[Phil]

One of the sequences I like in Smolen is 1N - 2♣ - 2♦ - 3♥. Opener can agree spades immediately and responder can cue (or pattern)over 3♠. However when responder is 4♠-5♥, things get awkward. Opener might be able to cue over 3♠, but responder cannot efficiently pattern, and sometimes responder needs to re-transfer to get the contract back to opener's side.

Why not use three level transfers after 2♦? 3♦ becomes the 4♠-5♥ hand and works as efficiently as 3♥ in standard Smolen. If 1N - 2♣ - 2♦ - 3♦ is natural, then more efficiency is gained if 3♣ = diamonds.

Per the usual, clubs gets the short shrift here, but 3♠ could equal clubs, or if the partnership has another way to make a quantitative invite with a 4 card major (say 2♠), then 2N =♣'s.

I also think its possible to now use these transfers calls as invitational+ (a la Rubensohl), although you lose the ability to play 2N when the best we have is a 5-2 fit in the major opposite a minimum which may not be worth the loss.

In any case, after 1N - 2♣ - 2♦, using:

3♣ = 4cM + 5+ ♦'s
3♦ = Heart Smolen
3♥ = Spade Smolen
3♠ = 4cM + 5+ ♣'s

seems superior to standard. Is this in use anywhere else?

Thoughts?

[MickyB]

I am just considering the use of 3C as INV+ with diamonds (regardless of what the response to Stayman is) but I wouldn't be using Smolen. 3S as 5+C4M seems pretty bad unless you have other ways of showing various 5431s with five clubs.

[Zelandakh]

You are getting close to re-inventing Extended Stayman Phil. If you are using 1N - 2C - 2D - 3D for 5H4S then you may as well also load 5S4H into it. Then Opener bids their lowest 3 card major and you can arrange always to find a fit. That leaves both 3H and 3S available for alternative hands with (in your structure) clubs. Another alternative is to use 3M here to show the corresponding minor with an unknown major and 3C as some kind of shape relay/minor suit Stayman/Baron idea. A third possibility is to use 3C for 5-4 and 5-5 major hands and then 3D natural and 3M as major + clubs. I played 3C this way for a while before switching over to puppet and it is still part of my preferred method when not playing puppet, albeit with different uses for the other bids. Finally, if you play 1NT - 2C - 2D - 2S as a range ask you can play transfers all the way up with 2NT for clubs. Again that clears 3S for anything you like. You do have to find a way of showing 5S4H invitational though, or be willing to give up on 2H as Crawling Stayman. If you do then effectively all bids over 2D from 2H to 3H are transfers making it easy on memory.

[straube]

Phil, on 2010-November-19, 16:02, said:

One of the sequences I like in Smolen is 1N - 2♣ - 2♦ - 3♥. Opener can agree spades immediately and responder can cue (or pattern)over 3♠. However when responder is 4♠-5♥, things get awkward. Opener might be able to cue over 3♠, but responder cannot efficiently pattern, and sometimes responder needs to re-transfer to get the contract back to opener's side.

Why not use three level transfers after 2♦? 3♦ becomes the 4♠-5♥ hand and works as efficiently as 3♥ in standard Smolen. If 1N - 2♣ - 2♦ - 3♦ is natural, then more efficiency is gained if 3♣ = diamonds.

Per the usual, clubs gets the short shrift here, but 3♠ could equal clubs, or if the partnership has another way to make a quantitative invite with a 4 card major (say 2♠), then 2N =♣'s.

I also think its possible to now use these transfers calls as invitational+ (a la Rubensohl), although you lose the ability to play 2N when the best we have is a 5-2 fit in the major opposite a minimum which may not be worth the loss.

In any case, after 1N - 2♣ - 2♦, using:

3♣ = 4cM + 5+ ♦'s
3♦ = Heart Smolen
3♥ = Spade Smolen
3♠ = 4cM + 5+ ♣'s



seems superior to standard. Is this in use anywhere else?

Thoughts?

I advocate using...

1N-transfer, acceptance-3C as showing a side 4-cd major.

Now opener can agree fit at the 3-level or show no fit with a 3D bid.

For example...

1N-2D, 2H-3C, 3D-3H shows 4-5-1-3

[Furlan]

Some notes from Chagas/Branco (pretty similar to Zelandakh's suggestion):

1NT - 2♣ - 2♦
(snip)
3♣ = asks distribution
3♦ (SMOLEN like) = FG with 54, 55 or 64 in the Majors

Opener:

3♥ = 3♥, possible 3♠

3♠ = 3♠, no 3♥

3NT = 54 in the minors (4♦/♥ = transfers)

4♣ = Max with 3♥ + 3♠ (4♦/♥ = transfers)

3♥/♠ = 4M+5/6m singleton ♥/♠

Opener over 3♥:

3♠ = asks (3N=5♣; 4♣=5♦; 4♦=6♣; 4♥=6♦)

3NT/4♠ = to play

Opener over 3♠:

3NT/4♥ = to play

4♣ = asks (4♦=5♣; 4♥=5♦; 4♠=6♣; 4NT=6♦)

[han]

Check out the book on the Scanian notrump structure. I believe it uses transfers after stayman. A more important benefit is that you can sign off in 3m after bidding Stayman.

[Fluffy]

IMO the I am more likelly to look for slam and need the space when I hold any 4 card major and have 5 or more clubs than when I have specifically 4 spades and 5 hearts, so the tweak might not be worth it.