[hrothgar]

The ACBL's Board of Directors has just approved a new set of Convention Charts. Anyone interested can find the Charts at

http://web2.acbl.org/documentlibrary/about.../081Detroit.pdf

In an entirely unsurprising development, the Conventions Committee complete gutted the Midchart.

One of the most basic clauses in the Midchart was the following:

Quote

Allowed 4. Any call that promises four or more cards in a known suit, except that weak openings at the two-level or higher that show hands with two suits must be no less than 5–4 distribution in the two suits.

Unlike the GCC, which bans all methods that aren't specifically sanctioned, the Midchart was designed such that any bid that shows a known anchor suit is allowed.

The new Midchart deletes this clause, replacing it with a hodgepodge of 15 bids that the Conventions Committee is graciously going to allow us to use. Who knows, in another decade, when the Conventions Committee sees fit to revise the charts once again, they might add a 16th bid that we can use.

[jtfanclub]

hrothgar, on Jun 3 2008, 04:02 PM, said:

In an entirely unsurprising development, the Conventions Committee complete gutted the Midchart.

Dammit, they voted down the wide-ranging NT, too.

It does say all other constructive rebids and responses are permitted, except for weak relays and conventions over wide-raning pre-empts or NT.

But yes, this seems designed to kill transfer openers.

[awm]

If I'd been allowed to comment on this before they voted on it, I'd have noted that it's a bit strange to permit:

6. A four-level minor opening showing an unspecified major.

Without permitting a 3NT opening to show an unspecified major.

But now I suppose it will be another five years before we can get this convention (endorsed by jdonn and published long ago by Danny Kleinman in the Bridge World) approved for mid-chart play.

[ArtK78]

jtfanclub, on Jun 3 2008, 04:19 PM, said:

But yes, this seems designed to kill transfer openers.

On the contrary, transfer opening bids at the 2 level and higher showing a weak bid in the suit being transferred to are specifically allowed in rounds of 2 or more boards, as long as you have a prepared written defense to provide to the opponents.

Also, a 3 level opening bid showing an unspecified solid suit is specifically allowed in rounds of 2 boards or more, so the 3NT bid showing an unspecified solid major suit is allowed. What is not allowed, as far as I can tell, is a 3 level opening bid (including 3NT) to show an unspecified major suit that is not solid.

[jtfanclub]

ArtK78, on Jun 3 2008, 04:43 PM, said:

jtfanclub, on Jun 3 2008, 04:19 PM, said:

But yes, this seems designed to kill transfer openers.

On the contrary, transfer opening bids at the 2 level and higher showing a weak bid in the suit being transferred to are specifically allowed in rounds of 2 or more boards, as long as you have a prepared written defense to provide to the opponents.

I'm talking about a 1♦ opening showing 11+ and hearts, and a 1♥ opening showing 11+ and spades.

Used by lots of systems out there, but most famously MOSCITO.

[hrothgar]

jtfanclub, on Jun 4 2008, 12:19 AM, said:

hrothgar, on Jun 3 2008, 04:02 PM, said:

In an entirely unsurprising development, the Conventions Committee complete gutted the Midchart.

Dammit, they voted down the wide-ranging NT, too.

It does say all other constructive rebids and responses are permitted, except for weak relays and conventions over wide-raning pre-empts or NT.

But yes, this seems designed to kill transfer openers.

I think that the motivation was much more basic than that:

The previous Midchart allowed players considerable discretion in designing new methods.

Players had the flexibility to develop a new preempt. They could then submit a defense to said to the Conventions Committee for approval. Admittedly, the COnventions Committee would fail to act on said submission. On a rare occasions, they'd muster the energy to formally deny a petition.

The new Conventions Chart chart doesn't provide any such ability to develop new methods. The Midchart bans everything that isn't specifically sanctioned. If a method is sanctioned it either

1. Already has an approved defense
2. Doesn't require a defense

A cynic might think that the main purpose was to spare the Conventions Committee the bother of ever having to consider a approving a new defense...

This is certainly the effect of the new rule, and its not like the members of the Convention's Committee don't bitch up a storm about all the work they had to do evaluating various proposed defenses...

[Cascade]

At least Stayman is still disallowed - a relay system that starts before opener's rebid.

[blackshoe]

Stayman is not a relay system. Read the definition of "relay system" carefully.

[TimG]

jtfanclub, on Jun 3 2008, 04:19 PM, said:

But yes, this seems designed to kill transfer openers.

There's item #20...

I don't see the changes as significant from a practical point of view -- they've sort of just codified the current reality. The C & C Committee never felt compelled to approve new methods, even if they were clearly allowed by the mid-chart. And, when they did approve methods, they could hide them in events with 12+ board segments.

[Cascade]

blackshoe, on Jun 4 2008, 11:15 AM, said:

Stayman is not a relay system. Read the definition of "relay system" carefully.

I see you can only have relays after a one level suit opening.

Does this mean in my precision I can play relays over 1NT and intermediate 2-level openings?

[blackshoe]

Well, they're not "relay systems", so unless there's some other provision against them (I don't know off the top of my head), you should be okay.

[rbforster]

hrothgar, on Jun 3 2008, 05:06 PM, said:

A cynic might think that the main purpose was to spare the Conventions Committee the bother of ever having to consider a approving a new defense...

This is certainly the effect of the new rule, and its not like the members of the Convention's Committee don't bitch up a storm about all the work they had to do evaluating various proposed defenses...

Are these paid positions, cause they haven't been doing much and just voted to stop working altogether.

[pclayton]

So I can play the Multi 2♣ in a NABC pair event, but I can't play the Multi 2♦. Maybe they should let Gardner NT Overcalls back in...

Cagey Pro1: 2♣ (Alert)
LOL1: Whats that?
Cagey Pro2: Weak 2 in diamonds or a strong hand
LOL1: ( I guess I better pass with my 17 count, since RHO could easily have a monster there)
Cagey Pro2: I really, really, REALLY want to psyche here with my yarb, but the friggin' League had to add:

Psyching a conventional agreement which may show fewer than 10 HCP and which is not permitted by the General Convention Chart. This includes psyching responses to or rebids of these methods.

Rat bastards!
________________________

So Beye killed my 3N Namyats but they are allowing a 4 level minor showing an UNSPECIFIED MAJOR? WTF??????

________________________

You can't psyche "artificial opening bids" now. It was formerly 'strong' artificial bids before, right? That sucks, since I get the hankering to psyche a Flannery opening every now and then...

[Mbodell]

TimG, on Jun 3 2008, 04:59 PM, said:

jtfanclub, on Jun 3 2008, 04:19 PM, said:

But yes, this seems designed to kill transfer openers.

There's item #20...

I don't see the changes as significant from a practical point of view -- they've sort of just codified the current reality. The C & C Committee never felt compelled to approve new methods, even if they were clearly allowed by the mid-chart. And, when they did approve methods, they could hide them in events with 12+ board segments.

Well there are some bids that I have that I believe used to be mid-chart ok but now I don't think will be in the new mid chart. Including:

2♣ meaning 55 or better in the minors with 4-10 points.

In the old chart the fact that it showed 4 or more cards in a known suit and, since weak, had 2 known suits and was at least 54 would make it allowed. Now, I'm not so sure.

[paulg]

pclayton, on Jun 4 2008, 05:04 AM, said:

[snip]

Psyching a conventional agreement which may show fewer than 10 HCP and which is not permitted by the General Convention Chart. This includes psyching responses to or rebids of these methods.

[snip]

You can't psyche "artificial opening bids" now. It was formerly 'strong' artificial bids before, right? That sucks, since I get the hankering to psyche a Flannery opening every now and then...

As Phil says, it is just bizarre to have these prohibitions at Superchart.

I guess they just want to handicap their top teams at international level. Or is it to stop the aliens doing this at the NABCs?

Paul

[david_c]

pclayton, on Jun 4 2008, 06:04 AM, said:

You can't psyche "artificial opening bids" now. It was formerly 'strong' artificial bids before, right?

No. The current version is the same: you can't psyche any artificial or conventional opening bid.

TimG said:

I don't see the changes as significant from a practical point of view -- they've sort of just codified the current reality.

Exactly.

==================

Personally I do think the ACBL is misguided in becoming ever more conservative in what they allow. But here I can at least see their point of view.

Whereas, I think it is inexcusable that they have had a review without making any attempt to fix the places where the charts are unclear and self-contradictory.

[TimG]

Mbodell, on Jun 4 2008, 01:02 AM, said:

Well there are some bids that I have that I believe used to be mid-chart ok but now I don't think will be in the new mid chart. Including:

2♣ meaning 55 or better in the minors with 4-10 points.

In the old chart the fact that it showed 4 or more cards in a known suit and, since weak, had 2 known suits and was at least 54 would make it allowed. Now, I'm not so sure.

In order to play this method in ACBL mid-chart events, you would have had to have an approved defense. Despite the fact that the method appeared to be permitted, the C&C Committee could choose not to approve a defense, thus barring the method. There was no approved defense to this method, so the changes have not affected use of this method -- it was not permitted before the changes and remains that way.

[OleBerg]

Hi all,

I followed the link in Hrothgars original post. I must say I am a bit shocked.

Could a kind soul please give me a short explanation of, where these restrictions, and other, are in effect?

[blackshoe]

They aren't in effect anywhere yet. The new convention charts go into effect in North America on July 28th. The new laws go into effect on (from memory) September 8th. This applies to "ACBL sanctioned events", which means the NABCs, Regionals, Sectionals, and, in theory at least, at clubs. Generally speaking, only in some events at nationals and at very few regionals is the Mid-Chart allowed. Maybe a rare Sectional might allow it for some events. The Super-Chart is generally allowed only in certain NABC+ events. As for clubs, the ACBL basically tells clubs they can do what they want. Most don't even want to talk about it. If nobody complains about a convention, it's allowed. If somebody complains, it's banned - even if it's GCC. At least, that's been my experience. Hell, as a Director I once asked the club owner what conventions were allowed and what disallowed at her club, since I was going to be directing there. She refused to specify. All she would say was "be nice to the players".