The origin of this conventional method is unknown. As with the sister conventional method of the Gambling Three No Trump opening, this conventional method is part of the British System. This feature is also used by bridge players using Precision. The Gambling Two No Trump bid is also a feature of the Acol System and has been adopted by bridge players using the Two Clubs Strong Artificial Opening bid.

Principle of the Concept

The Gambling 2 No Trump bid is an opening bid based on a long, solid 7-card Minor Suit, with only one outside stopper. The general consensus is that the Gambling 3 No Trump opening contain at least seven cards in the Minor suit, which are solid with all top four honors from Ace to the Jack. With the Gambling 2 No Trump opening the requirement for the 7-card Minor suit remains valid, but the top honors may only include the top three honors: Ace-King-Queen.

Opener K7 864 AKQ9874 5		Opener 6 K5 854 AKQ9654
2 No Trump		2 No Trump

With either of these holdings the opener should open the auction with 2 No Trump.

Responder has the following options:

Pass:		To play.
3 :		Shows weakness and indicates a desire to play in opener's long Minor suit. The opener either passes or corrects to 3.
3 :		An artificial bid, asking the opener to name the location of his one suit stopper. The responder is showing at least one stopper in at least three suits. This is an attempt to play the final contract in 3 No Trump. The opener has the following options to clarify his holding: 3: The opener shows a stopper in the Heart suit. 3: The opener shows a stopper in the Spade suit. 3NT: The opener shows a stopper in the shorter Minor suit. As soon as this information has been communicated, the responder will pass the 3 No Trump rebid knowing that there are stoppers in all four suits. If the rebid is either 3 or 3 and the responder realizes that there are stoppers in all four suits, then the responder will establish the final contract in 3 No Trump. If the responder discovers that one stopper in one suit is missing, then the responder will bid 4, which the opener will pass if Clubs is the long Minor suit or correct to 4, if Diamonds is the long Minor suit. 4 : Some partnerships play that this first response is to discover whether the stopper of the opener is an Ace. There are two possible actions, which the opener can then select. One choice is that the opener bid the suit in which he has an Ace. The second choice is that the opener respond according to the conventional responses of the Gerber convention, which will not name the location of the Ace.

Defense Method

Defense mechanisms are solely based on the partnership agreement. They generally are identical to those employed with the Gambling 3 No Trump opening, only one level lower. This is a matter of partnership agreement.

 

 

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.