Eastern Mysticism Outline

Last updated 2009 May 14 Eastern Mysticism home page

Flowchart Legend

  • All point ranges are approximate; use best judgment. Count HCP with no fit and support points ("pts") after a fit is found.
  • Slow arrival: jumping to a forced level shows minimum values.
  • Click Expand button to expand nested bids; click Collapse button to collapse nested bids.
  • Opener's bids are black; Responder's bids are grey; Opponents' bids are orange.
  • M = any major; m = any minor; X = any suit; OM = other major; om = other minor.
  • F1 = forcing 1 round; FG = forcing to game; FO = forcing on Opener; FR = forcing on Responder.
  • (Alert!) indicates an alertable bid.
  • (Announce) indicates an announceable bid.

Openings: 1 | 1 | 1M | 1NT | 2 | 2 | 2M | 2NT | 3X/4X/5X | 3NT
Overcalls | Doubles | Conventions

Expand all nested bidsCollapse all nested bids

Openings and responses

1: 16+ HCP or 8+ tricks, any shape; F1 (Alert!)
1: 11-15 HCP, no 5-card M (Announce: May be short)
1M: 11-15 HCP, 5+ cards
1NT (1st/2nd seat): 11-13 HCP, balanced (Announce: 11-13)
1NT (3rd/4th seat): 13-15 HCP, balanced (Announce: 13-15)
2: 11-15 HCP, 5-4 or longer in m's, no 4-card M (Alert!)
2: Semi-preemptive weak 2 bid (5-10 HCP); 5-6 cards
2M: Semi-preemptive weak 2 bid (5-10 HCP); 5-6 cards
2NT: Unusual; 5-4 or better in m's, 5-10 HCP (Alert!)
3X/4X/5X: Preemptive
3NT: Gambling (running minor, no outside stoppers) (Alert!)

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Overcalls

of 1X:
of 1NT:
of a weak 2:
of 3X:
of 4X:
of 5X:
of 6X/7X:

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Doubles

Competitive: Over 1X-2X, double shows general strength primarily for takeout.

Responsive: After LHO opens, partner bids, and RHO raises (not preemptively), double shows strength in the unbid suits and no support for partner's suit, if any.
Snapdragon: After 3 suits have been bid, double shows 5+ in the 4th suit and tolerance for partner's suit.

Support: After 1X + Pass + 1M + Overcall (below 2 of the M), double or redouble shows 3-card support for Responder's major.

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Conventions

Blackwood: Asks for aces and the trump king, if any (5 key cards if trump suit, 4 if notrump).
Cappelletti over weak NT (low end ≤ 13 HCP)
DONT over strong NT (low end ≥ 14 HCP)
Drury: Support response by a passed hand to 1M
Jacoby/Jordan 2NT: Forcing raise of a M
Lead-directing support bid: Responder's unnatural competitive bid below raise of Opener's suit shows a raise and lead suggestion.
Mathe: Shows M or m 2-suiter after a strong 1 opening
New Minor/Major Forcing (NMF): Artifical bid of a new suit to show invitational or better hand and ask Opener to describe his hand.
Ogust: 2NT over partner's weak 2M asks for clarification
Sandwich NT: After LHO opens 1X, partner passes, and RHO respondes 1X, 1NT is for takeout in the unbid suits; implies less distribution than double.
Stayman: Asks NT bidder about 4-card M's.
Transfer lebensohl (Slow Shows, Direct Denies) after overcall of 1NT or double of partner's weak 2
Unusual over unusual: After a 2-suited overcall (e.g., Michaels or Unusual 2NT), Responder can cuebid to show one of the other suits.

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