[pbleighton]

A very experienced player at my club told me that systems with more than one forcing opening bid were illegal. I thought of the example of Benji Acol, and she said well, perhaps more than one at the one level was banned. I later thought of Magic Diamond and Fantoni-Nunes, and realized that internationally at least this was wrong.

My question is, is it (or was it at some time in the past) true in the ACBL, or is this player (who is a strong Flight A player and plays her own homemade strong club system) just totally wrong?

Peter

[inquiry]

Dont tell the French... Nor really old Romex guys playing dynamic 1NT and 2♣ forcing, nor people playing 2♦ as any strong three suiter, forcing and 2♣ forcing. Where do these guys make this stuff up from?

[hrothgar]

The player is totally wrong

[Free]

Never heard of it, and I don't think that even the ACBL is able to make up such ridiculous/useless rules...

[mikestar]

This is somewhat true in the ACBL on the Limited Convention Chart for games where the upper masterpoint limit is 20 (beginner to low intermediate) and not always used for these games: often the GCC is used even in beginner games. The only conventional forcing bids allowable are 1♣ and 2♣--though there is no prohibition on using both.

Even on the LCC you could play FN style as though all the one of a suit bids are forcing, all except the 1♣ bid are natural.

A long time ago, ACBL did not allow artificial 1♦ and 1NT openers on what is now the GCC, but that's probably at least 15 years ago. Artificial major suit openings are still GCC illegal.

[Gerben42]

Playing a "Limited convention card" is silly for beginner games. It is only suitable for games where everyone plays exactly the same system but there you don't need it because everyone plays the same system anyway.

Beginners are not bothered by their opponent's system. They wouldn't care less if you play SAYC, Moscito or Lambda Forcing Pass. They have trouble enough remembering what their bids mean, letalone yours.

Essential is that their opponents are pleasant opponents. Your goal is that they leave the table as your friends even though they didn't get any matchpoints.

[FrancesHinden]

Gerben42, on Jun 21 2005, 07:41 AM, said:

Your goal is that they leave the table as your friends even though they didn't get any matchpoints.

Very well put indeed.