2D Opener showing a 3 suited hand with 11+ HCP,

(Modified from Marshal Miles Unbalanced Diamond System)
(Courtesy of Shelly and Woody McHarg)

This is a system of bids opening 2 Diamonds with any 3 suited hand, 4-4-4-1, or 4-4-5-0, with 11 + unlimited HCP. This call is never made with a 5 card major; however, there could be with a 5 card minor and a void in the other minor.

There are 3 tiers of bidding:

Responding bids assume the worst hand (11-15) and are the same as those for Mini-Roman; for example with only 9 HCP plus a potential 11 from partner, you cannot invite game. All of the following bids are alertable:

If opener holds a hand with 11-15 HCP, then all the above bids are passed by opener or corrected to the next higher suit, if responding partner has bid opener’s shortness. Opener's shortness will never be spades when having the low point count range.

The bid of 2NT by responder is forcing asking for opener’s shortness and indicates an interest in finding a fit and possibly game. Responder should have at least 10 HCP to invite by bidding 2NT.

Responses to 2NT are:

Now comes the fun part!

16-19 pt hands

If opener has the 16-19 HCP hand, then opener takes a second call:

If responder has bid 2Heart, and opener has a heart fit, opener invites with 3Heart;

However, if opener is short in hearts, he by-passes the 2Spade bid and bids 3Club! (Alertable). This tells opener that partner has shortness in hearts, but has 16-19 HCP, because he bypassed the spade suit to take his second bid. This infers that although opener has spades, he bids at the 3 level showing the hand with 16-19 HCP. Any time the opener takes out a 2Spade bid, he opened with the bigger hand; because, it requires more than 15 HCP to bid 2Diamond with a shortness in spades.

The responder now is armed with new information. He knows the shape and size of opener’s hand, where the short suit is, and can evaluate whether game is possible and where there might be a fit. Subsequent bids help the partnership to find the optimal contract either in game, slam, or where the safest place will be for the hand to play if there’s no fit, nor enough points between the two hands to make game.

This last option is accomplished by bidding up the line. If opener uses the above scenario, bidding 3Club (showing the bigger hand), responder may still pass or correct to another suit, which would be to play (showing no interest in game even knowing the full strength of his partner’s opening hand).

Example with no interference bidding:
2Diamond Pass 2Heart Pass
3Club* Pass 3Diamond/Spade**

* Opener has 16-19 HCP and short in hearts, ** Responder does not like clubs, knows partner has 4 diamonds and 4 spades. It is to play in 3Diamond or 3Spade.

If responder had game-going values with this information, he would either bid game in 3NT or game in a suit. If the suit was a minor, then he could jump to 4 of the minor to invite game if opener was at the top of his range.

Examples:

2Diamond Pass 2Heart Pass
3Club Pass 4Diamond Pass

4Diamond (invites game in diamonds)

2Diamond Pass 2Heart Pass
3Club Pass 3NT Pass

Knowing opener is short or void in hearts, responder has hearts covered, enough points for game, and no other good fit with partner.

20+ hands

With 20+ HCP opener rebids some level of NT: Whatever responder bids in response to partner’s 2Diamond opening, opener’s continuing bid will be No Trump.

Examples

At this point, the partnership bids up the line to find a fit, and presumably game or slam is at hand.

Interference

The above bidding has presumed no interference. There are a few specific bids to make when the opponents do interfere:

Over opponent Double of 2Diamond,

*If and when the opening bidder doubles the opponent’s suit, that shows shortness in that suit, and invites partner to bid knowing now where the opener’s shortness is;

*If and when the responding partner doubles the opponent’s suit, this is for PENALTY.

After responder doubles for penalty all subsequent doubles are penalty. Opener cannot double after 2D - 2H - DBL - 2S to show spade shortness since that double is now penalty. Opener passes with spade shortness and hopes partner can do something with the knowledge. Partner now knows opener does not have 4 spades.

Furthermore, over opponent’s interference, any re-bid of NT by opener shows his opening hand to be 20+ HCP, and invites partner to work with him to find a fit if possible.

Some ideas I have to improve things at least for us.

1. After 2D - 2NT - 3NT (20+), responder still does not know Opener's shortness.

I propose that over 3NT, 4C asks where is your shortness and 4NT would show shortness in clubs. Responder is in control anyway and we are already in the slam zone and can set the contract.

2. After 2D - 2NT - 3D (shortness), responder might like to know Opener's point count. This sequence would only come up when responder is strong enough to be in 7 with the right response. A 6 level contract is assured. I propose that cue-bidding the shortness asks opener to give their point count. Responses are up the line with 11HCP being the first step and 19HCP being the last step. No response will get you past your 6 level.

9 steps when clubs, diamonds and hearts are the short suit. Only four steps when spades is the short suit. (16-19HCP)

Instead of steps for points you could use controls but I am leaning towards points at this time.