Posted 2011-November-18, 15:42
I just recently have been thinking about this. Strange you should ask...
One suggested approach for 1NT-P-P-? would be:
2♣ = competitive only (could be fairly light) with one or both majors. Partner assumes both majors and bids 2♥ if he prefers hearts but 2♦ if he prefers spades. If you started with both, you know which to bid. If you started with just hearts, you pass 2♥ or convert partner's 2♦ (spade preference) t0 2♥. If you started with just spades, you convert either 2♥ or the artificial 2♦ to 2♠. Partner, with a very good passed hand, can make a move toward game notwithstanding your mere competitive values by bidding 2♦ and then acting further, 2♠ as a "paradox" call (interested in bigger things only if you have hearts), or 3♣ as a demand call (describe your hand please).
If partner has extras, he instead balances with:
2♦ = both majors, extras
2♥ = just hearts, extras
2♠ = just spades, extras
This somewhat solves the problem of what to do next without abandoning the safety of the two-level. On the actual deal you provided, you would move after 2♥ becaise partner has something resembling an intermedate jump overcall hand. If partner has the hand where you would pass, partner would have overcalled 2♣ and afer your 2♥ call for heart preference would have passed.
"Gibberish in, gibberish out. A trial judge, three sets of lawyers, and now three appellate judges cannot agree on what this law means. And we ask police officers, prosecutors, defense lawyers, and citizens to enforce or abide by it? The legislature continues to write unreadable statutes. Gibberish should not be enforced as law."
-P.J. Painter.