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400: The Defense – Bidding

When you are on defense there are several ways (called systems) you can communicate with your partner. Of course you can only communicate using the cards you put down, your partner needs to watch carefully and try to watch for your signals. These lessons cover a few of the more commonly used systems and are intended as general guides for players and are not intended to be rigid failsafe rules.

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There are two ways of entering the auction after the opponents have opened.

  • You can overcall if you have a good 5+ card suit. Remember that points aren’t important for an overcall but you do need a good suit.
  • The other way of entering the auction is with a double. Strength does matter for a double. You should   have at least 13 TP and support for the unbid suits.

This is really important!   If your partner doubles, then you must bid, unless your right-hand opponent bids and thus cancels the double. If your partner overcalls then you shouldn’t bid unless you have a fit with your partner. You will only need 3-card support to ensure a fit, because an overcall promises a 5-card suit.

Course Content

Bidding When You Are The Defense

Doubles
Signals
Opening Leads
Card Counting
Discard Systems
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  • 36 Lessons

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The Acol Bidding System

*If you live in the UK, Ireland, Australia or New Zealand Acol is the most widespread system Acol has the following characteristics:
  • It is a natural system: most opening bids, responses and rebids are made with at least 4 cards in the suit bid, and most no trump bids are made with balanced hands.
  • It is a four-card major system: only four-card suits are required to open 1♠ or 1♥, unlike Standard American and many other systems where five-card suits are typically required.
  • It makes extensive use of limit bids: limit bids describe the hand so closely, in terms of high card points (HCP) and shape, that the one who makes the limit bid is expected to pass on the next round, unless partner makes a forcing bid.
  • Understanding and correct use of limit bids and forcing bids is fundamental to applying the system: all no trump bids below the level of 4NT are limit bids, as are all suit bids that merely repeat a suit already bid by the partnership; changes of suit may be forcing or not depending on the approach bids.
  • The level of the 1NT opening bid influences other bids: the normal choice is between a “weak no trump” (12–14 HCP) and a “strong no trump” (15–17 HCP).
  • All 1 of a suit opening bids then promise at least 4 cards in the bid suit
  • Notrump follow-up conventions include Stayman, Jacoby transfers Blackwood and Gerber Convention.
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