[jmc]

My partner and I play a Berkowitz style precision loosely based on Precision Today and using transfer, game forcing, positives. We only accept with a fit and this requires partner to show controls. We can then cab or tab in any order. Sometimes partner has lots of controls and it would be nice to skip cabs or tabs and instead use some sort of a shape ask. As 2nt is usually free, I thought it could be used for this without major system changes.

Most of the relays I've found assume partner has shown some shape already. I'm looking for suggestions on relays we could use in the following auction for example.

1C-1H-1S-2D-2NT where 1C is 16+, 1H is 5+ Spades 8+ HCP GF, 1S is control ask, 2D shows 4 controls. I'd like 2NT to be a tell me your shape ask. Any ideas?

Jonathan
jmc on BBO

[rbforster]

I played a similar club system before moving on to a version of relay precision. We also accepted the transfer only with a fit (or an independent single suiter), and played that 2NT was asking for shape. Responses were natural - side suits or extra length. Jumps might be splinters in support of the transferred suit.

After 1C-1D(negative 0-7)-1H(artificial, 20+), we also played transfer semipositives starting with 1NT through 2S (1S was double negative 0-4). Bidding 2NT in response to any of these semipositive responses asked for shape, with 4 card majors or 5+ card minors shown naturally.

[awm]

I think the amount of memory required for a system needs to be factored in when you're designing it. Of course, I know a lot of people who don't believe this, but they tend to have fairly frequent accidents.

Anyways my suggestion is to use something similar to your structure over 2NT as a forcing major raise (if you play that). Certainly some optimizations are possible, but mostly what you want is similar (asking/showing shortness, strong side suits, trump quality, etc).