Caroline Club

This page showcases actual deals encountered while playing Caroline that exemplify various aspects of the system. It is hoped that these deals will provide a better understanding of Caroline bidding to interested parties.

• 1♣ = 16+, any shape
• 1♦ = 0-8, any shape
• 1♥ = hearts or strong + balanced
• 1♠ = relay (denies weak single suited hand with no shortness)
• 2NT = 23-24, balanced or semi-balanced
• 3NT = natural

This deals shows the use of a Kokish relay sequence over 1♣ to show a strong balanced or semibalanced hand. The 1♠ bid is forced unless responder has a 0-2 hand with a five card or longer suit with no singletons or voids.

This may be the strongest hand I've held while palying Caroline. Over 2NT, the following bids were available: Romex Stayman, Jacoby transfers, South African transfers, and 3♠ to show various minor-oriented hands.

A direct bid of 2NT over the 1♦ response would have shown 21-22. Using the Kokish relay raises the range to the next higher (23-24 in this case).

North South ♠ 9643 ♠ AKT8 ♥ AQ9862 ♥ K43 ♦ ♦ Q843 ♣ A87 ♣ KT

North East South West 1♦ pass 1♥ pass 1NT pass 2♦ pass 2♥ pass 3♥ pass 3♠ pass 4♣ pass 4♥ pass 5♦ dbl 6♣ pass 6♥ pass pass pass

• 1♦ = 10-15, 1+ diamond
• 1♥ = natural
• 1NT = 13-15 balanced or semi-balanced, without 4 hearts
• 2♦ = artifical game forcing checkback
• 2♥ = three-card heart support
• 3♥ = sets trump; slam invitational
• 3♠, 4♣, 5♦,6♣ = cuebid

This sequence illustrates the use of two-way checkback after a 1NT rebid. 2♦ is game forcing and leads to finding a heart fit. A cuebidding sequence reveals no duplication in diamonds.

This sequence has little to do with the Caroline system. A similar auction is likely for any pair employing weak no trumps and two way checkback. Note that a 2♣ bid (instead of 2♦ would also have been checkback, albeit not game forcing. If north had been invitational, he would have bid 2♣ and, after a 2♦ relay by south, bid 2♥ invitational. With a still weaker hand, north could have bid 2♥ (nonforcing) immediately over 1NT.

Cuebidding policy in Caroline is to bid cheapest first-round controls. When bidding second-round controls, it is usually prudent to bid the cheapest first, but it is always better to bid the most useful control. In this case, a king in partner's suit (clubs) is likely more worthwhile than the spade king. If north had wanted to show the heart king, he could have bid 5NT over 5♦ instead of bidding 6♣ to show the club king. 5NT is not "pick a slam" when a suit has been agreed and a cue-bidding sequence is underway.

A redouble of the double of 5♦ would have shown the king.

North South ♠ J987 ♠ ♥ Q742 ♥ AKJT98 ♦ A ♦ K9762 ♣ AQ95 ♣ KJ

North East South West 1♣ pass 2♥ pass 2♠ pass 3♦ pass 3♥ pass 4♣ pass 6♥ pass pass pass

• 1♣ = 16+, any shape
• 2♥ = 9+, gf, any 4441
• 2♠ = shortness ask
• 3♦ = 4=4=1=4
• 3♠ = control ask
• 4♣ = 4 controls (A = 2, K = 1)
• 6♥ = natural

This deal shows how to show 4441 game forcing hands opposite a 1♣ opening. Note that opener upgraded his 0=6=5=2 hand to open 1♣. A 2♦ opening would have show at least five hearts and at least four diamonds with 10-15 hcp. This hand is much better than your garden-variety 2♦ hand so the 1♣ opening is indicated.

The 2♥ response is dictated by system. Opener's rebid, however, is the key bid that defines the auction and its eventual success or failure. There are two approaches possible by the 1♣ bidder. He or she may either show his or her suit or may inquire about partner's shape.

Because south was two-suited, he knew a 54 or greater fit existed and hence inquired as to shape with 2♠. A problem with this sequence is that there is no way to establish a suit as trump for keycard purposes, so opener is left with a ♥ relay to inquire about controls. There is no way to launch exclusion keycard, so settling for the small slam opposite two aces was the best that could be done.

An alternative approach would be for opener to show his suit over the 2♥ response. A bid of 3♥ shows a heart suit. Responder now makes a step response of 4♥ to show 4=4=1=4 shape. If opener now chose to bid 5♠, that would be exclusion keycard, propelling the auction to 7♥. However, this bid would need to be made without the information that two aces are opposite, so a weaker action such as regular keycard (resulting in the same 6 ♥ contract) or a cue-bid is more likely. It is difficult to imagine a cue-bidding sequence stopping short of 7 ♥.

If responder had a singleton heart ace, for example, the response to 3♥ would be 4♣ and a follow-up relay of 4♦ would ask for controls, allowing a small diamond slam to be bid, much as in the actual auction.

There seems to be no way to locate the grand slam except in the case that opener chooses to show a heart suit and space exists to start a cuebidding sequence. The actual sequence used may be better overall at finding playable diamond slams when they exist.

West East ♠ Q9 ♠ AKJT752 ♥ J8 ♥ A ♦ KQ6 ♦ AT98 ♣ K95432 ♣ A

North East South West 1NT pass 4♦ pass 4♠ pass 4NT pass 5♦ pass 5♥ pass 6♣ pass 6♦ pass 7♦ pass 7♠ pass pass pass

• 1NT = 10-12, balanced or semi-balanced
• 4♦ = transfer to spades
• 4♠ = forced
• 4NT = keycard
• 5♦ = 0 or 3 keycards
• 5♥ = ♠Q ask
• 6♣ = ♠Q and ♣K
• 6♦ = ♦K ask
• 7♦ = ♦KQ
• 7NT = natural

This deal shows one approach to handling a very strong hand opposite a 1NT opening. At the table, the auction proceeded differently (without interference) to 6♠ via the most direct route. The auction above seems the best machinery in Caroline to reach the grand. Note that responder has two basic choices-- a South African transfer and keycard ask or a 3♥ transfer to 3♠ and subsequent cuebid. The keycard approach seems better given responder's hand.

The bidding after 4NT is not specific to Caroline. These agremeents are possible as part of keycard understandings in almost any system.

The 4NT bid following the South African bid is keycard for the indicated suit. Caroline uses 1430 responses. The cheapest non-trump continuation is an ask for the trump queen.

The trump queen is denied by returning to the trump suit. A bid of a new suit shows the trump queen plus the king of the suit bid and denies kings in suits that are skipped. For example, a response of 6♦ would have shown the spade queen and the diamond king but would have denied the club king. A bid of 5NT would have shown the spade queen but denied an outside king.

The 6♦ bid asks for the diamond king in order to contract for 7 spades. The 7♦ response confirms the diamond king and also shows the diamond queen. A return to 6♠ would have denied the ♦K. A bid of 6♥ would also deny the diamond king but would promise the heart king and a willingness to continue investigate for the grand. A bid in a new suit at the seven level shows the best possible high-card holding. For example, 7♣ would show the club queen and 7♥ would show the heart king.

Note that responses greater than six of the agreed trump suit are designed to reach 7NT, so you should make the most helpful response. If opener had held both minor suit queens (in addition to the diamond king), it would still be correct to respond 7♦ rather than 7♣ since the former is more likely to provide a source of tricks since partner had asked for the K in diamonds.

In the actual event, +1010 was worth 4.82 on a 12 top.