JOHN WAYNE BRIDGE CONVENTIONS: OR, HOW I LEARNED TO STOP WORRYING AND GO FOR GAME

WHAT YOU BID     WHAT IT MEANS

pass                             Forcing invitational to game.
1                               I want to play game in clubs, hearts, or spades.
1                               I want to play game in diamonds, hearts, or spades.
1                               I want to play game in hearts or spades.
1                               I want to play game in spades.
1 NT                            Invitational to grand slam, though can sign off at 6 NT.
2 NT                            Forcing to grand slam.
3 (any suit)                   Forcing to game if partner has 1+ point, otherwise stop at 6.
double                         Any double of an opponent's bid is a take-out double, forcing to game.
                                   A double means that you don't have enough points to bid yourself,
                                   but you have enough points to support partner at game, regardless of his hand.

There are no weak twos in the JOHN WAYNE Convention. All twos are strong, inviting to slam,
but allowing sign-offs at game. There are, however, five weak bids:

3NT,  4,  4,  5,  5

These bids all mean (approximately): partner: we don’t have a grand slam, so let’s play this hand quickly and move on.

RESPONDING TO BIDS:

It is very easy to respond using the JOHN WAYNE convention. All bids mean what they do in the standard American conventions, with the addition that any bid under game is forcing to game.

DOUBLING:

All doubles are immediately redoubled. Remember, JOHN WAYNE is never vulnerable.

WHEN TO OPEN:

Any hand with at least 7 cards in the major suits, or 6 in the minors, should be opened.

WHAT IF OPPONENTS OPEN THE BIDDING AT THE GAME LEVEL?

Bid a higher game with more than 5 points, else double (some people play 3 points). This double is forcing to slam for your partner if the sum of (a) his points, (b) the points you promised him with your double, (c) the points he thinks you actually have when you double, (d) the number of points he really deep down in his heart wants you to have, and (d) the number of tricks you went down on the previous hand, exceeds six.  If the sum doesn't exceed six, he should indicate this to you with a bid of 5NT. If this is the first hand, for (d) substitute the number of non-honors in your hand.

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