XYZ, the convention
By BBOer Fluff (Bernard Marcoux)
In this article (quite long, sorry about that - but I
promise it is worth it), we will examine a convention that is called XYZ. Many
top players play that convention. My partner and I have been playing this for a
great number of years and we have worked a lot to develop and refine it.
Why xyz? What does that mean?
1x 1y
1z
meaning
1any 1any
1any
The only important thing is that opener’s rebid is
at the one level, either a suit or NT.
So, when the bidding goes that way, a 2♣ rebid by responder is
artificial, forcing opener to bid 2♦.
|
Opener |
Responder |
|
1♣ |
1♥ |
|
1♠/1nt |
2♣! |
ALERT! If they ask, you say: partner orders me to bid 2♦ (or, if you have to self-alert, artificial,
forces 2♦ by opener)
This relay generally initiates INVITATIONAL sequences. Responder can show a
number of hands with invitational strength. But this relay can also be used for
this:
|
Opener |
Responder |
|
1♦ |
1y |
|
1z |
2♣ |
|
2♦ |
Pass |
The 2♣ forces opener to bid 2♦ and
responder then passes.
A direct 2♦ rebid by responder is
artificial and Game Forcing, even if opener’s first bid was 1♦:
|
Opener |
Responder |
|
1♣/1♦ |
1♥ |
|
1♠/1nt |
2♦! |
ALERT! If they ask, you say: Artificial, Game Forcing.
So if you want to play 2♦, as responder,
you cannot bid 2♦ directly. You have to
use 2♣ and pass over the forced 2♦
rebid by opener.
The general structure is this:
·
A 2♣ rebid by responder is
artificial and asks opener to bid 2♦. Responder will then pass or show different invitational
hands.
·
A 2♦
rebid by responder is artificial, game-forcing, and asks opener to describe his
hand.
What do we lose? After xyz, we
cannot play 2♣. Who wants to play 2♣??J
1. Invitational sequences
|
Opener |
Responder |
|
1m |
1y |
|
1nt |
? |
Quick studies will have noticed that we have now 2 ways to invite by 2nt:
·
we can bid it directly after the
1nt, or
·
go through the artificial 2♣, forcing 2♦ by opener, and then rebid 2nt.
As nature hates voids, these 2 ways
have to show different things. My partner and I play Lebensohl
Fast Shows. So, to make it easy on memory, we play the same thing here:
direct 2nt shows 11-12 points and a 4 card fit in opener’s minor, or at least Hxx, the honour being A, K or Q.
|
Opener |
Responder |
|
1♦ |
1M |
|
1nt |
2nt = partner, I have 11-12 and 4
cards in diamonds, or Hxx |
If you go through 2♣, then rebid 2nt (slow way), you still have
11-12 points, but deny 4 cards in opener’s minor. Opener with AKxxx, knowing a 4 card fit in his suit or Qxx, can better evaluate the trick taking potential.
|
Opener |
Responder |
|
1♦ |
1M |
|
1nt |
2♣ |
|
2♦ |
2nt = partner, I have 11-12
points, but not 4 cards in your suit |
What do you do if you have 5+ cards in opener’s minor?
You go through the relay and then support.
|
Opener |
Responder |
|
1♦ |
1M |
|
1nt |
2♣ |
|
2♦ |
3♦
= partner, I have an invitational hand with 5+ cards in your suit |
Same thing if the opening bid was 1♣.
|
Opener |
Responder |
|
1♣ |
1M |
|
1nt |
2♣ |
|
2♦ |
3♣ = partner, I have an
invitational hand with 5+ cards in your suit |
So what do you do with this hand:
|
Opener |
Responder |
|
1♣ |
1♠ |
|
1nt |
3♣ = weak, preemptive |
The jump to 3♣ at second turn by responder is weak, preemptive. Remember:
after xyz, you cannot play 2♣.
Let’s see this sequence now:
|
Opener |
Responder |
|
1♣ |
1♥ |
|
1♠ |
2♣ |
|
2♦ |
2♥ |
What is responder showing? He is showing an invitational hand with 5+ hearts.
The advantage is that responder will play 2♥
instead of 3, as it would have happened if he were using standard methods. If
he had 6 good hearts, responder would go like this.
|
Opener |
Responder |
|
1♣ |
1♥ |
|
1♠ |
2♣ |
|
2♦ |
3♥
= I have invitational values and 6 good hearts, AQJxxx,
AQ109xx |
If you have this hand:
|
Opener |
Responder |
|
1♦ |
1♥ |
|
1♠ |
? |
Using standard methods, you have to jump to 3♠, showing invitational
values. With xyz, you can show the limit raise and still play at the 2 level.
|
Opener |
Responder |
|
1♦ |
1♥ |
|
1♠ |
2♣ |
|
2♦ |
2♠ |
|
Pass |
Very economical, no? Everybody will be in 3♠,
struggling, while you will play a cool and relaxed 2♠.
Opener opens 1♥.
The case with the 1♥ opening bid is
interesting.
|
Opener |
Responder |
|
1♥
|
1♠ |
|
1nt |
? |
Responder still has 2 ways to invite in no trump: directly and indirectly. So
we have defined this agreement: direct way (Lebensohl
fast shows) shows a helpful doubleton in hearts, Hx
or at least J10.
|
Opener |
Responder |
|
1♥
|
1♠ |
|
1nt |
2nt = partner, I have 11-12 with Hx in hearts, or at least J10 |
Knowing that, opener can now count tricks (instead of points) if his heart suit
is AQJxx (responder shows the K, so 5 tricks there)
or KQxxx (responder shows Ax or J10, so at least 4
sure tricks there).
If you go through the relay, you still have 11-12 points, but no useful cards
in opener’s suit.
|
Opener |
Responder |
|
1♥
|
1♠ |
|
1nt |
2♣ |
|
2♦ |
2nt = partner, I have 11-12, but
nothing to help you in hearts |
Let's see a few example hands:
Responder's 3♣ says "partner, I have 11-12, 5 hearts and 5
clubs".
Responder's 3♥ says "partner, I have
11-12, 5 spades and 5 hearts".
Now 2♥ says "partner, I have 11-12, 5
spades and 4+ hearts".
As always with xyz, if opener is minimum, you will play
at 2nd level instead of 3rd level with standard methods. Big
advantage.
The 2♣ relay initiates invitational sequences, but we can use it also for
this type of hand:
In standard methods, you have probably only one bid: 4nt quantitative. But why
play 4nt when you can play 3nt?
|
Opener |
Responder |
|
1♦ |
1♠ |
|
1nt |
2♣ |
|
2♦ |
3nt = partner, I have 19 pts, an invitational hand for slam |
Opener will decide.
2. Game forcing sequences
Let’s start by saying that any jump rebid by responder (except 3♣
preemptive) is Game Forcing and shows a good suit. By any jump rebid, we
mean:
·
responder jumps (rebid) in his own
suit;
·
responder jumps (rebid) in support
of opener’s suit;
·
responder jumps (rebid) in a new suit.
Examples:
The jump to 3♠ is game forcing and shows very good spades.
The jump to 3♠, this time in opener's suit, is game forcing and shows
very good spades (at least 2 top honors)
The jump to 3♥ shows a two-suited hand
with both majors 5-5, good spades and hearts
What do you do if your suit is not that good?
In this case, responder can use the artificial 2♦
to set the game force, then continue to describe the
hand.
Examples:
The jump to 3♠ shows a game forcing hand with 6 spades with some holes.
Opener with Kx in spades can then simply bid game
with a minimum or cue-bid with a maximum.
I will end this looong article with a fun hand we
played in a live competition:
I know, this jump to 7♠ is majestic, but my partner likes those jumps. We
have also defined this rule: after a major suit fit is found, we NEVER play
3NT. So 3NT becomes available for a new meaning, and it says: I have slam
aspirations, but I don’t have the Ace of clubs. Please tell me if you have it.
Notice that with the void, RKC is not efficient. The jump to 3♠,
promising 2 top honors, clarifies everything for opener, guaranteeing that the
trump suit is solid.
It would be too long to examine all sequences, but the bridge playing readers
can appreciate this basic structure and develop their own refinements.
One last thing: in competition, xyz is always ON, except when opener doesn't
make a bid, meaning if he passes. If he bids something, even a double, xyz is
on.
Is XYZ on by a passed hand? Most play it off, my suggestion is play it on
except only the 1C bid remains the same, the 2D bid should show an
invitational hand with 5+ diamonds. This last paragraph added by Ron Dragt
Hope you liked this article and that you will adopt xyz, a simple and fun
convention to play.