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Week 0196 : 25th March 2024

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SWISS CONVENTION

An old convention whereby responses of 4♣ or 4 to an opening bid of one of a major show a good fit, sound values for game and some interest in a slam, thus releasing the direct raise to four of opener’s major as a pre-emptive action. There are many versions of Swiss. The two most popular were:

Singleton Swiss: 4♣ shows two aces and a singleton, after which 4 from partner asks responder to identify the singleton; 4 shows two aces without a singleton.

Fruit machine Swiss (Three-Way Swiss or Sussex Swiss): 4♣ shows either two aces and a singleton, or three aces, or two aces and the king of trumps. 4 from opener is then a relay requesting clarification. In reply, 4NT shows three aces, a bid of four of the agreed trump suit shows two aces and the trump king, and a new suit shows two aces and a singleton in the suit bid.

These days very few pairs play this convention, preferring instead to use Splinters, often in conjunction with the Jacoby 2NT raise.

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