Grano Astro

Grano Astro is a convention for showing your suit(s) after your opponent has opened 1N.

Here are the bids and their meanings:

• Double = spades and another
• 2 = clubs and hearts
• 2 = diamonds and hearts
• 2 or 3 = natural one-suited
• 2N = both minors

Originally, the suits indicated are at least 5-5, though the convention has been played by partnership agreement to show 5-4 with favorable vulnerability or even with 4-4-4-1.

Point ranges also vary from 12-14 to 14-18.

This convention differs from others such as DONT and Hamilton in that those show a minor and a higher suit while Grano Asto shows the more important major suit and a lower suit.

Another difference is that in Grano Astro specifies the suit(s) for each bid, while other conventions have bids with suits to be named later, such as Dbl or 2C showing any 1-suited hand. This makes it easier for intervenor's partner to bid since otherwise, he can't tell for sure if you have a bit or not.

On the other hand, leaving suit(s) unnamed makes it harder for NT's partner to bid precisely. For example, he cannot double for penalty or show a stopper in your suit if he doesn't know what your suit is, but it also makes it harder for NT's partner to jump in.

For an in-depth discussion of Grano Astro, see this web page. If the page is no longer available or you cannot get to the web, see the archived copy.