THE L-SYSTEM

The L-System was devised by Mr. Hong Liu for light to very light openings. The foundation of the L-System is to open a Major suit with as few as 8 to 12 high card points, and to open a Minor suit with as few as 10 to 12 high card points on the One Level. Any opening bids on the Two Level are considered preemptive in nature. Below is a summary of the L-System with the corresponding responses.

Opener	Meaning	Responder		Meaning
1	13-15HCPs	1		non-forcing, 4-10HCPs
		1		non-forcing, 7-10HCPs, 5-card Heart suit
		1		non-forcing, 7-10HCPs, 5-card Spade suit
		1 NT		Game-forcing, 11HCPs plus, but imparts no information about distribution
		2		non-forcing, 7-10HCPs, shows either a 6-card plus suit
				or a 5-card suit with a 4-card Major suit
		2		non-forcing, 7-10HCPs, shows either a 6-card plus suit
				or a 5-card suit with a 4-card Major suit
		2		Weak Jump Shift, not game-forcing
		2		Weak Jump Shift, not game-forcing
		3		Weak Jump Shift, not game-forcing
		3		Weak Jump Shift, not game-forcing

Opener	Meaning	Responder		Meaning
1	16+ HCPs	1		7 or less HCPs, Negative Response
		1		8HCPs plus, natural and game-forcing
		1 NT		8HCPs plus, natural and game-forcing
		2		8HCPs plus, natural and game-forcing
		2		8HCPs plus, natural and game-forcing
		2		8HCPs plus, natural and game-forcing
		2		4 or less HCPs, Weak Jump, long Spade suit
		3		4 or less HCPs, Weak Jump, long Club suit
		3		4 or less HCPs, Weak Jump, long Diamond suit
		3		4 or less HCPs, Weak Jump, long Heart suit

The concept behind the L-System is to pass all hands with even distribution and less than 13 High Card Points. If the point count is 13 to 15 High Card Points, then the hand should be opened with 1 Club, also with evenly distributional holdings. If the distribution is slightly off and the point count is between 16 and 18 High Card Points, the preference is to bid 1 Diamond, but if the distribution is balanced, the preference is to open 1 No Trump. All hands containing 19 to 20 High Card Points, regardless of shape, should be opened with 1 Diamond. All holdings with 21 to 22 High Card Points and even distribution should be opened with 2 No Trump.

Opener	Meaning	Responder		Meaning
1	8-12HCPs			5-card Heart suit plus, not suitable for preemptive openings
		1		11 plus HCPs, natural and forcing for one round
		1 NT		10-12HCPs, evenly distributional holding
		2		11 plus HCPs, natural and forcing for one round
		2		11 plus HCPs, natural and forcing for one round
		2		a single raise shows 10-12 support points
		3		a double raise shows less than 10 points and is weak
		2 NT		16 plus HCPs, good Heart support
		2		A jump is weak and preemptive, long Spade suit
		3		A jump is weak and preemptive, long Club suit
		3		A jump is weak and preemptive, long Diamond suit

Opener	Meaning	Responder		Meaning
1	8-12HCPs			5-card Spade suit plus, not suitable for preemptive openings
		1 NT		10-12HCPs, evenly distributional holding
		2		11 plus HCPs, natural and forcing for one round
		2		11 plus HCPs, natural and forcing for one round
		2		11 plus HCPs, natural and forcing for one round
		2		a single raise shows 10-12 support points
		3		a double raise shows less than 10 points and is weak
		2 NT		16 plus HCPs, good Heart support
		3		A jump is weak and preemptive, long Club suit
		3		A jump is weak and preemptive, long Diamond suit
		3		A jump is weak and preemptive, long Heart suit

Opener	Meaning	Responder		Meaning
1 NT	10-12HCPs			May be an unbalanced holding with a 5+card Minor suit.
				A holding with values not suitable for preemptive bids.
		Pass		11 or less high card points
		2		11 or less high card points, no game interest, requests partner to pass or bid 2
		2		10 plus high card points, forcing for one round
		2		10-13 high card points, natural bid
		2		10-13 high card points, natural bid
		3		10-13 high card points, natural bid
		3		10-13 high card points, natural bid
		2 NT		13-14 high card points, balanced distribution, invitation to 3 NT

Opener	Meaning	Responder		Meaning
1 NT	10-12HCPs			May be an unbalanced holding with a 5+card Minor suit.
				A holding with values not suitable for preemptive bids.
		2		10 plus high card points, forcing for one round
2				natural rebid showing a 4-card Heart suit
2				natural rebid showing a 4-card Spade suit
2 NT				shows a minimum hand without a 4-card Major suit
3				shows a maximum hand without a 4-card Major suit
3				shows a maximum hand without a 4-card Major suit

Opener		Meaning
2		Preemptive bid, 6-11HCPs, 5+suit. Responses are Standard American.
2		Preemptive bid, 6-11HCPs, 5+suit. Responses are Standard American.
2		Preemptive bid, 6-11HCPs, 5+suit. Responses are Standard American.
2		Preemptive bid, 6-11HCPs, 5+suit. Responses are Standard American.

Opener		Meaning
2 NT		21-22HCPs, even distribution. Responses are Standard American.

Opener		Meaning
3		Preemptive bid, 6-11HCPs, 7+suit. Responses are Standard American.
3		Preemptive bid, 6-11HCPs, 7+suit. Responses are Standard American.
3		Preemptive bid, 6-11HCPs, 7+suit. Responses are Standard American.
3		Preemptive bid, 6-11HCPs, 7+suit. Responses are Standard American.

Mr. Hong Liu suggests that using his L-System allows the bridge player to open a 5-card suit with as little as 8-12 high card points either at the One or Two Level. This suggestion is based on the tradition that an overcall can be made on such few values, and therefore why should it not be possible to open with such few values. Another advantage is perhaps the lack of artificial conventions, treatments, and methods.

The 1 No Trump openings for a Minor suit require only 10 to 12 high card points as opposed to 8 to 12 high card points. The narrower range allows the partnership to more accurately judge the situation on the Two Level. This allows the partnership to bid preemptively with a holding of only 8 or 9 high card points and a 5-card suit, either a Major or Minor suit.

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.