M J Bridge

♦

♠

♥

♣

Bidding

Home

Conventions

Hands

Theory

M J Bridge

♦

♠

♥

♣

Bidding

Home

Conventions

Hands

Theory

Relays and negatives

Relay responses

By far the simplest method (albeit probably not the best) is ‘always relay’.

Quite simply you will make a waiting bid whatever your holding, and then take some suitable action once opener has told you his hand-type.

Usually this relay (waiting) bid will be the next suit up.

Mix and match

Quite a common agreement in club play is to play two strong bids, 2♣ and 2♦.  Typically, 2♣ will be a strong one-round force and 2♦ will be game-forcing.

It is perfectly possible to play relay responses in either case or ‘negatives and positives’ in either case.

A not uncommon agreement is to play relay responses facing the weaker of the two opening bids, but a ‘positive or negative’ response facing the stronger bid.

You may choose to go along with this approach, particularly if that is what your partner is used to.

Personally I have never been quite convinced by the rationale behind this method.  My personal recommendation is that you should play the same method in both situations.

The alternative is to play ‘positives and negatives’ in both situations.

Best (in my opinion) is to play a form of ‘positive’ which is strong and game-forcing (either ‘source of tricks’ or ‘AK positives’) and to bid a ‘non-positive relay’ (negative) otherwise.

Weak two response in the majors

This method is specific to the Benji 2♣ opening bid, or to any other strong but limited forcing bid from opener who has a stronger bid available.

In this situation there is something to be said for playing that a response of 2♥ or 2♠ promises a five-card suit in an extremely weak hand (perhaps a maximum of three points) and is non-forcing.

Occasionally you will locate a better contract than in partner’s suit.

On other occasions you might be able to stop at a delightfully low and safe level.

A variation on the principle for those who play their opening 2♣ as either ‘strong’ or ‘weak in diamonds’ to respond 2♥ or 2♠ as weak twos

on a six-card suit and likely to score better than partner’s reasonably probable weak 2♦.  I don’t like that version of the opening bid, but I do like these responses once you have adopted it.

2NT to show the relay suit

It is not uncommon to come across this bid to show some specified minimum number of points in a more or less balanced hand.

To my mind the logic behind this method is fundamentally flawed.

In particular, if opener has the no trump hand then this will place the play in the wrong hand, and in any case he will define the hand with his next bid after which you will be well-placed to direct the subsequent auction.

If opener holds anything else then he will be at least as interested in a good suit or specific top cards than in your smattering of points.

Either dispense with this bid completely, or use it to show a positive in the relay suit.

Opener’s first bid

Opener’s rebid

This page last revised 6th Jun 2021

Context  -  Responder’s first bid - partner opened an artificial strong two - RHO passed.

‘Always relay’ is my recommended beginner method, and if you choose to stick with it it will serve you well to a high level.

The only argument against the ‘always relay’ method is that it is a wasted opportunity.

Given that there is an opportunity to tell partner about some feature of the hand most partnerships will include some type (or types) of positive response.  It will then be necessary to include a ‘negative’ response for those hands which do not qualify for a ‘positive’ response.

Negative responses

In the old days when natural strong two-bids first ruled the roost it was standard to play 2NT as the negative response.

Even within such a system most partnerships moved on to ‘Herbert negatives’ in which the negative response was the cheapest bid available - namely the next suit up (or 2NT over 2♠).  2NT would then be used to show a positive in the ‘negative’ suit.

The principle of ‘the next suit up’ has carried over into the world of artificial strong opening bids.

So, if partner opens a strong and artificial 2♣ then your negative response will be 2♦, and if partner opens a strong and artificial 2♦ then your negative response will be 2♥.

Any other response will be a ‘positive’ promising some specific holding according to partnership agreement (but see ‘Gold’ responses for an expert alternative way of doing things).

Note that a negative response does not necessarily show a weak hand - it merely denies the specific type of holding which would justify a positive response.