[mikl_plkcc]

Douglas43, on 2025-April-27, 02:46, said:

Re the earlier comment about which 4 card suit to open in Acol with a 4-4-3-2 that is outside your no-trump range, I would suggest don't over-think it. I tend to look at suit quality and ease of making a rebid, so quite often bid 1m-response-1NT. My regular partner is keener to get the major in. Both seem to work OK.

The only exception is 4-4 majors and 15+ hcp, when you open 1H.

We have to have exact rules on which suit to bid in order to have infererences because the other suits are not bid, such that we can work out the exact number of cards in each suit when trying to find a fit, and in competitive auctions.

For example, in a 5-card major system, if 1♣-1♦-1NT does not deny a 4-card major, responder must use checkback Stayman whenever holding a 4-card major to avoid losing a fit, similar to a 1NT opening; if 1♣-1♦-1NT denies a 4-card major, responder can raise direct to 3NT holding 13 HCP 2=4=5=2 and a ♠ stopper without the need to disclose the ♥ holding.

[shyams]

mikl_plkcc, on 2025-April-28, 08:50, said:

... if 1♣-1♦-1NT denies a 4-card major, responder can raise direct to 3NT holding 13 HCP 2=4=5=2 and a ♠ stopper without the need to disclose the ♥ holding.

What, according to your exact rules, is responder supposed to do with 13 HCP 2=4=5=2 but missing a ♠ stopper?

[mike777]

Interestingly the first 4 months of ACBL F2F bridge attendance is about the same as 2024.

However the Gatlinburg regional, by far the the year's largest, was down almost 30%. KO teams attendance was the only event with an increase in tables.

Virtual club online attendance was decimated.