Brown Sticker Bids - what are they?
The following notices were issued during the World Championships in Brazil:
Players are reminded that :
After a natural opening of one of a suit, an overcall that does not promise at least four cards in a known suit is a Brown Sticker Convention
(There are exceptions for natural overcalls in no trumps, for cue bids showing a strong hand and for jump cue bids inviting three no trumps.)
Players are asked to note that the following are Brown Sticker conventions:
1. Any opening bid of 2C through 3S that shows an unspecified minor if it does not guarantee a solid suit.
2. A Multi 2 Diamond opening bid that shows precisely
a five card major in a hand that always includes a second suit.
Jan Martel provides the following explanation of BS Conventions in general:
In response to several requests for clarification of the meaning of "Brown Sticker Bid," we are providing this "plain English" explanation. Please understand that this definition in no way supersedes the official definitions in the WBF Systems Policyand Guide to Completion/Convention Booklet. It is simply intended to make it easier for you to determine if a bid is in fact a Brown Sticker bid.
Any opening bid at the 2 or 3 level (including 2NT but not including 3NT) that might be made with a weak hand which does not have a known 4 card or longer suit is classified as a Brown Sticker bid. The WBF Systems Policy specifically exempts two classes of bids from the Brown Sticker definition:
| 1. | Multi
2
(or a comparable 2 
bid) is not a Brown Sticker Bid. In order to be exempted
under this rule, the 2 of a minor bid must show "a weak 2
bid in a Major" and may also include strong meanings. Variations
on multi, such as a 2 of a minor bid that shows an undisclosed
5
card Major and an undisclosed second suit would not qualify under
this exemption. See also the Extract
from the WBF Guide to Completion regarding
the Multi. |
| 2. | A
bid that includes both a weak meaning where at least one suit is
known and one or more "strong" (a king above opening bid
strength) meanings is not a Brown Sticker Bid. For
example, a 2 Overcalls may also be Brown Sticker Bids. In order
to be defined as Brown Sticker, an overcall must be made over a natural
opening bid of 1 of a suit (not 1NT), and not promise 4 or more cards
in a known suit. Thus, a multi 2 An overcall
of 2 Please note that the following are Brown Sticker
|
opening
bid that shows a weak 2 bid in either hearts or spades (and may also
include some strong meanings) is a Brown Sticker Bid, because it includes
a weak meaning without a known suit and does not qualify under the
multi exemption because the opening bid is not 2 of a minor. But an
opening 2
(natural) or a cue bid over 1