gwnn, on 2013-March-14, 05:45, said:
But what does 2♦ promise if 2♣ is 15+ artificial?
Or do you mean that you play
2♣=(3)4+ clubs 11-14 OR 15+ art (many but not all strong hands)
2♦=(1)2+ diamonds, 11-14?
The brackets indicating that I (and Trinidad) still don't know what you do with 4513.
For a start, let me say my preferred treatment is KI, so this particular 4513 hand goes 1
♥ 1
♠ 2
♦, and this 2
♦ says nothing about the minors, but shows a 12-14 with 4 spades.
However, the answer I gave was a general one. If you are playing Gazzilli with a 17+ as most do, then the way to handle it would be to say 2
♦ is 12-16 and guarantees a doubleton, to help the pass option, and 2
♣ is most 17 counts, or 12-16 with at least 3 clubs. Over the 8+ 2
♦ relay, the 12-16 option rebids 2
♥, which can be passed, or perhaps converted to clubs etc.
I don't like this, personally, as I don't think knowledge of 3 clubs or 2 diamonds is much of a help in determining the contract. So what I do (and I am not recommending this, it's just my preference) is not bother with the minors at all. 2
♦ is purely and simply a denial of 15hcp. Partner can pass with 5+ diamonds, and opener would normally have some diamonds, but the contract is more usually 2
♥. Not ideal, but I like the ability given by gazzilli for opener to define strength, and treat this as more important. A non-forcing NT would avoid this, but again I like the advantages given by a forcing NT, and choose to suffer this. It is rarely a problem.
This is I think only marginally worse than the standard Gazzilli in finding a minor fit (where 2
♦ could be a doubleton and 2
♣ only 3) but I like the trade off it gives that 2
♦ shows 14 max. 12-16 is too wide for responder to make a sensible bid, but 12-14 is manageable with simple game inquiries (eg 2NT, and 3
♥ if not including this in your 2
♣ response), or sign off in any suit. When there is a 2
♣ 2
♦ sequence, opener rebids naturally at the 2 level with 15/16 and bids at the 3 level with 17. So 2
♥ is 6, 2
♠ is 4, 2NT = neither. (1
♠ 1NT 2
♣ 2
♦ 2
♥ is 4 card 15/16). There are significant advantages in showing a 6 card heart suit with 2
♥ as either 12-14, or 15/16.
You can probably do better with more artificial sequences, as Zelandakh points out.
Edit - I say 12-14, 12-16 etc because I will only open with 11 if a 6 card suit, and that rebids 2
♥. I have weak 2s that manage the 5 card 11 count. (And other edits)
This post has been edited by fromageGB: 2013-March-14, 12:01