Canary Club

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The Canary Club system was devised by Paul Heitner and John Lowenthal sometime in the late 50's or early 60's. There is a high level description of the system in The Encyclopedia of Bridge.

The system is really Roman Club with a strong 1 opening rather than the Roman weak 1 opening. One of the drawbacks to Roman Club was the necessity to create the suggestion of strength by bidding two suits rather than bidding and rebidding one suit. In addition there was no way to show a one suiter with the opening bid - one always had to bid a shorter suit first. As a consequence, there frequently were opening bids in 3 card suits.

Canary avoids that problem altogether. In fact there is no bid in the system of a suit less than 4 cards in length unless the bid is pre-defined as artificial. There is no illusion of naturalness as there is in Roman Club or in so-called natural systems.

A second feature of Roman Club was the use of a step response to 1/1/1 as an artificial negative. This is part of the description of Canary Club which appears in The Encyclopedia of Bridge too. It has also been a basis of Canary Club as described in earlier versions of this document.

As of version 3, we will substitute 1N as the first relay response. This serves two purposes:

This puts us more in line with what the ACBL considers legal. The 1N response to 1D being treated as forcing is unique to this system, I believe, but probably causes no “legal” problems.
Theoretically it probably is superior as well since it causes the hand which is more likely to be balanced to be declarer.

There is a problem introduced with this change. Auctions such as 1 - 1 - 1N (which showed a suit with a suit at least as long as the suit) and 1 - 1 - 1N (which showed a suit with a suit at least as long as the suit) served as a way for opener to show that he didn't have “true” reversing values in the old method. There no longer is a means to show the distinction between reversing values and weaker hands. Experience will show whether this is a problem or not.

Basis of the System

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Opening Bids

Opening bids	Description
1	17 + HCP, all hand patterns except 23-24 balanced; (mostly) natural responses
1/1/1	11 - 16 HCP unbalanced or semi-balanced hand. Suit of at least 4 cards. Natural in the canapé sense
1N	13 - 16 HCP 4333, 4432, 5332, 4441 (if singleton is A or K). Could have a 5 card major if the suit has only one high honor

  <td><font face="Trebuchet MS, Arial, Helvetica">13 - 16 HCP 4333, 4432, 5332,
    4441 (if singleton is A or K). Could have a 5 card major if the suit has
    only one high honor.
    <p>&nbsp;</font></td>
</tr>
<tr>
  <td valign=top><font face="Trebuchet MS, Arial, Helvetica">2C</font></td>
  <td><font face="Trebuchet MS, Arial, Helvetica">11 - 16 HCP 6 card C
    suit, no secondary major
    <p>&nbsp;</font></td>
</tr>
<tr>
  <td valign=top><font face="Trebuchet MS, Arial, Helvetica">2D</font></td>
  <td><font face="Trebuchet MS, Arial, Helvetica">11 - 16 HCP 3-suited hand
    (4441/5440)
    <p>&nbsp;</font></td>
</tr>
<tr>
  <td valign=top><font face="Trebuchet MS, Arial, Helvetica">2H/2S</font></td>
  <td><font face="Trebuchet MS, Arial, Helvetica">11 - 16 HCP 5/6 of bid major
    with 4/5 C. The
    hand has 5 or 6 (Roman) losers.
    <p>&nbsp;</font></td>
</tr>
<tr>
  <td valign=top><font face="Trebuchet MS, Arial, Helvetica">2N</font></td>
  <td><font face="Trebuchet MS, Arial, Helvetica">23 - 24 HCP balanced
    <p>&nbsp;</font></td>
</tr>
<tr>
  <td valign=top><font face="Trebuchet MS, Arial, Helvetica">3C</font></td>
  <td><font face="Trebuchet MS, Arial, Helvetica">11 - 16 HCP 5+ cards each
    minor. Hand has 4 to 6 (Roman) losers.
    <p>&nbsp;</font></td>
</tr>

</table> <table cellspacing=0 cellpadding=6 width=“837”>

<tr>
  <td width=119><font face="Trebuchet MS, Arial, Helvetica">Hand Type</font></td>
  <td width=100><font face="Trebuchet MS, Arial, Helvetica">Opening Bid</font></td>
  <td width=576><font face="Trebuchet MS, Arial, Helvetica">Notes</font></td>
</tr>
<tr>
  <td width="119" ><font face="Trebuchet MS, Arial, Helvetica"><b>Balanced</b></font></td>
  <td width="100" ><font face="Trebuchet MS, Arial, Helvetica">&nbsp;</font></td>
  <td width="576" ><font face="Trebuchet MS, Arial, Helvetica">&nbsp;</font></td>
</tr>
<tr>
  <td valign=top width="119"><font face="Trebuchet MS, Arial, Helvetica"> 13
    - 16 HCP</font></td>
  <td valign=top width="100"><font face="Trebuchet MS, Arial, Helvetica">1N</font></td>
  <td width="576" ><font face="Trebuchet MS, Arial, Helvetica">Could have 5
    card major if it has only one high honor. A hand pattern of 4441 is also
    allowed if the singleton is an A or K.</font></td>
</tr>
<tr>
  <td width="119" ><font face="Trebuchet MS, Arial, Helvetica"> 17 - 20 HCP</font></td>
  <td width="100" ><font face="Trebuchet MS, Arial, Helvetica">1C</font></td>
  <td width="576" ><font face="Trebuchet MS, Arial, Helvetica">rebid 1N</font></td>
</tr>
<tr>
  <td width="119" ><font face="Trebuchet MS, Arial, Helvetica"> 21 - 22 HCP</font></td>
  <td width="100" ><font face="Trebuchet MS, Arial, Helvetica">1C</font></td>
  <td width="576" ><font face="Trebuchet MS, Arial, Helvetica">jump in no trump</font></td>
</tr>
<tr>
  <td width="119" ><font face="Trebuchet MS, Arial, Helvetica"> 23 - 24 HCP</font></td>
  <td width="100" ><font face="Trebuchet MS, Arial, Helvetica">2N</font></td>
  <td width="576" ><font face="Trebuchet MS, Arial, Helvetica">&nbsp;</font></td>
</tr>
<tr>
  <td width="119" ><font face="Trebuchet MS, Arial, Helvetica">25</font></td>
  <td width="100" ><font face="Trebuchet MS, Arial, Helvetica">1C</font></td>
  <td width="576" ><font face="Trebuchet MS, Arial, Helvetica">jump to 3N over
    1D</font></td>
</tr>
<tr>
  <td width="119" ><font face="Trebuchet MS, Arial, Helvetica"><b>Unbalanced</b></font></td>
  <td width="100" ><font face="Trebuchet MS, Arial, Helvetica">&nbsp;</font></td>
  <td width="576" ><font face="Trebuchet MS, Arial, Helvetica">&nbsp;</font></td>
</tr>
<tr>
  <td width="119" ><font face="Trebuchet MS, Arial, Helvetica"><u>one suiters</u></font></td>
  <td width="100" ><font face="Trebuchet MS, Arial, Helvetica">&nbsp;</font></td>
  <td width="576" ><font face="Trebuchet MS, Arial, Helvetica">&nbsp;</font></td>
</tr>
<tr>
  <td width="119" ><font face="Trebuchet MS, Arial, Helvetica"> 11 - 16 HCP</font></td>
  <td width="100" ><font face="Trebuchet MS, Arial, Helvetica">1D/1H/1S/2C</font></td>
  <td width="576" ><font face="Trebuchet MS, Arial, Helvetica">&nbsp;</font></td>
</tr>
<tr>
  <td width="119" ><font face="Trebuchet MS, Arial, Helvetica">17+</font></td>
  <td width="100" ><font face="Trebuchet MS, Arial, Helvetica">1C</font></td>
  <td width="576" ><font face="Trebuchet MS, Arial, Helvetica">&nbsp;</font></td>
</tr>
<tr>
  <td width="119" ><font face="Trebuchet MS, Arial, Helvetica"><u>two suiters</u></font></td>
  <td width="100" ><font face="Trebuchet MS, Arial, Helvetica">&nbsp;</font></td>
  <td width="576" ><font face="Trebuchet MS, Arial, Helvetica">&nbsp;</font></td>
</tr>
<tr>
  <td width="119" ><font face="Trebuchet MS, Arial, Helvetica"> 11 - 16 HCP</font></td>
  <td width="100" ><font face="Trebuchet MS, Arial, Helvetica">1D/1H/1S</font></td>
  <td width="576" ><font face="Trebuchet MS, Arial, Helvetica">normal Canap&eacute;</font></td>
</tr>
<tr>
  <td width="119" ><font face="Trebuchet MS, Arial, Helvetica"> 11 - 16 HCP</font></td>
  <td width="100" ><font face="Trebuchet MS, Arial, Helvetica">3C</font></td>
  <td width="576" ><font face="Trebuchet MS, Arial, Helvetica">minors</font></td>
</tr>
<tr>
  <td width="119" ><font face="Trebuchet MS, Arial, Helvetica"> 11 - 16 HCP</font></td>
  <td width="100" ><font face="Trebuchet MS, Arial, Helvetica">2H/2S</font></td>
  <td width="576" ><font face="Trebuchet MS, Arial, Helvetica">major and secondary
    Cs</font></td>
</tr>
<tr>
  <td width="119" ><font face="Trebuchet MS, Arial, Helvetica"> 14 - 16 HCP</font></td>
  <td width="100" ><font face="Trebuchet MS, Arial, Helvetica">2C</font></td>
  <td width="576" ><font face="Trebuchet MS, Arial, Helvetica">
 Cs
    and secondary Ds</font></td>
</tr>
<tr>
  <td width="119" ><font face="Trebuchet MS, Arial, Helvetica"> 17 + HCP</font></td>
  <td width="100" ><font face="Trebuchet MS, Arial, Helvetica">1C</font></td>
  <td width="576" ><font face="Trebuchet MS, Arial, Helvetica">&nbsp;</font></td>
</tr>
<tr>
  <td width="119" ><font face="Trebuchet MS, Arial, Helvetica"><u>three suiters</u></font></td>
  <td width="100" ><font face="Trebuchet MS, Arial, Helvetica">&nbsp;</font></td>
  <td width="576" ><font face="Trebuchet MS, Arial, Helvetica">&nbsp;</font></td>
</tr>
<tr>
  <td width="119" ><font face="Trebuchet MS, Arial, Helvetica"> 11 - 16 HCP</font></td>
  <td width="100" ><font face="Trebuchet MS, Arial, Helvetica">2D</font></td>
  <td width="576" ><font face="Trebuchet MS, Arial, Helvetica">singleton or
    void in a minor</font></td>
</tr>
<tr>
  <td width="119" ><font face="Trebuchet MS, Arial, Helvetica"> 12+ - 16 HCP</font></td>
  <td width="100" ><font face="Trebuchet MS, Arial, Helvetica">2D</font></td>
  <td width="576" ><font face="Trebuchet MS, Arial, Helvetica">singleton (no
    void) in a major</font></td>
</tr>
<tr>
  <td width="119" ><font face="Trebuchet MS, Arial, Helvetica"> 17 + HCP</font></td>
  <td width="100" ><font face="Trebuchet MS, Arial, Helvetica">1C</font></td>
  <td width="576" ><font face="Trebuchet MS, Arial, Helvetica">&nbsp;</font></td>
</tr>

</table>