pescetom, on 2022-November-23, 13:49, said:
Maybe just slow on the uptake, but I fail to see a clear advantage (except for the minimum warning) and see some obvious disadvantages?
2C has to deliver invitational values (major disadvantage) and we have (probably unnecessarily) disclosed a roadmap of the opener's hand.
I don’t and wouldn’t play it, but obviously some good players see merit: I’ve never won a Spingold😀
Over 2N, responder transfers to his preferred major and can then make easy slam tries. Compare to 1N 2C 2H. Standard is then for responder to bid 3S as a slam try (often with 4m as a splinter slam try, so to add a little definition). That sequence represents a significant gain for the 2N shows 4=4, for the rare hands on which it matters.I’m not sure but I’d expect opener to bid 3C with a max and 4=4 so as to allow for transfers there as well.
My own preferred but complex method handles slam tries differently but, imo, at least as efficiently. For example, 1N 2C 2H 3H is a slam try (but obviously one should be confident of remembering it, since one risks opener passing).
I don’t like losing garbage stayman. That’s more problematic for the 14-16 range I play than for the slightly stronger ‘normal’ 15-17. I’m more likely to need to scramble than when opener is guaranteed to have at least 15.
'one of the great markers of the advance of human kindness is the howls you will hear from the Men of God' Johann Hari