Members
Membership Details
Members Home
AiB Curriculum
TWiB Series
Webinars
Seminar Materials
Practice Hands
TWiB Series Hands
TWIB Hands Search
Videos
Webinars Search
Webinars Series
All Videos
TWiB Podcasts
TWiB
TWiB Email Signup
TWiB Series
TWIB Products Search
TWiB Archives
TWIB by Level
Learning
Start Learning Bridge!
Webinars Series
Robert's Bidding Basics
AIB Curriculum
Upgrade Your Bidding System
Robert's Articles
Robert's News & Info
Robert's Bridge Quotes
Partnership Development
Events
Seminars
Seminar Materials
Webinars
Event Registration
Cruises
Bridge at Millpond
Aspen
Books
About Bridge
Why Learn Bridge?
Videos About Bridge
Start Learning Bridge!
Info
Contact AiB
About AiB
Make a Payment
Online Instruction/Play
In-Person Instruction/Play
Bridge Links
The Common Game
Larry Cohen Bridge Cruises
ACBL Ed Foundation
Join/Login

Adventures in Bridge Home Page

Members
Membership Details
Members Home
AiB Curriculum
TWiB Series
Webinars
Seminar Materials
Practice Hands
TWiB Series Hands
TWIB Hands Search
Videos
Webinars Search
Webinars Series
All Videos
TWiB Podcasts
TWiB
TWiB Email Signup
TWiB Series
TWIB Products Search
TWiB Archives
TWIB by Level
Learning
Start Learning Bridge!
Webinars Series
Robert's Bidding Basics
AIB Curriculum
Upgrade Your Bidding System
Robert's Articles
Robert's News & Info
Robert's Bridge Quotes
Partnership Development
Events
Seminars
Seminar Materials
Webinars
Event Registration
Cruises
Bridge at Millpond
Aspen
Books
About Bridge
Why Learn Bridge?
Videos About Bridge
Start Learning Bridge!
Info
Contact AiB
About AiB
Make a Payment
Online Instruction/Play
In-Person Instruction/Play
Bridge Links
The Common Game
Larry Cohen Bridge Cruises
ACBL Ed Foundation
Join/Login
July 7, 2025
Constructive Bidding
Robert Todd
(585) Modified 2-Way Reverse Drury

The concept of having a conventional bid like Drury available to show a limit raise in support of partner’s Major suit when we are a passed hand is a regular part of most partnerships’ passed hand bidding structure.  Given that making a 2/1 bid into a minor suit is not that attractive (or even possible!) by a passed hand, it makes sense to allocate both 2♣ and 2♦ as artificial raises of Opener’s third seat (or fourth seat) Major suit opening bid.  Many partnerships that play Drury play 2-Way Drury, using one bid to show a 3-card limit raise and the other a 4-card limit raise.  But a more sophisticated structure can allow us to describe even more hand types in the same bidding space.

(585) Modified 2-Way Reverse Drury
June 30, 2025
Constructive Bidding
Robert Todd
(584) Exclusion Keycard

When we are interested in slam in a suit contract but have a void in one of the side suits, it adds some complexity to our slam bidding.  We may be able to make a slam missing two Aces (or a grand slam missing an Ace), if partner does not have the Ace opposite our void.  When exploring slam, we want to know if partner has that Ace or has the “good Aces”, the ones opposite our losers.  One way that we find out about the location of partner’s Aces is by using control showing bids. This is especially effective if we use them to show first round control (if we play that our control showing bids could be 1st or 2nd round, then we know less about which Aces partner hold).  There is a gadget that we can use in some auctions that allows us to try to solve this problem.  This convention, called Exclusion Keycard, asks partner for their number of Keycards (or Aces if we play Blackwood), excluding one particular Ace – the place where we are void. This Exclusion allows us to find out if partner has enough of the “right Aces” for us to make slam. 

(584) Exclusion Keycard
June 23, 2025
Constructive Bidding
Robert Todd
(583) Problems with Kickback Keycard

Kickback is a convention that can make slam bidding easier, in that it gives us more space to ask partner for the Queen of trump, but it can also cause problems for us in the bidding.  Any time we make a game contract (like 4♥ or 4♠) a conventional bid, there is danger that we have an expensive mixup with partner.  Here we look at some classic danger auctions that may come up if we choose to play Kickback and then discuss some of the common partnership agreements or philosophies for how to handle these dangerous auctions.

(583) Problems with Kickback Keycard
May 19, 2025
Constructive Bidding
Robert Todd
(578) Preempt Keycard

When we preempts the bidding they cannot have 3 or 4 keycards. So it does not make sense to have a keycard system that shows these. Here we look at an improvement in steps and in how we ask.

(578)  Preempt Keycard
May 12, 2025
Constructive Bidding
Robert Todd
(577) Jump Shift Structure

When Opener makes a jump shift into a new suit with their second bid, it is a strong bid that creates a game forcing auction. This is a good bid because it ensures we reach game, but it is a bad bid because it eats up a lot of bidding space without fully describing our distribution. This is a problem. One of the most difficult opening hands to describe to partner is the unbalanced single-suited (one 6+card suit) hand with 18-19 HCP.  This is one of the strongest hands that does not open the bidding 2♣.  With this hand we usually open our suit at the 1-level and after partner responds at the 1-level, we lie in a minor suit.  If our one suit is a Major, then we show our strength by making a jump shift into 3♣, even when we have very few ♣ (as few as 2 cards.)  With this bid we create a game forcing auction (showing our values), but we distort our shape (partner expects that we have at least 4 cards in the ♣ suit). This can cause some confusion with partner if they have a large fit for our ♣ suit.  We would like to have a way to let partner know that this jump shift is done on a single-suited hand, not on a two-suited hand.  Let’s look at a system that helps us improve our jump shift methods.

(577)  Jump Shift Structure
Robert Todd
May 16, 2016
Competitive Bidding

(156) Advanced Competitive Bidding: 1-Major (X) Transfers

Robert Todd
May 16, 2016
Competitive Bidding
(156)  Advanced Competitive Bidding: 1-Major (X) Transfers

After a 1-Major opening and a takeout double by the opponent, Responder can use transfer bids to effectively compete in the bidding.  

Tagged: Level: 6

Comment
Robert Todd
May 9, 2016

(155) Advanced Competitive Bidding: McCabe

Robert Todd
May 9, 2016
click here for updated lesson

Tagged: retired

Comment
Robert Todd
April 29, 2016
Other Bidding Topics

(154) Balancing: More Balancing

Robert Todd
April 29, 2016
Other Bidding Topics
(154)  Balancing: More Balancing

Balancing can be done in many different low-level auctions.  We look at some options by Opener, Responder, and Interferer. 

Tagged: Level: 2

Comment
Robert Todd
April 25, 2016

(153) Balancing: Range Stayman

Robert Todd
April 25, 2016
click here for updated lesson

Tagged: retired

Comment
Robert Todd
April 18, 2016
Other Bidding Topics

(152) Balancing: Balancing with Distributional Hands

Robert Todd
April 18, 2016
Other Bidding Topics
(152)  Balancing: Balancing with Distributional Hands

Here we look at weighing our options for balancing after an opening bid by LHO when we have a distributional hand. 

Tagged: Level: 1

Comment
Robert Todd
April 11, 2016

(151) Balancing: Balancing NT

Robert Todd
April 11, 2016
click here for updated lesson

Tagged: retired

Comment
Robert Todd
March 31, 2016
Competitive Bidding

(150) More Competitive Bidding: Two Places to Play NT Bid

Robert Todd
March 31, 2016
Competitive Bidding
(150)  More Competitive Bidding:  Two Places to Play NT Bid

This week we look at how we can use another conventional NT bid to compete in the bidding with two-suited hands -- "Two places to play Notrump bid!"

Tagged: Level: 6

Comment
Robert Todd
March 28, 2016

(149) More Competitive Bidding: Good-Bad 2NT

Robert Todd
March 28, 2016
click here for updated lesson

Tagged: retired

Comment
Robert Todd
March 21, 2016
Competitive Bidding

(148) More Competitive Bidding: After Partner's Responsive Double

Robert Todd
March 21, 2016
Competitive Bidding
(148)  More Competitive Bidding:  After Partner's Responsive Double

When Partner makes a Responsive Double after we have made an overcall, we are forced to take another call.  We look at how we use this call to describe our shape and strength to Partner. 

Tagged: Level: 2

Comment
Robert Todd
March 14, 2016
Competitive Bidding

(147) More Competitive Bidding: After Partner's Negative Double

Robert Todd
March 14, 2016
Competitive Bidding
(147) More Competitive Bidding:  After Partner's Negative Double

When partner makes a Negative Double, it often puts us in a difficult rebid situation -- especially at high levels.  Here we look at how to handle some of these complicated rebid situations. 

Tagged: Level: 2

Comment
Robert Todd
March 7, 2016
Competitive Bidding

(146) More Competitive Bidding: What is a Stopper?

Robert Todd
March 7, 2016
Competitive Bidding
(146)  More Competitive Bidding:  What is a Stopper?

This week we attempt to answer a basic question:  What is a Stopper?  We'll see how we can use this information to help us know when to bid Notrump.

Tagged: Level: 2

Comment
Robert Todd
February 22, 2016
Constructive Bidding

(145) Constructive Low-Level Bidding: Bidding After Partner's Redouble

Robert Todd
February 22, 2016
Constructive Bidding
(145)  Constructive Low-Level Bidding:  Bidding After Partner's Redouble

How do we keep bidding after Responder redoubles and what do those bids mean?

Tagged: Level: 2

Comment
Robert Todd
February 15, 2016
Constructive Bidding

(144) Constructive Low-Level Bidding: XYZ

Robert Todd
February 15, 2016
Constructive Bidding
(144)  Constructive Low-Level Bidding:  XYZ

This week we look at a natural extension to Two-Way NMF, XYZ!

Tagged: Level: 6

Comment
Robert Todd
February 8, 2016
Constructive Bidding

(143) Constructive Low-Level Bidding: 1C - 1D - 1H - 1S*

Robert Todd
February 8, 2016
Constructive Bidding
(143)  Constructive Low-Level Bidding:  1C - 1D - 1H - 1S*

This week we examine a simple auction that can lead to many bidding mix-ups: 1C - 1D - 1H - 1S*!

Tagged: Level: 2

Comment
Robert Todd
February 1, 2016

(142) Constructive Low-Level Bidding: Rebids After 1NT Semi-forcing

Robert Todd
February 1, 2016
click here for updated lesson

Tagged: retired

Comment
Robert Todd
January 25, 2016
Bidding Concepts

(141) Bidding Philosophy: Transfers in Competition

Robert Todd
January 25, 2016
Bidding Concepts
(141)  Bidding Philosophy:  Transfers in Competition

Transfers in competitive auctions are all the rage these days.  This week we look at why they are so useful.

Tagged: Level: 4

Comment
Robert Todd
January 18, 2016
Bidding Concepts

(140) Bidding Philosophy: Lead Directing Doubles

Robert Todd
January 18, 2016
Bidding Concepts
(140)  Bidding Philosophy:  Lead Directing Doubles

Doubles of artificial bids are very useful to help partner make better opening leads.  Here we look at lead-directing doubles!

Tagged: Level: 2

Comment
Robert Todd
January 11, 2016
Bidding Concepts

(139) Bidding Philosophy: Cuebidding the Opponent's Suit

Robert Todd
January 11, 2016
Bidding Concepts
(139)  Bidding Philosophy:  Cuebidding the Opponent's Suit

This week we focus on the different ways we can make use of a cuebid of the opponent's suit. 

Tagged: Level: 2

Comment
Robert Todd
January 4, 2016
Bidding Concepts

(138) Bidding Philosophy: Steps vs. Specific Bids

Robert Todd
January 4, 2016
Bidding Concepts
(138)  Bidding Philosophy:  Steps vs. Specific Bids

This month we return to discussions of Bidding Philosophy.  We begin by examining the differences in natural auctions (also called specific auctions) and step-based auctions.  In doing so, we try to understand how we communicate with partner and why we have different approaches for different situations. 

Tagged: Level: 4, Level: 5

Comment
Robert Todd
November 23, 2015

(137) More Advanced Bidding: Kansas City Stayman

Robert Todd
November 23, 2015
click here for updated lesson

Tagged: retired

Comment
Newer Posts
Older Posts

AIB Memberships

Membership Carousel
CLUBS
CLUBS

FREE

  • Lessons

Details

Read More →
DIAMONDS
DIAMONDS

$15/MONTH

  • Lessons

  • Hands

Details

Read More →
HEARTS
MOST POPULAR
HEARTS
MOST POPULAR

$25/MONTH

  • Lessons

  • Hands

  • Videos

  • Podcasts

Details

Read More →
MOST POPULAR
SPADES
BEST VALUE
SPADES
BEST VALUE

$65/MONTH

  • Lessons

  • Hands

  • Videos

  • Podcasts

  • Webinars

Details

Read More →
BEST VALUE
NOTRUMP
NOTRUMP

$200/MONTH

  • Lessons

  • Hands

  • Videos

  • Podcasts

  • Webinars

  • 1-ON-1

Details

Read More →
Webinars
Fundamentals - High Level Response to 1-Major Openings
Fundamentals - High Level Response to 1-Major Openings

July 2025 - Coming Soon!

When partner opens the bidding with 1-Major then we normally go slow and make a low level response. But we can also use some immediate jumps to high bids to describe some interesting and difficult hands. Let’s look at the meaning of this high-level jump responses.

Webinar Notes

Fundamentals - Other Responses 1-Level Openings
Fundamentals - Other Responses 1-Level Openings

July 2025 - Coming Soon!

Here we look at some other complex auctions and special responses to 1-level opening bids. We focus on some jump shift responses to 1-Major and 1-minor and then turn out focus to NT responses to minor suit openings.

Webinar Notes

Fundamentals - Hand Eval after Responder's Jump Shift
Fundamentals - Hand Eval after Responder's Jump Shift

July 2025 - Coming Soon!

When Responder makes a jump shift, either a weak jump shift or a 3/1 invitational jump shift, then Opener is left to figure out what to do next. Here we look at what types of hands Opener should bid with (like) and when they should be conservative and Pass.

Webinar Notes

Fundamentals - Some Confusing Auctions
Fundamentals - Some Confusing Auctions

July 2025 - Coming Soon!

There are some classic auctions that lead to confusion between partnerships. Ones that you should make sure you and partner agree upon.

Webinar Notes

Subscribe to This Week in Bridge

Sign up to receive your free weekly email lesson series.

Thank you!
Back to Top
8505706459robert@advinbridge.com

©2025 AiB, Terms of Use