Team Rowan

This year, for the first time, me and Anna have joined a Bridge Team to play in the Glasgow League. We're in Division Two with Team Rowan.

On Tuesday night the whole squad went out for dinner at Cafe Andaluz. After a fine meal, our Team Captain gave a short speech. "Most of all, have fun, and let's try not to get relegated!". I had the beetroot salad, mussels, and paella.

Eventually, the chat turned to Bridge. Our team-mates Eileen and Jill mentioned that they play the Multi 2♦ convention. Anna hates playing against that, I said. That's part of the reason they play it. So, in order to overcome our fear of the Multi, here's my summary.

Multi 2♦

An opening bid of 2♦ shows a Weak Two in either Hearts or Spades. So any hand with a good six card major and about 6-10 points:

♠ K x x ♥ A J x x x x ♦ x x x ♣ x

♠ Q J x x x x ♥ x x ♦ K x ♣ x x x

Since the 2♦ doesn't promise anything in Diamonds, responder needs to bid something, then opener can show his suit. So most of the time responder simply bids 2♥, and opener either passes this or corrects to 2♠

If responder has length in either Major he can force the bidding higher. But he has to be wary, as he doesn't know what opener's suit is. If responder has three card support in either Major so is happy to play at the three level in whichever opener's suit is, he can bid 3♥. As before, opener passes or corrects to Spades.

If responder has good Spade support, but no heart support, he has to begin with a simple 2♥. If opener passes, so be it, his suit was Hearts. If he bids 2♠ though, you can then raise.

The one tricky case is if responder has good Heart support, but not Spade support. Here he bids 2♠. As ever, opener either passes or corrects. If opener has Hearts he'll now bid 3♥, which is fine as you have Heart support, and you might even now raise to 4♥. If opener has Spades he'll pass out 2♠. One way to remember this as responder is to bid the suit you don't have.

Finally, if responder has a really good hand he can bid a forcing and natural 3♣ or 3♦. He can also bid 2NT, which is some sort of forcing enquiry as to which suit opener has, and if he's minimum or maximum.

The responses in full are:

Any Heart or Spade bid	Pass or Correct
2NT	Forcing enquiry
3♣ or 3♦	Natural
3NT	To play

Example Hand

♠ T 5 2 ♥ A Q 6 5 3 2 ♦ 4 ♣ K 7 4

♠ 8 2 ♥ K T 5 ♦ Q T 6 5 2 ♣ Q 7 3

W E 2♦ 2♠ 3♥

West has a Weak Two in Hearts, so opens 2♦. East has a rubbish hand, but three card Heart support, so bids 2♠, inviting opener to pass or correct. West has Hearts, so bids 3♥. This is passed out.

3♥ will fail, probably by two tricks. But this would be a good result, as the opposition very likely have a game in Hearts.

Good idea

If you play a Multi 2♦, you then have the 2♥ and 2♠ opening bids free for other bids. Eileen and Jill use them for Lucas Twos, which are Weak Twos with a shapely hand with only a five card Major.

The first league match isn't for a little while, so now's the time to practice our Multi. It's the first week of the Winter Pairs Series at the Buchanan tonight, so hopefully I can convince Anna to play the Multi 2♦. She doesn't seem at all keen though.