November 2022 - 38

Conventional
Wisdom - part 8
In each of the next several issues, we'll break down a
section of the new ACBL convention card. See pages
18-19 of the March issue for the complete card and a
glossary of terms and abbreviations.
When your LHO opens one of a suit, and
your partner bids two of the same suit,
that is a direct cuebid. What does it mean?
With the proliferation of " could be short "
and artificial minor-suit opening bids,
the new card has more options for your
partnership to indicate if you have different
agreements depending on your opponent's
opening bid. Note that 1k and 1 opening
bids are always treated as natural.
The next column is for Quasi-Natural
( " Quasi " ) 1' or 1l opening bids,
which could be balanced hands with
two or more of the bid suit or natural
length. Opponents who play a
quasi-natural opening bid are required
to pre-Alert along with announcing,
" could be short as X. " Again, you have
the option of Michaels, Natural or
Other for your direct cuebids.
If your opponent opens a " could be as
short as zero " 1l, does 2l by you
show diamonds? Then you would check
the Natural box. If a direct cuebid is
something other than Michaels or Natural,
you would check the Other box.
Negative Thru________ Penalty
Responsive Thru ________ Maximal
Support Thru_________ Rdbl
T/O Style
Direct 1NT _____ to _____ Systems On
Systems On
Names
The first column is for Artificial ( " Art " ) openings of 1' and 1l. Does a direct cuebid by your
side show length in both majors? Then you would check the Michaels box.
What is Michaels? It is a way to show a two-suited hand: A direct cuebid of a minor-suit
opening bid shows a major two-suiter. So, the auction 1'-(2') or 1l-(2l) shows a hand
with length in hearts and spades. The strength requirements vary depending on partnership
preferences. After a major-suit opening, a direct cuebid shows length in both the other major
and a minor. The sequence 1-(2), therefore, shows length in both hearts and an undisclosed
minor.
______________
Other______________
1-Lvl _____to_____ Often 4 Cards
2-Lvl _____to_____
Jump Overcalls: Wk Int Str
Conv _____________________________
Responses
New Suit: F NFConst NF Tfr
Jump Raise: Wk Mixed Inv
Cuebids ________________ Support
Other _______________________________
Vs:
Art Quasi
Nat
Nat
♣♢ ♣♢ ♣♢ ♡♠
Michaels
Natural
Other
Describe __________________________
3-Level Style (Seat/Vul)______________
_____________________________________
Resp _______________________________
4-Level Style ________________________
Resp _______________________________
4♣/4
4
♢Tfr Other ______________
This section is to indicate your partnership style when making a preemptive opening bid at the three or four level.
Typically, these bids promise a hand below opening strength with a seven-card or longer suit. Suit quality and length
can depend on seat and vulnerability. There is space to note your general preempting philosophy at these levels.
How do you respond to such opening bids? For example, a new suit could be natural and forcing, a control bid in
support or even ace- or key card-asking. A new-suit, below-game response that is non-forcing is Alertable.
4NT: Blackwood RKC 0314
Control Bids
Vs Interference
Other
Suits
Standard - Attitude
Standard - Count
Upside Down - Attitude
Upside Down - Count
38 | Bridge Bulletin | November 2022
Exceptions __________________________
Other Carding:
Smith Echo: Suits NT Reverse
NT
Primary Signals to:
Declarer's Lead
Attitude
Count
Suit Preference
Exceptions __________________________
First Discard: Std Upside Down
Lavinthal Odd/Even Other
Balance 1NT ____ to ____
Conv ______________________________
Jump to 2NT: 2 Lowest Unbid
Other _______________________________
Dbl
2
2
2
2
Vs Vs
Dbl
♣
♢
♡
♠
2NT
2
2
2
2
♣
♢
♡
♠
Other _______________________________
New Suit F: 2 Lvl Tfr
Jump Shift: Wk Inv F Fit
Rdbl: 10+
2NT Over: Nat Raise Range
____ to ____
____ to ____
Conv
♣♢
♡♠
Penalty
The third and fourth columns are for Natural
( " Nat " ) opening bids. If an opponent's
1' opening bid is two only if 4=4=3=2, it
is deemed Natural. Note that if your direct
cuebid is not Michaels, it requires an Alert.
There is a line for you to describe your
agreements.
2NT
_____________________________
Other _______________________________
2NT Overcall ________________________
T/O Dbl Thru _____________
2NT Lebensohl Resp
Cuebid
Jump Overcalls
♣Gerber: Directly Over NT Over NT Seq Non-NT Seq
RKC 1430
1
3
st/2nd
rd/4th
1
_______________
_______
1 ♣
General Approach
Min Expected HCP when
Forcing Open: ♣ 2
Bids That May Require P
_________________________
Min Length: 5 4
Bypass
4
1♣ Resp ___________
_______________
______________________________________________
1NT_______ to _______
♢
2NT_______ to _______
Min Length: 5
1♦ _____________
_______________
Resp
1NT_______ to _______
2NT_______ to _______
Other ______________
Some partnerships play that opening bids
of 4' and 4l are transfers to 4k and
4, respectively. This convention is called
Namyats; check the Trf (transfer) box if
that is your agreement. If those opening
bids are something else besides a preempt,
write it in the Other line.
1♥/♠
Other
2
2
Length: 4 5
Length: 4 5
1NT: F Semi-F Byp
____
_____________________
1NT_____ to _____ (Se
5-Card Major Sys On
2♣ : Stayman Puppet
2♠ : Nat Tfr
2NT: Nat
Smolen
Tfr
Partner's Lead
♢ : Nat Tfr Other
Other
♡ : Nat Tfr
Other
Other
Tfr: 4♣ 4♢
Dbl: Neg ___________ Pe
2NT _____ to _____
______________
2♣_____ to _____
V St
Conv
_
3NT _____ to _____
St Nt C
CARDING
SLAMS
PREEMPTS
DIRECT CUEBIDS
OVERCALLS
DOUBLES
SIGNALS
vs PREEMPTS
vs TAKEOUT DBL
vs 1NT OPENING
NT OVERCALLS
NOTRUMP
MAJORS
MINORS
OVERVIEW

November 2022

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of November 2022