Montreal Relay

This concept or conventional method arose originally in the bridge community, whereby the partnership could distinguish, via a particular bidding sequence, which, upon employment, would determine whether the responder has a 5-card Major suit.

Note: The designation is also known as The Montreal Relay system, but the inclusion of the word system in the designation is exaggerated since the devised concept constitutes only a conventional approach.

The concept is that only when the opening is 1C and the first response is 1D, then the responder does not hold a 5-card Major suit. The first response of 1D then becomes an artificial bid.

Conversely, if the opening bid is 1C, and the first response is a Major suit, then the responder is promising at least a 5-card Major suit. All continuations in the bidding auction are then generally or even solely based on partnership agreement.

This concept is based on the fact that the opener must bid 1C when holding no 5-card Major suit. This means, as a consequence, that the opener may open a holding with 1D even if the distribution is theoretically 4-4-4-1 or even 4-4-5-0.

After the concept found some popularity, Mr. Eric Kokish developed and devised a continuation of bidding, which is based on this concept. Mr. Eric Kokish published an article in the publication The Bridge World, August, 1974, Volume 45, No. 11, called The Montreal Relay.

The definition of this concept in this particular publication is quoted: ..... an artificial 1Diamond response to leave room for opener to show a four-card major at the one level, usually used in conjunction with major-suit responses to 1Club openings that imply at least five-card length.

Whether or not Mr. Eric Kokish addressed the issue that the opener is required to hold a minimum of at least 2 cards in the Club suit is unknown. This requirement, however, is fundamental so that the responder may have the opportunity to bid 1Diamond in the case that he does not hold a 5-card Major suit.

According to Mr. Eric Kokish this concept was developed mainly for beginning bridge players, who wished to distinguish between being able to show on the one level a 4-card Major suit and a 5-card Major suit when responding to an opening by partner. His published article with the original developed concept, however, became the foundation of several variations.

The rebids by the opener after a 1D first response following a 1C opener are shown below. It is only in this particular bidding sequence that the Montreal Relay method can be employed.

Not all rebids by the opener appear in the published article, but are rather filled in according to the explanations provided in the published article.

Note: if any visitor has the original publication as issued by The Bridge World, we would appreciate any additional information not correctly presented on this web page.

North opens 1Club which denies a 5-card Major and does not have sufficient values or too many values to open No Trump. South responds  1Diamond which denies a 5-card Major suit. Artificial and alertable. The responder promises only sufficient values to respond.

1Club - 1Diamond

Opener's Responses are:

Mr. Eric Kokish subsequently suggested the possible introduction of Splinter bids as a continuation of the bidding auction and any jump rebid by the opener to 3Diamond, 3Heart, or 3Spade is considered to be a Splinter bid showing a singleton or void in the named suit, but this continuation is based solely on partnership agreement.

When using this method of Montreal Relay, an opening in a Major suit always promises at least a 5-card plus suit. If the opening suit is 1D, then the opener is always promising at least a 4-card plus Diamond suit.

Example 1:

North SpadeAJ98 HeartKQ54 DiamondK54 Club75

With a 4-4-3-2 distribution, no 4-card Diamond suit, North must open the auction with 1C. An opening of 1C should be announced with the words: 'could be short'.

Example 2:

North SpadeAJ98 HeartKQ54 Diamond74 Club875

With no 5-card Major suit and no 4-card Diamond suit, North is forced systemically to open the auction with 1C.

South SpadeKQ3 Heart1076 DiamondQJ86 ClubJ92

With no 5-card Major suit the responder is forced systemically to first respond 1D.

With a 5-card Heart or Spade suit, then the responder would first bid either 1H or 1S. If the responder has 5 cards in both Major suits, then the responder bids first the lower-ranking Major suit.

Example 3:

North SpadeAK98 HeartKQ54 Diamond4 ClubAK83

With no 5-card Major suit and no 4-card Diamond suit, North is forced systemically to open the auction with 1C.

South SpadeJ107 Heart1076 DiamondQJ86 ClubJ92

With no 5-card Major suit the responder is forced systemically to first respond 1D. With a 5-card Heart or Spade suit, then the responder would first bid either 1H or 1S. If the responder has 5 cards in both Major suits, then the responder bids first the lower-ranking Major suit.

Now with a jump rebid of 3Diamond the opener is able to show a singleton or void in the Diamond suit via a Splinter bid.

This Splinter bid does not by-pass 3NT, making 3NT a possible contract. The Splinter bid informs partner that values are held for game and should show a minimum of 18 high card points or a total of 4-5 Losing Tricks. A mild slam interest.

To be employed only by previous partnership agreement.

Montreal Relay Revised and updated by Ernie Klimonda

Montreal Relay applies only if you or your partner open 1Club and a 1-level response shows 6-11 HCP. To start with let's assume there is no intervention. The diamond bids are forcing.

If you do not have a 5 card suit and are not opening NT then you must open 1Club

Opener's response after 1Club - (P) - 1Diamond are:

After an intervention Montreal Relay is off except for a 1Diamond intervention where the DBL means a Stolen bid, saying I wanted to bid 1Diamond, having one or both 4-Card Majors.