Opponents
interfere over our 1NT opening
After a Penalty DBL
- RDBL: 5+ in a minor, weak.
Partner must bid 2C.
- 2C (Stayman): Maybe 4+4+ in
majors in a weak hand. Partner has only 3 possible responses.
- 2D/H: Transfers
- Pass: Weak, no 5+ suit, no
4-4 in majors. Partner may RDBL to initiate a scramble or bid a suit
with 5+ cards.
- All other bids are unchanged
After a Non-penalty DBL the
system stays unchanged
RDBL is for business (usually less than game
values).
After a level-2 over-call
showing explicitly only 1 suit
- New suit at level 2:
competitive, non forcing
- DBL: Negative (Stayman)
- Pass over an artificial
over-call followed by DBL: Business
- Cue-bid at level 2 (If
possible, i.e. after a transfer intervention): Take-out, no indication
about stoppers. May hide a limit club 1-suiter, but typically has
values for 2NT.
- 3NT: With
stopper
- 2NT: Lebensohl relay to 3C.
After the relay:
- Pass: competitive in
clubs
- New suit lower than
opponent’s bid: competitive
- New suit higher than
opponent’s bid: game+ with
stopper
- Cue-bid: Take-out without
stopper
- 3NT: Without
stopper
- Other bids over 2S
- 3C/D: Transfer to
diamonds/hearts
- 3H: Singleton spade, 4
hearts
- 3S: Singleton spade, 3
hearts
- Other bids over 2H
- 3C: Transfer to diamonds
- 3D: Singleton heart, 3
or 4 spades
- 3H: 5 spades without
heart stopper
- 3S: 5 spades with heart
stopper
- Other bids over 2D
- 3C: Stayman
- 3D/H: Transfer to
hearts/spades
- Other bids over 2C
- 3C/D/H: Transfer to
diamonds/hearts/spades
- 4C/D: 5+5+ in the suit and
another (usually major) suit
- 4H/S cue-bid: 5+5+ in minors
- 4H/S otherwise: To play
After a 2-suited over-call
showing explicitly both suits
- New suit: Competitive
- DBL: Business if over-call is
natural (Negative otherwise)
- 2NT: Invitational
- Lower cue-bid: Shows the
lower of the other 2 suits
- Higher cue-bid: Shows the
higher of the other 2 suits
After 2NT with a 2-suiter
(usually the minors)
- Pass: The equivalent of a
Negative DBL or a Competitive bid or a Pass
- DBL: business interest and
also initiates stopper investigation
- All other bids are as above
After a Natural Over-call at
level 3
- DBL: Negative
- New suit: game forcing
- 3NT: sign off
- Any jump at level 4 retains
its original meaning (4D/H Texas or 4NT QST)
After a DBL of our Stayman 2C
- 2NT: 4-4 in the majors, club
stopper, no indication for min/max
- 3C: 4-4 in the majors, no
club stopper. Responder usually bids his major suit, but can bid 3D to
still make opener play the hand!
- 2D/H/S: Unchanged, but with
club stopper
- Pass: Any other hand without
club stopper. If next opponent passes, responder bids RDBL.
Opener’s responses:
- 2D: No 4-card major suit
- 2H: 4+ spades. Responder
can bid 3H to still make opener play the hand.
- 2S: 4+ hearts. Responder
can bid 3S to still make opener play the hand.
- RDBL: Let’s play 2
clubs!
After an over-call of our
Stayman 2C
- DBL: Business
- 2H/S: 4 cards
- Cue-bid 3D: 4+ cards in both
majors
- 3C/D: Good 5+ suit
- Pass: Otherwise. If next
opponent passes, responder bids:
- DBL: Business
- 2H/S: Competitive
- 3H/S over 2D: Smolen
- Cue-bid: Asks for stopper
- 3C/D: Natural, forcing
- 2/3NT: Limit
After a DBL of our 2D/H bid
(showing the suit)
- Pass: Only 2 cards in
partner's suit
- 2H/S: Sign-off, prefers to
play the hand
- 2NT: Limit, without
stopper
- New suit: Competitive
- Cue-bid: Short in the suit,
limit or more
- 3H/S: Limit, prefers to
play the hand
- Jump cue-bid: Void, slam
invitation
- RDBL: Relay –
opener must accept the transfer. Follows:
- 2NT: Limit, with
stopper
- Cue-bid: Semi-stopper,
looking to play 3NT
- Jump cue-bid: Singleton,
slam invitation
- 3H/S: Limit, shows
at least 2 quick losers in opponents' suit!
- New suit: Forcing
- RDBL: 3+ fit without
stopper
- 2H/S: To play
- Others: Natural game tries
- 2H/S: 3+ fit with stopper
- Other: Max, 4+ fit
After a DBL of our 2S/3C
transfer bid (showing the suit)
- Pass: Only 2 cards in
partner's suit
- 2NT: Trying for 3NT
- 3C/D: Prefers to play
- RDBL: Otherwise
- RDBL: 3+ fit without
stopper
- 3C/D: 3+ fit with
stopper
- Other: Max, 4+ fit
After an over-call of our
transfer bid
- Pass: The usual bid. After
opponent’s pass follows:
- DBL: Negative
- New suit: Competitive
- Accept own transfer:
Competitive
- NT: Limit
- Cue-bid: Take-out
- Jump shift: 5+5+, game
values
- DBL: Negative
- Other: Fit