Conventions II

Conventions: Bourke Relay

Jumping to 3NT may be your first instinct, but this is a bit premature. Imagine if partner has these type of hands:

Ask Jerry: Surely there is more about redouble…

Dear Jerry, As a result of a recent disaster it is clear to me that I do not understand what responder should do after...

Can The Michaels Cuebid be Improved? By Marilyn Hemenway

Most of you are probably familiar with the convention known as a Michaels cuebid. It was invented by Mike Michaels many years ago and...

Puppet in Puppet (Muppet) By Bill Jacobs

Partner bids a strong 2NT, and you have a moderate hand with 5 spades and 4 hearts. This shape has always been a bugbear: it seems impossible to construct a method that allows a choice between 3NT, 4H and 4S.

Bergen Raises

Bergen Raises are a neat little tool that has both constructive and destructive purposes. The main advantage of the Bergen Raise is to let the partnership know of...

Three favourite slam tools By Andrew Robson

My three favourite slam tools are the Jacoby 2 NT, splinter bids and Roman Key Card Blackwood. Sometimes they all crop up on the same deal, such as this delightful offering from a duplicate at my Club...

Conventions: Multi-Purpose Response of 2♣ to 1♥ o 1♠

More and more top partnerships are playing a response of 2 clubs to 1H or 1S as multi-purpose. The three different meanings are:

Defense to the Opponent’s Jacoby 2NT by Roy Wilson

Source: Defense to the Opponent's Jacoby 2NT by Roy Wilson     When your opponents use a Jacoby 2NT bid in response...

Taming the Weak Notrump, Part 2 By Steve Weinstein and Adam Kaplan

In Part 1, we covered what to do after they opened a weak notrump, partner doubled for penalty, and 3rd hand passed or redoubled. We now discuss our structure after 3rd hand makes a bid.

Taming the Weak Notrump, Part 1 By Steve Weinstein and Adam Kaplan

The weak NT is a powerful convention that is difficult to play against. Weak NTs can wreak havoc on even the most experienced partnerships.

Conventions: Transfer Lebensohl

One thing I try to encourage most of my wonderful students to do is to open one no trump as often as possible.

Improve results with a better way to transfer to minor suits after 1NT

I’m going to give you a gift, and it’s not even your birthday! Most players have developed a use for a 2S response after partner opens 1NT...

Conventions: Some Sohls By Gerben Dirksen

2NT has never been a popular contract, and rightly so. In many situations it does not pay to play 2NT as natural.

Why use a short club with transfer responses?

I like to show whether a hand is balanced or unbalanced at the first opportunity – it clearly benefits the