Presented by Mike Savage
Flannery is a convention that was designed to show minimum opening hands with five hearts and four spades. To show this hand, you open 2D in the original version and in another version, 2H is used. Flannery is a popular convention so your partnership needs to have defensive methods ready to be able to compete safely, without misunderstandings. On page one are the standard defenses after Flannery. On page two are the three most common response sequences after a Dbl of 2D Flannery (showing a strong 1NT opener) which are rarely discussed in many partnerships – all are logical, some are memory intensive.
2D Flannery:
Dbl = Shows a balanced hand with values for a sound, strong 1NT opening or better and should have
both majors stopped. (For responses to the double, see Responses after Dbl on page 2).
2H = A take-out double of hearts, an opening hand or better and usually has at least three spades.
2S = Natural with a very good five or good 6-card suit and should have opening values.
2NT = Artificial (think Unusual No-trump), 5-5 plus in the minors with opening values or better.
3C/3D= Natural with at least opening values and a good (usually six-card) suit.
3H = Western cue-bid asking partner to bid 3NT with a stopper. Usually bid with a long, solid suit.
Responses:
4C = Artificial, denies a stopper in hearts and asks partner to pass if clubs is his suit and
if it isn’t to bid his suit at the four-level. Denies game values for either minor.
4D = Artificial, denies a stopper in hearts but has values for game in partner’s suit.
4S = Natural, to play. Shows a very good six or a reasonable seven card suit and values for game.
3S = Natural and invitational with a very good six or a good seven-card suit with about 8-9 winners.
3NT = To play, usually based on a long solid minor, majors stopped and about 8-1/2 to 10 winners.
2H Flannery: All meanings are the same as above, except those in green.
Dbl = A take-out double of hearts with at least opening values or a hand too good to just bid 2NT.
2S = 1St Choice:
Artificial (think Unusual No-trump), with 5-5 plus in the minors with opening values or more.
Alternate Choice:
Shows a good 5/6-card suit with opening values (if you chose this, you can’t show both minors).
2NT = Natural with values for a sound, strong 1NT opening with stoppers in the majors.
3C/3D = Natural with at least opening values and a good (usually six-card) suit.
3H = Western cue-bid asking partner to bid 3NT with a stopper. Usually bid with a long, solid suit.
Responses:
4C = Artificial, denies a stopper in hearts and asks partner to pass if clubs is his suit and
if it isn’t, to bid his suit at the four-level. Denies game values for either minor.
4D = Artificial, denies a stopper in hearts but has values for game in partner’s suit.
4S = Shows a very good six or a reasonable seven-card suit and values for game.
3S = Natural with a very good six or a good seven-card suit with about 8-9 winners.
3NT = To play, usually based on a long solid minor, majors stopped and about 8-1/2 to 10 winners.
(Bids in blue have the same meanings in all three sequences)
Responses after 2D-Dbl-pass/2H or 2S: The meaning of a response to intervener’s take-out double is somewhat dependant on what is bid by the responder to Flannery. After consultation (but not always agreement) with Danny Kleinman, Bill Hall and others, the bidding structure below seems effective to me.
2D-Dbl-2H: Dbl = Penalty
2S = Natural and to play, usually with a five-card or longer suit.
2NT = Artificial. Asks intervener (the doubler) to bid 3C and you will usually pass or
bid 3D which intervener must pass. If advancer bids again, 3C didn’t show clubs.
If over 3C, advancer bids 3H; that shows at least four spades and is game forcing.
If over 3C, he bids 3S; that shows a good 5/6-card spade suit and is invitational.
Over 3C, 4S = slam invitational; very good spades and more than opening values.
3C/3D = Natural and invitational.
3H = Relay to 3NT, wants the big hand to be declarer as advancer has no major tenaces.
3S = Shows minors, usually 5-5, little interest in 3NT, looking for a minor game or slam.
3NT = To play, wanting the Flannery bidder to be on lead; usually has tenaces to protect.
4S = Natural and to play, usually with a good 6 or 7-card suit. Has no slam interest.
2D-Dbl-2S: Dbl = Penalty
2NT = Artificial, asking intervener (doubler) to bid 3C, which you will usually pass or
bid 3D, which intervener must pass. If over 3C, you bid: 3H (rare) = natural and
invitational, or 3S = spade shortness, 4-4 plus in the minors, game values or more.
3C/3D = Natural and invitational.
3H = Relay to 3NT, wants the big hand to be declarer as advancer has no major tenaces.
3S = Shows minors, usually 5-5, little interest in 3NT, looking for a minor game or slam.
3NT = To play, wanting the Flannery bidder to be on lead; usually has tenaces to protect
4H = Natural and to play – rare (opener may have forgotten Flannery & has a weak two).
There are many possible options that could be used here. (Also, does pass shows diamonds or just no fit?)
2D-Dbl-pass: Pass = Penalty, with 3-4 diamonds and at least invitational values or any diamond stack.
2H = Relay to 2S
. After 2S: Pass = Shows four or more spades and no game interest.
2NT = Relay to 3C. Shows a weak hand with clubs, could only have four.
If over 3C, 3H = natural and to play (rare – they forgot Flannery?).
3C = Natural and forcing, denies having a spade suit.
3D = Shows shortness (4-3-1-5, 4-4-1-4, etc.) and at least game values.
3H = Shows shortness (4-1-4-4, 4-0-4-5, etc.) and at least game values.
3S = Natural and forcing, has at least a very good five or a six-card suit.
3NT = Shows game values and only four spades.
2S = Natural and invitational. Could have only four if there is no better bid.
2NT = Natural and mildly invitational as he didn’t sign off in 2S or 3C.
3C = Natural and invitational.
3D = Transfer to 3H (rare); a good 6-card suit, invitational or more (they forgot Flannery?).
3H = Relay to 3NT, wants the big hand to be declarer as advancer has no major tenaces.
3S = Natural and invitational, usually with a good six-card suit.
3NT = To play, wanting the Flannery bidder to be on lead; usually has tenaces to protect.