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Bridge: The UK Acol bidding style

This guide to the Acol style of bidding is meant to reflect what one might expect sitting down with a pickup partner and agreeing to play 'Acol' or 'Benjaminised Acol'.

Unfortunately there is no 'Standard Acol' system and its 4cM Weak 1NT chassis gets much modified. This page has a list of things to discuss as you sit down - depending on how much time you might have.




Acol summary

Responding to
one of a Suit


Rebids

Weak No Trump

Opening 2 level:
- Standard Acol
- Benjamin style

Preempting

Slam Bidding

Competitive
auctions


Play conventions

Important
agreements

Sitting down opposite an "Acol" player

Here in Britain it is commonplace to sit down and agree to play "Acol" or "Benjamin" with only a little extra discussion. The following list (in a sort of rough order of importance) suggested what I'd like to clarify about partnership methods playing with a stranger.
  1. Traditional Acol or 'Benji': This is really fundamental as that 2S could be eight tricks in "trad", otherwise five!
  2. Weak NT: "WNT" is best confirmed - Default is 12-14. Assume everyone plays Stayman
  3. Red suit transfers: "RST" - Default is probably "on" and "also over 2NT
  4. Card signals: Default probably McKenny (=Lavinthal) and HELD
  5. Blackwood: Simple or RKCB? - Default is simple. Default "RKCB" is 3041
  6. Sputnik: to what level? - Default seems to be to 2S or so
  7. Defence to 1NT: there is much variation here - default should be "natural". I like 2C=majors "Landy"
  8. Jump overcalls: Default probably "intermediate" but it doesn't often matter. "Strong" (= Acol Two bid) is now rare
  9. Splinters: Most good players seem to play 4C and 4D opposite majors
    Note: A partner who doesn't play RST, Sputnik or splinters is likely to be old-fashioned in his bidding
  10. Crowhurst (checkback): over 1NT rebid is common, and implies a wide 12-16 range and 2C enquiry ?good/bad ?major fit
  11. Shall we use Michaels and/or lebensohl: If the latter, does fast arrival show or deny a stop?
    (Partner's undiscussed cue overcall is usually Michaels in my experience)


I think that's enough unless you play together regularly - good luck!



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