WEST hand  J3  9853  AK1085  Q8

Pairs both vul dealer West

EAST hand  98  AQ1074  974  A106

West	North	East	South	notes
pass	1*	1¥	double	1*=3+, 1¥=either major, double=takeout
1				1=heart support!

Strange auction against unknown opponents! I assume this was part of a more general defence to phoney club. East's response of 1^¶ paradoxically showed heart support, and the ability to play the two level. Had East bid 1 West (presumably) would have corrected with a spade hand.

I was North and actually held clubs with 4 spades for my 1. I made a takeout double of their implied heart fit and we bid to a 3 contract, but that's another story. While this may look pretty trivial, this style of advance can be used in any situation where partner has implied length in one of two suits. It is also very efficient, generally freeing up an extra step. Try our 1^¥ example using an alternative (and cumbersome) 1=relay sequence

West	North	East	South
pass	1*	1¥	x
1*	2!	?

Look what has happened. Opponennts have got in first and now it's you who has to guess.

Furthermore, using relays there is no room for you to play in hearts at the one level (unless you agree that you might pass the relay). Paradox advances always save one step, and always allow you to drop the auction at the existing level.

Do you get the idea? Here West has shown an undisclosed major. If East can raise one, she bids the other one. Therein lies the paradox!

You have overcalled ambiguously at the one level but can still subside safely in one of either major. You have messed up the phoney club, but opponents still don't know your actual suit. You can use the now spare 1/1 (or double) systemically for other awkward interventions such as a Raptor 4/5+ hand. Cool!

As it happened my own partnership was already playing ParadoX in several situations ...

Extending a strong 2 clubs

The challenge is to open 2 as either 8 tricks in a major or a massive hand, yet still stop in a playable contract opposite partner's usual rubbish. The answer is to make 2 a semi positive relay and to make paradox negatives in a major on very poor cards. In this scheme

• 2 is either nothing, or a trick for spades^¶ only
• 2^¶ is a trick for hearts only

In the examples partner has opened 2 which in our methods can be game forcing, a 16+ three-suiter, or 8-9 tricks in a major.

 J32  853  10852  Q84

Nothing for either major. Bid 2 and pass 2=(natural with 8-9 tricks)

 Q5  93  10763  J9652

Trick for spades only - bid 2^¶ (later you can raise spades)

 3  J853  J9643  862

Your 2^¶ call shows a single trick for hearts only. Partner will now place the contract.

 Q3  9853  85  J7532

With a trick for either major you bid 2=semi+ve

The gains from this seemingly devious style:

• The weak positive 2 response has effectively become a relay promising "a trick for either major". Opener can always get a major in at the two level and his second suit at the three level. This is especially useful for hearts, and avoids confusion later.
  You can still subside in 3 of opener's major
• Playing Acol methods the 2/ openings are free for other bids. I like Multi, and two further layers of preempts!
• A new 4 level suit is now always a cue.
• you havetaken pressure off your 1 levl opening and can safely pass these with as much as 6 points

You will need some ageements to force game or make a slam tries. The full 2 responses are on my own two system page. If partner has a nine trick Acol major Two you will find the method also always works. We not infrequently get auctions:

2 - 2^¶;
pass!

2 - 2^¶
pass!

Much to our opponent's surprise!

ParadoX Tricks opposite the Multi 2 diamonds

5 A853 K104 KJ732

You respond 2¶ Usually you play there, but the message is that game is possible if partner has hearts.

However ParadoX allows similar bids at the three level - extending the preempt

J54  K853  9  Q10732

This time game looks on for opponents and a rapid ParadoX preempt extension of 3¶ makes things hard for them. In practice it always seems safe. Play there, or in 4 hearts. I have often made the same bid on  Qx and four hearts and it works fine.

It would be nice to play similar ParadoX preempt extentions at the four level, but my view and experience is that this does not work. There will always be hands where you simply want to simply bid game in your own major when partner pre-empts. 4 and 4 should be natural responses.

ParadoX and lebensohl

Pairs nv/nv - 1NT is weak or mini

A5  KQ83  1043  K1032

Your weak/mini 1NT is overcalled 2 partner makes a puppet/lebensohl 2NT which is doubled.

Partner has commanded a 3 call, and generally is going to convert to diamonds to play. But his suit is long and ambiguous, you have fit for clubs.

Tell him about that with a ParadoX 3 bid! (Which he will usually pass). If there is fit about they will bid on in spades and partner will be able to judge whether to compete the four level. With four cards in both minor the ParadoX bid is 3!

Note that it is safe to force the 4 level should there be 9-10 card club fit. The LAW will protect you non vulnerable.

void  K109754  842  AJ63

Pairs nv/vul 2 pass 2NT* (double)

 Q983  6  10  10987542

A good example of what Paradox in competition is about. The call may make no difference to you, but facilitates your partner's bidding considerably.

ParadoX opposite 1NT defences

Pairs nv/vul: Your left hand opponent open 1NT

85  Q873  K1043  732

Partner doubles "DONT", RHO redoubles

The "DONT" 1NT double and Cappitelli 2 overcall, showing an unspecified long suit have been around in ACBL territory for some time, but were only legalised un UK in 2005 (you can blame me).

"Long unspecified suit" you say! Of course ParadoX advances are on here. I'd call a cheeky 2 indicating that you are happy to play in the other suits at least at 3 level. "Good luck opponents".

Using a Multi bid after partner opens

• 1 (pass) 2! = multi: 6 card major, 4-7 pts
• 1NT (pass) 3!! = multi: 6 card major, weak (or invitational?)

My thanks to Belgium's Tom Huybrechts for sending these innovative extensions to me. He uses this style to allow weak jump shifts and fit jumps opposite a loose 1 opening

Putting more into semi constructive sequences

Playing all four 3 level suit bids as preempts does however put a lot of strain on your conventional two level sequences. This page isn't about 1NT bidding, but once again I like an ambiguous bid - 2 showing length in unspecified minor, and either game or slam invitational values. I could have used 2NT for this purpose, but we like 2NT as an uninformative game invitation.

Both of the hands below hands pose a problem opposite partner's 9-12 mini no trump. The first may scramble a thin game, but will be in trouble if the diamonds cannot be run. You need an honour. The old Blue Club approach of 3 of a minor inviting 3NT solved this, but with ParadoX you can handle both of these via a 2 4-way bid. The key is opener's rebid showing what fit is available.

Ax  83  KQ9732  1092

1NT - 2¥;   Opener may rebid .. 3 = no club honour (diamonds still undefined) Opener may try 3NT over 3 on inference, or pass 3¶ = club honour but nothing for diamonds On the left hand, this is passed and will usually make. 2NT = top honour in both minors (establishes game force) 3NT = fast arrival, top honours but slam unsuitable

AQ7  A53  5  AK7642

Knowing the long suit will be fluid the first hand can bid a cheeky 3NT. Opponents still don't know our long suit! The perfect reply for the second hand is interestingly 3. You can more or less bid slam immediately on super-fit.

As in the other examples you still subside in 3 of a minor if the suit is not running. Over 2NT positive for both minors responder bids 3NT with the first hand and shows his suit forcing/slammish with the second inviting a cue. The general method is perfectly playable opposite stonger no trump ranges, but you may have strong 3 level bids available and not need it.

Other applications

• The polish Raptor 1NT overcall, showing unbid major and a longer unspecified minor
• Wilkosz 2 opening - weak 5-5, but always with a major
  Wilkosz opening is illegal in UK, but I use it over strong club under "any defence allowed"
• Ambiguous suit defences to strong 1
• Puppet Stayman after 2NT (implicit: responder bids the suit he doesn't support)

  .. and any more you might think of