Roudi Convention

This conventional method was devised by Mr. Jean-Marc Roudinesco of France. This conventional method is popular in the country of France and is applied after the opener has rebid 1 No Trump after a suit opening. With a forcing 2 Clubs rebid by the responder the opener is required to further clarify his holding. The following illustration should clarify the concept:

North East South West Meaning
1 C/D/H Pass 1 S Pass 5-card+ Spade suit
1 NT Forcing

Whenever the responder first bids 1 Spade, then the responder is promising a 5-card plus Spade suit and at least 11 high card points, distributional points not included. The opening bid is rather irrelevant as long as it is not Spades.

When the opener rebids 1 No Trump, then the responder must bid 2 Clubs, as in the following diagram to ask opener for additional information regarding his holding:

North East South West Meaning
1 C/D/H Pass 1 S Pass 5-card+ Spade suit
1 NT Pass 2 C Relay

The forcing 2 Clubs rebid by the responder allows the opener then to further describe his holding, as in the following continuation:

North East South West Meaning
1 C/D/H Pass 1 S Pass 5-card+ Spade suit
1 NT Pass 2 C Relay
2 D Shows no fit in Spades and 11/12 points
2 H Shows a fit in Spades with 11/12 points
2 S Shows a fit in Spades with 13/14 points
2 NT Shows no fit in Spades with 13/14 points

Once the responder is aware either of the fit and/or no-fit in Spades, then the responder will set the contract accordingly.

Note: A second rebid by the responder of 2 No Trump instead of 2C is played by some partnerships as a mandatory puppet to 3C in order to either cease the auction in this suit and at this level, or as a forcing rebid to describe holdings with strong values, or to invite to a final contract of 3 No Trump.

Partnership agreement.

The responder can also show a 5-card Spade suit when the values are less than 10 high card points in the following manner:

North East South West Meaning
1 C/DH Pass 1 S Pass 5-card+ Spade suit
1 NT Pass 2 C Relay
2 D/H Pass 2 S Shows a 5-card Spade suit and fewer than 10 points

The opener, with this additional information, will then become the captain and set the final contract.