[gprentice]

Playing 2 over 1, 5 card majors and Bergen raises, if partner opens the bidding 1H/1S and the next person overcalls in a suit at the two level or three level, what does responder bid if they have 3 or 4 card support for the major?

Are Bergen raises still "on" if the interference is 2C/2D?
What if the interference is 2H or higher?

[jillybean]

I don't use Bergen over interference as we now have a cue bid of the opponents suit to show a good raise.

[mikeh]

After 1M (2D), you need 3C as natural and forcing. How else are you bidding Qx Axx xx AQJxxx?

After 1M (2C) 3C is a cue bid…meaning determined by agreement but most often limit or better in the major

Besides, Bergen raises are designed to work within the context of 1M 3M being preemptive (these days some play it as ‘mixed’, having found that preemptive doesn’t always work well, especially vulnerable when -200 is not good even if they could make 110 or 140 the other way).

And all of these 3 level raises are designed to work most effectively within the context of a forcing 1N (or, usually with some further gadgetry, a semi-forcing 1N. The 2 level overcall eliminates the 1N response. So three card limit raises can’t be shown, if you use Bergen in competition, because the usual way to show that, with a forcing 1N, is to bid 1N then 3M….but you don’t have 1N available.

A bit off topic but those who play Bergen with a semi-forcing 1N often put the 3 card limit raise into the otherwise gf 2C response.

In any event, Bergen just doesn’t work after interference because you need 3C and 3D for more important purposes…natural and forcing or a cuebid, if the opps overcalled that suit.

Finally, the principle behind Bergen is to get to the 3 level before the opps come in. That no longer applies once they’ve overcalled (although jumping can still be disruptive, it’s no longer quite as effective. Plus, as said, one needs the bids for other purposes)

I hope that helps

[gprentice]

Thanks, so is this reasonable - with support for M, responder counts shortages in their points

1M 2m 3m - invitational, 10-12 points, 3+ card support for M

1M 2m 2M - 6-9 points, 3+ card support for M

1M 2m 2NT - 11/12 points with stopper, balanced with exactly 2 cards in M

1M 2m 3M/4M - preemptive, 0-5 points, 4/5 card support for M

1M 2m double - negative double 8+ points

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If the overcall is 2H, i.e. partner opened 1S
- responder bids as above but 3H is the cue bid, invitational in spades

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If the overcall is 1S i.e. partner opened 1H
- responder bids as above but 2S is now invitational in hearts

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If the overcall is a jump in spades, no room to cue
1H 2S 3H - invitational in hearts, 3+ card support

1H 2S 2NT - 1.5 stops in spades, 2 card hearts, 11/12 points

1H 2S double - both minors, 11+ points

1H 2S 3m - natural, good 5 card suit?, 11+ points

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If the overcall is 1NT (15 - 18 points)
1M 1NT 2M - 6-9 points, 3+ card support

1M 1NT 3M - 10-12 points, 3+ card support

[Stephen Tu]

gprentice, on 2023-March-26, 18:13, said:

Thanks, so is this reasonable - with support for M, responder counts shortages in their points

1M 2m 3m - invitational, 10-12 points, 3+ card support for M

Most play cue bid as invitational OR better.

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1M 2m 2NT - 11/12 points with stopper, balanced with exactly 2 cards in M

I don't know that I'd *guarantee* 2 cd support for the M. It'd be very frequent I guess, since with stiff/void trap passing or negative doubles become more attractive, but I don't know if I'd have it promised.
There are also some who utilize 2nt as a raise in competition instead, neg-dbling with the natural 2nt hands.

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1M 2m 3M/4M - preemptive, 0-5 points, 4/5 card support for M

4M doesn't have to be so weak, with intervention chance of slam has diminished, so you can bid some heavier 4M with 5 cd support and a stiff, and not quite enough to cue or splinter.
3M, also doesn't have to be quite so weak, some people prefer mixed in comp (approx an uncontested Bergen 3c bid, 7-9), or maybe something slightly weaker but not broke like 4-7 or so. Bidding on nothing may not accomplish much useful, it may be too high if you are vul, or opps just bid on and make it, you want to create situations where it's unclear whether the opps need to bid more or not.

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If the overcall is a jump in spades, no room to cue
1H 2S 3H - invitational in hearts, 3+ card support

On this sort of auction, you'll have to stretch to raise to 3H on the upper end of your normal single raise range (~8-10), and just force game (bid 4H) on 11-13 or so, and hope partner has enough extra to make it. If not maybe it's a sac against their 3s making! Not raising on your better non-inv raises gets you shut out of the auction too often and works worse than slightly overbidding on everything.

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If the overcall is 1NT (15 - 18 points)
1M 1NT 2M - 6-9 points, 3+ card support

1M 1NT 3M - 10-12 points, 3+ card support

Against a NT overcall, typically jump raise is going to be a preempt, with the good 10+ balancedish hands you are generally doubling for penalty then raising if they run to a suit you don't feel like doubling. If they sit for it, setting 1nt doubled will usually be more lucrative if you don't have game, and maybe even if you have game.

If you are very distributional with a good fit and hand you may choose to just bid game especially if you are unfavorable (maybe in 1nt they get out cheaply or make it by winning the stopper and running the suit you are short in).