[pclayton]

I'm playing around with adding Cole (1♦ - 1 major - 2♣) to my weak NT partnership. I can't find any respources for it, however.

Anyone out there play it?; What's your opinion and what is your rebid structure?

Thanks in advance.

[pbleighton]

I found this googling rec.games.bridge. There were 560 responses for "Cole". Try google.com, then groups, then rec, then games, then bridge for more. I've never played it, and after looking at it, I don't think I'd want to

abbreviations used: m = minor
om = other minor
M = major
OM = other major
relay = one bid higher (including NT)
GF = game force
+ = that bid OR HIGHER
[] = typists comments

The convention treats openers 2C rebid after 1m - 1M as an artificial
force.

Responder relays with 2D unless a descriptive bid can be made. RELAYING
with 2D says NOTHING about responder's strength!

COLE is off after any non-pass by opponents.

COLE is on regardless of which seat opener is in.

OPENER'S POSSIBLE HANDS:

Minimum raise of Major - 3 card support
rebid 2M over 2D
2NT is now a puppet to 3C
P/3D SIGNOFF
3m natural FORCE (invite would not relay)

Long Clubs
must be prepared to play at 3-level to complete description
if opening 1D -- 5-5 in minors
if opening 1C -- 7 clubs or very strong 6 clubs
rebid 3C over 2D
3M = FORCE (invite would not relay)

Strong NT count unsuitable for NT opening
(often because of singleton in responder's Major)
rebid 2NT over 2D
3m SIGNOFF
3M FORCING
3om relay
3D 4D + 6C
3H maximum heart holding
(2 if 1M=Hearts, 4 if 1M=Spades)
3S 6 card minor (ie 6331)
3NT 5431 or 5422

All other rebids after 2D relay describe difficult to bid hands

3D game forcing / long broken minor / 0-2 in M
3H relay
3S highest singleton
3NT middle singleton
4C lowest singleton
3S asks 3NT unless middle singleton
3NT asks PASS unless highest singleton
else bid 4C

3H game force / solid minor / lower singleton
does not deny 3 card support!
3S asks for 3 card support

3S game force / solid minor / higher singleton
does not deny 3 card support!
4C asks for 3 card support

3NT solid minor / singleton in M / ~10 tricks
(too strong for immediate 3NT rebid)

4m Singleton showing SPLINTER raise
4C = om
4D = OM

2OM any hand not previously described
2S to play opposite 3 card invite
2NT relay
3C a) if 1C -- min 64
(4H if 1S, 4D if 1H)
if 1D -- GF -- 6D+4C or 5D+4C+3M
OR if 1S maybe 6D+4H min!!

responder assumes the weak
hand. opener continues
with the strong variety

1D 1H
2C 2D
2S 2N
3C GF!
3D asks
3H = 1354
3S = 2164
3N = 1264

1D 1S
2C 2D
2H 2N
3C GF or weak 64
3D to play!!
P = QED
3H = 3154 GF
3S = 2164 GF
3N = 1264 GF
3H/3S to play!!
opener pass or bid
using similar code
3D Invite + 3 card support
6331 or if 1D may be (31)54

3H asks
3S = stiff om
3N = stiff OM
3S if 1S then = signoff
3NT signoff

3H GF + 3 card support 6331
[? or if 1D may be (31)54 - ah]

3S asks
3N = stiff om
4C = stiff OM

3S GF
a) if 1C -- 5D + 6C
if 1D -- 5+D + 5C
(corollary: 1C then 2D & 3D = INV)

3N 6322 with 3 card support
INVITATIONAL or better [? ah]

4m VOID showing SPLINTER raise
4C = om
4D = OM
3m to play opposite 6331 invite

OPENER'S AUCTIONS THAT DO NOT USE COLE

1m - 1M - 2M guarantees 4 card support
next step artificial relay
(2S/2H or 2NT/2S)
STEP 1 some 4432 with 2=om
relay asks
3H = lower 4 card suit + min
3S = higher 4 card suit + min
3NT= lower 4 card suit + max
4C = higher 4 card suit + max
STEP 2 4432 with 2=OM (complete shape now known)
relay asks
3S = min
3N = max
STEP 3 5422 min
STEP 4 4333 min
STEP 5 4333 max
STEP 6 singleton somewhere
relay asks
4H = lower singleton
4S = higher singleton
4D 5422 max
4H = lower void
4S = higher void

1m - 1H - 2H - 2NT game try with spade length

Reverses/Jump Shifts are always REAL suits (4+ suit)

otherwise use COLE

intended as forcing but sub-minimum responder may
choose to pass knowing of the 4+ second suit

RESPONDER'S AUCTIONS THAT DO NOT RELAY OVER 2C REBID

1m - 1S - 2C
2H natural NONFORCE (weak 55 in majors)
2S normal rebid
2NT natural invitational / denies 5 spades
(else relay to hear about 3 card support)
3C natural invitations / denies 5 spades
3D[/3H] 5-5 FORCING
3S natural invitational (same as after natural rebid)

DISADVANTAGES

loss of natural 2C rebid forces awkward 1NT rebids after minor
suit openings, particularly hands with a singleton
(example hands are included)

some of these problems are handled via
1m - 1M - 1NT
2C checkback
2D/2H transfer
(followup structure is stated to be complex)

minimum 3-suiter with spade void is another problem hand.
1C - 1S - 2D! normal reverse OR 0445 minimum
2H relay
2NT = 0445 mimimum
else = real reverse

Al's Comments:

1) Auctions not mentioned are unchanged from 'standard' and left to
the reader to extrapolate.

2) As far as I can tell, EVERY bid when playing COLE is alertable. This
includes 1m - 1M - 2M because of the AGREEMENT that it guarantees
4 card support

3) Kit does not talk about whether the partnership always raises (via
COLE) with 3 card support. If you choose that treatment --
that must be part of the explanation to the alerted 1NT rebid
(ie denies 3+ support)

4) Kit explains the articles are not a complete description, highlighting
slam followups being tricky. Especially troublesome is defining
which suit is trump for key card purposes. He leaves it to us
to figure out the rest.

5) BIG CLUBBERS -- this has limited value IF ANY. Those 2C rebids after
1D - 1M rebids are carrying too much weight as it is. The
rest can only apply within the context of having a limited hand.
I just can't see it. [but willing to be converted]

[laughter]

I have played Cole for a while in my strong NT system.

The rebids are more or less the same as outlined in the above post, a bit simplified to make it playable.

The advantages are mainly that partnership can easily uncover their 5-3 majors fit when one exists, and escapes into 3m when there is only 4-3 fit.

I think it is quite tricky to install this toy into a weak NT base system.
Playing weak NT, opener can only rebid 1NT with extras, and he can't safely use a 1NT rebid as catch-all to handle those hands that he originally plans to rebid 2C, but he can no longer do so due to the adoptation of this toy.
E.g. x-KJx-KJx-Axxxxx, has you opened 1C and hear a 1S response, you can't rebid natural 2C, nor can you try rebidding 1NT (extras), and you are stuck. You either have to rebid 2C then 3C, committing to 3 levels with weak C, or try opening an ugly weak NT as first bid. I guess you may encounter a system fix more frequently than a strong notrumper.

Anyway, this toy is fun, and you may get a better grasp of it by reading Kit Woolsey or Steve Robinson, both of them are the leading US players who have tried this toy.

Good luck!