AUGUST
TWO DIAMONDS
The August Two Diamond conventional treatment is a variation of the Two-Way Stayman bid after an opening or overcall of 1 No Trump by partner. The bid by the responder of 2 Diamonds is not forcing to game, but the 1 No Trump bidder is required to bid the longer Major suit. This convention is quite similar to the Murray Two Diamonds convention but differs in the holding of the responder. The August 2 Diamonds convention is designed to show a weak holding of a 4-card Major suit and a 5-card Minor suit.
If the No Trump bidder has equal length in both Major suits, then the No Trump bidder is expected to bid up the line, meaning Hearts first. The No Trump bidder does not promise to have a 4-card Major suit, if the No Trump bidder is required to bid his longer Major suit.
| Opener | Responder | ||||||||||||||||
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| 1 NT | 2  |
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2  |
3  |
Any new suit rebid by the responder is considered a sign-off. The opener is not required to bid again. Therefore, any rebid of another suit by the responder is not forcing, not for one round and not to game.
A 2 Clubs bid by the responder is the normal Stayman convention. However, with the application of the normal Stayman convention, new suit bids are forcing and a 3 Clubs rebid shows a weak two-suited Minor holding, which the No Trump bidder can pass.
We can not say how the August Two Diamond conventional bid got started. If anyone can share the history of the August Two Diamond bid with us, we would like to give the originator the credit. If you wish to make the August Two Diamond bid a part of your Partnership Agreement, we urge you to practice the method in advance, become completely acquainted with it, establish it as part of your Partnership Agreement. The second step is to make your bridge opponents at the table aware of the fact that you are using the August Two Diamond bid by entering it on you Convention Chart in the appropriate place.
If you wish to include this feature, or any other feature, of the game of bridge in your partnership agreement, then please make certain that the concept is understood by both partners. Be aware whether or not the feature is alertable or not and whether an announcement should or must be made. Check with the governing body and/or the bridge district and/or the bridge unit prior to the game to establish the guidelines applied. Please include the particular feature on your convention card in order that your opponents are also aware of this feature during the bidding process, since this information must be made known to them according to the Laws of Duplicate Contract Bridge. We do not always include the procedure regarding Alerts and/or Announcements, since these regulations are changed and revised during time by the governing body. It is our intention only to present the information as concisely and as accurately as possible.