In BBO robot games using the Acol system, the robot plays the system described below.

You can click on any of the robot bids for an explanation, and pause your mouse over a bid you plan on making to see how your robot partner will understand it.

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Overview

Acol with 4 card majors, weak NT, strong jump-shifts, strong artificial 2♣, and weak 2♦ /2♥/2♠. Standard leads and discards (3rd/5th leads in a suit contract, 4th best in notrump, direct discards).

Opening bids

1st level opening bids

Open longest suit for both minor and major suit openings: 1♣/1♦ /1♥/1♠.

Minimum number of HCP for a 1-level opening bid

11 HCP.

Point range for 1NT opening bid

12-14 HCP, can have 5-card major

2nd level opening bids

Weak 2♦/2♥/2♠

Natural, weak, 5-10 HCP and 6 good cards in the suit bid. Disciplined, with honors in the suit.

2♣ opening bid

Game forcing: 18+ HCP and a game going hand.
Continuations: 2♦  relay (0-7 HCP) and everything else natural, 8+ HCP.

2NT opening bid

20-22 HCP, balanced, no 5-card major.

3♣/3♦/3♥/3♠

Preemptive.

3NT Gambling

3NT opener is gambling, showing a solid 7-card minor with no outside Ace or King.

4♣/4♦/4♥/4♠

Preemptive.

4NT both minors

Preemptive, two suiter with at least 5-5 in ♣/♦ .

Responses to opening bid

1NT over 1♣/1♦/1♥/1♠

5-9 HCP, no fit, non forcing.

Simple raise

4-10 HCP, fit, non forcing.

Two over one responses

10+ HCP, natural, forcing one round.

Jump-shifts

Jump-shifts over a 1st level opener show a strong hand (16+ HCP) and a good 6+ card suit, game forcing.

2NT responses

Over 1♣/1♦

2NT is 10-12 HCP, balanced, no fit, invitational.

Over 1♥/♠

2NT is Jacoby, showing at least game force, with at least 4-card fit.
Continuations: partner rebids their shortness, if they have one.
Over interference: a direct fit-jump over a major suit opening bid shows 3 or 4 trumps.

Jump responses

Jumps in opener’s suit are invitational, showing 4+ card fit and a game invite hand.

3NT over 1♥/♠

In response to a major suit opening bid, 3NT shows 12-15 HCP with no fit.

Responses to the 1NT opening bid

2♣ Stayman

Promises at least one 4-card major and an invitational hand.
With 4♥ and 4♠, respond 2♥ to Stayman.

Transfers

2♦  is transfer to hearts.
2♥ is transfer to spades.
2♠ is transfer to clubs.
3♣ is transfer to diamonds.

Responses to the strong 2♣ opening bid

2♦  relay (0-7 HCP) and natural follow-ups.
Respond 2♦  with 0-7 HCP. Other bids are natural with 8+ HCP and at least 5 cards in the suit.

Responses to the 2NT opening bid

3♣ Stayman

Promises at least one 4-card major, forcing to game.

Transfers

3♦  is transfer to hearts.
3♥ is transfer to spades.
3♠ is transfer to clubs.
4♣ is transfer to diamonds.

4♦  both majors

4♦  shows both majors, at least 5-5.

No Texas

4♥/4♠ are natural, 6+ carder, weak, to play.

Conventions for constructive bidding

4th suit forcing

If the first 3 bids have been made in 3 different suits, naming the 4th suit will be artificial. It makes the auction forcing and simply asks the opener to describe his hand.

Keycard Blackwood 14 03

Keycard Blackwood with 14 03 responses. The 4NT bid is used to ask partner to reveal how many Keycards they hold (the 4 Aces and the King of trump).

Responses are:

5♣ = 1 or 4 Keycards
5♦  = 0 or 3 Keycards
5♥= 2 or 5 Keycards, without the Queen of trumps
5♠= 2 or 5 Keycards plus the Queen of trumps

A continuation of 5NT asks for Kings.

Responses are:

6♣ = 1 or 4 Kings (without counting the King of trumps)
6♦  = 0 or 3 Kings (without counting the King of trumps)
6♥= 2 Kings, without the Queen of trumps (without counting the King of trumps)
6♠= 2 Kings plus Queen of trumps (or a 10th trump)  (without counting the King of trumps)

Splinter

A jump (or a double jump) shows a shortness (void or singleton) in the suit in which the jump is made and a fit in the last suit named by the partner.           

Responses after an overcall

Double after a 1♦ or 1♥ overcall at the 1st level

After opponents’ overcall at the 1-level (1♦  or 1♥), doubling shows both 4-card majors over 1♦  and exactly 4 ♠ over 1♥.

Truscott

After a takeout double, the fit at the 3 level becomes very weak and the invitational bid becomes 2NT.

Defense after overcalls at the 2 level over 1NT

All-natural.

Overcalls and responses to overcalls

Michaels

2NT always shows the two lowest ranking suits.

Over a minor suit opening, bid 2 of this minor to show both majors.

Over a major suit opening bid, the cuebid shows the other major and an unspecified minor.

X overcall over 1NT

Double of opponents’ 1NT is penalty. You think that opponents will go down.

2♣ Landy over 1NT

2♣ overcall over opponents’ 1NT is Landy, showing a two-suiter with at least 5/4 in the majors.

2♦/2♥/2♠ overcall over 1NT

2♦ /2♥/2♠ overcall over opponents’ 1NT is natural.

Preemptive overcalls

Jump overcalls are preemptive.

Fit-jumps in response to an overcall

A jump fit shows length in the suit bid and a fit. Forcing.

Smolen

Standard Smolen after 1NT or 2NT opening.

Opener’s support double

After 4th player’s overcall with no jump, meaning of opener’s double is standard support double, showing 3 cards in partner’s response suit and nothing about strength.

Leads and Carding

3rd/5th leads in a suit contract, 4th best in notrump.
Direct attitude signal, with high encouraging and low discouraging.
On the first suit played by declarer, robot gives “count” (if it holds at least 2 small cards).
On the first round of a suit (by following suit or discarding), robot gives count in the suit if they cannot play higher, there is no case of unblocking and they hold at least 2 small cards.

In notrump, with an honour-third, robot leads the second card.
In a suit contract, robot gives upside-down count in the trump suit.
In a suit contract, with 4 small cards, robot leads the second one and the third one with an honour.