[Bad_Wolf]

Hi,

We are considering playing in some ACBL tournaments on BBO for the first time and I have a couple of questions about the GCC as posted on BridgeBase.

Firstly I realise that these charts were written prior to the 2007 laws, and thus weak twos for example were automatically allowed - natural bids yadda yadda.

I guess my question is really how do we find out what is actually allowed now? Is there another document we can consult?

This is a serious question, I'm not trying to start an argument about anything, we just don't want the embarrassment of getting yelled at for playing illegal methods on our first time out (we'll do that another time!).

Thanks in advance

[BunnyGo]

Welcome to the forums. I love your handle by the way. This is a link to the ACBL's website and has a pdf with the different convention charts. I hope this answers your question.

[Bad_Wolf]

Thanks, but I have read the charts and there is nothing to tell us what 2 (or three for that matter) level openings are permitted. "Unless specifically allowed, methods are disallowed" - one assumes that this is not meant to ban traditional preempts but how do we know?

I hate to belabor the point, but where do we discover what we are actually allowed to play?

[hrothgar]

Bad_Wolf, on 2011-April-16, 16:21, said:

Thanks, but I have read the charts and there is nothing to tell us what 2 (or three for that matter) level openings are permitted. "Unless specifically allowed, methods are disallowed" - one assumes that this is not meant to ban traditional preempts but how do we know?

I hate to belabor the point, but where do we discover what we are actually allowed to play?

You don't seem to understand...

NONE of us know what we're allowed to play.

We are at the mercy of a random collection of Tournament Directors, many of whom have no idea what they are doing...
Its their world, we just live in it.

[blackshoe]

When the convention charts were written, the 1997 laws were in effect. Under those laws, natural openings could not be regulated. The significant change since then is that any agreement can be regulated, provided the RA designates it as a special partnership understanding. Since the ACBL has not designated natural preemptive openings at the 3 level as "special partnership understandings", they are allowed.

[manudude03]

Well, the closest I can get as far as proof to that is concerned is Law 40B1a:

In its discretion the Regulating Authority may designate certain
partnership understandings as “special partnership understandings”. A
special partnership understanding is one whose meaning, in the opinion of
the Regulating Authority, may not be readily understood and anticipated by
a significant number of players in the tournament.


Other than a 2C opening in standard systems, weak 2s and pre-empts show length in the suit bid and doesn't say anything about having anything on the side, hence they are anticipated by a significant number of players in the tournament. That means it isn't a "special partnership agreement" and the law suggests the RA can't regulate non-special partnership understandings so weak 2s etc are legal.

I suppose an easier way of saying it is that if you can be fairly sure the opponents will know what it means without an alert and it's natural, then you don't need to worry about it. I'm no laws expert though, maybe Blakjak or someone will give a better answer.

edit: I see blackshoe has already explained it, probably better than I have lol.

[blackshoe]

Damned with faint praise (or none). Again.

[Bad_Wolf]

Ok,

thanks guys