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  1. We never bid NT with 4441 or 54mm; if we do, we are 4432 with a doubleton in partner's suit for the rest of the deal and we bear the consequences.
  2. We never bid 1NT if we hold four spades.
  3. The awkward 5431 hands (5) with 3 cards in partner's suit, 4 cards in the other major and 5 diamonds do NOT bid 1NT but 2; if we do bid 1NT, we are 4432 for the rest of the deal with three cards in partner's suit. With a good three-card holding and weak diamonds we bid 2M; with a weak major and good diamonds we bid 2. In short, we are NEVER 1NT with a singleton in the other minor.
  4. The awkward 5431 hands with (5) and a good three-card major holding bid the raise. NB! The logic is that if we had good clubs we would have opened 2. We cannot have both ragged clubs and a ragged major, because then most likely we did not have an opening bid, or we have a singleton picture card, or we have a major-suit holding in our four-card major, in which case we could have opened it. That is, if we bid 1NT with a 5431 with five clubs we are singleton in partner's suit; and with ragged clubs and 43M we bid 1NT. This hand gets described further later on.
  5. The 2NT and 3 rebids are ALWAYS a transfer to the 5+ card minor
  6. 2 is 3 cards in the major; then 2 is a relay and the general principles remain in force
  7. The 2 rebid shows 2- cards in the major; then 2NT is a relay and the general principles remain in force.
  8. A 3 rebid shows some 4333.
  9. 3M ALWAYS shows 2 cards in partner's major and some 44 with the two minors, MIN and MAX respectively, or low minor / high minor.
  10. NB! Priority always goes to the lower bid, i.e. with 5m and 3 cards in the major we bid 2. In reply to the next-step ask: if a shortage is possible we are low / high / bal; if not, we are MIN / MAX. If we do not bid the next step, we switch to a natural scheme. NB: the next-step ask does not only explore slam, it also explores 5m instead of 3NT. Example: xx AKxxx Jx AKJx. The auction goes 1 – 1 – 1 – 2 – 2NT, exactly 5422, because he bid neither 2 (fit) nor 2 ( shortage). We have the option of bidding 3 to hear MIN/MAX. Or of bidding 3, which has an alternative and is rather looking for help in . NB, if we had a weaker 6-card suit and wanted to play in we could have bid 4 to play. If we were stronger we should have bid 3 – say MIN or MAX – and then enter the Kori relay.
2INV with 5-card
2INV with 4-card fit & BAL hand
2NTbalanced INV (NB! A direct 2NT means something else. The logic is that (almost) every invitation goes through 2 XYZ), 3m – INV with 5m5M
3NT5332 with 5-card , pick a game
23 cards in , not 4333 because he would have bid 3
22- cards in , 4234 if a doubleton, otherwise a singleton/void
2NT4225
34252 or 4261, then the next step asks which of the two you are
34333
34234 MIN
34243 MIN
3NT4144, weaker than when going through 2
2NT4315
34351 or 4360, then the next step asks; answers in rank order
343(42) MAX, then 3 asks; answers in rank order
34324 MIN
34342 MIN
34135
34153/4063, then 3 asks
34234 MAX
34243 MAX
3NT4144 MAX
22- cards in
23 cards in
2NT2335/2425, the next step asks, then in rank order
32353/2452, the next step asks
34333
32344 MIN
32344 MAX
3NT1444, weaker than when going through 2
2NT1435
31453
324(43) MAX, then 3 asks; answers in rank order
32434 MIN
32443 MIN
3NT1444 MAX
33253/3352, then the next step asks; answers in rank order
33235/3325, then the next step asks; answers in rank order
33424
33244
3NT1444 MAX
Passto play
3INV+ with shortage → 4 is Exclusion Blackwood
3exactly INV, with shortage
3mild slam try with shortage → 4 is Exclusion Blackwood
3NTmild slam try with shortage → 4 is Exclusion Blackwood
444self-splinter with a void, not Exclusion Blackwood
Passto play
2INV with 5+
2INV with 4 and a 5+ minor
2NTbalanced INV
3INV with 5+ 5
3INV with 5+ 5
3INV with (the unbalanced invitations with shortage and with singleton top honours go through here)
Passto play
3INV+ with shortage → 4 is Exclusion Blackwood
3exactly INV, with shortage
3mild slam try with shortage → 4 is Exclusion Blackwood
3NTmild slam try with shortage → 4 is Exclusion Blackwood
444self-splinter with a void, not Exclusion Blackwood
23 cards in , then 2 – relay, and anything else agrees with a cue-bid
  • 2NT35m332
  • 32344 MIN
  • 32344 MAX
23244
2NT3235 or 2245 (5 without 3 cards in )
33253 or 2254 (5 without 3 cards in )
333(43)
Passto play
2INV with 54+
2INV with 5+ without 4
2NTbalanced INV
3INV with (5)6+ 4
3INV with (5)6+ 4
3INV with 64
3INV with 6+
3NT5332, pick a game
Passto play
3INV+ with shortage → 4 is Exclusion Blackwood
3INV+ with shortage → 4 is Exclusion Blackwood
3exactly INV, with shortage
3NTmild slam try with shortage → 4 is Exclusion Blackwood
444self-splinter with a void, not Exclusion Blackwood

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