Summary of the Romex System

Romex was developed because George Rosenkranz found two major flaws in Standard American: the opening one of a suit bid has a very wide range, and there is too much strain on the single forcing opening, 2C. His solution to these problems lies in two conventional openings: The Dynamic Notrump, and the Mexican 2D opening. The former takes strain off the 2C opening, and limits the one openings. The latter takes additional strain off 2C, removing 3 suited hands and hands with primary diamonds from that opening. Add in the game forcing 2NT opening, and Romex has four forcing opening bids.

Romex has evolved over the last 40 years or so into a complete, comprehensive system. Many have avoided it because they fear it is too complicated. With his latest writings, Bid to Win, Play For Pleasure, Godfrey's Bridge Challenge, Godfrey's Stairway to the Stars, and Godfrey's Angels, Dr. Rosenkranz has put paid to that idea. Bid To Win contains the full Romex system, including all the special asking bids and relay sequences. Godfrey's Bridge Challenge does not - it starts with the premise that what you're already using as, for example, responses to one of a major, is good enough, at least for now. Stairway To The Stars adds some complication, because it expands on an idea that Dr. Rosenkranz thinks will be a major trend in the near future: the use of "two card" systems, one approach at unfavorable vulnerabilities, and another at favorable vulnerabilities.Godfrey's Angels presents the latest wrinkles in the system. Only time will tell if he's right, but in the meantime, here is the current opening bid structure for "natural" Romex and Romex Forcing Club, in outline form:

Romex as described in Bid To Win and Godfrey's Bridge Challenge

• 1m: 12+-18 HCP, 3+ cards in suit, no 5 card major.
• 1M: 12+-18 HCP, 5+ cards in suit.
• 1NT: 18-21 HCP, artificial and forcing. Either 19-20 HCP balanced, with 6+ controls, or unbalanced, 18-21, 6+ controls, and 4 or 5 losers.
• 2C: 23-24 HCP, balanced, with 8 controls, or 29-30 balanced, with 11 controls, of unbalanced, game forcing, 3- losers if the primary suit is a major, 2- losers if the primary suit is clubs. Hands with primary diamonds are opened 2D.
• 2D: 21-22 HCP, balanced, 7 controls, or 27-28 HCP balanced, 10 controls, or unbalanced, game forcing, 2- losers, one or two suited, primary diamonds, or game forcing, 3- losers, 3 suited (4441), any shortage.
• 2M: weak two bids.
• 2NT: 25-26 HCP, balanced, 9 controls. May have a 5 card major (as may any other strong balanced hand).
• 3any: preemptive
• 3NT: a four level preempt in a minor
• 4m: Namyats, a good 4 level preempt in a major
• 4M: preemptive, not good enough for Namyats.
• 4NT: a good 5 level preempt in a minor.
• 5m: preemptive, not good enough for 4NT.

The Romex Forcing Club, as described in Stairway To The Stars and Godfrey's Angels

• 1C: 17+ HCP, artificial, forcing.
• 1D: 12-16 HCP, possibly as few as 2 diamonds.
• 1M: 12-16 HCP, 5+ cards.
• 1NT: 10-12 HCP, balanced, except 12-14 HCP in 3rd Seat
• 2C: 12-15 HCP, natural, 6+ clubs.
• 2D: as above, except that the 4441 hands move out of 2D, and are included in the 1C opening.
• 2H: three suiter, short in diamonds. 3=4=1=5, 4=3=1=5, 4=4=1=4, or 4=4=0=5.¹
• 2S and higher: Preemptive, as above, except 2NT.
• 2NT: a good 3 level preempt in either minor, if the SO permits, allowing 3m to show lesser preempts.²

Godfrey's Angels introduces changes to the responses to both 2C openings, and to the Dynamic NT opening; these are reflected in the bidding charts at the links below.

¹In the ACBL, this is a mid-chart convention. If it is not permitted, you will have to decide whether to give up this opening, or give up the Mexican 2D opening. All things considered, I'd keep the Mexican 2D. :-)
²In the ACBL, this is a mid-chart convention. If it is not permitted, then 2NT should show a good preempt in clubs, and 3C a lesser one, leaving 3D for any preempt in that suit.

Note that there are only 5 bids with major changes from "natural" Romex: 1C, 1NT, 2C, 2H, and 2NT (if you're using the two-card system, the strong balanced 2NT opening is made via Kokish in "natural" Romex, and 2NT is preemptive in both systems). 1D has some minor changes; everything else is substantially the same. Well, almost. :-)

The changing responses to 2D

This part of the system has undergone changes with every book. The structure in Bid To Win is different from previous versions, and then is changed in Godfrey's Bridge Challenge, and again in Stairway To The Stars. The evolution looks like this:

Bid To Win, Play For Pleasure

• 2H: 0-4 HCP.
• 2S: 5-10 HCP (forcing to game).
• 2NT: 11+ HCP (slam is probable).

Now opener defines his hand type

• minimum NT: 21-22 HCP, balanced
• jump in NT: 27-28 HCP, balanced
• 3C: diamond two suiter
• 3D: diamond one suiter
• 3H: 1=4=4=4
• 3S: 4=4=4=1
• 4C: 4=4=1=4
• 4D: 4=1=4=4

Godfrey's Bridge Challenge

• 2H: 0-10 HCP, slam unlikely
• 2S: 10+ HCP, definite slam interest, usually 3+ controls, but 2 with a singleton or void is possible
• 2NT: transfer, 0-3 HCP, 6+ clubs, no 4 card major
• 3C: transfer, 0-3 HCP, 6+ diamonds, no 4 card major
• 3D: transfer, 0-3 HCP, 5+ hearts, < 4 spades
• 3H: transfer, 0-3 HCP, 5+ spades, < 4 hearts

over 2H/2S, opener's rebids are as above, except that 2D-2H-2S shows a diamond-spade two suiter. After the transfer, opener will normally just complete it, but may jump to game in responder's suit or bid 3NT.

Godfrey's Stairway To The Stars

• Pass: a yarborough with a long diamond suit.
• 2H: 0-9 HCP, no slam interest, usually < 4 hearts
• 2S: 10+ HCP, 3+ controls (usually), slam interest
• 2NT: transfer, 0-3 HCP, 6+ clubs, no 4 card major, or possibly a major two suiter
• 3C: special Stayman, 4 hearts (possibly 4=5 majors) and only game interest.
• 3D: transfer, 0-9 HCP, 5+ hearts, < 4 spades, signoff or choice of games.
• 3H: transfer, 0-3 HCP, 5+ spades, < 4 hearts, signoff
• 3S: 4=4=4=1, strong, forcing, 3+ controls and slam interest
• 3NT: 4=4=1=4, as above
• 4C: 4=1=4=4, as above
• 4D: 1=4=4=4, as above

2D-3C

• 3D: 4+ spades. Now responder's 3H shows 3S, and 4H shows 4 spades.
• 3H: 3 hearts, < 4 spades
• 3NT: to play
• 4H: any hand with 4 hearts

Godfrey's Angels

• Pass: a yarborough with a long diamond suit.
• 2H: 0-9 HCP, no slam interest opposite 21-22 balanced, < 4 hearts
• 2S: 10+ HCP, 3+ controls (usually), slam interest
• 2NT: transfer, 0-3 HCP, 6+ clubs, no 4 card major, or possibly a major two suiter
• 3C: special Stayman, at least 4-4 in the majors and only game interest.
• 3D: transfer, 0-9 HCP, exactly 5 hearts, < 4 spades.
• 3H: transfer, 0-3 HCP, 5+ spades, < 4 hearts, signoff
• 3S: balanced game only hand, exactly 4 hearts, < 4 spades
• 3NT: at least 5-5 in the majors, game interest only
• 4C: 6+ hearts, to play in 4 hearts
• 4D: 6+ spades, to play in 4 spades

Notrump Ladders

A Notrump ladder is simply the structure of how balanced hands of a given range are shown. One principle advanced in Romex is that an opening bid or opener's rebid of 2NT to show a balanced hand should have a range of no more than 2 HCP. This is exemplified in the opening NT ladders below.

• 12-16 HCP: open 1m, rebid 1NT
• 17-18 HCP: open 1m, rebid 2NT
• 19-20 HCP: open 1NT, rebid 2NT
• 21-22 HCP: open 2D, rebid 2NT
• 23-24 HCP: open 2C, rebid 2NT
• 25-26 HCP: open 2NT
• 27-28 HCP: open 2D, jump in NT
• 29-30 HCP: open 2C, jump in NT

• 10-12 HCP: open 1NT
• 13-16 HCP: open 1D, rebid 1NT
• 17-20 HCP: open 1C, rebid 1NT
• 21-22 HCP: open 2D, rebid 2NT
• 23-24 HCP: open 1C, rebid 2NT
• 25-26 HCP: open 1C, rebid 2H (this the Kokish relay)
• 27-28 HCP: open 2D, jump in NT
• 29+ HCP: open 1C, rebid 2H

2NT shows a preemptive minor suit oriented hand (either minor if possible, else clubs). In "natural" Romex, the balanced 25-26 and 29+ hands are shown via opening 2C and rebidding a Kokish 2H. The 4441 game forcing hand is moved out of 2D in both versions. In Romex Forcing Club, start with 1C and rebid 1H, either natural hearts, or the 4441 (called "Chikish", pronounced "k-eye-kish"). In "natural" Romex, start with 1NT and rebid 2H. The latest wrinkle on Chikish is that it's no longer in the system, having been dropped in Godfrey's Angels.

Summary of "two card" Romex Openings

• 1C: according to vulnerability*
• 1D: according to vulnerability*
• 1M: 12-16/17 HCP, 5+ cards
• 1NT: according to vulnerability*
• 2C: according to vulnerability*
• 2D: balanced 21-22 or 27-28, or game forcing with primary diamonds
• 2M+: preempts.

* At matchpoint pairs, non-vulnerable, use Romex Forcing Club and the mini-NT, except weak (12-14) NT in 3rd seat. When vulnerable, use "natural" Romex. At imps, RFC at favorable, "natural" Romex otherwise.