Swine Convention

The term Swine is an acronym for Sebesfi-Woods-1-Notrump-Escape. This method of defending against an overcall, either a direct overcall or a balancing action, was developed in Australia, and is mainly used in the Acol system.

The partner opens 1 No Trump. The Left Hand Opponent makes a direct overcall.

Opener > LHO > Responder  > Meaning

1 NT > Double >

• Pass – Responder’s pass forces opener to redouble.
• Opener’s Redouble is to play or bids the cheaper of touching suits.
• Redouble – Responder shows a single suited holding, and forces opener to rebid 2 Clubs.
• 2 clubs – Responder shows a 2-suited holding in Clubs and Hearts.
• 2 diamonds – Responder shows a 2-suited holding in Diamonds and Spades.
• 2 hearts – Responder shows moderate values, a natural bid, and prepared to reach the Three Level.
• 2 spades – Responder shows moderate values, a natural bid, and prepared to reach the Three Level.
• 2 NT – Game-forcing, artificial, showing a strong, unbalanced holding, possibly a Two-Suiter.
• 3 clubs – Preemptive in nature.
• 3 diamonds – Preemptive in nature.
• 3 hearts – Preemptive in nature.
• 3 spades – Preemptive in nature.

If the overcall is in the Pass Out Seat, then the 1 No Trump opener should first pass, awaiting the verdict of his partner. Under normal circumstances, the partner of the overcaller is obliged to take action. As soon as this action is taken, then the partner of the 1 No Trump bidder can reenter the auction with less than sufficient values. Otherwise the partner would have taken action before passing on the first round.

In those rare instances, when the advancer of the intervenor passes his partner’s double, hoping for penalty points, the partner of the 1 No Trump bidder can redouble, showing a one-suited holding. The 1 No Trump bidder is forced to rebid 2 Clubs as a Relay Bid. If the partner’s suit is Clubs, then he passes. If Clubs is not his suit, then he rebids his suit on the second round.

If the partner, after passing on the first round and the partner of the Doubler passes for penalty, and the partner of the 1 No Trump bidder bids 2 Clubs, 2 Diamonds, or 2 Hearts, then he shows the bid suit and a higher-ranking suit. The partner is two-suited, but has less than sufficient values to bid on the first round.