A system of rebidding after a 2 No Trump response to a Weak Two Opening by partner devised by Mr. Harold A. Ogust.
In the United Kingdom, the 2 No Trump response to a Weak Two Opening by partner is known as Blue Club Responses.
The illustration below with the included explanations should clarify the original concept of Mr. Harald Ogust.
| South | North | |||||||||||||||||
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| South is Dealer. South has 7HCPs. East and West are vulnerable. South does not know how strong his partner is. South could jeopardize his partner's holding. South could preempt and obstruct the bidding auction of the opponents. South could inform his partner of his length and approximate strength. South bids 2  . |
North has 13HCPs. North knows South's distribution, 2-6-2-3. North knows they have 9 trumps in Hearts. North would like to reach a better contract. North would like to know more about South's strength and quality of his suit. North bids 2 No Trump. |
The Ogust System allows the responder to bid 2 No Trump, a forcing bid, to allow opener, by a system of Relay Bids, to describe his hand more precisely. Using these step-by-step bids, both North and South can find a better contract. The following responses are those responses as indicated in the original version by Mr. Harald Ogust. Several variations on this concept are listed below.
These Relay Bids are:
|
3
 |
weak hand, weak suit | |
|
3
 |
good hand, weak suit | |
|
3
|
weak hand, good suit | |
|
3
 |
good hand, good suit |
Additional Variations: Within the bridge community, as is the case with many bridge conventions and concepts, some partnerships have agreed to simply reverse the definitions of the 3 Diamonds and 3 Hearts bids. But, whichever agreement you use, please include it in your partnership agreement The more modern treatment, as mentioned, is that the partnership understanding reverses the original meanings assigned by Mr. Harald Ogust to the red suits. This more modern treatment is described below. The adjective to describe the relation of the hand to the suit has also been changed and perhaps clarifies the significance of the interpretation better for the purpose of communication. We have included these adjectives in the more modern or accepted version.
These Relay Bids are:
|
3
|
minimum strength, poor suit | |
|
3
|
minimum strength, good suit | |
|
3
|
maximum strength, poor suit | |
|
3
|
maximum strength, good suit | |
|
3 NT
|
signifies a solid suit |
Another variation follows and has been dubbed September or New Ogust. Only the responses and the significances of the rebids are given. This variation applies mainly the method of Losing Trick Count.
|
3
|
9 plus losers | |
|
3
|
8 losers and bad hand | |
|
3
|
8 losers and normal to good hand | |
|
3
|
7 losers maximum or less |
In connection with this variation, the bridge player, Mr. Jeff Goldsmith, who devised it, refined this variation to certain bidding sequences, such as the following where the Weak Two Bid begins only with an opening of 2 Hearts. The entire auction is given to clarify the bidding sequence:
| 2 |
2 NT | Meaning | |
| 3 |
shows an 8 loser and a normal to good holding | ||
| 3 |
A forcing Relay for additional information | ||
| 3 |
Shows a poor Heart suit and | ||
| 3 |
Shows a good Heart suit |
However, if the first response of the Weak Two bidder is not 3 Clubs, then the bidding sequence indicates the following:
| 2 |
2 NT | Meaning | |
| 3 |
shows an 8 loser and a poor holding | ||
| 3 |
shows a 9 plus loser holding | ||
| 3 |
shows 7 losers or better |
A similar structure for a Weak Two opening in the Spade suit could be devised, but that would be a partnership agreement with this particular variation.
Another variation takes advantange of showing the number of honors held by the Weak Two bidder, as proposed by Mr. Ron Klinger of Australia. The following chart indicates the number held:
|
2
/ |
2 NT
|
Meaning | |
|
3
|
promises 1 honor | ||
|
3
|
promises 2 honors | ||
|
2
|
2 NT
|
||
| 3 |
promises one honor | ||
| 3 |
promises 2 honors | ||
| 3 NT | promises 3 honors |
Another variation of the responses, and by partnership agreement is that the Weak Two bidder indicate the number of honors held. This variation has several similarities with the variation of Mr. Ron Klinger. The following chart indicates the number of honors suggested as guidelines. The added feature is that all rebids by the Ogust bidder then become natural bids. This is more or less the suggested responses addressed by the SAYC and considered to be a Common Optional Convention.
|
3
|
Bad hand, one of the top three honors in the preempt suit | |
|
3
|
Bad hand, two of the top three honors in the preempt suit | |
|
3
|
Good hand, one of the top three honors in the preempt suit | |
|
3
|
Good hand, two of the top three honors in the preempt suit | |
| 3 NT | Good hand, three of the top three honors in the preempt suit |
Another variation is integrated in the Benji Acol System and shows a less wider range of high card points without indicating the number of honors held in the preempt suit. The following chart outlines the guidelines. It must also be noted that the response of 3 No Trump is not included.
|
3
|
shows 6-8 high card points and a poor suit | |
|
3
|
shows 6-8 high card points and a good suit | |
|
3
|
shows 9-10 high card points and a poor suit | |
|
3
|
shows 9-10 high card points and a good suit |
Another variation is called Feature and is applied by the responder to determine whether the Weak Two bidder is indeed weak or strong and to discover whether the Weak Two bidder has a specified feature in a desired suit. The following guidelines are a suggestion as to the responses and meanings.
1. If the first rebid of the Weak Two bidder is of the Preempted Suit, this shows that his holding contains no feature and that the strength is weak, generally between 5 and 7 high card points.
2. Three of any new suit shows a good hand with the Ace or King in that particular suit.
3. The rebid of 3 No Trump promises all three top honors of the preempted suit.
It must be noted that this variation is indeed only a partnership agreement among some bridge players and is not to be construed as a general partnership understanding.
We would like to specify that any and all variations and modifications to the original Ogust System is a matter of partnership agreement. As with all concepts and ideas, they can be varied to meet the requirements and wishes of the individual partnership.
If the responder has sufficient strength and good distribution, forcing the opener to describe his hand further using the step-by-step Ogust System can permit the responder to reach game, slam or stop in part-score. Using this Ogust System almost guarantees that both partners will find their correct contract and that they will stay out of an unmakable contract. The Ogust System brings order to an otherwise perhaps chaotic bridge bidding sequence. Please remember that a Weak Two Bid can also preempt your own partner, and that a system should be used in order to discover the amount of strength between 5 high card points and 11 high card points, and the quality of that suit of the Weak Two bidder.
Again, the suggestion is made that both partners deal out several practice hands, experiment with the Ogust System, introduce an overcall of an opponent, and decide whether they would like to include the Ogust System as part of their partnership agreement and whether or not a variation and/or modification of the Ogust System would meet the requirements of their agreement better.
Please visit also: http://www.cavendish.demon.co.uk/bridge/weak.two/constrct.htm
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.