Bridge Notes

1 No-Trump Opening

2 No-Trump Opening

3 No-Trump Opening

1♥ & 1♠ Openings

2♥ & 2♠ Openings

1♣ & 1♦ Openings

Weak 2♦ Opening

Strong 2♣ Opening

Defensive Bidding

Other Agreements

Hand records

No_Trump Openings

1NT (15 .. 17)

*Responses to 1N Opening*
BID	Standard Meaning	Enhanced Meaning
♣	Stayman	Crawling Stayman
2♦	Jacoby Transfer --> 2♥	--> 2♥ or 2=2=5-4 GF
2♥	Jacoby Transfer --> 2♠	--> 2♠ or 2-1=5=5 GF
2♠	Minors Transfer --> 3♣	--> 3♣ or Size-Ask
2N	Minors Transfer --> 3♦	--> 3♦ or Weak Minors
3♣	Modified Puppet Stayman
3♦	Minor 2-Suiters Slam-Try	Majors Splinter/Fragment
3♥	3=1=5-4 or 3=0=5=5 GF	Weak: *pass* or correct to 3♠
3♠	1=3=5-4 or 0=3=5=5 GF	Minor 2-Suiters Slam-Try
3N	To Play
♣	Gerber
4♦	Texas Transfer --> 4♥
4♥	Texas Transfer --> 4♠
4♠	tbd
4N	Quantitative Inviting 6N

Special Agreements

Game-Forcing Smolen with delayed Texas Transfers

Minors after Stayman 2♦
Transfer Lebensohl after a 2♥ or 2♠ overcall
Standard Lebensohl after a 2♦ overcall

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2NT (20 .. 21)

*Modified Shibnath Responses*
3♣	Puppet Stayman (standard responses)
3♦	Jacoby Transfer --> 3♥
3♥	Jacoby Transfer --> 3♠
3♠	--> 3N: 3N Sign-Off or Minor(s) Slam-Try
3N	5=4 Majors, *non-forcing*
4♣	Gerber
4♦	Texas Transfer --> 4♥
4♥	Texas Transfer --> 4♠
4♠	Forces 4N for 5 of a minor Sign-off
4N	5-5 Minors, *non-forcing*

Major 2-Suiters

5-5 Majors: Stayman

2N -- 3♣ 3♦	Opener has at least one 4-card Major, M 4♦ --> 4M; *pass* to play or Kickback
2N -- 3♣ 3M	Opener has shown a 5-card Major, M 4M to play; oM to force a Slam-try in M
2N -- 3♣ 3N	Opener has denied a 4+-card Major 4♣ shows 5-5 Majors, asks preference

5 ♠s, 4 ♥s

2N -- 3N Responder shows exactly 5=4 game only
pass to play 3N; 4♥ or 4♠ to play

2N -- 3♥
3♠ -- 4♥ Responder shows exactly 5=4, slam-try
Continuations tbd
4 ♠s, 5 ♥s

2N -- 3♦
3♥ -- 3♠ Responder shows exactly 4=5 game-force
Continuations tbd

Minors: 1-Suited & 2-Suited

Game Only

1-Suited 2N -- 4♠ 4N	Opener's 4N is forced Responder corrects to 5♣ or 5♦ Opener must *pass*
2-Suited 2N -- 4N ??	Responder shows both ♣ & ♦ Opener may *pass*, or prefer to 5♣ or 5♦

Slam Try

2N -- 3♠ 3N	3N is forced; Responder's 2nd bid clarifies. Opener must continue the Slam-Try. tbd
1-Suited 2N -- 3♠ 3N -- 4m	Responder shows a single long minor, m
2-Suited 2N -- 3♠ 3N -- 4M	Responder shows ♣ & ♦, M-splinter
2-Suited 2N -- 3♠ 3 N -- 4N	Responder shows Semi-Balanced 2=2=5-4

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3NT (Gambling)

♣ or ♦ AKQxxxx(x),
No outside Ace or King
BID	Meaning
4♣	pass to play 4♣ or correct to 4♦
4♦	Shortness Ask: 4M = M-Splinter, 4N = 7222, 5m = om-Splinter
4M	To play 4M, (4♥ or 4♠)
4N	Invitational to 6N: Opener bids 6N with an 8-card suit, otherwise passes
5♣	pass to play 5♣ or correct to 5♦
6♣	pass to play 6♣ or correct to 6♦

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Major Suit Openings

1♥ & 1♠ (5-Card Majors)

Initial Response Summary

2/1 Game-Forcimg
1NT Forcing; Semi-Forcing by a passed hand

Symmetric Reverse-Bergen-Style Raises

SPADES	Meaning	HEARTS
2♠	Simple Raise, 3	2♥
2N	Balanced Game-Force, 4+	2♠
3♣	Invitational Raise, 4+	2N
3♦	Constructive Raise, 4+	3♣
3♥	Any Splinter Raise, 4+	3♦
3♠	Preemptive Raise, 4+	3♥
4♠	Preemptive Raise, 5+	4♥

(Semi)Balanced Game-Forcing Raise

SPADES 1♠ -- 2N	Meaning	HEARTS 1♥ -- 2♠
3♣	1st Step: Shape Relay	2N
3♦	2nd Step: 2-1 Control Ask	3♣
3♥	3rd Step: Any Self-Splinter	3♦
3♠	4th Step: Trump Ask	3♥
3N	5th Step: Mini Kickback	3♠

Invitational (Limit) Raise

SPADES 1♠ -- 3♣	Meaning	HEARTS 1♥ -- 2N
3♦	1st Step: Mathe Slam-Try	3♣
3♥	2nd Step: Anon. Game-Try	3♦
3♠	3rd Step: Sign-Off	3♥

Constructive (Mixed) Raise

SPADES 1♠ -- 3♦	Meaning	HEARTS 1♥ -- 3♣
3♥	1st Step: Anon. Game-Try	3♦
3♠	2nd Step: Sign-Off	3♥

Anonymous Splinter Raise

SPADES 1♠ -- 3♥	Meaning	HEARTS 1♥ -- 3♦
3♠	1st Step: Splinter Relay	3♥
3N	2nd Step: Sign-Off Relay	3♠
4♠	Game Jump: Minimum	4♥

3-Way Game-Tries after a Simple Raise

SPADES 1♠ -- 2♠	Meaning	HEARTS 1♥ -- 2♥
2N	Reverse Help-Suit Game Try	2♠
3♣ 3♦ 3♥	Short-Suit Game Try	2N (=♠) 3♣ 3♦
3♠	Trump-Suit Try or Preempt tbd	3♥

With Over-Shorts

SPADES 1♠ -- 2♠	Meaning	HEARTS 1♥ -- 2♥
2N	Reverse Help-Suit Game Try	2♠
3♣	Trump Ask (see below)	2N
3♦ (= ♣) 3♥ (=♦) 3♠ (=♥)	(Over-)Short-Suit Game Try	3♣ (=♠) 3♦ (=♣) 3♥ (= ♦)

**Trump-Ask Responses**
1st Step	xxx or HHx (relay to ask)
2nd Step	Axx or Kxx
3rd Step (= 3M)	Qxx

Passed-Hand Raises
Two-Way Reverse Drury or
Relay Drury with Transfers

SPADES
pass -- 1♠

HEARTS
pass -- 1♥

1N	Puppet to 2♣ non-preemptive raise
2♣	Transfer to 2♦
2♦	Transfer to 2♥
2♥	Transfer to 3♣
2♠	Preemptive

1♠	Puppet to 1N non-preemptive raise
1N	Transfer to 2♣
2♣	Transfer to 2♦
2♦	Transfer to 2♠
2♥	Preemptive

Opener may bypass the Puppet/Relay when
(a) game is impossible, (b) game is certain opposite an invitation

SPADES
pass -- 1♠; 1N --

HEARTS
pass -- 1♥; 1♠ --

*pass*	Short Circuit
2♣	12 .. 15 Relay
2♠	10 .. 12 Weak bypass
2N	18 .. 19 Balanced. Strong.
3♠	15+ Unbalanced. Strong.

...
1N	12 .. 15 Relay
2♥	10 .. 12 Weak bypass
2N	18 .. 19 Balanced. Strong.
3♥	15+ Unbalanced. Strong.

All non-preemptive raises are prefixed by the Puppet/Relay

SPADES
pass -- 1♠; 1N -- 2♣

HEARTS
pass -- 1♥; 1♠ -- 1N

...
2♦	Invitational Raise, 3+ cards
2♥	Constructive Raise, 4 cards
2♠	Constructive Raise, 3 cards

*pass*	Short-Circuit
2♣	Invitational Raise, 3+ cards
2♦	Constructive Raise, 4 cards
2♥	Constructive Raise, 3 cards

Special Agreements
Over Opponent's Double: Modified C/1MX
Game-Forcing Splinters: Anonymous Splinters
After 1♠ - 1N; 2♣: Lisa (Bart variation)
After Balanced Game-Force: Shape Relay (slam-try)
After a Limit Raise: Mathe Asking Bid (slam-try)

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2♥ & 2♠ (Weak 2-Bids)

Sound if Vulnerable

Raise Only Non-Force

*Responding to a Weak 2-Bid*
SPADES Responses to 2♠	HEARTS Responses to 2♥
2N Kolkata 2-Way Ask	2♠ Kolkata 2-Way Ask
3♣ Natural, forcing 3♦ Natural, forcing 3♥ Natural, forcing	2N ♠-Surrogate, forcing 3♣ Natural, forcing 3♦ Natural, forcing
3♠ Preemptive	3♥ Preemptive
3N Mini-Kickback	3♠ Mini-Kickback

2-Way Asks - Primary:Shortness, Secondary:Feature

Kolkata 2-Way Ask

SPADES
2♠ -- 2N (Kolkata Ask)

HEARTS
2♥ -- 2♠ (Kolkata Ask)

3♣	Any Weak Hand or Semi-Balanced relay to sign off
3♦	Good Hand, ♣-splinter
3♥	Good Hand, ♦-splinter
3♠	Good Hand, ♥-splinter

2N	Any Weak Hand or Semi-Balanced relay to sign off
3♣	Good Hand, ♠-splinter
3♦	Good Hand, ♣-splinter
3♥	Good Hand, ♦-splinter

Secondary (Feature) Ask

SPADES
2♠ -- 2N; 3♣ -- ??

HEARTS
2♥ -- 2♠; 2N -- ??

3♦	Asks ♣-Feature or Sign-Off
3♥	Asks ♦-Feature
3♠	Asks ♥-Feature

3♣	Asks ♠-Feature or Sign-Off
3♦	Asks ♣-Feature
3♥	Asks ♦-Feature

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Minor Suit Openings

1♣ & 1♦ (3+ Cards)

Initial Response Summary

1♦ -- 2♣ Game-Forcing
1N: 6 ..10 2N: 10 .. 12 3N: 12 .. 15
Inverted 2-Level Raises: Invitational+ (unpassed), Constructive (passed)
Criss-Cross Raises: Constructive (unpassed), Invitational (passed)

2-Way Reverse Flannery:

1m -- 2♥
Constructive

1m -- 2♠
Invitational

*pass*	To play 2♥
2♠	To play 2♠
2N	Shape Ask
3m	Not Forcing
3om	Western Cue
3M	Invitational
3N	To play 3N
4♣	--> 4♥
4♦	--> 4♠

*pass*	To play 2♠
2N	Shape Ask
3m	Not Forcing
3om	Western Cue
3♥	To play 3♥
3♠	Invitational
3N	To play 3N
4♣	--> 4♥
4♦	--> 4♠

**Shape Ask**
1m -- 2M; 2N
3♣	5=4=1=3
3♦	5=4=3=1
3♥	5=4=2=2
3♠	5=5=1=2
3N	5=5=2=1
4♣	5=5=0=3
4♦	5=5=3=0
4♥	6=5=x=x

Anonymous Splinters: 1♣ -- 3♦, 1♦ -- 3♥. Serious slam interest
USP Majors after 1 of a Minor: 1m -- 1M; 2M --

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2♦ (Weak 2-Bid)

Sound if Vulnerable
Raise Only Non-Force
2♥ Feature-Ask: 2N response surrogate for ♥-Feature
2N Surrogate for natural 2♥ (forcing)
3♥ Mini-Kickback

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Strong 2♣

Strong, Artificial and Forcing
2♦: Waiting, 2♥: Bust
Kokish / Birthright Relay

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Defensive Bidding

Simple Overcalls: 6 .. 17 HCP, Transfer Responses
Jump Overcalls: Weak
No-Trump Overcalls
- Direct: 15 .. 18 HCP, Systems ON
- Balancing: 11 .. 15 HCP, Systems ON
- Jump to 2N: 2 Lower unbid suits
vs. Opponent's No-Trump: Jump Ball or Hello
Direct Cuebid Michaels or Questem

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Other Agreements

Opening Preempts Sound if Vul, otherwise may be light
Conventional Calls
- XYZ (by an unpassed hand)
- New Minor Forcing, Fourth Suit Game Force
- Unusual vs. Unusual
Special Doubles
- Negative thru' 4♦
- Responsive thru' 4♦
- Support (& XX) thru' 2♠
Lebensohl over Double of a Weak 2 and Reverses
Wolff Sign-Off over 2N jump re-bid
Slam Conventions
- Gerber (over NT only)
- 0314 Kickback (all suits), Specific Kings
- 0314 Exclusionary Keycard Asks
- Epsilon Control Asks
- Willenken 6-Keys Keycard

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Hand Records

1NT

2NT

3NT

Gambling 3N

1 Major

1♥ .. Miscelaneous .. Game-Forcing
1♠ .. Miscelaneous .. Game-Forcing

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2N -- 3N	Responder shows exactly 5=4 game only pass to play 3N; 4♥ or 4♠ to play
2N -- 3♥ 3♠ -- 4♥	Responder shows exactly 5=4, slam-try Continuations tbd