Flannery is a
bridge convention using a 2 opening bid to show a hand of minimal opening bid strength (11-15 high card points) with exactly four spades and five (or sometimes six) hearts. It was invented by American player
William (Bill) L. Flannery.
This convention was introduced because of the awkwardness of describing such a holding, especially with four-card major systems. For example, with the hand , if the bidding starts 1 - 1NT (denying four spades), the opener cannot rebid 2, as it would be a
reverse bid
A reverse, in the card game contract bridge, is a bidding sequence designed to show additional strength without the need to make a jump bid; specifically two suits are bid in the reverse order to that expected by the basic bidding system. Precise ...
showing a stronger hand, 2 would show a six-card suit, and two of a minor would show four or at least three good cards. Thus, the opener cannot easily explore for a 5-3 fit in hearts. Five-card major openers are somewhat better placed, because 1NT denies both three hearts and four spades, so opener may pass more safely but is nevertheless at risk of missing a potential optimum 4-3 fit in spades. Flannery is also useful when playing five-card majors in conjunctions with
forcing notrump
The forcing notrump is a bidding convention in the card game of bridge.
In Standard American bidding, the response of 1NT to an opening bid of 1 or 1 shows 6 to 9 high card points (HCP) and is ''non-forcing''. Opener, with a balanced minimum, m ...
, to prevent opener from having to respond in a nonsuit after 1 – 1NT when not strong enough to reverse.
Responses
Responder's only forcing bid is 2NT; all other bids are natural. The responses are:
*Pass, 2, 2, 3, 3 – to play
*3NT, 4, 4 – to play
*3, 3 – invitational
*2NT – forcing bid. The opener describes his hand more precisely:
**3, 3 – 3 cards in the bid suit (i.e., 4=5=1=3 and 4=5=3=1 distribution, respectively)
**3 – 4=5=2=2, 11-13 points
**3 – 4=5=2=2, 14-15 points with weak minor-suit doubletons
**3NT – 4=5=2=2, 14-15 points, but good minor-suit doubletons
**4, 4 – 4 cards in the bid suit (i.e., 4=5=0=4 and 4=5=4=0 distribution, respectively)
**4 - a 6-card heart suit, for those who play this variant
Anti-Flannery
"Anti-Flannery" is a variation used in systems which use the
canapé treatment, where a shorter suit is opened first. It is used in some variations of
Blue Club
Blue Club is a bridge bidding system, developed mainly by Benito Garozzo. It was used by the famous Blue Team and became very popular in the 1960s. It has gained a strong following ever since.
The main features are:
* Strong club system: 1 open ...
and Lancia systems. With canapé in effect, hands with 4=5 in majors are naturally opened 1 with 2 rebid, however, hands with five spades and four hearts present a problem and the 2 artificial bid can be used to show that holding. Continuations are similar to basic Flannery.
Further reading
*
External links
BridgeGuys convention description
{{WPCBIndex
Bridge conventions