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 good suit only, 2 level sound Lead In Partner’s Suit
Responses: Jump raise PRE, Jump Q = mixed raise, Suit 3rd even, low odd same except Xxx raised
New suit at 1 or 2 level NF CONST, FIT showing jumps NT 2nd/4th same Category: Natural – GREEN
Subs. ATT vs NT, 3/lo vs suit same NCBO: USBF
Reopening: Other: Event: U26
1NT OVERCALL (2nd/4th live; Responses; Reopening) Players: Kevin FAY Jason CHIU
2nd Position: 15-18 LEADS [NH] = non-touching honour
SYSTEM SUMMARY
Responses: As over 1NT opening Lead Vs Suit Vs NT
4th Position: 13-16 Ace AKx Asks ATT GENERAL APPROACH AND STYLE
Responses: As over 1NT opening King AK, KQx Asks CT or unblock 5 card Majors 1st and 2nd, 1M-1NT Semi F1
JUMP OVERCALLS (Style; Responses; Unusual NT) Queen KQ, QJx QJ(x), KQxx, KQJx Slightly light opening bids 1st and 2nd
Jack KJ10(x), J10(x) HJ10(x), J109(x) Very light opening bids 3rd and 4th
Style: Weak
10 109 H109(x), 109xx Vulnerability dependent preempts
Responses: 2NT asks, feature responses
9 9x 98xx
Unusual NT: Lower 2 unbid suits, Polish club and precision
Hi-x xx xx, xxx, xxxx
diamond treated as natural
Lo-x xxx, xxxx, xxxxx Hxx, Hxxx, Hxxxx 1NT Opening: 15-17
Reopening: Jump overcall INTER, 2NT = 19-20
SIGNALS IN ORDER OF PRIORITY 2 over 1 RESP: FG
DIRECT & JUMP CUE BIDS (Style; Responses; Reopen)
Partner’s Lead Declarer’s lead Discarding SPECIAL BIDS THAT MAY REQUIRE DEFENCE
Style: Michaels, fairly sound
1st Lo = ENCRG Lo = E Lo = ENCRG OPENINGS:

suit
1m-3m = NAT, 1M-3M asks stopper
2nd Lo = E S/P Lo = E GAMBLING 3NT
Responses: (1M)-2M-3♣ = P/C, 2N = enquiry, 3OM = comp 3rd S/P
Reopening: Same NT
1st Lo = ENCRG Lo = E Lo = ENCRG
VS. NT (vs. Strong / Weak; Reopening; PH) 2nd Lo = E S/P Lo = E RESPONSES:
Vs WK: DBL = PEN; vs STR: DBL 5+ minor, 4 major 3rd S/P
Vs All: 2♣ = Majors Signals (including trump): Hi-Lo = O
2♦ = One major [1] COMP:
2M = NAT + minor INV+ FIT showing jumps
Reopening: Same
DOUBLES
Vs PREEMPTS
TAKEOUT DOUBLES (Style, Responses; Reopening) SPECIAL FORCING PASS SEQUENCES
T/O DBL thru 4♠, LEB after (2X)-DBL-(P) [3]
(2M)-4m = 5+5+ m + OM Style: Support for unbid Ms Pass then pull is stronger than taking initial action
(2X)-3X asks stopper (could be very strong 2 suiter) Responses: Cue F1
VS ARTIFICIAL STRONG OPENINGS
Reopening: IMPORTANT NOTES THAT DON´T FIT ELSEWHERE
DBL = Ms, NT = ms, also applies over (1♣) P (1♦)
Multi 2♦ defence (Supplementary Notes)
SPECIAL, ARTIFICIAL & COMPETITIVE (RE-)DBLS
NEG DBL thru 4♠ PSYCHICS: 3rd Favorable relatively common
OVER OPPONENTS´ TAKEOUT DOUBLE
RESP DBL thru 4♠
After 1X-(DBL): 2NT = LIM or better
Maximal Overcall DBL to 3♠, off with available bid
Snapdragon through 3♠, including (1X)-1Y-(1NT)-DBL
 ARTIFICIALTICK IF
NAME NAME Date

MIN. # OF CARDS

NEG DBL THRU

OPENING
DESCRIPTION RESPONSES SUBSEQUENT AUCTION PH & COMP BIDDING

1♣ 3 4♠ Longest suit in unbalanced
hand with 12+, or
BAL hand w/ 12-14 or 18-19.
We open 1♣ with 33 minors
or 44 minors
1♣ - 1M bypasses ♦s, if less than INV
1NT = 8-10, 2NT = 11-12, 3NT = 13-15
3-level JS = SPL
Inverted minor raise: 2♣ = Limit raise+
3♣ = PRE NV, Mixed raise VUL
After 1♣-1♦, 1NT rebid may have 4 card M
“2-way checkback” over 1NT [4]
4th suit FG (1♣-1♦-1♥-1♠ = NAT INV+ F1)
3-level new suit = SPL
WOLFF S/O and 3♦ checkback over 2NT [5]
FIT jumps
1X (1Y) 2Z = NAT F1, usually 9+ HCP,
subsequent cuebid Y isFG
PH: One way checkback

1♦ 3 4♠ See 1♣, includes 4=4=3=2 See 1♣ See 1♣ See 1♣

1♥ 5(4) 4♠ May be 4 card suit 3rd & 4th 1NT = Semi F1 Single jump beyond 2N = SPL PH: Reverse DRURY FIT
2m = FG NAT FIT jumps
2N = FG Raise
3♣, 3♦ = INV NAT COMP: FIT jumps
3♥ = INV, 4♥
3♠, 4♣, 4♦ = limited SPL in bid suit
3NT = Mixed raise, 5♥
1♠ 5(4) 4♠ May be 4 card suit 3rd & 4th See 1♥ See 1♥ See 1♥

1NT 4♠ 15-17 (may be very good 14) NF STAY, JTB, Texas 1NT-2♣-2♦-3M = 4M, 5 OM COMP: LEB FAST after NAT overcall
May have 5M or 6m 2♠ → 3♣, bid if Hxx or better 1NT-2♣-2♦-4♦ = 6♥s + 4♠s or NAT and another suit [2]
2NT → 3♦, bid if Hxx or better 1NT-2♣-2♦-4♥ = 6♠s + 4♥s
Over penalty double SYSTEM ON,
3M = SPL, 3 other M, (54) ms
except XX forces 2♣ for minor-suit run

2♣ √ 0 STR, ART, F 2NT or 3M 2♦ waiting 2♣-2♦-2M-3♣ = 2nd negative

2M = 5+ cards, 2 of top 3 honours
3m = 6+ cards, 2 of top 3 honours
2♦ 6 NAT, WK (5-11) New suit F1
2NT enquiry for outside honour if non-
minimum
2♥ 6 See 2♦ See 2♦
2♠ 6 See 2♦ See 2♦
2NT 20-21 BAL PUP STAY, JTB, Texas HIGH LEVEL BIDDING
May have 5M or 6m RKCB 1430 [6]
GSF
3X 7(6) NAT PRE New suit F1 SPL

3NT √ 7-8 card solid m 4♣ = P/C, 4♦ = singleton ask (4N denies,

1st and 2nd: no side A, K 5m other minor), 4M = NAT
4X NAT PRE
 Supplementary Notes
[1] Woolsey 2♦
Over your notrump opening, 2♦ shows a long major. Advances include
- 2♥ = Pass or correct
- 2♠ = Pass or correct, shows a ♥ fit
- 2NT = Asking bid
3♣ Minimum with ♥
3♦ Minimum with ♠
3♥ Maximum with ♥
3♠ Maximum with ♠
- 3m = Natural, to play
- 3M = Obstructive, pass or correct
- If: (1N)- 2♦-(Dbl)-
Pass = Suggests playing 2♦X
Rdbl = Bid your major
2M = Natural
[2] LEBENSOHL – FAST
If we open 1NT and opponents overcall 2♦, 2♥, or 2♠, then we play Lebensohl
A new suit at the 2-level is NAT and NF
A bid of a new suit at the 3-level is NAT and FG
A direct 3NT bid shows a stopper in their suit (if they have shown one)
A direct cue-bid at the 3-level is Stayman with a stopper in their suit
2NT is a puppet to 3♣. There are four possibilities:
1. Responder wants to make a competitive non-forcing bid in a suit he CANNOT bid at
the 2-level (lower ranking than their suit)
2. Responder wants to make an invitational bid in a suit he CAN bid at the 2-level
(higher ranking than their suit)
3. Responder wishes to raise to 3NT, denying a stopper (3N)
4. Responder wishes to bid Stayman and deny a stopper (cue-bid at 3-level)

[3] Lebensohl after (2x)-DBL-(P)

- 2NT by advancer asks doubler to bid 3♣: advancer either wishes to play in 3 of lower ranking
suit (he passes or bids his suit)
- If advancer bids a higher ranking suit at the 3-level, this is invitational (about 8-11 HCP)
- If advancer jumps to 3NT this shows NO doubt. 2NT then 3NT shows a stopper, but also some
doubt about strain.
- With a very strong hand, doubler does not have to bid 3♣ over 2NT
- If advancer does not bid 2NT, any bid by doubler is game forcing

[4] “TWO WAY CHECKBACK”

After 1X-1Y-1NT (except 1♣-1♦), 2♣ is a PUPPET to 2♦. Responder uses this to either play
2♦ or show an invitational hand.
After 1X-1Y-1NT, 2♦ is GAME-FORCING checkback. Opener's first priority is to show
three-card support for Y, then four cards in OM.
1X-1Y-1N-3♣ = To play, regardless of whether this is X
ALL OTHER 3-level bids = slam try (5-card if new suit).

IN COMP:
If the opponents have bid a suit or made a takeout double, there is no checkback.

BY PASSED HAND:
P-1m-1X-1N: 2m = NAT to play, 2om = checkback with priority to bid X first
When opener did not open 1♣, jump to 3♣ is still to play.

[5] “WOLFF SIGNOFF”

After 1X-1Y-2NT, 3♣ is a PUPPET to 3♦
To play in 3♦ or his major, responder starts with 3♣
3♦ is an artificial FG, priority is to show three-card support for Y
If responder rebids his suit over 2NT, this shows 6-card with slam interest
1m-1♠-2N-3♥ shows 5♠5♥ FG

[6] ROMAN KEY CARD BLACKWOOD

4NT is keycard for the last suit bid naturally or the one agreed suit
A 5♠ response shows two keycards and either the trump queen or equivalent length

Continuations by Blackwood bidder

Asking for the trump Q
After a response of 5♣ or 5♦, the cheapest non-trump suit bid by Blackwooder asks for trump Q.
- With no trump Q, answerer signs off in the trump suit at the cheapest level.
- With trump Q, answerer cuebids the cheapest plain suit in which he holds a king. Jumping to six
denies any outside kings.

5NT continuation by Blackwooder

After any response, 5NT by Blackwooder guarantees all the key cards and is a try for grand slam.
Answerer cue bids the cheapest side K. After this response, if Blackwooder bids 6 of a side suit, he is
asking partner to bid a grand slam with 2rd round control (K or useful singleton).

6 of a new suit by Blackwooder

After any response, if Blackwooder bids 6 of a side suit, he is asking partner to bid a grand slam with
3rd round control (Q or doubleton).

Handling Interference over 4NT

- If opponents double 4NT, ignore it. Just make the normal response.

- If opponents overcall 5♣ or 5♦ over our Blackwood, we play Romanised DIPO.

Double = 1 or 4 keycards
Pass = 0 or 3 keycards
First step = 2 keycards with no trump Q.
Second step = 2 keycards with trump Q.

- If opponents overcall 5♥ or higher over our Blackwood, we play DOPE.

Double = Odd number of keycards (1, 3 or 5)

Pass = Even number of keycards (0, 2 or 4)