Canapé (bridge)
Encyclopedia
Canapé is a bridge
bidding system
where the second suit bid is always longer than (or at least as long as) the first. The name Canapé refers to a small bite
presented before a big meal.
Playing Canapé, the hand KQ73 5 AQJ94 J54 is opened 1. If partner does not raise the spades, the diamond suit is introduced in the next bidding round. With the spade and diamond suits reversed (AQJ94 5 KQ73 J54) the prescribed opening is 1 followed by a spade bid in the next round. The consequence of this approach is that on more balanced hands such as hands with a 4-4-3-2 distribution, only one four card suit can be introduced. With the hand KQ73 95 AQJ4 J54 a Canapé bidder will open 1 and following a 2 response rebid notrump. Hands with a 5-3-3-2 distribution are either opened in the five card suit followed by a notrump rebid (or a rebid in the same suit if the suit is solid), or in certain cases opened Canapé on a strong three card suit.
Canapé forms the basis of various European systems, such as the Roman club
and Blue club
systems, and in the Modified Italian Canape System. The advantage of the Canapé treatment is that with a four card major first a major suit fit is investigated, and if such a fit is not present the partnership can play in the longest suit of the opener. Also, Canapé bidders often get to bid a short major which has a marked preempt
ive value, also because takeout double
s are less effective in cases where the opponents have not opened their longest suit.
Invention of the concept is attributed to early French master Pierre Albarran
.
Contract bridge
Contract bridge, usually known simply as bridge, is a trick-taking card game using a standard deck of 52 playing cards played by four players in two competing partnerships with partners sitting opposite each other around a small table...
bidding system
Bidding system
A bidding system in contract bridge is the set of agreements and understandings assigned to calls and sequences of calls used by a partnership, and includes a full description of the meaning of each treatment and convention...
where the second suit bid is always longer than (or at least as long as) the first. The name Canapé refers to a small bite
Canapé
A canapé is a small, prepared and usually decorative food, held in the fingers and often eaten in one bite.- Details :...
presented before a big meal.
Playing Canapé, the hand KQ73 5 AQJ94 J54 is opened 1. If partner does not raise the spades, the diamond suit is introduced in the next bidding round. With the spade and diamond suits reversed (AQJ94 5 KQ73 J54) the prescribed opening is 1 followed by a spade bid in the next round. The consequence of this approach is that on more balanced hands such as hands with a 4-4-3-2 distribution, only one four card suit can be introduced. With the hand KQ73 95 AQJ4 J54 a Canapé bidder will open 1 and following a 2 response rebid notrump. Hands with a 5-3-3-2 distribution are either opened in the five card suit followed by a notrump rebid (or a rebid in the same suit if the suit is solid), or in certain cases opened Canapé on a strong three card suit.
Canapé forms the basis of various European systems, such as the Roman club
Roman Club
Roman Club is an artificial bridge bidding system devised in the 1950s by Giorgio Belladonna and Walter Avarelli of Italy's Blue Team. They used it to win twelve WBF World Teams Championships, three Olympiads and numerous European and National titles...
and Blue club
Blue Club
Blue Club is a bridge bidding system, developed mainly by Benito Garozzo. It was used by the famous Blue Team and became very popular in the 1960s and has been in decline since.The main features are:...
systems, and in the Modified Italian Canape System. The advantage of the Canapé treatment is that with a four card major first a major suit fit is investigated, and if such a fit is not present the partnership can play in the longest suit of the opener. Also, Canapé bidders often get to bid a short major which has a marked preempt
Preempt
Preempt is a bid in contract bridge whose primary objectives are to thwart opponents ability to bid to their best contract, with some safety, and to fully describe one's hand to one's partner in a single bid. A preemptive bid is usually made by jumping, i.e. skipping one or more bidding levels...
ive value, also because takeout double
Takeout double
In the card game bridge, a takeout double is any call of "double" that shows a desire to compete for the contract by further bidding. Many takeout doubles nearly require partner to bid; partner should pass for penalty with an appropriate hand, but that is uncommon...
s are less effective in cases where the opponents have not opened their longest suit.
Invention of the concept is attributed to early French master Pierre Albarran
Pierre Albarran
Pierre Albarran was a French auction and contract bridge player and theorist, and tennis player. It has been reported that he was born in the West Indies, and also in Chaville, Hauts-de-Seine, France; he died in Paris.At the bridge table Albarran won the European Teams Championship in 1935 and in...
.