Organization: Arizona State University
Date: Sunday, 27 Sep 1992 08:33:41 MST
From: <ATG2G@ASUACAD.BITNET>
Newsgroups: rec.games.bridge
Subject: Re: ACBL Yellow Card (Part 1 of 5)
 <38641@sdcc12.ucsd.edu>

In article <38641@sdcc12.ucsd.edu>, mclegg@cs.ucsd.edu (Matthew Clegg) says:
>
>I understand the Bridge World has a set of standard bidding conventions
>as well.  Would someone be willing to post these?  Also, it would be
>very nice to have concise on-line descriptions of ACOL and Precision.
>
Well, here y'go.  Please keep in mind, though, that this summary can't
include the 18 months of articles (TBW, 1984 - 1985) that fleshed out
the details, corollaries and implications of these agreements.
(I suggest that any non-subscribers out there get a subscription to
this wonderful magazine; address 39 W. 94th St., NY, NY 10025)

Opening bids and responses:
Minimum requirement with balanced hand: good 12 HCP
1NT: good 15 to bad 18
  JTBs (splinter rebids; game raise is slam try); 2S shows minors;
    Texas transfers; Stayman (major rebid invitational; minor rebid forcing);
    three of a minor weak; Gerber
2NT: good 20 to bad 22 (small doubleton acceptable)
  JTBs; 3S shows minors; Texas transfers; Gerber; High Gerber
Two clubs artificial, strong
   Natural responses (positive response requires good suit); 2D neutral
Weak two-bids
   2NT (asks for feature if maximum) and new-suit responses forcing
Weak "gambling" 3-bids
3NT: gambling (little or no outside strength); 4D response artificial
Five-card majors in first & second position
  1NT response forcing; 2/1 promises rebid; limit jump raises (4 trumps);
  2NT strong raise (asks shortness); 3NT natural, 16-17; passed-hand
  responses: 1NT 6-12, 2C strong raise; 3C natural
Responses to minor openings:
  Single raise strong, 10 pts. up, denies major; jump raise weak;
  1C - 1NT: 8-10; 2NT natural, game force; up the line may be ignored
  with moderate hand; 2C response to 1D does not promise a rebid

Partnership bidding:
Splinter raises:
  Double jump-shift after major opening; single jump in 4th suit if one
  level above a reverse;single jump in 3rd suit if at 4-level, or reverse;
  double jump in 4th suit; 4 of opener's minor after new-suit rebid;
  jump-shift by 2D responder to 2C
Slam methods:
  RKCB with Q-ask; DOPI; 5NT (2 keys) or higher response with void
  Cheapest-weakest responses to GSF
  Gerber after 1NT or 2NT opening or rebid

Other methods:
  Cheaper minor 2nd negative to 2C opening, through 3D
  4th suit nonforcing by passed hand; game force if reverse or at 3-level
  Opener's suit-over-suit reverse promises rebid; responder's reverse
   game force
  All non-jump-shift secondary jumps by 1/1 responder invitational
  Opener's jump rebid to 4 of original minor is strong raise
  New minor forcing and artificial after 1NT rebid, requests support
[BTW, this is PLOB; some recent postings quoted Moyse as the source of
the acronym.  Bridge trivia buffs know that Swanson rearranged the
order of the words in Moyse's comment: what he really wrote was ". . . petty,
odious little bid."]
  After opener's 2NT jump, 3C artificial, may be prelude to signoff
  Reraise to 3 of a major preemptive

Competitive bidding:
Negative double:
  After suit opening, through 3S (including opener's suit); after 1NT
   opening, at the 3-level; unlimited; suggests length in unbid major;
   of 1H shows four spades; of 1S after minor opening shows four + hearts
  Repeat same-suit double by negative doubler for takeout
  Weak jump responses after overcall of minor opening
  Jump cue-bid over overcall is splinter
  Cue-bid over overcall is forcing raise
  Over unusual NT: clubs for hearts; diamonds for spades; unbid suit
   nonforcing
  Over minor Michaels: unbid minor nonforcing; major suit shows stopper
  Over major Michaels: cue-bid in enemy major is limit raise or better;
   new suit forcing
  Over a double of partner's suit bid: new suit forcing at 1-level only;
   jump shift nonforcing; 2NT limit raise or better; double jump
   in new suit splinter
  lebensohl after 2-level overcalls of 1NT
  Jump cue-bid by opener is splinter raise
  Pass-and-pull is strong in forcing situation

Defensive bidding:
Michaels cue-bid (in minor: majors; in major: other major plus
 unspecified minor) in direct position over suit 1-bids and over 1NT response
Direct jump cue-bid natural over minor, asks stopper over major
Takeout doubles of preemptive openings through 4H; otherwise for penalty
Maximal overcall double of raised suit
Reopening 1NT, 10-14; 2NT, 18-19
In 4th seat over a response: 1NT & cue-bids natural
After 1NT overcall: 2C Stayman; jumps invitational
Landy (3C response forcing) over 1NT (both positions)
Direct 2NT unusual for lower unbid suits, unlimited
New-suit bids forcing after cue-bids
Light, shaped takeout doubles permissible; new-suit rebid *very* strong
Preemptive single jump overcalls and jump raises of overcalls
Responsive doubles after takeout doubles and at the 2-level after overcall
Cue-bid by advancer forcing until a suit is bid twice, or game
lebensohl after double of weak 2-bid

Opening leads:
3rd from even, low from odd against suit; all other leads old-fashioned

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