[AL78]

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Playing Acol, 3 weak twos, weak NT with a scratch partner. What now?

[mike777]

If one NT shows around 8-11, then 3NT now.

[AL78]

mike777, on 2025-December-03, 18:08, said:

If one NT shows around 8-11, then 3NT now.

1NT shows 6-9 HCP.

[jillybean]

..

[jillybean]

This is the draw back of the weak nt
Pass

[mike777]

jillybean, on 2025-December-03, 18:12, said:

This is the draw back of the weak nt
Pass

In Acol is partner allowed to bid 2c or 1D with 6-7 or so and some cards, rather than 1nT, after an one club opening?

Don't you want to avoid no trump from partners side with 6 pts playing acol after a one club opening?

[jillybean]

I don't know about Acol
But with a un passed hand, 2C would be gf
1C 1D is traditionally 8-10 nf

Yes, ideally we want the opening bidder playing 1nt. Yesh, we need transfers!

[P_Marlowe]

Hi,

x

If p cannot stand it, he can always bid 3C or 3D.

I would do this at both MP and IMPs, it is more
interesting playing IMPs.

with kind regards
Marlowe

[P_Marlowe]

mike777, on 2025-December-03, 18:36, said:

In Acol is partner allowed to bid 2c or 1D with 6-7 or so and some cards, rather than 1nT, after an one club opening?

Don't you want to avoid no trump from partners side with 6 pts playing acol after a one club opening?

Traditionally i seem to remember, that 1NT promised values, but i dont believer it ever became
mainstream.
I also dont think, that bidding 1D with only 3 small cards and 6/7 was ever mainstream.
So you either bid 1NT or 2C, the later is only an option, if you dont play inv. minors.

[apollo1201]

Not familiar with Acol but the bidding is not over yet. Partner knows from my non-opening of 1NT that I have either real clubs or a strong hand. Do I need to re emphasize it?

They have a minor oriented hand (sometimes 3343 and we have no fit) so can always balance with 3C if they have more than a dead min and want to compete. What would 2NT mean? Upper limit to play facing a strong NT or to correct to 3C otherwise, or a 5D/3C hand fighting for the partscore, no mt willing to impose C as D might play better facing a strong NT? Would partner skip a 5-cd D suit with a notrumpy hand?

[paulg]

Double shows a strong no trump without a decent stop, seems simple enough.

[Cyberyeti]

AL78, on 2025-December-03, 18:09, said:

1NT shows 6-9 HCP.

Does it guarantee 4+♣

[DavidKok]

Does 1NT show 3=3=3=4, or are other distributions also possible? If partner would bid a four card suit at the 1-level ahead of 1NT (especially good to get out of the way for the strong NT!), and would raise 1♣ with 5 (especially attractive as 1♣ shows 4+), this is the only remaining shape. Back when I played a weak (12-14) NT in a natural system we even allowed 1♣-1♦ on a 3-card suit to get ahead of this problem. If so we might not be able to pass and wait for partner to keep it open, as partner doesn't have a clear takeout double with three spades under the overcall and a pancake hand.

I would like double to be takeout. I think a few decades ago people reserved the double for the strong NT, but I don't think that style is very playable. What are your agreements here?

It's a little bit surprising that the opponents wandered into a 6-card spade fit rather than their 8-card heart fit, especially vulnerable. I am not sure whether 3NT will make - the odds are slightly against it - and defending 2♠ (even undoubled) might score better than bidding 3♣. It would be better to defend 2♠X though, I think.

[mike777]

 AL78, on 2025-December-03, 18:09, said:

1NT shows 6-9 HCP.

Guess double it is then...🙈