1 Club Opening bid & Responses

♥ ♣ ♦ ♠

These sequences following a 1 at the 1-level are very different to sequences over all other 1-level openings.

Requirements:
         2+ card Club suit 12-18 HCP.  7 1/2 LTC maximum. In short - a sound opening. Denies a 5 card Major or Diamonds or 4-4 in Majors.
         With 12-14 1NT is to be preferred to a 1C opening whenever the hand respects all the 1NT opening bid requirements

Important 'D&H relay sequences' & frequently occuring interventions & normal responses:

Note: Completing the 'transfer' shows a 12-(15)HCP 4 card fit in Hearts or Spades!
1♣!-*(opp)-------**:          Shows Both majors 4-4 or better
                          -------PASS:     No Major< 5HCP
       -1♦(opp)-* Shows 4+ Hearts 6-14HCP
       -1♥(opp)-* Shows 4+ Spades 6-14 HCP
       -1♠(opp)-* Shows 4+ Hearts
          -1N(opp)-* Shows a major & 9+HCP

Fundamental responses without intervention:

1♣!-1♦     Shows 4+ Hearts Does not show or deny spades even 5+ card spades, 0-14HCP
          -1♥     Shows 4+ Spades & Denies holding 4+ Hearts, 0-14HCP
           -1♠     Shows 10+ HCP, denies any 4+ card major or any 5 card minor
           -1N    Shows (5)6-9 HCP denies any Major suit
           -2♣   10+ HCP (4)5+ Clubs
        -2♦   10+HCP 5+ Diamonds
            -2Ma 15+ HCP 5+ card Major
            -2N  16+ HCP 33{34} Hand
        -PASS   0-5HCP
         -3mi (6)7+ cards <=9HCP  Break-outs

Detailed Sequences without intervention:

1 ♣! 12-18 HCP  Note: 1 ♣ is strictly 12+ , responder must reply at the 1-level if holding a 4+ card Major

. 1♦  4+ Hearts 4+ HCP – 4+ Spades is not excluded

. 1♥ 4+ Hearts 12-14-(15) HCP - FIT.

. . 1♠ Responder shows 4-4 or better in Majors

  . . 2♠ double fit Forcing

        .       .               1N 12-16 with mandatory 2♣ inquiry with 9+ HCP

        .       .               2N 17-18 forcing

        .       .               3N To play

        .       .               2¦3¦4♥ Limit bids: 6+ Hearts: To play

        .       .               3mi Cue-bids game forcing

. 2♥ 4+ Hearts (15)16+ DP - Forcing fit

        .       .        PASS 0-5!

        .       .        Limit raises based on DP

        .       .        4mi SWISS solid raise to game & balanced hand - no S|V

        .       .        3New Suit Game Forcing - invokes cue-bidding OR direct closure

. 1♠    4 Spades 0-3 Hearts 12+ HCP

        .        .      2♠ responder at least 4-4 in majors

        .        .      2♦! Shows 5 card Hearts [looking for a 5-3 heart fit]

. . 2♥ To Play, 6+ cards weak < =9HCP

        .        .      2 ♣ 10+ 'Inverted' 4+ Clubs, 10+ HCP

        .        .      3 ♣ Weak, 5+ Clubs , some distribution, <=9HCP

        .        .      1N <=9 HCP

        .        .      3♦ (9)10+ 5+ diamonds

        .        .      3♥ 6+ cards (9)10+ HCP

        .        .      3¦4 4+ Spades, Natural, limit bids, over any intervention distributional raises

        .        .      2N is Trustcott over intervention, Spade fit to at least the 3-level (based on DP)

        .        .      2N no intervention 10+HCP, Natural Balanced, 3433 or 34{42} Note: always 3 Spades

        .        .      4mi SWISS Balanced solid raises to game

.    1N 12-16 HCP Balanced: i.e. 3-3-{3-4} or {3-3-2}-5

  . . 2♦! Re-transfer to hearts - Shows 5 card Hearts <9HCP

        .        .      2♥ To Play 6+ cards <9HCP

        .        .      2 Shows 4+ Spades in addition to Hearts already shown <9 HCP

        .        .      2 ♣ Crowhurst  Inquiry - 9+ HCP Adapted responses in 1 ♣ sequences:   

        .        .       .      3 card partner's Major

        .        .       .      4 card Hearts (partner showed 4+ Spades)

        .        .       .      2♦ min 12-14, 

        .        .       .      2N: (14)15: Balanced

        .        .       .      3♣!: 16HCP Balanced

        .        .       .      3♥ 15¦16 3 card Heart support or 4 card Hearts if partner showed 4+ Spades

        .        .       .      3 15¦16 3 card Spade support 

        .        .       .      3♦: 4 card diamonds

        .        .       .      3!: 5+ card clubs (as 4 card Majors would already be expressed instead of 1N). 
                   
        .        .       .      PASS

. .  2N Invitational - opening values balanced

. 2♣ 5+ Clubs Natural

. 2♥ To Play 6+ cards

        .                3|4♣ Raises natural limit bids.

. . 4 card Diamonds , denies 5+ Clubs

. . 2♠ 4+ Spades 4+ Clubs (15)16+  4-5 LTC

. . 2N 17-18 HCP Balanced - Natural continuations: 3N to play, 3♥ rebid 6+ card suit weak, other 3-level bids Forcing

1♣ 1♥ 4+ Spades 4+ HCP – 0-3 Hearts

. 1♠ shows 4+ card Spade fit 12-14-(15) HCP, 0-3 Hearts

. 2♠ 4+ Spades (15)-16+ HCP

. 1N 12-16 HCP 3-3-3-4 or 3-3-2-5    denies 4 card Diamonds  (see 2♦)

. .        2♣ Crowhurst Inquiry.9+ HCP Otherwise: PASS, 2♦ 5+ cards, etc

. 2♣ 5+ Clubs Natural

. 2♦ 4 card Diamonds , denies 5+ Clubs

. 2♥ 4 Hearts & 5+ Clubs 

` . 2N 17-18 HCP Balanced

.    3 ♣ 6+ Cards, 15+ HCP

        1♠! (9)10+ denies any 4 card major

         .       2 ♣  Natural 5+ Cards 12-14

         .       .      2♦  5+ Diamonds

         .       .      PASS

         .       .      3♣  fit

         .       2♦   4  Diamonds. 12-14 HCP. 

         .       .      PASS   Implies some Diamond support

         .       .      3♣ 5+ Clubs unbalanced 

         .       .      3♦  4+ Diamonds unbalanced

         .       .      2N min balanced,

         .       .      3N to play,

         .       .       2Ma either responder's major rebid 5+ cards or otherwise a guard;

         .       1N  12-16 Balanced indicates 7 cards in Majors {34}

         .        .      2♣ inquiry  9+ 

         .        .       .       2♦  4 cards Diamonds

         .        .       .       2Ma  natural 12-14

         .        .       .       3♣ 16  HCP

         .        .       .       3Ma natural 15-16

         .        .       .       2N 14-15

         .        .       PASS

         .        .       3♣  5+ Clubs <9 HCP

         .       2N Balanced Natural. 17-18 CP

1C 1N 5-8(9) denies any 4 card major EXCEPT OVER 1S by opponent when it shows 9+ continuations as for 1S response.see above

.       PASS nothing to say

         .       2 ♣ To play 5+ Clubs

. 2♦ 17+HCP 0-4 Diamonds Forcing unbalanced

         .       2N: Both major guards unbid majors and necessary strength

         .       2Ma: Guard or 5+ Cards

. 3mi 5+ Cards

             2 ♣ 5+ Clubs (9)10+ HCP - Inverted minor continuations - denies any Major suit. Attn: if opp. doubles: inverted requirements are NOT required but 5 cards are.

         2♦ 5+ Diamonds.  Denies any other suit.   (9)10+ HCP

2♥|S (15)16+ & quality 5 or 6+ Card Major

2N Balanced 'Baron' – suits bid 'up-the-line' (15)16+ HCP - can show a good 3 card major guard en-route

              3 ♣ Inverted pre-emptive  club raise  <=(9) HCP. Requires distributional features and 5+ card Clubs.; denies any Major

Jump rebids by opener:
      
A NEW suit bid shows a side suit that may be 2-3 cards with at least (1)2  top controls in it - forcing. Also implies a single suited hand in clubs - 5+ cards.
A 2NT jump rebid shows 17-18 HCP balanced hand
A jump rebid in clubs shws 6+ card suit and 15-18 HCP

1C-1N:   Strength showing intervention

Breakouts

A jump to the 3-level is a Breakout over the 1 ♣ opening, shows a 7+ card suit & <=9HCP.
These reponses also explicitly deny holding any 4 card major side suit ¦ (9)10+ HCP
3♦¦♥¦♠ all show 7 card suits (possibly a very good 6 card suit).
Warning: These bids cannot be made if opponents intervene with a weak 2 overcall - as  Rubinsohl transfers for Majors only  are now now made available - weak or strong - see below.
3 ♣ requires any 6 card or a  good 5 card auit, and some distribution. This is to be treated as a weak inverted minor bid even if bid over a weak 2 intervention.

2 Level weak interventions

2-level suit overcalls, 5+ cards

        * Shows 10+HCP -  The suit below!

         2N-3♥: Rubinsohl transfers , shows a Good 5+ Card Suit, transfer to opponents suit shows 4 card in highest unbid Major

          3♠ transfer to 3N to play - guard promised
       PASS Natural.
   
 logically: Both Majors 4-4 Note: 2 suited hands cannot be shown with a single bid:
2N shows 16+  Baron - denies any 4 card Major NOT H+L! Likely to be 3-3 or {2-3} in the Majors & deny a 5 card unbid minor
1N shows weak hand 5-8(9) - denying any Major

~ Cue-bid of an intervention was raised by a partner (suggesting both highest  unbid 5-5) BUT this is not at all  in keeping with the character of 1C sequences. It therefore must deny any 4+ card Major, show 10+, and a balanced hand.
Consider: 1C-1D-2D Assuming D intervantion to be natural then: 12-14(15) likely to be either 33{43} or 2344 or 2235 - no trump type hands!;  as 1C-1D-2C is 10+ with 5+ Clubs.
Weirder is 1C-2C(likely to be Majors or Clubs depending on opps system)- 2D natural 10+5+  denies any Major -3C  5+ Clubs denies any Major 10+HCP.
~ An incident raised the following: 1C-1D(natural intervention)-*(4+ Hearts)-2D(op raises)-3D? It must clearly deny any 4+ card Major - Indeed it can only show exactly 3 Spades and at least 5 Clubs & be game forcing! Also 1C-2C(genuine)-? -2D 5+cards Diamonds & no 4 card Major; -2Ma natural 4+ cards; -* ;-3Cor better.