This conventional method was devised by Mr. William J. August, who was born in the year 1926 in Northampton and Springfield, Massachusetts, United States. He attended school until his enlistment in the U.S. Navy during World War II. Upon his return, Mr. William August attended Cornell University, where he was first exposed to the game of bridge.
Short Biography
As a bridge champion, author, teacher, lecturer, and columnist Mr. William J. August was chosen by Mr. Donald Trump to be the Bridge Pro at the prestigious Mar-A-Lago Club. Mr. William J. August earned Life Master bridge status in 1961.
He is a bridge teacher, bridge author, bridge columnist, certified bridge director, and former bridge club owner. He was affiliated with the Goren International Inc., which became a one of the very first full-service travel agency specializing in bridge cruises, from the years 1962 to 1976, providing bridge lectures on ship cruises and teaching bridge classes for training bridge teachers.
He was the author of several pamphlets on bidding and directing, teaching texts, and a duplicate bridge instructional club directors manual, articles for the International Bridge Press Association.
In addition to writing teaching texts and a duplicate bridge instructional Club Director's manual, Mr. William J. August has served as a special consultant for the ACBL and won the North American Men's Team Championship at the Summer Nationals in 1990.
Mr. William J. August has also been the subject of a Sports Illustrated feature article, as well as the host of his own radio bridge talk show, We're Talking Bridge with Bill August. Mr. William J. August currently lives in the state of Florida, United States, where he continues to play and write about the game he loves.
The August Two Diamond conventional treatment is a variation of the Two Way Stayman bid after an opening or overcall of 1 No Trump by partner. The bid by the responder of 2 Diamonds is not forcing to game, but the 1 No Trump bidder is required to bid the longer Major suit. This convention is quite similar to the Murray Two Diamonds convention but differs in the holding of the responder.
Principle of the Concept
The August 2 Diamonds convention is designed to show a weak holding of a 4-card Major suit and a 5-card Minor suit. The No Trump range is not quantified and therefore the conventional method can be employed by any No Trump range and adapted to corresponding values.
If the No Trump bidder has equal length in both Major suits, then the No Trump bidder is expected to bid up the line, meaning Hearts first. The No Trump bidder does not guarantee a 4-card Major suit, since the No Trump bidder is required to bid only his longer Major suit.
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Responder |
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2  |
2  |
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3  |
Any new suit rebid by the responder is considered a sign-off. The opener is not required to bid again. Therefore, any rebid of another suit by the responder is not forcing, not for one round and not to game.
First Response
A first response of 2 by the responder may promise a weak Minor two-suited holding and is often referred to as false Stayman. The No Trump bidder first assumes that this is the Stayman conventional method asking for a 4-card Major suit and bids accordingly. It is of the utmost importance to remember that only when the responder then rebids 3 does it becomes a certainty that the responder has a weak Minor two-suited holding. The No Trump bidder then can either accept Clubs as the final contract or correct to Diamonds when holding better Diamonds as shown in the following example.
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Responder |
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2 |
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3 |
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If you wish to include this feature, or any other feature, of the game of bridge in your partnership agreement, then please make certain that the concept is understood by both partners. Be aware whether or not the feature is alertable or not and whether an announcement should or must be made. Check with the governing body and/or the bridge district and/or the bridge unit prior to the game to establish the guidelines applied. Please include the particular feature on your convention card in order that your opponents are also aware of this feature during the bidding process, since this information must be made known to them according to the Laws of Duplicate Contract Bridge. We do not always include the procedure regarding Alerts and/or Announcements, since these regulations are changed and revised during time by the governing body. It is our intention only to present the information as concisely and as accurately as possible.