MABC Standard Bidding System
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MABC Standard - January 1999 MABC Standard is based on Bridge World Standard with certain changes that appear to be popular among Mid-Atlantic Bridge Conference Players. Bridge World Standard (BWS) is a system based on the majority preferences of approximately 125 leading experts and thousands of The Bridge World magazine readers. The changes from BWS are the results of talking to numerous MABC expert players and studying over 500 convention cards from players of all range of expertise in the MABC. The system can and will be changed from time to time if an overwhelming majority of players want a change. Because it is a consensus system, these methods would be used very rarely used by regular partnerships. They are, however, very valuable in forming casual partnerships--if both partners know the system, they need discuss only those areas in which individual preferences do not conform to the MABC Standard treatment. These methods will be used as a foundation for voting in the MABC Bidding Forum. As certain questions are ask and answered there will be more details on certain issues. These will be noted in GREEN. In addition, when it appears that the panel thinks a certain bid can be better used and/or a convention is added, that will appear in RED. Opening Bids and Responses Minimum balanced hand: good 12. 1 NT : 15 to bad 18 HCP. Four way Transfers (After Major suit transfers -splinter rebids; game raise is slam try;); two spades transfers to Clubs; two NT to Diamonds. Three clubs is minor suit two suited & preemptive; Three diamonds is minor suit two suitted and is forcing. Three hearts is invitational major two-suitter; and three spades is a major two suitter, forcing. Texas transfers; Stayman; Smolen (at three level); Gerber.2 NT: good 20 to bad 22 (small doubleton acceptable). Jacoby transfers; three spades shows minors; Texas transfers; Gerber; High Gerber.3 NT: gambling (little outside strength); four-diamond response artificial (ask for shortness, opener rebids 4NT with no singleton or void). Four NT over 3NT ask for extra length; 5C shows 7, 5D eight.Major Suit Openings: Five-card majors in first and second position: one mo-trump response forcing; two-over-one game forcing unless responder repeats his suit at cheapest level. Limit jump raises (four trumps; cheapest rebid asks shortness); two no-trump strong raise (asks shortness-opener’s new suit at four level is second suit at least five long); three no-trump natural, 16-17; passed-hand responses: one no-trump 6-12, two clubs strong raise (Commonly known as "Drury") [ rebid of opening suit at two level weakest action], Jump shift is "fit-showing" (Shows nine or more cards in suit jumped in and partner's suit) and enough values so as to be safe at the same level in opener's suit. [Exception; 3 clubs over a third or fourth seat Major suit opening is an invitational bid in Clubs.Minor Suit Openings: Promise three cards in suit [tend to open 4-4 minor suit hands with one diamond]. Responses to minor-suit openings: Single raise strong, 10 points up, denies major; jump raise weak; 1 NT 8-10 after one club, 6-10 after one diamond; two no-trump natural, game force; up the line may be ignored with poor to moderate hand.Two clubs artificial, strong : two diamonds game force, but denies suit quality for positive suit response with immediate two hearts a double negative. Natural responses (positive response requires good suit); Two no-trump response promises at least three Kings.Preempts : Weak two-bids (two no-trump, which asks for feature if maximum, and new-suit responses forcing). "Weak gambling" three-bids. New-suit response to game-level opening is an asking-bid (step responses).Partnership Bidding Splinter raises: Double-jump shift after suit opening; single jump in fourth suit if one level above a reverse; single jump in third suit if four level, or reverse; double jump in fourth suit; four of opener's minor after new-suit rebid; jump-shift by two-diamond responder to two clubs; new-suit jump after single major raise; double new-suit jump after 1 NT response.Slam methods : Roman key-card Blackwood with trump-queen ask; DOPI; five no-trump (2 keys) or higher response with void; 5 NT rebid invites seven, asks king cue-bidding. Cheapest-weakest responses to grand-slam force. Gerber directly after one mo-trump or two-no-trump opening, or rebid. Picture jumps in forcing situations.Other methods: Fourth-suit bidding: Game force by unpassed hand except at one level (tends to show at least a moderate hand – might bypass diamond response with weak hand and four card spade suit); nonforcing by passed hand unless reverse. Third-suit bidding: game force if reverse or at three level, otherwise does not promise rebid. Opener's suit-over-suit reverse promises rebid; responder's cheaper of 2 NT and fourth suit neutral. All non-jump-shift secondary jumps by one-over-one responder invitational. Opener's jump rebid to four of original minor is strong raise. Unbid minor forcing and artificial after one mo-trump rebid, requests support. Three clubs artificial, may be prelude to signoff, after two-no-trump jump by opener. After a single raise in a major a re-raise to three is preemptive.Competitive Bidding Negative doubles: After suit opening, through four hearts (including opener's suit); after one mo-trump opening, at the three level; unlimited; suggests length in unbid major; of one heart shows four spades; of one spade after minor opening shows four or more hearts. Repeat same-suit double by negative doubler for takeout.Weak jump responses after overcall or double of minor opening.Fit Showing Jump Shifts in Competition after overcall and doubles of an opening bid in a major suit. Shows
nine or more cards in suit jumped in and partner's suit plus values [either
in high cards or distribution] to compete to next level (at least) in partner's
suit. Over two-suitted overcalls : cheapest cue = raise; next cue = unbid suit; unbid suit nonforcing.Over minor Michaels : unbid suit nonforcing; major suit shows stopper.Over major Michaels : cue-bid in enemy major is limit raise or better; new suit forcing.Support doubles and redoubles at one or two level when raise to next level is available.Over a double of partner's opening suit bid : new suit forcing at the one level only (unpassed hand only); jump shift nonforcing; two no-trump limit raise or better; double jump in new suit splinter.Lebensoh l after two-level overcalls of one no-trump (fast denies stop).Jump cue-bid by opener is splinter raise.Pass and pull strong in forcing situation.Defensive Bidding Michaels cue-bids (in minor: majors; in major: other major plus unspecified (minor) in direct and reopening position over suit one-bids and over one mo-trump response; weak or quite strong.Direct jump cue-bid natural over minor, asks stopper over major.Takeout doubles of preemptive openings through four hearts; otherwise for penalty.Maximal overcall double of raised suit.Reopening: 1 NT, 10-14; 2 NT, 18-19.In fourth seat over a response : Sandwich one no-trump overcall; bids in opener’s minor or responder’s major are natural.After direct 1 NT overcall : Systems same as if opening.Double of free new-suit bid by responder (after partner’s overcall) shows fourth suit plus tolerance.Cappelletti over one no-trump (all situations).Direct two no-trump unusual for lower unbid suits; weak or quite strong. Takeout doubles : may be light with shape; new-suit rebid very strong.Preemptive jump overcalls and raises of partner’s overcall.Mixed-raise advances of overcalls. Responsive and extended responsive doubles after takeout doubles, at the two level after an overcall, after a preempt.Cue-bid by advancer forcing until a suit is bid twice, or game.Lebensohl after double of weak two-bid , either position by unpassed hand, and following one mo-trump overcall.
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