The Multi 2 Diamond Convention. Updated!

(see next page for Defence!)

This convention is an alternative to playing weak 2 bids - eg Benji or Reverse Benji. 

 2C is still an Acol strong 2 bid 23+ or equivalent.

2H/2S are still stong bids as in Acol but the 2D bid is used for a variety of hands including weak 2 bids in the majors.

With about 5 to 9 points and a 6 card major you open 2D and partner (unless they have a strong hand or a good fit for hearts or hearts and spades) simply bids a relay of 2H. If opener has a weak 2 in hearts they pass or convert to 2 spades if their suit is spades.

We use the 2 strong alternatives for:

 a) A 20-22 2 Notrump hand, when we rebid 2NT (We define our opening 2 NT as 21 - 22 balanced - i.e. no 5 card suit) which enables you to safely bid 2D then 2NT with a good 5 card major as we play 5 card stayment over this sequence (4 card Stayman over an opening 2NT).

b) very strong hands with 4,4,4,1 shape, 18 - 22.

Over the 2H relay, opener rebids 2NT with  a 5 card suit and then we play 5 card stayman.

Over the 2H relay we bid the suit below the singleton (3S with a singleton Club)  Partner can usually pick the final contract or if interested in a slam can bid the singleton suit as forcing asking for cue bids.

The more complicated situations arise when responder has a strong hand.  We play that 2NT shows about 15 points and is an enquiry bid.  Opener bids 3C with hearts, 3D with spades.  With a strong unbalanced 2NT bid opener simply rebids 2NT and this almost always results in a slam - we use sliding Roman Keycard Gerber to ask for Aces but any slam convention will do.

With the strong 4,4,4,1 hand opener bids the suit below the singleton starting with 3H - again responder can almost always choose the final contract - using a slam convention if necessary.

Over 3C or 3D responder can ask 'how strong? ' by bidding next suit up - opener bids at minimum level with 5-7 points and one up with 8-9.  Responder always has the choive of playing in 3NT or 4 of the major.

eg

2D                        -             2NT

3D (spades)         -              3H (how strong?)

3NT (8-9 points)   -              Pass or 4Spades

(note declarer is the strong hand)

There are 3 other situations which give rise to different bids. 

c) If you have about 13 points and 4 hearts game may be on if opener had a weak 2 in hearts - so bid 2S!  If they actually had spades they simply pass but with a weak 2 in hearts they can bid 3 or 4 hearts as apprpriate (this bid makes it very difficult for the 4th in hand if they have spades!)

d) If you have about 13 points and a fit for both majors, then game in either may be on if opener has a maximum - so bid 3H - opener can bid 3 or 4 H or 3 or 4 S as appropriate.

e) Sometimes you have a hand that wants to be in 4 of either major even if partner has a minimum - so bid 4H - partner will convert to spades if necessary. We have found that you need to be very careful with this bid in case partner has a strong hand!  We play that it guarantees 11 points so that there is a reasonable play for a slam opposite a 19-20 2NT hand.

You may ask why play it!  Firstly it leaves 2H and 2S available as 'intermediate' opening bids - 9 - 12 with 6 card suits that otherwise you may choose to open at the 1 level and mislead partner.  Secondly, it makes it more difficult for the oposition unless they have a good defence sorted out.

Straightforward really!

Defence to the Multi 2D (not sure I should be telling you this!)

If you have about 13 points, on most occasions the opener will have a weak 2 in one of the majors. You will always have 2 opportunities to bid (over the 2D and over either 2H or 2S - so use them! 

We play that an immediate double shows 16+ so partner can usually know whether game is a possibility. 

With less than 16 we either wait for the next round and then double to show 12 - 15 or bid immediately over 2D to show a good 5 card suit  hand (especially a minor if you have neither major)  We play 2H or 2S  as just competitive (good 5 or 6 card suit but may only be 9 -11 points) 3H or 3S as 'intermediate' 12-15 with good suit. With 17-18 and stops in both majors bid 2NT.

In most of these cases partner has a good idea of your hand and can judge where to play.  You need to decide how to play doubles of 2H or 2S (by either partner) - we play them as take out and so you normally only convert a double to penalties if you have 4 trumps and no good alternative.

If everyone played a good defence to a Multi 2D then we might not play it!

There were 2 Multis on Friday which were  good examples- see next page!

Under the new alerting rules most doubles of natural suit bids are assumed to be for takeout (see the EBU announcing and alerting rules under the EBU information on the Home Page) and this certainly applies to Negative doubles - they are not for penalties and do not need alerting.

When would you use a Negative Double?  The most clear cut case is when (say) Partner opens 1 heart and the right hand opponent (RHO) bids 2 diamonds and you have about 8 or 9 points with no good suit to bid. Look at the example above:

Playing Negative Doubles it is easy - just Double to show values but no good suit and no stop in diamonds.  There are lots of precise agreements that you can have - some people promise 4 cards in both other suits, some put a limit on the bid (say 8-10) some play it as unlimited.  Chris and I have found that it is most useful if it simply guarantees 8+ points and 4 cards in the other major (if partner has bit one) or both majors if neither have been bid. This means that if you bid a major it means that you have 5 cards in it and it is forcing for one round.

Opener has usually got a good idea of what to do over the double - with a fit for one of the majors just bid to the highest level that you can justify - It this case I would bid 4 spades because of the singleton diamond, good trumps and the 2 Aces, but you can simply bid at the lowest level on a minimum hand or jump to 3 which is 'invitational'.

Sometimes the opponents will have bid opener's second suit and opener can 'pass' the double and turn it into a penalty double.

It works very well with 5 Card Majors because you know that if partner opens one of a major they will always have a safe rebid if they don't like the other suits and cannot bid Notrumps. (More on 5 Card Majors another time!).

Not convinced? Then what would you bid on the South Hand? What would partner assume?   You could bid 2 Spades - is it forcing?  What would partner do if they only had 3 spades?