The "Finnish standard" bidding system for bridge
Preface
This document describes the "Finnish standard" bidding system
for bridge. Officially the standard is defined for the bidding panel
of the Finnish Bridge magazin, but it is often
regarded as a more general standard. Finnish bridge players quite
often base their bidding system on this standard, usually omitting
some conventions or adding their own.
Currently this document describes the standard as defined in the
1/1995 issue of Finnish Bridge magazin.
Beware: there is a newer version, "modern standard".
This English document is
the author's
translation of a
Finnish version.
Neither of these documents is official.
The standard in a nutshell
Opening bids and responses
1 of a suit 4+ cards limit, Stenberg, splinter
1 NT 15-17 hcp balanced; two-way Stayman, Gerber, Texas
5 card major allowed
2 clubs forcing to game 2 diamonds negative or relay,
or 23-24 hcp bal. others natural and positive (GF)
2 D/H/S 6 cards, 6-11 hcp 2 NT asks
2 NT 20-22 hcp balanced; Baron, Flint, Gerber, Texas
5 card major allowed
3 NT gambling, 4 C suit-searching,
no side strength 4 D asks for shortness
4 C/D strong pre-empt 4 H/S signoff;
in hearts/spades others controls/Blackwood
Conventions
Fourth suit is general force, which does not promise the suit bid.
This also applies to a passed hand, but in that case it does not
promise a new bid.
Splinter.
Classical (four aces) Blackwood.
Control-showing cue bids;
first cue bid promises first-round control.
Free 5 NT.
Sputnik double up to 2 spades.
Responsive double up to 3 hearts.
Lightner double.
Defensive bidding
Simple overcall: about 8 - 16 hcp
and usually at least 5 card suit.
If the overcaller's partner makes a bid in the opening bid
(general force), then a minimum rebid in the overcall suit
shows a weak hand and does not promise additional length in the suit.
Jump overcalls are weak.
Takeout double
promises either support to unbid suits or extra strength.
1 NT overcall promises 15 - 18 hcp.
Partner can then make a major suit query by bidding 2 clubs,
unless the opening bid was 1 diamonds, in which case the major
suit query is 2 diamonds.
Fourth-hand 1 NT (protective no-trump): 11 - 14 hcp.
Michaels cue:
an overcall in the opponent's suit promises at least 5 cards
in the highest unbid suit and in another unbid suit.
Unusual 2 NT. (Promises at least 5 cards in the two
lowest unbid suits.)
Additional information about opening bids and responses
After 2 clubs opening
and the 2 diamonds response, the
2 NT rebid shows a balanced hand
with 23 - 24 hcp, and after this the continuation is similar
to that after the
2 NT opening.
Other rebids after the 2 diamonds response are forcing to game.
In response to a 2 diamonds opening,
2 NT is a query, to which the opener responds:
- 3 diamonds: minimum
- 3 clubs/hearts/spades:
no-trump control in that suit
- 3 NT: AKQxxx.
In response to a
2 hearts/spades opening,
2 NT is also a query, but with the wollowing responses:
- 3 of the opening suit: minimum, balanced
- 3 of another suit: shortness in that suit
- 3 NT: maximum, balanced.
3 NT openind
is gambling: solid minor suit, usually no side strength.
A 4 diamonds response asks for a shortness, with the following responses:
- 4 hearts/spades: shortness in that suit
- 4 NT: no shortness
- 5 clubs/diamonds: suit, shortness in the other minor.
Descriptions of conventions
No-trump conventions
Two-way Stayman
The responses to a 1 NT opening have the following meanings:
- 2 clubs: major suit query according to two-way Stayman,
usually invitational strength
- 2 diamonds: major suit query according to two-way Stayman
(forcing to game)
- 2 of a major or 3 of a minor: signoff with a weak hand and
long suit
- 2 or 3 NT: natural raise.
The query
2 clubs
can also be made with a weak hand, with the intention to
pass opener's rebid.
On the hand it can also be made with a strong hand, if the
opener's rebid gives sufficient information for deciding
the final contract.
The opener's rebids are:
- 2 diamonds: no majors
- 2 hearts: heart suit (does not deny spade suit)
- 2 spades: spade suit, no heart suit.
After this the responder can raise opener's major, bid
a new suit with at least 5 cards (bidding a minor suit does not
promise the unbid major), or bid 2 NT.
These are all invitational.
The responder can also set the final contract bidding a game.
The 2 clubs query must not be made without a reason.
For instance, in the series
1 NT - 2 clubs - 2 hearts - 2 or 3 NT the responder
promises a spade suit of four cards.
After the 2 diamonds query the opener rebids:
- 2 hearts/spades: a suit (with both majors the rebid is
2 hearts);
continuation:
- 2 NT: relay, after which the opener bids his other suit
or rebids a five-card major or bids
3 NT with a fully balanced distribution (4333)
- new suit: at least five cards
- raise: support, slam invitational,
denies short suits (except with a singleton honour)
- 3 NT or jump raise: final contract
- jump in a new suit: splinter
- 2 NT: no majors, no five card minors; continuation:
- 3 clubs: relay, after which
opener rebids his three-card major with 4-4 minors,
3 diamonds with a four-card diamond suit and
3 NT with a four-card club suit
- bid in a suit: at least five cards in the suit
- 3 NT or 4 of a major: final contract
- 3 of a minor: five-card suit;
continuation:
- new suit: at least five cards
- 3 NT or 4 of a major: final contract
- raise: slam
invitation.
Baron
After a 2 NT opening, 3 clubs is a request to bid suits from below.
If opener's only suit is clubs, he rebids 3 NT.
This convention is also applied in the series
2 clubs - 2 diamonds - 2 NT - 3 clubs.
Flint
After a 2 NT opening, 3 diamonds commands the opener to rebid 3 hearts.
Then the responder rebids:
- pas
- 3 spades: signoff
- 3 NT: exactly five spades and exactly four hearts, not forcing
- 4 of a minor: at least five-card suit,
slam invitation.
This convention is also applied in the series
2 clubs - 2 diamonds - 2 NT - 3 diamonds.
Gerber
After a 1 or 2 NT opening or after the series
2 clubs - 2 diamonds - 2 NT, a 4 clubs bid asks for aces, with
the following responses:
- 4 diamonds: 0 or 4 aces
- 4 hearts: 1 ace
- 4 spades: 2 aces
- 4 NT: 3 aces.
After this 5 clubs ask for kings analogously, other bids
set the final contract.
Texas
After a 1 or 2 NT opening or after the series
2 clubs - 2 diamonds - 2 NT,
- 4 diamonds is transfer to 4 hearts
- 4 hearts is transfer to 4 spades.
Conventions which indicate trump support
Stenberg
In response to an opening bid of 1 of a suit, the 2 NT response
shows at least 4 card support and is forcing to game.
With a minimum hand, the opener's rebid is always 3 clubs.
Thus, other rebids by opener show a better than minimum hand, and
in addition to this
- a simple rebid in a new suit (excluding clubs)
shows that suit
- a rebid of 3 of the opening suit shows club suit
- 3 NT shows jump no trump (18 - 19 hcp balanced)
- a rebid in a new suit at the level of four shows
shortness in that suit and denies side suits
- a jump rebid in the opening suit shows a one-suited hand
without shortness (distribution 6322 or 7222);
it is forcing for one round - this also applies to 4 of a major!
After a minimum rebid (3 clubs) by opener,
- if the opening bid was in a minor, both players bid
no-trump controls at the level of three, with the intention
of bidding 3 NT if suitable
- if the opening bid was in a major,
a rebid of 3 of the opening suit by responder asks for
a short suit.
In the sequal 4 NT is Blackwood.
Otherwise further bids are control bids.
Splinter
A double jump (or an unnecessary jump) in a new suit
shows trump support and shortness in the suit bid.
The strength required for the bid depends on the bidding series.
A basic splinter (eg 1 hearts - 4 clubs) promises about
11 - 15 hcp.
The standard does not specify exactly, when
is a splinter. It states that an unnecessary jump
is a splinter, if there is some other way of making a slam invitation
in the latest suit bid without difficulties.
An example is the series 1 diamonds - 1 hearts - 1 spades - 4 clubs.
On the other hand, the series 1 hearts - 1 spades - 2 hearts - 4 clubs
is an example of a series where a jump is not a splinter but only
a control bid (shortness or genuine control).
Slam conventions
Blackwood
Basic Blackwood (four aces Blackwood) is used.
After Blackwood, 5 NT asks to show kings by control bids.
The bid promises that the pair has all aces, so partner
can bid grand slam with sufficient tricks.
Control bids
The first control bid promises first-round control
(ace or void).
In a control bid series,
4 NT is Blackwood only
immediately after the first control bid;
otherwise it is a general forward-going bid.
Free 5 NT
Free 5 NT is a trump honour query, with stepwise answers:
6 clubs = 0 honours, 6 diamonds = 1 honour, 6 hearts = 2 honours and
6 spades = 3 honours in the trump suit.
Other conventions and principles
Fourth suit
is a general forcing bid (does not promise the suit) also
by a passed hand, but in that case the bid does not promise a rebid.
Raise of fourth suit by opener promises
a maximum opening without a natural bid and is forcing to game.
2-over-1 is forcing up to two of the opening suit.
Reverse at the level of two by opener
promises additional strength and is an unlimited round force,
also after 1-over-1 response.
A game force that has been established cannot be cancelled later.
After opponent's interference with 1 NT,
a bid in a new suit by responder is not forcing, and
2 NT is a game force with a distributional hand.
4 NT as a raise of a natural no trump bid
is quantitative, not ace asking.
4 NT in a tight situation (ie when opponents have bidden
so that natural forward-going bids are not available)
is neither natural nor ace-asking.
After redouble, ie when opening bid has been doubled by
an opponent and redoubled by responder (and the other opponent
has passed), a simple rebid by opener shows that the high-card
strength is minimal, and a jump rebid promises more playing
strength but not more high card strength.
Thus, with good high card strength, the opener in this position
passes even with a distributional hand.
Doubles
General principles:
- A take-out double promises support to unbid suits or
additional strength.
- Responsive doubles up to three hearts.
- Negative (sputnik) double up to two spades.
- Lightner doubles.
Responsive double
is applied in a bidding series where an opponent has made an
opening bid in a suit and after a double or an overcall the
other opponent has supported the opening suit.
(Eg 1 hearts - X - 3 hearts - X or
1 hearts - 1 spades - 2 hearts - X.)
If the other opponent has bid a new suit,
a double is not responsive;
in this situation, if partner had doubled, a double is for
penalties.
If there is, after partner's opening bid, a
jump overcall higher than 2 spades, then
a double is conditional/optional, promising a few useful cards
but not necessarily support to unbid suits.
The same applies to situations where the doubler is "under" the
suit or the opponents have a fit in a suit.
A protective double by a hand that has passed after a
takeout double
is a takeout double by a weak hand.
(Thus, the standard does not allow a "bush pass" after
a takeout double, ie passing with an opening strength and
shortness in partner's suit.)
A double is for penalties especially in the following situations:
- when game force has been established
- after a strength-showing redouble
- after a penalty double which is based on the combined
strength, eg after a double of a notrump overcall.
Jukka Korpela