The Romex Drury conventional method is attributed to Mr. George Rosenkranz, who was born August 20, 1916, in Budapest, Hungary, and whose birth-name is Mr. György Rosenkranz. In later years he immigrated to the country of Mexico and took up residence in Mexico City. As the originator of the Romex System it proved necessary to re-write or re-define the original concept of Drury as designed by Mr. Douglas A. Drury.

Biographical Data

Mr. George Rosenkranz is known as a world-class bridge player and one of the most successful in and from the country of Mexico. He has won twelve NABC-level events at the three annual North American Bridge Championships tournaments, including all four major Teams-of-Four titles, namely the Grand Nationals, Reisinger, Spingold, and Vanderbilt.

In world championship teams competition he represented Mexico in the quadrennial World Team Olympiad three times from 1972 to 1996 and the United States in the 1983 Bermuda Bowl. Furthermore, he has made significant contributions to bidding theory. He conceived of the Romex bidding system, an extension of Standard American with many gadgets. He invented the Rosenkranz double and Rosenkranz redouble. He has also authored more than a dozen books on bridge such as The Romex System of Bidding: A Dynamic Approach to Bridge, 1970; Bridge: The Bidder's Game by George Rosenkranz (1985).

Basic Principles

Note that the basic outline follows the original concept, as presented below, but altered to maximize the communication of information.

North		South		Meaning
Pass		1 Major		An opening in third seat is the first principle for employing any form or version of the Drury concept.
2				This first response by the responder is an asking bid and is made only if the responder holds 10 to 12 points and also with at least 3-card support for opener's Major suit. The intention of the response is to discover the nature of the opening bid in third seat, whether weak, moderate, or an opening showing full values.
		2 Major		A rebid of the Major suit shows a weak holding. Note that this rebid by the opener does not indicate the Major suit consists of a 6-card plus Major suit.
		2 NT		Communicates the information that the opener (South) holds a balanced distribution of 17-18 points plus the 5-card Major suit.
		3 Major		Any jump rebid by the third seat opener in the bid suit is an asking bid to the responder to clarify the quality of trump support.
1st Step				Responder holds 3 small cards for trump support.
2nd Step				Responder holds 3-card support headed by either the Ace, King, or Queen.
3rd Step				Responder holds 4 small cards for trump support.
4th Step				Responder holds 4-card support headed by either the Ace, King, or Queen.
5th Step				Shows either 3-card or 4-card support headed by two of the top three honors: AKx(x), AQx(x), KQx(x)

New Suit and Jump Rebid

Any rebid by the opener in third seat of a new suit between 2 Spades and 3 Hearts inclusive, depending on the bid suit, promises shortness in that particular suit. Any such rebid indicates the wish to explore for slam, and is therefore slam invitational. At the same time the opener communicates the information with any such rebid that any held cards and/or values in this suit are to be considered wasted values.

Alternate Version

Another version, or change offers a different approach for the jump rebids in a new suit by the responder. In the original concept jump shifts were understood to represent preemptive bids. However, in this alternate version, a jump rebid in a new suit signifies a splinter bid, which shows / promises shortness in the new suit, generally a void or a singleton.

Reverse Romex Drury

The following schematic shows an extended version of the conventional method known as reverse Drury. They represent the rebids of the opener, who has opened in third / fourth seat, which clarify the holding.

North		South		Meaning
Pass		1 Major		An opening in third seat is the first principle for employing any form or version of the Drury concept.
2				This first response by the responder is an asking bid and is made only if the responder holds 10 to 12 points and also with at least 3-card support for opener's Major suit. The intention of the response is to discover the nature of the opening bid in third seat, whether weak, moderate, or an opening showing full values.
		2		Promises an opening bid with full values, and which is considered game-invitational. (Note: some partnership agreements contain the added definition that this rebid can also be considered slam invitational if a particular distribtuion is held.)
		2 Major

 

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.