With weak (6-9) hands it is not allowed to introduce a new suit on the 2 level. Therefore, having weak hands, the hearts should always be called first. In this way any major suit fit will be found nearly always.
With stronger hands (>=10) the short major should be called first and the longest major suit should be called on the 2-level as a non forcing bid, after an eventual 1NT or 2§/¨ rebid. The opener now is well informed about the responder's strength and distribution. When the responder possesses overvalue he should consider to bid his 5-suiter on 3-level, to make the bidding game forcing. A jump like that never can be weak (0-9), because weak 6-suiters are called along the bye pass (club-sohl): 1¨.
Remark 1:
Having weak hand the 3,5 fit is never discovered. This happens also when there no 4-card in the other major.
To prevent it, you must think up something conventional for the responder e.g.: a kind of relay, 2§ showing a weak hand with 5-card in the major called before, and 2¨ for the other major. This is similar to the PLOB (Petty Little Odious Bid) convention, but for a weak major. I consider it sophisticated and above all dangerous. I prefer to play safe and lose the chance. We did agree indeed on WHIMS a convention for the responder with a weak 5,5 in the major suits.
Remark 2:
After a rebid of 1ª a responder holding a 5+card ª must seriously consider to bid 3/4ª straight away.
Remark 3:
After a rebid of 3§ all dreams are gone. The response is PASS, unless the responder is very strong. Then, only contract of 5§ and 3NT may be considered.
In the next tables the principles, described above, are illustrated. The first table illustrates the bidding sequence for weak hands:
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The next table shows the bidding sequences for hand's holding 11-12 hcp's.
You can see what the differences are, in the manner of responding, between weak (6-9) and a bit stronger (10-12) hands. Showing the same distribution, with the stronger hand the responses are a bit higher. When the responding hand holds >=13 hcp's, the game should be bid immediately on the responder's second turn, while his call never is forcing, he must show his strength in hcp's at that moment.
Holding a 5+card major suit without a 4+card in the other major suit it is allowed for the responder to bid the long suit two times after his partner's 1§ opening, unless he is to weak to do this. Generally 10 or more hcp's are needed to bid your own suit at the 2-level.
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The Joker convention serves the same purpose, of finding a major suit fit, as the MaD+ convention does after the diamond opening bid does. It would have been logical if we had given it a similar name: MaC, (finding a Major suit fit after a Club opening). You may still do so if you prefer. Right now I don't feel like finding 'Jokers' everywhere and change them into 'MaC'.
If you want to see applications of this convention, just click on examples and choose appropriate game.