DEFENSIVE & COMPETITIVE BIDDING LEADS AND SIGNALS
OVERCALLS (Style; Responses; 1/2 level; Reopening) OPENING LEADS STYLE
WBF Convention Card
Style: 1 level overcall can be light Lead In Partner’s Suit
Responses: Jump raise PRE, Jump Q = mixed raise, Suit 4th Low from odd if raised
New suit at 1 or 2 level NF, Jump shift F1 by UPH, Fit by PH NT 4th same Category: Natural – GREEN
Auctions like 1-1-2 -3 are NF Subs. Same, but some ATT NCBO: USA 2
Reopening: 2x still looks like a real overcall leads may break agreements Event: Bermuda Bowl 2009
1NT OVERCALL (2nd/4th live; Responses; Reopening) Players: Bob Hamman NAME Zia Mahmood
nd
2 Position: 15-18 LEADS SYSTEM SUMMARY
Responses: As over 1NT OPENING Lead Vs Suit Vs NT
Ace AK Asks CT or unblock GENERAL APPROACH AND STYLE
4th Position: 11-17
Responses: 2C range/M check; else NAT, 3x INV King AKx, KQx Asks attitude 5 card Majors 1st & 2nd, 1M-1NT F1
Queen QJx, AKQ QJ(x), KQ109 Avoid opening bad BAL hands 1st/2nd
JUMP OVERCALLS (Style; Responses; Unusual NT) Jack J10(x), KJ10 J10,KJ10,AJ10 1NT Opening: (14+)15-17 (liberties 3rd seat NV)
Style: Weak NV, Intermediate + Vul 10 H109+, 109+,10x+ H109+,109+, 10x+ 2 over 1 RESP: FG
Responses: 2NT ART INQ 9 H98+, shortness 98x, H98+ SPECIAL BIDS THAT MAY REQUIRE DEFENCE
Unusual NT: Lowest 2 unbid suits Hi-x Sx, xSxx+ (98x) Sxx, xSxx+, Sx
Lo-x Normally HxxS(+); HxS Normally HxxS(x); HxS OPENINGS:
3NT= Positional 4M opening
Reopening: Jump overcall INTER, 2NT = 19-20 SIGNALS IN ORDER OF PRIORITY 3rd seat can be very light
DIRECT & JUMP CUE BIDS (Style; Responses; Reopen) Partner’s Lead Declarer’s lead Discarding
Style: Wide range 5/5+: 1m-(2m) = H+S; 1M-(2M)=OM+m; 1st Hi = ENCRG Hi = E STD ATT RESPONSES:
suit
1M-(3M) stop ask; 1m(short): 2m=NAT; 2m+1/1 -(3 )=Ms 2nd Hi = E S/P STD CT 1 -2 10-12 BAL or Limit Raise in (UPH)
Responses: 1M-(2M)-P-(3) = P/C, 2N = values;3 +INV M 3rd 1 -2 = 6+ INV; 1-2; 1 3 Mixed m Raises
Reopening: Jump cue asks stop, cue=strong two-suiter 1st Hi = ENCRG Smith STD ATT 1GF raise; 2=L/R; 2=10-12, BAL
2nd Hi = E S/P STD CT
NT
VS. NT (vs. Strong / Weak; Reopening; PH) 1 -2 = 5+S & 3+H GF, 1M-2NT = FG raise with 3 trumps
3rd S/P STD CT 1M-3 = GF 4 trump raise
Vs WK and vs STR (direct only): DBL = PEN; Signals (including trump): STD Remainder CT 1 -3 1-3 = Limit Raise
Reopening or by PH vs strong:; , or good M overcall First discard: Attitude, Count, S/P. 1-3 = Strong JS in
V All:2 = M’s: 2 INQ longer; 3M=mixed; 3/3 INV STD Smith Signal vs NT (hi=ENCRG); Frequent S/P P-1M; 2 Reverse Drury, fit
2 = +M: 2M=P/C
DOUBLES 1m-(1NT)-2om=Majors
2M = NAT: 2NT=F1
1M-(1NT)-2m=m+OM
Reopening: Same
TAKEOUT DOUBLES (Style, Responses; Reopening) COMP:
Vs PREEMPTS Non-jump Transfers after 1M-(DBL) except 1S,1NT
Style: Support for unbid suits (might not have after 1M)
T/O DBL thru 4 , LEB after (2M)-DBL-(P) Transfers after NEG DBL of our 1x overcall
Responses: Cue F to suit agreement
(2M)-4m = 5+m + OM, FG; (2 )-4=5+/5+M (6RKC)
(2M)-3M asks stopper (very strong 1- suiter) Reopening: might be light with appropriate shape SPECIAL FORCING PASS SEQUENCES
VS ARTIFICIAL STRONG OPENINGS Pass then pull is stronger than taking initial action if forced
DBL = Majors, NT = minors SPECIAL, ARTIFICIAL & COMPETITIVE (RE-)DBLS DBL shows good hand where Pass = NF
DBL of 15+ 1NT F/P thru 2D, of weaker thru 2H
NEG DBL thru 4
RESP DBL thru 4, including (1X)-1Y-(1NT)-DBL IMPORTANT NOTES THAT DON´T FIT ELSEWHERE
OVER OPPONENTS´ TAKEOUT DOUBLE Maximal Overcall DBL to 3M 1m-(1M)-3om = 5+om/4M FG
After 1M-(DBL): Transfers start with 2; Transfer to our suit Support DBL through 2M PSYCHICS: 3rd seat fav can be very light ; 1NT imaginative;
= const raise; 2NT = L/R; jumps=PRE; RDBL usually BAL or Most low level DBLs T/O SPLINTER poss with 2+ cards; leads may break agreements
seeking cooperation while Pass-then-DBL = unilateral PEN
Robert Hamman- Zia Mahmood July 2009
ARTIFICIAL
MIN. # OF
OPENING
NEG DBL
TICK IF
CARDS
THRU
DESCRIPTION RESPONSES SUBSEQUENT AUCTION PH & COMP BIDDING
1 3 4 Longest suit UNBAL 11+ 1M may bypass equal/longer 1NT rebid may conceal 4M with 3(4) PH: FIT jumps
BAL 12-14, 18-19 1NT = 6-10, 2NT = GF, 3NT = 16-18 2-way Checkback over 1NT rebid; Art 3x 4th suit F1 if no COMP
1 with 33 minors, Raises: 2=GF; 2 =Limit; 2=Mixed; rebids over jump 2NT rebid; 4SFG ex 1;
Judgment with 44 minors 3=PRE; 2 =10+-12 BAL; 3x=PRE ART rebids/reverse; /1M rebid 4th suit jump=
FG raise; /2 rebid 3rd suit jump= INV
NT bids as over 1; Raises: 2 =GF; Mostly as after 1. After 1 -2 ; 2/2N;
1 3 4 See 1 2 =Limit (or 10+-12 BAL); 3=Mixed; 3=BAL L/R/3 =UNBAL L/R; Also: after PH=FIT jumps; 4th suit F1 if no COMP
3 =PRE. 2= less than GF; 2=FG 1m-2NT; 3M=SPL
1 5(4) 4 May be 4-card suit 3rd & 4th 1NT = F1; 2/1M FG ex very clear misfit ART 2/2 after 1NT response and 2m rebid PH: Reverse DRURY
with minimum 2 = FG raise (5+, 3+ ): then ART 1M-1NT-2NT = F1 (TRFs) FIT jumps except 3 NAT
3 = GF 4 trump raise: then ART After single raise 2NT=COG or slam try
3 = Limit Raise; 3 = PRE-Mixed COMP: ART raises/DBL
3 = Limited (any) SPL; 2NT=FG w 3 FIT jumps
3NT, 4m = SPL (3NT = SPL)
1 5(4) 4m May be 4-card suit 3rd & 4th 3 = FG raise; 3 =Limit Raise; 3=PRE See 1 for most continuations
3NT = limited SPL any suit 1-1N; 2-2 =5+ ; 2 =“puppet” to 2 PH: Reverse DRURY
3 = strong w/ ; 3N =limited (any) SPL FIT jumps except 3 NAT
4x = sound SPL; 2NT = NAT, FG w/ 3 COMP: ART raises/DBL
FIT jumps
1NT 3 15-17 (may be very good 14) NF STAY, JTB, Texas; 4 33(43), (32)44 1NT-2-2 -3M = 4M, 5+OM; 2M=weak Ms COMP: TRF LEB (mostly)
May have 5M, 6m, SPL K 2 range finder or ; 2NT= 1NT-2-2 -4R = 6R+1/4OM NEG DBL thru 3
3=GF both m >= 1NT-2R; 2R+1: 2NT=/3= System on thru opp 2
3 =GF both m >=; 4/4N=5m332 1NT-2 ,2 -2=ART INV w 5 Texas if a jump; TRF over 3
3 =3154/4144, 3=1444 Super-accept TFR: 3M=best/2NT=3 trumps Switch Majors over 3
2 waiting; 2M = AQ10xx and out OK P=Bad hand or PEN; DBL = 6+ BAL;
2-2 ; 2-3 = 2nd negative
but good suit not essential NT=NAT; suit bid may be quite weak;
2 √ 0 7 STR, ART, F 2NT or 3M -3NT=(any) SPL
3m = good suit; 3NT=solid suit rarely pass reopening double speculatively.
-Jump=Fit
3M/4m = one loser suits If LHO jumps, DBL =second negative
2-2 ;3M = 4M primary s
2-2 ; 2 = NAT or 25-26/29+ BAL: 2 INQ
2 √ 0 Flannery-5/6 & 4 4=4+ /SPL ; 4 =4+/SPL slam /2NT: 3=minimum; 3 =6 ; 3 =5422; 3= COMP: DBL=PEN; bids=NF
11-16 (judgmt re 1 or 2 ) 2NT inquiry. 3M slam try. 3m=NF SPL ; 3N=SPL (all maximums) Cue=FG
COMP: 3x/4x=FIT/lead; 2NT->3 to
2 6(5) May be constructive 2 suiter 3m NF; 2=F; 2NT=INQ: ART rebids /2NT: opinion re quality, then (R): suits, SPL
play own suit or INV game in opener’s M
2 6(5 May be constructive 2 suiter 3m NF; 3 =F; 2NT=INQ: ART rebids
2NT 20-21 BAL, May have 5M STAY, JTB, 4-level 2-under TRF slam HIGH LEVEL BIDDING
Or SPL K (prefer reverse if 3 = both ms; 4N/5N = NAT RKCB – 1430 only when 4NT is the KC ask; else 0314 where Kickback, Redwood apply
long m) 0314 after we open 2C; Some DBL KC situations; a few Optional Key Card situations
3x 6 NAT, may be weak Fav New suit F1. 4 over 3 /3 /3S=Inquiry Exclusion KC 0314; 4NT response to opening bid not RKC; Blackwood variations
else middle of the road 3-3 ->3 INV 3M or various COG GSF
3NT √ Positional 4M 4 = Asks TFR; 4 =ART S/T; 4 =P/C SPL
4=end; 4N=RKC1430; 5m=control ask DOPI/DEPO over Interference
4x Middle of the road PRE 4M=end;om/4m=ST;5m=ctrl ask; 4N=KC
