[Zelandakh]

dokoko, on 2020-July-02, 16:02, said:

We play:

2♣ = strong 2 in a major / 22-23 bal / any game force.

Usually opener has a plan how to bid his strong hand so responder tries not to get in his way:
2♦ = waiting FG
2♥ = very weak (0-3)
2♠ = a good 6-card suit (any)

This structure gives you a problem when you have a weak hand with good hearts. It works better if you play ParadoX responses, as per Chris Ryall.

[dokoko]

Zelandakh, on 2020-July-03, 04:36, said:

This structure gives you a problem when you have a weak hand with good hearts. It works better if you play ParadoX responses, as per Chris Ryall.

We considered Chris' ideas, but don't like to use two bids for the (even opposite a rock) rare negative hands.

[Zelandakh]

dokoko, on 2020-July-05, 01:24, said:

We considered Chris' ideas, but don't like to use two bids for the (even opposite a rock) rare negative hands.

The Acol 2 hands are also rare. My suggestion is to use one Acol 2 type per bid you are willing to attach. That means keeping the 8 trick 2♥ hand in 2♣ and moving the spade version down to 2♦ (multi) or 1♠. The 2♥ response becomes, in effect, "no game interest opposite an Acol 2♥ opening" and everything else works as in a standard 2♣ structure.

[glen]

My wife and I continue to play Brass:

http://www.bridgematters.com/brass.pdf

The vast majority of the time it is 2♣-2♦(waiting)-2NT(18-19) and then 2NT system on (since transfer to a major will have some values or shape opener can super accept or try 3NT)

The 2♣-2NT and 2♣-3X sequences are so infrequent that I would dump them at this point, and by using opener's 2NT rebid as artificial GF after 1X opening we have found it is best for all unbalanced suit opening less than a game force open the suit

Thus the simplified version of Brass could be:

2♣: 18-19 balanced OR 22+ balanced OR any GF

After 2♣:
2♦: waiting
-- 2♥: 22+ balanced or 4+♥s GF (if exactly 4♥s unbalanced has 4♠s or longer ♦s or 1-4-4-4 exactly)
-- 2♠: 4+♠s GF, now 2NT shows exactly 3♠s
-- 2NT: 18-19 balanced, system on
-- 3♣: natural GF, not 4♠s
-- 3♦: natural GF, no four card major
2♥/2♠: five card or longer suit, max of 4 points, no ace
3♣/3♦: six card or longer suit, max of 3 points
2NT: 5-5+ in majors, max of 4 points, no ace

After 2♣-2♦(waiting)-2♥(bal or ♥s):
2♠: no five card major, now 2NT is 22-23, 3♣ is like stayman and shows 24+ balanced or both majors, 3♠ is 5+♥s and 4+♣s
2NT: five or longer ♠s, 4+ points
3♣: 4-4/5-4/4-5 majors
3♦: 5-5+ majors, 4+ points
3♥: five or longer ♥s, 4+ points