LITTLE KNOWN
BRIDGE CONVENTIONSThroughout the history of bridge, there have been many conventional methods of handling certain card combinations, distribution of length, and two-suited holdings. The popularity of such conventional methods have been discussed, analyzed and scrutinized by the bridge playing public. It was this bridge playing public which offered acceptance of each and every conventional method published. The bridge playing community was the first critic and last judge as to whether a conventional method was acceptable and accepted.
We would like to offer on this page a list of those conventional methods which did not quite make the Top Ten List of conventional methods used by the bridge player, but which continue to be used by several bridge players. We do not believe that these conventional methods should be completely discarded and forgotten on the shelf collecting dust.
Some have a place at the bridge table owing to their merit, but, as always, the bridge player must decide for himself whether any of the following conventional methods can and should be adopted. If so, then please make your opponents at the bridge table aware that you are using it or them.
Albarran - This treatment and/or convention is used only after a 2 Clubs opening by the responder. The origin is unknown. Fundamentally, the Albarran convention is Ace Showing, providing information to the 2 Club bidder before he/she has a chance to define and describe his/her holder.
Albert Two Clubs - The Albert Two Clubs bid is an artificial and Forcing Opening in First, Second, Third or Fourth Seat, and is forcing to game.
August Two Diamonds - The August 2 Diamonds conventional treatment is a variation of the Two-Way Stayman bid after an opening or overcall of 1 No Trump by partner.
Bernier System - This bidding system was devised by Mr. Jerry Bernier and Mr. Mike Schmenk in the 1960s, and is also known as the Bernier Big Club.
Beta - In the early stages of developing the game of bridge, a need arose for opening a weak Club, mainly to obstruct the bidding of the opponents. However, the concept grew and evolved to employ other opening bids to reflect a certain distribution of the holding and the strength of the holding. Thus was Beta born, devised by Mr. Pierre Collet of France around 1969. The concept is to inform the partner as quickly as possible the structure of the opening hand.
Biedermeijer - A conventional treatment for opening the bidding process used in The Netherlands.
Biedemeijer Blue - In Dutch
Biedermeijer Green - In Dutch
Biedermeijer Green - In English. This web page has been translated by Mr. Mike Deloof, who lives in Belgium. He was so kind as to send us this translation and the information. We owe him a debt of gratitutde for his assistance.
Biedermeijer Red - In Dutch
Bromad - The initials stand for Bergen Raise Of Major After Double, and as the name indicates this conventional treatment uses a 2 Club bid to show a certain support length and support count as opposed to a Direct Raise.
Byzantine Blackwood - Ever since Mr. Easley Blackwood created his concept of Ace-Asking for slam attempts, several variations on this theme have popped up. One of those variations is a complex variation devised by Mr. J.C.H. Marx of Great Britain. The responder responds to 4 No Trump in a similar style to Roman Blackwood, in that a Key Suit King is shown instead of one of the Aces.
CAB - A bidding system used in England during the Fifties which enjoyed some popularity.
Cambridge Standard Opening Bids
A chart showing the significance of opening bids used by several bridge partnerships, especially in England.Carrot Club
This is the English version of the Carrotski Club. Included is Interference After a Two-Way Club Opening and responses after a 1 No Trump opening. A forcing club system devised 1988 by Mr. Hans Göthe, Mr. Sven-Olov Flodqvist, Mr. Per Olof Sundelin, Mr. Tommy Gullberg, Mr. Anders Morath and Mr. Sven-Åke Bjerregård of Sweden.Clement-Oliver Opening Bids
A partnership understanding for opening bids as devised by Mr. Bruce Clement and Mrs. Pam Oliver of Wellington, New Zealand.Cobra
Computer Oriented Bridge Analysis is the result of feeding a computer certain elements of the evaluation and distributional factors of card combinations by Mr. E.T. Lindelof.Dutch Acol
A variation of the ACOL bidding system used by bridge partnerships in The Netherlands.Flint Three Clubs - The Flint Three Club convention allows the partnership to stop in a 3 Diamonds contract, or three of a Major suit after a 2 No Trump opening. A 3 Club response forces the opener to bid 3 Diamonds, after which the responder then passes or signs off in a Major suit.
Flint Two Diamonds - A second modification of the Flint convention is the Flint Two Diamond Convention, and is used to investigate game in a No Trump contract or a Minor suit after a Weak No Trump Opening. A 2 Diamonds response shows either a hand with a solid Minor suit or an unbalanced hand with at least four cards in each Minor suit.
Gardener No Trump Overcall - Devised by Mr. Nico Gardener, London. As a defense mechanism, a 1 No Trump overcall can be very effective. It is definitely obstructive. However, the Gardener No Trump overcall has two interpretations.
Halsall - A bidding treatment to show a two-suited hand over a preempt, generally on the Three Level.
Inverted Psycho Suction - A defense mechanism after a No Trump opening, devised by Mr. Thomas Andrews.
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.
Kantar-Kleinman Slam Force - Mr. Eddie Kantar and Mr. Danny Kleinman, during their play as bridge champions, devised separately a method of reaching slam. Since their method reached the bridge community about the same time, this method became known as the Kantar-Kleinman Slam Force.
Liberty Double - The Liberty defense mechanism versus the Multi offensive mechanism is used when the opponents opening bid has multiple weak possibilities with no known suit. This defense mechanism is designed to increase the possibility of penalties while also providing, at the same time, some blocking bids. The main feature is the Liberty Double made directly over the Multi bid.
MamiC
The concept of the MamiC Opening Bid system was devised by Mr. Richard Lighton of New Jersey around 1990. The concept is based on the Major-Minor-Canape opening bidding system.Mock Swedish
This is a opening bidding system devised in 1993 by Mr. Richard Lighton of New Jersey, who was fascinated by the Muppet Show created by Mr. Jim Henson.Monaco Bidding System - The Monaco system was the original Relay System. It was devised by Mr. Pierre Ghestem of France, and used with Mr. Rene Bacherich in several World Championship tournaments. The main concept of the Relays some transfers is to bid in such a manner as to make the stronger hand become the declarer in the final contract.
Psycho Suction - A defense mechanism after a No Trump opening, devised by Mr. Thomas Andrews.
Stenberg - The origin of Stenberg is not known, but it is a variation on the Limit Major Raises. Included are the rebids by the opener and several by the responder with the corresponding meanings.
Swedish Jacoby 2 No Trump
This is a variation of the Jacoby 2 No Trump used in Limit Raises. This variation is played in Sweden and has gained some popularity.Tape Relay System - The Tape Relay bidding system was devised by Mr. Donald Evans, and uses a Forcing Pass as an opening bid in any seat, after prior players, opponents or partner, have passed.
The Weak 6-4 Method
This concept was devised as an augmentation to the convention New Minor Forcing. The foundation of the concept is, as a responder, the ability to show a particularly distributional holding of 6-4 and generally weak values.VROOM Defense to 1 No Trump Openings
Mr. Mohamed Abdel Bari summarized and Mr. Scott Bennett Graham contributed this defense to 1 No Trump openings by the opponents.Woodgroves Multi
The Woodgroves Multi convention begins with the opener bidding 2 Diamonds. The holding of the opener can vary according to the partnership understanding and will be clarified during the ensuing auction. The employment of the Woodgroves Multi is to some degree questionable and should be cleared with the governing bridge organization.Woolsey Defense To 1 No Trump - Mr. Christopher R. Woolsey, also known as Kit, devised a method for the defenders to enter the auction after the bidding has begun with an opening 1 No Trump.
If you wish to include these features, 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.