[Mickthedin]

Hi,
I came across this reference to relay bids and the prohibition of one type. The problem for me is not only the interpretation of the definition but the current relevance.
" Relay systems (one player tells nothing about his own hand while (sic)interrogating partner about his hand through a series of conventional calls) are not allowed."
Eg: in a multi - two relay (2D- 2H*-2NT) is the 2NT meaning (please clarify your hand), and NOT a natural bid or cue bid, allowable?
Similarly, is the 2C-2D waiting bid allowable?
Thanks to responding gurus.

[mw64ahw]

Or perhaps 1N-2♣ asking for Majors.
Potent stuff

[awm]

I think this prohibition was part of the old ACBL convention charts and is no longer in force with the new charts.

Anyway, there are many asking bids in normal bridge (Stayman, 2nt asking after a weak two, Blackwood/keycard, and even 1nt forcing). The rule was to prohibit relay *sequences* which need to be more than a single ask, so these sorts of bids were not disallowed provided they weren’t followed by a second “tell me more.”

[P_Marlowe]

Mickthedin, on 2026-February-23, 20:42, said:

<snip>
Eg: in a multi - two relay (2D- 2H*-2NT) is the 2NT meaning (please clarify your hand), and NOT a natural bid or cue bid, allowable?
<snip>

Your 1st example is dubious at best.
2D as multi will be several hand types.
2H as pass or correct means, opposite the weak variants responder is happy to play 2H,
he may have nothing.
From this followes, that a 2NT bid, whatever the meaning, is showing certain hand
types, even if this may only mean, that certain hand types got eliminated.
Obviously this assumes, the partnership is seriously trying to end up in a sensible
contract.

Your 2nd example is better, 2C showes a powerhouse, assuming game forcing powerhouse,
you can certainly device a relay seq. that forces the strong hand to define itself without
telling anything about the corresponding partner hand, I am not judging the merits of such
an apporach.

An even better example may be a Forcing Staymay seq., that tries to
determine the shape of the NT opener would have been allowed, as long as the NT opening range
was something like 12-14 (i.e. not too wide ranging).
Those Forcing Stayman Seq. try to hide as much as possible information about responders hand.
But I may be wrong, having never played in ACBL.

[blackshoe]

Back when the ACBL had this rule about "no relay systems" it applied to agreements where one hand makes multiple relay bids, not just one. IOW a single relay does not make a "relay system".