Structure 7G76 by Richard Pavlicek

Junkyard Defense

In a Nutshell

High-level bridge can be a nightmare with all the different gadgets people throw at you. Rather than waste time creating a defense to every one, I try to generalize whenever possible. My “junkyard defense” deals with artificial two-bids (see list below). The structure may not be best in all situations, but it’s reasonable at least; and most importantly, it avoids misunderstandings.

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Details

This defense applies to opening two-bids that do not show 5+ cards in the suit bid and do not show a specific one-suited hand. The current list includes:

1. Flannery 2 (5 hearts + 4 spades)
2. Roman 2 or 2 (3 unknown suits)
3. Precision 2 or 2 (3 known suits)
4. Meckwell 2 (3 suits, 2 of which are known)
5. Meckwell 2 (weak preempt in any suit)
6. Multicolor 2 (unknown 6-card major usually)

General structure:

West
2 X
2 X

North
?
P

East

2 NT

South

?

Call
Double

Pass then Dbl
Suit bid
2 NT
Jump in suit
3 NT Meaning
strength-showing (about 15+) and our
runout defense applies (see topic)
takeout (if suit) thru 4
natural*; good suit
15-18; natural (system on)
good jump overcall*
natural (no systemic responses)
*Except if opener has shown 5+ cards in suit; then it is a cue-bid, the meaning of which is appropriate to the level.

After a suit response:

West
2 X

North
P

East
Suit

South
?

Call
Double
Other Meaning
takeout thru 4
as above

Clarification notes:

Two-suited two-bids that show the suit bid plus one other suit (known or unknown) will be treated as natural weak two-bids, although an overcall in opener’s known 5+ card second suit is a cue-bid, the meaning of which is appropriate to the level.

If according to the enemy methods a two-suited hand might be 5-4 shape but typically is at least 5-5 shape, this should be ignored. Both suits should be presumed to be 5+ cards for the purpose of determining the meaning of our bids.

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Runout Defense

The runout defense applies if an opponent is the first to bid over our strength-showing double in the following situations:

1. After a 1 NT opening (direct or balancing)

2. After a Stayman 2 response to a weak notrump opening

3. Defense to 2 NT and 3 NT opening (see topic)

4. Junkyard defense (see topic)

Actions in direct position:

West
1 NT

1 NT
P

North
Dbl
(or)
P
P
(etc.)

East
2 X

P
2 X

South
?

Dbl
?

Call
Pass
Double
Suit
Jump suit
Cue-bid Meaning
weak or length in X
takeout*
5+ cards; NF
6+ cards; I
splinter; GF
*Should have 2+ cards (rarely singleton) in suit doubled as partner may convert

Actions in balancing position:

West
1 NT
P
1 NT
P
P

North
Dbl
?
P
P
?
(etc.)

East
2 X
(or)
P
2 X

South
P

Dbl
P

Call
Pass
Double

Other Meaning
prudent with length in X
takeout (partner can convert if that
was his intention)
as in direct position

Note: The runout defense applies thru the level of 4 (e.g., 1 NT Dbl 4 ) and over multiple runouts (e.g., 1 NT Dbl 2 P; 2 ) provided we have not acted after our initial double and we have not faced the same suit bid twice. In other words, once we act after our initial double, or a player is confronted with the same denomination twice, all doubles are penalty.

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