This concept was devised and developed by Mr. Robert (Bob) Hoffman of Boynton Beach, Florida, United States, and by Mr. Irv Bloom of West Palm Beach Florida, United States. This description of the concept was originally published in the Bridge Bulletin of the American Contract Bridge League of March 2006, page 28.

Note: Any additional information as to the persons of Mr. Robert (Bob) Hoffman and Mr. Irv Bloom, especially photographic material, would be greatly appreciated.

Note: Mr. Robert (Bob) Hoffman operates an online blogspot. This online source provides the student with a detailed description of the defense method.

Principle of the Concept

This conventional method employed as an overcall of 1 No Trump by the opposing side is based on the premise, postulate, and proposition, that a one-suited holding will occur more frequently at the bridge table than a two-suited holding. This conventional method can be employed in either the immediate seat following a 1 No Trump opening bid by the opposing side or after two consecutive passes.

Note: The photograph of Mr. Robert Hoffman was contributed by him February 2013. We wish to express our gratitude and our appreciation for this gesture.

Bidding Lab

Blooman over 1NT
March 2006, Page 28

By Robert Hoffman and Irv Bloom

Blooman (a combination of the author's last names) allows you to make a natural overcall of 1NT and still have the ability to compete with two-suited hands. The convention is based on the proven premise that a single-suited hand of six cards or longer will occur much more often than a two-suited hand of 5-5 of longer. We observe the law of total tricks at all times (nine trumps required to commit to the three level).

Here's the scheme:

After a 1NT opener, 2, 2, 2 and 2 are natural bids, showing at least six cards in the suit. An overcall of 2NT the minors.

A double of 1NT is a relay to 2, after which (if the opponents pass):

2 :	= Hearts and Spades.
2 :	= Hearts and a Minor suit.
2 :	= Spades and a Minor suit.

Advancer (partner of the overcaller) may bid 2NT over 2 or 2 to request that the overcaller bid his minor.

We base our convention in part on an examination of 10,000 randomly dealt hands, which produced 491 two-suiters (six cards or longer).

The natural bids of 2, 2, 2 and 2 occur nearly four times as often as two-suited hands, so we bid the one-suiters immediately. Thus, we are able to interfere with the opponents' bidding more often and they are unable to block us from bidding our one-suited hands.

Interference

When the opponents transfer to hearts over partner's double and we hold two or more hearts, we know that partner has five spades and an unknown minor.

For example, if partner doubles a 1NT opener and your right-hand opponent transfers to hearts with a bid of 2:

Double:	= three-card spade support.
2 :	= four or more spades.
2NT:	= at least four cards in each minor with fewer than three spades.

When the opponents transfer to spades over partner's double of 1NT and we hold two or more spades, we know that partner has five hearts and an unknown minor. Therefore:

Double:	= three-card heart support.
2NT:	= at least four cards in each minor with fewer than three hearts.
3 :	= four or more hearts.

If partner of the 1NT opener transfers to a minor after partner's double, a double by advancer shows at least four cards in each major, e.g.,

West		North		East		South
1 NT		Dbl (1)		2 (2)		Dbl (3)

(1)	Two-suiter with at least one major.
(2)	Transfer to clubs.
(3)	At least four-card support for each major.

Mr. Robert (Bob) Hoffman also posted the following description of this concept online (Source - Hoffys Bridge World). The following text is quoted from this blogspot as posted by Mr. Robert (Bob) Hoffman. The following text is quoted from this blogspot.

Blooman allows you to make the natural overcalls of (2, 2, 2, 2) over opponent's 1 No Trump bid, and still have the ability to compete with two-suited hands.

Blooman is based on the proven premise that a single-suited hand of 6 cards or longer will occur almost four times as often as a two-suited hand 5/5 or longer.

East		South		Meaning
1 NT		2		Natural bidding (6-card or longer suit).
		2		Natural bidding (6-card or longer suit).
		2		Natural bidding (6-card or longer suit).
		2		Natural bidding (6-card or longer suit).
		3		Preemptive bid (6-card or longer suit).
		3		Preemptive bid (6-card or longer suit).
		3		Preemptive bid (6-card or longer suit).
		3		Preemptive bid (6-card or longer suit).
		2 NT		Shows Clubs and Diamonds.

(Normal Two-Level Responses Following Relay)

East		South		West		North		Meaning
1 NT		Double		Pass		2		(Relay bid).
Pass		2						Hearts and Spades.
		2						Hearts and a minor.
		2						Spades and a minor.

If responder has only one or two of doubler's major, he may bid 2NT asking opener to bid his minor suit.

Strong Bids (8+ tricks)

East		South		West		North		Meaning
1 NT		Double		Pass		2		(Relay bid).
Pass		3						Strong 6-card or longer suit. (*Note: jump rebid over relay bid).
		3						Strong 6-card or longer suit. (*Note: jump rebid over relay bid).
		2 NT						Strong two-suited hand with Clubs and Diamonds.

It was recently discovered that a one-suited hand occurs almost 4 times as often as a two suited hand. Cappelletti and DONT have been modified to take advantage of this information so that the overcalls of 2 Hearts and 2 Spades have become natural bids. Modified DONT is called Meckwell.

Blooman is based on this discovery and goes one step further by making all 2 and 3 level bids over opponents 1 No Trump natural bids

Posted by Bob Hoffman .... (end quoted text).

Note: According to The Official Encyclopedia of Bridge, Seventh Edition, 2011, pages 271-272 the call of double can by employed in both the immediate seat or in the balancing seat following two consecutive passes. This detail is mentioned neither in the authored article appearing in the Bridge Bulletin nor in the online version posted by the author, which follows below.

 

 

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.