Standard Methods of Contract Bridge Complete

By DK Acharya

The book Standard Methods of Contract Bridge Complete comprises of a methodical study and critical analysis of bidding, play, defence and other strategic instruments of contract bridge. In order to make a clear conception of all the norms, options and techniques, more than 200 deals have been illustrated thoroughly. The book compiles a systematic consolidation and logical explanation of all sorts of theories, conventions, norms and techniques of modern systems of Contract Bridge. Such unique and comprehensive compilation may provide immense assistance to the new generation of bridge players to develop and improve skill and strategic maturity for much better performances even upto the national level. Even the experienced players may prefer this book for consultation from time to time.

The chapters on bidding explain most of the popular systems, artificial conventional bids and logical illustration of the correct norms of bidding under various situations. The bidding, in general, has been explained according to Standard Americal System.

Whether it is bidding, play or defence, the most vital art is to take the correct decision at the correct time for the correct method, strategy, option or technique to be adopted for a profitable result. This book has the speciality that can empower a bridge player with thorough explanation on each of techniques separately for taking the crucial and appropriate decision.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Partridge Publishing India
• Release date: Oct 6, 2014
• ISBN: 9781482837094

DK Acharya

The author is a disciplined member of excellence of Contract Bridge in India. His vast experience since 1976, profound studies and continuous research on the subject have been compiled in an integrated and logical presentation for the bridge lovers of the world.

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Copyright © 2014 by DK Acharya.

ISBN:      Hardcover      978-1-4828-3710-0

                Softcover        978-1-4828-3711-7

                eBook             978-1-4828-3709-4

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CONTENTS

I Introduction

II Bidding in general

II A. Basic systems of bidding

The Culbertson system

The Acol system

The Roman system or Neapolitan Club system

Precision asking bids

The Standard American System:

The Eastern Scientific method (Two over one game force)

II B. Requirement of strength for a contract

III Details of bidding according to Standard American System

When to open the bidding

Which suit to open

Defensive tricks

How to count the playing tricks

Opening at second, third and fourth position

Rule of twenty

Rule of eighteen

Flannery two diamonds

Multi two diamonds

Canapé

III A. Responses

Responses to opening bid of one of a suit without intervention

The response of one No trump

Inverted minor raise

Limit raise in major

Splinter

The Swiss convention

Drury

Check back Stayman

Responses to the opening bid of one of a suit after intervention

Truscott convention

Negative double

Free bid

Negative free bid

Co-operative double

Responsive double

Competitive double

III B. Balanced Hands

Opening with balanced hands

Responses to the opening bid of one notrump (15 to 17 points)

Stayman convention

Gladiator

Jacoby transfer bids

Transfer bids as generally played

To play Stayman as well as transfer bids

Defensive bids against an opening bid of one NT

Aspro

Astro

Brozel

DONT

Landy

Responses to the opening bid of one NT after intervention

Lebensohl

Rebid by the opener of one NT if stayman is doubled

Responses to the opening bid of 2 NT (20 – 21 points)

Baron

Flint

III C. Artificial Two Clubs

The opening bid of artificial 2 clubs (Strong)

Responses to the opening bid of 2 clubs (strong)

Second negative

Responses to the opening bid of 2 clubs (strong) after intervention

Defensive bids against the opening bid of artificial and strong one club (precision) or 2 clubs (standard)

Rebids by the opener of 2 clubs after responder’s denial

III D. Preemptive Bids and Responses

Weak two-bids and responses

Rule of two and three

Rule of two, three and four

Preemptive bids of three or higher level

Responses to high level preemptive bids

Defence against high level preemptions

Optional double

Gambling 3 NT and responses

III E. Rebids

The opener’s rebid after a response

Rebid after a response without intervention:

Opener’s rebid after intervention

Trial bid for game prospects

Reverse bidding

Reverse bidding by the opener

Reverse bidding by the responder

Forcing pass

Responder’s rebid

Fourth suit forcing

III F. Defensive Bids

Overcalls

Responses to an overcall

Trap pass

Michael cue bid

Unusual notrump

Take out doubles

Responses to take out doubles

Herbert negative

Balancing or protecting or reopening

Penalty double

When not to double for a penalty

Redouble

III G. Slam Bidding

When to try for a slam

Investigations for a probable slam

Black wood asking bid

Blackwood responses after intervention

Rule of one and two

Roman DOPI

Key card Blackwood convention

Baby Blackwood convention

Super Blackwood Convention

Roman Blackwood Convention

Roman Key Card Blackwood Convention

Gerber convention

Culbertson asking bids for specific controls

Direct slam try

Grand slam force

Acal 4 NT opening

Opening bid of 5 NT

Opening bid of 5 of a major suit

Cue bids

III H. Summary of Bidding Techniques and Bidding Examples

IV The Play

IV A. Probabilities of Break Up of Suits

Blackwood theory of distribution

Double dummy

IV B. Various Techniques of Play

Safety Play

Management of the trumps

Finesse and simple counting

A finesse should be tried –

Ducking and hold up play

Ducking

Hold up

Rule of seven

When not to hold up

Inferences from the opening lead

Throw-in (Endplay)

Loser on loser

Swindle (Deceptive play)

Squeeze

Rule of fourteen

Simple squeeze

Double squeeze

Progressive squeeze

Dummy reversal

Gambit

Trump coup

Viena coup

Scissors coup

Cross ruff

Utilization of trumps

IV C. Miscellaneous Techniques of Play

V The Defence

V A. The Opening Lead

Opening lead against a notrump contract

Examples of some normal leads against notrumps:

Lead of partner’s suit

Lead against a doubled contract of 3 NT

Rule of eleven

Journalist leads

Opening lead against a suit contract

The Lead of MUD

The lead of a singleton:

The lead of a trump:

Lead against preemptive bids

Attacking lead

Lead against a slam contact

Lead against a doubled slam contract

V B. Defence after the Opening Lead

Strategies for defence

Informative strategies:

Attacking strategies:

Carding

Discarding

Signals for suit preference

Second hand defence

Third hand defence

Fourth hand defence

Ruffing by the defenders

Upper Cut

To avoid an overruff

Unblocking

Ducking

To cut off communications between the declarer and the dummy

The Killing discards

Confusing the opponents (False carding)

Defence against a probable end play

Defence against a probable squeeze

Assumption

V C. Some Examples of Defence

Chapter VI The basics of tournament play

VI A. Events of a bridge tournament and the methods of scoring

Team of four duplicate

Scoring system of Team of four duplicate

Board-a-match

Pair Contest:

Match point scoring method

IMP scoring methods

Par Contest

VI B. Match point specialties

VI C. The methods of arranging a tournament

Team of four duplicate event

Number of boards to be played in each round

Board-a-match

Pair contest

Howell movement

Howell Movement Chart for 4 tables

Howell Movement Chart for 5 tables

Skip Mitchell and Relay Mitchell

Scrambled Mitchell movement

For odd number of tables

For even number of tables using relay and bye-stand

For even number of tables using a skip

VI D. Some ethics and rules

Attitude, courtesy and etiquette

Common mistakes which may invite penalties

Skip bid warning

Convention card:

VI E. International and national structure of bridge:

World Bridge Federation

Bridge Federation of India:

Bermuda Bowl:

Indian National Championships:

STANDARD METHODS

OF

CONTRACT BRIDGE COMPLETE

(A logical solution to all fundamentals of contract Bridge)

Dedicated to my heavenly parents and

respected bridge lovers

I do express my heartiest gratitude and best of regards to Dr. Partha Sarathi Chattopadhyay, Professor of Agricultural Engineering, Bidhan Chandra Krishi Vishyavidyalaya (A State Agricultural University), Mohanpur, West Bengal, for his valuable suggestions, strategic advices and all sorts of technological supports for a successful compilation of the book. I cannot forget his valuable contribution.

I am also highly grateful to all the members of my family and some of my friends who have extended their best of moral support and sincere assistance to encourage me at all stages of the entire process.

D.K. Acharya

THE BOOK - AT A GLANCE

Introduction

Bidding in general

The basic systems of bidding

Including

Precision club system and precision asking bids

Standard American System

Two over one game force

Details of bidding according to Standard American System

The Conventional bids

The bidding techniques

The declarer’s play

Probabilities of break up of suits

The techniques of play

About 150 typical deals with detailed illustrations

The defence

Varieties of opening leads

Strategic instruments of defence

About 50 typical delas with detailed illustrations

The basics of tournament play

The events and the scoring systems

Ethics and norms of a tournament

May God bless the dedicated bridge lovers.

CHAPTER I

Introduction

T o start with the introductory columns, I would like to utilize this opportunity to pay my heartiest regards to those legendary personalities of bridge, whose infinite contribution towards the world of contract bridge for growth and development of the game, will be remembered for ever by one and all of the entire bridge world.

I had the opportunity to go through and consult a few of the books written by some of those distinguished personalities. The books are –

In addition to the above books, a number of booklets on Epson Bridge Contest, National Pairs at Home of the Bridge Federation of India, and articles written in various journals, magazines and news papers etc. have been taken into consultation. A few of the deals have been taken from these books, booklets and journals etc., and have been illustrated in this book in my own way. I have also tried to quote some of the important tips given by the great personalities of bridge. I request my friends to consider these tips as some of the commendments of the Religion of Contract Bridge.

As far as my country is concerned, I can definitely claim that India is not far too away now-a-days from the international standards of bridge. With a little more of facilities and a little more of encouragement, my country, with such a vast population and inherent skill, can certainly challenge the advanced countries for the crown.

I feel extremely proud to express my heartiest love and respect to all those distinguished personalities of contract bridge in India, who have achieved a glorious excellence in international bridge and have dignified the country’s honour in the world of bridge. By virtue of their merit and performances at the international arena, they have already been ranked by The American Contract Bridge League as the Leading Bridge Personalities of the World, and have been awarded a respectable dignity in The official Encyclopedia of bridge (Revised 6th edition). We can expect much more in near future.

I pay my homage to the dedicated soul of Late Ramnivas Ramnarain Ruia, who had been the founder President of The Bridge Federation of India and continued for long twelve years from 1958 to 1970. His absolute dedication for growth and development of contract bridge, for binding the entire country into a complete network of organizations, created a revolution in the history of contract bridge in India. We are grateful to him.

During the past decades I did have some opportunities to come across hundreds of bridge players of different standards in different parts of my country. Whenever possible I tried to utilize my time by sitting beside the experts to enjoy their conventions, bidding, defence and play. It was really a fantastic experience.

Bridge is a game of arithmetical logic and logical arithmetic. Logic, instinct and reflex of the player are the basic instruments which are to be applied on the table for a successful play and defence as well. The ability and keenness for application of such instruments determine whether the individual is an expert or good or an average player. Much of the logic is based on simple arithmetic. The arithmetic is again based on the opponents’ biding, passing, doubling, leads, signals and mode of play etc. Sometimes the logical inferences arrived at become almost a certainty. Through this process of simple arithmetic, an experienced player tries to draw some inferences regarding the tricks, points and distribution held by the unseen hands.

Dear friend, you play bridge because you love it. So you need not be disheartened that you are making a number of mistakes. It is inevitable that any bridge player must make some mistakes. The only difference between an ordinary player and an expert is that the expert makes fewer mistakes. So with a view to achieving better results, you have to reduce the mistakes. Now the most valuable question left with a bridge player is how to reduce the mistakes.

Even if you are an average player, your instinct, reflex and ability of logical analysis can be increased substantially within a reasonable period of time if you can adopt some of the systematic norms as stated below –

- Select a partner of your confidence who is also interested for the partnership.

- Keep close contact with some better and experienced players to overcome your weaknesses as far as practicable.

- Be conversant with various conventions or systems which are popularly followed. Choose the conventions which are most suitable and acceptable to both of you.

- Be fully honest to your conventions in respect of bidding, defence, leads, signals and everything.

- Do not blame your partner for the mistakes and losses, because this will ruin your bridge.

- Get associated with the regional bridge unit and try to participate in tournaments of various levels.

- Whenever possible in a tournament, occupy a seat beside an expert or an experienced player of repute to see what they are doing with which types of hands. In every session you will be able to learn something new. A player, bidding and playing purely as per books, is always a very good player and an excellent partner indeed. But the experts do deviate on some special situations to become a threat to the opponents. Such occasional deviations can be managed accurately by the experts only, not by one and all.

Bridge is basically a game of simple arithmetic. If you are really sincere to such arithmetic inferences and countings, at least half of your mistakes can be avoided easily, and you will then be able to establish yourself as a good bridge player. The fact is that you are very much aware of all these norms; but at the moment of actual need you show unnecessary hurry to make the mistake.

Dear friend, you must believe that your partner is the best friend on the table and you must have full respect for him. You need not point out his mistakes to establish his weaknesses. Similarly, if you yourself make some mistakes, it is not necessary that you should apologise for your mistakes in public, but you must admit those to yourself. Sometimes it may also happen that your mistakes are indentified by somebody else; please do not be unfriendly to that friend.

Either as declarer or as a defender you must satisfy yourself by means of simple counting that you have chosen this card correctly and not the other card. Counting of tricks at different stages of play, counting of points and distribution of various suits of the unseen hands are the most essential factors for a correct play and correct defence as well. Your whole game will benefit you if you can make the counting as automatic as possible.

The primary requirement for any tournament player is to have a disciplined and constructive approach towards the game. He should gradually acquire the habit of critical analysis of some simple arithmetic and to draw logical inferences therefrom. More and more experience and knowledge will bring perfection of individual judgment for application of the inferences drawn. The highest degree of success can be achieved by the highly talented partnership through an artistic modulation of the entire philosophy of contract bridge.

During past few decades I have experienced that a number of participants in various tournaments are very much talented; but some of them are, to some extent, confused in bidding, play or defence. I did realize that these talented tournament players need to have only some conceptual transparency to find the correct and appropriate answers to their ‘which, ‘what’, ‘when’, ‘how’ and ‘why’ at every stage of bridge. I did realize that they need to have a book of their choice, a book that illustrates all the basic techniques of bridge, a book that can be made available in cities, in districts and in remote areas well within their capacity. I really felt that something should be done for these talented friends of mine.

On being acquainted with the noble tips, guidance and methodology of the distinguished personalities of bridge, I decided to compile my total experience in the form of a book which may enable my friends to overcome their confusion in bidding, play and defence. It will be a matter of enormous pleasure for me if the book can provide a little of assistance to some of my friends. The book has been compiled primarily for those tournament players who have already learnt the ABC of contract bridge and are interested for betterment of their performances to attain competency of fighting at the national level. The initial learners may also get a lot of assistance from this book.

With the objective of presenting a clear conception on tournament bridge, all the requisite details of the modern techniques of bridge have been illustrated thoroughly and systematically in this book, which include –

(i) The latest techniques of bidding including two over one game force.

(ii) The conventional bids which are popularly played.

(iii) Management of the critical situations in bidding, play and defence.

(iv) Compilation of various techniques of play and defence with a number of examples for each technique.

(v) How to plan the layout for proper line of play and defence. More than two hundred typical examples have been illustrated elaborately to execute the correct techniques of play and defence.

(vi) Methods of point counting and scoring in different events, movement systems for pairs event and board-a-match which may be useful for organizing local and regional tournaments.

(vii) A synopsis on the recognized bridge organizations, common rules, mistakes and ethics etc.

Whenever a deal is going to be started, please look at the board to ensure who is the dealer and what is the position of vulnerability of both sides. Pull your card from the right slot and count before the cards are exposed to you. Forget everything of the previous deal and concentrate fully on the biding process.

Any bridge player, for participating in a tournament, must be well conversant with

(i) The vulnerability of each deal.

(ii) Trick score for the declarer if the contract is made.

(iii) Premium score for the declarer when the contract is made.

(iv) Under trick penalties for the declarer if the contract is defeated by the opponents.

All these details are tabled below for ready reference –

1. Deal wise vulnerability:

Note: A cycle of vulnerability is completed between Board Nos. 1 and 16. The same cycle is repeated for each set of 16 consecutive boards from board no. 17 onwards.

2. Trick score for the declarer if the contract is made:

Each odd trick starts from the seventh trick won by the declarer. Trick score for each odd trick bid and made, is tabled below:

Note:-   For a contract, bid and made

(i) Odd trick score of 100 points or more is a GAME.

(ii) Odd trick score of less than 100 points is a PART GAME.

3. Premium score for the declarer when the contract is made:

4. Undertrick penalties for the declarer when the contract is defeated by the defenders:

Scores awarded to the defenders

A few examples of scoring are cited here:-

1) A contract of 2 spades made 2

Trick score of 30 x 2 + premium score of 50 for part contract = 110

2) A contract of 2 notrumps made 3

(i) Undoubled

= Trick score of (40+30)+30 for overtrick + premium score of 50 part contract

= 150

(ii) When doubled (not vulnerable)

= Trick score of (40+30)x2 +100 for overtrick + premium score of 300 for game + premium score of 50 for FC

= 590

(iii) When doubled (vulnerable)

= Trick score of (40+30)x2+200 for overtrick + premium score of 500 for game + premium score of 50 for FC

= 890

(iv) When redoubled (not vulnerable)

= Trick score of (40+30) x 4+200 for overtrick + premium score of 300 for game + premium score of 100 for FC

= 880

(v) When redoubled (vulnerable)

= Trick score of (40+30) x 4+400 for overtrick + premium score of 500 for game + premium score of 100 for FC

= 1280

Note: In case of a part contract, doubled or redoubled, whether the premium score for a part contract or for a game contract is to be awarded to the declarer, will depend on the trick score of the contract only without the overtrick score.

3) A contract of 3 diamonds down 3 (scores awarded to the defenders)

Undoubled

When not vulnerable = 50 x 3 = 150

When vulnerable = 100 x 3 = 300

Doubled

When not vulnerable = 100+200+200 = 500

When vulnerable = 200+300+300 = 800

Redoubled

When not vulnerable = 200+400+400 = 1000

When vulnerable = 400+600+600 = 1600

Note: - Undertrick scores are the positive scores for the defenders.

For presenting this book in the present form, many of my friends and well-wishers have given their full support in various manners. I am thankful to all of them. I would like to mention once again that it will be a matter of enormous pleasure for me if the book can provide a little of assistance to the bridge lovers. For betterment of the book any sort of valuable suggestions from my beloved readers will be cordially welcomed and highly appreciated. Due to hurried action on my part there might have been some erroneous omissions or mistakes which may kindly be got rectified by the noble readers.

CHAPTER II

Bidding in general

I n contract bridge bidding is an art of communicating messages between the partners for which various code languages are used. These languages are known as systems or conventions. By these code languages each partner can talk across the table without violating the rules or ethics of the game. Each pair can adopt any one of the basic systems or even a mixture of a number of the systems and conventions which must be clarified to the opponents before start of the game or even during the game. In tournaments, of course, a convention card, duly filled in as per the prescribed norms, has to be kept on the table by each of the participating pairs. The convention card explains in brief the basic systems and the variations being followed in general by the partnership, the details of code languages, leads and signals etc.

It is really interesting to find that irrespective of the varieties of conventions, the entire process of bidding involves only fifteen code symbols – eight words and seven digits. The words are – club, diamond, heart, spade, notrump, pass, double and redouble; and the digits are from one to seven. Simply by application of one or a combination of these code symbols, a bridge player can communicate all the necessary details of strength and distribution in his hand to his partner. Probably this is the simplest language which itself can explain whatever is needed by the partnership. The only requirement for correct bidding is to get acquainted with the art and techniques of applying these code symbols in correct manner at the proper time to reach the correct contract or to pass at the optimum level or to double the opponents for penalties.

The most essential and primary requirement for reaching the correct and optimum contract is to follow a convention or system which is very much transparent and acceptable to both the players of a partnership. The same language must be used by both the players. Terence Reese says, In tournament play the important thing is to play a system you both understand well. You must be able to speak the same language as your partner. The finest buildings start with a ground plan and move slowly upwards. That is the way to build a partnership.

There are a number of basic systems based on which the entire process of bidding progresses for each partnership. Each player tries to choose one of the basic systems which is best suited to the choice of both of the partnership. But generally it happens that some of the ingredients of a basic system do not attract much liking of one or the other of a partnership. So they have to find out some alternatives to those ingredients. These alternatives are known as variations.

In addition to the basic system and variations, there are tens of artificial conventional bids which are popularly accepted and played by the tournament players throughout the world.

Each partnership has to choose a basic system along with some variations and artificial conventional bids. Whatever, may be the system or the conventional bids, there may be some critical situations, specially after high level intervention, when a player may not be able to find the correct bid to tackle the situation successfully. The system or the convention is a general guideline for bidding. It may not be sufficient to define how to sort out each and every complicated situation. Experience, instinct and bridge – sense of the individual are the ultimate qualities that can ensure proper management of the obstructions created by the opponents.

In tournaments different players follow different systems. So in course of bidding, every player must be fully conversant with the bidding systems of the opponents; otherwise, he will not be in a position to have a clear conception of the opponents’ strength and distribution, and may not be able to find the correct and optimum contract.

II A. Basic systems of bidding

There are a number of basic systems of bidding which are followed by the players in this or that part of the world. A few of the systems which are believed to have created a popular impact on the bidding process, are

1. The Culbertson system

2. The Acol system

3. The Roman system or Neapolitan Club system.

4. The Viena system.

5. The Precision Club system.

6. The Standard American system.

7. The Eastern Scientific system (two over one game force)

1. The Culbertson system

In this system, opening of any suit at one level is at least a 4 card biddable suit with 13 to 21 points. In absence of a biddable suit a 3 card minor suit can also be opened. The responses and rebids are also natural. Higher strength can be shown through reverse bidding or by jumping in a new suit. Opening of one notrump shows 16 to 18 points and two notrumps shows 22 to 24 points and a balanced hand. Opening of two of a suit is natural with 22 or more points. This was a very much popular system in our country in rubber bridge as well as in tournaments.

2. The Acol system

In this system, opening of one of a suit is almost similar to that in Culbertson system. In this system the hand may be opened with fewer points. Rebid of the same suit by the opener is mostly passable. Even change of a suit may not always be forcing. Opening of one notrump shows a balanced hand with 13 to 15 points when non vulnerable and 16 to 18 points when vulnerable. Opening of spades, hearts and diamonds at two level indicates 8 winning tricks and a natural suit irrespective of tricks and points. Opening of two clubs is artificial and game forcing, and a response of two diamonds is a denial.

3. The Roman system or Neapolitan Club system

This system was very popular in Italy. By following this system the Italians could achieve glorious results in World Championship. The system has some special features.

(i) Opening of one club is artificial and shows 17 or more points with any distribution and forcing for the responder. The responses are control showing to indicate two controls for an ace and one control for a King. Such as –

(ii) Opening of diamonds, hearts or spades at one level indicates a natural 5 card suit with 12 to 16 points.

(iii) Opening of one notrump shows 13 to 16 points and clubs may be a good 5 or 6 card suit.

(v) Opening of 2 notrumps shows a long and absolute suit other than clubs with 13 to 16 points. When the absolute suit is clubs an opening of 3 clubs us preferred.

4. The Viena system

Counting of points in Viena system is quite different. Here ace, king, queen and jack indicate 7, 5, 3 and one point respectively. The system is very much complicated. Here

(i) Opening of a suit at one level shows

Clubs – may be doubleton and denies any other 5 card suit when club is not a suit, and indicates 18 to 27 points

(ii) Opening of one notrump indicates 28 or more points with any distribution.

(iii) Opening of any suit at 2 level in a querry for ace and king of that suit confirming 28 or more points. The responses are artificial.

5. The Precision Club System

The precision system was originally introduced by C.C.WEI, a Chinese expert and later on settled in the USA, the system was originally played in China in 1969. The variety, diversity and beauty of the system created a sensation at the international arena, and the world-class experts also were unable, to some extent, to tackle the powerful aggression of the system.

The system with some modifications was compiled by Charles H. Goren in 1971 and by Terence Reese in 1972. Thereafter the system became very much popular throughout the world. Its simplicity and beauty attracted the average and better players, whereas its diversity and aggression attracted the experienced players.

The opening bids and the responses thereof have been charted below. The opening bids and the first round responses are based on high card points only except when the responder raises the opener’s suit.

The opening bids and the responses are -

(i) The opening bid of one club is a conventional bid showing 16 or more points with any distribution.

Responses to one club

After a positive (8 or more points) response a game is almost certain, and the opener may start querries in his own suit (alpha), no trumps (beta) or in partner’s suit (gamma) etc. for a game or even a slam contract. The conventional querries have been illustrated on the subsequent pages.

(ii) The opening bid of one diamond usually shows a natural suit of 4 card or higher length with 11 to 15 points. Sometimes the suit may be of 3 card length.

Responses to one diamond

(iii) Opening of one heart or one spade shows at least a 5 card natural suit with 11 to 15 points.

Responses to one heart or one spade

(iv) Opening bid of one notrump shows a balanced hand with 13 to 15 points

Responses to one notrump

(v) The opening bid of 2 clubs shows 11 to 15 points and at least a 5 card natural suit with a 4 card major. In absence of a 4 card major, the clubs must be at least 6 card long.

Responses to 2 clubs

(vi) The opening bid of 2 diamonds is a conventional bid showing a 3-suited hand with diamonds void or singleton, 11 to 15 points.

Responses to 2 diamonds

(vii) The opening bid of 2 hearts or 2 spades shows a 6 card natural and good suit, 7 to 10 points.

Responses to 2 hearts or 2 spades

Any new suit without jump – Natural, forcing for one round.

2 notrumps – Conventional querries for further information, forcing.

Raise in opener’s suit – Invitational

Any other bid – sign off

(viii) The opening bid of 2 notrumps shows a balanced hand with 22 to 23 points. The responses are standard.

(ix) Opening of a suit at 3 or 4 level is a standard preemptive bid as per rule of two and three. As per Terence Reese opening of 3 clubs shows a long and strong club suit with 13 to 15 points and one stopper in a side suit. 4 clubs and 4 diamonds are transfer bids for 4 hearts and 4 spades respectively. All the responses are standard.

(x) The opening bid of 3 notrumps shows an absolute 7 card minor suit without any outside stopper. The responses are standard.

6. Precision asking bids

In precision system an opening bid of one club shows 16 or more points irrespective of the pattern of the hand. The response of one diamond is artificial showing 0 to 7 points. The responses of one heart, one spade, 2 clubs and 2 diamonds are positive and natural with at least a 5 card suit and 8 or more points. The response of one notrump is also positive with a balanced distribution. After such a positive response, when a game has almost been ensured, asking bids of one kind or another for a slam try can be started even at one level. It has to be kept in mind that such asking bids in this system can be initiated by the opener only after an opening bid of one club and a positive response from the partner.

Of course, now-a-days, a number of tournament players have modified some of these asking bids to suit their own liking.

a) Asking for suit support and control in hand

(The alpha asking bid).

When the one club opener bids