Conventions: Kokish Relay

Source: AUSTRALIAN YOUTH BRIDGE BULLETIN JUNE – JULY – AUGUST 2015     EXTENSION TO YOUR STRONG 2 – KOKISH RELAY If you don’t play the Kokish Relay yet, it is a very useful add-on tool for your strong 2opening at little cost. Here is the gist of it:

2	Pass	2*(*Assuming 2 = Waiting)	Pass
?
2	Kokish Relay, multi meaning. A puppet to 2 so opener can clarify
2NT	22-23 balanced (Assuming a 2NT opening shows 20-21 balanced)
Other	As per normal

After 2-2-2-2 (2 is forced):

2	Pass	2* (*Assuming 2 = Waiting)	Pass
2	Pass	2	Pass
?
2NT	(24)25+ balanced
3	5+ 4+
3	5+ 4+
3	6+ (single suited hand)
3	5+ 4

The advantage here is that opener is able to show a 25+ balanced hand. Rebidding 2shows either a big balanced hand, or a strong hand with natural hearts. As the 2 bid is a puppet to 2, responder is forced to bid 2 so opener can clarify his true intentions. If you want to get complicated, one slight improvement is to play Transfer Kokish Relay. That is, after 2-2-2-2, 3+ bids are transfers. So 3would show 5+ 4+, 3shows 6+’s, 3 shows 5+ 4, and 3 shows 5+ 4+.