NOVA

Avon Wilsmore
February 1999

Opening bids

Bid	Description
Pass	17+ any or 8-12 flat no major
1§	13-16 any
1¨	0-7 any
1©	8-12 4+©
1ª	8-12 4+ª
1NT	8-12 majors or minors (54 or 5+5+)
2§	8-12 6+§ or 5+¨ 5+major
2¨	8-12 6+¨ or 5+§ 5+major
2©	8-12 6+© 4ª or 6+§ 4¨
2ª	8-12 6+ª 4© or 6+¨ 4§
2NT	Minor preempt with a bad suit

The Relays

Steps go from the most balanced shapes upwards, showing length from the bottom (clubs) upwards. When a shortage would show the complete shape, that takes precedence, of course, ie. when showing 5 spades and a 332, the doubleton is shown from clubs to hearts. Shape and controls roll on to 3NT.

For example, suppose we show flat no major. Now, after relay:

Hand type	Description
4333 with a minor	most balanced
(32)44	next most balanced
(332)5	next type, showing length from bottom up
3352	last type possible, so show exact shape
3253
2353	fewest number of controls (last exact shape, so roll on to controls)
further bids	show controls up to 3NT

This style follows in all relays. For example, after showing 4+©, the replies go:

Step	Shape	Hand type
1	flat	most balanced
2	§	length from bottom (§) up
3	long ¨	last side-suit possible, so length in ¨...
4	long ©, 4¨	...followed by longer in © than ¨...
5	long ©	...followed by length in ©

Base for controls

HCP	Control base
0-4	no queen - Q - K - QQ
5-7	0
8-12	0-1
13-16+	0-3

The Rule of Exact Length and Rule of Eleven

When exact length is known in two specific long suits and no further types exist, roll on to precise shape. See 4-4 in the majors for an example. Also applies to 5M4m and 4M5m after showing a minor.

When eleven cards are held in two suits, show specific residue when the highest 6-5 or 7-4 is reached, even if more shapes are left. See 2m openings for an example.

Continuations after opening Pass

Responses

Response	Description
1§	0-7 any
1¨	8-12 flat no major or 13+ any
1©+	Same as openings

Pass - 1§ 

After Pass - 1§:

Bid	Description
Pass	8-12 flat
1¨	relay 19+
1M	NF
1NT	17-18 flat (then stayman and 4-suit transfers)
2m	NF
2©	5-5 ©+another NF
2ª	5-5 ª+another NF
2NT	minors NF

After Pass - 1§ - 1¨:

Bid	Description
1©	0-4
1ª	5-7 flat no major or 4+©
1NT	5-7 4+ª
other	as for openings but 5-7, and up one step

After the 2nd negative, 1ª is very big, with responses as above but up one more step. There is no third negative. The notes are unclear regarding the 2NT rebid after the 2nd negative - it looks like 21-22 with puppet Stayman.

Bid	Description
1NT	5-7 forcing
suits	not forcing
2ª-3¨	as over 1M opening

Pass - 1¨ 

After Pass - 1¨:

Bid	Description
1©	relay 17+
1ª	8-10 flat
1NT	11-12 flat

Relay responses:

Bid	Description
1ª	8+ flat no major
1NT	4+© 13+
other	as for openings, but 13+ and up two steps

After Pass - 1¨ - 1© - 1ª (8+ flat) - 1NT (GFR):

Bid	Description
2§	8-10
2¨	11-12
2©	13+ 4m333
2ª	13+ 3244
other	as for flat no major

After Pass - 1¨ - 1ª (8-10):

Bid	Description
1NT	GFR
2§	8-12, little game interest, wanting to play in a minor
2¨	as above, but doubleton § (3352)
2M	13+, 5 card suit, forcing
2NT	invitation, 15-16
3m	NF, 13-14

After the 1NT GFR:

Bid	Description
2§	4m333
other	as for flat no major

After Pass - 1¨ - 1NT (11-12):

Bid	Description
Pass	8-10
2§	GFR 13+, the usual flat no major responses
2NT	invitation 12-13
3m	11-12 5-card suit invite

Continuations after opening 1§ 

Responses

Response	Description
Pass	0-6 with clubs
1¨	0-6 without clubs
1©	GFR
1ª-2©	NNF
2NT	6-8 minors
2ª-3©	6-8 good suit

Relay responses

After a pass or 1§ opening (or many responses), the "flat no major" type often tacks on to the first possible type of hand (4+©).

After 1§ - 1©:

Bid	Description
1ª	4+© or flat no major
1NT	4+ª
other	as for openings, but up one step

After 1§ - 1© - 1ª - 1NT:

Bid	Description
2§	13-16 flat no major
2¨	4+©4+ª
other	as for 1© openings, but up two steps

Continuations after opening 1¨ 

Responses

Response	Description
1©	Strong relay
Suit	Natural, usually forward going
1NT	15-18 flat
Jumps	NNF

After 1¨ - 1-suit, wonder shifts apply.

Relay responses

Bid	Description
1ª	0-4 any
1NT	5-7 © or flat no major
other	as for openings, but 5-7 and up two steps

Continuations after 1M opening

Responses

Response	Description
Step	GFR
2§	GTR
Suit	NNF
2NT/3§/3¨	Wonder Shift

A Wonder Shift shows either a game try with a splinter in the above suit, or a weak jump in the above suit.

Game try relays

After 1M - 2§ (GTR):

Bid	Description
2¨	minimum
2©	11-12 flat
2ª	4M long minor
2NT	long major
3§	4m long major

Game force relays

After 1ª - 1NT (GFR):

Bid	Description
2§	ª, flat, up to 6322
2¨	ª + §
2©	4ª + long ¨
2ª	long ª, 4¨ or 4144
2NT	6331
3§	7222
3¨	7ª and a singleton
3©	7330
3ª	7303
3NT	7033

With 4-4 in the majors, open 1© and rebid 1NT over 1ª. This means that rebids of 2§ and above are the same for either major.

After 1© - 1ª (GFR) - 1NT - 2§:

Bid	Description
2¨	4423
2©	4432 (exact length rule)
2ª	4414
2NT	4441
3§	4405
3¨	4450, 0-1 controls
3©	4450, 2 controls etc

Flat

After 1© - 1ª - 2§ (flat) - 2¨ (relay):

Bid	Description
2©	3433
2ª	4© 4m
2NT	5©332
3§	4©5m22
3¨	5©4m22
3©	2623
3ª	2632
3NT	3622

Clubs

After 1© - 1ª - 2¨ (©+§) - 2©:

Bid	Description
2ª	4© long § (5§, 6§21, 6§30, 1417, 0427, 2407, 0517, 1507)
2NT	5© 4§ (1534, 3514, 0544)
3§	6©4§21
3¨	6©4§30
3©	1714
3ª	0724
3NT	2704
4§	0715
4¨	1705

After 2ª - 2NT - 3§ (5 clubs), 3¨ asks for resolution (1435, 3415, 0445).

Long diamonds

After 1© - 1ª - 2© (long ¨) - 2ª:

Bid	Description
2NT	4© 5¨ (1453, 3451, 0454)
3§	4©6¨21
3¨	4©6¨30
3©	1471
3ª	0472
3NT	2470
4§	0571
4¨	1570

Long hearts

After 1© - 1ª - 2ª (long © 4¨) - 2NT:

Bid	Description
3§	?54? or 1444 (1444, 1543, 3541)
3¨	6©4¨21
3©	6©4¨30
3ª	1741
3NT	0742
4§	2740
4¨	0751
4©	1750

Responses to opening 1NT

2§ is relay. Suit bids are pass or correct. A rebid of the same suit is a natural game try.

2NT is a puppet to 3§ with a terminal single suiter.

Relay responses

After 1NT - 2§:

Bid	Description
2¨	minors (after next relay, repeat as for majors below)
2©	45??
2ª	54??
2NT	55??
3§	56??
3¨	6511 (rule of eleven)
3©	6502
3ª	6520
3NT	6601
4§	6610

Responses to opening 2-minor

Relay responses

After 2§ - 2¨:

Bid	Description
2©	§
2ª	¨+©
2NT	5ª+5¨
3§	5ª+6¨
3¨	6151 (rule of eleven)
3©	6052
3ª	6250
3NT	6061
4§	6160

After 2§ - 2¨ - 2© - 2ª:

Bid	Description
2NT	3226
3§	3316
3¨	2227
3©	7§321
3ª	3307
3NT	3037
4§	0337
4¨	8§221
4©	8§320

Responses to opening 2-Major

Relay responses

Step	Description
1	minors (next relay as for majors below)
2	4621
3	4630
4	4711
5	4702
6	4720

Basic Relay Types

Game try relays

See continuations after 1M opening.

4 card major

See continuations after 1M opening.

Flat no major

Step	Description	Continuations
1	4m333	next relay for 4 card suit, then controls
2	3244	next relay for 3 card suit
3	3325§	next relay for doubleton
4	3352
5	3253
6	2353 etc

6 card minor or 5-5 (no 7-card suit)

See responses to opening 2-minor.

5+4+ majors or minors (not 6-4 or 7-4)

See 1NT relay responses.

6-4 shapes

See responses to 2-Major opening.

Interference

Over opening Pass

If they overcall 1-suit, responses are unchanged (but up one step after a 1© overcall, two steps after a 1ª overcall). Over a 1§ overcall, there is an extra step, so double shows 8-12 flat no major, and 1¨ is 13+ any.

Over opening 1§ 

If they overcall up to 1©, double/redouble replaces the GFR and 1© becomes natural. Over higher overcalls, double is takeout. Other responses are unchanged.

Over opening 1¨ 

After double, pass shows tolerance (Hxx or better), redouble is takeout, and suits are NNF.