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M J Bridge

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Beginner and above

Twenty three or more points


This page assumes that your agreed range for an opening bid of 2NT is twenty to twenty two points.


On those rare occasions when you have a balanced hand of twenty three or more points you will have to use one or more artificial and forcing bids to set up the situation.  Usually these will be one or two of ‘a strong artificial 2’, ‘a strong artificial 2’, and ‘a multi-2’.


A typical agreement when playing a ‘one strong bid’ system would be that responder will usually relay with 2 following which a rebid of 2NT promises a balanced hand of 23 or 24 points, a rebid of 3NT promises 25 or 26 points, and so on in two point steps.

A K 8 6 4

A K 7

K Q 3

A 4

Twenty three points in a balanced hand.

Open 2 (artificial and forcing).

Partner will usually respond 2 (artificial and forcing) after which you will show 23 or 24 points with a rebid of 2NT.

Post intermediate and above

Kokish relay


An interesting variant on the above is to rebid an artificial and forcing 2 to show either a strong hand with hearts or a no trump hand of twenty five or more points.

This trick removes the need to rebid a natural 3NT and thereby keeps open all the usual transfer and Stayman options.

It is possible to give the immediate 3NT rebid some alternative specific and strong meaning such as two-suited in the minors.


This method is discussed further in the section on opener’s rebid.

This page last revised 20th Feb 2018

A K 8 6 4

A K 7

K Q 3

A Q

Twenty five points in a balanced hand.

Open 2 (artificial and forcing).  Partner will usually respond 2 (artificial and forcing) and you will rebid 2 (Kokish).

Partner will then usually relay with 2 after which your bid of 2NT will show 25+ (forcing) and keep open the possibility of Stayman, transfers, etc..

Context  -  Opening balanced hands.