Canary Club

Double is informative through 2. It shows two hand types:

1. Support (3+ cards) for the unbid suits and about 8 - 11 HCP. Opener makes a limit bid if possible.
2. A suit of its own and a game force. If it turns out that the suit could have been bid originally (i.e. without a double) below the 2 level in opener's suit, then it shows a semi-solid suit. Otherwise it shows a 5+ card suit.

No Trump bids are natural and limit.

Jump shifts are Fit showing promising a 5+ card suit and 4+ in opener's suit. (this is a change from the web based system write-up).

New suits are natural and forcing unless the call made is above the 2 level of opener's suit when a negative double is available. This is our definition of a negative free bid. Examples:

1	(1)	?
		2 is a force
		2 is a non-force (negative free bid)

1	(3)	?
		all new suits are forcing since a negative double is not available.

Opener rebids as in natural systems; bids at the two level do not show extra values, at the three level they do. We hate to lose our 5+ card major, so we make allowances for opener holding a true dog when he bids a major (either re-bids or bids for the first time) at the two level.

If opener is able to make his normal response (i.e. the overcall has not taken away bidding space), then all is normal and relays can continue. Otherwise, relays are off. They are also off if overcaller's partner interferes further. Relays are off, regardless of whether or not opener's second bid was bumped up (as per agreement on 8/31/2022).

Examples:

1	P	1N	2
2	P	?

• 2H: preference, NF
• 2S: natural, GF
• 2N: natural, C stopper, GI
• 3C: F, asking for stopper (probably D support)
• etc.

1	P	1N	2
3	P	relays off, opener has shown extra playing strength, but there is no pre-defined relay type sequence now available

• XX = penalty
• 2N = limit raise
• Raises = preemptive
• If partner opens 1 or 1, then a bid at the lowest level of the “other” major is an artificial bid showing a constructive raise to the two level in partner's suit. If instead a raise of our suit directly is a pretty awful hand.
• Jump shifts are fit showing; they are a natural bid with enough trump support to ensure 8+ trumps. this used to be described as preemptive
• New suits = natural force (including 2 / 1)
• 1N = natural non-force with at most 3 card support for opened suit (8-11 HCP)

• LHO bid a suit and partner passed: New suit is game force;
• Double is for takeout (through 2);
• Cue bid asks for stopper.
• LHO took action and RHO took action (partner passed): New suit is game force;
• Double is penalty unless RHO raises LHO to 2 or less, then they are informatory.

- RHO bids a suit:

• Double is penalty;
• Raises are competitive;
• New suit is game force;
• Cue bid is limit raise plus
• No relays.

1. RHO doubles

• Redouble is penalty;
• Other bids retain meaning.