Multi two diamonds

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Main articles: Contract bridge, Bidding system, Bridge convention, and Glossary of contract bridge terms

Multi coloured 2 diamonds, or simply Multi, is a contract bridge convention whereby the opening bid of 2♦ shows several possible types of hands. These always include a weak-two bid in a major suit; the additional meaning may be a strong balanced hand (commonly 20-21 high card points), or a 20-22 three suiter. The inherent ambiguity as to both suit and strength makes it a powerful and popular convention capable of seriously disrupting the opponents' bidding.

A key advantage is that it frees up the 2♥ and 2♠ openings to be used for other purposes, originally an Acol Two (strong) but nowadays more commonly a Muiderberg/Lucas Two weak two-suited opening.

It is technically a "brown sticker" convention because no long suit is initially known. Its popularity, and availability of published defenses, persuaded the World Bridge Federation to allow its use in lower rankings tournaments. It is described in the WBF Convention Booklet. It is also permitted by the English Bridge Union at Level 4 (and the superseded Level 3).

Description[]

An opening bid of 2♦ classically shows one of four types :

  1. Weak two in a major suit (e.g. 5-10 or 6-11 HCP)
  2. A strong balanced hand of a defined range (e.g. 23-24 HCP)
  3. Strong three-suited hand
  4. An ACOL 2 type (strong), typically in a minor

Normally the convention is played with only one of the strong unbalanced options 3 and 4 being present, i.e. a three-way bid. Option 4 may also be played as a game-forcing hand. As long as at least one strong option is present, the multi 2♦ opening is a forcing bid. More recently a trend has been seen to play a "hearts only multi" in which the weak 2 option is always hearts. "Spades only multi" could also exist.

The first response assumes that opener has a weak two in a major.

Another popular innovation is the 'mini multi' or 'weak-only multi', which contains no strong option. This variant is actually less legal (i.e. legal in fewer tournaments) than the traditional multi. This may seem odd, but there is a logical explanation. The reason is that the ambiguity inherent in a multi opening is a double edged sword - it can cause more problems for the pair using it than for their opponents (typically when the multi opener has a strong hand and his partner has support for both majors). This risk is no longer present when using the mini multi.

Responding to the multi:

Assuming his left hand opponent passes, the partner of the multi opener is forced to bid. He has several options available:

  • 2♥: this is a Pass or correct bid typically showing a hand with no support (two or fewer cards) for hearts and no interest in game.
  • 2♠: this is also a Pass or correct bid, which shows no support for spades but guarantees at least three card support for hearts.
  • 3/4 ♥/♠: these bids extend the principle of the previous two, showing progressively greater levels of support for the majors. For example, 3♥ shows 3 card support for both majors so that you can safely play at the 3 level in either, and 3♠ would show three card support for spades and four card (or longer) support for hearts. Not all pairs allow these higher-level responses to the multi because they can cause problems if opener has one of the strong hand variants.
  • 2NT: Forcing, asking opener to clarify his hand. This bid will be used with stronger hands than those above, where opener is interested in bidding game on the basis of High card point strength rather than having a good fit.

Opener's rebids:

  • With type (1):
    • Over 2/3/4♥: pass or bid ♠at the appropriate level;
    • Over 2/3♠: pass or bid ♥at the appropriate level;
    • Over 2NT several schemes exist for answering:
      • Scheme 1:
        • bid 3♣ to show hearts, upper range or type 4 with clubs;
        • 3♦ to show spades, upper range or type 4 with diamonds;
        • 3♥ or 3♠ with lower range.
      • Alternatively the type 4 hands can be shown at the 4 level and the type 2 hands with 3NT; it will not be common to have a strong opener opposite a 2NT strong inquiry. This leads to:
      • Scheme 2 (type 4 hands rebid at the 4 level):
        • bid 3♣ to show hearts, lower range;
        • bid 3♦ to show spades, lower range;
        • bid 3♥ or 3♠ with upper range.
      • Scheme 3 (puppet rebids on strong hands):
        • bid 3♣ or 3♦ as in Scheme 2;
        • bid 3♥ to show spades, upper range;
        • bid 3♠ to show hearts, upper range.
      • Scheme 4 (PLauken)(transfer rebids on weak hands):
        • bid 3♣ to show upper range, unknown suit;
        • bid 3♦ to show hearts, lower range;
        • bid 3♥ to show spades, lower range.
  • With type (2):
    • rebid in notrumps at minimum level
  • Other rebids show type (3) or (4) and should be specified on the Convention card.

Action over interference

It is normally assumed that if responder is strong enough to bid, opener has one of the weak hand types. If opener is strong, they will reopen the bidding when it comes back round to them.

Action by responder if RH opponent doubles: 2♦ - X - ?

  • pass = bid your suit, no preference.
  • XX = bid your suit, strong, this is our hand, we play it or they play it doubled.
  • 2♥ = to play if weak two in ♥, good support for ♠, Pass or correct.
  • 2♠ = to play if weak two in ♠, good support for ♥, Pass or correct.
  • 2NT: Forcing, asking opener to clarify his hand.
  • 3m = to play, no fit with either Major, do NOT bid again!
  • 3/4 ♥ = fit with both Majors, Pass or correct

Action by responder if RH opponent overcalls:

  • pass = no great strength or fit for the majors.
  • double = penalties (good hand with length in opponents' suit and no likely major suit fit).
  • 3♥ = to play at 3 level in opener's suit, Pass or correct.
  • 4♥ = to play in game in opener's suit, Pass or correct.
  • Traditionally, over a 2♥ or 2♠ overcall, the double was pass-or-correct, but it is unlikely that opener has 6+ cards and overcaller 5+ cards in the same suit; a natural penalty double will come up more frequently.

Defenses[]

  • There are various popular defenses to the multi. The method outlined below is not necessarily the best from a technical point of view, however it is perfectly adequate and has the advantage of being easy to remember.
    • An immediate double (by next opponent) shows a balanced hand with 13-15 HCP or any hand with 19+ HCP, with the range being clarified by subsequent bidding (the hand will usually pass if it has the lower range or bid again with the higher).
    • Doubles of 2♥ and 2♠ Pass or correct bids by responder, or the correction to 2♠ by opener, are for takeout.
    • 2♥ and 2♠ are natural, showing 5+ cards in the suit bid and good opening bid values.
    • 2NT shows 16-18 HCP and a balanced hand, preferably with a stopper in both majors.
    • Other bids are generally strong (16+ HCP) following the principle that if the opponent's bid is weak, our bid should be strong.
  • In general, when defending against a multi one should assume that the multi bidder has one of the weak options for his bid, since they occur much more frequently than the strong ones. With a good suit, it is also important to bid aggressively on the first round of bidding after the multi has been opened, before the opener's partner knows what type of hand he has. However, it is sometimes better to wait until it is apparent what opener's suit is. 2nd hand then passes initially, and the takeout double of the Pass or correct response becomes a key weapon.

Other Multi openings[]

2♣ may also be used as a Multi bid. This is most commonly used in conjunction with the Multi 2D or with Benji Acol, where the 2♦ bid does not show a weak two in diamonds, and enables this hand type to be shown in the system.

There are two possible schemes:

  • 2♣ is either a strong bid or a weak two in diamonds. Responder makes a 2♦ Pass or correct response unless strong.
  • 2♣ is a strong bid, a weak two in diamonds, or a weak two with both majors (5-4 or 5-5). The last hand type will rebid 2♥ or 2♠ over a 2♦ response.

Tartan Two bids allow multi-type bids in 2♥ or 2♠, showing a strong two in the suit, a weak two-suiter including that suit, and sometimes a strong balanced range, basically combining an Acol Two and a Lucas Two. A significant disadvantage is that one cannot stop at the 2 level with the weak hand type.

References[]

  • WBF Convention Booklet
  • "Conventions Today", Brian Senior. Chess and Bridge Ltd, London, 2001. ISBN 0-9530218-2-3.
  • "Acol in the 90s", Terence Reese and David Bird. Chapter 14, "The Multi-coloured Two Diamonds", pp 134-140. Robert Hale Ltd, London, 1990. ISBN 0-7090-4143-8.
Retrieved from ""