2♥-2♠ | A forcing enquiry to find our more about Opener's strength and distribution: | |
-2NT | shows minimum range, any distribution. 4♣ is Beta, but rarely used. | |
-3♣ | shows a Diamond shortage, max range. 3♦ is Beta |
|
-3♦ | shows a Spade shortage, max range. 3♠ is Beta | |
-3♥ | shows a Club shortage, max range. 4♣ is Beta | |
-3♠ | shows a 4+-card Spade suit, max range. 4♣ is Beta | |
-3NT | shows a max range 6322-shape hand with scattered values. |
|
-4♣ | shows a 4+-card Club suit, max range. 4♦ is Beta |
|
-4♦ | shows a 4+-card Diamond suit, max range. 4♠ is Beta | |
Once a shortage has been shown the short suit can be used for a Beta Ask, but no Epsilons are permitted. If Opener shows a second suit then a relay in the next suit up (not including 3NT or 4♥) is Beta. Epsilons are still not permitted. |
||
2♥ | -2NT | is Lebensohl forcing a 3♣ bid from Opener, after which any bid is natural and strictly a sign-off unless obviously invitational eg: 2♥-2NT-3♣-2♥ is mildly invitational in Hearts, probably wanting good Hearts as well as upper range (a hand worth a strong invitation would go via 2♠) |
2♥ | -3♣ | Is Gamma in Hearts. Asking Bids are established. |
2♥ | -3♥ | is purely pre-emptive and not invitational. |
2♥ | -4♥ | is purely pre-emptive but may well conceal strong vales. |