Crowhurst

Crowhurst is an ACOL convention played in conjunction with a 12-14 weak 1NT. It assumes that when a player opens 1-suit, a 1NT rebid shows 12-16 HCP. This is a very wide range that may cause responder difficulty.

After hearing the 1NT rebid, responder can apply the Crowhurst convention by bidding an artificial 2 to ask opener's shape and strength. As a game exploration bid, this requires 10+ points. It is completely artificial even opposite a 1 opening bid.

1   :   1//
1NT   :   2


1   :   1/
1NT   :   2


1   :   1
1NT   :   2

The purpose of Crowhurst is to provide latitude in opening 1NT or 1-suit with 12-14 balanced hands. Before adopting Crowhurst, players should decide whether the benefit of a "choosy" 1NT opening bid outweighs the complexity of the 12-16 1NT rebid and subsequent Crowhurst auctions.

In response to Crowhurst, opener's rebids in priority are as follows.

Rebid	Meaning
2	Artificial, minimum, 12-13 points. May or may not have 3-card support if responder has bid a major.
2	14-16 points, 4 hearts. This bid only occurs after a 1/ opening bid and a 1 response. Opener is obligated to show a 4-card heart suit in case there is a 4-4 fit, which is generally superior to a 5-3 fit.
2NT	15-16 points, no 3-card support for responder's major.
2 of partner's major	14-15 points with 3-card support.
3 of partner's major	16 points with 3-card support.

The following are some examples of Crowhurst auctions. Although they all emphasize the major suits, please note the sample auctions above for minor-suit sequences.

		Opener			Responder
		83			AQ652
		AKQ65			J2
		A87			T93
		T42			QJ5
		Opener 1 1 1NT 2 3 Pass			Responder 1 2 2 2NT 4

1. Forgoing a 1NT opening bid with concentrated heart strength
2. Crowhurst
3. Artificial, minimum
4. Signoff

		Opener			Responder
		A53			KT987
		KJ54			AQT2
		KT			J53
		AT52			3
		Opener 1 1NT 2 2			Responder 1 2 1 4 3

1. Crowhurst
2. Natural, 14-16 points, game-forcing
3. Signoff, in keeping with the principle of fast arrival

		Opener			Responder
		AK5			QJT63
		543			KJ92
		AQ9			62
		K432			A7
		Opener 1 1NT 3 2			Responder 1 2 1 4

1. Crowhurst
2. 16 points with 3-card support

It is also possible to use Crowhurst with a 15-17 HCP 1NT rebid. Thus opener's balanced hands between 12-19 HCP would neatly fall into the following bids.

Hand Type	Opening Bid
Balanced 12-14 HCP	Open 1NT.
Balanced 15-17 HCP	Open 1-of-a-suit, intending to rebid 1NT.
Balanced 18-19 HCP	Open 1-of-a-suit, intending to rebid 2NT over any 1-level response.

Playing this approach, a Crowhurst 2 bid by responder asks opener to describe her hand thusly:

Rebid	Meaning
2	Artificial, minimum strength. Denies 3-card support if responder has bid a major. Also denies 4 cards in any unbid major.
2	Minimum strength. Shows 3-card support if responder has bid hearts. Otherwise, natural.
2	Minimum strength. Shows 3-card support if responder has bid spades. Otherwise, natural.
2NT	Artificial, maximum strength. Denies 3-card support if responder has bid a major. Also denies 4 cards in any unbid major.
3	Maximum strength. Shows 3-card support if responder has bid hearts. Otherwise, natural.
3	Maximum strength. Shows 3-card support if responder has bid spades. Otherwise, natural.

Philosophically, this approach emphasizes 3-card support for responder's major much more than the original Crowhurst convention.

Crowhurst is named for English expert Eric Crowhurst.