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