[Vampyr]

I found a document about systems on the ABF website, and it classifies systems by colour only according to the opening bids. Are these the only calls that cause a system to be classified? Also it says that written defenses to Yellow System and Brown Sticker methods can be used. Is there a database of these, or is it necessary to think of all the possibilities so as to prepare a defense?

Concerning alerts, I need information about "post alerts". Is this just giving an explanation of the auction or is it something else? I am intrigued about the concept of "self-alerting" bids. In practice, are these very like announcements, since your opponent will always ask?

The ABF restrict certain psyches. Is this legal?

Thanks in advance to,anyone who can answer my questions.

[sfi]

Vampyr, on 2018-January-07, 23:09, said:

I found a document about systems on the ABF website, and it classifies systems by colour only according to the opening bids. Are these the only calls that cause a system to be classified?

Well done on finding the regulations - the web site does its best to hide them.

Yes, that's the only thing that determines the system classification. Don't rely on the chosen classification - even some good players seem chronically unable to wade through the one page of description to choose from among the four easily separable options to get it right.

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Also it says that written defenses to Yellow System and Brown Sticker methods can be used. Is there a database of these, or is it necessary to think of all the possibilities so as to prepare a defense?

There is no database. It is up to you to write down what you want to play against it and have the director approve it before the session. Be aware that most people who play Brown Sticker conventions will not expect you to have a written defence and some will query whether it is legal. Don't let that stop you though if you want one.

By far the most common Brown Sticker conventions you will face are a wide variety of opening 2-level bids with no anchor suit. It's worth coming up with one general defence against the whole lot of them, which is likely to be very similar to your defence against a multi 2D opening. You can look up things like RCO twos and Myxo twos if you want some examples.

The most likely yellow system you might face is a forcing pass system with transfer openings, but there are only a couple of pairs who play this sort of thing regularly. They'll be used to written defences, and your team will have seating rights against them so you can decide which of your pairs gets to play it.

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Concerning alerts, I need information about "post alerts". Is this just giving an explanation of the auction or is it something else?

Take a simple auction: 1H - (1S) - 2S - P; 4H, where 2S is a good raise. As I mentioned before, the technical way to manage this using a bidding pad is to mark the bid with a small '+' next to it and advise the opponents there is something unusual about it. This gives them the same information as an alert and lets them ask.

In practice, people do a variety of things including telling you what the bid means, circling it, pointing and waving at it to get your attention, or explaining the entire auction. They all kind of achieve the same thing - telling the opposition the call has an odd meaning. Pick a sensible way to do this and you'll be fine (don't always explain the entire auction - it's just annoying when people do that).

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I am intrigued about the concept of "self-alerting" bids. In practice, are these very like announcements, since your opponent will always ask?

Mostly, although people don't always ask. In the example above, you might surprise some people if your 2S is a transfer to clubs. In that case, I would recommend a pre-alert at the beginning of the round along the lines of "doubles and cue bids in competitive auctions are often transfers".

More frequently, the next hand would point at 2S and make some sort of enquiring noise, and dealer would say something like "good raise" to confirm it has the normal meaning. If it meant clubs, dealer would provide more explanation.

Be aware that a cue is a bid of "a denomination bid or shown". In the auction 1H - (2H = spades + another), bids of both hearts and spades would be cues. Almost everyone would alert an unusual meaning for responder's 3H or 4H (thinking of this as a cue is odd, as well as almost never alertable anyway), but 2S as an artificial bid is well known as self-alerting.

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The ABF restrict certain psyches. Is this legal?

It has been deemed so under Law 40B2(v), and I think the ABF's policy is in line with the WBF. You're not alone in being unimpressed.

[sfi]

P.S. It doesn't look like you've entered yet. The early bird discount requires entry and payment by 5 February, so it's worth making sure you do so by then.

[Vampyr]

sfi, on 2018-January-07, 23:53, said:

P.S. It doesn't look like you've entered yet. The early bird discount requires entry and payment by 5 February, so it's worth making sure you do so by then.

Thanks for this and for the other info.

[Vampyr]

sfi, on 2018-January-07, 23:50, said:

There is no database. It is up to you to write down what you want to play against it and have the director approve it before the session. Be aware that most people who play Brown Sticker conventions will not expect you to have a written defence and some will query whether it is legal. Don't let that stop you though if you want one.

By far the most common Brown Sticker conventions you will face are a wide variety of opening 2-level bids with no anchor suit. It's worth coming up with one general defence against the whole lot of them, which is likely to be very similar to your defence against a multi 2D opening. You can look up things like RCO twos and Myxo twos if you want some examples.

The most likely yellow system you might face is a forcing pass system with transfer openings, but there are only a couple of pairs who play this sort of thing regularly. They'll be used to written defences, and your team will have seating rights against them so you can decide which of your pairs gets to play it.

LOL do you have something sensible in writing? Do I understand correctly hat you have to get approval for defenses against unusual methods?

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Mostly, although people don't always ask. In the example above, you might surprise some people if your 2S is a transfer to clubs. In that case, I would recommend a pre-alert at the beginning of the round along the lines of "doubles and cue bids in competitive auctions are often transfers".

So the "pre-alert" part is more than your general,approach, and includes competitive agreements? So if I play, for example, something very odd against a 1♣ opening that could be short I should put that there?

I will always ask; I can't imagine doing otherwise when there is more than one non-alertable meaning for a call. I hope my opponents don't make too many simple takeout doubles against me, or the whole thing will become tiresome!

[sfi]

Vampyr, on 2018-January-08, 02:03, said:

LOL do you have something sensible in writing? Do I understand correctly hat you have to get approval for defenses against unusual methods?

Only if you want to refer to the written defence at the table. You can play whatever you like if you can remember it.

The approval process is quick - just find the appropriate director. He'll look over it briefly and sign the page. You need two identical copies.

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So the "pre-alert" part is more than your general,approach, and includes competitive agreements? So if I play, for example, something very odd against a 1♣ opening that could be short I should put that there?

Basically speaking, the pre-alert is to let opponents know of things that they may need to discuss. For us, I mention Polish Club and Wilkosz 2D (with one phrase on each - we even make recommendations about how to defend if someone is likely to be inexperienced). It all can be done while people are sitting down.

Yes, if they are playing a short club you should mention that you are doing something odd. You don't need to go into detail, but something like "we play transfers over your 1C, including X to show diamonds," or "X = majors & 1NT = minors". If they care, they can then agree about how to handle that.

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I will always ask; I can't imagine doing otherwise when there is more than one non-alertable meaning for a call. I hope my opponents don't make too many simple takeout doubles against me, or the whole thing will become tiresome!

Fair enough - if anyone gets annoyed by it just put on the foreign accent and let them worry about it.

[Vampyr]

How complete am I expected to be? Should I say, "over your short club our 2♥ is a weak jump in a major, 2♠ shows blah blah etc" or just "we play unusual methods over your 1♣ opening" and see if they care? I don't want to fall foul of the regulations, but I also don't want to be needlessly verbose if the opponents aren't interested.

[sfi]

Consider what the opponents may not be prepared for. Certainly 2H is normal, so that's not worth mentioning. The pre-alert is to mention things they may not be able to handle without a quick discussion. So, if X is takeout focused on the majors they don't need to talk about agreements. But if double shows diamonds, they should have the chance to work out whether 1D is still natural, etc.

Half the people simply won't care. 30% will be happy you told them but not discuss it. And 20% will confirm their agreements, which is what everyone should have the chance to do.

Starting with "we play unusual methods over your 1♣ opening" and play it by ear is fine. If they ask further, you can point out the bits they are likely to care about.

[sfi]

Another thing you should consider is filling out an ABF system card. It will help you work out where to find stuff on your opponents' cards, and everyone is expected to have one.

If you only have WBF cards, people will look at them with varying degrees of confusion and comprehension. You're unlikely to find anyone who really complains about it, but most aren't used to finding information on them. There is a Pre-Alert section on the front page (they're designed to be folded in half, so it looks like four A5 pages), and you can point out unusual things there. For example, the one I just grabbed has three points:

• 2D opening
  
• 2C response to 1H/S
  
• Transfer responses to 1C

They are described in more detail elsewhere on the card. If I draw my opponents' attention to those points and answer any questions they have, that's enough.

Short answer is don't stress. You'll work out how to manage it quickly enough.

[Vampyr]

sfi, on 2018-January-08, 06:52, said:

Consider what the opponents may not be prepared for. Certainly 2H is normal, so that's not worth mentioning. The pre-alert is to mention things they may not be able to handle without a quick discussion. So, if X is takeout focused on the majors they don't need to talk about agreements. But if double shows diamonds, they should have the chance to work out whether 1D is still natural, etc.

Half the people simply won't care. 30% will be happy you told them but not discuss it. And 20% will confirm their agreements, which is what everyone should have the chance to do.

Starting with "we play unusual methods over your 1♣ opening" and play it by ear is fine. If they ask further, you can point out the bits they are likely to care about.

Is 2♥ normal? I was under the impression that "normal" was for it to show hearts, not hearts or spades. I look forward to the wild and wonderful world of Australian bridge!

[sfi]

Vampyr, on 2018-January-08, 09:26, said:

Is 2♥ normal? I was under the impression that "normal" was for it to show hearts, not hearts or spades. I look forward to the wild and wonderful world of Australian bridge!

It might help if I had read your post correctly. In that case, I would suggest putting the unusual bids in the pre-alert section. Something like:

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Over short 1C, 2H = weak, either major, 2S = ...

And then before the round you can simply say that "we play unusual methods over your 1♣ opening" and point out that section of the card.