OPENING BIDS SPECIAL USES OF DOUBLES:

Your point min. CONVENTIONAL SPECIAL Doubles of opening NT bids or NT are for penalties, following which all subsequent doubles side bids range length MEANING RESPONSES are for penalties. Following a strength showing redouble, all doubles are for penalties. 1♣♣♣ 10*-19 2 1NT response = 6-9 HCP Otherwise all doubles of suit contracts up to and including 2 ♠ are for take-out. 1♦♦♦ 10*-19 4 N.B. A bid does not 2NT = 16+ forcing E.g.: 1 ♠ x 2 ♠ x - both doubles are for take-out. 1♥♥♥ 10*-19 5 deny a 5-card major. New suit at 2 level=9+ HCP 1♠♠♠ 10*-19 5 Limit raises SLAM CONVENTIONS Roman Gerber & Blackwood - sliding (Gerber directly over NT) 1NT 12-14 N.B. may be light in 4 th hand 2♣ = Stayman, RST, Baron Steps: 1 = 0 or 3 aces, 2 = 1 or 4 aces, then CRO. 3NT over 1 maj : 3 maj = Baby Blackwood ♣♣♣ 2 Game forcing or 23+ balanced Control steps 2♦♦♦ 0 Multi-coloured bid 2♥♥♥= Relay Other Conventions: 2♥♥♥ 5 8 or more playing tricks with 2 or Control steps Fourth-suit forcing: A bid in the fourth suit is artificial, showing no particular holding in the suit but requesting partner to describe his/her hand further. After 2♠♠♠ 5 more outside defensive tricks Control steps 1♣ - 1 ♦ - 1 ♥, however, 1 ♠ is natural and 2 ♠ is ‘fourth suit’. 2NT 21-22 3♣ = 5-card Stayman, RST, See list on front cover for others. Baron 3 of suit 0-9 7 Pre-emptive. 3NT = long solid 3NT to play, Jump shifts to OPENING LEADS v SUIT CONTRACTS top of sequences; 2nd and 4th highest from length 3NT 9-16 6 minor with no more than Q outside. play, other = cue bids A K A K x K Q 10 K Q x K J 10 4 bids 0-15 7 Pre-emptive, strength depends upon position, 0-9 Attach Red Spot, K 10 9 Q J 10 Q J x J 10 x 10 x x or hatch over, 10 9 x 9 8 7 x 10 x x x H x x x x H x x x x x if using non- DEFENSIVE BIDS standard leads H x x x H x x x x x x x x x x x

Your MEANING Opponents DEFENSIVE METHODS open Other leads: v NT CONTRACTS top of sequences; 2nd and 4th highest from length Simple Wide ranging, from 6+ at 1-level 1NT Double = penalties A K x (x) A J 10 x K Q 10 K Q x K J 10 Jump Intermediate = good 6-card suit Suit bids are Astro, 2NT=unus. K 10 9 Q J 10 Q J x J 10 x 10 x x 3♣♣♣= Modified 10 x x x 10 9 x 9 8 7 x H x x H x x x x x

Direct Protective X = penalty, Halsall = t/o, 3NT to play 1 NT Weak 3 H x x x x H x x x x x x x x x x x x 16 -18 12 -14 - note 4 Partner’s Responses 4 bids X of maj. = pen, 4NT = min. N.B. these leads may be modified by any information gained during the bidding process e.g. Top of partner's suit. As for 1NT opening

2NT 2 lowest suits (Mod. Ghestem) Strong 1 ♣♣♣♦♦♦ X= maj. 1NT = min. otherwise natural. CARDING METHODS Describe your primary method. State any alternative in brackets. 2 highest unbid suits (Disco defence) On Partner's lead Attitude: high = encouraging, low = discouraging EXCEPT lead of 3♣♣♣ Highest & lowest unbid suits Ace v NT asks partner to unblock an honour or show count. ACTION AFTER OPPONENTS INTERVENE On Declarer's lead Count: high-low = you hold an even number of cards in the suit Over their Double = take-out up to and Bids = new suit forcing When discarding Super-Dodds, 5-7 neutral, odd = McKenney, Even = Dodds (want suit) Simple Overcall including 2 ♠ Exceptions to above Suit Preference: high = higher-ranking other suit, low = lower suit Over a Double = take-out up to and Bids = new suit forcing Jump Overcall including 3 ♠ Over their Redouble New suit Jump in new suit Jump raise 2NT Double = 9+ HCP = forcing = forcing = pre-emptive = good raise SUPPLEMENTARY DETAILS (Please cross reference to appropriate part of card) Name [1] Unbalanced Hands ♣♦ EBU No Always open the longest suit. With two five card or longer suits always open the higher ranking. Consider using the Rule of 19 to evaluate light distributional openings. Partner [2] Defence to weak 2-bids - Modified Hackett X = penalty double, 2NT = 15-18 points with 2 stops. ♥♠ 3 = take-out bid with fewer than 16 points EBU No ...... 3 = take-out bid with 16 points or more. Any other bid is natural. [3] After a one-level response, a rebid of 1NT = 15 - 16 HCP (High Card Points) 2NT = 17 - 18 HCP 3NT = 19 - 20 HCP. GENERAL DESCRIPTION OF SYSTEM

[4] Protective 1NT Overcall An overcall of 1NT in fourth position, e.g. 1 ♥ P P 1NT shows only 12-14 points. With more, Double initially and Bidding Methods 5-card majors & 2  multi rebid no trumps over partner’s response.

[5] Astro Style of leads 4th highest, top of sequences Over 1 no . (With 9 cards in two suits normally 10-15 points in direct position. Extreme distributions points requirement relaxed. In pass-out position may be 8 cards in two suits if non-vulnerable vs. vulnerable). signals Attitude on partner’s lead, count on declarer’s lead 2 shows and a MINOR. Normally at least 9 cards in two suits, with at least 4 cards/suit. discards Suit preference when obvious 2 shows and another suit. th 2 shows a natural single suit. updated 20 August 2003 2NT shows both minors. Responses : Next suit up denies 3 or more cards in the known suit. 2NT is the only forcing response. Jump responses in the known suit are invitational. Passing the bid suit shows a weak 6-card suit without 3-card support for the known suit. Raising of the bid suit shows a strong 6-card suit with game interest. Astro initiator may pass if the relay suit is his second suit. ASPECTS OF SYSTEM WHICH

[6] Defence to weak 3 & 4 bids OPPONENTS SHOULD NOTE Jump in a suit is to play. X = penalties. Halsall bid of a suit shows a two-suiter of the 2 unbid suits. Cue bid shows a three- suiter for take-out. 3NT is to play. 4NT shows the two lowest suits. Note. [7] Multi 2  Either a weak 2 in the majors (5-9 points) or a strong 2 in the minors (8 playing tricks or 20-22 points) or a balanced 19-20 STRENGTH OF 1NT OPENERS: 12 - 14 points no-trump hand. A response of 2  is a relay which 2  initiator will pass if he has a weak 2-bid in hearts. A 2♣♣♣ RESPONSE TO 1NT OPENER: Stayman response of 2  shows a hand willing to go higher if opener has a weak 2 in hearts. A response of 2NT is forcing and asks opener to describe his hand. Opener bids 3NT with a balanced 19-20 points or 4  with a . 3  means an Conventions: 2 Multicoloured two bid, Modified Ghestem, Halsall, Negative X's, upper range weak two in hearts. 3  means an upper range weak two in spades. 3  means a lower range weak two in th hearts. 3  means a lower range weak two in spades. Modified Hackett, Long suit trial bids, "The Wriggle" over 1NT doubled, 4 hand st rd [8] Rescue redouble bids may be weaker than 1 to 3 . X of 3NT contact where no suit has been mentioned = lead As the 1  bid may be as few as 2 in the suit. If doubled, a redouble by 1  opener is for rescue. Spades. Splinters ask for cue bid of cheapest control. Direct response of 3NT over a major = pudding raise. DABS & unassuming cue bids. over interference with 1NT. [9] Interference with our 1NT opening If they double in 2 nd hand : Responder passes with either 7 or more high card points or with no 5-card or longer suit. ( opener must re-double or bid a 5-card minor suit). With a weak hand and a 5-card or longer suit, responder bids an extended transfer. ( XX = , 2  = , 2  = , 2  = ). After opener has redoubled, responder either passes if strong or bid his longest, lowest 4-card suit. Bidding continues until best fit is achieved. Emergency bridge stationery FREE: www.watson-eaton-bray.freeserve.co.uk If they double in 4 th hand : Opener bids his 5-card minor if any, or passes without. Responder either passes with 7 or more hcp or bids directly a 5-card suit or re-doubles if weak with only a 4-card suit. Opener then bids his lowest 4-card suit as above. If they overcall a suit at the 2-level : Responder passes with nothing to say. X says they have pinched my bid. A suit bid ignores the interference. (Stayman, Transfers, Baron etc. are thus preserved.) . A bid of 2NT is Lebensohl asking partner to bid 3  which may be passed or corrected to a suit (non-forcing) or 3NT denying a stopper. A direct bid of 3NT shows a stopper, similarly a bid of a suit at the 3-level is forcing. (FASS Version).