Source:
ABF youth bulletins
Take a look at this problem:
![](http://youth.worldbridge.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/07/bourke-relay-image.jpg)
Jumping to 3NT may be your first instinct, but this is a bit premature. Imagine if partner has these type of hands:
(a)
![Spade Suit](http://youth.worldbridge.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/07/s.gif)
Kx
![Heart Suit](http://youth.worldbridge.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/07/h.gif)
Jxx
![Diamond Suit](http://youth.worldbridge.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/07/d.gif)
xx
![club suit](http://youth.worldbridge.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/07/c.gif)
AQJxxx Opposite this minimum hand, 5
![club suit](http://youth.worldbridge.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/07/c.gif)
is a much better contract.
(b)
![Spade Suit](http://youth.worldbridge.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/07/s.gif)
Kx
![Heart Suit](http://youth.worldbridge.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/07/h.gif)
xxx
![Diamond Suit](http://youth.worldbridge.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/07/d.gif)
Ax
![club suit](http://youth.worldbridge.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/07/c.gif)
AQxxxx Opposite this hand, 3NT is cold but 6
![club suit](http://youth.worldbridge.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/07/c.gif)
is also cold!
Essentially, with so many different possibilities, we must at least try and see whether 5
![club suit](http://youth.worldbridge.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/07/c.gif)
or even 6
![club suit](http://youth.worldbridge.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/07/c.gif)
is a possibility before we commit to 3NT. How do we do this? A very well-known convention, also known as the Bourke Relay, will help you out. When you have an uncontested auction of 1minor – 1Major – 2minor, use the next step bid as artificial and game-forcing. So in the auction above, that would be 2
![Diamond Suit](http://youth.worldbridge.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/07/d.gif)
. This would allow you and your partner to continue exchanging information about your hands until you both decide what the best contract is.
For example, imagine after rebidding 2
![Diamond Suit](http://youth.worldbridge.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/07/d.gif)
, your partner now rebids 2
![Heart Suit](http://youth.worldbridge.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/07/h.gif)
, suggesting four hearts. You can now bid 3
![club suit](http://youth.worldbridge.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/07/c.gif)
(cannot be passed out as we are in a game-forcing auction!) and your partner now rebids 3
![Spade Suit](http://youth.worldbridge.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/07/s.gif)
. What do you know? Your partner must be something like a 2=4=1=6 shape, and now you have the information that 3NT is likely down on a diamond lead! Not only that, 6
![club suit](http://youth.worldbridge.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/07/c.gif)
is starting to look like a real possibility!