BCL Standard English Acol
STANDARD ENGLISH ONLINE CONVENTION CARD
(This follows the EBU 20A Convention Card format. The system depicted is Standard English Acol, but with the exception that, as is popular in the BCL online club, the defense to a 1NT opening is natural)
GENERAL DESCRIPTION OF SYSTEM
| Bidding System: |
Standard English (Basic Acol) |
| Leads: |
4th highest, 2nd
from bad suits, top of sequence |
| Signals: |
Attitude on partner's lead. Count on declarer's
lead |
| Discards: |
Attitude (Suit preference where obvious)
|
| Strength of 1NT openers: |
12-14 |
| 2C Response to 1NT opener is: |
Stayman (Normally with a 4 card major)
|
FULL DESCRIPTION
OF SYSTEM
| OPENING BIDS |
| Opening bid |
Point range |
Min length |
Conventional Meaning |
Special Responses |
| 1C |
12*-19 |
4 |
See notes 1-3 |
1NT response 6-9 HCP
|
| 1D |
12*-19 |
4 |
See notes 1-3 |
2NT response 11-12 balanced |
| 1H |
12*-19 |
4 |
See notes 1-3 |
2 over 1 change of suit 9+ |
| 1S |
12*-19 |
4 |
See notes 1-3 |
Splinter bids |
| 1NT |
12-14 |
|
|
Stayman, Red Suit Transfers (2D/H transfer to 2H/S; See note 4 for 2S/2NT) |
| 2C |
|
|
Game force OR 23+ Balanced |
2D negative |
| 2D |
|
5 |
8 or more playing tricks with 2 or more outside defensive tricks |
2NT negative |
| 2H |
|
5 |
As above |
2NT negative |
| 2S |
|
5 |
As above |
2NT negative |
| 2NT |
20-22 |
|
|
Stayman, red suit transfers. 3S - see note 5 |
| 3 bids |
6-10 |
7 |
Pre-emptive |
|
| 4 bids |
6-10 |
8 |
Pre-emptive |
|
| OVERCALLS |
| Simple |
Natural, wide-ranging. From 8+ at 1-level |
| Jump |
Intermediate = Good 6-card suit and opening values |
| Cue Bid |
Michaels - see note 6 |
| 1NT Direct |
16-18, responses: Stayman and Transfers as per 1NT opening |
| 1NT Protective |
12-14, responses: Stayman and Transfers as per 1NT opening |
| 2NT Direct |
Unusual - see note 6. Responses are limit bids |
| 2NT Protective |
20-22 balanced. Responses as 2NT opener |
| DEFENSIVE BIDS |
| Opponents open: |
Defensive methods: |
| Strong 1C |
Double = majors, 1NT = minors |
| Weak 1NT |
Double = Penalties, Overcalls are natural |
| Strong 1NT |
As above |
| Weak 2 |
Double = take-out |
| Weak 3 |
Double = take-out |
| 4 of Minor |
Double = take-out |
| 4 of Major |
Double = take-out |
| Multi 2D |
Double = shows values |
| ACTION OPPONENTS INTERVENE WITH |
| Simple Overcall: |
Doubles are: |
Take-out over bids up to 2S |
| |
Bids are: |
New suit forcing |
| Jump Overcall: |
Doubles are: |
Take-out over bids up to 2S |
| |
Bids are: |
New suit forcing |
| Double: |
Redouble is: |
9+ |
| |
New suit is: |
Forcing |
| |
Jump in new suit: |
Forcing |
| |
Jump raise is: |
Pre-emptive |
| |
2NT is: |
Good raise |
| SPECIAL USES OF DOUBLES: |
| Doubles of opening NT bids or NT overcalls are for penalties, following which all subsequent doubles are for penalties. Otherwise, all doubles of suit contracts up to and including 2S are for take-out. Eg 1S Dbl 2S Dbl - both doubles are for take-out |
| Doubles of artificial bids show the suit bid |
| SLAM CONVENTIONS
|
| Convention |
Meanings of Responses |
Action over interference |
| Blackwood |
5C = 0/4, 5D = 1, 5H = 2, 5S = 3 aces |
D0P1 |
| Gerber - see note 7 |
4D = 0/4, 4H = 1, 4S = 2, 4NT = 3 aces |
D0P1 |
| OTHER CONVENTIONS |
| FSF (Fourth Suit Forcing) |
- but after 1C (No) 1D (No) 1H (No), 1S is natural and 2S is "Fourth suit" |
| UCBs (Unassuming Cue Bids) |
- opposite partner's overcall, a cue bid shows a good raise |
| Splinter bids |
- 3S/4C/4D over 1H and 4C/4D/4H over 1S show 4+ trump support and a singleton or void in the suit bid |
| Long Suit Trial Bids |
- after a simple raise |
| OPENING LEADS |
| Normal leads against suit contracts: 2nd and 4th highest |
| AK |
AKx |
KQ10 |
KQx |
KJ10 |
| K109 |
QJ10 |
QJx |
J10x |
10xx |
| 109x |
987x |
10xxx |
Hxxxx |
Hxxxxx |
| Hxxx |
Hxx |
xx |
xxx |
xxxx |
| Normal leads against NT contracts: 2nd and 4th highest |
| AKx(x) |
AJ10x |
KQ10 |
KQx |
KJ10 |
| K109 |
QJ10 |
QJx |
J10x |
10xx |
| 10xxx |
109x |
987x |
Hxx |
Hxxxxx |
| Hxxxx |
Hxxx |
xx |
xxx |
xxxx |
| SIGNALS AND DISCARDS |
| Describe primary method. State alternatives in brackets |
| Signals on Partner's lead: |
Attitude: high = encouraging, low = discouraging |
| Signals on Declarer's lead: |
Count: high-low = even number |
| Discards: |
Attitude |
| Exceptions to above: |
Suit Preference: high = higher ranking other suit, low = lower |
| SUPPLEMENTARY DETAILS |
| Note 1 |
| Balanced Hands not 12-14: |
| With two four card suits open the higher - except with H and S, open 1H |
| Unbalanced Hands: |
| Always open the longest suit |
| With two five-card-or-longer suits, always open the higher |
| Use Rule of 20 to evaluate distributional openings |
| 4441 hands: |
| With singleton club, open 1H |
| With singleton diamond, open 1C |
| With singleton major, open 1D |
| Note 2 |
| Rule of 20: |
| Add the number of cards in the two longest suits to the number of points held. If the result
is 20 or greater, the hand is worth an opening bid. |
| Note 3 |
| After a one-level response, 1NT = 15/16, 2NT = 17/18, 3NT = 19/20 |
| Note 4 |
| 1NT (No) 2S = Baron |
| This is either a raise to 2NT without a four-card major, which will pass a 2NT response, |
| Or game forcing with slam interest with usually no five card suit |
| Opener bids 2NT with a minimum hand, or lowest four card suit with a maximum |
| 1NT (No) 2NT = Take-out to a minor |
| Responder wants to play in 3 of a minor. |
| Opener bids 3C, which responder passes or converts to 3D to play |
| Note 5 |
| 2NT (No) 3S = Baron |
| Game forcing with slam interest, usually no five-card suit |
| Opener bids 3NT with a minimum hand, or lowest four-card suit with a maximum |
| Note 6 |
| Michaels Cue Bid / Unusual 2NT |
| 1C 2C or 1D 2D shows at least 5-5 in the majors |
| 1H 2H or 1S 2S shows at least 5-5 in the other major and one minor |
| 1 any 2NT shows at least 5-5 in the two lowest unbid suits |
| Values range from enough for a minimum overcall up to a very strong hand |
| Note 7 |
| Gerber is used only in the sequences 1NT (no) 4C or 2NT (No) 4C |
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