KGB



			KGB by Danny Kleinman

		The Kleinman's G rab Bag system is a collection of 25 Conventions and Treatments Danny recommends for a sophisticated regular partnership. KGB is marked with an asterisk followed by the number of the convention in parentheses, and embedded with the SSS methods in the appropriate places NAMES: Bridge player and Regular Sophisticated Partner GENERAL APPROACH: Sound and Descriptive with Gadgets TWO OVER ONE: promises a rebid unless raised FORCING OPENING: Natural 2-Bids (1) only artificial 2C and 2D NOTRUMP OPENING BIDS 1NT: good 15 to 18 5-card major common (but 1NT is rare with five spades) 2C Stayman 2D Transfer to hearts 2H Transfer to spades 2S Transfer to clubs 3C Transfer to diamonds (2) Two-Way Minor-Plus-Major: Stayman then 3C or 3D is weak, transfer to a minor then 3H or 3S is strong with four of other major. (3) OMAR (Other MAjor Relays): other major after Jacoby, or Stayman hit, confirms adequate fit, forces to game, and is a puppet to the next bid; new suit continuation is a singleton slam try (direct jump in new suit is a void splinter). (4) 3H or 3S rebid by responder after no-major reply toStayman shows five cards in the OTHER major ("Smolen"). 3D Strong 5-5 in majors 3H Strong 5-5 in minors 3S Slightly stronger 3NT raise 4D, 4H Transfer: only over overcalls through 3C Other: if they double 1NT, redouble shows clubs, 2C shows diamonds, 2D shows hearts, 2H shows spades (5) In "Lebensohl" and "Good-Bad" situations, Weak Must Speak: direct three of a suit other than clubs shows weaker hand, 2NT shows weaker hand with clubs or stronger hand with another suit, "fast" cue-bid or 3NT denies a stopper. 2NT: 22-24. Responses as to 1NT but one level higher 3NT: 25-27. Responses as to 1NT but two levels higher (1) In conjunction with artificial 2C and 2D openings, 2NT = 21-22 and 3NT = strong 4H or 4S preempt (4D asks opener to bid his major, 4C asks opener to transfer to his major); 2C-then-2NT = 23-24; 2D-then-2NT = 25+. MAJOR OPENING Expected Minimum Length: 5, but a strong 4-card major may be opened if a convenient rebid is available RESPONSES Double Raise: forcing, but invitational after overcall (6) Mathe Asking Bids over forcing jump raises Void splinters Cuebid is forcing raise after overcall 2NT forcing except after overcall (7) 1NT response to major forcing, may conceal extras (8) Swap 1S and 1NT responses to 1H by unpassed hand MINOR OPENING Expected Minimum Length: 4, but a decent 3-card minor may be opened if no other opening is convenient RESPONSES Double Raise: forcing, but invitational after overcall Void splinters Cuebid is forcing raise after overcall Single raise may bypass 4-card major 1NT response to 1C: good 8 to 10 HCP (9) 1NT response to 1C shows specifically 4=3=3=3 (6-10). 2NT forcing except after overcall OPENING TWO-BIDS: natural and game-forcing RESPONSES: cheapest suit-bid negative, other suit bids and 2NT (no good suit to bid) positive (1) 2C artificial: balanced (2NT rebid), game force with primary major (2H or 2S rebid), or game force with primary clubs (3C or 3D rebid). Responses: 2D waiting, 2H natural positive, other positives require independent suit. Second negative: (cheaper of 2NT, 3H). 2D artificial game force: balanced (2NT rebid); 4-4-4-1 (2S rebid), or primary diamonds (3C, 3D, 3H or 3S rebid). Responses: 2H waiting. Over 2S rebid: 2NT relays to asks for pattern. Opener "transfers" to his 4-card major with only one (responder picks strain). Opener bids "Stayman" 3C with both majors" then bids his singleton over 3H or 3S reply; over 3D reply, opener makes "Same Color Stiff" 3H (4=4=1=4) or 3S (4=4=4=1) reply (then responder picks strain). (10) Weak 2H and 2S bids. Disciplined in 1st-2nd seats: no void, no 4-card major or 5-card minor, suit KJ10xxx or better, 8-12 HCP. Slightly frisky in 3rd seat. 2S always maximum, 2H always better than maximum, in 4th seat. Responses: new suit forcing (to game if at 3-level by unpassed hand), 2NT asks feature if maximum. OTHER CONVENTIONAL CALLS: 4th Suit Forcing 1 Round (often artificial) 2-over-1 promises rebid unless raised; opener's non-jump 2NT rebid game-forcing (11) In conjunction with (7) and (8): 2-over-1 responder's new-suit rebid forcing only if in a higher suit or a jump, but his 2NT rebid is forcing and artificial. Void Splinters Versus "Unusual 2NT" and Minor Michaels: cheaper of overcaller's suits shows the fourth suit (game-invitational or better); dearer of overcaller's suits shows a strong raise of opener's suit SPECIAL DOUBLES Penalty doubles of low-level overcalls may be pulled if opener is short (12) Negative doubles thru 2S. (13) Foxglove version of responsive doubles thru 2S (if exactly one unbid major, showing that major with tolerance for partner's suit). (14) Snapdragon (fourth suit with tolerance for partner's suit). (15) Support Doubles of 1S bids over 1H responses, of raised overcalls, and of advances of takeout doubles. SIMPLE OVERCALL: sound ADVANCES New Suit constructive but not forcing Jump Raise invitational (but weak over intervening negative double) Cuebid = limit raise or better Jump Shift forcing JUMP OVERCALL Strong if bid directly; Intermediate in passout seat; Weak by passed hand or over artificial 2C OPENING PREEMPTS Sound (Rule of Two and Three) (16) Solid-suit 3C and 3D when vul or in 4th seat. DIRECT CUEBID Natural over artificial bids or over 1-level suit response Strong T/O over natural minor- and major-suit openings (17) Michaels over minors, Opposite Colors (with 3-level values) over majors. 1NT OVERCALLS Direct: good 15 to 18 (18) Over minors: 18-20 (double-then-1NT = 15-17). Balancing: trick lighter Jump to 2NT: natural (19) Over minors: two lowest suits (with 3-level values). DEFENSE VS NOTRUMP natural overcalls, penalty doubles (20) "NICOLE": double = black 1-suiter or red 2-suiter; 2C = diamonds or majors; 2D = hearts or blacks; Crash Landings Apply. 2H = hearts and clubs; 2S = spades and diamonds; 2NT = minors. OVER OPP'S T/O DOUBLE Jump Shift invitational 2NT shows limit raise or better (21) new suit forcing at the 1-level. VS Opening Preempts Double Is Takeout thru 4S (22) Leaping Michaels over weak 2H and 2S. (23) 4NT over 4S preempt shows hearts and a minor (Crash Landings apply). SLAM CONVENTIONS: no Blackwood, no Gerber. 5NT Grand Slam Invitation (extra-good trumps required to accept). (24) With a major agreed: Kickback. *(25) Minor-Suit Roman Key-Card Asks. With diamonds agreed: cheapest of 4C, 4D and 4H that is not needed as natural. With clubs agreed: cheaper of 4C and 4D that is not needed as natural. Negative reply to Queen Ask or Specific King Ask is cheaper of 4NT and five of the trump suit. Other 4NT bids in potential minor-suit slam auctions are natural. LEADS (versus Suits and Notrump): standard low from length suggests desire to have the suit returned K from AKx, Q from AKQ, else highest honor of sequence or internal sequence LENGTH LEADS (versus Suits and Notrump): 4th best Primary signal to partner's leads: Attitude 1st, Count 2nd, Suit-preference 3rd DEFENSIVE CARDING (versus Suits and Notrump): standard