Redoubles and Cincinati signals

THE REDOUBLE RESPONSE AFTER OPPONENT'S TAKE-OUT DOUBLE.

When an opponent has made a TAKE-OUT DOUBLE over your partner's opening bid , your response must perforce change from the normal quite dramatically. Both halves of the partnerships have shown values, so now the contract belongs to whoever you or your LHO has (a) most points (b) best fit with partner. It follows therefore that if you have a weak hand but a fit with partner, you can preempt the opponents by overbidding cautiously......before your LHO gets in with a bid. BUT if you have plenty of points but not sure if you have a fit REDOUBLE first to tell partner that your side has the majority of the points, and are not adverse to doubling the opponents for penalties should the opportunity arise. You promise a bid.

The most dramatic change to our Normal response system is that after our Opp. has doubled our partners's opening bid in a Minor. AFTER THIS TAKE-OUT DOUBLE,we MUST NOT bid a major with 4 cards only (contrary to our usual obligation). If you do bid a MAJOR at the 1 level , you are telling partner that you are long (minimum 5 cards) in the suit bid but that you are WEAK. (no more than 9 total points. With a 5 card or longer major and more than 10HCP REDOUBLE first then bid your suit later. FAILURE TO REDOUBLE = WEAKNESS.

WITH THIS PRINCIPLE WELL IN MIND we now proceed to bid.

Over opponents Double of 1 of a MINOR

(a) Pass less than 5 HCP
(b) Redouble with 10 or more points and no fit with partner
(c) Raise to the 2 level with 5 card support for partner and 6 to 8 total points
(d) Preempt with a double raise with 5 card support and 9 to 11 total points
(e) Invite game with12 plus points and minimum 4 cards in the MINOR by bidding 2NT. This is the Truscott 2nt, and promises at least 1 stopper in at least 1 Major.(Note not necessarily 4 cards.)

Over opponent's Double of 1 of a MAJOR

(a) Pass less than 5 points and no 3 card support but BID1nt with a balanced 5 to 9pts without support
(b) Redouble with 9 or 10 points but NO FIT(minuimum 3 cards) with partner
(c) Raise to the 2 level with 3 card support and 3 to 6 points
(d) Preempt with a double raise to 2 level with support and 7 to 10 points
(e) Make a Truscott 2NT with support and 11 or 12 points This is invitational and is alertable.
(f) Bid 4 f Major with 13 plus points and support.

CINCINNATI SIGNALS IN BRIDGE ( Erroneously called Maltese locally ) Attitude and Suit Preference on Opening Leads IN Trump Contracts.

The Cincinnati method uses UPSIDE –DOWN Signals to show Attitude on partner’s lead. Thus if partner lead an ace the play of the third hand of his LOWEST card ENCOURAGES the continuation of the suit. Also, on the theory that much more often than not third hand will have both a high ODD card as well as an EVEN high card with which to signal, this method uses ODD-EVEN SPOT CARDS to give suit preference signals.

Employing these extremely efficient signals, therefore, when third hand wants a shift to a HIGHER ranking suit, he plays a HIGH, ODD–numbered card, and if he wants a shift to the LOWER ranking suit, he plays a High, EVEN-numbered card. In other words. Your play to the 1 st card can indicate (Attitude ) to partner whether u suggest she continues to lead that suit or not, and if NOT, WHICH suit you would prefer to be led (Preferance Signal ).

Your 1 st discard is ODDS/EVEN or ODDS ON (Also known as Roman Signals/Discards).

Memorize. ON THE LEAD OF PARTNER’s card your :

LOWEST ENCOURAGES HIGH DISCOURAGES
BUT HI ODD asks for a shift to HIGH Suit
HI EVEN asks for a shift to LOW suit.
DISCARDS The discard of any ODD card encourages that suit to be led
The discard of an EVEN card asks LO for LO and HI for HI.
NOTE. AGAINST NT CONTRACTS USE LEVENTHAL DISCARDS, YOUR 1 ST DSARD IS NEVER WHAT YOU WANT LED BUT LO FOR LOW SUIT AND HI FOR HIGH SUIT