Polish Club 2005 - A Brief Description

by Krzysztof Jassem

Openings

The 1§ opening is described at the end of this section.

1¨ opening – 4 cards, 12-17 HCP

Canape: 4 diamonds; 5 clubs is possible if weak (12-14 HCP).

2§ response – natural, promises 5 clubs, one-round force

Rebidding diamonds by Opener shows length (5 diamonds) and does not specify strength. The other 2-level bids show 4-card openings in the range of 12-14 HCP.

2¨ response – inverted minor, 10+ HCP, 4 diamonds

3¨ response – preemptive

NT responses: 1NT = 7-10 HCP, 2NT = 11-12 HCP; both deny a 4-card major

1©/1ª openings – 5 cards, 12-17 HCP

1NT Response – not forcing

Responder’s 2NT is forcing after the suit is repeated

1© 1ª/1NT

2© 2NT = forces to 3 of a major; opener shows shortage.

and

1ª 1NT

2ª 2NT = forces to 3 of a major; opener shows shortage.

Two-over-one response – one round force

2§ response is semi-natural

Rebidding the suit by Opener shows a minimum and does not show length.

2NT rebid by Opener shows strength (15-17 HCP).

2NT response – limit raise with support

Jump raise – preemptive

Two types of Splinter bids

1© 3ª = any shortage, 9-12 HCP (then 3NT asks shortage)

1ª 3NT = any shortage, 9-12 HCP (then 4§ asks shortage)

1© 3NT = spade shortage, 12-16 HCP

1©/1ª 4§, 4¨, 4© (after 1ª) = bid shortage, 12-16 HCP

Drury-fit by a passed hand

2 of the bid major is the weakest rebid.

Jump shift by a passed hand – invitational (9-11 HCP)

1NT opening (15-17 HCP)

Stayman 2§

Opener’s 2© does not deny four spades.

Responder’s subsequent bidding is natural: forcing at the 3-level, non-forcing at the 2-level.

Also: 1NT 2§

2¨ 2ª = invitational (7-9 HCP), 5 spades, 4 hearts.

and

1NT 2§

2©/2ª 3¨/3© = transfer, agrees Opener’s suit, GF.

Jacoby transfers 2¨/2©

Transfer to hearts (2¨) does not deny five spades.

Responder’s new suit at the 3-level forces to game.

Also: 1NT 2¨

2© 2ª forces to 3© (8+ HCP)

2ª response – transfer for clubs

Opener may choose between a positive 2NT, and a negative 3§. Responder may continue by showing shortage.

2NT response – limit

3§ response – transfer to diamonds, weak or strong

Opener is obliged to bid 3¨. Responder may continue by showing shortage.

3¨ – natural, inviting

3©/3ª – 5431 convention: GF, both minors: at least 5-4, shortage in the bid suit

2§ Opening – Precision: 5 clubs and a 4-card major, or 6 clubs, 11-14 HCP

2¨ response – relay, forcing to 3§

Opener shows a 4-card suit (3 diamonds shows extra) or makes a choice between 2NT and 3§ with long clubs.

2©/2ª response – not forcing, good 5-card suit (7-11 HCP)

2NT response – weak suport in clubs or GF two-suiter. Puppet to 3§.

Opener must bid 3§. Responder either passes or shows his suits: 3¨ = diamonds and hearts, 3© = hearts and spades 3ª = spades and diamonds.

3§ response– limit raise (invitational)

3¨/3©/3ª response – limit, good 6-card suit

2¨ opening – weak two in a major (limited Multi), 6+ cards, 6-11 HCP

2©/2ª/3©/3ª response – pass or correct

2NT – relay, forcing to 3 of the major

Opener bids:

3§ = good opening à 3¨ = ask à 3© = spades, 3ª = hearts

3¨ = hearts, minimum opening

3© = spades, minimum opening

3§ response – GF, any one-suited hand

3¨ – game-invitational with support in both majors

Opener bids 4§ with hearts and 4¨ with spades if the invitaion is accepted.

4§ response – asks for Opener to bid the suit below his major

Opener bid 4¨ with hearts and 4© with spades.

4¨ response – asks Opener to bid his suit

4©/4ª response – to play

2©/2ª openings– Polish two-suiters, 6-11 HCP

Opening 2© = any 5-5 with hearts (spades is possible). 2ª response = pass or correct

Opening 2ª = 5 spades and 5 of a minor.

2NT response – asks for another suit

With hearts and spades Opener bids 3©.

Other responses – natural

2NT opening – 5-5 in minors, 6-11 HCP

3© asks to bid a longer minor or a longer major if minors are equal

3ª - natural, forcing

3NT opening – gambling (no stopper outside)

4¨ asks for singleton

4§ / 4¨ openings – natural

1§ opening

1) 12-14 HCP, no 5-card major, no 4-card diamond suit. Five clubs are possible if the hand is balanced. Opener should not bid clubs on the next round – even in competition.

2) 15–17 HCP, five clubs, unbalanced distribution. Opener bids clubs in the next round.

3) 18+ HCP, any distribution.

1¨ response

1) negative: 0-8 HCP. In the 7-8 HCP range, Responder should not have a 4-card major (the response of one of a major is 7+HCP, the 1NT response is 9-11 HCP)

2) 9-11 unbalanced; either both minors (5-4), or one poor minor. (The hand does not qualify for any of the responses: 1NT, 2 in a minor, 3 in a minor)

3) 12-16 HCP balanced without a 4-card major. The hand is not suitable for declaring no trumps.

1§ 1¨

1©/1ª = better major (3 cards is possible)

1NT = 18-20 HCP, balanced

2§ = 15+ HCP, natural

2¨ = artificial GF, exclusive of 2-suiter hands

2©, 2ª, 3§, 3¨ = 5+ in the bid suit, semi-forcing

2NT = 21-23 HCP, balanced

3©/3ª/4§ = GF, 2-suiter (5-5):

3© – with hearts, then Responder’s 3ª shows preference over hearts, 3NT asks for a minor, 4§, 4ª are cue bids with agreed hearts

3ª – spades and a minor, then 3NT asks for a minor, 4§, 4¨ are cue bids

4§ – minors

1©/1ª response – 7+HCP, 4 cards

1§ 1©/1ª

2§ = 15+, one-round force, then Responder’s 2¨ forces to game.

1§ 1ª

2¨ = Relay, 18+ HCP, promises at least 3 cards in Responder’s major.

Responder bids:

2© = 7-10 HCP, 4 cards in the bid major

2ª = 11+ HCP, 4 cards in the bid major

2NT = 11+ HCP, at least 5 cards in the bid major

3§, 3¨ = 9-11 HCP, 5 in the bid minor, 4 in the bid major

3© = 7-10 HCP, 5 cards, unbalanced (then 3ª asks for a shortage, 3NT asks for a side suit)

3ª = 7-10 HCP, 5332 with 5 in the bid major

3NT = 7-10 HCP, 6 cards in the bid major

1§ 1ª

2© = 5+©, (18+ HCP), GF

1§ 1©/1ª

2NT = 18+ HCP, (semi-)balanced, denies 3-card support in Responder’s suit

1NT response – 9-11 HCP, no 4-card major

1§ 1NT

2§ = natural, 15+ HCP, GF

1§ 1NT

2¨, 2©, 2ª = 5+ cards, 18+ HCP, GF

2§/2¨ response – 5 cards, GF

2©/2ª - strong jump shift (semi-solid suit)

2NT response – 12+ HCP, GF no 4-card major

3§/3¨ response – good 6-card suit, invitational (9-11 HCP)

3©/3ª – 7-card suit with 2 high honours, nothing outside

Conventions in an uncontested auction

Jump shift – strong, semi-solid suit, slam interest

Fourth suit

Fourth suit invites to game after an initial one-over-one response. Responder may pass in the subsequent bidding but Opener may not. Fourth suit forces to game after a two-over-one response.

Third suit

If Opener raises the third suit, that promises four cards in the suit and denies a stopper in the unbid suit. 3NT bid by Opener shows four cards in the third suit and promises a stopper in the unbid suit.

Forcing 2NT

Responder’s 2NT is forcing after a two-over-one response.

2§ – check back: weak with clubs or game invitational, or game forcing

Opener’s rebids:

2¨ – minimum opening, no 3-card support,

2 in Responder’s suit – minimum opening, 3-card support,

2 in the other major – nice opening, 3-card support,

2NT – nice opening, no 3-card support.

Responder’s continuations: 3§ signs off. 2 in the bid major is non-forcing (10-12 HCP). Other bids (including 2NT) are game forcing.

En passant

In an uncontested auction, stoppers are shown. In competition, bidding the opponent’s suit asks for a stopper. If opponents bid two suits, bidding the higher-level suit promises stopper in the lower-level suit.

Slam bidding

RKCB 1430

5§ = 1 or 4

5¨ = 0 or 3

5© = 2 or 5, no kings

5ª = 2 and a king, etc.

Exclusion Key Card Blackwood (1430 responses)

After trump agreement, an unusual jump shift at the 5-level (or 4ª when hearts are agreed) asks for key cards, exclusive of the ace of the bid suit.

Hoyt

The cheapest bid after key cards are shown asks for kings. The next cheapest shows no kings, etc.

5NT – kind of Josephine; asks for the number of high honours (ace, king or queen) in trumps

6§ = 0, 6¨ = 1, etc.

Cue bids – first- and second-round controls are treated as equals

Splinter bids – weaker and stronger types after 1©/1ª openings

1© – 3ª = weaker Splinter (9-12 HCP), any shortage, à 3NT asks

1ª – 3NT = weaker Splinter, any shortage à 4§ asks

AutoSplinter

An unusual shift jump agrees bidder’s own suit only if Partner has not shown any suit.

Six in the Splinter suit

Asks partner to bid the grand slam with a void in the splinter-suit.

Interference after Blackwood – DOPI

Double = 0, pass = 1, the cheapest bid = 2 keycards, etc.

Competitive bidding

Over opponent’s takeout double

Jump shift – suit and support (fit jump)

New suit – forcing at 1-level (except 1¨; see below), non-forcing at 2-level

Redouble = 10+ HCP

If Opener bids before Responder: this shows a minimum if the bid is cheaper than two in the opening bid, but shows extras otherwise.

1¨ response over opponent’s double – natural, not forcing

1NT = 7-9 (10) HCP; 3-card support.

2NT = limit raise: 4-card support.

Jump shift shows suit and support.

Over opponent’s overcall

New suit is forcing at the level of 1 and 3. New suit is not forcing at the level of 2.

Jump raise is pre-emptive.

2NT promises good support (usually 4 cards) and forces to game. Direct cue bid is game-invitational, or game forcing with flat distribution and defensive values.

After Partner’s 1NT opening is overcalled

Double is negative – part score range. New suit is non-forcing at the two-level, but forcing at the three-level. Lebensohl: either GF with 4 cards in the other major or non-forcing with an unbid suit.

New suit = pass or correct.

Double is punitive.

Negative double – through 4¨

Negative doubles include, apart from standard agreements, forcing hands with a weak 5-card suit and – after 1©/1ª opening – invitational no-trump hands.

When the second defender overcalls

Support double

A support double does not shows extras but promises offensive values.

After a 1§ opening, double is two-way: either a support double or a stronger variant of the opening.

Defensive bidding

No-trump hands

1NT and 2NT non-jump overcalls – 15+-18 HCP with a stopper

Subsequent bidding: the same as after a 1NT opening.

1NT re-opening – 12-15 HCP

Subsequent bidding is natural.

2NT re-opening – 19-21 HCP

Subsequent bidding: similar to after the 1NT opening.

Jump overcalls – direct: natural, pre-emptive; re-opening: constructive

Takeout doubles and strong doubles (17+HCP).

Takeout doubles promise three cards in unbid majors and two cards in unbid minors. Equal level conversion shows extras.

After Partner has doubled 1§, a 1¨ bid is negative, other 1-level bids are forcing..

After 2¨ artificial opening (Multi or Wilkosz).

Second hand’s double is for takeout of spades. Pass and then double after 2©/3© in the next round is for takeout of hearts:

2¨ dble 2ª dble = punitive

Fourth hand live double is for takeout:

Direct cue bid

Michaels cue bid - unlimited

Jump cue bid

Jump cue bid shows either a solid suit and asks for a stopper or shows any game-forcing one-suiter hand.

Versus strong 1 NT opening

Double shows two suits: 5+ cards in a minor, 4+ cards in a major

2§ = any one-suiter (constructive if a minor)

2¨ = major two-suiter

Versus weak 1NT opening

Double is for takeout. Other bids show the same shape as versus a strong no trump and promise opening values.

Drury (2§) promises fit

Rebidding the suit is weakest.

Leads and signals

Leads are 2^nd best from bad suits (low from two); 4^th best from good suits; top of hounours; ace from ace-king, king from king-queen, etc., except 9 from 10 9 x (x).

Signals are upside down throughout. In Partner’s led-suit count is preferred in suit contracts, attitude is preferred in no trump contracts.

Echo against no trump contracts – a small card in Declarer’s first-played suit (from either hand) accepts the lead. Lavinthal – standard way (discouraging in the suit discarded, suit preference for the other 2 suits.)