user:kramer:balanced_structure []

Balanced structure

This structure comes into play whenever the bidding goes 1♣(!) - 1NT - 2♣(R) , or via a reverse relay method like 1♣ - 1NT - 2♦+ . Relevant parts of the structure are also used in relay methods after limited openings (1♦ and 1♥).

Bid	Meaning
2♣	Relay, entry point
2♦	4+♥
2♥	4+♠					Relay
2♠	Any 4333			Relay		4♠4♥ (32)
2NT	5♦(332)		Relay	5♠(332)		5♥(332)			Relay
3♣	4♦4♣(32)	Relay	4=3=3=3	4♦4♠(32)		4♦4♥(32)		Relay	4=4=2=3
3♦	2=3=3=5	2=3=5=3	3=4=3=3	4=2=3=4	Relay	2=4=3=4	Relay	2=5=3=3	4=4=3=2, zoom
3♥	3=2=3=5	3=2=5=3	3=3=4=3	4=3=2=4, zoom	4=2=3=4	3=4=2=4, zoom	2=4=4=3	3=5=2=3
3♠	3=3=2=5, zoom	3=3=5=2, zoom	3=3=3=4, zoom		4=3=2=4, zoom		3=4=4=2, zoom	3=5=3=2, zoom

Aide memoire: all 5332 shapes are shown with a 2NT bid, and resolved from 3♦ (clubs implicit). All 4333 shapes start with 2♠. All 3♣ bids are 4432.

Relay breaks

Relay breaks after 1♣ - 1NT imply a minimum balanced hand (15-17HCP). The responder should break the relays to 2NT with any hand that doesn’t see any better contract than 3NT, but possibly lacks stoppers in a suit (minimum misfitted hand). Any subsequent bid is semi-NAT, showing a stopper in the suit. This is the only possibility we could retreat to 4 minor to play.

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