Kaninklöver (Cottontail Club) is a bidding system that has four-card majors, optional canape, a strong club opening, and aggressive weak-two openings.
Defensively, it uses a direct 1NT overcall to show a four card major and a long minor, and can show all three two-suiters after an enemy one-of-a-suit opening.
Kaninklöver was developed by Jan Eric Larsson and Anu Uus, his wife. It is descended from Larsson's earlier Tangerine and Cranberry Clubs. Unfortunately, their notes on Kaninklöver are only available in Swedish and are very comprehensive (long).
I've revised and summarised Kaninklöver with reference to Tangerine and Cranberry Club as well.
Texts I've consulted include:
- The Tangerine Club, pp. 2–20, Larsson 1995
- Kaninklöver, pp. 3–38, Larsson 2015, and
- Kaninklöver Sammanfattning, Larsson and Uus 2020
Since 1995, Jan Eric has been playing around with responses after a one club opening, with relay systems and control bidding. (In fact, Tangerine's 1-club opening also could be a balanced 8-9 HCP, but I'm not entirely sure that stops opponents from interfering: if they want to interfere the possibility of a weak option won't stop them.)
He's also played around with notrump ranges, from 12-14 in 1995, to a mixed 10-12 NV and 15-17 Vul in 2015, to 16-18 everywhere in 2020. (The range I hesitantly suggest is 12-14 in 1st and 2nd seat, and 15-17 in 3rd and 4th.)
What a 1NT overcall in direct seat should show, optimally, has also changed, but Jan Eric and I think a Lindkvist 1NT (showing a 4 card major and a longer minor) is best.
For feedback or complaints, please email:
- George Wang, at
[email protected]or - Jan Eric Larsson, at
[email protected]