OTHER OPENING BIDS

  HCP see Note Min length CONVENTIONAL MEANING SPECIAL RESPONSES Notes
1 9+ ¨

3

  Splinters. 2NT natural
Inverted minors

1.1

1.2

1 9+ ¨ 4  
1 9+ ¨ 4   Jacoby 2NT
1 9+ ¨ 5  
3 bids 0+ ¨ 6 3NT = solid minor    
4 bids 0+ ¨ 7      

DEFENSIVE METHODS AFTER OPPONENTS OPEN

Opponents Open A Natural One of a Suit CONVENTIONAL MEANING SPECIAL RESPONSES Notes
Simple overcall Usually 5+ cards    
Jump overcall Pre-emptive    
Cue bid Michaels   1.3
1NT Direct 15-18 As 1NT  
Protective 11-14  
2NT Direct 2 lowest unbid suits, weak/strong    
Protective 20-22 As opening 2NT  
Opponents Open With DEFENSIVE METHODS SPECIAL RESPONSES Notes
Strong 1♣ Truscott   1.4
Short 1♣/1 Treat as natural    
Weak and Strong 1NT Modified Landy; 2=both majors, 2=equal length 1.5
Weak 2 Dbl for take-out; 2NT=16-18 bal. 4/=LM Lebensohl 1.6
Weak 3 Dbl for take-out    
4 bids Dbl for take-out    
Multi 2 Dbl: 13-15 or 19+; 2NT=16-18 Lebensohl 1.6

SLAM CONVENTIONS

Name Meaning of Responses Action over interference
Roman Key Card Blackwood 5=1/4, 5=0/3, 5/=2/5 without/with trump queen. 5NT asks for lowest side-suit king Dbl=1/4, pass=0/3, etc
Minor-suit RKCB 4♣/ in response to an opening 1NT/2NT is RKCB in bid suit. Taking out 3NT to 4♣/ is similarly RKCB.
 
COMPETITIVE AUCTIONS

Agreements after opening of one of a suit and overcall by opponents:

Level to which negative doubles apply

3

Special meaning of bids

2NT=natural, cue-bid=Jacoby

Exceptions/other agreements

After  opponent's UNT, lower-suit cue-bid is forcing raise, higher-suit is forcing with 4th suit

Agreements after opponents double for takeout

Redouble 10+ New suit Forcing Jump in new suit Fit-jump
Jump raise Pre-emptive 2NT Good raise Other  
Other agreements concerning doubles and redoubles:
Doubles are for take-out unless: we have a fit; we have pre-empted; we are doubling a naturally-bid NT.
After penalty double of 1NT, next double by either player is take-out.

OTHER CONVENTIONS

Fourth-suit forcing [1 is natural]
After 1X-2Y, 2NT is game-forcing [3 requests more information], 3NT = flat 15/16
Unassuming cue-bids (show good raise of partner's suit or very strong hand)
Directional asking bids
1NT/2NT rebids are 15-17/18-19 [2/3 are Staymanic checkback.

SUPPLEMENTARY DETAILS [1]

(Please cross-reference where appropriate to the relevant part of the card and continue on back if needed)
1.1 Splinter jump shows min 4-card support with typically singleton in bid suit. Splinter can be an immediate response, opener's rebid, or an unnecessary [to be forcing] bid at any stage.
1-minor:2-minor is unlimited raise with no 4-card major. 1-minor:3-minor is pre-emptive raise with no 4-card major. Inverted minors don't apply after interference.
1.2 Jacoby 2NT promises 4+ trump support and is forcing to game. Opener rebids 4-major if minimum. 3-new-suit as splinter, 4-new-suit as second, 5-card suit
1.3 Minor-suit cue-bid shows at least 5-5 in the majors. Major-suit cue-bid shows at least 5-5 in other major + unspecified minor. Usually weak/strong, not intermediate [i.e. not in range 11-15]
1.4 1-level overcall or 2 shows that suit and next higher suit. Double shows suit doubled and non-adjacent suit, 1NT shows other two non-touching suits. Jump overcall is single-suited.
1.5 2=both majors, 2 shows 4-card major plus longer minor
1.6 If partner doubles a weak 2-bid, 2NT shows a weak hand [<8] and requests a 3 relay. 4/over 2/ is game-forcing Leaping Michaels showing at least 5/5 in suit bid and other major