1C is our general forcing opening. It shows roughly 17+ HCP balanced or 16+ unbalanced. The strength of a strong-club system is not in the 1C opening itself, but in the fact that every other opening is then limited. Most of our one-level openings are lighter than a standard player would open, and all of our invitational and competitive judgments follow from that.
TaJ, referenced throughout this chapter, is our relay and control-showing structure. It applies over the club auctions here. After the relays finish, the next step (if it is 3S or lower) is an optional keycard ask.
Every response except 1D sets up a game-forcing auction.
1♦ General negative, 0-7(8). The only response that does not force to game. 1♥ Good hand with extra values by an unpassed hand; 5+ ♣ GF by a passed hand. 1♠ ♥ or balanced, GF. 1NT 5+ ♠, limited GF. 2♣ Either minor, GF. 2♦ Transfer to ♥. 6+ ♥, semi-positive (a good 4-6 HCP). NF. 2♥ Transfer to ♠. 6+ ♠, semi-positive (a good 4-6 HCP). NF. 2♠ Strong balanced. 2NT Three-suited, 4441 with a stiff ♠. GF. 3♣ Three-suited, 4441 with a stiff ♣. GF. 3♦ Three-suited, 4441 with a stiff ♦. GF. 3♥ Three-suited, 4441 with a stiff ♥. GF. 3♠ AKQ-seventh gambling picture bid, little on the side.
1D is the general negative and the only response that does not commit to game. Opener rebids Meckwell style, except that 2NT shows 20-21 balanced.
1♥ 4+ ♥, may hold a longer minor. One-round force. Unbalanced or semi-balanced, includes 4=4=(4-1). 1♠ 4+ ♠, may hold a longer minor. One-round force. Unbalanced or semi-balanced. 1NT 17-19 balanced, may have a 5-card major or 6-card minor. 2♣ / 2♦ Natural, NF. Denies a 4-card major, typically 6+ and unbalanced. 2♥ Kokish relay, forces 2S. Either GF with ♥ or GF balanced. 2♠ GF natural, typically one-suited. 2NT 20-21 balanced. 3♣ / 3♦ GF natural, typically one-suited.
1♠ 4+ ♠, any strength. 1NT 0-5, no 4-card major. 2♣ 0-2 ♥, a 5-to-7 point hand. 2♦ Exactly 3 ♥, a 5-to-7 point hand. 2♥ 4+ ♥, minimum. New suits are game tries; 2NT asks shortness NLMH. 2NT Best raise, nearly GF. 5+ ♥ common.
1H by an unpassed hand shows the extra-values step, generally a good 12+ HCP. Responder avoids this bid with primary hearts, so a heart holding here is secondary. By a passed hand, 1H instead shows 5+ ♣, GF. Opener most often bids 1S as a waiting relay, retaining captaincy, and TaJ applies.
1S shows ♥ or a balanced GF hand. Over opener's 1NT waiting bid, 2C shows ♥ with TaJ, and 2D/2H/2S are the balanced hands bid transfer-Stayman style. TaJ applies.
1NT shows 5+ ♠, limited GF. Opener's 2C starts TaJ, 2S shows ♣, and other bids are natural.
2C shows either minor, GF, by an unpassed hand, and always ♦ by a passed hand. Opener's 2D relays to ask the suit: 2H then shows any club hand (with 2S starting TaJ), while with diamonds responder zooms straight into TaJ starting at 2S. By a passed hand, 2D is simply TaJ over the known diamonds.
1C-2D and 1C-2H are transfers showing 6+ cards in the major and about a good 4-6 HCP. They are non-forcing. Accepting the transfer at the two level is non-forcing; any other bid forces one round.
2NT, 3C, 3D, and 3H show 4441 hands short in the named suit: 2NT a stiff ♠, 3C a stiff ♣, 3D a stiff ♦, 3H a stiff ♥. Over these bids, every suit can be agreed below game through the shortness information, so no separate relay is needed. 3NT is to play.
3S is a gambling picture bid: AKQ-seventh or better with little on the side. Opener's 4C asks for shortness, NLMH, assuming opener already knows the suit.