Drury
by Audrey Grant

It's common practice to occasionally open light in third or fourth position ... with less than a full opening bid.  The problem with this tactic is that responder no longer knows whether or not partner has a sound opening bid. There is the added complication that a new suit by responder is not forcing when responder is a passed hand. Responder can't expect opener's rebid to clarify the situation ... there may be no rebid when opener is light.

The situation is especially difficult when the opening bid is 1H or 1S and responder has a fit and enough strength for a limit raise. If responder makes a jump raise, the partnership may be too high if the opening bid was light. If responder doesn't raise right away, the partnership may miss its best spot.

To overcome this obstacle, many partnerships use the Drury convention:

DRURY CONVENTION

After a 1H or 1S opening in third or fourth position, a response of 2C asks whether opener has a full opening bid.
Responder only uses Drury with a three-card or longer fit for opener's suit and about 10 or more points.

In the standard version of Drury, opener makes the artificial response of 2D to show a light opening bid. Any other rebid shows a full opening bid. A more popular variation is Reverse Drury. This version reverses the meaning of opener's 2D rebid and a 2H or 2S rebid.

REVERSE DRURY

After responder's 2C bid, opener rebids the major (2H or 2S) with a light opening. Any other rebid shows interest in reaching game.

Reverse Drury in Action

Here are some examples of how Reverse Drury works.

1. WEST        EAST   
 K 10 8 4        A Q J 6 2
 Q 7 5             J 3
 A 7 5 2          Q J 4
 Q 8                9 5 3
 
 WEST NORTH EAST SOUTH
 Pass        Pass         1S     Pass
 2C          Pass          2S    Pass
 Pass        Pass

West doesn't have quite enough to open in first position and passes. When the bidding comes around to East in third position, East chooses to open 1S. East doesn't have a full opening, but there are tactical advantages to opening light. East-West might be able to make a partscore; East would like partner to lead a spade if the opponents buy the contract; the 1S opening may make it difficult for the opponents to find their best spot.

With four-card support for spades and enough strength for a limit raise, West's natural response is to make a limit raise to 3S. That would get the partnership too high opposite East's light opening bid, spoiling East's effort to get the partnership a small plus score.

Instead, West uses the Drury convention by responding 2C to ask whether opener has a full opening bid. Playing Reverse Drury, East simply rebids 2S to show a light opening. Knowing game is unlikely, West can pass and the partnership stops at a safe level.

An advantage of Reverse Drury is that it leaves less room for the opponents to enter the auction. If East had to bid 2D to show a light opening, there would be an opportunity for South to double or bid 2H.

2. WEST             EAST   
 A 8 5                 Q 3
 K 9 6                 A Q J 4 2
 J 8                     A Q 7 3
 Q 8 7 4 3           K 5
 
 WEST NORTH EAST SOUTH
                                       Pass
 Pass       Pass      1H      Pass
 2C         Pass       2D      Pass
 2H         Pass       4H      Pass
 Pass       Pass

After three passes, East opens 1H in fourth position. If the partnership weren't using the Drury convention, West would be uncomfortable responding with a natural 2C bid since it wouldn't be forcing. East might pass and the partnership would miss its heart fit. Playing Drury, West can show the support and game interest by making an artificial 2C response.

With a sound opening bid, East can make a natural response of 2D when using the Reverse Drury variation. West doesn't have much extra for the Drury response and can simply go back to the agreed trump suit. With a slightly better club suit, West might bid 3C, having already shown the heart support.

East knows the partnership has enough combined strength for game but not enough for slam.

SUMMARY OF REVERSE DRURY

When partner opens 1H or 1S in third or fourth position, a response of 2C is artificial showing three-card or longer support for partner's major and 10 or more points. It asks whether opener has a full opening bid.

1
  Opener rebids the major to show a light opening bid.

1   Opener rebids something other than the major suit to show a full opening bid.