Flannery 2D

An opening Flannery 2 bid shows 11-15 HCP with exactly four spades and five hearts. The purpose of Flannery is to avoid rebid problems with this hand type; a 1 opening sometimes leads to trouble when opener cannot bid 2 (a reverse) at his next turn.

Some examples of hands suitable for a Flannery 2 opening:

AKQ2 A9854 6 -732

J862 KQT75 93 AQ

KJ75 QJ963 AJ42 --

The responses to the Flannery 2 opening are:

Response	Meaning
Pass	6+ diamonds, signoff
2	Natural, signoff
2	Natural, signoff
2NT	Strong, artificial and forcing, asking opener to further describe his hand (see below)
3	6+ (7+) clubs, signoff
3	6+ (7+) diamonds, invitational
3	3+ hearts, 10-12 points, invitational
3	4+ spades, 10-12 points, invitational
3NT	Natural, signoff
4	Transfer to 4
4	Transfer to 4
4	4+ hearts, signoff
4	4+ spades, signoff

After hearing an artificial 2NT response, opener must clarify his strength and distribution. This helps responder decide whether his own values are suitable for game or slam.

Opener's conventional rebids are as follows. "Minimum" strength indicates 11 to a bad 14 HCP, while "maximum" strength indicates a good 14 - 16 HCP.

Rebid	Meaning
3	4-5-1-3 shape. Responder can bid 3/ non-forcing with 10-12 points and trump support.
3	4-5-3-1 shape. Responder can bid 3/ non-forcing with 10-12 points and trump support.
3	4-5-2-2 shape, minimum strength. Responder can pass or correct to 3 non-forcing with 10-12 points and trump support.
3	4-5-2-2 shape, maximum strength. Forcing for one round.
3NT	4-5-2-2 shape, maximum strength, both minor suits stopped (Qx or better). Responder can pass or continue bidding.
4	4-5-0-4 shape. Forcing for one round.
4	4-5-4-0 shape. Forcing for one round.

		Opener			Responder
		AT98			KQ74
		K5432			87
		KQ			T76
		J9			Q642
		Opener 2 (1) Pass			Responder 2 (2)

1. Flannery
2. Taking a preference, signoff

		Opener			Responder
		KQJ7			5
		AK765			Q82
		9			KJ765
		J43			AT92
		Opener 2 (1) 4			Responder 3 (2)

1. Flannery
2. Invitational, 10-12 points with at least 3-card support

		Opener			Responder
		J876			AT2
		AJT93			K
		A2			KQT85
		A7			KQ65
		Opener 2 (1) 3NT (3) Pass			Responder 2NT (2) Pass (4)

1. Flannery
2. Strong, artificial and forcing
3. 4-5-2-2 shape, both minor suits stopped
4. Giving up aspirations of a minor-suit slam

Readers will observe that responder can bid game in two ways: bidding 4/ directly, or transferring via /.

In Bill Flannery's treatise "The Flannery 2D Open", the minor suit transfers are intended to protect any tenaces in opener's hand. Should responder have any tenaces worth protecting himself, he should consider transferring.

Flannery states, "Responder has complete discretion whether to transfer or to play game himself. He should generally transfer if his hand contains no tenaces (for example, Kx, AQx, KJx), since his partner's hand might contain such holdings."

Like the direct jumps to 4/, these transfers can either be weak (sacrificial) or strong (to play).

In competition, the specialized Flannery responses and rebids are on. Any double of an opposing overcall does not indicate a 'stolen bid' but is for penalties.

Flannery is named for its inventor, American William Flannery.