[jillybean]

I am listening to Adam Parish's Leveling Up Podcast with Danny Miles.
Danny describes his treatment with Jason Feldman, the dutch 2♣ where after (1♦) 1♥ (pass) we don't know if partner has 7 or 17

They use 2♣* as the limit raise giving partner the room to describe the overcall.
2M minimum
2♦ 12-13

Simple, and easy to remember when 2♣ is never natural.

[pescetom]

jillybean, on 2026-June-26, 10:14, said:

I am listening to Adam Parish's Leveling Up Podcast with Danny Miles.
Danny describes his treatment with Jason Feldman, the dutch 2♣ where after (1♦) 1♥ (pass) we don't know if partner has 7 or 17

They use 2♣* as the limit raise giving partner the room to describe the overcall.
2M minimum
2♦ 12-13

Simple, and easy to remember when 2♣ is never natural.

It may be Dutch, but somehow I doubt Davidkok would approve?
I like 2♣ as forcing and natural, 2♦ as limit raise + still leaves plenty of room to describe the overcall decide what to do.

[mikeh]

Danny and Jason are good players but this is most definitely not something I’d ever play. Strange though it may seem, I once held a good hand with long clubs in this auction.

More importantly, I think it poorly thought out and largely unnecessary.

I don’t know anyone who thinks that, after an overcall, the most important thing is to announce 12-13 hcp. Hcp are not exactly the most useful valuation tool. Shape, fit, location of honours etc are far more useful imo.

Plus why do we lose an occasionally useful natural 2C bid to ask overcaller about his hand strength…note, not his shape but his hcp? Why not do what, in my experience, most good pairs do….have advancer start by describing his hand?

Here’s my scheme after (1D) 1H (P)

1S. Natural, denies 3+ hearts, F1, but I’m ok playing it nf, overcaller can pass with a minimum and 2+ spades

1N constructive, usually two hearts

2C. One round force although I have no problem with playing it non-forcing, with overcaller expected to bid with a non minimum

2D. Either a constructive raise in hearts or better.

2H. Courtesy raise

2S. Fit jump, F1

2N….natural, usually around 12-13 hcp

3C. Fit jump, f1

3D. 4+ limit raise

3H. Mixed raise

Note the emphasis on describing rather than asking

[jillybean]

I feel like I'm taking on Goliath, your methods are obviously good and proven.
Assuming that we play michales/U2nt, after partner has made a simple overcall he has told us he has a single suit, we only need to listen to the subsequent auction to begin constructing the shape of his hand. With shape reasonably defined we also have some idea of fit.
This is a competitive auction, location of honours is important if either of us has a strong or distributional hand. If as advancer, we hold the strong hand we should already have a good idea of where partners honours are, if partner shows the strong hand, we can resolve location of honour with further bidding. 2♣ is space saving in the most delicate auction where overcaller has shown a minimum opening hand.
It appears that this susquent bidding is starting at the 3 level in some of your auctions.

2♦ now shows your 5+ clubs, constructive or better

[mike777]

"Thanks Kathryn! After (1♦)-1M-(P), 2♣ is the limit raise or better and the 2♦ cuebid shows 5+ clubs and constructive or better. Similarly in the auction 1m-(1♠), 2 of the other minor shows 5+ hearts and constructive+, while 2♥ is constructive+ with 5+ of the other minor. The Dutch are all about efficiency and having extra space!"

D.Miles

[mikeh]

mike777, on 2026-June-26, 17:42, said:

"Thanks Kathryn! After (1♦)-1M-(P), 2♣ is the limit raise or better and the 2♦ cuebid shows 5+ clubs and constructive or better. Similarly in the auction 1m-(1♠), 2 of the other minor shows 5+ hearts and constructive+, while 2♥ is constructive+ with 5+ of the other minor. The Dutch are all about efficiency and having extra space!"

D.Miles

Now that makes sense. I couldn’t believe that they’d ignore clubs. The switch principle isn’t as well known, nor as popular, as the transfer principle and I’m happy to see another example where it seems likely to make sense.