| 1. 1NT opening and responses |
GENERAL REMARKS | |
| Strength | 15-17 HCP |
| Depending on vulnerability | No |
| Fivecard major possible | Yes, any fivecard is allowed |
| Sixcard minor possible | No |
| Two doubletons possible | No |
RESPONSES TO 1NT | |
| 2C | Stayman does not promise a fourcard major; does not promise any HCP |
| 2D | Transfer to 2H, guarantees 5+ hearts |
| 2H | Transfer to 2S, guarantees 5+ spades |
| 2S | Transfer to 3C; opener bids 2NT with clubsupport |
| 2NT | Transfer to 3D; opener bids 3C with diamondsupport |
| 3C | Threesuiter with short clubs; 4441/4450 |
| 3D | Threesuiter with short diamonds; 4414/4405 |
| 3H | Threesuiter with short hearts; 3145/3154 |
| 3S | Threesuiter with short spades; 1345/1354 |
| 3NT | To play |
| 4C | Gerber |
| 4D | Transfer to 4H; to play |
| 4H | Transfer to 4S; to play |
| 4S | Minors |
| 4NT | Quantitative |
| 2. 2NT opening and responses |
GENERAL REMARKS | |
| Strength | 20-22 HCP |
| Depending on vulnerability | No |
| Fivecard major possible | Yes, any fivecard is allowed |
| Sixcard minor possible | Yes |
| Two doubletons possible | Yes |
| 4441 possible | Yes, but only singleton ace or king |
RESPONSES TO 2NT | |
| 3C | Puppet Stayman: Responses 3D at least one fourcard major 3H fivecard hearts 3S fivecard spades 3NT neither fourcard nor fivecard major |
| 3D | Transfer to 3H, guarantees 5+ hearts |
| 3H | Transfer to 3S, guarantees 5+ spades |
| 3S | Transfer to 4C; opener bids 3NT without clubsupport |
| 3NT | Five spades and four hearts; nonforcing |
| 4C | Transfer to 3D; opener bids 4NT without diamondsupport |
| 4D | Transfer to 4H; to play |
| 4H | Transfer to 4S; to play |
| 4S | Minors |
| 4NT | Five spades and four hearts; nonforcing but stronger than 3NT |
| 4NT | Five spades and four hearts; forcing |
| 3. 3NT opening and responses |
GENERAL REMARKS | |
| Strength | Solid minor |
| Outside strength | No more than one queen |
| 4. NT-rebids |
GENERAL REMARKS | |
| 1X - 1Y - 1NT | 12-14 HCP if balanced; 12-15 if 4441 |
| 1X - 1Y - 2NT | 18-19 HCP and always balanced; does not deny fourcard major (support) |
| 1X - 1Y - 3NT | 18+ HCP with long X |
| 1X - 2Y (non-jump) - 2NT | 12-14 HCP if balanced; 12-15 if 4441 |
| 1X - 2Y (non-jump) - 3NT | 15-19 HCP |
| 5. 1M opening and responses |
1H and 1S always show at least a fivecard.
RESPONSES TO 1MAJOR IN AN UNCONTESTED AUCTION | |
| 1NT | 6-9 HCP; nonforcing |
| 2m | Natural and forcing (even with a passed hand); not forcing to game |
| 2M | 6-9 HCP with threecard support |
| 3M | Preemptive raise; 2-6 HCP and 4+ support |
| 4M | Preemptive raise; 3-7 HCP and 5+ support |
| 2NT | Gameforcing with 4+ support; highly conventional!! |
| 3C | Bergen raise: 7-9 HCP and 4+ support |
| 3D | Bergen raise: 10-12 HCP and 4 support or 8-12 HCP and 5+ support |
| 1H - 2S | Strong and natural |
| 1H - 3S | 12-15 HCP; any splinter |
| 1H - 3NT/4C/4D | 12-15 HCP and void S/C/D |
| 1S - 3NT | 12-15 HCP; any splinter |
| 1S - 4C/4D/4H | 12-15 HCP and void C/D/H |
| 6. 1M in competition |
RESPONSES TO 1MAJOR IN A CONTESTED AUCTION | |
| 3M | Preemptive raise |
| cuebid | 10+ HCP and threecard support |
| 2NT | 8+ HCP and 4+ support |
| Jump in other suit | Fitjump |
| Double | Take out |
AFTER TAKE OUT DOUBLE | |
| 1H - DBL - 1S | 8+ HCP and threecard support |
| 1S - DBL - 2H | 8+ HCP and threecard support |
| 1M - DBL - 2m | 8-11 HCP and nonforcing |
| 1M - DBL - 2NT | 10+ HCP and 4+ support |
| 1M - DBL - 3C | 7-9 HCP and 4+ support |
| Other jumps | Fitjump |
| 7. 1m opening and responses |
1C shows two or more clubs. 1D shows four of more diamonds.
RESPONSES TO 1MINOR IN AN UNCONTESTED AUCTION | |
| 1NT | 6-9 HCP; nonforcing and denies fourcard higher than the suit opened |
| 2m | Inverted minor; 10+ HCP |
| 2NT | Fit, denies fourcard major; 6-9 HCP and bad suit |
| 3m | Inverted minor; 6-9 HCP and good suit |
| Jump | Strong and natural |
| Double jump | Splinter and 12+ HCP |
| 3NT | 12-15 HCP with fourcard support and 4333 |
| 8. 1m in competition |
RESPONSES TO 1MINOR IN A CONTESTED AUCTION | |
| 2m/3m | Preemptive raise |
| cuebid | 10+ HCP and 4+ support |
| 2NT | Natural, 10-11 HCP |
| Jump in other suit |
Below 3m: fitjump Between 3m and 3NT: 6-9 HCP and long suit |
| 1C - 1D - DBL | DENIES fourcard major |
| 1C - 1H - DBL | DENIES four spades |
| 1D - 1H - DBL | DENIES four spades |
| 1D - 2C - DBL | Shows 4+ hearts |
| 1D - 2C - 2D | Shows 4+ spades |
AFTER TAKE OUT DOUBLE | |
| 1m - DBL - 2m/3m | Preemptive raise |
| 1m - DBL - 1X | 8+ HCP and threecard support |
| 1m - DBL - 2NT | 10+ HCP and 4+ support |
| 1D - DBL - 2C | 8-11 HCP and nonforcing |
| Jumps | Fitjump |
| 9. 2 level openings and responses |
GENERAL REMARKS | |
| 2C | Acol 2C; almost forcing to game; 2D is relay; other bids are natural and promise 8+ HCP |
| 2D | Flannery; 11-15 HCP with 5 hearts and 4 spades |
| 2M | Weak two; 6-11 HCP and sixcard; denies fourcard in other major 2NT is relay and asks for range and suit quality minor at threelevel: natural with good suit, threecard fit and invitational other major: no fit, nonforcing |
| 10. 3 level and higher openings |
GENERAL REMARKS | |
| Style | Never a bad suit; at least Queen-Jack |
| 3X | Preemptive; could be sixcard; does not deny fourcard major |
| 4C | Good preemptive 4H opening; 8-13 HCP and 7+ card |
| 4D | Good preemptive 4S opening; 8-13 HCP and 7+ card |
| 4H | Preemtive; 7+ card, but weaker than 4C |
| 4S | Preemtive; 7+ card, but weaker than 4D |
| 11. Competitive bidding |
GENERAL REMARKS | |
| Simple overcall | Garantees fivecard |
| Jump overcall | Weak; at least sixcard and never a bad suit; does not deny fourcard major |
| Preemptive overcall | At least sixcard and never a bad suit; does not deny fourcard major |
| Two-suiters | Ghestem (constructive); 2NT shows lowest, 3C shows highest and cuebid shows extreme BUT 1D - 3C is preemptive and 1D - 3D shows majors |
| 1NT-overcall | 15-17 HCP and 'systems are on' |
| Sandwich-position | Double and 1NT show 8+ HCP and 5-4 in the other suits (DBL if lowest is longer) |
| 12. Doubles |
GENERAL REMARKS | |
| Negative | Up to 4H SPECIAL: 1C - (1D) - DBL denies major; 1D - (1H) - DBL denies four spades |
| Responsive | Up to 4H |
| Other competitive doubles | Up to 4H |
| Support double/redouble | Up to 2M |
Bidding after opponents take out double | |
| New suit at one level | Forcing, unlimited But 1H - (DBL) - 1S = 3crd H and 8+ HCP |
| New suit at two level | 8-11 HCP, nonforcing But 1S- (DBL) - 2H = 3crd S and 8+ HCP |
| 2NT | Fit and limit raise or better |
| Jump in new suit | Fitjump BUT 1M - (DBL) - 3C is still Bergen (7-9 HCP and 4card fit) |
| Raises | Preemptive (Inverted minor is off) |
| 13. Defence to 1NT |
GENERAL REMARKS | |
IN SECOND AND FOURTH POSITION | |
| DBL | 8-15 HCP; 4card major and 5+card minor |
| 2C | 8-15 HCP; 5+/4+ majors (Landy) |
| 2D | 8-15 HCP; 6+card major |
| 2H | 8-15 HCP; 5card heart and 4+card minor |
| 2S | 8-15 HCP; 5card spade and 4+card minor |
| 2N | 10-15 HCP; 5+/5+ minors |
| 3X | 10-15 HCP; 7+card X |
| 14. Defence to preemptive openings |
GENERAL REMARKS | |
IN SECOND AND FOURTH POSITION | |
| DBL | Take out; if possible 2NT is BAD and 3X is GOOD |
| 2 and 3 level overcall | Normal |
| Jump overcall | 12-17 HCP; 6+card |
Minorsuit overcall at 4level always shows twosuiter | |
| If they show a minor | cuebid=majors; other minor=that minor plus unknown major |
| If they show a major | cuebid=minors; minor=that minor plus other major |
| 15. Slemconventions |
| Mixed cues | Gerber |
| Roman Keycard Blackwood; 1430 variation | Splinters |
| 16. Other conventions |
| Lebensohl | |
| Unusual NT | |
| Sandwich 1NT | |
| Checkback Stayman | |
| Fourth suit forcing (not GF at 2level) | 1C - 1D - 1H - 1S = FSF |
| Fitjumps | DBL of 1NT opening shows 4M and 5+m |
| No Walsh after 1C | any fourcard is allowed |
| DOPI-ROPI | |
| No negative free bids | so 1D - (1S) - 2H = 10+HCP and forcing |
| 17. Opening leads and signals |
| General style | 3rd/5th; Zero leads (J, T and 9 promise two or no higher) |
| Difference between NT and suit? | No |
| Signals | Primary count: low - high = EVEN |
| Discards | Primary count: low - high = EVEN |