This defense convention was devised by Mr. Jonathan Cansino, born 1939, of London, England, and died in the year 2006. To the dismay of the bridge community it was discovered that he had a malignant brain tumor. He was only 34 years old. The operation was successful, but the procedure cost him the sight in one eye, affected the normal brain functions, and ended undoubtedly a brilliant and promising bridge career too early.
Principle of the Concept
This defense method was developed to show three-suited holdings after a weak No Trump opening by the opponents with 12 to 14 high card points or even a No Trump range of 10-12 high card points. This concept can also be altered or varied to include other and stronger No Trump ranges.
Interference with Three-Suited Holdings
The core concept is to discover, as soon as possible, at least a 7-card fit in one of the four suits, and preferably an 8-card fit. The concept is to show a three-suited holding and find a fit as quickly as possible following the get in - get out principle.
The 2
overcall of the intervenor is an artificial bid and shows at least a tolerance for Clubs and two additional suits. The distribution is ideally 4-4-4-1 or close to this and the overcall shows either a singleton or void in any suit except the Club suit. It is important to remember by this concept that an overcall of 2 shows a three-suited holding whereas an overcall of 2
shows a Major two-suited holding similar to the Landy conventional method.
The original guidelines for the rebids by the intervenor and the advancer are shown below after an opponent has opened the auction with generally a defined weak No Trump:
| Intervenor |
|
Advancer |
|
Meaning |
| 2 |
|
|
|
Promises Clubs and two higher-ranking suits: / , or / , or /. |
|
|
2 |
|
Natural. Shows weakness and that the best suit is Diamonds. |
|
|
2 |
|
Natural. Shows weakness and that the best suit is Hearts. |
|
|
2 |
|
Natural. Shows weakness and that the best suit is Spades. |
|
|
2 NT |
|
This response shows values, is considered semi-game forcing, and is forcing for one round. The intervenor must provide additional information. |
After a 2 No Trump first response by the advancer, the intervenor can show additional information about the holding by employing the generally accepted guidelines outlined below:
| Intervenor |
|
Advancer |
|
|
|
|
2 NT |
|
This response shows values, is considered semi-game forcing, and is forcing for one round. The intervenor must provide additional information. |
| 3 |
|
|
|
Shows Heart shortness and therefore: Clubs, Diamonds, and a 4-card Spade suit. |
| 3 |
|
|
|
Shows Spade shortness and therefore: Clubs, Diamonds, and a 4-card Heart suit. |
| 3 |
|
|
|
Shows a 5-card Heart suit with Clubs and Diamonds as side suits (both Minor suits). It is important to remember that a distribution of 5-4 in the Major suits is bid with the 2 overcall. If the intervenor has a distribution of 5-3 in the Major suits plus a 4-card Club suit, then the intervenor must show this distribution by first bidding a natural 2 or 2 after a weakness-showing first response by advancer of 2. |
| 3 |
|
|
|
Shows a 5-card Spade suit with Clubs and Diamonds as side suits (both Minor suits). It is important to remember that a distribution of 5-4 in the Major suits is bid with the 2 overcall. If the intervenor has a distribution of 5-3 in the Major suits plus a 4-card Club suit, then the intervenor must show this distribution by first bidding a natural 2 or 2 after a weakness-showing first response by advancer of 2. |
| 3 NT |
|
|
|
Shows a shortness in Diamonds and therefore generally a 4-4 distribution in both Major suits and a 4-card or 5-card Club suit. |
Cuebidding
If the holding does not include a 5-card Major suit as with distributions such as 4-4-4-1 or 4-5-3-1 or 5-4-1-3, the advancer has the option of (cue)bidding the singleton in the suit of the intervenor requesting that the intervenor bid the 4-card Major suit. If the intervenor holds a 4-card Major suit, then the intervenor bids it. If the distribution, however, does not include a 4-card Major suit such as a distribution of 3-1-4-5 or 1-3-5-4 with length in both Minor suits, then the intervenor bids 3 No Trump. After this information is communicated, then the advancer establishes the final contract.
Examples
Four examples of appropriate holdings follow. The bridge student must remember that an overcall by the intervenor promises shortage in one unspecified suit, the last example showing when it is appropriate to overcall 2 Diamonds to indicate length and strength in both Major suits:
| Intervenor |
|
Intervenor |
|
Intervenor |
|
Intervenor |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
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.