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     Acol Bidding System

Acol is one of the oldest bidding systems. System has started to be evolved in a bridge club on Acol street in London, England in the years of 1930s, so it is named after that street. It is mostly played by English bridge players.

Acol is a natural bidding system based on openning bid with minimum 12 HCPs and with the longest suit. NoTrump opennings are generally weak (12-14 HCP). But strong (15-17 HCP) or weak (12-14 HCP) opennings could be preferred according to the partnership agreement. Some Acol players apply strong opennings in vulnerable, weak opennings in nonvulnerable situation. A weak 5 card suit is not an obstacle for NoTrump opennings.  2 Clubs openning is game forcing , the other two level opennings are strong. Acol players who prefer weak two level opennings apply Benjamin convention (See Conventions for detail).   You can examine the rules of opennings and responses for Standard English Acol from the table below.

Opener Points Distribution Responder Points Distribution
1 Any Suit
  •  

     

    		•
    12+ HCP
    11+ HCP
    10+ HCP
    At least 4 cards
    At least 5 cards
    At least 6 cards
    Simple support
    Jump support
    Game on Major
    1 Shifting Suit
    2 Shifting Suit (without jump)
    2-3 Shifting Suit (with jump)
    1 NT
    2 NT
    3 NT
    4 Shifting Suit
    4 NT
    6-9 HCP
    10-12 HCP
    6-10 HCP
    6+ HCP
    9+ HCP
     
    16+ HCP
     
    6-9 HCP
    11-12 HCP
    13-15 HCP
    11-15 HCP
    Blackwood
    At least 4 cards
    At least 4 cards
    At least 5 cards
    At least 4 cards
    At least 5 cards
     
    One suit hand, or good support
    -
    Balanced
    Balanced
    Splinter Bid
    At least 4 cards support
    2 Diamonds, Hearts or Spades
    21-22 HCP
    At least 5 cards
    2 NT
    3 NT
    Simple support
    2 Shifting Suit
    3 Shifting Suit
    (without jump)
    4 Sanzatu
    0-4 HCP
    8-11 HCP
    5-8 HCP
    5+ HCP
    8+ HCP
     
    Blackwood
    -
    Balanced
    At least 3 cards
    At least 5 cards
    At least 5 cards
     
    At least 3 cards support
    2 Clubs
    23+ HCP
    Any distribution
    2 Diamonds
    2 Majors
    3 Clubs
    3 Shifting Suit
     
    2 NT
    3 NT
    0-7 HCP
    8+ HCP
    8+ HCP
    8+ HCP
     
    8+ HCP
    2 Aces
    -
    At least 5 cards
    At least 5 cards
    At least 6 cards solid suit
    Balanced
    Balanced
    3 Suits
    6-9 HCP
    At least 7 cards
    Simple support
    At least 3 tricks
    At least 2 cards
    4 Spades or Hearts
    Weaker than strong 2 opennings, strong suit, at least 8 tricks
    4 Sanzatu
    Blackwood
    At least 2 cards support
    1 NT
    12-14 HCP
    Balanced
    2 Clubs
    2 Diamonds
    2 Hearts
    2 Spades
     
    3 Suits
    4 Clubs
    2 NT
    3 NT
    4 NT
    5 NT
    6 NT
    7 NT
    Stayman
    Transfer to Hearts
    Transfer to Spades
    Baron convention
     
    Strong
    Gerber
    Transfer to Clubs
    13-18 HCP
    19-20 HCP
    23-24 HCP
    21-22 HCP
    25+ HCP
    4 cards major
    At least 5 cards
    At least 5 cards
    11-12 HCP or 18+ Balanced
    6+ cards
    Balanced
    Long Minor Suit
    Balanced
    Balanced
    Balanced
    Balanced
    Balanced
    2 NT
    20-22 HCP
    Balanced
    3 Clubs
    3 Diamonds
    3 Hearts
    3 Spades
    4 Suits
    3 NT
    4 NT
    5 NT
    6 NT
    7 NT
    Stayman
    Transfer to Hearts
    Transfer to Spades
    Baron convention
    Slam interest
    4-10 HCP
    Blackwood
    11-12 HCP
    13-16 HCP
    17+ HCP
    4 cards major
    At least 5 cards
    At least 5 cards
     
    6+ cards suit
    Balanced
    Long suit
    Balanced
    Balanced
    Balanced
    3 NT
    Gambling 3 NT
    7 cards solid minor
    4 Clubs
     
    4 Diamonds
    Desire to play   4 Clubs or Diamonds
    Invitation to slam
    Unbalanced
     
    Support to Minors

     

    Second Round Biddings :

     Opener
     Responder
     Opener's Rebid
     Points and Distribution
     1 Suit
     
     
     1 Shifting Suit
     
     
     1 NT
     2 NT
     3 NT
     15-16 HCP  Balanced Hand
     17-18 HCP  Balanced Hand
     19 HCP  Balanced Hand
     
     2 Shifting Suit
     (without jump)
     2 NT
     3 NT
     15-16 HCP Balanced Hand
     17-19 HCP Balanced Hand
     1 Minor Suit
     Jump Support
     3 Shifting Suit
     Stopper in that suit, inviting to 3 NT
     1 Major Suit
     Simple Support
     3 Shifting Suit
     Ask stopper in that suit, inviting to game
     2 Clubs
     
     
     2 Diamonds
     
     
     2 NT
     3 NT
     4 NT
     23-24 HCP  Balanced Hand
     25-26 HCP  Balanced Hand
     27+ HCP  Balanced Hand
     1 NT
     
     
     2 Clubs
     
     
     2 Diamonds
     2 Hearts
     2 Spades
     No 4 cards Major
     4 cards Hearts, may be 4 cards Spades
     4 cards Spades, no 4 cards Hearts
     
     2 Spades
     
     2 NT
     Lowest long suit
     Minimum openning
     Maximum openning
     
     4 NT
     
     Pas
     6 NT
     Minimum openning
     Maximum openning
     
     5 NT
     
     6 NT
     7 NT
     Minimum openning
     Maximum openning

     

     Opener
     Responder
     Opener
     Responder
     Points and Distribution
     1 Any Suit
     
     
     Shifting Suit
     
     
     3 NT
     
     
     4 NT
     5 NT
     
     Invite to 6NT with maximum openning
     Invite to 6 NT with minimum openning, 7 NT
     with maximum
     2 Clubs
     
     
     
     2 Diamonds
     
     
     
     2 NT
     
     
     3 NT
     Pass
     Same as 2 NT
     opennings
     4 Clubs
     0-3 HCP
     4+ HCP
     
     Stayman
     2 NT
     
     3 Spades
     
     4 long suit
     
     4 suits
     6 NT
     11-12 HCP  investigating 4-4 fit
     15-16 HCP invites 7 NT with maximum

    In the second round bidding tables we have not covered the natural biddings. So you can assume that the bidding not covered in the tables are natural.

    In Acol bidding system 4th Suit Forcing convention is spreadly used. (See conventions)