This concept was introduced and devised by Mr. Pierre Albarran, born May 18, 1894, in West Indies and died February 24, 1960 in Paris, France, and Baron Robert de Nexon, born in the year 1892 and died in the year 1967 in Paris, France, in his castle in Haute-Vienne after a long illness.

Note: Various publications and records indicate that Mr. Pierre Albarran was born in the year 1892 as opposed to the year 1894. The year of 1894, as presented in this description, has as its source The Official Encyclopedia of Bridge, Newly Revised, Fourth Edition, published in the year 1984 by the American Contract Bridge League, Inc., ISBN-10: 0-517-55272-8 / ISBN-13: 9780517552728, page 553.

Short Biographies

They are the authors of the bridge book Notre Methode de Bridge, published in the year 1935. Mr. Pierre Albarran is also known for devising the canapé approach, which was published in the book Bridge, Nouvelle methode de nomination. Les jeux bicolores. Le Canapé, published in the year 1946.

Mr. Robert de Nexon has played a unique role in the evolution of the organization of European and global French bridge. In the year 1928 he belonged to a group, which decided to adopt a common code to all clubs in Paris, France, and in the year 1935 he participated in the creation of the Fédération Française de Bridge and became the second President of the federation in the year 1941, succeeding Earl of Chambure. He was elected and also re-elected to this chair for a period of 23 plus years.

He was elected in the year 1951 President of the European Federation Bridge. He served as the President of this federation for fourteen plus years. He was also elected President of the World Bridge Federation in the year 1958. Simultaneously as the Chairman of the three federations he was during those formative years the most influential personality on the stage of world bridge. He provided a new impetus to the game of bridge, including the organization in 1960, and also the first bridge Olympics in Turin.

Mr. Robert de Nexon, when he was not serving as an administrator of the bridge federations, was also one of the most brilliant players at the bridge table. He served also many times as the Captain of the team representing France, which resulted in the victory of France in the years 1953, which lead France to victory in 1953 and 1955 European Championship. Included are also his wins at the 1956 Bermuda Bowl in Paris, France, with team mates: René Bacherich, Pierre Ghestem, Pierre Jaïs, Robert Lattès, Bertrand Romanet, Roger Trézel. Also his win at the 1960 World Team Olympiad in Turin, Italy, with team mates: René Bacherich, Gérard Bourchtoff, Claude Delmouly, Pierre Ghestem, Pierre Jaïs, Roger Trézel.

Response Method

This treatment and/or conventional response method is used only after a strong, artificial 2 Clubs opening bid. Fundamentally, the Albarran convention is Ace Showing, providing information to the 2 Clubs bidder before he/she has a chance to define and describe his/her holding. The responses are listed in the diagram below.

Note: It must be noted that the bids following 3 No Trump were added later to the guidelines for the conventional method, and that the bid of 4 Diamonds is not mentioned for reasons unknown.

The planned rebid of North is to show a balanced holding of 23-24 high card points. After a response of 4 No Trump by the partner, should North settle with a rebid of 6 No Trump or 7 No Trump or even a Pass?

The question is whether the ensuing auction can ascertain whether South has any additional values to guarantee slam.

In the above example, it is clear that the partnership has possibly 2 losers, one in Spades if the King is offside and one in Diamonds assuming the Diamonds do not split. The lead of a Spade will certainly make it easy during the play for North to take 12 tricks, but the lead of any other suit forces North to consider carefully his play and/or finesse possibilities for the Spade suit, but the question remains whether the partnership can, still during the auction, ascertain whether South has the additional values needed for either a small or grand slam.

Defense Method by Competition

Mr. Pierre Albarran and Mr. Baron Robert de Nexon provided also a defense method in the case that the opponents decide to compete, even following a strong, artificial 2 Clubs opening. When an opponent makes either an immediate overcall, then the responder to the 2 Clubs opener has several options.

Pass: This shows a weak and/or minimum holding and zero Aces
Double: The double shows strength in the suit of the opponent and zero Aces
Any bid: If the overcall has not interfered in the bidding sequence, then partner can disregard the overcall and bid naturally. System on. All bids of the opener are also natural as is any continuation of the auction.

Alternative Version

An alternative version of this concept, which also enjoys some popularity, is when the responder actually holds two Aces. The origin is unknown and there is no official designation for this variation.

The variation provides the responder the possibility to jump one level of bidding to show the following holding:

• 3 Hearts: Promises 2 mixed Aces (rank and color).
• 3 Spades: Promises 2 Aces of the same color (black or red).
• 3 NT: Promises 2 Aces of the same rank (Major suits or Minor suits).