• Geoff Lacey
  • EBU404007
  • 007/007/1426
• Alan Williams
  • EBU101238
  • 160/223/1454

General description of bidding methods

Strong 1; 1 is artificial 15-17; four-card majors

1NT is 12-14 with no major suit; it may have a major singleton

Our first suit may not be our longest

Intermediate natural minor twos, weak natural major twos

1NT Opening and responses

bid	HCP	meaning	responses
1NT	12-14	No major suit either balanced or 22{54} or {31}{54}	2/2/3/3 0-10 NF 2/2 artificial relays 2NT minors

We ignore your double of our opening 1NT.

Two-level openings and responses

bid	HCP	cards	meaning	responses
2/2	10-14	6+	Natural, no 4-card major	2NT strong fit
2/2	6-10	6+	Natural, not other major
2NT	10-14	–	At least five-five in the minors

Other aspects of system which you should note

• We bid suits naturally but upwards (i.e. not longest first)
• In most auctions, 2 and 2 are artificial relays
• A 2/2/3/3 response to a one-level bid is to play
• Intermediate simple overcalls, maybe only four cards
• 1NT overcall is 12-15 and may not have a stop
• Double of 1 or 1 shows some strong hand 16+
• Double of 1NT shows 12+

Other opening bids

bid	HCP	cards	meaning	responses
1	14+	0+	Any 18+ hand, or unbalanced Rule of 25 with 14+ and a major	1 0-3 F; 1/1 4+ F 1NT/3/3 4-6 NF 2/2 artificial relays 2/2 0-3 NF; 2NT minors
1	15-17	0+	Balanced or no major suit	1/1 0+ F; 1NT 0-7 NF 2/2 artificial relays 2/2/3/3 0-7 NF 2NT minors
1	10-16	4+	Rule of 20, may have a longer suit.	1 8+ F; 1NT/3/3 8-10 NF 2/2 artificial relays 2 0-7 NF; 2NT strong fit
1	10-16	4+	Rule of 20, may have longer minor, not hearts	1NT/2/3/3 8-10 NF 2/2 artificial relays 2NT strong fit
3bid	0+	7+	Pre-emptive
4bid		8+

Defensive methods after you open

• Double of 1 or 1 is 16+ points
• A simple overcall may be only four cards; system on
• Jump overcalls are weak (except (1) 2 is intermediate)
• 1NT overcall is 12-15, maybe with no stopper; system on
• 2NT overcall is 10-15, five-five in lowest new suits
• Double of 1NT (weak or strong) shows 12+
• 2NT advance is artificial forcing, either strong fit or invitational

Doubles

• Double of 1 or 1 is 16+ points
• Other doubles of natural suits are takeout, maybe two-suited
• Double of a slam or 3NT asks for a club lead
• Other doubles show values e.g. dbl of 1NT or a Multi is 12+

Slam conventions

• Keycard, Exclusion and feature asks (DOPE/ROPE)
• 5NT is pick-a-slam before an ask

Other conventions

• 2NT is always forcing and is
  • pick-a-minor in a scramble, else
  • strong fit opposite a natural suit bid, else
  • both minors as an overcall or response, else
  • invitational in a competitive auction, else
  • natural
• After suit agreement, all side-suit bids are artificial;
  at the three-level they are splinters or deny an honour
• Redouble is for rescue unless we have agreed a fit

Notes

	The 2 artificial relay is forcing to 3NT; the 2 artificial relay is invitational: partner declines with 2
	In third position, these weak openings may have one less card than stated, might be weaker or stronger than the nominal range and may conceal a four-card major
	After 1 – 1/1, opener rebids 2/2 to show both minors (2 showing three-card support for responder's major).
	After 1 – 1NT, opener rebids 2NT to show both minors.

Opening leads

Standard leads; fourth; ten is an honour, nine isn't.

v. suit	AK…	KQ…	QJ…	J10…	109…
	AJ10…	KJ10…	K109…	Q109…
	Ax…	Hxx	Hxxx…	xx	xxx…
v. NT	AKx	KQx	QJx	J10x	109x
	AKxx…	KQxx…	QJxx…	J10xx…	109xx…
	AJ10…	KJ10…	K109…	Q109…
		Hxx	Hxxx…	xx	xxx…

Carding methods

	v suit contracts	v NT contracts
On partner's lead	Normal attitude	Normal attitude
On declarer's lead	Normal count	Normal count
When discarding	Attitude then count	Attitude then count

	count opposite K or when attitude irrelevant
	suit preference in the trump suit
	count opposite A or on the first trick when dummy is winning
	play low on trick two to discourage original suit

Footnotes

• Chilli is a Level 3 system. Find out more about it at www.chillibidding.org.

2010-05-11