BIDDING SYSTEMS

• 5-Card Major System

PLAYERS OWN SYSTEMS

• YOU + YOUR PARTNER Contact someone from the board, so that we can load your system here.

conventions

There are conventions, which belongs to the "top-10". Conventions that everyone should know. They can be written here later. Here are a bit more special conventions.

• Smolen - maybe the opener has a 3-cards major in the 1NT bid?

  • Partner bid 1NT

    • You have asked for 4-cards major with 2♣

      • Partner has declined with 2♦. If you have enough to bid game, also 4-cards and 5-cards in both high suits, then you can bid according to Smolen, which is a forcing bid

        • 3♥ = 5-cards ♠ and 4-cards ♥

          • Partner answer 3♠ with 3-cards ♠

          • Partner answer 3NT with 2-cards ♠

          •  

        • 3♠ = 5-cards ♥ and 4-cards ♠

          • Partner answer 3NT with 2-cards ♥

          • Partner answer 4♥ with 3-cards ♥

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• Quest transfer - an alternative to Smolen. It gives you the possibility to stop below game, if too little strength. There are three possibilities to play when bidding both in ♥ and in  ♠. Assuming that you have 8 points and starting of the explanations, from what you will do after partner having declined with 2♦.

  • You bid 3♦ with 5+♥ and 4♠

    • Partner has 15-16 points, accept by bidding 3♥. NOTE: Might end up playing 7 card ♥

    • Partner has 17 points & doubleton ♥, bypass by bidding 3NT

      • You will re-transfer by bidding 4♦ with a 6-card ♥

        • Partner accepts by bidding 4♥

        •  

    • Partner has 17 points, 3 cards ♥ and an outside ace, cue-bid the outside ace

      • You either cue-bid your aces, in which case the bidding will continue until 4♥ or else without aces bid 4♥

      •  

    • Partner has 17 points and 3 cards ♥ and no outside ace, end by bidding 4♥

    •  

  • You bid 3♥ with 5+♠ and 4♥

    • Partner has 15-16 points, accept by bidding 3♠. NOTE: Might end up playing 7 card ♠

    • Partner has 17 points + doubleton ♠, bypass by bidding 3NT

      • You will re-transfer by bidding 4♥ with a 6-card ♠

        • Partner accepts by bidding 4♠

        •  

    • Partner has 17 points, 3 cards ♠ and an outside ace, cue-bid the outside ace

      • You either cue-bid your aces, in which case the bidding will continue until 4♠ or else without aces bid 4♠

      •  

    • Partner has 17 points and 3 cards ♠ and no outside ace, end by bidding 4♠

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• Yellow Rose Of Texas - A support or alternative to Blackwood, RKCB and other Ace asking conventions. One way of describing a hand with even distribution and slam requirement. There is one advantage with this convention. It might give you a better chance of finding a slam in low coloured suits, since bidding on lower levels tend to favour bids in high coloured suit. The problem with this convention is that it gets used so rarely, that it is difficult to remember.

  • Partner open with 1NT (15-17 hp, or similar) or 2NT (20-22 hp, or similar), describing a even distribution (1-2 suit, with 2-cards) 

    • You have a 1-4-4-4, or 2-3-4-4 or a 4-3-3-3 distribution, with enough combined points to take the bidding up to small slam or big slam.

    • This convention also requires that you are playing the Texas Transfer convention, extended to all 4 colours. Your 1st bid tells your shortest (1-4-4-4, or 2-3-4-4) or your longest suit (4-3-3-3)

    • Your 1st bid 4♣ -> partner transfer to 4♦ = Entrance to Yellow Rose Of Texas

    • Your 1st bid 4♦ -> partner transfer to 4♥ = Texas Transfer or entrance to Yellow Rose Of Texas

    • Your 1st bid 4♥ -> partner transfer to 4♠ = Texas Transfer or entrance to Yellow Rose Of Texas

    • Your 1st bid 4♠ -> partner transfer to 4NT = Entrance to Yellow Rose Of Texas

      • If your earlier bid was the entrance to the Yellow Rose Of Texas convention, then you continue describing your hand with this 2nd bid. Now you have 3 options.

        • With a 1+4+4+4 = rebid your 1st suit (5♣ or 5♦ or 5♥ or 5♠)

        • With a 2+3+4+4 = bid your 3-card suit (5♣ or 5♦ or 5♥ or 5♠)

        • With a 4+3+3+3 = bid 5NT

          • Your partner knows your exact distribution and selects the best suit (6♣, 6♦, 6♥, 6♠ or 6NT) at the 6th level.

            • A possible last step. You can increase the bid to the 7th level (7♣, 7♦, 7♥, 7♠ or 7NT)