COMPETITIVE CONVENTIONS P a g e 1. *TONT Transfers over opponents 1NT Opening Page 6.

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Roland Willis
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1 COMPETITIVE CONVENTIONS P a g e 1 Conventions with an * have a separate page. See page number. Others follow this page. Note: This document only explains how to open and respond to conventions. How to use them in competition is January s agenda. Read through this document until you remember how to open, respond and use all of them. CATEGORY: Notrump *TONT Transfers over opponents 1NT Opening Page 6. Garbage Stayman response to a 1NT opening Systems on at 2 & 3-level after interference over our 1NT opening CATEGORY: 2-Level Openings & Competition vs Opponents Weak Two Preempts *Mini -Roman 2 Opening - a 3- suited Preempt. Page 7. *Flannery 2 Opening - A Spades and Hearts preempt. Page 8. Lebensohl 2NT after partner s double of a weak two opening CATEGORY: Multi-Suit Cue Bids *Michaels & *Unusual 2NT, Page 9. *Tops & Bottoms. Page 10. CATEGORY: Other Conventions All direct raises in competition are weak Western Cue bid New Minor Force Weak Jump Shifts in Competition 4 th Suit Forcing to game or for one round CBLR Cue Bid Limit Raise - with or without guarantee of trump support *DRURY a weak 3 rd or 4 th hand major suit 1-level opening. Page 11. Inverted Minors in competition Support Double or ReDouble after [1m P 1M X -???] Jordan 2NT & ReDouble Limit Raises after double of our major CATEGORY: Interference by opponents over our 2 opening Response after interference over our 2 opening

2 COMPETITIVE CONVENTIONS P a g e 2 CATEGORY: Notrump SYSTEMS ON AT 2 & 3-LEVEL after interference over a 1NT opening. [1NT - 2 ] The systems we use after partner opens 1NT include Jacoby Transfers and Stayman and Stolen Bid Doubles, when an opponent bids something our responder was going to bid: [1NT Dbl* ] I was going to bid Stayman 2, but she bid it. My Double means I m bidding Stayman, looking for a major suit from opener. Similarly, if opponent bid 2 and responder doubles, it means a Jacoby Transfer to Hearts. But over the 2 overcall, responder could also bid 2 as a Jacoby Transfer to Spades. So, On means we can keep our transfers and Stayman conventions almost regardless of interference. So far, this has referred to interference and responses at the 2 level. What if the opponent bids 2 or 3? Is it still On? That s a Partnership Agreement: should we keep it on at the 3-level? Possibly, but a Systems on bid at the 3-level shows game-going values. Look at the 2-level on writeup above: there s no HCP values stated because 2-level Stolen Bids, etc. can be very weak: they may be only competitive. A responder can make, then pass a 2 transfer with 5 HCP, non-vulnerable. Not at the 3-level, however: her bid must show 10+ points as it s game forcing. Suggestion: use Systems On at the 2-level until you re comfortable with it, then try it at the 3-level: it comes up far less often, of course, but you can t let the opponents shut you out with their interference bids. GARBAGE STAYMAN. [1NT P P 2 - P - 2 ] Garbage Stayman is used by a very weak but shapely responder to partner s 1NT opening. Usually it will hold 5 4 in the majors, and sometimes Diamonds too. Using a Stayman 2 response, responder will pass either major rebid, and maybe even pass 2. Sometimes, he will bid a major over a 2 rebid, showing 5 of that suit and 4 of the other major, but too weak to transfer without first trying for a fit. [1NT - P P 2 - P - 2 ] Opener passes 2. [1NT - P P 2 - P - P ] Bailing out in Diamonds. Playing Garbage Stayman, we cannot Super Accept a Jacoby Transfer: [1NT - P - 2 # - P 3 ] No. 2 # can be a very weak, so never bid 3. Agreement.

3 COMPETITIVE CONVENTIONS P a g e 3 CATEGORY: Competition vs Opponents Weak Twos LEBENSOHL 2NT* after partner s double of a weak two. [2 - Dbl P 2NT* ] In this auction, the doubler has an opening hand+ with Spades. 4 th seat could be really weak or have only a long minor, but is forced to reply. Enter Lebensohl 2NT*. It means, Partner, I don t have much and no Spade fit, so please bid 3. If Clubs is her suit, she then passes; if it s Diamonds, she bids 3 as a closeout. 8 HCP or less is weak using Lebensohl 2NT*. She can also bid 2 if she has a Spade fit, but it still means she is weak because she is bidding at the 2 level. With 9 10 or so dummy points and a fit, she can raise to the 3-level, and with 12+, she can bid game. [2 - Dbl P - 2 ] [2 - Dbl P - 4 ] CATEGORY: Other Conventions and Partnership Agreements ALL DIRECT RAISES IN COMPETITION ARE WEAK. A Partnership Agreement. A direct major suit raise in competition shows only a fit; not many HCP. We have bids for strong hands. The level of the weak raise shows the number of trumps held. Knowing the degree of fit, and that partner is weak in HCP, the bidder sees how high he can go to fight off the competition; maybe with a sacrifice? [ ] 3 Spades. [ ] 4 Spades. [ ] 5 Spades. WESTERN CUE BID If opponents have bid & raised a suit, a cue bid of that suit asks partner to bid 3NT with a stopper. [ P...] 3 is an Ask bid by opener. If responder doesn t have a Diamond stopper or two, she can bid 4 as a safe escape, knowing there is a Club fit. You should have an escape to bid a Western Cue. NEW MINOR FORCE Opener will raise responder s major with 4 pieces, of course. But after a 1NT rebid by opener, a bid of the Other Minor asks opener if he has 3 of responder s major suit, because she has 5 of them. [1 - P P 1NT P - 2 * - P 2 ] Yes, I have 3 Spades for you. If No, opener bids anything else. [1 - P P 1NT P - 2 * - P 2 ] Nope.

4 COMPETITIVE CONVENTIONS P a g e 4 WEAK JUMP SHIFTS IN COMPETITION. A Partnership Agreement. Weak Jump Shifts can be used or not used in competition. [1 - P - 2 ] Not alerted, or [ * ] Alerted in competition only. 4TH SUIT FORCING to game or for one round. A Partnership Agreement. Bidding the 4 th suit can t be a serious try for a fit, so it can be used as a 1- round forcing bid or as a game-forcing bid, or not at all. Usually game-forcing if used. [1 - P P 1NT - P P 3 * ] Not a Diamond suit; a Game Force. Alerted. INVERTED MINORS IN COMPETITION. A Partnership Agreement. Some play Inverted Minors with everything off if there is competition. [ ] A strong Jump Raise: not preemptive. Others play it as always on; in that case, there are 3 Club raises, not the usual 2: (1) A single raise is a simple 6 9 point raise, not forcing. [ ] (2) A jump raise is preemptive, as it is without competition: [ *...] but (3) A Cue Bid of the overcaller s suit is a Cue Bid Limit Raise, forcing, and the strongest raise, with 9 to 11+. [ ]. Always On is recommended. SUPPORT DOUBLE OR REDOUBLE after [1m P 1M X?*] New Minor Force bids let responder ask opener if he has 3 of her major suit because she has 5 and 10+ HCP. Support Doubles and Redoubles let opener tell responder without being asked. Opener does that by Doubling or Redoubling if 4 th seat interferes: [1 - P Dbl* ] or [1 - P Dbl ReDbl* ]. Both alerted. A Double or a ReDouble show exactly 3 Spades: with 4 Spades, opener would raise, of course. Lacking 3 Spades, he will pass or bid anything else. This is a way to enforce our reluctance to raise responder with just 3 trump: a poor, ambiguous thing to do. (A Partnership Agreement any raise guarantees 8+ pieces, so don t raise a 1-level response of a major with just 3 trump.)

5 COMPETITIVE CONVENTIONS P a g e 5 JORDAN 2NT & REDOUBLE LIMIT RAISES after a double of a major. [1 - Dbl ] If responder has a Limit Raise after partner opens in a major that is not doubled, we have a couple of ways to show it: a direct raise to 3 with 4 trumps, [1 - P ] or a forcing 1NT first, then a raise to 3 with 3 trumps. [1 - P - 1NT# - P 2x - P ] We also have direct ways to show Limit Raises over doubled major openers: With 4 trump and points, bid 2NT* (The Jordan Convention NOT Jacoby 2NT). [1 - Dbl 2NT* ]. With the same dummy strength hand but only 3 trump, ReDouble instead: [1 - Dbl - ReDbl* ]. Both are alerted as a Limit Raise. CATEGORY: Interference by opponents over our 2 opening. RESPONSE AFTER INTERFERENCE OVER OUR 2 OPENING. If opponents bid anything over partner s 2 opening, use Double Denies : i.e., a Double denies any Ace or King and a Pass shows an Ace or King(s) bid. [2-2 - Dbl*...] No Ace or King. [2-2 - P* ] I have an Ace or King(s) A D0P1 Partnership Agreement. CATEGORY: Other Conventions CBLR CUE BID LIMIT RAISE - with or without guarantee of trump support A Cue Bid can be several things, one of which is a bid of opponent s bid suit to show Limit Raise support, meaning 3+ trump and dummy points. Not alerted. [ ] 3 here is a Limit Raise+ in Spades. [1-1 - P - 2 ] This is a Cue Bid Limit Raise after a Spade overcall. Some play that CBLR s by advancer (4 th seat) like this don t guarantee trump support after an overcall just 10+HCP. The trump guarantee is easier to incorporate into your bidding portfolio, so start with it for quite a while: Recommended.

6 COMPETITIVE CONVENTIONS P a g e 6 CATEGORY: Notrump TONT Transfers Over opponents 1NT opening. A 6-card suit occurs 3 times as often as a 5 5 shaped hand, statistically. TONT emphasizes competing with 6-card suits, and some 5 5 combinations as well. (Hamilton can do 6-card suits too, but awkwardly.) Using TONT, any suit bid at the 2-level is a transfer to the next higher suit: [1NT - 2 to 2 ; 2 to 2 ; 2 to 2 and 2 to 3. Notice the big advantage of TONT over Hamilton: the hand with the known long suit is on the table it s the dummy. The hidden hand (declarer) is the hand it should be the partner of the long-suited hand. It s the opposite of Hamilton, where the long-suit hand is always the declarer: not good. Additional TONT bids: a Double of a 1NT opening by a TONT bidder shows both majors: not an equal hand as most conventions do. [1NT Dbl* ] But when is the last time you actually played a [1NT Dbl ] contract? You may never see another one played: everyone nowdays has escapes with transfers, etc. And, as usual, a 2NT bid shows both minors. [1NT 2NT ] Not alerted. TONT can be played in both Direct and Passout seats or only in Direct seat; a Partnership Choice: [1NT - 2 # ] or [1NT P P - 2 # ]. If not played in Passout, then Double for both majors and 2NT for minors should still be played; suit bids are natural 6+ card suits. [1NT - P - P - 2 ] To play. [1NT - P - P - 2NT ] Minors. TONT can do two 5 card suits, too, and again the right hand is the dummy. On the first round, transfer partner to the higher ranking of your two suits: [1NT - 2 # ] On the 2 nd round, bid the lower ranking one: [1NT - 2 # - P 2 P - 3 ] Partner than passes 3 or chooses 3. The contract is at the 3-level, the same as with Hamilton, but 50% of the time, the TONT hand is the dummy - with the 5 5 shape - and the the hidden hand is declarer, as it should be. Strength? A typical competitive bidding answer, but considering that most of your opponents will have opened with HCP, game your way will be quite rare. Not Vul, 8 to 10+ HCP? Vul 10 to 12+ HCP? These are about the same answers for any 2+ level competitive bid: a Partnership Choice, but TONT hands are shapely.

7 COMPETITIVE CONVENTIONS P a g e 7 CATEGORY: Conventional 2- Level Openings MINI - ROMAN 2 OPENING - a 3-suited hand opener not a preempt. Ever tried to accurately bid a hand with 3 suits and 11 HCP? Tough, Eh? Enter Mini-Roman 2 * openings. They are HCP, with a or shape, but no 5-card major. You would open hand 1 or 1. With the above shape and count, open 2 * (Alerted). It s then up to partner to find the best contract. Partner is either weak or invitational or game-going in strength as in any bidding system. Weak Responder: If responder directly bids a suit in response to your 2 * opening, he is trying to bail out as low as possible. (With 6+ Diamonds, he can even pass 2 ). If you, the 2 * opener, have his suit, pass. If you don t have it, bid the next highest suit, which you do have. If he can live with that suit, he will pass. If he can t, he knows which 3 suits you have, so he will pick the longest fit there is at the lowest possible level. It s even possible for him to pick a 4 3 fit at the 2- level, not going to the 3-level. [2 * - P P 2 - P - P - 3 ] Opener doesn t have 4 Hearts, so bids 2. Responder can t stand that, so goes to the known fit in Diamonds, but he could pass 2 with 3 of them. [2 * - P P 2 - P - P ] Strong Responder: a game-going or Invitational strength responder will respond 2NT* as an artificial inquiry about opener s shape. [2 - P - 2NT* ], Opener then tells responder where her shortage is: [2 * - P - 2NT* - P 3 * - P ] Short in Diamonds, but with both majors. Responder can then bid game or 3NT, or bid 3 or 3 to invite game. [2 * - P - 2NT* - P 3 * - P ] or [2 *- P- 2NT*- P 3 * - P ] A minimum HCP opener will pass an invitation, and a strong one will go to game. Many users of Mini-Roman 2 * guarantee that one of the 3 suits is Spades. This is OK, as it may keep the bidding from getting too high, but it takes away 1 / 4 of the possible 2 * openings. Maybe guarantee Spades until you re comfortable with Mini Roman, then try it a few times when you don t have 4 Spades? A good choice.

8 COMPETITIVE CONVENTIONS P a g e 8 FLANNERY 2 OPENING - A Spades and Hearts hand A 2 opening can be a Flannery bid: it shows exactly 4 Spades and 5 Hearts and 11 to 15 HCP. The original Flannery opening was a 2 bid, but we now use 2 * for Mini Roman, so we have moved Flannery to 2. It can be passed with a Heart fit, as it is a real Heart opening. Modern Flannery is a variation that you should play: 2 * shows 5 or 6 Hearts, 4 Spades and 11 to 15 HCP. This is an occasional hand that keeps the Flannery 2 * bid alive. Remember, you can t open a Weak 2 with 6 Hearts, playing Flannery. Responses: A responder with a 4+ Spade fit or a 2 or 3+ Heart fit can place the contract immediately: pass 2 or bid 2 with a weak hand or raise one with an invitational hand. [2 * - P - 3 ] or Game or bid 3NT if that s right. [2 - P - 3NT ] But maybe slam is a possibility? How can you find out if opener has 5 or 6 Hearts and has 11 or 15 HCP? As usual, a 2NT* response is the answer: [2 * - P - 2NT* ] Flannery rebids after 2NT* are sophisticated as they show both shape (5 or 6 Hearts) and opener s HCP range. There are 4 pre-defined rebids after a 2NT* inquiry: [2 * P 2NT* - P? 1. 3 * is min min: 5 Hearts and 11 to 13 HCP * is min max: 5 Hearts and 13 to 15 HCP * is max min: 6 Hearts and 11 to 13 HCP, and 4. 3 * is max max: 6 Hearts and 13 to 15 HCP After one of these rebids, the 2NT* responder can place the contract confidently: [2 * P 2NT* - P 3 * - P - 3 ] [2 * P 2NT* - P 3 * - P - 4NT (1430) ]

9 COMPETITIVE CONVENTIONS P a g e 9 CATEGORY: Multi-Suit Cue Bids MICHAELS: [1-2 ] or [1-2 ] A Michaels Direct Cue Bid is a direct cue bid of opponent s opening bid. There s 2 different meanings, but it always shows a 5 5 hand. 1. A cue bid of either minor shows both majors: [1-2 ] No alert. Partner then picks her better major: [1-2 - P - 3 ] An invite. 2. A cue bid of a major show the other major and an unknown minor: [1-2 - P - 2 ] A minimum response with 3+ Spades. [1-2 - P - 4 ] A good hand and good Spades? Preemptive? 3. If responder can t stand the other major, she can ask What s your minor, partner? How? No surprise: bid 2NT*, as many conventions do. [1-2 - P 2NT* P - 3 ] Clubs is the 2 nd 5-card suit. Strength? not Vul, 8 to 10+ HCP? Vul 10 to 12+ HCP? These are about the same answers for any 2+ level competitive bid: a Partnership Choice. UNUSUAL 2NT: [1x 2NT ] A 5 5, lower 2 suits overcall There s not much to say about the Unusual 2NT Overcall: it s the same wherever it s used: meaning the 2 lower unbid suits; not always both minors. [1NT 2NT ] Minors. [1-2NT ] Diamonds and Hearts. Strength? Not Vul, 8 to 10+ HCP? Vul; 10 to 12+ HCP? These are about the same answers for any 2+ level competitive bid: a Partnership Choice.

10 COMPETITIVE CONVENTIONS P a g e 10 TOPS & BOTTOMS: A better multi-suited Direct Cue Bid. [1-2 ] It looks like a Michaels bid, but it shows a different combination of two 5-card suits; specifically, the top and bottom unbid suits. [1-2 ] Spades & Clubs. Unlike Michaels, responder knows immediately which of the two suits to choose from: no going through the 2NT* Ask routine. If the bidder wants to show two suits that are not Tops and Bottoms, can she bid the higher one on round one and the other one later? [1-1 - P - 1NT P - 2 ] But these are the Top and Bottom suits! [1-1 - P - 1NT P - 2 ] And so are these two! [1-1 - P - 1NT P - 2 ] And so are these two! [1-2 - P - 2 P - 3 ] But these are the two lower suits: bid 2NT, not 2! [1-1 - P - 2 P - 2 ] Finally: a 2 round sequence that shows the 2 tops. Seems like there should be an easier way to show the Top Two unbid suits, like 2NT shows the lower two unbid suits. (Michaels shows only both majors. [1-2 ]) There is a direct way using Tops and Bottoms: it s a jump bid to 3 *, called Tops & Tops showing the top 2 unbid suits. [1-3 *... ] Majors. [1-3 * ] Majors. [1-3 * ] Spades & Diamonds. And 4 th seat knows which two suits are shown without going through a 2NT* Ask sequence, and declares at the 3-level, just like Michaels. As 4 th seat becomes the Declarer, it s always a good thing with 5 5 shown in any two suits. These shapely hands should be the dummy; not the Declarer, as we ve seen before. Defenders know what suits are held; why show them any more? Strength? Not Vul, 8 to 10+ HCP? Vul 10 to 12+ HCP? These are about the same answers for any 2+ level competitive bid: a Partnership Choice.

11 COMPETITIVE CONVENTIONS P a g e 11 CATEGORY: Other Conventions DRURY a weak 3 rd or 4 th hand major suit opening: [P P - 1 ] Opening a 1-level major in 3 rd seat can be played as Drury. It is a way to get into an auction where the opponents specifically 4 th seat clearly have most of the HCP. Drury hands can be as weak as 8 HCP with a chunky major. Usually they are only played in 3 rd seat, although they can be played in 4 th seat. [P - P -??? ] If you have 8 or so HCP, where s all the HCP? in 4 th seat, of course. But if you get a major suit bid in first, you take away a LOT of bidding choices from 4 th seat: she can t open a minor or 2 ; she may not be able to bid 1NT or double without the right shape, etc., etc. She might have no appropriate bid at all. Responses to possible Drury hands: ( Possible because a 3 rd seat could have an 18 HCP hand. Responder doesn t know on her first bid, so it s not alerted.) If 4 th hand passes, responder (the passed-hand dealer) responses are artificial if she can Limit Raise the major suit or natural to bid 1NT or a simple raise or Pass. [P P P???] DRURY BIDS (All alerted) NO Negative Doubles are allowed. [P P P 2 *... ] 3 Spades; limit raise strength (9 11) [P P P 2 *... ] 4 Spades; limit raise strength (9 11) If 4 th hand bids too high, Dbl* shows either a 3- or 4-card Limit Raise: [P - P Dbl* ] A Limit Raise of Spades. If 4 th hand bids what 1 st seat was going to bid, a Stolen Bid Double is used: [P - P Dbl* ] A 4-piece Limit Raise, as a 2 * response would be. If 4 th hand Doubles, ignore it: [P - P Dbl ] 1NT, 2, 2 *, 2 * or Pass The Drury 3 rd seat player sets the contract. A minimum rebid shows an 8 HCP hand. A raise shows a real opening hand, and a game bid is a strong hand.

SPECIAL DOUBLES After Overcall Penalty Negative thru 3 Spades Responsive thru Support Dbl. / ReDbl. thru 2 Spades*

SPECIAL DOUBLES After Overcall Penalty Negative thru 3 Spades Responsive thru Support Dbl. / ReDbl. thru 2 Spades* I don t know what s Special about these doubles, other than they aren t for Penalty. (Actually,