Convention card 🇺🇸
North America
North American Standard Light – ACBL-style example
5-card majors · 15–17 NT · 2/1 GF · weak two bids
System
- System
- Natural 2/1 system · 5-card majors · strong NT
- Minor openings
- Better minor; 1♣ may be short in balanced hands
- Opening 1♥/1♠
- 5+ cards · 11–21 HCP
- Opening 1 NT
- 15–17 HCP, balanced
- 2/1 response
- Game forcing by an unpassed hand
- 1NT response
- Forcing one round after 1♥/1♠
- Major raises
- Limit raises · Jacoby 2NT · splinters by agreement
- Conventions
- Stayman · Jacoby transfers · RKCB 1430
Openings & meanings
| Bid | Min/strength | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| 1♣ | 2+ · 11–21 | Natural / better minor; may be short |
| 1♦ | 4+ · 11–21 | Natural / better minor |
| 1♥ | 5+ · 11–21 | 5-card major |
| 1♠ | 5+ · 11–21 | 5-card major |
| 1 NT | 15–17 | Balanced · Stayman + Jacoby transfers |
| 2♣ | 22+ / GF | Strong, artificial and forcing Alert |
| 2♦ | 6–10 | Weak, 6-card diamonds Alert |
| 2♥ | 6–10 | Weak, 6-card hearts Alert |
| 2♠ | 6–10 | Weak, 6-card spades Alert |
| 2 NT | 20–21 | Balanced |
| 3♣–3♠ | preemptive | Natural preempt, usually 7-card suit |
| 3 NT | solid minor | Gambling 3NT: long solid minor Alert |
Alert Opponents are alerted automatically in the digital version.
Leads & signals
Opening leads: top of sequence; 4th best from length vs NT; 3rd/5th or 4th best vs suit by partnership agreement.
| Holding | vs Suit | vs NT |
|---|---|---|
| A K Q / K Q J | Top | Top |
| A K x | A | A |
| K Q x | K | K |
| Q J x | Q | Q |
| J 10 x | J | J |
| Length without sequence | 3rd/5th or 4th best | 4th best |
Signals: standard attitude, high card encourages · high-low normally shows even count · discards may be Lavinthal by partnership agreement.
Defensive & competitive bidding
- Overcalls
- Natural, approx. 8–16 HCP
- 1NT overcall
- 15–18 HCP, systems on
- Jump overcall
- Weak
- Negative doubles
- Through 4♦ by agreement
- Direct cue bid
- Michaels, normally 5-5
- Jump 2NT
- Unusual 2NT: two lowest unbid suits
- vs 1NT
- Cappelletti/Hamilton: 2♣ = one-suiter, 2♦ = majors
- vs preempts
- Takeout doubles · natural overcalls · Lebensohl by agreement
Special bids that may require defence
North American Standard Light is a SystemCard example of a common 2/1-style club and tournament system.
It is not an official ACBL convention card and not a complete tournament agreement.
The selected conventions are Stayman, Jacoby transfers, Jacoby 2NT, RKCB 1430, Michaels, Unusual 2NT and Cappelletti/Hamilton.
2♣, weak two openings, artificial major raises and gambling 3NT should be clearly explained to the opponents.
It is not an official ACBL convention card and not a complete tournament agreement.
The selected conventions are Stayman, Jacoby transfers, Jacoby 2NT, RKCB 1430, Michaels, Unusual 2NT and Cappelletti/Hamilton.
2♣, weak two openings, artificial major raises and gambling 3NT should be clearly explained to the opponents.