 5+ spades in the responding hand, often critical in game
bidding. This is made at a cost incurred in some very low-probability
deals in the part-score zone.
However, this also helps on some other very low-probability deals after
the possibility of a 4-4 spade fit has been quickly eliminated.
Fred.

The problem isn't the 1S bid denying 5. The problem is reserving a lot of follow-up auctions for fine-tuned partscore exploration.
Carl

I'm not sure I understand your objection. As with the forcing 1NT the
1S bidder has an invitational hand at best. The partnership can keep it
almost as simple as a basic forcing no-trump:

Opener's rebid after 1H-1S:

1NT-2D = Submarine bid showing the next higher suit and a limited hand
2H = Flannery (4S + 5H)
2S&up = Natural and strong.

Responder's rebid:

2S = Weak, natural after Flannery, otherwise artificial with highly
invitational support for the suit implied by the submarine.
2NT, 3 of a suit bid or implied by opener = natural invitational.
Else = natural weak.

Fred.

[[e-mail]]

"As with the forcing 1NT the 1S bidder has an invitational hand at best."

How does a responder deal with a game hand holding 4-card spade?

Carl

[Fred.]

Post by ***@verizon.net
"As with the forcing 1NT the 1S bidder has an invitational hand at best."
How does a responder deal with a game hand holding 4-card spade?
Carl

Assuming that 1M-2m is at least strong enough to
promise a rebid and become a game force when
either partners raises, gives preference, or bids
notrump, responder bids 2m, just as when 1S-2H
promises 5+ hearts and responder holds a game
going hand with 4 hearts.

After 1M-2m opener places a priority on rebidding
2OM with 4OM. After 1M-2m; 2OM, responder's 3M
or 3OM is unlimited GF. The partnership needs to
play 3NT somewhere in the range of frivolous to
serious here.

Note that responder will not need to bid a 3cm
unless holding 3-card support for the opening M.

Fred.

[f***@googlemail.com]

Post by ***@verizon.net

Post by f***@googlemail.com

Post by ***@verizon.net

Post by Player

Post by c***@gmail.com

Post by JimB
Playing Standard American 5-Card Major, it's obvious that you need five to open in a major suit. But what about the responder? I've always thought that a responder needs four cards in a major to name that suit when partner opens something else. However, just now I read that if south opens 1 spade, north needs five hearts in order to bid 2 hearts. What are the rules that dictate whether responder needs four or five cards to name an unbid major suit? Thanks.

I too play Flannery, but I respond 1 Spade to my partner's one heart opening with 4. This allows him to rebid 1 NT with a minimum which I can pass. If i have a decent hand with 5 spades, I can bid a minor over his 1 NT and he can now support spades with 3.

Qxxx
x
KJxxxx
xx

This hand is inherently trouble facing a 1H opening, regardless of method.
Unless you have a reserved low-level response to show weak 4=1=6=2 or 4=1=2=6.
Major-over-major and minor-over-minor produce really bad auctions. It's just the way things are.
Carl

No it's not inherently trouble 'regardless of method'
Kaplan Inversion (1H - 1NT = 5+ spades, 1H-1S = forcing NT) plus some sensible continuations by opener solves it as far as it can be solved i.e. allows you to find a spade fit and play in diamonds opposite a balanced hand
It's one of the advantages of the method
You may not want to play a lot of system here, but that's a different debate

OK: You have reserved a low-level segment of the auction to allow for a very low-probabliity deal in the part-score zone.
Carl

Have I? Not sure when I said that.
The basic outline of the way I play Kaplan Inversion is

1H - 1S = any non-game-force that does not have 5 spades, does not have 6+ HCP and 4+ hearts, and is not 7-10 with 3 hearts (a 'forcing NT')

We don't play Flannery, so we need some artificial continuations over this to locate the 4-4 spade fit and distinguish range, but we find that with responder limited to a non-game force it allows a lot of accuracy in part-score, game and slam bidding.

Being able to cope with these hands with 4 spades and a long minor is a side effect.


1H - 1NT = 5+ spades, forcing for a round (continuations: 2C is natural, 11-14/18-19 balanced or a strong 3-card spade raise with some artificial continuations, 2NT is FG with hearts or a strong 4-card spade raise, others approximately natural)

Knowing responder has 5 spades allows a lot more precision in bidding at all levels. Random example: 1H - 1NT - 2D (natural) - 2H (preference) - 2S = extra values, 2542 (or 2551). Opener gets to show a game try without getting higher than 2S.

1H - 2C = game forcing, natural or balanced/semi-balanced, may have 4 spades (may have 5 spades or 5 diamonds if not interested in a 5-3 fit), some continuations artificial

1H - 2D = game forcing, 5+ diamonds, artificial continuations


As I said originally, we play a lot of system, but it all fits together and happens to solve this problem.

Many posters to this forum won't have any experience with Kaplan inversion because I understand it's not GCC legal.

[KWSchneider]

Post by c***@gmail.com

Post by JimB
Playing Standard American 5-Card Major, it's obvious that you need five to open in a major suit. But what about the responder? I've always thought that a responder needs four cards in a major to name that suit when partner opens something else. However, just now I read that if south opens 1 spade, north needs five hearts in order to bid 2 hearts. What are the rules that dictate whether responder needs four or five cards to name an unbid major suit? Thanks.

I too play Flannery, but I respond 1 Spade to my partner's one heart opening with 4. This allows him to rebid 1 NT with a minimum which I can pass. If i have a decent hand with 5 spades, I can bid a minor over his 1 NT and he can now support spades with 3.

Aren't you negating one of the benefits of Flannery? Why would you simply not bid 1N yourself with something like 4=2=(43). Or are you playing a completely forcing 1N response?

As Player indicated, what do you do when you have a 4=1=(53) or 4=1=(62) hand? These would be simple 1N and bid the minor suit later hands.

Kurt