Standard English Acol Foundation Level System File

2.8.4 Use the following guidelines when cue bidding:
• Show first round controls – aces and voids – before second round
controls
• Shortage controls – voids and singletons – are as valuable as aces and
kings in preventing the opponents from winning early tricks, but you
need enough trumps to ruff partner’s losers and enough tricks from
other sources
• In particular it is unwise as your first cue bid to show a shortage in a
suit bid by partner
• With a choice of cue bids prefer the cheapest; for example 1♥ ­ 3♥ ­
4♦ would deny a first round control in spades or clubs
2.8.5 Grand Slam Force
If a suit has been agreed then a bid of 5NT, without 4NT first, asks partner
about the ace, king and queen of trumps. Response are:­
6♣ – no top trump honour
6♦ – one top trump honour
6♥ – two top trump honours
To bid seven of the trump suit shows all three top honours.
Opening bids of 2♦, 2♥ and 2♠
Opening bids of 2♦, 2♥ and 2♠ are either played as weak or strong. Agree
this with your partner! Strong two openings are discussed below in Section
2.9. Weak two openings are discussed in Section 2.10.4.
2.9 Strong two opening bids
2.9.1 Opening bids of 2♦, 2♥ and 2♠ show at least eight playing tricks and a hand
that would be concerned about missing game if partner were to pass an
opening bid at the one level. These opening bids are forcing for one round
and should also have at least two defensive tricks. A useful guide is the Rule
of 25. E.g. consider these two hands
♠ A K Q J 7 5 2 When calculating ‘playing tricks’, you are entitled to
♥ 4 assume the outstanding cards will divide reasonably.
♦ A 3 You have seven spades, leaving six between the
♣ Q J 10 remaining players, so it is fair to assume you have seven
tricks in spades plus the ♦A and a possible club trick.
Open 2♠ and rebid 3♠. Note with only 17 points; it is the
shape which gives this hand its strength. Using the Rule
25 it has 17 + 7 + 3 = 27.
♠ A K Q 7 5 2 You have six spades, leaving seven between the
♥ A 10 8 4 remaining players, so it is fair to assume you may have
♦ 3 2 six tricks in spades plus the ♥A and another possible
♣ 7 trick in hearts. Open 1♠ and rebid 2♥. Using the Rule
of 25 it has 13 + 6 + 4 = 23.
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