Major Suit Raises

Here is latest version of my Major Suit Raise Structure. The structure is based on Bergen Raises, Garozzo Mini-Splinters, the Martel-Stansby Jacoby 2NT structure and Kokish GameTries. It does do a reasonably good job of combining the best of all these things, though there are still one or two bugs left (mainly in the 1

-2NT and 1

-3

auctions).

The structure assumes a standard, 5 card major framework with a semi-forcing 1 NT response and reasonably strong 2/1 responses. 2/1 as gameforcing is not necessary, but the auction 1

-2

, 2

-3

should be forcing. The system doesn't include strong jump-shifts, so this auction is needed for hands with a good suit and 3⁺ card support for openers major. The structure should be playable with any system for cuebidding and ace-asking.

The order in which short and long side suits are bid may look a bit weird at a first glance. They follow from the Numerical Principle for relay bidding. If you have never heard of that, simply remember that short suits are always shown in the order: Other Major,

and

. Long suits are are always shown in the order:

and the Other Major.

Note that this page only deals with uncontested auctions, where responder is not a passed hand. I have some ideas about the other cases too and I even might put them on this page sometime. One might also want to discuss auctions after the opponents interfere over all these bids.

As usual, suggestions for improvements are welcome, but don't complain if you get a bad result playing these methods.

1 Opening Bid

1 NT: Semi-forcing, can be passed with 11-12, 5

-332 or 5

-4

-22 shape. Includes

6-7, 3 , no ruffing values, bad trumps.
10-12, 3 , 3 card limit raise.

: 6-9, exactly 3

, but note the hands that respond 1 NT.

: Mini or Maxi Splinter, 4 hand types:

8-11, 4 , singleton or void in a side suit. Note: the Mini-Splinter hand is a game-try, opener is free to pass a 3 rebid. If you consider yourself to strong for that, use a normal splinter.
11-14, 4 , singleton .
15⁺, 4 , singleton or void in a side suit.
15-17, 3 , balanced hand. Denies a good side suit.

2 NT: Balanced, forcing raise. Usually 13⁺, 4⁺

, but could be more hcp with only 3 trumps and no good side suit.

: 6-9, 4

: 10-11, 4

, no singleton or void.

: 0-6, 4

: 11-14, 4

, singleton

3 NT: 12-14, 3

, balanced, denies a good side suit.

: 11-14, 4

, singleton

: 7-10, 5

, decent raise to 4

: 0-6, 5

, bad raise to 4

: Natural, to play.

4 NT: Normal Blackwood, for RKCBW bid 2 NT first.

Rebids

1 -2 : 6-9, exactly 3 .

Pass:

: Kokish Game Try, a long suit trial in any suit, asking partner which GT he would have accepted.

2 NT: Accepts a game try in

. Opener now signs of in 3 or 4

, makes a second game-try by bidding the suit or starts to cuebid.

: Accepts a game try in

, but not in

: Accepts a game try in

, but not in

: Rejects all game tries.

: Accepts all game tries.

2 NT: x/-

, Short suit Game Try or better.

: x/-

, Short suit Game Try or better.

: x/-

, Short suit Game Try or better.

: Preemptive, 6 card suit.

: 64 or extremely concentrated 54.

3 NT: 5332, proposal to play.

: 55, slamtry.

: SO

: RKCBW

1 -2 : Mini-splinter

2 NT: Almost obligatory relay.

: 8-11, x/-

. Opener signs off in 3 or 4

or starts to cuebid.

: 8-11, x/-

: 15⁺, x/-

3 NT: 15-17, 3

balanced. Opener signs off in 4

or starts to cuebid.

: 15⁺, x/-

: 11-14, x

: Any hand that would sign-off over 3

. Responder passes with 8-11 or uses the steps from 3

onwards to show the strong hands.

1 -2NT: Balanced, forcing raise.

With a minimum, opener always rebids 3

, with extras he bids 3

or higher:

: Any minimum hand (11-14).

: Relay.

: Any singleton.

: Relay.

3 NT: x/-

: x/-

, void or extra values.

: x

, minimum.

: 6

, no singleton.

3 NT: 5

-4

-22, decent

suit.

: 5

-4

-22, decent

suit.

: 5

-4

-22, decent

suit.

: 5332, 5422 with a bad second suit.

: Asking for a singleton.

: x/-

: No singleton.

: Sign-off.

Other: Cuebid.

: No singleton.

: Relay

: 6

3 NT: 5

-4

-22, decent

suit.

: 5

-4

-22, decent

suit.

: 5

-4

-22, decent

suit.

: 5332.

: x/-

3 NT: x/-

: 5

, headed by 2/3 top honnors or KJT+.

: 5

, headed by 2/3 top honnors or KJT+.

: 4

, headed by 2/3 top honnors or KJT+.

1 -3 : Mixed raise, 6-9, 4 trumps.

: General Game Try, responder bids 3 or 4

: SO

: RKCBW

Other: Cuebid

1 -3 : Limit raise, 10-11, 4 trumps.

: SO

: RKCBW

Other: Cuebid

1 Opening Bid

1 NT: Semi-forcing, can be passed with 11-12, 5

-332. Includes

6-7, 3 , no ruffing values, bad trumps.
10-12, 3 , 3 card limit raise.

: 6-9, exactly 3

, but note the hands that respond 1 NT.

2 NT: Mini-Splinter, 4 hand types:

8-11, 4 , singleton or void in a side suit. Game invitational strenght only, not a gameforce.
11-14, 4 , singleton .
15⁺, 4, singleton or void in a side suit.
15-17, 3, balanced.

: Balanced, forcing raise. Usually 13⁺, 4⁺

, but could be more hcp with only 3 trumps and no good side suit.

: 6-9, 4

: 10-11, 4

, no singleton or void.

: 0-6, 4

3 NT: 12-14, 3

, balanced.

: 11-14, 4

, singleton

: 7-9, 5

, decent raise to 4

: Natural, to play.

: 0-6, 5

, bad raise to 4

4 NT: Normal Blackwood, for RKCBW bid 3

first.

Rebids

1 -2 : 6-9, exactly 3 .

Pass:

2 NT: Kokish Game Try, a long suit trial in any suit, asking partner which GT he would have accepted.

: Accepts a game try in

. Opener now signs of in 3 or 4

, makes a second game-try by bidding the suit or starts to cuebid.

: Accepts a game try in

, but not in

: Accepts a game try in

, but not in

: Rejects all game tries.

: Accepts all game tries.

: x/-

, Short suit Game Try or better.

: x/-

, Short suit Game Try or better.

: x/-

, Short suit Game Try or better.

: Preemptive, 6 card suit.

3 NT: 5332, proposal to play.

: 55, slamtry.

: SO

4 NT: RKCBW

1 -2 NT: Mini-splinter

: Almost obligatory relay.

: 8-11, x/-

. Opener signs off in 3 or 4

or starts to cuebid.

: 8-11, x/-

3 NT: 15-17, 3

balanced. Opener signs off in 4

or starts to cuebid.

: 15⁺, x/-

: 11-14, x

: Any hand that would sign-off over 3

. Responder passes with 8-11 or uses the steps from 3 NT onwards to show the strong hands.

1 -3 : Balanced, forcing raise.

With a minimum, opener always rebids 3

, with extras he bids 3

or higher:

: Any minimum hand (11-14).

: Relay.

: Any singleton.

3 NT: Relay.

: x/-

, void or extra values.

: x

, minimum.

3 NT: 6

, no singleton.

: 5

-4

-22, decent

suit.

: 5

-4

-22, decent

suit.

: 5

-4

-22, decent

suit.

: 5332, 5422 with a bad second suit.

: Asking for a singleton.

: x/-

: No singleton.

: Sign-off.

Other: Cuebid.

: No singleton.

: Relay

3 NT: 6

: 5

-4

-22, decent

suit.

: 5

-4

-22, decent

suit.

: 5

-4

-22, decent

suit.

: 5332.

: x/-

3 NT: x/-

: x/-

: 5

, headed by 2/3 top honnors or KJT+.

: 5

, headed by 2/3 top honnors or KJT+.

: 5

, headed by 2/3 top honnors or KJT+.

1 -3 : Mixed raise, 6-9, 4 trumps.

: General Game Try, responder bids 3 or 4

: SO

4 NT: RKCBW

Other: Cuebid

1 -3 : Limit raise, 10-11, 4 trumps.

: SO

4 NT: RKCBW

Other: Cuebid

1 -4 :

: Relay

: x/-

Note: this bid is only needed if one likes to play 1

-4

as natural. If not, simply use 4

and 4

as splinters and 4

as the mixed 5 card raise to 4