All levels of player are welcome at South Bucks Bridge Club and we are delighted to have a mix of players from novice to expert playing together at many of our sessions. But inevitably there are occasions when the less experienced players are disadvantaged because they have not understood all the bids

The Club stresses that players must have completed convention cards if playing anything other than a simple system and, of course, conventional bids must be alerted or announced, but it can still be very difficult to understand the implications of unfamiliar bidding  methods.

As a help to all players to know what methods are acceptable, it has been decided that the Club will adopt EBU regulations on the conventions and methods allowed in the various sessions. These regulations will have little effect on most players, but will help to avoid disagreements as to what is permissible.                                

Full details of the meaning of these Levels are given in The EBU Blue Book, which can be downloaded from the web, or consulted at the Club. An outline of the Levels with brief comments is given below, after a description of the Rules of 19 and 20.  Please check with the Blue Book or with the Director if you are not sure if any part of your system is permitted.

Rule of 19, 20 etc.

 These are methods of hand evaluation calculated by adding the HCP (High Card Points) to the number of cards in the two longest suits.  They are used in defining the minimum agreed strength of opening bids.  So, for example, if a hand has 9 HCP with 5 spades and 5 Clubs it has a value of 19 points by the Rule of 19

Level 2

The restrictions imposed by Level 2 apply mostly to opening bids and will have little effect on most players at the Club.
Opening  one-level suit bids must have 11+ points or a minimum of 8 HCP and comply with the Rule of 19

• 1NT openers are permitted with any point range having a minimum of at least 10 HCP
• All the usual natural systems are permitted including  Acol, Benji etc. and
  5 card majors with short Club or better minor
• Strong one-Club systems and responses are permitted
• Most types of 2 level openers are  permitted

However, there are two restrictions which might affect a few players:

• 1NT openers with a singleton are not permitted
• Multi 2D openers are not permitted

Level 4

A Level 4 opening one-level suit bids must have a minimum of 8 points and comply with the Rule of 18.  Natural opening 1NT bids must have 9+ HCP.
All normal systems as used at the Club are permitted, including the two types of bid mentioned above as not permitted at Level 2.  But please check with the Blue Book (or with the Director) if you wish to use any unusual methods.

Cautionary Notes

Please note that it is not recommended that you should adopt the minimum standards for opening bids described above.  In most cases such minimum openers are not advisable and, even if you agree them as a minimum, you should only use them if the hand is particularly suitable.

These minimum standards apply in all positions at the table. If you agree that in third position you might open light, your opening bids must still comply with these rules.