Some Bidding Techniques Benjaminised (or Benji) Acol (Part II)

Benji Acol Becoming very popular Becoming very popular Pre-emptive at the 2 level instead of 3 Pre-emptive at the 2 level instead of 3 Note: Note: Must be agreed beforehand with partner Must be agreed beforehand with partner Need a new way of bidding strong Twos Need a new way of bidding strong Twos No change to other parts of your system No change to other parts of your system 1 Level and 3 Level openings remain as they were 1 Level and 3 Level openings remain as they were

Benji Acol Invented by Albert Benjamin Invented by Albert Benjamin In a nutshell: In a nutshell: 2 is an Acol Two in any suit 2 is an Acol Two in any suit 2 is 23+ points or Game Force (Acol 2 ) 2 is 23+ points or Game Force (Acol 2 ) 2 is 6-10 points and 6 Hearts 2 is 6-10 points and 6 Hearts 2 is 6-10 points and 6 Spades 2 is 6-10 points and 6 Spades

We will discuss the weak 2 openings in this session We will discuss the weak 2 openings in this session 2 2 We dealt with the strong openings last time We dealt with the strong openings last time 2 2 And balanced hand bidding And balanced hand bidding

Weak Twos Now that your 2 & 2 openings are weak Now that your 2 & 2 openings are weak We need to consider two aspects: We need to consider two aspects: HCP Strength HCP Strength Suit Strength Suit Strength

High Card Point Strength At most 10 At most 10 With 11 and a six card suit you have a opening 1 level bid With 11 and a six card suit you have a opening 1 level bid At least 6 At least 6 Stretch down to 5 if all points in the long suit Stretch down to 5 if all points in the long suit With a T & 9 With a T & 9

Strength of Suit It is important to have some strength It is important to have some strength Dont open a weak 2 if your suit is horrible Dont open a weak 2 if your suit is horrible This would be a mis-description This would be a mis-description More detail:-> More detail:->

Strength of Suit You should have: You should have: TWO of the top FOUR honours TWO of the top FOUR honours or or THREE of the top SIX cards:-> THREE of the top SIX cards:->

Strength of Suit Excellent A-K K-Q-J A-J-T Q-J-T Only Just K-J A-T Q-J J-T Bad Q J-T A-T K-T

Responding to Weak Twos The most common response is The most common response is PASS PASS With 16+ HCP or <7 LTC there are 3 types of response With 16+ HCP or <7 LTC there are 3 types of response Change of suit Change of suit 2NT 2NT Simple raise Simple raise

Change of Suit Response VERY unusual VERY unusual Very strong hand that doesnt want to play in the bid suit Very strong hand that doesnt want to play in the bid suit Forcing for one round Forcing for one round 5+ cards 5+ cards Very similar to change of suit after an opening 3 Very similar to change of suit after an opening 3

Simple Raise Response Weak & pre-emptive Weak & pre-emptive NOT invitational NOT invitational Designed to make life difficult for the opponents Designed to make life difficult for the opponents

2NT Response The main strong option The main strong option A conventional response (Ogust) A conventional response (Ogust) Asks for more description of the opening hand Asks for more description of the opening hand Please be more precise about Please be more precise about HCP strength HCP strength Strength of your suit Strength of your suit

Openers re-bids After Pass - Pass After Pass - Pass After simple raise – Pass – more on this later After simple raise – Pass – more on this later After change of suit – After change of suit – Treat this the same as a change of suit after a 3 or 4 level pre-empt Treat this the same as a change of suit after a 3 or 4 level pre-empt After 2NT :-- After 2NT :--

Openers re-bids after 2NT OR – 3NT shows exactly A-K-Q-x-x-x in the major bid Suit QualityHCPBid Weak 3 StrongWeak 3 Strong 3 3

Openers re-bids after 2NT Suit QualityHCPBid Weak 3 StrongWeak 3 Strong 3 3 I like to think of the & bid as easy to remember For & – bid higher with more HCP

Responder re-bids after 2NT is answered With a weak 3 opening from partner continuations are often a guess With a weak 3 opening from partner continuations are often a guess With a weak 2 you now know a lot more With a weak 2 you now know a lot more And can have an educated auction And can have an educated auction BUT BUT In this context – what is a strong suit? In this context – what is a strong suit?

When is a suit strong? The suit is STRONG The suit is STRONG IF and ONLY IF it has IF and ONLY IF it has TWO of the top THREE honours TWO of the top THREE honours K-Q counts as strong K-Q counts as strong A-J-T counts as weak A-J-T counts as weak (With the 3 top honours between you youll take 6 tricks) (With the 3 top honours between you youll take 6 tricks)

When are the HCP strong? 6 – 7 is weak 6 – 7 is weak 9 – 10 is strong 9 – 10 is strong 8 is a judgement 8 is a judgement

Example You open 2 and partner responds 2NT – now what? KQT765 Q75 J6 76 JT9543 AK

Example KQJT A2 A32 A9832 AT NT 3NT

Example KT9873 J76 K6 64 J2 AK2 AQJ32 Q83 2 2NT 3 3

Example KQT983 J76 K6 64 J2 AK2 AQJ32 Q83 2 2NT 3 4

Example AK KQ6543 J T QJ976 JT87 AT7 QJ9 AKT8 A KQ954 Pass