Bridge in Oz

Say you have this hand:

♠ A9
♥ AK983
♦ A8
♣ KQ108

Good enough for 2♣?

I like the Bridge Bum site for answering questions like this one. It says you can open 2♣ if you are a trick short of game. I'd say this hand qualifies. If partner has as little as three hearts with the ♥Q or either missing King, game is a good bet while they would pass a 1♥ opening.

For responses to 2♣ the article describes three methods.

1. 2♦ "waiting" with 0-7 HCP.

2. 2♦ waiting with 4+ HCP, and 2♥ negative with 0-3 HCP.

3. Control-showing responses.

The article seems to mostly focus on #1, especially in the descriptions of responder's rebids. Cheaper minor as a second negative seems useful but it will present a problem with the hand above; what's your bid after 2♣ - 2♦ - 2♥ - 3♣? You're already too high with no known fit.

My current favorite is #2. It seems useful to distinguish strength right away at that level. Also I like 2♣ to be game-forcing unless balanced, and for lesser hands will open at the 1-level and hope somebody else bids.

#3 is not appealing because showing controls is for slam bidding whereas your immediate problem is finding a game if there is one.

Big Club systems have more promise for solving problems like this.

Another treatment I like after 2♣ is to reverse the meanings of the 2♥ and 2NT responses for method #1, and to let 2NT show a heart suit with #2. This keeps the bidding lower and allows the strong hand to declare in the common case where responder has a balanced hand, and avoids the need for yet another form of Stayman.

Off in competition of course.

Either way, opener's 2NT rebid after a 2♥ response is a strong balanced hand and the normal system of Stayman, transfers, Smolen etc. can apply, same as after the 2♦ response.