This is a developing concept originating with Mr. Kenneth Rexford (aka Ken), of Lima, Ohio, United States, blogger, and Mr. Kenneth Eichenbaum (aka Ken) , of Columbus, Ohio, United States. Source is archived information on his Internet blog called Cuebidding At Bridge. Mr. Kenneth Rexford is the author of Cuebidding At Bridge, published in 2007 by Master Point Press, ISBN-10: 1897106173 / ISBN-13: 978-1897106174.

Fundamental Concept

The first introduction of a possible concept designated perhaps improvisationally as delayed canapé occurs on the pages of the blog, more precisely in the presently archived section (link), operated by Mr. Kenneth Rexbord on Friday, June 11, 2010. The identical article appeared again on the blog at this link.

The fundamental concept behind delayed canapé is the fact that the player can show a particular and precise distribution by employing the concept of the canapé principle on the second rebid. The range of the values of the holding can also be more precisely inferred by what the player does not bid. The following three examples should illustrate the cornerstones and parameters of this concept, and which are conceptually expressed in the written cogitations, intellectual deliberations, and brain-storming sessions of Mr. Kenneth Rexford and Mr. Kenneth Eichenbaum

Illustrative Examples

The necessity arose owing to those particular combinations of cards, by which there was no accurate rebid by the opener when agreeing to play the two-over-one approach. The following example illustrates the difficulty in finding the more correct contract by introducing the concept of the delayed canapé agreement.

Example 1: Shape 4-5-1-3
South A865 AQJ43 9 KJ7		North 1043 75 AJ8 AQ864

South		North		Meaning
1				South, as opener, holds opening values and a minimum of 5 Hearts.
		1 NT		Per partnership agreement the responder, by no competition, responds with the one-round forcing 1 No Trump. North also denies holding a 4-card Spade suit by by-passing Spades to respond with the one-round forcing 1 No Trump.
2				South is unable to reverse when holding values fewer than those values required for a reverse bid. South rebids the better lower-ranking suit, which is Clubs.
		2		This is the so-called Impossible 2 Spades bid. This impossible bid means that the responder promises stronger values than only minimum values and support in the second suit of partner. A direct raise of Clubs shows weaker values (and a minimum of a 5-card suit with working values).
3				This is the delayed canapé bid, showing a 4-card Spade suit on the second (delayed) rebid. The information conveyed with this delayed canapé bid is the distribution of 4-5-1-3, maximum values but fewer than those values required for a reverse bid, and the fact that the Club suit, in this instance, may hold only 3 cards or even 2 cards.
		3 NT		The responder may elect to establish the final contract in No Trump, especially with a stopper(s) in the fourth suit, or,
		4		with stronger values, a longer suit, and no stopper in the known fourth suit, elect a partscore contract.

Note: The generally accepted lower limit for a reverse bid is considered to be 16/17 points.

Note: The Impossible 2 Spades bid is employed only in this bidding sequence and only within these partnership parameters.

Example 2: Shape 1-4-5-3
South 8 A764 AK1085 KJ6		North KQ65 J82 973 A75

South		North		Meaning
1				South, as opener, holds opening values and a minimum of 3 Diamonds.
		1		Bidding up the line the responder shows a minimum of 4 cards in the Spade suit.
2				South is unable to reverse when holding values fewer than those values required for a reverse bid. The partnership agreement is that any new suit bid on the one level is one-round forcing South has the option of selecting the lesser of two evils. South can either rebid Diamonds, which would normally promise a 6-card suit, or bid 2 Clubs, which keeps the auction open.
		2 *		According to Mr. Kenneth Rexford and Mr. Kenneth Eichenbaum the responder courtesy-corrects to 2 Diamonds.
2				This is the delayed canapé bid, showing a 4-card Heart suit on the second (delayed) rebid. The information conveyed with this delayed canapé bid is the distribution of 1-4-5-3, maximum values but fewer than those values required for a reverse bid, and the fact that the Club suit, in this instance, may hold only 3 cards or even 2 cards.
		3 ?		The responder establishes the final contract.

* Note: The support rebid of 2 Diamonds can be interpreted by the partnership as showing minimum values or encouraging values. This rebid remains undefined.

Example 3: Shape 3-1-4-5
South KJ8 4 AK108 KJ984		North Q7 KQ65 J753 A75

South		North		Meaning
1				South, as opener, holds opening values and a minimum of 3 Clubs.
		1		Bidding up the line the responder shows a minimum of 4 cards in the Heart suit.
1				According to Mr. Kenneth Rexford and Mr. Kenneth Eichenbaum the agreement is that a 1 Spade rebid is possible in this particular bidding sequence. The understanding is the result of the exclusion of a possible 1 No Trump rebid which would show a 2-2 distribution in Hearts and Spades, and that a rebid of 2 Clubs is unappealing owing to the fact that such a rebid would normally show a 6-card plus suit. Thus, the least offensive rebid remains a rebid of a 3-card Spade suit, showing a possible 3-1-4-5 pattern.
		2		The responder can support the suit of the South with a good 4-card Club suit (KQJx), or with a minimum of a 5-card Club suit, or
		2 NT		the responder can rebid 2 No Trump with values fewer than those required for game in No Trump since no fit has been found thus far.
3				This is the delayed canapé bid, showing a 4-card Diamond suit on the second (delayed) rebid. The information conveyed with this delayed canapé bid is the distribution of 3-1-4-5, maximum values but fewer than those values required for a reverse bid.
		?		The responder establishes the final contract.

 

 

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.