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A relay is an artificial bid, commonly made at the cheapest possible bid, which does not convey any information but instead asks the partner to give more information. Conventions that use relays are

Additionally, a number of systems make extensive use of relays. These are called relay systems, which are classified as artificial.

Comparison to puppet and transfer[]

A puppet bid instructs partner to place a specified bid, commonly the lowest available bid, which is meaningless, such that the caller can have a chance to bid again, while a relay bid is a meaningless bid which asks the partner to describe his hand. Therefore, a puppet bid tells the partner to bid a relay.

A transfer bid is a bid which shows a different denomination. It may or may not be a puppet depending on partnership agreement. For example, a Texas transfer bid is a puppet bid as it unconditionally instructs partner to bid the next available bid, but a Jacoby transfer bid, if played with super-accepts, is no longer a puppet bid.

For example, in Benjaminised Acol, after a 2 opening, partner is obligated to bid 2, which the opener will bid the strong suit. In this case, 2 is a puppet to 2, which conveys information, where 2 is a relay bid and conveys absolutely no information at all and does not in any way suggest to play in s, but instead asks the partner to bid the strong suit, therefore it is absolutely forcing.

Restrictions[]

According to ACBL, a system built completely on relay bids (one player tells nothing about his hand in bids, only relay) is not permitted in ACBL General Convention chart. It's allowed to play in mid-chart for game forcing sequences only and allowed without restriction in super chart.

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