D2a MAJOR OR NO TRUMPS?

Major suits are the Hearts and the Spades.

You should always strive to find a 4/4 or a 5/3 major suit fit. The contract will normally be safer than no trumps and an extra trick may be available by trumping a loser in the dummy.

The consequences on general bidding techniques are as follows;.

.Show 4 card support for your partners major immediately. If you don't do this first, partner will never believe you have 4 card support in the later auction

1 © - 2 © shows 5 - 9 points and at least 3 hearts (usually 4+)

1 © - 3 © shows 10-12 points and at least 4 hearts

1 © - 4© shows 13 -15 points (in basic Acol) and at least 4 hearts

You don't need to show a 4 card minor fit immediately. When you have 4 card support for partner's minor and a 4 card major, you should investigate a possible double fit first before raising his suit. Partner opens 1 ¨ and you hold;

ª J 10 6 4

© A

¨ J 10 8 7 6

§ A 4 3

Although you have the values for 3 ¨ and a nice 9 card fit, the correct bid, is 1ª .

3. When you have a balanced hand, bid 1 of a major before no trumps, at the appropriate level. Partner opens 1 © and you hold;

ª Q 10 8 7

© A 3

¨ Q 10 7 2

§ Q J 3

You have the values for 2NT. The correct bid is 1 ª. By all means bid 2NT later

4. When partner shows a balanced hand with a 2NT rebid, he may also have 5 of his first bid major suit. You should show secondary 3 card support in a sequence such as:

1 © - 2§

2NT - 3 ©

All bids over 2NT are forcing to game in modern Acol. 3© in the above sequence must show precisely 3 hearts since with 4 you would have supported immediately (rather than bidding 2§). With 5 hearts, opener now bids 4©, with only 4, opener bids 3NT.

5. With strong balanced hands (15-19 points) with 4 cards in both majors, open 1 ©. You will rarely miss a spade fit now as partner does not need much to scrape up a bid of 1ª. On the other hand if you open 1ª you will often miss a heart fit since partner now needs a 5 card suit and 9 points to bid 2©.

6. Use the Stayman Convention (note D3) over both 1NT and 2NT openers.