Meckwell Convention - Defense to 1NT

Experts Jeff Meckstroth and Eric Rodwell invented the following defense structure against 1NT. It differs from other popular defenses in several ways, notably by:

• Accounting for both weak and strong 1NT openings.
• Using 2 and 2 as entirely natural. Evidently Meckwell prefer the competitive value of showing major single-suiters immediately rather than employing these bids as two-suiters.

Overcall	Meaning
Double	Penalty-oriented, 14+ points.
2	A two-suiter in the black suits (clubs and spades) OR the majors (hearts and spades).
2	Diamonds and a major. Advancer can pass or correct.
2	Natural.
2	Natural.
2NT	A strong hand with both majors, or a one-suiter with clubs.
3	Clubs and hearts. Advancer can pass or correct.

Note: A passed hand uses the defensive scheme vs. a strong 1NT instead, since a penalty double isn't needed anymore. See below.

Overcall	Meaning
Double	One of the following (relay to 2): Clubs Diamonds Both majors A good 2 overcall or other good hand1
2	Clubs and a major. Advancer can pass or correct.
2	Diamonds and a major. Advancer can pass or correct.
2	Natural.
2	Natural.
2NT	Both minors OR a strong hand with both majors. Presumably advancer normally picks a minor, and overcaller can correct to 3 with the majors.

The following examples illustrate Meckwell playing their own invention. These first three deals come from the 2012 Grand National Teams.²

Vul: None		Meckstroth
Dlr: North		9653
		T987
Wooldridge		K983		Hurd
Q8		7		K7
Q6542				AKJ3
J74		Rodwell		QT65
T52		AJT42		K86
		—
		A2
		AQJ943

Rodwell Dbl2 43

Wooldridge 2 Pass

Meckstroth Pass Pass 4

Hurd 1NT1 3 All Pass

1. Strong 1NT
2. A "good" hand that's too strong for a 2 overcall, which could get passed
3. Presumably Michaels

Meckstroth ended up making an overtrick.

Vul: N-S		Lev
Dlr: West		J2
		K62
Meckstroth		AKT62		Rodwell
T954		AQ6		K87
QJ7				AT984
74		Glubok		QJ83
J754		AQ63		2
		53
		95
		KT983

Glubok Dbl 3

Meckstroth Pass Rdbl3 Dbl

Lev 1NT1 Pass 3NT

Rodwell 22 2 All Pass

1. Strong 1NT
2. Diamonds and a major
3. SOS, denying diamond tolerance

3NT went down one for -100.

Vul: E-W		Bramley
Dlr: South		A4
		T63
Rodwell		QJ86		Meckstroth
T98762		9732		QJ3
AKQ4				92
A		Compton		KT9752
54		K5		86
		J875
		43
		AKQJT

Compton 1NT1 3 All Pass

Rodwell 22 4

Bramley Pass 5

Meckstroth 23 Dbl

1. Weak 1NT
2. Spades with either clubs OR hearts
3. Correcting to spades

Chris Compton attempted an offbeat 1NT before clarifying his hand later. This left Bart Bramley with a difficult decision at favorable vulnerability. 5-X went down 3 for -500.

This last deal comes from the 2018 United States Bridge Championships.³

Vul: None		Meckstroth
Dlr: West		AT987
		QT8
Zia		4		Pepsi
532		A854		Q
AKJ2				97654
K75		Rodwell		A9832
KQ9		KJ64		JT
		3
		QJT6
		7632

Rodwell 24 Pass

Zia 1NT1 3 Pass

Meckstroth 22 3 Dbl

Pepsi 23 4 All Pass

1. Strong 1NT
2. Clubs and a major
3. Transfer to hearts
4. Some type of fit-showing "cue-bid"

Against 4, Meckwell took one trick in each suit for +100.

1. ClaireBridge. Meckwell Convention Card.
2. ACBL. 2012 Grand National Teams Results.
3. USBF. 2018 United States Bridge Championships Results.