Canape - A bidding treatment where opener
and responder bid short suits before disclosing their long suit, when both
hands are strong enough to bid two suits. Opener's bid may be a short
suit with as few as 3 cards, either a minor or major
Since Canape is typically part of a Big Club system,
1C (artificial) is excluded from Canape treatment. Thus, opener
with a two-suiter including Clubs must be shown through follow-up bids.
Assuming the partnership has sufficient values,
belatedly bidding the longer suit has several advantages. The Canape partner
usually does not need to take a preference at a higher level than necessary.
Canape makes it difficult for opponents to enter the auction since their
best suit may have been bid by the Canape call. This often allows the Canape
pair to conveniently bid uninterrupted auctions. Thus, while standard
systems focus on 5 card major suit opening bids (4 card major using
Acol), Canape major suit openers are usually no longer than 4 card
long, providing a modest preemptive effect.
In two instances, the Canape opener begins with the
longest suit:
1. |
A minimum hand with only
one five-card or longer suit (except Clubs), where Opener bids and
rebids the suit |
2. |
Hands worth a jump rebid
of the suit |
When opener has two 5 card suits, the Canape bidder
begins with the higher suit first with a minimum hand; with a better hand,
the lower suit is first bid (reversing with lesser values than other
systems).
Playing Canape, all 1 level opening suit bids are
forcing for one round. Responder makes the cheapest available bid with
a weak hand (Herbert Negative). |