[David Stevenson]

Quantitative means pass if you are minimum, go on if you are maximum. So after 1C – 1H – 3N showing long clubs, if partner bids 4N you pass if you are thinking you are minimum for 3N, you go on if you have extras. Similarly in other positions.

[David Stevenson]

Stephen, you ask whether opener will ever rebid 3N after 1C – 1H.  There are two possible answers. First, since not everyone plays the same there will be some pairs who play the traditional ranges where a 3N rebid shows 19-20. Now 4N would be quantitative.  Alternatively many pairs play a 3N rebid to show a long club suit and a lot of tricks, stronger than a 3C rebid.  Again, it is quite normal to play 4N as quantitative: if responder wants to try for slam in clubs he bids 4C over 3N.
1C – 1H – 2S is a jump shift, game forcing as Julian says, not to be confused with a reverse. A reverse is a rebid without a jump where because of the order of the suits if responder wants to prefer the first suit he has to do so at the three level, such as 1C – 1H – 2D or 1D – 2C – 2S or 1S – 2H – 3C. The last one is called a High Reverse. After a 2 level response reverses are nowadays played as forcing to game but all reverses need extra values because of the level reached if responder prefers the first suit.

[David Stevenson]

In a live event you may ask about any call when it is your turn to call or play. In general experts find it is often best to ask all questions at the end of the auction unless they really need to know earlier.
Experience shows that when a player asks questions you can often make deductions about why. Such deductions may help the opposition, but it is illegal for a partner to take any advantage. That is one of the main reasons it is suggested that you do not ask questions when you do not need to know until the end of the auction.

[David Stevenson]

Basically, if you play four card majors, and 1♥️ – 2♣️ shows 8+, 9+ or 10+ points, and 1♥️  –  2♣️ – 2N shows more than a minimum, usually 15+, then you are playing Acol. In fact if you use this approach and a 1♠️ opening with 4 cards is so rare you treat it as a 5 card suit, that might be considered Acol as well.
If you play 5 card majors, and/or your 1♣️ might be on a doubleton, and/or 1♥️ – 2♣️ forces to game, and/or 1♥️  –  2♣️ – 2N might be a minimum then it is not Acol. Note that Acol does state what two level openings you play, nor what range for 1N, nor what defensive bidding or carding.

[David Stevenson]

The trouble with that approach is that he is probably playing Acol. Acol is a general approach played by many different people in many different ways. The problem is that many people assume that other people who play Acol will play the same way as them.

Acol is a system with four card majors and fairly light two over one responses. In fact because of the way it has developed opening a four card spade suit has become very rare so I think a lot of people who play five card spade suits and four card heart suits are really playing Acol.

Modern simple Acol plays a weak no trump which has the advantage that you can do away with three card minors and do not have to prepare your rebids so carefully when you open. But that does not mean that people like myself who play different no trump ranges and three card minors are not playing Acol.

I do not think that the answer is for people to stop describing their system as Acol but for other people to realise that Acol is an approach with a lot of different modifications within it.

[David Stevenson]

I play 4N as quantitative in Brian’s sequences as well.

[David Stevenson]

I think that after a natural 1N or 2N rebid, 4N is always quantitative, and I am surprised at your ‘very capable player’s’ remark!

[David Stevenson]

The important thing is to realise is that these bids show stoppers not suits. For example with

xxxx

AK

AKJxx

xx

I would rebid 3H over 3D. I have known some people who rebid 3S because they have a suit but this is the wrong approach.

In general after 1D – 3D best is to assume that one of you has a club stop and worry about stops in the majors.

 

 

 

[David Stevenson]

It is true that only a player whose turn it is to call may ask for an explanation. It is always difficult to deal with people who do not follow the rules. If someone is always asking whenever a call is alerted whether it is their turn or not best really is to tell the director and let he/she deal with it. You might try a friendly word.

The rules say you may ask for an explanation at your turn to call.  There is no rule that says do you have to be likely to make a bid. There are dangers in asking and it is often sensible not to ask if you have no intention of bidding but there is no absolute rule that says you may not ask at such a time.  When a call should be announced, such as a 1N or 2 of a suit or 2N opening, or a short club if I know they are playing a short club, I always ask.

[David Stevenson]

An example of personal ethics is that you are not required to draw attention to your own revoke if no-one has noticed, although you are not permitted to revoke again to hide it.

Some players would always point out their own revokes, some would not.

[David Stevenson]

I would have bid 3N.
Over 4m over a preempt a 4N response should be to play.
If you are going to reopen on 10 counts after (3S) P (P) how do you know whether 10 or 12 points are game values?  Furthermore if you have 8 points and partner forces you to the 4 level you are going to lose between 300 and 800!

[David Stevenson]

While I do not expect partner to have five hearts it is not impossible since on some hands double is better without the 17 points required to double and bid again, for example:

KQxx

J9xxx

AKx

x

But there is no point worrying about the possibility. I too would bid 1N on the given hand.
One of my ongoing worries in this game is that players misdescribe agreements often by using names wrongly. Despite what Brian says about whether (1C) X (1S) X should be takeout it is a common treatment, but should not be called a responsive double. That name was coined specifically for (1Z) X (2Z) X at a time when, apart from the initial takeout double, all doubles were for penalties.
I believe it is a mistake to defend differently against a three card 1C opening from a four card 1C opening. Please remember that some Acol players play a three card 1C opening. However you might consider changes when the opponents play a short club that might be on fewer than three cards.

[David Stevenson]

There is no legal obligation to challenge a director’s decision which you think is wrong in your favour.
But a moral obligation is a much more difficult question. I believe that the ethics of Bridge are divided into two parts, legal ethics and personal ethics. Legal ethics are what is required by the laws, regulations and conditions of contest. Personal ethics are what you do because you think it correct and fair. The big problem with personal ethics is that different people have different ideas. Sadly some people have little or no personal ethics and will try to win at any cost. So whatever level of personal ethics you have it is a fact that other people will have a level that you find disappointing.

So do I think you should have challenged the director? I asked my regular partner, Liz Commins, and her reply agreed with mine. We would both have suggested the director should reconsider, but not argued further if he had stuck to his decision.

I should be interested if other people would add their views to this thread.

[David Stevenson]

On the actual hand diamonds plays better!  But that is life.  Usually partner’s first suit is longer than his second.

[David Stevenson]

Perhaps, Ian, you should be a bit more optimistic! If you pass, that is it! But if you give preference to partner’s first suit he might progress and a good contract reached. For example:

KQTx        xx

x                 AKTxx

Kx               AQTx

Txxxxx       Ax

After 1H 1S 2D if you pass partner will not thank you for the dummy!  But if you bid 2H he will make a game try of 2N which you accept with 8 points and bid 3N. 3N is not easy, but nor is 2D and partner will much prefer 3N.

 

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