[mjj29]

If the regulations list a hard HCP minimum, then that is a hard minimum, whatever judgement would say. What this means is, if your normal range is X-Y and you'll include some X-1 and occasional X-2s, then you must set X to be 2 more than the minimum. In the context of EBU strong 1C regulations this means that your agreement should be (absent any of the other criteria matching) any 18HCP with appropriate upgrades, or 17HCP with a similar number of both upgrades and downgrades. In the context of the ACBL 'at most an N point range', you should specify an N-2 range if you want to have the freedom to make upgrades.

(And I'm speaking here as someone who does open all 16+ hands with a strong minor, so just has to not make upgrades).

If you don't like this, then work towards getting the regulations changed.