General Approach
The system uses a strong club with symmetric relays and a transfer-style spade opening. These transfer openings are opened in a strict priority order and may be balanced or based on a longer side suit. Any hand that is too weak for 1C and too strong for a weak action that has four or more spades must open 1D. Any hand of similar strength that lacks four spades but has four or more hearts must open 1H. Any similarly strong unbalanced hand with at least four diamonds and no major suit of four cards will open 1S (this includes long-diamonds hands and unbalanced hands with both minors). The 1NT opening bid shows a balanced hand. The remaining hands are those with at least six clubs and no side suit which open 2C. The other two-level openings may be modified at will.
The unrelenting opening style means that a hand that passed in first or second position is significantly weaker than a hand that passes in these positions using standard methods, and so our requirements for the strong club opening in third and fourth seat are stronger than for first and second seat. The ranges of the other openings in third and fourth positions are also wider, but more judgement may be utilised by the opener in these positions. Transfer-style openings are no longer used - responder cannot have the strength to want to relay to slam, so the reason for using transfer openings no longer applies. The strength requirements for the third and fourth position openings vary slightly across-the-board.
All openings below 2NT have at least one response that is unlimited and which expresses some degree of game interest. This response begins a relay sequence that, if completed, establishes opener's shape and strength, and is always the strongest action available. Other actions are typically natural, limited, and non-forcing, however some range probes, transfer sequences, mini-splinters and fit-showing jumps are used.
In first and second position:
|
1C |
15+ HCP, at least 10 AKQ controls or 9 AKQ controls with extras. |
|
1D |
10-14 HCP 4+S, may be balanced, three-suited or have a longer second suit. |
|
1H |
10-14 HCP 4+H, 0-3S, may be balanced, three-suited or have a longer minor suit. |
|
1S |
10-14 HCP 4+D, 0-3S, 0-3H, unbalanced, may have a longer club suit. |
|
1NT |
11-14 HCP, or 15 HCP and less than 9 AKQ controls balanced, no major suit. |
|
2C |
10-14 HCP 6+C, 0-3S, 0-3H, 0-3D. |
|
2D |
5+D weak, discipline according to vulnerability. |
|
2H |
4+H 4+S, weak, discipline according to vulnerability. |
|
2S |
5+S, weak, discipline according to vulnerability. |
|
2NT |
5+D 5+C, weak, discipline according to vulnerability. |
|
3X |
Normal three-level actions subject to vulnerability and positional concerns. |
|
3NT |
A four-level minor preempt. |
|
4m |
Stronger than the corresponding 4M opening. |
|
4M |
To play. |
In third position:
|
1C |
17+ HCP. |
|
1D |
12-16 HCP 4+D, unbalanced, may have a longer club suit, normally lacking a major suit, but opener may exercise some discretion. |
|
1H |
11-16 HCP 4+H, 0-4S, may be balanced, three-suited or have any length of minor suit. |
|
1S |
10-16 HCP 4+S, may be balanced, three-suited, have 4+ hearts (equal length or shorter than the spade suit) or have any length of minor suit. |
|
1NT |
11-14 HCP balanced, may have a major suit if 4333 or weak suit. |
|
2C |
12-16 HCP 6+C, 0-3S, 0-3H, 0-3D. |
|
2D |
(5)6+D, weak, discipline according to vulnerability. |
|
2H |
4+S 4+H, weak, discipline according to vulnerability. |
|
2S |
5+S, weak, discipline according to vulnerability. |
|
2NT |
5+D 5+C, weak, discipline according to vulnerability. |
|
3X |
Normal three-level actions subject to vulnerability and positional concerns. |
|
3NT |
A four-level minor preempt. |
|
4m |
An ace stronger than the corresponding 4M opening. |
|
4M |
To play. |
In fourth position:
|
1C |
17+ HCP. |
|
1D |
4+D, unbalanced, may have a longer club suit, normally lacking a major suit, but opener may exercise some discretion. |
|
1H |
11-16 HCP 4+H, 0-4S, may be balanced, three-suited or have a longer minor suit. |
|
1S |
10-16 HCP 4+S, may be balanced, three-suited or have a longer second suit. |
|
1NT |
11-14 HCP balanced, may have a major suit if 4333 or weak suit. |
|
2C |
12-16 HCP 6+C, 0-3S, 0-3H, 0-3D. |
|
2D |
13-16 HCP 6D 0-3S 0-3H. |
|
2H |
13-16 HCP 6H 0-3S. |
|
2S |
13-16 HCP 6S 0-3H. |
|
2NT |
13-16 HCP 5+D 5+C. |
|
3X |
13-16 HCP 7+suit. |
|
3NT |
To play. |
|
4m |
13-16 HCP 8+suit. |
|
4M |
To play. |