This is a method devised and developed by Mr. Richard R. Walsh to describe the appropriate responses by the responder, who is seeking slam after partner has opened the auction with 1 No Trump. Whether or not the partnership can employ these responses also for an opening bid of 2 No Trump is solely partnership agreement.

Biographical Data

Mr. Richard R. Walsh was born in the year 1936 and is of Zurich, Switzerland. He was one of the leading American players at national and international tournaments. He developed the Walsh System, a system which carries his name. He won the Vanderbilt in the year 1969 with team mates Gerald Hallee, Paul Soloway, and John Swanson. He also placed second for the Spingold Trophy in the year 1959 with team mates Richard Freeman, Andy Gabrilovitch, Frank Hoadley, Mike Michaels, and Jan Stone.

Principle of the Concept

Since the bids of the responder are based on a previously agreed range of points for the No Trump bid, then all bids by the responder must be made on this basis. These Walsh Relay bids are as follows, with no competition:

Opener		Responder		Meaning
1 NT				Range is pre-determined.
		2		Jacoby Transfer to Hearts.
2				The opener is forced to rebid Hearts.
		2		This rebid by responder cancels the transfer. The opener now has the information that the responder is seeking slam. The trump suit has not been established and cannot be inferred.
		3		Shows a broken 6-card Club suit, which is missing two of the top three honors.
		3		Shows a broken 6-card Diamond suit, which is missing two of the top three honors.
		3		Shows a semi-broken 6-card Club suit, which is missing one of the top three honors.
		3		Shows a semi-broken 6-card Diamond suit, which is missing one of the top three honors.
		3 NT		Shows an unspecified solid 6-card suit. A 4 bid by opener asks responder to name the unspecified solid 6-card suit.
		4		Shows a broken 6-card Heart suit, which is missing two of the top three honors.
		4		Shows a broken 6-card Spade suit, which is missing two of the top three honors.
		4		Shows a semi-broken 6-card Heart suit, which is missing one of the top three honors.
		4		Shows a semi-broken 6-card Spade suit, which is missing one of the top three honors.
		4 NT		Slam force action showing a solid suit. The opener relays.

Notes

Some agreements include the understanding that the responses do not necessarily have to show only two missing honors of the top three honors. Some partnerships have agreed to broaden this to include two of the top five honors. The original version states two of the top three honors.

The partnership should be aware that any super-acceptance of the Jacoby Transfer bid might prove disadvantageous to the auction of the partnership. For this reason most partnership agreements have excluded this action when employing Walsh Relays.

 

 

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.