Development after 1N
First response:
- 2
Stayman, also used to make a NT invitation - 2
suit - 2
suit - 2 suit
- 2N suit
- 3 5+ 4+
- 3 5+ 4+
- 3 HHxxxx slam try
- 3 HHxxxx slam try
1N - 2
| First rebid | meaning | responder's rebid | meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2 | no major | ||
| 2 | 5+, 4+ invitational |
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| 2 | 5+, 4+ invitational |
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| 2N | invitational, might not have 4 card major | ||
| 3 | forcing with s and a major |
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| 3 | forcing with s and a major |
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| 3 | 5+, 4+ forcing |
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| 3 | 5+, 4+ forcing |
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| 3N | to play | ||
| 2 | 4/5 | ||
| 2 | 4 invitational strength, not forcing |
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| 2N | no four card major, invitational | ||
| 3 | forcing with s and s |
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| 3 | forcing with s and s |
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| 3 | invitational | ||
| 3 | artificial raise with shortness somewhere |
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| Opener bids 3N to enquire, responder shows short s, s, s by bidding 4, 4, 4 |
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| 3N | to play | ||
| 4 | Keycard Gerber (s are trump) |
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| 4 | Slam invitation in s |
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| 4 | to play | ||
| 2 | 4/5 | ||
| 2N | invitational | ||
| 3 | forcing with s and s |
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| 3 | forcing with s and s |
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| 3 | artificial raise with shortness somewhere |
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| Opener bids 3 to enquire, responder shows short s, s, s by bidding 4, 4, 3N |
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| 3 | invitational | ||
| 3N | to play | ||
| 4 | Keycard Gerber (s are trump) |
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| 4 | Slam invitation in s |
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| 4 | to play | ||
| 2N | 15-16 HCP, and 2-4 card majors or 1-5 card major | ||
| 3 | Please bid your 5-card major if you have one | ||
| 3 | Please bid 3 if you have 4+ |
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| 3 | Please bid 3 if you have 4+ |
Development after 1N 2 or 2
Opener either accepts the transfer at the lowest level or with a maximum NT, bids 2N with 3 card support or jumps in the long major with 4 card support.
Development after 1N 2 or 2N
The opener bids the “slot” (the bid between the 3-level of the responder's suit and the call that the responder made) if he “likes” his hand in terms of strength and support cards. Otherwise, he bids the indicated suit at the 3 level. New suit (w/o a jump) from the responder shows shortness in that suit.
Development after 1N 3 or 3
Responder has shown both minors 3 shows longer s; 3 shows 5+ and 4+. New suits by opener show a preference for the longer suit; a bid of the shorter suit show a preference there. Example: 1N 3 3 opener prefers , anything else he prefers .
Development after 1N 3 or 3
The opener shows a control bidding 3N before showing a 4-level control if his hand is slam-suitable.
Other calls
4 is Gerber
4 is Texas (long suit)
4 is Texas (long suit)
Competitive Auctions after 1N
If the double is for penalties (as opposed to Brozel or whatever), then we use the following agreements to scramble out of the rough.
“DONT” escapes
- 2, 2, 2 show the suit bid and a higher ranking suit.
- 2, shows and is weaker than a redouble, then 2.
- XX indicates that a single long suit is held. Opener bids 2 to escape into responder's long suit
- P forces a XX by opener and declares the “hand belongs to us”
1N - P - P - X
Re-double is for penalties (showing 15-16 HCP).
1N - P - P - X - P - P - ?
DONT escapes
1N - enemy overcall - ?
The general approach is to use lebensohl and informatory doubles unless the enemy overcall is specifically 2.
In that case double is Stayman and other calls ignore that the double was made.
- Double informatory 9+ - 12- HCP typically a small doubleton in the enemy suit.
- 2 level competitive
- 3 level forcing to game or 4 level (2/2/2026: restored original agreement - minor used to be non-forcing for a long while)
- 2N forces 3 and if the suit revealed
- is lower ranking than the enemy's suit, it is a competitive bid
- is higher ranking than the enemy's suit, it is game invitational
- If instead, responder now cue bids the enemy suit, he is asking for a 4-card major while also showing NT help in the enemy suit
- An immediate cue bid of the enemy suit is asking for a 4-card major and denies NT help in the enemy suit
After 1N - P - Transfer - X
- Opener re-doubles to show a 4 card holding (to an honor) in the artificially bid suit and denies 3 or more cards in the indicated suit. Opener passes with fewer than 4 cards in the artificially bid suit and fewer than 3 cards in the indicated suit.
- Opener accepts transfer with 3 card support
After 1N - P - transfer - overcall - P - P
- Responder bids suit under true suit to re-transfer.
- If the suit under the true suit is not available, then a bid of the long suit is ambiguous in terms of invitation of just competitive.
- He bids long suit directly to show invitational values.
- He bids a second suit to make a game force.
Example
| 1N | p | 2 | 2 |
| P | P | ? | |
| 3 | natural game force | ||
| 3 | re-transfer to |
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| 3 | invitation | ||
| 2N/3N | natural | ||
| Double | natural | ||
| 3 | asks for stopper |