The Carrot Club, originally Morotsklovern, (Swedish for Carrot Club), was invented by Mr. Sven-Olof Flodqvist and Mr. Anders Morath in the year 1972 for use in the European Championships in Athens, Greece. It was the system that won the European Championships in 1977, with two pairs playing Carrot. In the European Championships the Carrot team placed 1st in 1987, 3rd in 1989, 2nd in 1991, and 5th in 1993. In the World Championship they placed 3rd in 1987 and 1991, and in the Olympics 3rd in 1988 and 4th in 1992.

History

The Carrot Club, originally Morotsklovern, (Swedish for Carrot Club), was invented by Mr. Sven-Olof Flodqvist and Mr. Anders Morath in the year 1972 for use in the European Championships in Athens, Greece. It was the system that won the European Championships in the year 1977, with two pairs playing Carrot. In the European Championships the Carrot Team placed 1st in 1987, 3rd in 1989, 2nd in 1991, and 5th in 1993. In the World Championship they placed 3rd in 1987 and 1991, and in the Olympics 3rd in 1988 and 4th in 1992.

Mr. Sven-Olof Flodqvist was born in the year 1940 in a township near Malmö, Sweden. In the year 1977 he began writing for various magazines and has written and authored a regular column in the Daily News for several years. He also began to work assiduously on the publication of Bridgetidningen, of which he became publisher in the year 1989. The Bridgetidiningen is an independent magazine (also online) developed especially for the game of bridge. The contents are mainly pertaining to events and tournaments within the country of Sweden, but contains also news about international competitions, various articles about bidding systems, and conventional methods.

Mr. Anders Morath was born in the year 1944 and is of Jarfalla, Sweden. He is a World Life Master of the World Bridge Federation. In the year he placed Third in the 23 World Team Championships conducted between October 20 and October 28, 1977, in Manila, Philippines. His team mates were Anders Brunzell, Sven-Olov Flodqvist, Hans Gothe, Jorgen Lindqvist, Per-Olof Sundelin, and Sven-Erik Berglund (npc). He also placed First in the 33rd European Team Championships conducted in Elsinore, Denmark in the year 1977. His team mates were Anders Brunzell, Sven-Olov Flodqvist, Hans Gothe, Jorgen Lindqvist, Per-Olof Sundelin, and Sven-Erik Berglund (npc).

Response Structure

The opening of 1 No Trump shows a range between 14 and 16 high card points. Any holding with fewer or more high card points may not be opened with 1 No Trump.

Note: This exact range for a No Trump opening is non-flexible and inalterable since a No Trump opening bid is incorporated into the complete structure of the Carrot Club bidding system. If the range is not 14-16 with a balanced to semi-balanced holding, then other opening bids must be employed.

The following continuances allow the responder to convey information about the generally weaker holding, but also allows the No Trump bidder options in also selecting the best possible contract. This means that the responder does not automatically become the captain following a limited bid. The No Trump bidder remains actively involved in the auction. All continuances below are shown without competition. Any response structure following competition is a matter of partnership agreement.

Continuations

A.	2 Clubs is Stayman, not promising a 4-card Major. Responder uses it also with a weak hand with both Majors or with a 3-suiter in Diamonds-Hearts-Spades. Consequently, opener has to bid 2 Hearts with both Majors.
		Continuations after 1 NT - 2 Clubs - 2 Diamonds
	2 : Shows a weak hand with both Major suits. Opener can pass or correct to 2 Spades.     2 : Promises an invitational hand with 5 Spades and 4 Hearts.     2 NT: Promises an invitational hand without Majors.     3 : Shows a game-forcing hand with 5 cards in Hearts and 4 cards in Spades.     3 : Shows a game-forcing hand with 5 cards in Spades and 4 cards in Hearts.

		Continuations after 1 NT - 2 Clubs - 2 Hearts
	2 : Promises an invitational hand with 4 Spades and fewer than 4 Hearts.     2 NT: Promises an invitational hand without Majors.     3 : Shows either a slam-going hand with Clubs, or a forcing bid (possibly only a doubleton) with Heart support.     3 : Shows either a slam-going hand with Diamonds, or a forcing bid (possibly only a doubleton) with Heart support.     3 : Promises an invitational hand.     3 : Splinter for Hearts.     4 : Splinter for Hearts.     4 : Splinter for Hearts.     3 NT: Shows a game-forcing hand with 4 Spades, and fewer than 4 Hearts.

		Continuations after 1 NT - 2 Clubs - 2 Spades
	2 NT: Promises an invitational hand with fewer than 4 Spades (possibly with 4 Hearts).     3 : Shows either a slam-going hand with Clubs, or a forcing bid (possibly only a doubleton) with Spade support.     3 : Shows either a slam-going hand with Diamonds, or a forcing bid (possibly only a doubleton) with Spade support.     3 : This response is undefined (forcing agreement of Spades?).     3 : Shows an invitational hand.     4 : Splinter for Clubs.     4 : Splinter for Diamonds.     4 : Splinter for Hearts.

B.	Transfers are played in 4 suits. After 1NT - 2, 2 Spades and 3 any Minor show maximum, 4-card support and a doubleton in the suit bid; 3 shows minimum with 4-card support and 2 No Trump shows maximum with 4-card support. Similarly after 1NT - 2. Responder should retransfer, if possible.
	Note: After 1NT - 2 / 2NT which are transfers to Clubs and Diamonds, respectively, the bid in between (2NT / 3) shows maximum with Hxx in the relevant Minor.
		Continuations after 1 NT - 2 Diamonds - 2 Hearts
	2 : Shows an invitational hand with 5 Hearts and 4 Spades.     2 NT: Promises an invitational hand and a balanced pattern.     3 : Shows either a slam-going two-suited holding with one suit being Clubs, or a forcing bid with Heart support.     3 : Shows either a slam-going two-suited holding with one suit being Diamonds, or a forcing bid with Heart support.     3 : Shows an invitational hand.     3 : Shows a game-forcing holding with a distribution of 5-5 in both Major suits.     4 : Auto-Splinter     4 : Auto-Splinter     4 : (idle bid)     4: Initiates Roman KeyCard Blackwood

		Continuations after 1 NT - 2 Hearts - 2 Spades
	2 NT: Promises an invitational hand and a balanced pattern.     3 : Shows either a slam-going two-suited holding with one suit being Clubs, or a forcing bid with Heart support.     3 : Shows either a slam-going two-suited holding with one suit being Diamonds, or a forcing bid with Heart support.     3 : Shows a game-forcing holding with a distribution of 5-5 in both Major suits.     3 : Shows an invitational hand.     3 NT: Choice of game.     4 : Auto-Splinter     4 : Auto-Splinter     4 : Auto-Splinter     4: Auto-Splinter

C.	3 Clubs is Puppet Stayman; opener bids 5-card Major or 3 Diamonds with a 4-card Major (now responder bids the 4-card Major he does not have).

D.	3 Diamonds/Hearts/Spades is the Anti-Lemming convention: forcing to 3 No Trump or 4 of a Minor and express doubts about 3 No Trump (at most a low doubleton in the suit bid).

If you wish to include this feature, or any other feature, of the game of bridge in your partnership agreement, then please make certain that the concept is understood by both partners. Be aware whether or not the feature is alertable or not and whether an announcement should or must be made. Check with the governing body and/or the bridge district and/or the bridge unit prior to the game to establish the guidelines applied. Please include the particular feature on your convention card in order that your opponents are also aware of this feature during the bidding process, since this information must be made known to them according to the Laws of Duplicate Contract Bridge. We do not always include the procedure regarding Alerts and/or Announcements, since these regulations are changed and revised during time by the governing body. It is our intention only to present the information as concisely and as accurately as possible.