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Mr. Eric Rodwell and Mr. Jeff Meckstroth have formed a successful bridge partnership, which has created many new concepts in and for the bridge community and especially in a partnership agreement. The designation of Meckwell Escape Bids is the name of one such partnership agreement employed by this particular partnership. The designation of the concept is a result of the combination of both surnames.

     
     

MeckWell Escape Bids

The concept behind this partnership agreement comprises a so-called escape system, which is employed after one opponent has opened the auction with a bid of 1 No Trump or one opponent has overcalled a suit opening by the opposing side with 1 No Trump and the opponents have used the call of double specifically for penalty.

The employment of the penalty double is one of the requirements necessary to employ the following method. The bridge player should remember that this method is the result of a partnership agreement and is not a conventional method in the general sense.

The visitor should also compare this information with the information presented by Mr. Jeff Tang on his website. The employed designation is Meckwell Escapes.

1 No Trump - Double - Responses

Pass: A pass by the partner shows either Clubs, Diamonds or both Major suits. The No Trump bidder is required to bid 2 Clubs.
Redouble: A redouble by the responder is natural. A redouble is not one-round forcing.
    Note: As contributed by Mr. Bill Gilmore, date September 2, 2009, the redouble can also show no touching suits, Hearts and Clubs, or Spades and Diamonds.
2 : Promises at least a distribution of 4-4 in Clubs and an unspecified higher-ranking suit. The No Trump bidder can either pass or correct to 2, which is an Asking Bid for the unspecified higher-ranking suit. If the suit is Diamonds, then the responder may pass relevant to the values held, and otherwise the responder bids the unspecified higher-ranking suit.
2 : Promises at least a distribution of 4-4 in Diamonds and an unspecified higher-ranking suit. The No Trump bidder can either pass or correct to 2, which is an Asking Bid for the unspecified higher-ranking suit. If the suit is Hearts, then the responder may pass relevant to the values held, and otherwise the responder bids the unspecified higher-ranking suit, which in this case is Spades.
2 : This is a natural response promising at least a 5-card Heart suit.
2 : This is a natural response promising at least a 5-card Spade suit.

If the responder holds a 4-3-3-3 shape, the responder is permitted to either treat his four-card suit as a five-card suit, or the responder can treat the four-card suit and the best 3-card suit as a two-suiter. This may result in the contract being declared with only seven trump cards.

An example should clarify this concept:

East   South   West   North Meaning
   
A86
AK106
Q76
K107
         
1  

 

 

 

 

The opposing side has opened the auction with a suit bid.
1 NT     The nex player in rotation overcalls 1 No Trump with balanced distribution and 15-17 points. The No Trump range can vary from partnership to partnership.
Double     A double by the next player in rotation is penalty-oriented.
  Pass Meckwell Escape Bid. A pass by the partner shows either Clubs, Diamonds or both Major suits. The No Trump bidder is required to bid 2 Clubs. The No Trump bidder may pass if the opening player rebids.

 

 

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.



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