System Card— Alastair White & Norman Lazonby 2-over-1, Weak No-Trump (12-14), 5-card Majors and 3 Weak twos Neg. Arti- Min. Modifications over Competition Opening Bids Dble. Description Meaning of Responses Subsequent Auction ficial? Cards and Passed Partner (also see notes) Thru 11+ HCP or 5+ playing tricks Limit Raises, natural except: New Suit by responder After overcall: raises pre-emptive, cue-bid Longer minor—1. with 3-3, ‘Inverted’ raises to 2 and 3 forcing for 1 round (F1) strong support, jump cue=splinter 1. 1 3 3 1 with 4-4 in the minors Jump to 2/2/2 = weak jump shift 3rd/4th Suit Forcing (F1) After double: raises pre-emptive, Unsuitable for another opening New suit double jump = Splinter GF Trial bids show Stoppers redouble strength not support 1NT 5-11 HCP F1 unless passed; 11+ HCP or 5+ playing tricks As above but trial bids Generally as above. 2NT = ‘Jacoby’ with good support; 1 1 5 3 Usually at least 5 cards but now ask for help to bid 2. response by passed hand is ‘Drury’ (max 2 over 1 mostly GF; may be light/4 cards in 3rd game in the major pass, agrees major, game try with support) Jump Shift = ‘Mini Splinter’ (F1) 2. Stayman, 2 2 2NT transfers After opening and re- Simple ‘Wriggle’ if 1NT doubled. 12-14 HCP Balanced 1NT 2 2-way (range enquiry or clubs) sponse mostly natural , (see notes). Otherwise natural, (11-14 in 4th after 3 passes) 3. 33 3 GF (see notes) descriptive (see notes) Doubles suggest Penalty After 2NT rebid responses Control Showing: 2=negative Pass=negative response Artificial, Strong and forcing with as for 2NT opening. Other- (Less than A+K), 2=A+K, 2=2 Aces, Double=unable to make 2. ✓ 3 23+ HCP balanced or 8+ playing wise opener describes 2NT=3 top controls (A or K) planned positive response tricks in a suit shape– responder can 3.=4 top controls (A or K) Bid up to 3.=normal response relay for more info 2NT ‘Ogust’ asking about suit quality Weak pre-empt 6-10 HCP in Wide-ranging in 3rd position (pre-emptive) . 2 2 2 6/5 3 and strength. Raises pre-emptive Natural, descriptive 1st/2nd –normally 6 card suit Full strength opening in 4th position. New suit = ‘fit non jump’ 3. = 5-card puppet Stayman, 20-22 HCP Balanced (see notes for slam try 2NT 3, 3, major suit transfers sequences) 3NT sign off—other bids slam tries Natural Pre-empt (rule of 2,3,4) Raises Pre-emptive 3. 3 3 3 7/6 Usually 7 card suit with honours New suit = constructive, not forcing Gambling long solid minor. Denies Pass = hope to make 3NT 3NT ✓ 7 outside stopper in 1st/2nd 4. = weak takeout for pass/correct 4. 4 4 4 7/8 Strong Pre-empt (Rule of 2,3,4) 5. no Ace, 5 5 5, Ace of suit bid. 4NT ✓ Asks for a specific Ace 5NT shows A., 6. 2Aces Other Natural Pre-empt (Rule of 500) Defensive and Competitive Bidding: Opening Leads: (4th and 2nd) System Card: Simple Overcalls at 1 or 2 level: General Style: Competitive, 8+ HCP or 4+ p laying tricks Ace from AK requests attitude signal Alastair White King from AK requests count signal (Major suit overcall may be 4-card suit at 1-level) Norman Lazonby Responses: Raises pre-emptive Top of sequence or internal sequence Cue-Bid Response: unassuming cue-bid, some support 4th best from 4+ with an honour System Summary: Lowest from 3 with an honour New Suit: Good suit, constructive. Jump = ‘Jump fit’ 2nd Best from 3+ card with no honour General Approach and Style: 1NT overcall Top of doubleton In 2nd position: good 15-17 maybe 18 Weak No-Trump, 12-14 HCP Balanced In 4th Position after 2 passes: 11-14 (protective) vs. Suit Contracts: 5-card Majors, 2-over-1 mostly GF Responses: systems are ‘on’ unless doubled AK KQ10 KJ10 QJ10 J10x . If doubled Simple ‘Wriggle’ (see notes) AKx KQx K109 QJx 109x Longer Minor: 1 if 3-3 ; 1 if 4-4 10xxx 987x xxx Hxx Hxxxx Limit Jump Raises, inverted Minor raises Jump Overcalls 10xx xxxx xx Hxxx Hxxxxx 1NT Response to 1, 1 by unpassed hand F1 Generally weak, Pre-emptive, 6+ card suit, maybe good 5 May be slightly stronger if vulnerable or at 3-level vs. No-Trump Contracts (2nd and 4th) Special Bids that may require defence: Double jump pre-emptive, 7 card suit AKxx KQ10 KJ10 QJ10 J10x AJ10x KQx K109 QJx 109x 2. opening = Artificial, Strong, forcing. Other Conventional Overcalls 10xxx 987x xxx Hxx Hxxxx 2,2,2 = ‘Weak Twos’ 6-10 HCP 6-card Suit Unusual No-trump: 2 lowest ranking unbid suits 10xx xxxx xx Hxxx Hxxxxx 3NT Opening = ‘Gambling’ with solid minor Michaels Cue-Bid: 2-suited hand, any unbid majors Leaping Michaels and Lebensohl over weak 2 opening Signalling: Stayman and Transfers (various defined treatments) Defence to INT, 2NT, 3NT openings: Natural 2-way Checkback Stayman after 1NT re-bid On Partner’s ‘Reverse Attitude’ (‘lowest’ card ‘Wolff’ 3. Sequences after jump 2NT rebid (see notes) Defence to other Pre-empts: Lead: ‘encourages’) 2-way 2 response to 1NT (range enquiry or clubs) Double for takeout up to 3-level except that double of a On Declarer’s ‘Count’ (high-low always even, low-high usu- 5-card Puppet Stayman responding to 2NT pre-emptive jump overcall is primarily penalty. Lead: ally odd) Double optional , primarily penalty at 4-level 3 responding to 2NT—minor suit slam try (see notes) Cue-bid of opponents weak 2 opening asks for stopper for NT When ‘Reverse Attitude’ (‘lowest’ card Weak jump shifts responding to minor suit opening Cue-Bid of 4 of opponents suit = a strong 2-suited hand Discarding: ‘encourages’) Jacoby 2NT responding to 1, 1 opening (GF) 4NT over 4-level pre-empt: = two places to play. ‘Mini-Splinters’ responding 1, 1 opening (F1) Show ‘suit preference’ when ‘attitude’ or Double jump in new Suit—’Splinter’ (GF) ‘count’ are already known or Conventional Doubles: Exceptions: Takeout doubles of a suit opening usually imply unbid majors obviously not relevant ‘Natural’ Defence to any NT Opening (may be light if not vulnerable) Show ‘count’ on partner’s lead of a King ‘Unusual’ No-Trump and ‘Michaels’ Cue-Bids Negative doubles over non-jump overcalls but ‘Leaping Michaels’ over weak 2 opening Slam Bidding: (see also Notes) Penalty doubles of Pre-emptive overcalls 4NT RKCB (0314) when suit agreed or implied—if controls ‘Lebensohl’ 3. after partner doubles a weak 2 opening Double of conventional overcalls of INT already shown, asks for lesser controls. Negative and other competitive doubles up to 3-level— (e.g. Multi-Landy) also show penalty interest 3NT can be RKCB if major suit already agreed. but double of a pre-emptive overcall primarily penalty Support Doubles after overcall if 2 suits already bid by us Cue-bid of opponents suit—forcing with support 4./4 Minorwood RKCB if that minor suit agreed Support Redoubles after double if 2 suits already bid by us Jump Cue-Bid of Opponents suit—’Splinter’ Competitive and negative doubles up to 3-level 4. is RKCB as a direct response to a pre-empt Jump Cue-bid of opening—requests stopper for NT 4./5. Gerber (as a jump over natural NT bid) ) Cue-bid after partner’s overcall—Unassuming Cue Bid Treatments over an artificial Opening Bid: 4NT/5NT Quantitative raises of NT invite small/grand slam Psychics: very rare. Double mostly takeout (but 2.X = clubs), Cue-Bidding after Suit agreement White—Lazonby: System Notes Responses to strong 2.opening (control showing): RKCB (0314) and other Control Asking Bids: 2 negative—less than an A and a K 3NT is RKCB after major suit agreement specifically: Responses to 1./1 opening: 2 One Ace and One King - after a direct raise of a major to the 3-level, or ‘Inverted’ raises to 2 and 3. Raises to 3,4,5 pre-emptive 2 Two Aces - after a Jacoby 2NT and opener’s rebid Raise to 2: 10+ F1 no major then can show stoppers 2NT Three top controls (Aces/and or Kings) 4. is ‘Gerber’ when jumping over a natural NT bid. New suit responses F1 unless already passed or weak jump 4./4 is RKCB (‘Minorwood’) after that minor suit agreed Jump to 2,2,2 ’Weak Jump Shift’ - 6 cards and 3-7 HCP— 3. Four top controls (Aces/and or Kings) now opener can bid 2NT as an ’Ogust’ enquiry. Opener’s Rebids: 4. is RKCB if responding directly to a pre-empt Double jump in new suit = ‘splinter’ 2NT—23+ HCP— further bidding as per 2NT Opening—all 4NT RKCB is used in other cases 1NT: 6-10 with no other bid available systems ‘on’ If top controls already shown (e.g. after a 2. opening and 2NT: 11-12, 3NT 13-15 balanced with no major 3NT—to play (long solid minor with controls) Suit bid at minimum level—single or 2-suited hand—next bid control showing response), RKCB asks for lesser controls. Responses to a 1/1 opening: up by responder relay asking for further clarification. Exclusion RKCB (ERKCB): Direct raises, natural, limited. After raise to 2, New suit by Jump Bid in a suit—unconditional GF After suit agreement, this can also be used in some cases. opener is now a ‘trial bid’ looking for a feature in bid suit to Opener is always in control.