Flannery Convention

Developed by William Flannery to show a hand with 5 cards of Hearts and 4 cards of Spades having 11-15 HCPs so which can not reverse.  2 Diamond openning shows such a hand. The responses are as follows:

Opener	Responder	Explanation
2 Diamonds	Pass 2 Hearts 2 Spades 2 NT 3 Clubs 3 Diamonds 3 Hearts 3 Spades 4 Clubs 4 Diamonds	6 cards of Diamonds, weak hand Hearts support, weak hand Spades support, weak hand Asks for minor distribution 6 cards of Clubs, 11+ points 6 cards of Diamonds, 11+ points Hearts support, invitation to game Spades support, invitation to game Transfer to Hearts Transfer to Spades

Rebids of the opener over 2 NT response are as follows:

Opener	Responder	Opener	Explanation
2 Diamonds	2 NT	3 Clubs 3 Diamonds 3 Hearts 3 Spades 3 NT 4 Clubs 4 Diamonds	3 cards of Clubs 3 cards of Diamonds 11-13 points 2-2 Minors 14-15 points 2-2 Minors 14-15 points 2-2 Minor, high cards in minors 4 cards of Clubs 4 cards of Diamonds

In the defense against Flannery, a suit overcall in 2nd level shows a triple suited hand on which the overcall suit is the shortest. Suit overcall in 3rd level is natural. Double indicates a hand capable to open 1 NT. 2 NT overcall is just like a Cue-Bid showing the minors.

Reverse Flannery

This coonvention is used to show 5 cards of Spades and 4 or 5 cards of Hearts in responders hand with not enough  HCP to make two trump changes. Lets see the application in a tableau.

Opener	Responder	Meaning
1m	2 Hearts	5 cards Spades, 4-5 cards Hearts, 5-8 HCP
Pass		Willing to play 2 Hearts
2 Spades		Willing to play 2 Spades
2NT		Asks detailed information
	3 Clubs	5-4 S-H, 5-6 HCP
	3 Diamonds	5-4 S-H, 7-8 HCP
	3 Hearts	5-5 S-H, 5-6 OP
	3 Spades	5-5 S-H, 7-8 OP
3m		Partial Score
3 other minor		Choose one of the minors
3 Spades/Hearts		Preemptive
3NT		Game
4m		Slam invitation for minor
4 other minor		Choose one of the minors for Game
4 Spades/Hearts		Game

 

Opener	Responder	Meaning
1m	2 Spades	5-4 S-H, 9-10 OP
Pass		Willing to play 2 Spades
2NT		Partial Score
3m		Partial Score
3 other minor		Choose one of the minors
3 Hearts		Willing to play 3 Hearts
3 Spades		Slam invitation
	3NT	No control
	4 Clubs	Club Control
	4 Diamonds	Diamond Control
	4 Hearts	Heart Control
3NT		Game
4m		Slam invitation for minor
4 other minor		Choose one of the minors for Game
4 Spades/Hearts		Game

 

We may assume that responder holds exactly 5-4 Spades and Hearts in 1m - 2 Spades auction, because with 9-10 HCPs and 5-5 cards he could declare spades first and then hearts in the second tour.