Other Agreements

1. We do not overcall at the 1 level without 10 HCP (unless the suit is so good it needs to be shown) and do not overcall at the 2 level without an opening hand. We do not raise partner's overcall without 8 support points

2. When they open and we overcall 1NT and LHO doubles we are in trouble.

• redouble by partner says I have a single suited hand and tells the 1NT bidder to bid 2
• a direct bid shows touching suits
• pass forces the 1NT bidder to redouble and now a suit bid shows that suit and another higher suit.

3. When we open 2 and partner bids 2 (no A or K) let's say opener now bids 3 and responder bids 3 showing a 4 card suit. If opener now bids 4NT it is an asking bid asking for the Queen of Hearts. With the Queen of Hearts and no outside Queen responder bids 6 but with the Queen of Hearts and another Queen they show that Queen.

Example:

2	Pass	2	Pass
3	Pass	3	Pass
4NT	Pass	6

Responder's hand J10x Q9xx 98 xxxx

Opener's Hand Void KJxxx AK10xxx AK. This hand happened June 21st 2003

4. When we open 1NT responder cannot bid Garbage Stayman with 5-4 in the majors with the intention of bidding the 5 card major if opener's response is 2. That is because a bid of a major in that sequence is an invitational bid. With the weak 5-4 hand responder just bids the 5 card major to play.

Examples

• 1NT - 2 - 2 - 2/2 shows a 5 card major and invitational values.
• 1NT - 2 - 2 - 2 shows 5 spades and invitational values
• 1NT - 2 - 2 - 3 shows 5 hearts and invitational values.

5. When we open 1 and get a 1 overcall, a double by responder shows at least 4 cards in both majors therefore a direct bid of 1 of a major might only be a 4 card suit

6. When we open in 4th seat or bid in fourth seat after two passes 2/2 shows a 6 card suit and 16 HCP to just under a 2 opener, partner needs to keep this in mind and must raise to 3 with 6-8 HCP and bid game with a good 9

7. When partner opens and opponents double we redouble to tell partner we have at least 10 HCP and the hand is ours and it also implies no fit. If partner has opened a major and we have 10+pts and 4 card support we bid 2NT, but what if we have only 3 card support. We redouble first then support the major.

8. When we open 1 of a minor and RHO doubles we do not bid 1NT without a minimum 8 HCP. We can bid a major at the 1 level with 6 HCP over a double.

9. When partner opens a minor and gets doubled we still play that Jump Shift in the other minor is a Limit Raise.

10. Doubling Opponent's 3NT

1. Leader's bid suit

1	1NT	2	3NT
Dbl*

* partner should lead a diamond

2. Doubler's bid suit,

1	1	Pass	3
Pass	3NT	Pass	Pass
Dbl*

* Lead partner's Club suit

3. Dummy's first bid (or shown) real suit

1	Pass	1	Pass
1NT	Pass	Pass	Dbl*

* No bidding on your side, so Lead dummy's Spade suit

4. If no real suits have been bid, lead your weaker major suit

1NT

Pass

3NT

Dbl*

* Lead your weak, short major

This treatment is fairly standard, also recited at the ACBL website with the following twist: when no suit has been bid, the double shows a solid suit which can take five tricks if the opening leader can find it. Without a clue, the opening leader will tend to lead a short major suit.

Before moving on, let's clarify one point about #3 - leading dummy's first bid (or shown) real suit. What's with the "or shown" wording? Say the auction goes:

1NT	Pass	2	Pass
2	Pass	3NT	Dbl*

* The suit shown, or more correctly, suit implied by responder/dummy was the Heart suit. Thus, partner's double asks for the dummy's Heart suit, not the leader's shortest suit nor the dummy's artificial suit (Clubs).

We Overcall

When you overcall and partner denies support at the 2 level and belatedly doubles opponents' Notrump contract, lead the dummy's first bid suit.

1	1	1	Pass
1NT	Pass	2NT	Pass
3NT	Pass	Pass	Dbl*

* Partner denies support so lead a Spade, dummy's first bid suit

However, when it was not feasible for partner to support your suit at the 2 level (LHO bids above your suit at the 2 level) and RHO balances in Notrump, lead your overcall suit.

1	1	3	Pass
3NT	Pass	Pass	Dbl*

* Partner cannot show 2 level support so lead your suit (Hearts). Partner has useful cards

When partner bids a major and later doubles 3NT, lead your short unbid minor suit, ergo a lead inhibiting double! Partner has a 2 suited hand, looking to promote an honor sequence in the side suit.

1	1	1NT	Pass
2NT	Pass	3NT	Pass
Pass	Dbl*

* Lead a short minor suit

Here's the finale - when all four players have bid a suit and partner subsequently doubles their 3NT contract:

1) lead the dummy's first bid suit if it was at the 1 level,

2) lead partner's suit if the dummy's first bid was at the 2 level.

Memory Aid: Lead dummy's anticipated four card suit

1	1	1	2
2NT	Pass	3NT	Dbl*

* Dummy 1st bid at the 1 level so lead a Spade, dummy's 1st suit

1	1	2	2
2NT	Pass	3NT	Dbl*

* Dummy 1st bid at the 2 level so lead a Diamond, partner's suit