Reverse Drury

With Elwood I play 2/1, and Drury is one of his favorite conventions.

Systems that use sound first and second seat openings (particularly 2/1) often use light opening bids in third and fourth seat. It is not uncommon these days to see third seat openings on 8 counts, but usually a light opening is in the 10-12 HCP range. The expert style is to always open in a real suit in third seat if the hand is light, so four-card major openings are common. In responding to these light openings, you need to have a way of showing a near opener (good 9 to bad 12 HCP hand) with support for opener’s suit without going past the two level. The Drury response of 2C fills this need. In the original version of Drury, a rebid of 2D showed a minimum opening, other rebids showed a full opener (12+ HCP). Using Reverse Drury, opener rebids his suit to show a light opening (he may have to rebid a four card suit) or rebids 2D with a full opener, but perhaps only four cards in the suit opened. After the 2D rebid the responder may bid up to three of opener’s suit with four card support, after the rebid of the major he is asked to pass except with an exceptionally good passed hand.

Responses by a passed hand

After pass – 1S; ?
• 1NT - semi-forcing, up to 11-12 HCP. Opener passes if light or 5332 shape with 12-13 HCP
• 2D/H - not forcing, decent 5 card suits, 9-11 HCP. Deny three spades
• 2S - normal single raise, not constructive, limited to a bad 9 count
• 2NT - 4 card spade support and 9-11 HCP with a singleton somewhere. Opener relays to discover the singleton
• 3C - shows 6 clubs and about 10-11 HCP. The hand type is a flawed initial preempt (two side cards or bad suit are possibilities).
• 3D/H - a flower bid (4 card support for spades, decent 5 card side suit, near opener).
• 3S - this is preemptive, something like SJxxxx Hx Dxx CQxxxx

• 2C - any hand of 10-12 HCP with three plus spades, could be a good 9 count with 4 trumps and a ruffing value (Reverse Drury)

Responses after a 1H opening are essentially the same, except that with 4+ spades and only 3 hearts you should generally prefer a 1S response to a Drury response.

All 2C responses are Drury, even after intervention. For example,
Pass – (pass) – 1S – (1NT); 2C is Drury

Drury sequences: Pass – 1S; 2C - ?

• 2D - full opener, may be a suit also, but presumed to be a flattish 12-14 hand. Responder continues:
     o 2H - natural, 5 card suit, usually only 3 spades, not forcing, suggests hearts as alternate trumps
     o 2S - usual rebid, 3 or four spades, not forcing
     o 2NT - natural, 11-12 HCP, only 3 spades
     o 3S - strong game invite, 4+ good spades
     o 3 bids - short suit game tries, singleton or small doubleton 

• 2H - natural, does not guarantee a full opener, could be a light 55 hand for example
• 2S - a light opener, less than 12 HCP
• 2NT - 15-17 HCP with 5332 shape
• 3C/D/H/S - slam tries, new suits are natural
• 3NT - balanced 18-20
• 4x - short suit slam tries
• 4S - a common rebid, no slam interest but enough extra to play game.