AUSTRALIAN YOUTH BRIDGE BULLETIN JUNE – JULY – AUGUST 2015
EXTENSION TO YOUR STRONG 2
– KOKISH RELAY
If you don’t play the Kokish Relay yet, it is a very useful add-on tool for your strong 2 opening at little cost. Here is the gist of it:
| 2 |
Pass | 2 *(*Assuming 2 = Waiting) |
Pass |
| ? | |||
2 |
Kokish Relay, multi meaning. A puppet to 2 so opener can clarify |
||
| 2NT | 22-23 balanced (Assuming a 2NT opening shows 20-21 balanced) | ||
| Other | As per normal | ||
After 2-2-2-2 (2 is forced):
| 2 |
Pass | 2* (*Assuming 2 = Waiting) |
Pass |
| 2 |
Pass | 2 |
Pass |
| ? | |||
| 2NT | (24)25+ balanced | ||
| 3 |
5+ 4+ |
||
| 3 |
5+ 4+ |
||
| 3 |
6+ (single suited hand) |
||
| 3 |
5+ 4 |
||
The advantage here is that opener is able to show a 25+ balanced hand. Rebidding 2 shows either a big balanced hand, or a strong hand with natural hearts. As the 2 bid is a puppet to 2, responder is forced to bid 2 so opener can clarify his true intentions.
If you want to get complicated, one slight improvement is to play Transfer Kokish Relay. That is, after 2-2-2-2, 3+ bids are transfers. So 3 would show 5+ 4+, 3 shows 6+’s, 3 shows 5+ 4, and 3 shows 5+ 4+.