A beginning method
Remember - this page is no more than a suggestion - but I believe that it contains a sensible set of agreements for any partnership setting out on the road to good Acol bidding.
When you are ready to add to your methods then look at the page ‘extending your methods’ for some suggested priorities.
Note that the following is no more than a list.
For fuller details refer to the main body of bidding theory on this site (follow link above - centre right).
The following is based on a weak no trump, four-card majors, ‘three weak and one strong’ bids at the two-level, and ‘non-strong’ natural reverses by opener (although this last will be modified in my first set of suggested extensions).
Opening and responding
Balanced opening hands
(all 4-3-3-3, 4-4-3-2, and 5-3-3-2 hands)
12 - 14 open 1NT
quantitative raises in no trumps based on 25 points for game and 33 points for a small slam;
new suits at the two-level are natural weak take-outs;
new suits at the three-level are natural and forcing based on a five-card suit.
20 - 22 open 2NT
quantitative raises in no trumps;
new suits at the three-level are natural and forcing based on a five-card suit.
15 - 19 open one of a suit with a planned rebid in no trumps.
open a five-card suit if you have one;
otherwise open the higher of four-card suits;
except when holding 4-4 in the majors when you open 1♥.
For responses to one of a suit openings see ‘unbalanced hands’ below.
Rebids after partner responds at the one-level - the modern standard is recommended:-
1NT 15-17, 2NT 18-19, 3NT 6-card minor in a good hand (say 17/18)
23+ open 2♣ (artificial - see below) and rebid in no trumps.
Unbalanced opening hands
Open one of your longest suit (five-card or more - minimum strength ‘rule of twenty’) with a planned rebid in mind - with two five-card suits open the higher ranking - the emphasis should be on showing the shape of the hand in two bids - my choice is to play non-strong natural shape-showing reverses at this stage (but I will prefer a strong reverse as we proceed).
Responder
With four-card support always raise partner’s major suit as your first priority.
quantitative raises in opener’s suit:-
raise to two = 5 to 9 points;
raise to three = 10 to 12 points;
raise to four = 13 to 15 points.
With three-card support for partner’s major bid a new suit if possible:-
new suit at the one-level promises a four-card suit and five or more points - forcing;
new suit at the two-level promises rule of fourteen (points + suit length) - forcing.
If no such suit bid is available then raise partner’s major to the two-level on 5 to 9 points.
Lacking support for partner’s major as above, or facing partner’s opening minor suit
make a bid in a new suit if possible.
respond in:-
your longest suit;
or the higher of two five-card suits;
or the lower of four-card suits (provided that such bids are available).
A 1NT response promises 6 (5) to 9 points and no suit bid available.
An immediate response of 2NT should not exist as a natural limit bid - there is always a change of suit alternative.
Strong opening hands
Open 2♣ on any hand of 23+ points - game-forcing except for the sequence 2♣, 2♦, 2NT.
You might also open 2♣ on other unbalanced hand of 16+ points which is almost worth a game in its own right.
Partner always relays with 2♦.
rebid in no trumps with the balanced hand;
rebid in your longest suit or the higher of equal suits otherwise.
Weak opening bids
2♦, 2♥, and 2♠ are weak twos - 5 - 10 points and a six-card suit.
Three of a suit is weak - about 5 to 9 points - based on a seven-card suit.
All weak options suggest some sort of suit quality, particularly if vulnerable:-
responder raises preemptively to the level of the fit, or bids a likely making game contract.
Overcalling
Opponents open one of a suit
A 1NT overcall shows 15 - 18 points with good stop(s).
It may not be completely balanced.
A suit overcall is based on suit quality with the primary aims of indicating a defensive lead and suggesting the possibility of competing competitively to a higher level. It should be at least five-card.
(You may like to define suit quality in terms of the SQOT count with a count of 7 for the one-level and 8 for the two-level. Vulnerable overcalls at the two-level should be on at least a six-card suit.
The overcall is not primarily searching for a making contract and may be considerably below opening strength although it could be as strong as eighteen points.
Double is for take-out. In the first place it suggests no more than two cards in opener’s suit, at least three cards in each of the other suits, and around opening points (say 11+ or better, but it will not necessarily be an opening hand.)
Alternatively it might be the first move on a single-suited or balanced hand of eighteen or more points.
Opponents open a weak 1NT
Double shows 16+ points.
Two of a suit shows a good suit- at least 5-card if non-vulnerable and 6-card if vulnerable.
Advancer (responding to an overcall)
Respond to a 1NT overcall as to an opening bid of 1NT with the points suitably adjusted.
Respond to a suit overcall purely on length in the bid suit, raising to the level of the fit.
In search of a slam
Slams on two balanced hands should be based on quantitative raises.
A search for a slam after a suit has been agreed should be based on cue-bidding first- or second-round controls.
Note that Blackwood and Gerber should not feature in a beginner’s first introduction to slam bidding.
You will have noted that there are agreements involved in the above, particularly regarding the strengths associated with various responses and rebids.
There are, though, only two artificial conventions - the take-out double and the 2♣ opener (and 2♦ response).