[kgr]

Simple question:
What is Canape (bridge related)?

Thanks,
Koen

[the hog]

Showing a shorter suit before a longer one. eg a canape opening would be a 1H opening rather that 1S holding:
xxxxx
xxxx
xxx
x
Such openings occur in certain systems eg Roman Club, Caroline Club.
Some players also use canape overcalls and canape transfers.

[kenrexford]

Simply put, canape is a bidding approach wherein four-card suits are often opened despite havoing a five-card second suit. In other words, a tendency to open the shorter of two suits.

"Tendency canape" is a style that speaks for itself, somewhat, in that there is a "tendency" to open in the shorter of two suits (if two-suited, obviously) but not a guarantee that the second suit is longer. The exceptions are varied. Sometimes, as in Rosso-e-nerro and similar systems, the canape completion (e.g., 1♠-P-1NT-P-3♦) shows a specific range, whether a stronger hand ("points" or LTC) or a weaker hand (e.g., 1♠-P-1NT-P-2♦). Sometimes, the exception forcuses on clubs, because of systemic difficulties. For example, in some canape approaches, 1♠-P-1NT-P-2♦ is an auction featuring longer diamonds, but 1♠-P-1NT-P-2♣ is an auction where spades are longer than clubs.

Absolute canape systems always feature bids of the shorter suit (or two-suiters) first, sometimes with the "shorter suit" of a "two-suited hand" being a fragment (3-card suit).

Most canape systems also feature a strong 1♣ or strong 1♦ opening.

The theory to canape is complicated, but some features are finding 4-4 fits before 5-3 fits, some slightly preemptive gains, some non-disclosure gains, and the like. Canape bidders have a tendency to focus a lot of their thinking on pattern, as opposed to "points," and often use losing trick count analysis more than most for this reason.

[kgr]

Thanks for the replies.
Read about Canape in the context of transfer Walsh.
Eg:
1C-1D
1NT-2NT
1D: transfer to H
2NT: transfer to D; weak or limit and canape

[keylime]

As a canape clubber these days, let me share the ups and downs of canape:

Ups:

1. Never miss your 4-4 fit. It doesn't get buried.
2. Unloads your 2C opening to be a natural, 6+ in length.
3. No pesky rebid problems when holding minor-major hands; open the major, rebid the minor, and you're good to go.
4. Occasionally, the opps will walk right into your five card suit. Let me confess this has happened twice and both times, the joy was unable to be contained as they got doubled for a telephone number.
5. Takeout doubles are harder to make; playing minimum offshape t/o's are much more apt to cause trouble for the opposing side if used by them.
6. You can suppress majors over 1D, knowing pard can't have them unless it's a five carder and maximum hand.

Downs:

1. You'll need a response structure to handle your 4-5's and especially your 4-6's in G/F situations of a limited bid.
2. In competition, you'll need ways to show 5-4's when they bid and raise a suit.
3. If you play transfer positives like we do, practice, practice, practice if you play MAFIA style answers where majors must be shown first (we play exclusionary xfers).
4. It takes a lot of adjustment to open that four carder before the five carder. Trust me; took me 2 months.
5. Suit quality of your four card major should be discussed and agreed on. Larry and I open nearly ANY four card major regardless. Sometimes we have landed in Q-x-x opposite 7-5-3-2 at the two level; it happens.
6. The level of detail is much higher than a 2/1 or Precision method, simply due to the differences in the bidding.

Overall, I think it's a great way to play bridge, but not the only way.

[EricK]

If you play a canape club system, how do you handle hands with 5M and 4♣?

[hrothgar]

EricK, on Mar 15 2007, 11:07 AM, said:

If you play a canape club system, how do you handle hands with 5M and 4♣?

Historically, Roman Club used a 2M to show a 5 card major with 4 card club suit

[kenrexford]

keylime, on Mar 14 2007, 11:34 PM, said:

As a canape clubber these days, let me share the ups and downs of canape:

Ups:

1. Never miss your 4-4 fit. It doesn't get buried.
2. Unloads your 2C opening to be a natural, 6+ in length.
3. No pesky rebid problems when holding minor-major hands; open the major, rebid the minor, and you're good to go.
4. Occasionally, the opps will walk right into your five card suit. Let me confess this has happened twice and both times, the joy was unable to be contained as they got doubled for a telephone number.
5. Takeout doubles are harder to make; playing minimum offshape t/o's are much more apt to cause trouble for the opposing side if used by them.
6. You can suppress majors over 1D, knowing pard can't have them unless it's a five carder and maximum hand.

Downs:

1. You'll need a response structure to handle your 4-5's and especially your 4-6's in G/F situations of a limited bid.
2. In competition, you'll need ways to show 5-4's when they bid and raise a suit.
3. If you play transfer positives like we do, practice, practice, practice if you play MAFIA style answers where majors must be shown first (we play exclusionary xfers).
4. It takes a lot of adjustment to open that four carder before the five carder. Trust me; took me 2 months.
5. Suit quality of your four card major should be discussed and agreed on. Larry and I open nearly ANY four card major regardless. Sometimes we have landed in Q-x-x opposite 7-5-3-2 at the two level; it happens.
6. The level of detail is much higher than a 2/1 or Precision method, simply due to the differences in the bidding.

Overall, I think it's a great way to play bridge, but not the only way.

I'd add that it is fun to defend their NT auctions, eh? 1♦-1NT-P-3NT-P-P-P, partner finds your suit.

I'm not sure that the "frees 2♣" idea is part of canape. In fact, I'd even argue that the Neapolitan 2♣ call is the worst part of any strong club system, canape or natural. It is particularly troubling in a pure canape structure, where theory suggests that 2♣ show four clubs and a longer major (I know a pair who tried this for a while). There are much better solutions.

Canape also suffers from problems with 4441's, unless a solution is found (like 2♣ for three-suited, my preference). Similarly, there are difficulties in handling balanced hands. If a strong club shows 16+, then 1NT might be 13-15, but now 11-12 balanced is usually passed, or the canape structure suffers. The solution I preferred was for a 1♥ or 1♠ opening to possibly be balanced with that major, but this also caused some rebid problems. There are, again, solutions, but this gets more and more complicated.

One more point. Canape, as you noted, takes time to understand. One of the most troubling for new canape bidders is the 1♥-1♠-P-2♠-P-P-? problem. After some time, the solution becomes obvious -- Responder's 2NT shows values and ability to handle a completion of the canape or rebid of the six-card heart suit. BTW -- this brings up one more problem. 5332's with a major are also difficult. If diamonds are 3-card, 1♦ openings solve that problem sometimes. Sometimes the hand is treated as balanced. Sometimes as a one-suiter despite only five of the major. Sometimes there are tight and complicated techniques. But, simple ole' 5332 is amazingly very difficult without discussion.

[ucrman]

I have enjoyed playing a canape club system.

With 4-4-4-1 hands, I started opening all such hands 2D. Then I limited the 2D opening to those hands with 4-4 in the majors only and either 4-1 or 5-0 in the minors. It has worked out well. I play 1H-1S(5+ cards)-1NT as showing exactly 1-4-4-4 with 12-15 HCP. I also play 1S-2H-3NT as 4-1-4-4 with 12-15 HCP.

I also play negative doubles that generally show 3-card support for the unbid suits and 6+ HCP. With a good 10 or more, I don't necessarily guarantee 3-card support. Nonforcing free bids have accompanied these negative doubles with success.

I open 1NT with hands with 5-card majors, 5-3-3-2 distribution, and 12-15 HCP.

Hands containg a 5-card major and 4+ Clubs, I open 2H or 2S with 11-15 HCP.

Usually the 1D, 1H, and 1S openings show either a 4-card suit or a 6-card suit.

One problem I have is 4-5 or 5-4 in the minors. But then when I play 2/1, I open 1D with most hands with 4-5 in the minors - same problem.

The 2C opening has proved its worth. It shows 6+ clubs without a 4-card major and 11-15 HCP. I play that 2D and 2H are transfers, and 2S is artificial showing invitational or better values.

This subject belongs in the Non-Natural System Discussion. There are other discusions about canape there.

[hrothgar]

ucrman, on Mar 16 2007, 07:23 AM, said:

This subject belongs in the Non-Natural System Discussion. There are other discusions about canape there.

One quick comment:

A canape opening style is considered to be a treatment.
The aren't conventional and aren't regulated as such