Flow-chartsFlow-charts describingdescribing thethe Auction-phaseAuction-phase ofof ContractContract BridgeBridge © 2010 Dr. Alistair Ward 1 Contents Symbols 3 Abbreviations 4 Definitions 5 Benjaminised Opening Bid 6 Response to Opening 1§ 7 Jacoby 2NT 8 Response to Opening 1NT 9 Opener's Rebid after Responder's Raise 10 Opener's Rebid after 1NT Dustbin-response 11 Opener's Rebid after Responder's §-change 12 Responder's Rebid after Opener's 2nd § 13 Stayman 14 Jacoby (& Red-suit) Transfers 15 Response to Benjamin Weak-two (inc Ogust) 16 Overcalls of 1§ 17 Overcalls of 1NT 18 Response to Partner's Take-out Double 19 Landy 20 Astro 21 Michaels Cue-bid 22 Unusual NT 23 Response after Overcall of § 24 Rubensohl 25 Classic Blackwood 26 Gerber 27 D0P1 & DEPO 28 Response to Opening 2NT 29 Response to Strong-two Opening 30 Response to Acol Game-force Opening 31 Response to Benjamin Game-force Opening 32 Exit Transfers 33 Response to Gambling 3NT 34 2 SymbolsSymbols Auction-terminator ? Decision Level Bid Off-page connector Bid transfers to partner: with possibility of intervention Bid transfers to next player Inter-bid Logic Grey area; where opinions differ Optional extra; for atypical conventions alternatives Mutually exclusive options NB Side note Announce EBU Announcement Alert ! EBU Alert Responder nd th 2 4 Players' colour-codes Opener 3 Abbreviations [AKQJ] Any honour from the specified set x Any non-honour, i.e. spot card [CDHS] Any suit from the specified set § Any suit NT No-trumps M Either Major suit m Either Minor suit oM The other (inferred from context) Major suit nc An n-card long suit ! Bid-suffix denoting use of an artificial convention SQT Klinger's Suit-quality Test HCP The Milton-Work High-card Point-count (N)LTC The (New) Losing-trick Count LHO Left-hand Opponent RHO Right-hand Opponent 4 Definitions Landy©s Long-suit points 1 point, for each card more than 4,in each § Klinger©s Short-suit points As; Dummy Contractor Doubleton = 1 1 Singleton = 3 2 Void = 5 3 Support-points HCP + Short-suit points Quick Tricks In each §: AK = 2 AQ = 1.5 A or KQ = 1 Kx = 0.5 Playing Tricks Trump-length (usually a long §), minus number of honours missing from [AKQ] plus Quick Tricks in other §s Stopper A, or Kx, or Qxx, or Jxxx Balanced Distributions containing no voids or singletons, & no more than 1 doubleton, ie; 5-3-3-2, 4-3-3-3, 4-4-3-2 Klinger©s Suit-quality Test Suit-length + 1 for each of [AKQ], & also for each of [J,10] where a higher honour also exists Total Trumps Principle The tricks required @ the maximum safe bid-level, equals the total trumps held within the partnership. 5 No Bids Benjaminised Opening Bid Balanced ? Y Orange Book §5E4(a). Alert ! >= 7cm, Weak headed by AKQ , Y Gambling but Q @ most 3NT outside ? Preempts are rare in the 4th seat; Length-points why risk a penalty, when the hand will otherwise pass-out ? >= 8cM ? Preemptive Rule-of-20 ? N 4th seat ? N Y of SQT > 9 4M Y Orange Book Y §10B2 & 11C1 Raise according uses Rule-of-19 >= 7c§ ? Preemptive Pass Y To Total Trumps of SQT > 8 3§ Principle Orange Book §5D1(d). Relax constraints in the 3rd seat, Announce; 'Weak' since LHO is known to be strong. 6cM of SQT > 7. Weak-two: Y 3rd seat or < 2 of [AK] outside Pass Y < 12 HCP ? 2M N & fewer than 4oM ? Orange Book §11F21 < (8M or 9m) 1 of Two < 15 HCP Playing Tricks or Y Y higher-ranking 1NT Y 5c§ ? & no 5cM ? < 13 HCP ? Normally a 6c§ or two 5c§s. 5c§ Orange Book §10B4, §11G4(a) requires 5cM Extended Rule-of-25, to provide Orange Book §5C1. permissible defensive strength, to permit penalty Announce; '12-14' Double after any overcall. Y < 20 HCP ? N Three Y 4c§ ? 2NT Y < 22 HCP ? Two Y Touching ? Y Both M ? 1cC ? 4c§ ? Y N Response to 1H Opening 2NT 1 of 1 of 1 of Bid § beneath lower-ranking higher-ranking longest § singleton 4c§ 4c§ Benjamin < 23 ? Y Strong-two: Y < 25 HCP ? 2C ! N Orange Book §5D5. Response to Alert ! Strong-two Benjamin Game-force: 2D ! Response to Benjamin Game-force 6 Overcall 1§ § Response to Opening 1§ Response after overcall of § < 10 HCP, matching 5cM, Shut-out Y & singleton or void raise to 4M ? Add Length-points. Protective < 6 ? Y Pass Take-out Double ! ? Standard ACOL's strong raise-to-Game < 10, or Matching Raise & Delayed Game-raise responses, Y unbalanced & Y 4c§ ? to 2§ have been replaced by either Revalue hand using NLTC > 8.5 ? 3NT Pudding Raise or Jacoby 2NT. Support-points. m bid & Y 1M >= 4cM ? < 13, Limit-raise Pudding Raise: or unbalanced & Y to 3§ 3NT NLTC > 7.5 ? Natural if opening m, Jacoby M bid ? Y or previously passed, 2NT ! or after any interference Delayed Y < 17 ? < 17 ? Y Game-raise: 2 of best m Normally only used in an uncontested auction. Natural if previously passed. No voids & Blackwood: ? N Y require As ? 4NT ! Longest § Alternative < 10 ? Y Y biddable @ level 1 Y higher-ranking § ? is 4-card ? 3cM Dustbin-bid: Raise N support, & short Y 1NT to 2M side-§ ? Unbalanced, or Cheapest Y Longest § is 4-card ? Y missing stopper ? alternative § 4-4-4-1 is the only unbalanced hand without a long §. <16, Change to Limit-response < 13 HCP ? Y or multiple biddable §s, Y higher-ranking 2NT or SQT < 7 ? of longest §s CAVEAT: may be misinterpreted as Jacoby-2NT. Opener's rebid CAVEAT: may be Strong after 3NT misinterpreted as Jump-shift Responder's Pudding Raise. 7 §-change 1M Pass Jacoby 2NT Orange Book §5E1(a). Orange Book §5E1(a). Alert ! Alert ! Take-out Jacoby Shortage in Overcall 3§ Y Pass ! Double ! 2NT ! Advancer's § ? Orange Book §5E1(a). Overcall beyond 4M, Ambiguity with either Alert ! Natural or Jordan-2NT releases opener from obligation Shortage Next in in 3rd § ? Y short § ! Investigate slam ? Alternative 5c§ Limit-response ranking lower than Y Jump-shift 2NT opening §, & of to 4§ (SQT > 6) ? For stronger response, use Cue-bid Limit-raise Orange Book §5E1(a). Alert ! Singleton Y Shift or void § ? to 3§ ! Slam-potential, but avoid Blackwood Jump < 15 ? < 15 ? Y to 4M Y Revalue hand using N Support-points Principle of Fast Arrival. Responder only re-bids with undeclared strength. Raise to < 18 ? Y 3NT ! Orange Book §5E1(a). Alert ! Responses Minimum ? Y until 4M Rebid Missing Aces Blackwood: 3M & no voids ? Y 4NT ! 1st-round Control-bid 8 Response to Opening 1NT Orange Book §5C1. Announce; '12-14' Penalty Exit 1NT Double Transfers May be conventional Landy or Astro 5c§ Overcall Natural of higher rank than 2§ Y 2§ overcalled § ? Not necessarily weak. Cue-bid 13 HCP Weak Take-out: Pass Rubensohl alternatives Y Stayman: 5c§ ? Y & 4cM ? 2§ 3§ ! Overcall in M Orange Book implies 4coM §5G1c. Alert ! Pass Uninterrupted < 11 HCP & >= 5cM ? Y Y 5cM & 4cM ? With 5H & 4S, prefer Transfers; bid 2D !, then re-bid 2S Orange Book §5G1(c4). Alert ! Jacoby Jacoby Transfer (Red-suit) >= 6cm ? Y to Minors: Transfer: 2S ! 2Red Three 4c§s < 11 HCP ? Y Y in D, H & S ? With a flat hand, Orange Book §5C3. Pass NT is better. Announce; 'Stayman' 4cM, Stayman: except 3-3-3-4 Y 2C ! ? Limit-raise < 13 HCP ? Y Max HCP ? Y 3NT to 2NT Small slam unlikely. Jump Raise < 19 HCP ? Y to 3NT Require Y Gerber: As ? 4C ! 31-34 HCP Quantitative Raise: < 21 HCP ? Y Double jump to 4NT Grand slam unlikely. Jump < 23 HCP ? Y to 6NT 35-38 HCP Grand Slam Invitation: < Max < 25 HCP ? Y Y Pass Triple jump to 5NT HCP ? Jump < Max Y 6NT to 7NT HCP ? Jump to 7NT 9 Opener's Rebid after Responder's Raise Raise Limit-raise 1§ to 2§ to 3§ Unbalanced ? Y Unbalanced ? Y Revalue hand using Revalue hand using Support-points Support-points < 16 ? Y Pass Y NLTC > 6.5 ? < 16 ? Y Pass Y NLTC > 6.5 ? (Game unlikely) (Game unlikely) N N Balancing Take-out Double ! ? < 19 ? Y Y NLTC > 5.5 ? < 19 ? Y Game Y NLTC > 4.5 ? (slam unlikely) Orange Book §5G1(f). N N M bid, but >= 2 losers, in side-§ of length Y >= 3 ? Orange Book §5G3(i). No voids &; Help-§ C bid & need 1 A, Invitational Y Blackwood: Game-try: or D & need <= 2 As, raise to 3§ 4NT ! bid next in Help-§ or H & need <= 3 As, or S ? One of many Game-try conventions <= 1 loser in 3M Y 4M weak § ? AKA Cue-bid m bid, Control-bid & stoppers in all N 4§ cheapest suit 3 unbid §s ? with 1st round control Y 3NT 10 1§ Opener's Rebid after 1NT Dustbin-response Dustbin-bid: 1NT < 16 HCP ? Y (Game isn't on) Non-forcing. Responder has denied higher ranking 4c§, but might match 5c opening-§ 2nd § 2§ of higher rank than Y Reverse longer 1st § ? Jump re-bid Opening Y opening § Response 6c§ ? @ level 3 Limit-raise Balanced ? Y < 17 HCP ? Y to 2NT Standard English Modern Acol 2006 §1.2 Jump raise maximum ? Y 3NT to 3NT Pass Lower-ranking Y 2§ 2nd § ? Re-bid Opening Y opening § 5c§ ? @ level 2 Pass 11 Opener's Rebid after Responder's §-change Change to Change to 2nd § 1§ 2nd § @ level 1 @ level 2 M 3rd §, 1M Strong Rebid forced of higher rank than m 2nd Y (Not a Reverse) Jump-shift until Game (& longer m 1st) ? Matching Matching Y Y 4c§ ? 4c§ ? N Balanced ? Y Revalue hand using Support-points Raise NLTC > 6.5 ? Y Y < 16 ? Responder's § N Standard English Jump-raise Modern Acol 2006 Responder's § §1.2 1NT; denying any 4cM Balanced & biddable @ level 1, < 17 HCP ? A singleton Y unless use of Stayman in 2nd § is OK has been agreed with partner, for this scenario 3rd §, 3rd §, of higher rank than of lower rank than Y 2m 2Red Y m 2nd, but lower 5c 1st (& M 2nd) than M 1st ? ? N Standard English Standard English Modern Acol 2006 Modern Acol 2006 §1.2 §1.2 Balanced ? Y Limit-response Balanced ? Singleton in 2nd § < 19 HCP ? Y of 2NT, Y < 17 HCP ? Y Singleton in 2nd § is OK denying 4cM is OK N 3NT Y Re-bid Re-bid < 16 ? opening 5c§ < 16 ? Y opening 5c§ @ level 2 @ level 2 Irrespective