The Drury Convention in Bridge Explained
Drury Convention in Bridge – Complete Guide with Reverse and Two-Way Drury Explained
The Drury Convention in bridge is one of the most practical and effective bridge bidding conventions for partnerships that want to evaluate light openings more accurately.
It allows a passed hand to ask whether partner’s 1♥ or 1♠ opening was a full opening or simply a tactical one.
When you use the Drury Convention, you show support for partner’s major suit and around 10–11 support points.
The 2♣ bid is artificial — it doesn’t promise clubs but instead invites partner to clarify their hand strength.
What Is the Drury Convention?
The Drury Convention is a bidding tool used by a passed hand after partner opens 1♥ or 1♠ in third or fourth seat.
Its main goal is to discover whether partner’s opening bid was a real opening or a lighter one, often made to steal the contract.
This convention helps the partnership stay low when needed and reach the correct contract when a genuine game is available.
You’ll often see the Drury Convention used in tournaments and club play.
It’s an easy addition to most bridge bidding systems, yet it can significantly improve accuracy.
When to Use the Drury Convention
You can only use Drury when the following are true:
- You have already passed once (you’re a passed hand).
- Your right-hand opponent (RHO) has passed.
- Partner opens 1♥ or 1♠ in third or fourth seat.
- You have 3+ card support and around 10–11 HCP.
If you haven’t passed, then a 2♣ response is natural, not Drury.
How the Drury Convention Works
Here’s how the Standard Drury sequence works:
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Opener bids 1♥ or 1♠ in 3rd or 4th seat.
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Responder (who already passed) bids 2♣, an artificial bid showing 10–11 points and support for partner’s major.
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Opener then clarifies their hand:
2♦ shows a minimum or light opening (often 10–11 HCP).
2♥ or 2♠ shows a full opening with 12+ HCP.
Higher bids are natural and show extra strength or distribution.
Example:
Opener: 1♠ Responder: 2♣ (Drury, invitational) Opener: 2♥ or 2♠ → Full opening
This structure allows the partnership to stay low when opener was light, or reach game when opener has a full hand.
Reverse Drury Convention
Reverse Drury is a modern and popular variant that flips the meanings of opener’s rebids.
It’s easy to remember using the phrase “fast denies, slow shows.”
In Reverse Drury:
A 2♥ or 2♠ rebid shows a weak or sub-minimum hand.
A 2♦ rebid shows a full opening (sound hand).
This version prevents misunderstandings and allows the responder to immediately know whether to invite or stop.
Both versions exist, and which one you use depends on your partnership agreement.
The important point is that you and your partner are consistent in how you play it.
Two-Way Drury Convention
The Two-Way Drury Convention lets the responder show whether they have three-card or four-card support, giving the opener a more precise picture of the partnership’s combined strength.
2♣ shows an invitational raise with exactly three-card support.
2♦ shows an invitational raise with four or more cards in partner’s suit.
The biggest advantage of Two-Way Drury is that it allows you to stop safely at the 2-level, avoiding contracts like 3♠–1 or 3♥–1 when the game is not actually reachable.
This helps the partnership stay low with light openings and improves overall scoring efficiency.
This approach improves accuracy and judgment, especially in competitive auctions.
Some partnerships also play Two-Way Reverse Drury, swapping the meanings of 2♣ and 2♦.
Example 1 – Light Third-Seat Opener
Let’s look at a hand where the opener makes a light third-seat opening, and the Drury Convention helps the partnership stay low.
Opener’s hand: ♠ K J 8 6 4 ♥ 9 ♦ K J 8 3 ♣ Q 5 2 Responder’s hand: ♠ A 9 3 ♥ K 7 5 ♦ T 9 6 4 ♣ K 9 3 2
The responder now has 10 HCP, enough to use Drury.
Auction:
Pass – Pass – 1♠ – Pass – 2♣ (Drury) – Pass – 2♠ (minimum) – All Pass
Opener’s 2♠ rebid shows a minimum or light opening, so the partnership stops safely at the 2-level instead of overbidding.
Example 2 – Reverse Drury in Action
Here’s how Reverse Drury works when the opener has a sound hand.
Opener’s hand: ♠ A Q T 5 3 ♥ K 8 4 ♦ A 7 ♣ J T 9
Responder’s hand: ♠ K 9 4 ♥ 8 7 ♦ K J 9 3 ♣ A 5 4 2
Auction:
Pass – Pass – 1♠ – 2♣ (Drury) – 2♦ (strong) – 4♠
The two initial passes show that opener is in third seat.
Here, opener’s 2♦ rebid shows a full opening (12+ HCP).
Responder then confidently raises to 4♠, knowing the partnership has enough combined strength for game.
Example 3 – Drury Practice Deal on BridgeChamp
You can practice the Drury Convention directly on BridgeChamp by recreating this realistic deal using the Deal Source feature.
This lets you visualize how the Drury sequence works in practice while sitting in the South position.
North (Opener): ♠ A J 9 2 ♥ Q J 9 8 7 ♦ 6 ♣ Q J 7
East (Dealer): ♠ Q 7 ♥ 4 3 2 ♦ Q J 9 4 ♣ K 6 4 2
South (You): ♠ 8 5 3 ♥ A K T ♦ A 8 7 3 ♣ T 8 5
West: ♠ K T 6 4 ♥ 6 5 ♦ K T 5 2 ♣ A 9 3
Steps on BridgeChamp:
- Go to Deal Source.
- Create a new folder and click Add Deal.
- Enter the four hands as shown above.
- Set the dealer to East, so East starts the auction, and both you (South) and West pass before North opens.
- Open a Casual Game, then go to Deal Source and click Play Now to start the board.
Expected Auction
East (dealer): Pass
South (you): Pass
West: Pass
North: 1♥
East: Pass
South: 2♣ (Drury)
In this setup, you (South), as a passed hand, use the Drury 2♣ bid to ask whether your partner’s 1♥ opening was a full or light opening.
This demonstrates how Drury prevents overbidding and clarifies opener’s strength in a realistic hand.
Why the Drury Convention Works
The Drury Convention in bridge improves partnership communication and prevents overbidding.
It helps you find the right contract faster and stay safe at low levels.
Main benefits:
Avoids overbidding by identifying light openings.
Clarifies opener’s strength early.
Improves part-score results in matchpoints.
Fits perfectly into both Standard American and 2/1 systems.
Easy to remember and use under pressure.
By mastering Drury, you and your partner will make smarter, calmer bidding decisions.
Common Mistakes with Drury
The most frequent mistake happens when the opener forgets that partner is a passed hand and assumes the 2♣ bid is natural instead of artificial.
This leads to wrong continuations and missed contracts.
Other common errors include:
Forgetting whether you play Standard or Reverse Drury.
Using 12 HCP for the Drury 2♣ bid (too strong — you would open).
Miscounting support points.
Overbidding after partner shows a minimum.
Avoiding these mistakes will make your bridge bidding more consistent and accurate.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the Drury Convention in bridge?
An artificial 2♣ bid by a passed hand showing 10–11 points and support for partner’s 1♥ or 1♠ opening.
What’s the difference between Standard Drury and Reverse Drury?
In Standard Drury, opener’s 2♦ shows a minimum, and 2♥/2♠ shows a full opening.
In Reverse Drury, it’s the opposite: 2♥/2♠ = weak, 2♦ = strong.
What is Two-Way Drury?
A version distinguishing between three-card and four-card support using separate 2♣ and 2♦ bids.
Can I practice the Drury Convention on BridgeChamp?
Yes. BridgeChamp lets you create and play custom deals using Deal Source to practice conventions like Drury.
Summary
The Drury Convention is one of the most valuable bridge bidding conventions for evaluating light openings.
Whether you play Standard Drury, Reverse Drury, or Two-Way Drury, it helps you and your partner judge opener’s strength and reach the right contract.
If you’re learning bridge online, BridgeChamp is the perfect platform to explore and practice conventions like Drury — improving both your bidding and partnership understanding.
