Natural 1♥
The major suit openings show 12–17 points and 5+ cards. I separate them into two chapters due to subtle differences in their continuations.
Responses to 1♥ are similar to natural 2/1 along with mixed fit-showing jumps.
| 1♥- | 12–17, 5+♥ |
|---|---|
| 1♠ | F, 4+♠ |
| 1NT | NF, usually 7–11, 0–3♠, 0–3♥ |
| 2♣♦ | NAT FG |
| 2♥ | CONST, 3+♥ |
| 2♠! | NF, 6+♠: CONST 3+♥ or INV 0–2♥ |
| 2NT! | FG, 4+♥ |
| 3♣♦! | CONST+, 5+#, 4+♥ |
| 3♥ | LIM, 4+♥ |
| 3♠! | SPL, 0–1♠, 4+♥ |
| 3NT! | Choice of games, 12–15, 33(43) |
| 4♣♦! | SPL, 0–1#, 4+♥ |
| 4♥! | PRE, UNBAL 4+♥ |
Plans to invite with spades
- The best invitations go through CB and jump to the 3-level, e.g. 63(xx), 54(xx)
- Balanced invitations go through CB and bid directly at the 2-level.
- Distributional mild invitations go to 2♠.
1♥-2♠
This jump shift tries to tackle hands hard to describe with BTU CB. It shows 6+♠ with either extra values or a heart fit, but not both. With both features, 1♥-1♠-1NT is the happy path since it ensures a double fit.
| 1♥-2♠- | NF, 6+♠ |
|---|---|
| 2NT! | (R) |
| 3♣ | MAX, 5+♣ |
| 3♦ | MAX, 5+♦ |
| 3♥! | P/C, somewhat PRE |
| 3♠! | P/C, invite 3+♥ |
| 3NT! | P/C to 4♥ with 3+♥ |
| 4♣! | STR choice of games |
| 4♦! | PRE choice of games |
| 4♥♠ | To play |
P-1♥
P-1♥ reduces to a fairly natural system. We can keep using Stenberg 2NT because it assigns minimum hands to 3♣.
| P-1♥- | 12–17, 5+♥ |
|---|---|
| 2♣♦ | INV, 5+# |
| 2NT! | INV, 4+♥ |
| 3♥! | CONST, 4+♥ |