DUTCH ACOL
OPENING BIDS
The ACOL bidding system, developed and enhanced in England, has many followers in the bridge community and has gained world-wide acceptance. The guidelines of the ACOL bidding system are, however, not static and can be varied to fit the needs and requirements of individual partnership agreements. This is not only the case in England, but also around the world. One version of the ACOL bidding system in Holland is called Dutch Acol, and deals mainly with the opening bid. Although this variant has many similarities with the general guidelines of the ACOL bidding system, some of the opening bids differ. The responses are generally the same as in traditional ACOL, but may be changed according to the partnership understanding.
1
:
11-20 HCPs and a 3-card plus Club suit 1
:
11-20 HCPs and a r-card plus Diamond suit 1
:
11-20 HCPs and a 5-card plus Heart suit or:
11-20 HCPs with 4-4 distribution in both Major suits 1
:
11-20 HCPs and a 5-card plus Spade suit 1 NT:
15-17 HCPs plus, and balanced distribution 2
7-10 HCPs and a 6-card plus Diamond suit or:
21 plus HCPs and any shape 2
7-10 HCPs and a 6-card Heart or Spade suit or:
22-23 HCPs and balanced 2
7-11 HCPs and 5-4 plus distribution in Hearts and a Minor suit 2
7-11 HCPs and 5-4 plus distribution in Spades and a Minor suit 2 NT:
20-21 HCPs and balanced
As the bridge player can recognize, there are several opening bids which can have different meanings, and this duplicity is cleared up in the continuing bidding sequence. Defense to this different opening bid used by bridge players in The Netherlands is generally the same as contained in the normal ACOL guidelines for defense.
If you wish to include this feature, or any other feature, of the game of bridge in your partnership agreement, then please make certain that the concept is understood by both partners. Be aware whether or not the feature is alertable or not and whether an announcement should or must be made. Check with the governing body and/or the bridge district and/or the bridge unit prior to the game to establish the guidelines applied. Please include the particular feature on your convention card in order that your opponents are also aware of this feature during the bidding process, since this information must be made known to them according to the Laws of Duplicate Contract Bridge. We do not always include the procedure regarding Alerts and/or Announcements, since these regulations are changed and revised during time by the governing body. It is our intention only to present the information as concisely and as accurately as possible.