Mandell Bids

Chapter 06

Major Suit Response Structure

Card:

BUPH: 1S-3NT or 1H-3S unspecified weak splinter. So, 1H-3NT is strong splinter for S
Then one step to ask, then low/middle/high
BPH: Same but showing max passed hand and void vs singleton rather than strong vs weaker
Notes from 10/27/25 with Radu. BUPH weak is 9-12, strong is 13-15, more than that better to use 2NT.

Non-Serious 3NT: GF Auction, major fit found, at or above 3M, must show S control first if bid available
Only time not non-serious: 1M-2m-2NT-3M-3NT
Last Train: Only remaining bid may be artificial with some slam interest rather than natural

Widen range: 8-11, some stretch 8s K87 Ax Txxx 98xx, not Jxx Kxx Qxxxx Qxx
Support bids:
Drury: 2C=3, 2D=4
2M Weaker than Drury: Support not 3M or Drury
3M Mixed just below Drury: 5# or 4# just below good 8
1/20/26 change w/ Radu: 2NT is best possible 4-card raise w/ shortness (3C can as where, LMH), 3CD are natural escapes Agreed with Dan 2/10/26.
Fit Jump Shift: 2NT for clubs \*\*\*\* (because need 3C to show long clubs, long diamonds would have opened 2D), 3DH. 4# support and 5# side suit, max passed hand
Splinters: See 2-tiered splinters above, strong version is void
Other non-support bids:
1NT: max balanced hand no support (Radu plays 5-bad 11, lets agree)
2H: good suit no support for S, 5# 10
3C: 6+ 9-10, \*\*\*\* no support
After Drury:
2M sign-off: no interest in game
Responder can make natural bid, max still with interest, happy to end in 3M
2D interested: still interested in game, denies 4H after S
2M Sign-Off: Responder can 2M signoff (I have a weak Drury),
2H Temporize: Responder can temporize/last train 2H with full limit (1S-2C-2D-2H)
3M 4-card Mixed: Responder can 3M 4-card mixed
2NT Max balanced: Responder can 2N max drury balanced
2H after S, interested: 1S-2C-2H w/ 4#H
3H: Responder can show double fit, still interested but not enough to go myself
4M to play
\>2M are GF
2NT 5332
3-level, natural 55 maybe 54
4-level splinter

Short Suit Game Tries
2NT Show me yours: 2NT is generic game try (show me your short suit), responder goes or shows short suit (0-2#), 4333 3M is min, 3NT is max
Non-jump suit: Otherwise, can do short suit game try showing singleton or void, responder re-evaluates as if splintered.
Decided with Radu, SSGT only after 1M-2M, otherwise natural game tries
123 & Out / Maximal double
Maximal only if opponents last suit bid is one below our suit
Game try can be generic if suit between last suit and our suit
1H-(2D)-2H-(3D)-X is maximal; 1H-(2C)-2H-(3C)-X is penalty and 3D is generic game try, in both 3H is to play

646 vs 664: 646 strong
Courtesy Raise: 1S-1N-2C-3C (Opener could be 11-18)
Impossible 2S: 1H-1N-1A-2S, can’t be S, stronger than 3-level bid, opener bids 2N waiting (or 2nd suit 55)
Keeping Auction Alive: Opener may have 16-18 so try to keep auction alive
Opener’s 3rd Bid: 16-18 and shape
~~No Modified Bart: could discuss adding this, uses 2M to show exactly 9-11 2# and transfers~~
Interference after 1NT semi-forcing (XX or cue=values, suits distribution):
After X: XX shows values (15+), bids show distribution, jump bids show more distribution
After RHO Overcalls: X is takeout (after jump overcall, values), new suit is good distribution or good suit, cue bid is GF

Cue limit+ (2NT 4# limit+ if available)
~~3M weak if can’t double cue,~~ 3M-1 mixed (decided with Radu 3M-1 is only mixed in competitive auctions if it’s a JS, otherwise 3M is mixed … when they open and we overall, then double cue is mixed) … e.g. (1D)-1S-3D is mixed, (1D)-1S-(2D)-3H is mixed, 1S-(2D)-3H is mixed, see 1S-(X) below but 3H is mixed
See advancing overcall section

2M/3M weakest: 3/4#

2M-1/3M-1 constructive: 3/4#

3C/2N LR+ 3/4#

Radu: 3C is 3# LR+ also over 1M-(X)

Jump Shifts:
FJS BPH: Support and 2nd suit (like with Drury)
WJS BUPH
Non-Support Bids
New Suit 1-Level: 1H-(X)-1S: 4#+ Forcing
Transfers (\<10 in new suits): 1NT—\>Clubs, 2C—\>D, 2D-\>H (should be 6 without a fit)
XX: 10+ not 3#
~~NOT DOING WITH DAN. Alternative: Radu comments:~~ BPH/BUPH uses 3C 3#LR, 3D 4# mixed, 1S-(X)-3H is 6+ inv (not doing with Dan)
Going for blood after 1M-(X)-XX:
Forcing to 2M, can’t pass below. If they bid above 2M, X is takeout and GF, otherwise it’s penalty showing 4+ in their suit (should be accepted if you have 2, even at 1 level).
1H-(X)-XX-(3D): After this X is takeout and GF
1H-(X)-XX-(1S)-P-(P)-2H-(2S). This is no longer forcing, after 1S it was forcing to at least 2H, but 2S can be passed.
When this is being done to you, pass as advancer to the takeout double without clear direction, then partnership should bid up the line to escape as best as possible. If the advancer is doubled, redouble is SOS. XX of penalty doubles are SOS.
(1C)-X-(XX)-P-(P)-1D-(X)-XX: XX here is SOS (Txxx xxxx x KTxx)

(section duplicated in competitive bids section)

1S: Natural NF if available
Transfers including 1NT transfer to clubs
LR: Transfer to their suit
2-card XX: 2-card support and values (10+) after all X are penalty, 10+, think about penalty with BOP, Don’t save them, pass the XX 99.9% they will bid
1444: even with a good hand, pass, then double later (partner knows you have singleton)
Jordan after negative double: 2NT is 4# support LR+ (Not possible for 2NT to be natural)
(1D)-1H-(neg X):
1S: Natural NF
1NT —\> Clubs one of three hands, 6+ weak, 5+ good (can bid again), heart raise (Wants club lead)
2C —\>D: If transferring to their suit is 3# LR+
2D—\>H: Transfer to our suit is good raise
2H: Our suit is weak raise
2NT: 4#+ LR+
(1C)-1H-(neg X):
1S: Natural NF
1NT —\> Clubs so LR+
2C —\>D: Diamonds competitive or better
2D—\>H: good raise
2H: weak raise
2NT: 4#+ LR+
Only difference to transfers after 1M (X) is the LR+ into their suit and 2NT is Jordan 4# LR+
Transfers after: 1M (X), 1M (neg X), 1M (2M)