We open 2♦ Flannery  11 to a bad 16 HCP   at least 5 hearts and 4 spades

Basic structure of responses and rebids

   Responder’s bids are

 pass   how to play 2 diamonds:

            2♥  or 2♠   to play not invitational; may have only 2 hearts

            3♥ or 3♠   slam invitational   at least game forcing; sets trump

                        subsequent new suits are cuebids  4N by either KC (or BW)

            3♣     to play; opener can raise clubs only

            3♦      natural and invitational in diamonds only; could pass 2♦ if weak

            2NT   asks opener for further information and is either invitational

 (usually) or better in a major or slammish in a minor

  then opener bids as follows:

                          3♣   SHO in clubs   4531 or 4540 (very unusual) then

3♥  is invitational to 4♥

3♠  is invitational to 4♠

4♥ or 4♠ are to play, not slammish

4♦  sets diamonds as trumps and asks for KC for diamonds

            remember that opener has diamonds

3N is to play

4♣ is natural and invitational, but not forcing

                         3♦   SHO in diamonds   4513   or 4504 (very unusual) then

3♥  is invitational to 4♥

3♠  is invitational to 4♠

4♥ or 4♠ are to play, not slammish

4♣ sets clubs as trumps and asks for KC for clubs

            remember that opener has clubs

3N is to play

           4♦ is natural and invitational but not forcing

                         3♥     4522   minimum then

                                       pass;  way to play 3♥ when opener has a minimum

                                       3♠    sign off in 3 spades since opener has a minimum

                                       4 of either minor is invitational

                        3♠    4 spades and 6 hearts

                                     responder sets contract

                        3N    4522 maximum

                                    responder sets contract but 4 of either minor is game forcing

            4♣     transfer to 4♥    how to play from opener’s side
                              then 4N by responder after the transfer is KC

            4♦      transfer to 4♠    how to play from opener’s side
                              then 4N by responder after the transfer is KC

            4♥ or 4♠     to play no slam interest;  how to play from responder’s side
 

We open Flannery and they double

system on and pass means we want to play 2 diamonds

We open Flannery and they bid a suit

system off

double penalty

all bids by responder are non forcing except cuebids

Suggested defense to Flannery

     They open 2 ♦ Flannery

            Double  general takeout with 14+

            2♥   both minors typically the values for at least a minimum opening bid

            2♠   natural and typically the values for a 2 level overcall

            2N   strong NT usually about 15 to 18  may have good minor

                        no Stayman or transfers   3 clubs and 3 diamonds are weak

            3♣ natural  sound overcall

            3♦  natural  sound overcall

            3♥ asks partner to bid 3N with a heart stopper   usually has a solid minor

            3♠  intermediate jump overcall in spades, good suit, invitational to game

            3N   to play

            4 clubs or 4 diamond very long suit, invitational to game

            4♥  both minors;  huge hands, game forcing, slammish

 Rationale for and advantages of playing Flannery

1.      In one bid it preempts the opponents and limits and accurately describes opener’s hand as to his strength and distribution

2.      If you play forcing NT over your major openings and opener holds 4522, opener has to rebid a 2 card minor and suppress what may be a strong 4 card suit even when opener is 4531.

3.      When playing Flannery, when the opening bid is 1 heart, responder knows that opener does not have spades unless he has 16+ HCP.  This is valuable knowledge that he possesses that the opponent’s are not likely to be aware of unless they understand Flannery and are astute enough to have noticed that the partnership is playing it.

4.   After a heart opening and a 2 over 1 by responder, a 2 spade rebid by
     opener shows 16+ HCP.  If not playing Flannery, 2 spades just shows
     values in spades and says nothing about strength.

5.      When playing Flannery,  responder doesn’t have to respond 1 spade with 4 weak spades,  so a 1 spade response tends to show 5, and opener can freely raise with 3 card support.

6.      Flannery is very destructive to the opponent’s bidding as usually only expert pairs have good tools to defend against it

7.      Weak 2 bids in diamonds are descriptive, but opener’s side is usually outranked and outbid, so good opponents will declare almost double dummy.  A 3 diamond opening is likely to be much more effective.  How badly to you miss playing weak 2 bids in clubs?

8.  Although it is a descriptive bid, the Flannery opener usually becomes
    dummy, and declarer’s hand is completely unknown.  For example,
    2 diamonds by opener, then 4 hearts or 4 spades by responder.

9.  Playing IMPS, Flannery is a tool with the potential for an inferior team
    to be in a position to pick up a big swing if the right Flannery hand comes
    up when the better team is not playing it. There is sometimes nothing
    they can do about it.

10. I hate to play against it.

An  example of a partnership that plays Flannery is Paul Soloway and Bob Hamman .

QUIZ:

What do you bid as dealer with the following hands?

                                            a. AKxx, KJTxx, xxx, x

          b. Jxxx, KQJTxxx, Axx, void

     c.  Kxxx, AJxxx, Qx, xx

          d.  AKxx, QTxxxx, Ax, x

     e.  AQJx, AKQxx, xxx, x

      Your partner opens 2 diamonds (Flannery) in 1^st position.  What is your response?

a.      KJx, QJTxx, Kxx, x

b.      QTxxxx, Ax, xxxx, x

c.      QTx, J, Axxx, Jxxxx

d.      xx, x, QJTxxx, Axxx

e.      AJT, AJxxx, xx, xx

f.        xx, x, Axx, KQTxxxx

g.      Qxx, KJxx, xxx, Axxx

h.      AKxxxx, QJx, Axx, x

i.        AKx, x, Axx, ATxxxx

j.         JTxxxxxx, x, Axx, xx

k.      QJx, J, AQTx, KJTxx

l.         Qxx, xx, Kxxxxx, Jxx

       You open 2 diamonds in 1^st position and partner bids 2N. (further inquiry)

       What do you bid with the following?

a.         AJxx, AQxxx, Ax, xx

b.       QTxx, AKJxx, Axx, x

c.        Axxx, AKxxxx, xx, x

d.       KQxx, KJxxx, Kx, xx

Copyright © 2005 by Larry Griffey and Candy Griffey