[cargobeep]

---

In the bidding, what would 2H and 2S represent in this sequence? SAYC.

[Codo]

2♥ is 4. suit game forcing
2 ♠ is the catch all bid and denies: a full stopper in heart, a 5. diamond and a 3. club.

[P_Marlowe]

In Europe 2H is FSF, in North America it is natural.

Take your pick.

I dont believe, it is defined in the SAYC booklet.

With kind regards
Marlowe

[Vampyr]

P_Marlowe, on 2013-May-05, 14:58, said:

In Europe 2H is FSF, in North America it is natural.

Really? Are there any forcing bids below game then?

[Stephen Tu]

In America 2H is also fourth-suit-artificial for people who know how to bid.

It is sometimes described as natural by people who both
(1) are playing 2/1 GF & not SAYC
(2) Haven't carefully thought through the ramifications of not being able to bid the 4th suit artificially, and are liable to trot out statements like "you are already in a GF, why do you need an artificial bid?"

AKA people who usually know how to bid but not on this sequence.

[rosetrees]

It's fourth suit forcing. There's little point in bidding the fourth suit at this point. Partner has told you that they hold at least 5 spades and 4 diamonds and they can't support hearts. Fourth suit forcing is a way of asking your partner to tell you something more about their hand. A rebid of spades tells you they hold at least 6 spades. If you have 2 spades you can support, otherwise you would probably bid No Trumps.

[wyman]

rosetrees, on 2013-May-11, 14:54, said:

It's fourth suit forcing. There's little point in bidding the fourth suit at this point. Partner has told you that they hold at least 5 spades and 4 diamonds and they can't support hearts. Fourth suit forcing is a way of asking your partner to tell you something more about their hand. A rebid of spades tells you they hold at least 6 spades. If you have 2 spades you can support, otherwise you would probably bid No Trumps.

The spade rebid doesn't necessarily show 6 spades. Consider AKxxx xx AQXx xx. Most players would rather have 2S not show 6 than have 2N not show a heart stopper. Of course, you can agree what you want, but I think 2S as a "catch-all," as someone described it above, is quite standard.