Jim Berglund’s Bridge Lesson 12 1

Most duplicate bridge experts have developed partnership bidding systems intended to give them an edge over their competition. These range from simple to complex, but all of them are a long ways from Goren. With 2/1, 5-card Majors became the norm, and ‘convenient minor’ or a ‘short club’ were used as catch-all bids. A ‘short club also became the basis for Precision, Blue Club, and other complete systems. Several years ago, a great Canadian player, Eric Kokish, developed a system which he named Montreal Relay. It is still used by players ‘back East’, but I found it was far to complicated for most casual players. However, it had a few features that I really liked, and enabled far more precision, so I incorporated some of it into the Calgary 2/1 system. My willing partners that use this approach have found improved success, and it is my pleasure to introduce it to you. 2

I have spent considerable time thinking about the typical ways we bid in North America – both SAYC and 2/1 systems, have several systemic problems: For example, 1♣ and 1♦ openers are pretty much the same. Responder frequently plays in a major suit or 1NT with a weak hand. 5-3 major suit fits are often missed, and there are few ways for responder to definitively show a really good suit – particularly a good minor. This system addresses all of these problems and introduces very few (if any) new ones: ♠ It builds on the principles of the 2/1 bidding system, so it is not difficult to learn ♠ It treats Club, Diamond, Heart and Spade openers differently ♠ It introduces useful meaning for unused bids ♠ It right-sides more contracts (this is a major focus) ♠ It provides additional bidding flexibility at all levels ♠ It determines slam potential very early ♠ It adapts well to competitive bids. ♠ It makes it easier to know when to double for penalties or bid on ♠ It provides additional strength in dealing with preempts – bidding, responding or defending ♠ It challenges the opponents ♠ It’s a lot of FUN! 3

Opening Considerations: ♠ All opening hands with 5+ cards in a suit are opened in that suit. ♠ 1 & 2NT openers are unchanged ♠ All other balanced hands are opened 1 ♣ Responses to 1 ♣ Openers Hands with 5+ cards in a Major suit bid the major Balanced hands with 11 or 12 HCP respond 1NT Balanced hands with 13 or 14 HCP respond 2NT Balanced hands with 15 or 16 HCP respond 3NT Most other hands respond with 1 ♦ 4

Other Opening Bids 2 ♦ is Mini-Roman with (any singleton) 2 ♥ is Flannery, showing 5 ♥, 4 ♠ 2 ♠ is weak (Fox-Lambert) NAMYATS showing self-sufficient Majors and control in 3 suits Constructive raises over Majors, with Kokish Jacoby 2NT over Majors Mini-Splinters over Majors and 1 ♦ openers Inverted minors X-Y-Z 4 th Suit Forcing 2-Way, 2-Level Transfers 5 Note that just a few of these conventions will be discussed in this lesson, but several have already been covered, and others will have future lessons describing them. Kokish is a convention used over simple or constructive raises in a Major suit. A New suit by Opener is a singleton. A bid of the next suit (2♠ or 2NT) asks partner to bid a suit in which he would accept a help suit game try A raise to the 3-level asks for trump quality. Ie. Bid game with Qxx or better.

Etiquette: One club can be as short as 2 cards, and must be announced. Well, what does that mean? When you open one club, partner should say, immediately, “Could be as short as two”. If partner doesn’t, and the bidding proceeds, with you winning the contract, you should state, “ My partner failed to announce that our one club opener could be short” That’s typically the end of it, but we do have an old biddy at our club that bristles with aggravation if there is any irregularity. Her reaction can be a scowl, a comment, “ Don’t you know your system?” or she may even call the director, the person who cheerfully and professionally adjudicates all disputes over any untoward bid or action made by a player. And the director generally determines if this deviation has caused irreparable damage, requiring action or an adjustment, or if it is much ado about nothing. And the play proceeds. 6

A one club opener encompasses all opening hands that do not have a 5-card or better Diamond, Heart or Spade suit, and cannot be opened artificially, preemptively, or with a NT bid. As examples, all the following hands will be opened 1♣: ♠98x ♥98xx ♦AKxx ♣AQ ♠AKxx ♥AKxx ♦xxx ♣xx ♠AKxx ♥AKxx ♦AJx ♣xx ♠AK ♥AK ♦A ♣xxxxxxxx ♠10x ♥AK ♦AKxx ♣xxxxx ♠Axx ♥Axx ♦Axx ♣Qxxx ♠QJxx ♥QJxx ♦QJ10 ♣KQ Note: ♠Axxx ♥Axxx ♦x ♣Kxxx would NOT be opened 1♣; It’s a Mini-Roman hand and would be opened 2♦. 7

You will be surprised to learn that you will be opening 1♣ 31% of the time - almost one-third of all openings. Because of this, we’ll spend a lot of time discussing 1♣ openers It’s also interesting to note that approximately 87% of all one-club openers will hold 4 or more clubs 8

The 1♦ Response ♠ This shows no 5-card major (must be alerted) and an inability to make a NT bid. ♠ It says nothing about diamonds. ♠ It shows 5+ HCP ♠ It denies a weak, preemptive hand or a strong hand with a good suit ♠ It is forcing for one round As examples, all of the following hands would respond 1Diamond The following Hands would not respond 1D: ♠Ax ♥Axx ♦AKxxx ♣Jxx HCP; no 4- card major = 3NT ♠AKx ♥xxxxx ♦AKx ♣AK – weak 5-card major = 1♥ ♠Ax ♥xxxxx ♦xxx ♣xxx = 1♥ ♠xx ♥AKJ10xx ♦AQxxx ♣x =2♦ (Relay to Hearts – then 2NT – 1430 Keycard for hearts - Slam interest) ♠xx ♥xxxxxx ♦xxxx ♣xx = =2♦ (Relay to Hearts – then Pass) ♠98x ♥AKxx ♦xxxx ♣xx ♠AKxx ♥AKxx ♦xx ♣Axx ♠Kxxx ♥Kxxx ♦x ♣xxxx ♠AKxx ♥AKx ♦Jxx ♣xxx ♠10x ♥xx ♦KQxxxxxxx ♣void ♠AKQJ ♥AKQJ ♦Axxx ♣x ♠QJxx ♥QJxx ♦xxx ♣xxxx Although some teachers would recommend passing with this hand, getting partner to bid 2♥ has several virtues: 1.It right-sides the contract – allowing the strong hand to play and remain concealed. 2.It gives partner entries to the board. Otherwise, even with a good hand, he has to play it all from one side. 3.It has preemptive value, and may keep the opponents out of a makeable game. 9

♠ Shows at least 5 hearts (or Spades) and 5+ HCP ♠ Denies a great suit and hand (ie missing one of the top 3, with 5 or more ) ♠ Because these bids show 5 cards, it is normal to raise immediately with 3! ♠ It is forcing for one round As examples, all of the following hands would respond 1♥ ♠AKQJ ♥xxxxx ♦A ♣AKQJ ♠xxx ♥AJ10xxx ♦xx ♣xx ♠xxx ♥QJ9xxxx ♦void ♣xxx (too good to make a 2♦ transfer) ♠x ♥J109xx ♦AJ10xx ♣xx (but not ♠x ♥J109xx ♦AKQJxx ♣x – you can bid 1♦, and reverse to hearts showing interest in a diamond slam, with at least 3 Hearts. Bidding hearts again will show 6-5 distribution. Without 5 hearts, and another first round control, you would have bid 2♠, which is a relay to 3♦, and then bid 3♥ – which would show 0 or 3 Key cards – and it must be 3!) 10

♠ 1NT – shows HCP and a balanced hand; Use 2♣ (Check-back Stayman - CBS) to find a major-suit fit) 2NT is invitational; any other advance by opener is a game force ♠ 2NT – Game Force. Shows HCP and a balanced hand. Use 3♣ - CBS to find a major-suit fit ♠ 3NT – Shows HCP, a balanced hand and no 4- card major (X-Y-Z or 4 th Suit Forcing would be used). 4♣ over this 3NT bid is Gerber, asking for number of Aces This treatment is a major difference to ‘Normal’ sequences. Since all these hands may be as good as or better than opener’s, right-siding is not important. What has NOT been bid tells you a lot about the hand. 11

♠ 2♣ – is an inverted minor. It shows at least 5 clubs (since opener could have as few as two, and is looking for a NT game or a club game or slam ♠ 2♦ – is a relay to hearts. It will be passed if responder is weak, but any advance by responder is 1430* key card and shows a great suit and slam interest. (note that this gives up the invitational 1♣-2♦ inverted minor sequence – but since 1♣ can be as few as 2, it’s a fair trade-off) ♠ 2♥ – is a relay to spades. It will be passed if responder is weak, but any advance by responder is 1430* key card and shows a great suit and slam interest. ♠ 2♠ is a relay to diamonds. It will be passed if responder is weak, but any advance by responder is 0314* key card and shows a great suit and slam interest. ♠ Eg: ♠void ♥xxx ♦ ♣Jxx and ♥xxx ♦AQJ98xx ♣AJxx – would BOTH be suitable 2♠ responses to a 1♣ opener. This treatment is another major difference to ‘Normal’ sequences. These bids are made with very weak hands with long suits, or very powerful hands with long strong suits Roman Key Card Responses ♠ Show the Number of Key-Cards in Responder’s Suit ♠ Note that there is a difference in the key-card responses! ♠ Always use 0314 when a minor suit is likely to be trump, and 1430 when a major suit is likely to be trump. Just start doing this. The reasons will be given in a later lesson on slam bidding. ♠ Continuing: to ask for the number of second-round controls, just rebid the suit. Partners single step responses will show Kings and the trump Queen 12

Over a double (Take-out), Redouble shows 10+ HCP and no fit in clubs. 2NT is Jordan, showing a limit raise or better in clubs and no better bid. All other bids revert to ‘Standard’ Over a suit overcall, Bidding reverts to ‘Standard’ Double is take-out, a new suit at the one-level is a one round force. A new suit at the 2-level is non- forcing. Jump bids are pre-emptive and NT bids are quantitative. Unless there is another agreement, consider all bids after interference to be ‘Standard’ 13

Note how many bids make it possible for the final contract to be played from the right (the stronger) hand. Opening leads come to declarer – not through declarer, more often. Examples: 1♣ – 1♦ –1♥ - 2♥ instead of 1♣ – 1♥ – 2♥ 1♣ – 2♥ –2♠ instead of 1♣ – 2♠ 1♣ - 1♦ - 1NT - P instead of 1♣-1NT - P Knowing that a major-suit response to 1♣ guarantees 5+ cards makes it easy to bid with three and sign off in two of a major NT contracts are almost always played from a strong hand. The only exception is 1♣ – 1♦ – 1M – 1NT 14

There is only one sequence I’ve identified so far that causes some traditionalists to cringe. 1♣ – 1♦/♥/♠ – 2♦ is no longer a reverse – it merely shows 5+ Clubs and 4+ diamonds. It is non-forcing. So what do you do with the reverse? With a hand like ♠xx ♥xx ♦AKQJ ♣AKJxxx, you need to improvise. Note that 1♣ – 1M – 3♦ would be a splinter in support of the Major, so that’s out. 1♣ – 1♦ – 3♦ is OK; 1♣ – 1♥/♠ – 3♣ is the “Best Lie”; (It can’t be a splinter and should typically show 6+ clubs and 16+ points) Partner should be able to work out that since you don’t have 4 spades or 3 hearts; you don’t have a balanced hand with the other suits stopped, or you’d have bid 2NT, and you have around 17 points. There are not a lot of other hands that are suitable – and he does know that you don’t have another way of showing this hand. 15

♠♥♦♣♠♥♦♣ KQ543 K ♠♥♦♣♠♥♦♣ AKQ10783 void A ♠♥♦♣♠♥♦♣ QJ7 Q ♠♥♦♣♠♥♦♣ J K54 WNES 1♣1♣P?

♠♥♦♣♠♥♦♣ KQJ3 KQJ4 73 K65 ♠♥♦♣♠♥♦♣ AKQJ void J ♠♥♦♣♠♥♦♣ Q AKQJ10 76 ♠♥♦♣♠♥♦♣ QJ7 9 AKQ K5432 WNES 1♣1♣P?

♠♥♦♣♠♥♦♣ KQJ 732 K654 ♠♥♦♣♠♥♦♣ AKQJ 32 J ♠♥♦♣♠♥♦♣ Q654 Q73 AKQJ10 76 ♠♥♦♣♠♥♦♣ A WNES 1♣1♣P?

♠♥♦♣♠♥♦♣ KQJ 732 K654 ♠♥♦♣♠♥♦♣ AKQJ 32 J ♠♥♦♣♠♥♦♣ Q654 Q73 AKQJ10 76 ♠♥♦♣♠♥♦♣ A WNES 1♣1♣DBL?

♠♥♦♣♠♥♦♣ KQ54 K ♠♥♦♣♠♥♦♣ AKQ K ♠♥♦♣♠♥♦♣ QJ76 A765 4 ♠♥♦♣♠♥♦♣ 9876 QJ98 Q542 Q WNES 1♣1♣1♥? If the overcall had been 2♥, pre-emptive, all your bids would be the same!

♠♥♦♣♠♥♦♣ KQ5 K K53 ♠♥♦♣♠♥♦♣ AQ9 52 K1075 K32 ♠♥♦♣♠♥♦♣ K103 QJ86 A6 J109 ♠♥♦♣♠♥♦♣ J987 Q82 KQ42 K3 WNES P1♣1♣P1NT P 2 ♦* P? * Reverse – showing very good clubs and at least 3 diamonds In all these hands, your first responsibility is to show partner that you have a fit. With all these hands your fit is excellent

♠♥♦♣♠♥♦♣ KQ5 K ♠♥♦♣♠♥♦♣ AKQ 5 KQ ♠♥♦♣♠♥♦♣ Q QJ76 AK653 QJ10 ♠♥♦♣♠♥♦♣ QJ87 QJ82 K42 J3 WNES P1♣1♣P1♦1♦ P2♣2♣P? Opener has denied a 4-card major or a hand suitable for NT on the auction (so far). However, he could still have as many as 17 points, so give him a chance, if you can

♠♥♦♣♠♥♦♣ AQ5 K ♠♥♦♣♠♥♦♣ 54 KQ765 KQ ♠♥♦♣♠♥♦♣ 4 QJ765 AK653 A32 ♠♥♦♣♠♥♦♣ QJ K10982 Q42 J32 WNES P1♣1♣P1♥1♥ P2♥2♥P?

♠♥♦♣♠♥♦♣ A852 K765 Q6 K53 ♠♥♦♣♠♥♦♣ AQJ10 KQ109 Q98 43 ♠♥♦♣♠♥♦♣ 4 QJ AK65 A87632 ♠♥♦♣♠♥♦♣ QJ K109 QJ42 QJ32 WNES P1♣1♣P1♦1♦ P?