Balanced hands that are too strong to open 1NT (15-17 HCP) are expected to use the following Standard American sequences. The
2
auctions waste a lot of space and are somewhat wide-ranging in nature.
Opener's strength |
Opening Bid |
20-21 HCP | Open 2NT |
22-24 HCP | Open 2 and rebid 2NT |
25-27 HCP | Open 2 and rebid 3NT |
28-30 HCP | Open 2 and rebid 4NT |
31-32 HCP | Open 2 and rebid 5NT |
To improve on this, Canadian expert Eric Kokish proposed a more compact structure. After a
2
opening bid and a
2
negative response, opener should still rebid 2NT to show 22-24 balanced points, like so:
|
|
|
Opener
2
2NT
|
Partner
2
|
|
However, a balanced hand with 25+ points should rebid an artificial
2
as a relay to
2
. This shows either 1) a balanced hand with 25+ points, or 2) a genuine heart suit.
Opener’s rebids after the
2
relay:
Opener's Rebid |
Meaning |
2NT | 25+ points, game-forcing1 |
3 | 5+ hearts and 4+ clubs |
3 | 5+ hearts and 4+ diamonds |
3 | 6+ hearts2 |
3 | 5+ hearts and 4+ spades |
1 If you prefer, 2NT can be eased to 24+ points. This makes it riskier to force game, but also allows the immediate 2NT rebid to be tightened to 22-23 points.
2 Balanced hands with 5 hearts should rebid 2NT, either directly or indirectly.
Kokish originally called his contraption "Birthright", although it is more popularly known as the Kokish Relay.
In his Book "The Notrump Zone", American expert Danny Kleinman states, "The Kokish Relay loses responder's 'second negative' or delayd positive response when opener has a big heart hand, but gains by replacing awkward 3NT sequences with smooth 2NT auctions when opener has a big notrump hand. I'm not confident that the benefits outweight the drawbacks."
Examples
| | Opener | | | Responder |
| AK | | J8732 |
| QJT | | 87642 |
| AKQ2 | | 5 |
| AK86 | | 54 |
|
Opener
2 (1)
2 (3)
2NT (5)
3
4
|
|
Responder
2 (2)
2 (4)
3 (6)
3 (7)
Pass
|
- Strong and artificial
- 0-7 points, negative or waiting
- Kokish Relay
- Completing the relay
- 25+ points, balanced and game-forcing
- Jacoby transfer
- Showing 5 spades along with the 5 hearts
Note that the partnership would have lacked an extra level of bidding space if opener had rebid 3NT immediately.
| | Opener | | | Responder |
| AT3 | | K42 |
| AKJ872 | | 95 |
| AKT | | 653 |
| A | | T8765 |
|
Opener
2 (1)
2 (3)
3 (5)
Pass
|
|
Responder
2 (2)
2 (4)
4
|
- Strong and artificial
- 0-7 points, negative or waiting
- Kokish Relay
- Completing the relay
- 6+ hearts, game-forcing
| | Opener | | | Responder |
| T6 | | Q7542 |
| AQT64 | | 973 |
| AKJ | | T765 |
| AKQ | | 7 |
|
Opener
2 (1)
2NT(3)
3 (5)
|
|
Responder
2 (2)
3 (4)
Pass
|
- Strong and artificial
- 0-7 points, negative or waiting
- 22-24 balanced
- Jacoby transfer
- Completing the transfer
Employing the Kokish Relay means that opener can't rebid a natural
2
with an unguarded spade doubleton. In this case the partnership ends up in the inferior major suit.