[dokoko]

Playing a Short Club with Transfer Walsh (light openings – so most balanced 11 counts and most unbalanced 10 counts are opened) I came across the sequence:

1♣-1♠;2♦

1♣ shows 2+ in any balanced hand (and is exactly 2 in about 25% of the balanced hands included) or 4+ in an unbalanced hand.
1♠ transfers to 1NT and usually denies a four card major (may have one when strong, but responder will introduce it himself in that case).
2♦ is a natural reverse (showing 17+ with an unbalanced hand, i. e. 5+ clubs & 4+ diamonds).

Other rebids by opener include:

1NT is a balanced hand below a 1NT opener (which is 14-16 in our structure)
2♣ is an unbalanced hand not strong enough to jump to 3♣ or reverse
2M is a natural reverse (showing 17+ with an unbalanced hand, i. e. 5+ clubs & 4+ in the major)

I think 2♦ could better be used to show a limited unbal hand with at least 44 in the minors (as responder has virtually denied a major, a minor fit is certain); this avoids some silly 2♣ contracts with a good diamond fit (e.g. KQx/x/KQxx/Qxxxx opp. xxx/Kxx/Axxxx/Kx) . But what do I bid with real reverse hands then?

Any ideas out there for this situation?

[nullve]

dokoko, on 2018-October-20, 05:55, said:

But what do I bid with real reverse hands then?

Also 2♦. You have Law protection at 3♣ or 3♦ and can therefore afford to play 2♦ as F1.

[Kungsgeten]

I'm not sure if it is worth it, but one possibility could be to put some more hands into your 1D opening. I've played an unbalanced diamond opening in a Swedish Club context regulary for about five years. This opening includes all 4441 hands with four diamonds, and also could have longer clubs if 11-15. The minor length being ambigious is not that big of a deal (to me), and usually I think it is better to show the unbalanced nature of the hand by opening 1D right away.

What I'm getting to is that it might be an idea to open 1D if holding less than reverse strength with both minors. Then you could open 1C if holding reverse strength and 5-4 minors. With 5-5 minors and a strong hand it makes sense to still open 1D. Let's say something like this:

1D-1M;
2C = 11-15, 5-4 minors either way. 2oM is FSF and asks clarifications.
3C = Natural, at least 5-5 minors.

1C-transfer;
2D = 16+, 5-4 minors either way. Could be 6 clubs and 5 diamonds. 2oM asks clarifications.

[HardVector]

dokoko, on 2018-October-20, 05:55, said:

Playing a Short Club with Transfer Walsh (light openings – so most balanced 11 counts and most unbalanced 10 counts are opened) I came across the sequence:

1♣-1♠;2♦

1♣ shows 2+ in any balanced hand (and is exactly 2 in about 25% of the balanced hands included) or 4+ in an unbalanced hand.
1♠ transfers to 1NT and usually denies a four card major (may have one when strong, but responder will introduce it himself in that case).
2♦ is a natural reverse (showing 17+ with an unbalanced hand, i. e. 5+ clubs & 4+ diamonds).

Other rebids by opener include:

1NT is a balanced hand below a 1NT opener (which is 14-16 in our structure)
2♣ is an unbalanced hand not strong enough to jump to 3♣ or reverse
2M is a natural reverse (showing 17+ with an unbalanced hand, i. e. 5+ clubs & 4+ in the major)

I think 2♦ could better be used to show a limited unbal hand with at least 44 in the minors (as responder has virtually denied a major, a minor fit is certain); this avoids some silly 2♣ contracts with a good diamond fit (e.g. KQx/x/KQxx/Qxxxx opp. xxx/Kxx/Axxxx/Kx) . But what do I bid with real reverse hands then?

Any ideas out there for this situation?

Don't get rid of the reverse. You just have to open 1d when you can't reverse. Opening 1d with 4 diamonds and 5 clubs is very common, although a lot of people are uncomfortable with it. If you're opening a short club, however, you are going to have an advantage in that your 1d opener is guaranteed to be unbalanced. That allows for more aggressive 1d-3d preempts. If the club suit is truly spectacular, btw, you should still open 1c and rebid 2c even with 5. Something like: AQx x Jxxx KQJTx I would open 1c and rebid 2c, but with Axx x KQxx QJxxx I would open 1d and rebid 2c.