Mr. Eric Kokish devised the following mechanism to illustrate how it is possible to show a strong holding and a balanced hand without having to consume bidding spade on the three level. This agreement is employed by those partnerships, which have agreed that 2 Clubs is the only forcing opening bid, that a 2 No Trump opening is a Gambling 2 No Trump opening or a Weak Minor Preempt.

With this understanding all holdings with a 20-24 plus point range, balanced or unbalanced distribution, must be opened with the strong 2 Clubs opening.

Note: Some partnerships have agreed to employ the Kokish Relays only with a point count generally between 25-26 points. This is the definition provided by the Bridge World magazine.

It is generally accepted practice to show such a strong holding with an artificial strong 2 Clubs opening.

First Example: the auction would proceed as follows:

• 2 Normally a Waiting Bid or a Negative Bid. Other responses, per partnership agreement, are not possible.
• 2 NT This promises a balanced distribution and a point count between 20-21 points. The partnership remains on the two level, which is the key of this concept.

Second Example: the auction would proceed as follows:

• 2 2 Normally a Waiting Bid or a Negative Bid. Other responses, per partnership agreement, are not possible.
• 2 This is the Kokish Relay, a puppet for responder to bid an automatic 2 Spades in order that the opener clarify his holding.
• 2 The puppet bid.
• 2 NT North shows a balanced distribution of 23-24 points, a holding too strong for a normal 2 – 2 NT rebid. The partnership remains on the two level, which is the key of this concept.

Third Example: the auction would proceed as follows:

• 2 2 Normally a Waiting Bid or a Negative Bid. Other responses, per partnership agreement, are not possible.
• 2 This is the Kokish Relay, a puppet for responder to bid an automatic 2 Spades in order that the opener clarify his holding.
• 2 The puppet bid.
• 3 NT North shows a balanced distribution of 25-27 points, a holding too strong for a normal 2 – 3NT rebid. This rebid is not part of the original version of the Kokish Relays, but could be used as an extension of this concept by partnership agreement if an opening bid of 3 No Trump would indicate a possible Gambling 3 No Trump.

Using the Kokish Relay, the responder would do exactly the same thing if the strong holding has an independent suit. However, the opener would change the bidding sequence in the following manner:

• 2 2 Normally a Waiting Bid or a Negative Bid. Other responses, per partnership agreement, are not possible.
• 2 This is the Kokish Relay, a puppet for responder to bid an automatic 2 Spades in order that the opener clarify his holding.
• 2 South is forced by agreement to rebid 2 Spades to learn more.
• 3 North now has described his holding with a point range of 20-24 points and an independent Heart suit, insufficient however to bid game. Therefore this bid is invitational per partnership agreement.

Alternate Agreements

Other partnerships have agreed upon the following auction, which is then game forcing:

• 2 2 Normally a Waiting Bid or a Negative Bid. Other responses, per partnership agreement, are not possible.
• 3 No Kokish Relay is required to show an independent suit holding in Hearts to show a game forcing action. The partner must continue to game, and with additional values will initiate a slam try.

If the opener bids anything other than 2 No Trump, then these rebids are natural and generally indicate Hearts. Some partnerships agree upon the Heart suit as being a requirement.

This approach is advantageous when holding strong, balanced hands, which are too strong in values for an immediate, non-forcing 2 No Trump rebid. This is because the conventional approaches listed below can be employed with ease on the three level. The auction has not been raised dramatically and the bidding space is still available.

After this Kokish Relay, the responder can, by partnership agreement, employ the Stayman, the Jacoby Transfer, Texas Transfer, the Gerber, or the Roman Key Card conventions.

As with many other conventional methods, different variations have arisen. Included is a different approach suggested by Mr. Danny Kleinman.

1. After a 2 rebid by the opener, the responder bids 3 and 3 naturally to indicate the corresponding long Minor suit and moderate values. It is possible that the responder then becomes the declarer.

2. After a 2 rebid by the opener, the responder bids 2 No Trump when holding a 6-card plus Spade suit, which the opener with the stronger holding will declare when holding Spade support. And, using the same approach, after a 2 rebid by the opener, the responder bids 3 promising a 6-card plus Spade suit and at least a 3-card Heart suit. With any support the opener, holding the stronger values, becomes the declarer in either Major suit.