OTHER OPENING BIDS COMPETITIVE AUCTIONS See Min CONVENTIONAL SPECIAL Agreements after opening of one of a suit and by opponents HCP note length MEANING RESPONSES Notes Level to which negative doubles apply 7♥ (mostly values beyond 4♥) 1♣ 9+ 2 2 Natural or Balanced see note 2 Special meaning of bids Cue=Good raise+ 1♦ 9+ 3 4 Unbalanced, could have longer clubs see note 3 Exceptions / other agreements ♥ emptive (3-6), splinters, 1 4,5 Agreements after opponents double for takeout 9+ 5 Natural 3♠/NT=Singleton somewhere, Gazzilli ♠ & 6 1 Redouble New suit Jump in new suit 3 bids 0-12 - 6 3NT=Gambling 9½+, no fit Natural, Forcing Fit 4 bids 3-14 - 7 Jump raise 2NT Other *(Please enter your normal HCP range in the HCP column. Please tick box if you have any special agreements involving different values in particular positions (e.g. light openings in third seat) and include further details Pre-emptive Good Raise+ under Supplementary Details). Other agreements concerning doubles and redoubles DEFENSIVE METHODS AFTER OPPONENTS OPEN Support doubles/redoubles. Doubles for penalties when fit found. Double of Michael’s etc. shows OPPONENTS OPEN A CONVENTIONAL SPECIAL penalty interest, and subsequent doubles are for penalties Double for Stayman/transfers by passed Notes NATURAL ONE OF A SUIT MEANING RESPONSES hand over weak NT shows very strong hand, but otherwise are lead-directing. Doubles for penalties rd Simple overcall Natural, “Constructive” Cue=Good raise+ after we have already made a penalty double of a suit. 3 double is for penalties. Lightner Doubles. Jump overcall Natural, “Weak” Cue=Good raise+ OTHER CONVENTIONS 4th suit Game-Forcing. Unassuming and Invisible Cue bids. (FASS), including after an Michael’s (Weak or Strong) (1M)-2M-(P)-2NT=PLP 9 ascending (e.g. 1♣-1♠:2♥). Smolen. 3-Way Checkback after 1♣-1M:1NT, bids natural after Direct: 15½-17½ Rubensoid 7 1♣-1♦:1NT (2m to play, 2M inv+). After 1NT-2♣-2M, bidding the other major at the 3-level is a 1NT Protective: 11-14 Rubensoid 7 slam try in the first major. In competition 4NT often shows two places to play.

Direct: Unusual (Weak or Strong) SUPPLEMENTARY DETAILS 2NT 7 1 Protective 19-21 balanced Rubensoid . Romex Stayman after (1m)-p-(p)-2NT 1) Romex Stayman: After a 2NT opening, 3♣ is Romex Stayman (5-card spade Stayman). Opener OPPONENTS OPEN DEFENSIVE SPECIAL Notes shows a 4-card heart suit or a 5-card spade suit, bids 3NT with 4-4 in the majors or 3♦ otherwise. WITH METHODS RESPONSES After 2NT-3♣:3♦, 3♥ asks for a 4-card spade suit, and after 2NT-3♣:3♥, 3♠ shows 3+ hearts, GF. Strong 1♣ The Ford Attack 8 After 2NT-3♣:3♦, 3♠ shows 5 spades and 4 hearts. Short 1♣/1♦ Treat as Natural (over or similar, 2♣=natural, 2♦=Majors) 2) 1♣ opening: Shows 2+ cards, and will be opened on all 15-19 balanced hands without a 5-card major. Over this jump-shifts are weak, raises are inverted and 2NT shows a bad raise. After 1♣-2♣, Weak 1NT Multi- (2♣=Landy, 2♦=♥ or ♠ Multi-Style, 2M=Major + minor followed by Puppet Lebensohl Paradox, 2NT=Minors, 3m 9 anything except 3♣ shows some extras, but a new suit at the 2-level is not game-forcing. Strong 1NT wide ranging, 3M weak. 3) 1♦ opening: shows 4+ cards, but could have longer clubs if it has fewer than 16HCP. Responses are natural, with inverted raises, 3♣ as a bad raise and 2NT as a balanced game-force. 2M is weak. Weak 2 , then Lebensohl, Modified Michael’s After 1♦-1♥, there are a few artificial bids: 1NT=Longer clubs, 2♠=6+ diamonds, 15+HCP, at most Weak 3 Takeout Double 2 hearts, 3/4♦=Natural with exactly 3 hearts, 2NT=Good 4 card raise. After 1♦-1♠, there are some more artificial bids: 1NT=Minors, either could be longer, 2♣=4+ hearts, 4 bids “Takeout” Double forcing, 2♥ 6+ diamonds, 15+HCP, at most 2 spades, 3/4♦/2NT as above. Multi 2♦ Dixon-style (X=13-15 Balanced or 18+ etc). Modified Michael’s 4) Major Raises: Over 1M, 2NT is Jacoby, with responses: 3♣=Minimum, 3♦=16+ no shortage, 3♥/♠/NT=15+ shortage in ♣/♦/OM. Suits at the 4-level show a minimum, but a good second suit. SLAM CONVENTIONS After 1M-2NT:3♣, 3♦ asks opener to show shortages as above, and 3♥/♠/NT show shortages. Name Meaning of Responses Action over interference We also play Bergen-style raises: 3♣ shows 4-card support and 6-9HCP, 3♦ shows 4-card support st nd and 9-11HCP. Jumping into the other major shows 3-card support and 9-11 HCP. Cue bids could show 1 or 2 round control 5) Splinters over 1M: These are limited to about 15HCP. Direct splinters show voids (1♥-3NT RKCB, 14-30, ROPI/DOPI shows a spade void), so to show a singleton somewhere we bid 3♠/NT, and bidding the next suit up GERBER asks to show the shortage (1♠-3NT:4♣-4♠=singleton Club, 1♥-3♠:3NT-4♥=singleton spade). OPENING LEADS (For all the card combinations shown, clearly mark the card Name Peter Ford EBU No. normally led if different from the underlined card).

t

i Partner Nick Mock EBU No. u A K A K x K Q 10 K Q x K J 10 K 10 9 Q J 10 s

. v

s Q J x J 10 x 10 x x 10 9 x 9 8 7 x 10 x x x H x x t c a

r GENERAL DESCRIPTION OF BIDDING METHODS t H x x x H x x x x H x x x x x x x x x x x x x x

n o T 5-Card Majors, Weak NT, Unbalanced ♦, Multi 2♦ and Dutch Twos, or: c

N A K x (x) A J 10 x K Q 10 K Q x K J 10 K 10 9 Q J 10

.

v “Little Rascal” s

t Q J x J 10 x 10 x x 10 9 x 9 8 7 x 10 x x x H x x c 1NT OPENINGS AND RESPONSES a r t H x x x H x x x x H x x x x x x x x x x x x x x If artificial give details below and make obvious by n Strength (11) 12-14

o shading in grey the cell on right. c Other agreements in leading, e.g. high level contracts, partnership suits:- Shape constraints If may have singleton make obvious 5cM, 5m422 possible by shading in grey the cell on the right Choice of leads from AK and KQ (A/Q demands Standard Attitude). Responses 2♣ Stayman K could ask to unblock against NT. May lead small from suits headed by honour sequences. 2♦ Hearts 2♥ Spades CARDING METHODS 2♠ Clubs (3♣=likes clubs) 2NT Diamonds (3♦=likes diamonds) Others Signals Primary method v suit contracts Primary method v NT contracts 3M=Slam Try (6+ Card suit), 3♣=Minors GF, 3♦=GF 5-card Stayman, Texas Action after opponents double XX=single suited hand (forces 2♣), Suits show suit and suit above, On Partner’s lead Pass forces XX, to play or to show other two-suited hands. On Declarer’s lead Standard Count Action after other interference Takeout double, Lebensohl (FASS), Modified Michael’s When discarding TWO-LEVEL OPENINGS AND RESPONSES Other carding agreements, including secondary methods (state when applicable) and exceptions to above Meaning Responses Notes Standard Attitude on the lead of A or Q, and when clear 2♣ 22+ Balanced or any GF 2♦ waiting, Kokish, 2NT=Bal w/ A+K, others=good suit Suit preference signals and Italian discards (odd encouraging, even McKenney) when ♦ clear. Smith-Peters. 2 Multi (Weak with ♥ or ♠ only) 2NT=asking (after which 3M=BAD weak 2), others POC 2♥ SUPPLEMENTARY DETAILS (continued) Dutch (5M, 4+minor) Puppet Lebensohl Paradox9 2♠ 6) Gazzilli: After 1M-1X, 2♣ shows clubs or any 16+ (except 6M, 4m GF, which is shown by 2NT 20-21½ Romex Stayman1, 3R=Transfer, 3♠=Minors bidding 2NT, and 15-17 bal. after 1♥-1♠). After this, responder’s only strong bid is 2♦, showing any 8+. After this bids are pretty natural (opener returns to 2M with the weak type, and with 16+ he OTHER ASPECTS OF SYSTEM WHICH OPPONENTS SHOULD NOTE shows 3 cards in the other major or shows his shape). Bids other than 2♦ are quite natural as well, (Please include details of any agreements involving bidding on significantly less than traditional values). with 2NT showing both minors. Exceptions to these rules are: 1♥-1NT:2♣-2♦:2♠ shows 4 spades, 1♣ is natural or 15-19 balanced without a 5-card major. not 3. 1♥-1NT:2♣-2♠ shows 3 spades, 5-4 or better in the minors and a weak hand. All other bids are limited. Reverses show two very good suits, but fewer than 16 HCP. 1♦ promises an unbalanced hand, and could have longer clubs if weak. 7) Rubensoid after 1NT : After (1m)-1NT, system is as normal. After (1M)-1NT, everything is a transfer. Transferring into opponents suits is promissory Stayman. 2M shows 5 cards with a 4+ card minor. 2M-2NT does not show values. 8) The Ford Attack over a strong club: X shows the minors, 1♦/♥ shows suit and one above, all 4- 4 or better, 1♠ shows 4 spades with 5+ minor (followed by PLP), 1NT shows a strong jump overcall 2♦ is Multi, showing a weak two in hearts or spades only. in any suit. 2♣ shows 5 clubs and 4 hearts, 2♦ is multi and 2M is Dutch-style. 9) Puppet Lebensohl Paradox: After a 2M bid showing the major and a minor, we play Puppet 1M-1X:2♣ = Clubs or any 16+ (Gazzilli). Lebensohl Paradox. 3♣ is pass or correct, 3♦ is invitational (opener bids 3M with a bad hand, and usually bids 3OM with a good one, but may opt to show more about his hand). 2NT asks opener to bid the suit they don’t have. This is used a little like Lebensohl to get out in suits at the 3-level. e.g.: 2♠-2NT:3♣-3♥ is to play, but 2♥-2NT:3♣-3♠ is invitational with 6+ spades. Both players of a partnership must have identically completed convention cards. Cards must be exchanged with opponents for each round. (Word V 1.0) EBU 20B