Structure 7G72 by Richard Pavlicek

Responses to Two Clubs

In a Nutshell

The bane of any system of nonforcing one-bids is the 2

structure for strong hands; there just isn’t enough room to show all you want no matter what method you use. Having experimented with many ideas, I settled on what I believe works best. The basic idea is to give the 2

response a dual meaning, either ultra weak (0-4 HCP) or positive (8+); and to bid 2

with in-between hands (5-7). Other responses are used to show suits of specific length and quality.

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Details

An opening bid of 2

is strong, artificial and forcing, and typically shows 23+ points or a one-suited hand within a trick of game.

If responder has a 5 card or longer suit headed by at least 2 of the 3 top honors, he should make a suit-showing response. Otherwise, he must define his point count.

West
2 North
P East
? South

•
•

•

• Call
2
2
2
2 NT
3 of suit
3 NT
4 of suit
4 NT Meaning
0-4 or 8+ (or an ace + king)
5-7 or bad 8 (or an ace)
any 5 card suit; 2 of top 3
any 5 card suit; A-K-Q
6 cards in suit bid; 2 of top 3
any 6 card suit; A-K-Q
7 cards in suit bid; 2 of top 3
any 7 card suit; A-K-Q

Special jump rebid by opener:

After any response, a jump suit rebid by opener (even if game) establishes the trump suit and is forcing. Responder must continue:

West
2
JS North
P
P East
Bid
? South
P

•
• Call
Cheapest NT
Suit bid Meaning
no aces
that ace

Follow-up: Opener may sign off in his suit or notrump or bid any other suit as control asking (see topic).

Rebids by opener after a point-count response:

West
2

North
P

East
2

South
P

Call
2 NT
3 NT
4 NT
Suit bid Meaning
23-24; balanced; NF
25-28; balanced; NF
29-30; balanced; NF
5+ cards; F

West
2
? North
P East
2 South
P

•
Call
2 NT
3 NT
Suit bid Meaning
23+; balanced; F
semibalanced; 6+ minor; NF
5+ cards; F

Rebids by responder after a point-count response:

West
2

Suit

North
P
P

East
2

South
P

•

•
Call
Cheapest bid
Other NJ bids
Jump raise
Jump shift Meaning
waiting
natural; suits show 5+ cards
Q-x-x-x or better; no controls
splinter raise

Note: Responder is always presumed to have 0-4 (even if he jumps) unless he voluntarily bids beyond game. The only way to stop below game is when opener rebids the same suit.

West
2
Suit North
P
P East
2
? South
P

•
Call
Nonjump bid
Jump raise
Jump shift Meaning
natural (no waiting bids)
Q-x-x-x or better; no controls
splinter raise

West
2
2 NT North
P
P East
2 X
? South
P

Call
Any Meaning
system on* (as if 2 NT opening)
*If responder tries for slam after a 2 response, he logically must have 8+.

West
2
3 NT North
P
P East
2
? South
P

•
Call
4 *
4 *, 4 *
4 *
4 NT
5 Meaning
Stayman (not puppet)
Jacoby
both minors
8+; balanced; F
Gerber
*If responder next bids a suit, it is natural NF (unless illogical); 5-level bids may be raised. The only way to show 8+ is to rebid 4 NT (F) or 5 NT (F).

West
2
4 NT North
P
P East
2
? South
P

Call
5 *
5 *, 5 *
5 * Meaning
Stayman (not puppet)
Jacoby
both minors
*There is no way to show 8+ here (may as well bid 7 NT). Any rebid by responder below slam is forcing (5 NT asks opener to pick a slam).

Rebids after a suit-showing response:

West
2

North
P

East
2

South
P

Call
2 NT
Suit bid Meaning
23+ balanced (system on)
5+ cards

West
2
Suit North
P
P East
2
? South
P

Call
Suit bid
3 NT, Raise
Jump shift Meaning
real suit; F (even if game)
minimal values; inconvenient to bid suit
splinter raise

After a 2 NT or higher response, opener should know responder’s suit, so there is no need to repeat it. The bidding proceeds naturally; any game bid is NF. An immediate 4 NT by opener is regular Blackwood, and a raise to 5 of responder’s suit (NF) asks for the jack.

Competitive agreements:

West
2

North
Dbl

East
?

South

•
•
Call
Redouble
Pass
Other Meaning
5-7; good clubs (Q-10-x-x)
0-4 or 8+; good clubs
as without double

West
2 North
Bid East
? South

Call
Pass
Double
Cue-bid
Suit bid
2 NT
3 NT nonjump Meaning
0-4 (or more with no call)
penalty; trump stack
5+; splinter
5+; 5+ cards
5+; balanced; stopper
5-7; balanced; stopper

All doubles by opener or responder are for penalty. All direct passes are forcing.

A cue-bid of the enemy suit by opener, when responder has not acted, shows 5-4-4-0 shape (or 4-4-4-1 in balancing seat).

Any suit bid by opener, whether responder has acted or not, is forcing below game unless opener bids the same suit twice, in which case responder may pass with nothing.

If responder has not shown values and opener makes a natural, forcing suit rebid, the cheapest bid is artificial and waiting. This applies only once; any subsequent bid is natural.

Any jump suit bid by opener (at his second bid) is ace asking, even if this completes game. The structure is unchanged.

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