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Development after 2
or 2
opening
Remember that these two openings show 5 or 6 losers with 5 or 6 of the opened major and 4 or 5 
s. Responders first bid is as follows:
- 3 is a sign off
- 3
is natural, not forcing, opener can raise gently - raise is invitational
- raise to game is to play
- 4 other major is to play
- 4 is natural force
- 4 is forcing unbalanced raise
- 3N is forcing unbalanced raise of major opened (denies a control if 2 3N)
After 2
- 2N shows a 6+ card suit (forcing)
- 2 is a relay
3 is not defined - 3 is a raise with a control
After 2
- 2N is a relay
- 3 shows a 6+ card suit (forcing)
To make a forcing raise, either make an immediate 4 or 3N bid (or 3 if 2 opened) or make 2 relays. Sequences that bid one of opener's suits after one relay are not forcing.
After making two relays, then responder shows the suit he wants to play in by bidding the suit naturally at the game level (a signoff), or by bidding it below game (if possible).
- If there are two bids to agree opener's suits below game, then the cheaper one is used to agree that suit and other bids agree the second suit.
- If there is one suit that can be bid below game naturally, then that bid agrees that suit and other calls agree the second suit.
- If there is no suit that can be bid below game naturally, then the lower outside suit agrees the major and the higher outside suit agreess.
- If there is no suit that can be agreed naturally below game and there is only one call between the last bid and game in one of the suits (e.g. 4 was just bid and opener opened 2), then that one bid is used to agree the major and the higher bid is used for s.
The relay auctions develop as described in the following text.
2 - 2N (relay)
- 3 short s with 3+ s
- 3 short s with 3+ s
- 3 6 4 2-1 in the side suits
- 3 5422
- 3N 55 2-1 in the side suits
- 4 65 2-0 or 1-1 in the side suits
2 - 2N - 3
| 3 relay | ||
| 3 | 5 3 1 4 |
|
| 3 forcing, are trump |
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| 3N to play | ||
| 4 forcing, are trump |
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| 4 to play |
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| 4 to play |
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| 3 | 6 3 0 4 |
|
| 3N to play | ||
| 4 forcing, s are trump |
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| 4 control, s are trump |
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| 4 control, s are trump |
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| 4 to play |
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| 3N 5 3 0 5 | ||
| 4 forcing, s are trump |
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| 4 control, s are trump |
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| 4 control, s are trump |
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| 4 to play |
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| 4 5 4 0 4 | ||
| forcing, s are trump |
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| 4 forcing, s are trump |
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| forcing, s are trump |
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| 4 forcing, s are trump |
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| 4 to play |
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| 3 force setting s as trumps | ||
| 3 invitational (probably wasted values) | ||
| 3N final | ||
| 4 invitational | ||
| 4 or 4 to play |
2 - 2N - 3
| 3 relay | ||
| 3 | 5 1 3 4 |
|
| 3N to play | ||
| 4 forcing, s are trump |
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| 4 control, s are trump |
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| 4 control, s are trump |
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| 4 to play |
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| 3N | 6 - 3 4 |
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| 4 forcing, s are trump |
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| 4 control, s are trump |
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| 4 control, s are trump |
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| 4 to play |
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| 4 | 5 0 3 5 |
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| 4 forcing, s are trump |
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| 4 forcing, s are trump |
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| 4 to play |
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| 4 5 0 4 4 | ||
| 4 forcing, s are trump |
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| !! There is no forcing raise |
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| 3 invitational (probably wasted Heart values) | ||
| 3N to play | ||
| 4 invitational | ||
| 4 force setting as trumps | ||
| 4 to play |
2 - 2N - 3
| 3 invitational |
| 3N to play |
2 - 2N - 3 or 3N
| 4 | invitational |
| 4 | forcing s are trump |
| 4 | forcing s are trump |
| 4 | to play |
2 - 2N - 3
| 3N | to play |
| 4 | invitational |
| 4 | are trump |
| 4 | are trump |
| 4 | to play |
2 - 2 (relay)
| 2N | short with 3+ s |
| 3 | short with 3+ s |
| 3 | 6 4 2-1 in side suits |
| 3 | 5 4 22 |
| 3 | undefined |
| 3N | 5 5 2-1 in side suits |
| 4 | 6 5 1-1 or 2-0 in side suits |
2 - 2 - 2N
| 3 | relay | ||
| 3 | 1 5 3 4 | ||
| 3 | forcing, s are trump |
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| 3 control, s are trump | |||
| 3N to play | |||
| 4 forcing, s are trump no control | |||
| 4 forcing, s are trump (has control) | |||
| 3 | 0 6 3 4 | ||
3 control, s are trump  is showing a control smart? | |||
| 3N to play | |||
| 4 forcing, s are trump | |||
| 4 control, no control s are trump same question as above | |||
| 4 to play | |||
| 3 | 0 5 3 5 | ||
| 3N to play | |||
| 4 forcing, s are trump | |||
| 4 control, s are trump | |||
| 4 control, s are trump | |||
| 3N | 0 5 4 4 | ||
| 4 forcing, s are trump | |||
| 4 control, s are trump | |||
| 4 to play | |||
| 4 control, are trump | |||
| 3 force setting s as trumps | |||
| 3 invitational (probably wasted values) | |||
| 3 undefined | |||
| 3N to play | |||
| 4 invitational |
**2 - 2 - 3
| 3D | relay | ||
| 3 | 3 \5 1 4 | ||
| 3 | Spade control, s are trump |
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| 3N | final | ||
| 4 | forcing, s are trump |
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| 4 | control, no control are trump |
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| 4 to play | |||
| 3 | 3 6 0 4 | ||
| 3N | final | ||
| 4 | forcing, s are trump |
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| 4 | |||
| 4 | to play | ||
| 4 | control, /hs are trump |
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| 3N | 3 5 0 5\ | ||
| 4 forcing, s are trump | |||
| 4iamond control, s are trump (limited usefulness since opener is void) | |||
| 4 | to play | ||
| 4 control, s are trump | |||
| 4 | 4 5 0 4 | ||
| 4 s are trump | |||
| 4 | to play | ||
| 4 | s are trump |
||
| 3 | invitational (probably wasted Diamond values) | ||
| 3 | force, setting as the trump suit | ||
| 3N | final | ||
| 4 | invitational |
2Heart - 2Spade - 3Diamond or 3N
3Heart
invitational 3Spade Clubs are trump 3N final 4Club invitational 4Diamond Hearts are trump
2Heart - 2Spade - 3Heart
3Spade
Clubs are trump 3N final 4Club invitational 4Diamond Hearts are trump
2Heart - 2N (Spade suit 6+ cards)
3Club
Clubs 3Diamond 3 Diamonds 3Heart 6 Hearts 3Spade 2 or 3 Spades not forcing 3N no Spade fit 4Diamond Spade fit, artificial slam try 4Spade 2 or 3 Spades not forcing
2Spade - 3Heart
3Spade
6 Spades 3N no Heart fit 4Club 5 Clubs 4Diamond Heart fit, artificial slam try 4Heart Heart fit, not forcing
2Heart - 2Spade - 4Club
4Diamond
Hearts are trump 4Spade Clubs are trump
2Spade - 2N - 4Club
4Diamond
Spades are trump 4Heart Clubs are trump
2 Major - 4Club or 2 Major - 3N
Cue bidding commences in the partnership's methods. Neither partner can call blackwood.
Competitive auctions after 2Heart or 2Spade opening bid
Directly over 2Heart or 2Spade They double
Redouble penalties Pass ambiguous 3Club or 3Diamond running Relay asking (ignoring Other major running They bid a suit (Diamond or the other major) Double penalties 2N over 2Spade asking (opener describes his hand as well as he can; he bids his fragment with 5431, rebids his major if 64xx, bids 3Club with 5422 and 3N if 55xx) raise competitive 4Club (with or without a jump) - natural forcing Cue bid High card game raise of major 4 (our) major distributional raise
After relay response If they double, rebids by opener are unchanged They bid a suit Double 5431 with 3 of enemies' suit Pass 5431 or 5422 with shortness in enemies' suit 3N 55xx (There is no need to have 3N as a natural bid) Other calls tend to be as descriptive and natural as possible
Example 2Spade P 2N 3Diamond ? X 5-1-3-4 3Spade 6-x-x-4 P 5-2-2-4 or 5-3-1-4 3N 5-x-x-5 3Heart 5-3-1-4