The origin of the Mini Roman Two Diamonds is unknown. The concept is closely related to the concept of the Roman Two Diamonds conventional method and should be studied together with this concept. The Roman Two Diamonds conventional method promises a three suited holding with a distribution of 4-4-4-1 or 5-4-4-0 and generally 17 plus high card points. The general consensus is a point range between 17-20 high card points, but many partnerships have increased this range to 17-24 high card points.
Note: Mr. Michael (Mike) Savage has an excellent write-up on not only the Mini Roman 2 Diamonds concept including the original version, but also a variation that shows both Minors and one Major suit. Source online. This information has also only been preserved and archived on this site in .pdf file format for future reference.
Employing the Mini Roman Two Diamonds conventional method, the distribution is the same, 4-4-4-1 or 5-4-4-0, but the general point range is between 12-16 high card points, with some partnerships using the range between 11-15 high card points. In both cases the shortage can be in any suit.
The application of the Mini Roman Two Diamonds conventional method requires the partnership to surrender the employment of the Weak Two Preempts on the two level in Diamonds. The user should also be reminded that the application may only be used with two distributional patterns: 4-4-4-1 or 5-4-4-0, which many players consider limiting.
The responder of both the Roman Two Diamonds or a Mini Roman Two Diamonds opening will seldom pass this opening of partner since the shortage may be in the Diamond suit. The opening of Two Diamonds neither promises Diamonds nor does it promise a Diamond shortage. Several examples follow, which should be opened with two Diamonds when employing the Mini-Roman Two Diamonds conventional method:
Pass or Correct
As soon as the responder is aware that the partner has a distribution of 4-4-4-1 or 5-4-4-0, and somewhere between the agreed upon point range of 11/12-15/16 high card points, then the responder and partner will use the so-called pass and correct concept. This means only that the responder, being unable to pass the 2 Diamonds will bid up the line naturally, which at the same time shows no game interest. The first response is deemed to be natural and the opener will either Pass if it does not name his shortage or Correct if the bid does name his shortage.
The following examples should clarify this pass or correct method:
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North |
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Meaning |
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2  |
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2  |
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Responder bids up the line. This response shows no game interest. |
2  |
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Responder now knows that the shortage is in Hearts; Partner corrects. |
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Pass |
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With 2 Hearts the responder shows no interest in game and passes the correct, even with only a 3-card support. |
Invitational Holdings
When the responder holds invitational values, the responder generally becomes the captain of the partnership and will guide or invite the opener to the correct contract. This is accomplished when the responder first bids 2 No Trump. This response is forcing for one round and the partner may not pass. This response requires from the partner only one thing and that is to name the location of his/her shortage.
The following example should clarify this action:
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North |
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Meaning |
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| 2 |
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2 NT |
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Responder performs a one-round forcing action. Asks for location of shortage. |
| 3 |
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Opener shows the location of shortage. |
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3 |
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Partner invites to game. |
| Pass |
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Opener passes with a minimum in the range 11/12-15/16. |
| 4 |
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Opener will bid game with a maximum or near maximum in the range 11/12-15/16. |
Game Forcing Values
If the responser holds game-forcing values, even with the minimum of partner, then the responder responds 2 No Trump. This action is forcing for one round and the opener may not pass. This first response is also asking for the location of the shortage. The rebid of the opener indicates the shortage, and the responder then generally sets the game contract.
The following two examples should illustrate this action:
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North |
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Meaning |
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| 2 |
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2 NT |
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Responder performs a one-round forcing action. Asks for location of shortage. |
| 3 |
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Opener shows the location of shortage. |
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3 NT |
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Partner bids game in No Trump, normally, with at least two stoppers in the short suit. |
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North |
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Meaning |
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| 2 |
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2 NT |
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Responder performs a one-round forcing action. Asks for location of shortage. |
| 3 |
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Opener shows the location of shortage. |
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5  |
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With slam values, the responder initiates Blackwood or the agreed slam-bidding technique. |
When Partner's Long Suit Equals Opener's Short Suit
In the case that the long suit of the partner is the short suit of the opener, then other partnership agreements may be used. There is a one in four possibilities that this becomes the case, as in the following example:
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North |
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Meaning |
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| 2 |
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2 NT |
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Responder performs a one-round forcing action. Asks for location of shortage. |
| 3 |
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Opener shows the location of shortage. |
When this happens, then there are several approaches, which the partnership can apply. The partnership must agree upon one conventional approach suggested here or devise an individual approach suitable for the partnership. There are no established ground rules for such actions.
This action by the responder should be undertaken only by those rare distributional holdings, whereby a small slam is virtually guaranteed and a grand slam might be achieved. Otherwise the better course of action is to simply bid 3 No Trump.
1. Ask for a more specified description of opener's strength:
This is generally accomplished via a forcing action. In the above example, the responder would bid 4 Diamonds in absence of any other descriptive bid. This bid also establishes Diamonds as the preliminary trump suit. The bids by the opener are in Steps: 4 Hearts would show between minimum and 13/14 points and 4 Spades would show between 13/14 to 15/16, depending on the agreed upon range.
Once this action has been completed, then the responder should be able to set the final contract, even if the responder bids 4 No Trump. A final bid of 4 No Trump by the responder is not forcing; it establishes the final contract and opener must pass. If the responder wishes to make another one-round forcing bid, then the responder must make another suit bid. For example, if the opener shows minimum values with a bid of 4 Hearts, and the responder wishes to investigate slam possibilities, then the responder, using this approach, should bid 4 Spades, which becomes the partnership form of Blackwood. A bid then by opener of 4 NT shows (with Roman Keycard Blackwood 1430) 1 or 4 Keycards; 5 Clubs shows 0 or 3 Keycards, etc.
If the opener shows maximum values with a bid of 4 Spades, then the responder is required to bid 5 Clubs as the partnership form of Blackwood (not 4 No Trump concluding the auction).
Once this action has occurred, the reader will already realize that the partnership now finds itself on the four level and that the partnership has by-passed 3 No Trump, which is no longer an option. Using this structure, any bid of 4 No Trump or 5 No Trump (both an Escape Bid) should conclude the auction. All other suit bids become step bids and describe the holding.
2. Control Showing Step Bids:
In the above auction the partnership can agree to show controls instead of strength. Using the conventional method that an Ace equals 2 controls and a King equals 1 control, the bid of 4 Diamonds by the responder forces the opener to clarify his/her controls. This is accomplished by steps and can take several forms as shown below:
| 4 : |
First Step: this bid shows either 0 or 4 controls; zero controls, or 2 Aces, or 1 Ace and 2 Kings. |
| 4 : |
Second Step: this bid shows 5 controls; either 2 Aces and 1 King, or 1 Ace and 3 Kings. |
| 4 NT: |
Excluded since it becomes the Escape Bid. |
| 5 : |
Third Step: this bid shows 6 controls, etc. |
The other alternative agreement could be as follows:
| 4 : |
First Step: this bid shows either 0 or 4 controls; zero controls, or 2 Aces, or 1 Ace and 2 Kings. |
| 4 : |
Second Step: this bid shows 5 controls; either 2 Aces and 1 King, or 1 Ace and 3 Kings. |
| 4 NT: |
Third Step: this bid shows 6 controls. It is, per agreement, not an Escape Bid. |
| 5 : |
Third Step: this bid shows 7 controls, etc. |
Note: These approaches can be varied according to the individual partnership agreement. That means that the interpretation of the 4 Hearts and 4 Spades step bids can be reversed if so wished. These approaches are only suggestions for a continuance if no other bid fits the auction.
Defense Suggestions
If the next player in rotation overcalls in a suit, then the responder may pass with very few values and wishes to defend. Otherwise, with sufficient values to compete, the partner of the opener can bid 2 No Trump to ask for the location of the shortage as though there had been no overcall. As a result of the overcall the partner has additional information as to how to proceed.
The same principle holds true as when the next player in rotation has doubled the 2 Diamonds opening. It is strongly suggested that the partnership inquire as to the meaning of the overcall and/or double, i.e. whether the double is for Takeout or penalty; or if the overcall is 3 Diamonds, whether or not this is intended as a Michaels Cuebid, as an example. Otherwise the partnership should agree when to play systems on or systems off.
If you wish to include this feature, or any other feature, of the game of bridge in your partnership agreement, then please make certain that the concept is understood by both partners. Be aware whether or not the feature is alertable or not and whether an announcement should or must be made. Check with the governing body and/or the bridge district and/or the bridge unit prior to the game to establish the guidelines applied. Please include the particular feature on your convention card in order that your opponents are also aware of this feature during the bidding process, since this information must be made known to them according to the Laws of Duplicate Contract Bridge. We do not always include the procedure regarding Alerts and/or Announcements, since these regulations are changed and revised during time by the governing body. It is our intention only to present the information as concisely and as accurately as possible.