KAMIKAZE
NO TRUMP

The Kamikaze No Trump is a bidding system devised by Mr. John Kierein. The concept was to open a holding in First or Second Seat with a total of 9 to 12 high card points. After the ACBL regulated that any No Trump opening with less than 10 high card points could not apply the usual conventions such as Stayman, Mr. John Kierein altered his Kamikaze No Trump opening to show values between 10 and 13 high card points.

Using the Kamikaze No Trump opening, Mr. John Kierein explained that a 2 Hearts opening and a 2 Spade opening in First or Second Seat would promise 9 to 11 high card points and at least a 5-card suit. A 2 Diamonds opening would promise also 9 to 11 high card points and also either a 4-1-1-1 or a 5-4-4-0 distribution. Mr. John Kierein recommended in his bidding system psychic bids in the Third Seat after two consecutive passes.

Many of the responses to a Kamikaze No Trump opening are complex and must be memorized. Following is a list of most of the responses used when the Kamikaze No Trump is a part of the partnership agreement.

The Requirements For Kamikaze No Trump
10-12/13 high card points, at least one Ace or King, but never 3 Aces.
Normal distrubution can be: 4-3-3-3. 4-4-3-2, 5-3-3-2.
With any long Minor suit, the distribution can be: 5-4-2-2 or 6-3-2-2.
With a 5-card Major holding, the range can be as little as 10 to 11 high card points.

The Responses to a Kamikaze No Trump Opening

2

is Puppet Stayman. Choice between: a Diamond sign-off, Major suit interest, or invitational.

2

is Relay Stayman and game-forcing.

2

is to play

2

is to play

2 NT

serve as Transfer bids. Preemptive to higher-ranking suit or shows a void.

3

serve as Transfer bids. Preemptive to higher-ranking suit or shows a void.

3

serve as Transfer bids. Preemptive to higher-ranking suit or shows a void.

3

serve as Transfer bids. Preemptive to higher-ranking suit or shows a void.

3

shows 10 HCPs plus in the Minor suits. Preemptive and invitational bids.

3 NT

is to play

4

Gerber

4

a transfer to Hearts. Responder signs off after the Transfer in any suit.

4

is to play and shows game-going values.

4

is to play and shows game-going values.

5

is to play and shows game-going values.

5

is to play and shows game-going values.

4 NT

completely invitational

After a bidding sequence of:

1 NT

2

any rebid by the opener of 2 Hearts or 2 Spades promises a 5-card Major and 10 to 11 high card points. The responder may then sign off by bidding either 2 No Trump, 3 Clubs, or 3 Diamonds. The responder can invite to game by bidding either 3 Hearts or 3 Spades with support for his partner's 5-card Major suit and sufficient values.

After a bidding sequence of:

1 NT

2

any rebid by the opener of 2 Diamonds informs his partner that he does not have a 5-card Major suit. The responder, however, can then invite to game, not force to game, by bidding 3 of any suit, even if that suit is Diamonds, which promises a one-suited holding in that bid suit. The responder can also invite to game, again not forcing, by bidding 2 No Trump showing balanced distribution and borderline values.

If the responder rebids 2 Hearts or 2 Spades, this rebid promises a 4-card suit and 0 to 14 high card points. The No Trump bidder will pass with sufficient length, at least a 4-card length, but it could also be a 3-card suit with ruffing possibilities. If this is not the case, then the opener rebids 2 Spades over 2 Hearts with a 4-card Spade suit and no 4-card Heart suit support. The No Trump opener will rebid 2 No Trump with minimum values, 3 Clubs with maximum values and no 4-card support for either Major suit bid by the responder. The No Trump bidder can raise the responder's Major suit with maximum values and at least a 4-card suit support. The responder then places the contract either by passing or by bidding game with sufficient values. When the bidding process has the following sequence: 1 No Trump - 2 Clubs - 2 Diamonds - 2 Hearts - 2 Spades, a rebid by the responder of 2 No Trump or 3 Spades is only invitational and not forcing.

After a bidding sequence of:

1 NT

2

any 2 Diamonds response is Relay Stayman. Relay Stayman constitutes a game force and is comprised completely of artificial bids. Through this bidding sequence, the responder can discover the exact distribution of the No Trump bidder and the location of his high card strength. All responses below the level of 3 No Trump by the No Trump bidder are designed to communicate this information to the responder. Below are the bidding sequences possible and the significance of the rebids by the opener. This will require concentration from each partner of the partnership and each rebid and response is important in its accuracy, otherwise false information is communicated.

1 NT

2

2

shows

normally 4 or 5 Spades

1 NT

2

2

shows

always 4 or 5 Hearts

1 NT

2

2 NT

shows

a long Club suit

1 NT

2

3

shows

a long Diamond suit

1 NT

2

3

shows

a long Diamond suit and 3-3 in the Major suits

1 NT

2

3

shows

3-2-4-4 distribution

1 NT

2

3

shows

2-3-4-4 distribution

1 NT

2

3 NT

shows

4-4-2-3 or 4-4-2-3 distribution

Below are the rebids by the opener after a 2 Hearts rebid:

1 NT

2

2

2

2 NT

Relays

Rebids

shows

4-2 distribution in the Major suits

1 NT

2

2

2

3

3

shows

2 Clubs

1 NT

2

2

2

 

 

3

shows

3 Clubs

1 NT

2

2

2

 

 

3

shows

4 Clubs

1 NT

2

2

2

 

 

3 NT

shows

5 Clubs

1 NT

2

2

2

 

 

3

shows

4-3 distribution in the Major suits

1 NT

2

2

2

 

3

3

shows

2 Clubs

1 NT

2

2

2

 

 

3

shows

3 Clubs

1 NT

2

2

2

 

 

3 NT

shows

4 Clubs

1 NT

2

2

2

 

 

3

shows

5-3 distribution in the Major suits

1 NT

2

2

2

 

3

3

shows

2 Clubs

1 NT

2

2

2

 

 

3 NT

shows

3 Clubs

1 NT

2

2

2

 

 

3

shows

2-4-5-2 distribution

1 NT

2

2

2

 

 

3

shows

2-4-4-3 distribution

1 NT

2

2

2

 

 

3 NT

shows

5-2-3-3 distribution

Below are the rebids by the opener after a 2 Spades rebid:

1 NT

2

2

2 NT

3

Relays

Rebids

shows

3-4 distribution in the Major suits

1 NT

2

2

2 NT

3

3

shows

2 Clubs

1 NT

2

2

2 NT

 

 

3

shows

3 Clubs

1 NT

2

2

2 NT

 

 

3 NT

shows

4 Clubs

1 NT

2

2

2 NT

 

 

3

shows

3-5 distribution in the Major suits

1 NT

2

2

2 NT

 

3

3

shows

2 Clubs

1 NT

2

2

2 NT

 

3 NT

shows

3 Clubs

1 NT

2

2

2 NT

 

 

3

shows

2-4-3-4 distribution

1 NT

2

2

2 NT

 

 

3

shows

2-4-2-5 distribution

1 NT

2

2

2 NT

 

 

3 NT

shows

2-5-3-3 distribution

Below are the rebids by the opener after a 2 No Trump rebid:

1 NT

2

2 NT

3

3

Relays

Rebids

shows

3-3 distribution in the Major suits

1 NT

2

2 NT

 

3

3

shows

4 Clubs

1 NT

2

2 NT

 

 

 

3 NT

shows

5 Clubs

1 NT

2

2 NT

 

 

 

3

shows

3-2 distribution in the Major suits

1 NT

2

2 NT

 

 

 

3

shows

2-3 distribution in the Major suits

1 NT

2

2 NT

 

 

3 NT

shows

2-2 distribution in the Major suits

Below are the rebids by the opener after a 3 Clubs rebid:

1 NT

2

3

3

3

shows

3-2 distribution in the Major suits

1 NT

2

3

 

3

shows

2-3 distribution in the Major suits

1 NT

2

3

 

3 NT

shows

2-2 distribution in the Major suits

Below are the rebids by the opener after a 3 Diamonds rebid:

1 NT

2

3

3

3

shows

2 Clubs

1 NT

2

3

3

3 NT

shows

3 Clubs

The difficulty in the Relay Stayman bidding sequence is that there is a fundamental difference in the various auctions available, and the inherent problem of remembering the rebids and responses communicating the different distributions. There are normal situations where there is no question regarding the minimum and maximum values and the inferred distribution. However, some bidding sequences can become more difficult to visualize if the partners are not acquainted with them. In general, the first response promises a 4-card Major in the other Major suit or simply a transfer to a long Minor suit. Using this concept, the second response generally shows the distribution held in the Major suits, and the third response is generally describing length in the Minor suits.

As with all bidding sequences, there are exceptions, and it is no different with the Kamikaze No Trump rebids and responses. One exception deals with the distribution of a holding with a shape of 2-4-x-x. This exception is covered by rebids and responses which are not included in the above diagrams, and are communicated through the bidding sequences listed below to describe the exact holding.

2

3

shows

2-4-5-2 distribution

2

3

shows

2-4-4-3 distribution

2

3

shows

2-4-3-4 distribution

2

3

shows

2-4-2-5 distribution

This exception has been the cause of some ambiguity and may cause the Major suit Relays to become more complex than normal. Only through a strong partnership agreement can this complexity be overcome, and by listening during the bidding sequence to what not has been bid. Sometimes the distribution can be deduced by what not has been bid, and therefore through inference.

During the bidding sequence, the responder may decide to break away from the Relay sequence, which means that this partner may no longer be interested in the exact distribution of the No Trump bidder's holding. The responder may possibly make a so-called non-game bid. Or the responder may make a so-called non-game bid of 4 Clubs once the distributional Relay sequence has been completed. These break-away bids then become Key Card Asking Bids, and the break-away bid becomes established as the Key Card suit.

The responses to such Key Card Asking Bids are:

First Step

shows

No Key Cards and no Queeen

Second Step

shows

No Key Card with a Queen

Third Step

shows

1 Key Card and no Queen

Fourth Step

shows

1 Key Card with a Queen

Fifth Step

shows

2 Key Cards and no Queen

Sixth Step

shows

2 Key Cards with a Queen

Seventh Step

shows

3 Key Cards and no Queen

Continuing the bidding sequence in the Key Card Asking Bids, outside Kings and Queens may be shown:

First Step

shows

No King or Queen

Second Step

shows

1 Queen

Third Step

shows

1 King

Fourth Step

shows

1 King and 1 Queen

The responder may continue to apply the Key Card Asking Bids through the bidding of new suits not already mentioned. However, after such information regarding the number of Key Cards has been communicated, the responder will generally sign off by bidding the established suit as trump as the final contract, by bidding the lowest level of No Trump, by jump-bidding in a suit as the final contract, or even bidding on the Six Level or higher, thereby establishing the final contract. Any rebid of 4 No Trump or 5 No Trump are completely invitational.

Once the distributional Relay sequence has been completed, it may be important for the responder to discover the number of honors held by the No Trump bidder. This is initiated with a bid of 4 Clubs, but it is important to remember that there may have been no interference from the opponents thus far in the auction. Depending on the amount of bidding space consumed by the bidding process and if the bidding auction has not exceeded 4 Clubs, the No Trump bidder can show the number of Aces, Kings, and even Queens in his holding. The bidding space may be lost when asking for the number of Aces and Kings, and not allow the possibility to ask for the number of Queens. If this becomes the situation, then the responder simply signs off with his next bid, and this becomes the final contract. In the following diagram showing the responses for the number of Aces, Kings, and Queens, it is important to remember that several bids are reserved for Relay Bids in the general auction, and although these Relay Bids might under circumstances become ambiguous, it is important for the partnership to agree beforehand as to the interpretation of such bids after the Asking Bid of 4 Clubs has been initiated. This holds true for any and all Relay Bids which may otherwise become idle bids during the general auction. In the following diagram, the responses to a particular bidding sequence, after a Relay Bid has been executed, are given accordingly, rather than separately. The Relay Bids are the most important portal to the subsequent bidding sequence.

Asking Bid 4 Clubs and Responses

4

 

Asking Bid

4

4

shows

1 Ace or 1 King

4

4

4

Relay Bid

4

4

may be

Relay Bid

4

4

shows

1 King and 2 Queens

4

4 NT

shows

1 Ace/1 Qeeen or 1 Ace/2 Queens

4

5

is a

Relay Bid

4

5

shows

1 Ace and 1 Queen

4

5

shows

1 Ace and 2 Queens

4

5

shows

1 King and 3 Queens

4

5

shows

1 Ace and 3 Queens

4

5

shows

1 King and 4 Queens

4

5

shows

1 Ace and 4 Queens

4

 

Asking Bid

4

4

shows

2 Kings

4

4

4

Relay Bid

4

4 NT

shows

No Queens

4

5

shows

1 Queen

4

5

shows

1 Queen

4

5

shows

2 Queens

4

4

shows

1 Ace and 1 King

4

4

5

Relay Bid

4

5

shows

No Queen

4

5

shows

1 Queen

4

5

shows

2 Queens

4

4 NT

shows

2 Aces

4

4 NT

5

Relay Bid

4

5

shows

No Queen

4

5

shows

1 Queen

4

5

shows

2 Queens

4

4 NT

shows

2 Aces

4

4 NT

5

Relay Bid

4

5

shows

No Queen

4

5

shows

1 Queen

4

5

shows

2 Queens

4

5

shows

3 Kings

4

5

5

Relay Bid

4

5

shows