Dear Ed & Peter,

While watching a team event, one of the kibitzers mentioned that more and more players were using an opening 2♦ bid showing 18-19 HCP and a balanced hand. Could not find any info on this. What would the responses be?

Tx, Dorothy Flood

Reply Ed Hoogenkamp (South)

Dear Dorothy,

Personally I don't have any experience with this opening. But I found detailed information about it for you.

Follow this link: Mexican 2 Diamond opening.

Un saludo, greetings from Barcelona

Reply Peter van der Linden (North)

This is the kind of question Ed likes: he doesn't know anything about it, so he googles a bit, sends a few links and drags himself to the terrace with a pint of sangria (it's very hot in Barcelona!).

This is the kind of question I don't know how to react to: I don't know anything about it and googling a bit is useless since Ed has been there first. And I have to admit: the treatise he links to is very thorough.
I'd better try and find some sangria (or is tequila more appropriate?)...

En hils, greetings from Orkanger

We have received a reaction (thank you very much Chris):

Mexican 2♦ is also known Karosel 2♦.
It is a light 2NT opening over which we play transfer bids and Puppet Stayman. The strong hand plays all contracts except those where responder's shape in the majors is 5-4 and no 8-card fit exists.
I have a write up at http://cmesi.tripod.com

Thank you, Chris Mesi