Double Club System

Examples of Auctions Starting With a Raise of Opener's 1 Opening Bid

What has Opener shown?

Opener has either an unbalanced hand of 11+ hcp with no suit longer than clubs or a balanced hand with 17+ hcp.

In all of these examples we will deal with the situation where opener is unbalanced. To see some example auctions where opener is strong and balanced and responder raises clubs, see Opener Balanced — Responder Raises Clubs.

Strategy for Responder

If responder has a 4-card or longer club suit and 8+ hcp, and does not have a 4-card major suit, it is right for responder to raise clubs immediately. This is true even if responder has a longer diamond suit.

Note that responder has no pre-emptive club raise available, since opener's 1 does not promise clubs.

Examples

Example 1

	A Q 9 7
	J 10 7 3
	3
	A J 8 4

West
1

East
2

1
end

	4 3
	K Q 5
	K 8 5 4
	Q 9 6 3

Notes - 1:	Responder's raise shows 8-11 hcp, or sometimes 14+ hcp. Opener assumes 8-11 hcp until responder shows otherwise.
2:	Opener's rebid of 3♣ shows a light or minimum opening bid, with no interest in game opposite 8-11 hcp.

Responder would not raise clubs if he had a 4-card major (he would bid 1♦ if not able to bid the major suit immediately), so opener has no fears of missing a 4-4 major suit fit when he signs off in 3♣. In fact, as we will see below, if opener were to rebid a major suit here he would be showing a stopper, not a suit, and a hand worth a game try opposite 8-11 hcp.

Example 2

	A Q 9 7
	J 10 7 3
	3
	A J 8 4

West
1

2
3NT 4

East
2

1
3

3
end

	4 3
	K Q 5
	A K Q 4
	Q 9 6 3

Notes - 1:	Responder's raise shows 8-11 hcp, or sometimes (as in this case) 14+ hcp.
2:	Opener's rebid of 3♣ shows a light or minimum opening bid, with no interest in game opposite 8-11 hcp.
3:	Responder's continuation over opener's sign-off promises 14+ hcp and shows a stopper.
4:	Since opener has stoppers in both of the other suits, he must bid 3NT.

Because opener has indicated insufficient values for game opposite 8-11 hcp, responder knows that he cannot have as many as 15 hcp. Therefore we are short of slam values and there is no need to continue beyond 3NT. Responder checks that all suits are stopped and, when he finds that they are, he knows that 3NT will be a playable contract.

Example 3

	A Q J 7
	3
	J 7 3
	A K J 8 4

West
1

2
end

East
2

1
3NT 3

	4 3
	K Q 5
	K 8 5 4
	Q 9 6 3

Notes - 1:	Responder's raise shows 8-11 hcp, or sometimes 14+ hcp.
2:	Opener's rebid of 2♠ shows a stopper, not necessarily a genuine suit, and enough values to invite game opposite 8-11 hcp (i.e. 15+ hcp).
3:	Responder, with 10+ hcp, can accept the game invitation and has the other two suits stopped, so he must bid 3NT. If responder were to bid 3♦ then opener would assume that hearts were unstopped and retreat to 4♣, missing 3NT.

Because opener has sufficient values to invite game opposite responder's assumed 8-11 hcp, he is obliged to make a game try. Failure to make a game try would deny as many as 15 hcp.

Example 4

	A Q J 7
	3
	J 7 3
	A K J 8 4

West
1

2
4

4
4

6
end

East
2

1
3

3
4

5
6

	4 3
	K Q 5
	A K Q 4
	Q 9 6 3

Notes - 1:	Responder's raise shows 8-11 hcp, or sometimes (as in this case) 14+ hcp.
2:	Opener's rebid of 2♠ shows a stopper, not necessarily a genuine suit, and enough values to invite game opposite 8-11 hcp (i.e. 15+ hcp).
3:	When responder bids beyond 3♣ he shows a stopper and accepts the game invitation (i.e. he has 10+ hcp).
4:	Opener has already denied a heart stopper and has no half stopper, so cannot bid 3NT. Responder can pass 4♣ if he has no extra values.
5:	Responder wasn't looking for 3NT, he is looking for a slam. He now bids 4♦ as RKB.
6:	Opener's 2-step answer shows 3 key cards.

Responder, with 16 hcp opposite opener's known 15+ hcp, can see that we are in the slam zone. In fact, a grand slam is possible if opener has all of the other four keycards.

These hands do not fit particularly well, but the slam is a good one. It makes if the ♥A or the ♠K is onside. In pairs you might bid 6NT (knowing of 33+ hcp), but that contract cannot be made in the case where the spade finesse is wrong, even if North has ♥A (unless you get a non-spade lead and then North mistakenly plays ♥A on the first round).
Note: When a minor suit has been agreed as trumps, the next higher suit at the four level (4♦ here) is Roman Keycard Blackwood. It is obviously impossible to use 4NT because (a) it is frequently too high a level for a minor-suit ask; and (b) 4NT is often required as a sign-off contract when slam is found not to be playable.

Example 5

	A Q 9 7
	3
	J 7 3
	A K J 8 4

West
1

2
end

East
2

1
3

	K 3
	8 7 5
	A 9 5 4
	Q 9 6 3

Notes - 1:	Responder's raise shows 8-11 hcp, or sometimes 14+ hcp.
2:	Opener's rebid of 2♠ shows a stopper, not necessarily a genuine suit, and enough values to invite game opposite 8-11 hcp (i.e. 15+ hcp).
3:	Responder is not allowed to bid beyond 3♣ when he has a minimum (i.e. when he has only 8-9 hcp).

Since opener has only enough to invite game and the invitation has been refused, he passes and plays in a safe part score.

Example 6

	A Q 9 7
	3
	K J 7
	A K J 8 4

West
1

2
3

4
5

East
2

1
2

3
4

5
end

	K 3
	8 7 5
	A 9 5 4
	Q 9 6 3

Notes - 1:	Responder's raise shows 8-11 hcp, or sometimes 14+ hcp.
2:	Opener's rebid in a new suit shows his cheapest stopper, not necessarily a genuine suit, and shows enough values to invite game opposite responder's 8-11 hcp (i.e. opener promises 15+ hcp).
3:	Responder likewise shows his cheapest stopper.
4:	Opener's failure to bid NT shows interest only in a club contract. He wants to know whether responder is maximum or minimum.
5:	Responder is minimum. He would cue bid with a maximum (10-11 hcp or 14+ hcp).
6:	Opener would have bid 6♣ opposite a maximum.

Opener can see that there are no wasted values in hearts, so the club game is probably cold. If responder had a maximum (add the ♦Q) then the small slam would be good, which is why opener set out to discover whether responder is minimum or maximum. Opener is dealing with a "30 point deck", meaning that all our side's values are in three suits. With 27 hcp in the three suits there is a good chance of losing a further trick along with the certain heart loser. But if we were to have 28 hcp or more out of the 30 hcp in the three suits, there would a good chance of not losing any tricks in these suits.

Note that in assessing whether he has a minimum or a maximum, responder should not count any points for court cards in a suit in which he has denied a stopper. If responder had the ♥Q or ♥J, then he should discount it, having denied a heart stopper.

Example 7

	Q 9
	A J 9 7
	J 3
	A K J 8 4

West
1

2
end

East
2

1
3

	8 7 5
	K 3
	A 9 5 4
	Q 9 6 3

Notes - 1:	Responder's raise shows 8-11 hcp, or sometimes 14+ hcp.
2:	Opener's rebid in a new suit shows his cheapest stopper, not necessarily a genuine suit, and shows enough values to invite game opposite 8-11 hcp (i.e. 15+ hcp).
3:	Responder has no spade stopper and cannot show his diamond stopper because he is not allowed to bid beyond 3♣ when he has a minimum (i.e. when he has only 8-9 hcp).

Opener can see that there are not enough points for game, not to mention the unsatisfactory stopper situation. We have safely baled out into a good part score contract.

Example 8

	A Q 9 7
	3
	Q 7 3
	A K J 8 4

West
1

2
end

East
3

1
3NT 3

	4 3
	K Q 5
	A J 9 4
	Q 9 6 3

Notes - 1:	Responder's jump raise shows 12-13 hcp and is non-forcing. Opener can pass if light or minimum.
2:	Opener shows a stopper and at least 13 hcp.
3:	Responder can bid a straightforward 3NT.

When responder has club support and 12-13 hcp he has a choice of bidding either 2NT or 3♣. He should choose 3♣ unless having a particularly suitable hand for declaring 3NT, should that be the final contract. In either case the auction can end in 3♣ when opener is light or minimum.

Example 9

	J 9
	A J 9 7
	8 3
	A K J 8 4

West
1

2
4

East
3

1
3

3
end

	4 3
	K Q 5
	A J 9 4
	Q 9 6 3

Notes - 1:	Responder's jump raise shows 12-13 hcp and is non-forcing. Opener can pass if light or minimum.
2:	Opener shows a heart stopper (and denies a diamond stopper) and at least 13 hcp.
3:	Responder would bid 3NT with a spade stopper, so this is clearly asking if opener has a spade stopper.
4:	Opener lacks a spade stopper and sees only part-score values.

Opener can see that his ♠J is wasted, so the maximum total of working high card points is 27, not enough for game. Playing in 4♣ should be a good result. If opener had ♦K or ♦Q in addition then he would jump to 5♣.

Example 10

	A Q 9 7
	J 10 7 3
	3
	A J 8 4

West
1

East
2NT 1
end

	K J
	Q 5 2
	A 9 5 4
	Q 9 6 3

Notes - 1:	Responder's 2NT shows club support and 12-13 hcp, and a hand suitable to declare a 3NT contract.
2:	Opener is light or minimum, so corrects to 3♣ which responder must pass.

Example 11

	A 7
	J 3
	J 10 3
	A J 10 8 5 4

West
1

3NT 2

East
2NT 1
end

	K J
	Q 5 2
	A 9 5 4
	Q 9 6 3

Notes - 1:	Responder's 2NT shows club support and 12-13 hcp, and a hand suitable to declare a 3NT contract.
2:	It is clear for opener to bid 3NT. He has no fears about an unstopped suit when responder has bid 2NT.

Author: Chris Burton
Gravesend Bridge Club