General Style: 2/1 Game Forcing

Notrump Openings

1N – 15-17
    2C – Stayman
        2D
            2H – Pass or correct
            2S – 5 spades, 4 hearts weak
            3M – 4 in that major, 5 in other major Game forcing (Smolen)
            4D, 4H – Transfers
        2M
            3m – 4-6, Game forcing, no fit for opener’s major
            3OM – slam try with unknown singleton or void
            4C – 1430 KCG
            4D – slam try with fit, no singleton or void
            4N – quantitative, no fit
        2H
            2S – invitational with 4 spades, fewer than 4 hearts
            2N – invitational with fewer than 4 spades and fewer than 4 hearts
     2S – Transfer to clubs
        2N – less than Qxx or xxxx in clubs
                3M – shortness
        3C – Qxx or xxxx or better in clubs
                3M – shortness
    2N – Transfer to diamonds
        3C – less than Qxx or xxxx in diamonds
               3M – shortness
        3D – Qxx or xxxx or better in diamonds
               3M – shortness
    3C – 5/5 m invitational
    3D – 5/5 m strong
    3H – 5/5 M invitational
    3S – 5/5 M Game Forcing
    4D, 4H – Texas Transfer
        4N – 1430 KCB
    4S – Quantitative raise to 4N with 4-4 m
    4N – Quantitative raise
over competition
    Lebensohl (fast denies)
    Negative doubles (penalty doubles afterwards)
    after any 2C or artificial X – system on
    over penalty X –
            redouble – one suited minor, relay to 2C
            2C – stayman
            2D, 2H – Transfers
    over opps X of 2C
            XX – suggests playing 2CXX
            pass – no club stopper
                XX – re-Stayman
                    bid other major with 4 or 2N with both majors
            other – natural response to Stayman with club stopper
                later bid of 2N by responder shows full club stopper
                later bid of 3C by responder shows half club stopper
2N – 20-21
    3C – Puppet Stayman
        3D – at least one four card major
            4C – both majors, slam interest
                4D – RKC for hearts
                4N – RKC for spades
                    later 5N – specific K ask
                    later 5S if hearts are trump – SQ ask
            4D – both majors, no slam interest
        3H, 3S – 5 card suit
        3N – no 4 card major
            4H – 5-5 majors slam invitation
            4S – 5-4 majors slam invitation
    3D,3H – Transfers
    3S – relay to 3N, either to play or to show a minor(s) slam interest
            3N
                4m – natural slam try
                4M – shortness, both minors slam try
    3N – 5 spades, 4 hearts, no slam interest
    4C – Gerber
    4D,4H – Transfer
    4S – Quantitative raise with 4-4 minors
    4N – Quantitative raise
3N – Gambling, no outside A or K in 1st or 2nd
    4C – pass or correct
    4D – singleton ask
            4M – singleton
            4N – no singleton
            5m – singleton in other minor
    5C – pass or correct

Major Openings

5 Card Majors
1M
    1N – Forcing for one round
    2N – Game forcing 4 card raise (relay to 3C to pass or correct to 3D by PH)
        shortness at the 3 level
        3M – good 14+
        3N – minimum with 2+ KC
        4M – minimum with <2 KC
        4x – 5 card suit, 2 of top 3 honors
    3C – 4 card constructive raise
    3D – 4 card limit raise
    3M – preemptive (1-5)
    3N – 4333 or 4432 (13-15)
    2x below M
        2M -default rebid, does not promise extra length
        3 any – extra strength
    2M – 6-10, generally 3 card raise
Three Way game tries
         relay – short suit game tries, responder bids cheapest suit in which would NOT accept, up the line, cheapest bid=lowest suit
         direct bid – help suit game tries Qxx weakest, KJxx best
         3M – bid game with good trumps
1H
    1S
        3N – 4S raise with solid hearts
        3C – game forcing in spades, hearts or clubs
            3D – asks
                3H – game force with hearts
                3S – game force with spades and hearts
                3N – game force with hearts and clubs
     3S – either frivolous splinter or regular spade splinter
        3N – ask
            4C, 4D, 4H – frivolous club/diamond/spade splinter
            4S – serious spade splinter
1S
    1N
        2C – 2+ clubs
            2D – Clubs or diamonds or hearts
                2H – 3 hearts (<18) or 2 good hearts
                    3C – good club raise
                2S – denies 3 hearts and 2 good hearts
                    3C – good club raise
                3D – 3 hearts, 18+
            3C – courtesy club raise
        2D – 4+ diamonds
        3C – Game forcing with clubs, hearts or spades
            3D asks
                3H – Spade/Heart GF
                3S – Spade GF
                3N – Spade/club GF
        3H – natural, invitational
    3H – frivolous splinter (GF, no slam interest)
        3S – asks for shortness
    4x – serious splinter (some slam interest)
After major suit fit found at the 3 level in a game forcing auction
    3N – frivolous, no slam interest
    cuebid – extra values cooperation for potential slam try

Passed Hand Bidding
Reverse Drury – 2C = 4, 2D=3
    2N – asks for shortness, use Jacoby 2N structure to respond (on over 1S overcall or X)
Fit Jumps (by passed hand or in competition)

• A rebid of first suit (1D-2H-3D or 1S-3C-3S) is a very weak hand with no fit for partner’s suit. Partner should always pass.
• A jump to game (1C-2S-4S) is a signoff, showing a minimum with a fit and enough well-placed cards to make game playable.
• A jump to 3NT (1C-2S-3NT) is to play, showing good stoppers in the unbid suits and no interest in slam.
• A simple raise of partner’s major (1C-2S-3S) is forcing, suggesting a slam and asking for a cuebid. Since responder has already invited game with his jump, there’s little value in using this raise as a re-invitation by opener.
• A new suit (1C-2S-3D/3H) is a cuebid for slam in opener’s suit (to show a slam-try in responder’s major, use the direct raise).
• A JUMP in a new suit (1D-2S-4C or 1H-3C-4D) can be a splinter for the major. After 1S-3C, opener’s 4H bid would show a hand like ♠AKQ76 ♥5 ♦Q854 ♣AJ3. For most slam-try hands, though, consider using the notrump asking bid described below.
• A minimum notrump bid (1C-2S-2NT or 1S-3D-3NT) asks partner for his singleton.

Minor Openings

Frequently bypass 4+ diamonds
bidding two suits shows an unbalanced hand
1m-1x-1N may bypass 1 or 2 four card majors
1C – 2+
    2C – invitational or better
    3C – can stand 3N by partner with 18 or 19 balanced
    2D – natural invitational (10-11)
1D – 4+
    2C
        2D – default, shows 5 diamonds
        2H – 4=4=4=1
        2S – strong club raise
        3C – courtesy club raise
        2N – natural
    2D – invitational or better
    3D – can stand 3N by partner with 18 or 19 balanced
    3C – natural invitational (10-11)
1m
    1N – 6-10
    2N – 11-12
        3M = natural
            4m = forcing
    3N – 13-15
    2H,2S – 5+ spades, 4+ hearts with 3 to 8- (2H) or 8+ to 12- (2S) point
    (on over 1D overcall and X)
        2N – inquiry
            3C – 5=4=1=3
            3D – 5=4=3=1
            3H – 5=4=2=2 minimum
            3S – 5-5-[21]
            3N – 5=4=2=2 maximum
            4C – 5=4=4=0 with 4 in partner’s suit
            4D – 6=4-[xx]
            4H – 6=5-[xx]
                4C,4D by opener – shows heart, spades and slam interest
1m
    1M
        2M
            next step – ask
                1st step – 3 trumps, minimum
                2nd step – 3 trumps, maximum
                3rd step – 4 trumps, minimum
                4th step – 4 trumps, maximum, no shortness
                5th step – 4 trumps, maximum, lower suit shortness
                6th step – 4 trumps, maximum, higher suit shortness
1X
    1Y
        2N
            all 3 level suit bids are transfers (3S is a slam try with clubs)
            3N – to play

2 Level Openings

2C
    2D – 0 or 1 control
        2H – Kokish
            3x – 7+ card suit, No controls, no more than 1 Q
        3M – 4 of the major, 5 or 6 diamonds
        3C – Natural
            3D – stayman
    2H – 2 controls
    2S – 1 A and 1 K or 4+ controls
    2N – 3 K’s
    3x -  transfer to show one loser 6 or 7 card suit opposite a void
    3N – solid suit opposite a void
2D, 2H, 2S – 6 card suits, suit quality depends on seat and vulnerability
    RONF
    2N – Ogust
        3C – bad hand, bad suit
        3D – bad hand, good suit (2 of top 3 or 3 of top 5)
    3C – singleton ask
    4C – modified KC (4D=0, 4H=1 KC w/o Q, 4S=1 KC w Q, 4N=2 KC w/o Q, etc.)
    over double of 2M opening
        XX – strong
        2S – natural, non-forcing
        2N,3C – transfer to 3C/3D either to pass or to correct to 3M showing a fit and lead direction
        2H-(X)-3D – fit with hearts and with spade lead direction
        2S-(X)-3D – transfer to 3H either to pass or to correct to 3S showing a fit and lead direction
        2S-(X)-3H – spade raise with A or K
        3M – extending the preempt

Other Treatments

XYZ – immediate 3C, is weak, except when Z=1N, then 3C is a slam try and 2N is a transfer to 3C to play
    over GF 2D, 4 of other major is first priority
1m-1H-1N
    2S – 4-5 majors invitational
    2C
        2D
            2S – 4-4 majors invitational
Fourth suit forcing – next step may be suspect
Kantar 2C by passed hand

Competitive Bidding

Negative doubles through 4H
Responsive doubles through 4H
Support doubles, redoubles through 2H
after a 2N overcall of a weak two bid
    3C – puppet stayman
    transfers are on
    transfer into opponents’ suit shows 4×1
NT Overcall 15-18, system on (including Lebensohl)
Unusual 2N
Balancing 1N
    over 1m – 11-14
        2C – stayman
    over 1M – 12-16(bad 17)
        2C asks range and majors
            2D,2H,2S – minimum
            2N – maximum (good 15 to bad 17)
                3C – re-stayman
Over strong NT (14-16 or better)-
    Meckwell
        X – clubs or diamonds or both majors
            2C
                2S – strong hand, both majors, longer spades
        2C – clubs and a major (2D asks for major, 2H and 2S are natural)
        2D – diamonds and a major
        2H – natural
        2S – natural
Over weak NT (13-15 or weaker)-
    Modfied Capp
        X -penalty
            over action by responder, pass by partner is forcing and shows at least 3 cards in the opponents’ suit
            all doubles are negative
            we are forced through and including 2S
        2C – D or M/m
        2D – majors
        2M – natural
1N(weak)-P-2x-X= cards (15-17?)
disciplined 3 level preempts – no outside A, probably no outside K
    4C (4D) – modified KC ask over 3 level preempts (4D is used as ask over 3C opening)
        1st step – 0 KC
        2nd step – 1 KC without trump queen
        3rd step – 1 KC with trump queen
        4th step – 2 KC without trump queen
        5th step – 2 KC with trump queen
over opponents takeout Double by UPH
    new suit forcing at the 1 level
    redouble – no fit, suggests defending
    of major suit (BROMAD)
    2C – 3 card constructive raise
    2D – 3 card limit raise
    2M – less than constructive (courtesy raise)
    3C – 4 card constructive raise
    3D – 4 card limit raise
    2N – both minors
    3M – preemptive
    1N – 1 minor
    over minor – Jordan
    2N – limit raise or better
    3m – preemptive
over opponents preempt
    takeout double through 4H
    Lebensohl 2N
    Leaping Michaels (5-5)
Michaels and Unusual Notrump
    after opponents double – XX suggests playing in 4th suit if partner has a doubleton
    (1M) – 2M – P
            2N – game interest
            3C – pass or correct
over their Bergen – X of strong raise=that suit, X of weak raise=takeout of major
over strong club or over negative diamond
    Mathe
    direct action denies a good hand (<14 points)
They overcall 1N, 2C=stayman
Snapdragon, Son of Snapdragon
(1x)-3x – asks for stopper
1x-(1y)-3Y – transfer to 3N
over a dead NT
    X – penalty (shows opener’s suit)
    2C – general takeout
X of splinter – lead direction of lower suit
X of cuebid (3 level or higher) – do not lead our suit
(1m)-P-(1M)-?
    1N – natural
    2m,2M – natural
over gambling 3N or (1N)-P-(3N)
4C – both majors
    4D – relay to 4H to play either major
    4H – hearts and a minor
    4S – spades and a minor
we overcall 3N
    4C – strength ask
        4D – 15-16
        4H – 17-18
        4S – 19-20
        4N – solid suit
    4D – relay to 4H to signoff somewhere
    4H, 4S, 5C, 5D – mild slam try

Slam Bidding

Gerber, 1430 KC, specific K’s
D03P14, DEPO, ignore any doubles
Exclusion Blackwood – 1st step 0, 2nd step 1, etc.
    1st non-trump step over response is trump Q ask
Cuebidding Style – first or second round controls below game level

Carding and Defenses

Defensive Carding
Upside down Count and attitude
coded J, 10 and 9 after opening lead
3/lowest against suits
4th against NT
A from AK (except when about to shift to a singleton or at 5 level or higher)
against NT A=unblock or count
Reverse Smith against NT by both partners
Standard remaining count

To Discuss

1x-1N-2N vs. 1x-1N-3N