bridgeFILES

The sequences: 1§ - 2§ and 1¨ - 2¨promise 9+ HCP with good five cards or 11+ HCP with Hxxx

The sequences: 1§ - 3§ and 1¨ - 3¨can be 4-7 HCP with five card support and unbalanced hand.

After this raises, if opener rebids 3NT with 18-19 HCP, responder might return to main suit to play there if very weak.

Opener's rebids after an inverted minor raise are conventional and follow this scheme:

1¨ - 2¨

- 2NT : non-forcing, exactly three diamonds, 12-13 HCP balanced

- 3¨ : minimum hand with at least four diamonds
- 3NT : 18-19 HCP with exactly three diamonds

- 3© : autosplinters

- 3ª : autosplinters

- 4X : exclusion RKCB

- 4¨ : RKCB

The first 3 steps which can be used, Based on Eric Kokish’s system

2© : 1.step, balanced 14 HCP or good hand with ten cards in both minors (5-5), (6-4) or

singleton club with 15+ HCP.

2ª : 2.step, game try with an unbalanced hand.

3§ : 3.step, six diamond and any five cards suit.

1¨ - 2¨
2© - ?

- 2ª : forced whenever responder holds a HCP limit raise

- 2NT : natural, scattered strength, roughly 13-14 HCP or 18+ HCP

- 3NT : 15-17 HCP, stoppers

- 3§ : 13+ HCP, no splinter, prefer NOT to declare notrump just yet

- 3¨ : 13+ HCP, splinter in the other minor (3-3-6-1)

- 3M : 13+ HCP, splinter in bid suit

- 4X : 13+ HCP, extreme shortness

- 4¨ : RKCB

1¨ - 2¨
2ª - ?

- 2NT : relay

- 3§ : splinter club, not a minimum

- 3¨ : minimum

- 3M : splinter major, not a minimum

1¨ - 2¨
3§ - ?

- 3¨ : relay

- 3NT : good stoppers in both majors

DEVELOPMENTS

1¨ - 2¨
2NT - ?

- Pass : to play

- 3¨ : to play

- 3NT : to play

- 3X : splinter

1¨ - 2¨
3¨ - ?

- non-forcing; If responder continues, he shows stoppers at three level bids,

shows shortness at four level.

1¨ - 2¨
2© - 2ª

- 2NT : 14 HCP balanced

- 3§ : no splinter, flaw for NT, might be (4-2-5-2), then 3X=stopper, 4X=SPL

- 3¨ : splinter in other minor

- 3M : splinter, ten cards in both minors.

- 3NT : natural, 18-20 HCP not slam-oriented, (3=3=4=3)

1¨ - 2¨
2© - 2NT

- 3X : splinter

1¨ - 2¨
2© - 3§ game-forcing, no desire to bid NT yet

- 3¨ : waiting bid; 3M shows stopper, 3NT shows stopper in both majors

- 3NT : 14 HCP

- 3M : splinter, ten cards in both minors.

1¨ - 2¨
2ª - 2NT relay

- 3X : splinter

- 3NT : seven cards suit and one stopper.

1¨ - 2¨
3§ - 3¨ relay

- 3M : five card suit

- 4§ : six diamonds, five clubs and not very minimum

1¨ - 2¨
3§ - 3NT good stoppers in both majors

- Pass : six diamonds and five clubs

- 4§ : six diamonds, five clubs and good hand

- 4¨ : transfer to heart (6-5)

- 4© : transfer to spade (6-5)

GENERAL APPROACH

Rule 1 : If opener didn’t bid NT because of a lack of stoppers, responder shows stopper.

Rule 2 : If responder didn’t bid NT because of a lack of stoppers, return to main suit is relay; new suit

shows shortness.

Rule 3 : If opener raise the main suit to three level, responders three level bids shows stoppers,

four level bids without jumping shows shortness.

Rule 4 : If one of both sides makes a splinter bid, the below steps are applied

- 3NT : shows good stoppers

- 4NT : shows good stoppers and slam invitation; asking for min-max in

known limits

- Return to main suit : shows 2-3 HCP losted value in known limits; it is not game-forcing

after game invitational sequences

- 1.Step : shows special values in the suit bid.(x,Ax,Kx,KQx,AK)

- 2.Step : transfer to singleton of partners suit. Shows a good hand with no

extras or a hand to ask for RCKB after the transfer.

- Raising the singleton : shows special values in the unbid suit!

- Jump in new suit : exclusion RKCB

1¨ - 2¨
2© - 3©

- 3ª : special values in spades, 1.step

- 3NT : good heart stopper

- 4§ : transfer to heart, 2.step

- 4¨ : minimum

- 4© : special values in clubs

- 4ª : exclusion RKCB

- 4NT : 18-19 HCP with heart stopper

- 5§ : exclusion RKCB

1¨ - 2¨
2© - 3¨ singleton clubs

- 3© : special values in hearts

- 3ª : transfer to club, good hand with no special values

- 3NT : club stopper

- 4§ : special values in spades

- 4¨ : minimum

- 4ª : exclusion RKCB

- 4NT : 18-19 HCP with club stopper

Rule 5 : If opener made a direct splinter bid, responders return to main suit shows 9-10 useful

points, with less he bids the game.

1¨ - 2¨
3ª - ?

- 3NT : to play

- 4§ : special values in clubs

- 4¨ : useful 9-10 HCP

- 4ª : special values in hearts

- 4NT : good spade stoppers, 15-16 HCP

- 5§ : exclusion RKCB

- 5¨ : minimum

Rule 6 : If one of each sides has shown any extras at three or four level:

- continued bids under 4NT shows minimum

- 4NT is RCKB with good hand.

- raising the main suit to game shows minimum and (AK) in the suit that partner showed

extra In this case partners extra must be singleton!

4© - ?

- 4ª : minimum

- 4NT : RCKB

- 5¨ : minimum and AK in the suit that partner showed extras

Rule 7 : If opener transfers to partners singleton:

- completing the transfer shows 13-14 useful HCP.

- with useful 15 HCP or more either bid 4 NT for RKCB or directly give your

key card count, bidding at the 5^th level

4© - ?

- 4ª : minimum

- 4NT : RKCB with good hand

- 5§ : shows (0-3) key cards with good hand

- 5¨ : shows (1-4) key cards with good hand

………………………………………………………

Rule 8 : If responder completes the transfer with a minimum hand:

- returning to main suit at the 5^th level shows no slam interest

- 4NT asking for keycards