ALTRINCHAM BRIDGE CLUB.                                                   Sept 2006

 

Home page

 

DIRECTORS INDEX

 

 

BIDDING  LEVELS & PERMITTED  AGREEMENTS.

 

          The English Bridge Union (EBU) publishes a booklet (called the Orange book) and this informs you what bids and conventions you are permitted to use when you play bridge.  This also includes Psyches*  and Deviations**,  both of which are legal.

          In the Orange book, there are 28 pages on permitted Agreements and bidding levels !   You and your partner are not allowed to use any bid or convention which is not licensed by the EBU.

 

          There are 3 levels of permitted Agreement and also an EBU Simple System.    At our Club, we allow up to level 3 , but I would say that the majority of our players do not use higher than the second level.    County games and above permit the use of level 4.    At our Club, we frown upon a strong pair using a psyche against a weak pair.

 

          Generally speaking, each higher level allows more complex agreements and conventions.   To illustrate this, a natural  1NT opener at each level is defined as follows :

 

                   Simple Systems:       limited to a 3 point range between 12 & 18 Honour points (HPs)

 

                   Level 2                   any defined range with a minimum of 10 HPs & not forcing

                                                a balanced or semi balanced hand

                                                restrictions allowed if wish  eg. no 5 card major

 

                   Level 3 & 4              any defined range with a minimum of 9 HPs & not forcing.

                                                a balanced or semi balanced or 4.4.4.1  or 5.4.3.1  or  6.3.3.1

                                                restrictions allowed if wish.

 

Any one of these natural  1NT openers could be used at our Club, and a required Announcement will clarify them.

 

          Players who do not use the EBU Simple System usually have a convention card and this is always available to the opponents.   In one form or another, the convention card has to have on it all the bidding conventions and Agreements used by the pair.  The majority of players at our Club do not have a convention card because they play only Simple systems & a small part of level 2.

 

          On no account may you have an Agreement to deceive your opponents to the length or strength of a suit or the strength of the hand held.    This includes psyches and Deviations.

 

          A problem could arise when the opponents make a bid which does not have to be alerted and you do not understand the possible ramifications of the bid.  eg.  your opponents may have opened 1H or 1S on 3 cards, and this is not alertable if they are playing at level 2.  Your only recourse is to ask opponents what level they are playing at (especially if they have no convention card) & if it is above Simple systems, ask what the bids mean.

 

          I have only skimmed over the surface of this topic but, to put it in context, I would venture to say that the majority of players at our Club use Simple systems.   Do remember that you may always ask for explanations of any bids at the appropriate time   ie.  during the bidding if you are contemplating bidding (or calling), otherwise at the end of the auction.

 

          The above memo may be of limited use to Tuesday players and only useful to some of the Monday & Thursday players.    However, it is essential knowledge to Directors.

 

 

                                                                                                          Peter Dawson

 

*   A psyche is defined as a deliberate and gross mis-statement of honour strength &/or suit length.

**   A deviation is defined as a deliberate but minor (not gross) statement of honour strength &/or suit length.

 

revised from the May 2001 issue.