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Section
2- Definitions
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Average
Hand
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a hand containing
one card of each rank |
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Weak
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high card strength
below that of an average hand |
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Strong
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high card strength
a king or more greater than that of an average hand |
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Natural
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a call or play
that is not a convention (as defined in the Laws) |
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Length
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three cards or
more |
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Shortage
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two cards or less |
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Long Match
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a match of 17
or more deals |
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Short
Match
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a
match of less than 17 deals
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For the purpose
of this Policy, a Highly Unusual Method (HUM) means any System
that exhibits one or more of the following features, as a
matter of partnership agreement:
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a)
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A Pass in the
opening position may have the values generally accepted for
an opening bid of one, and the player who passes may hold
values a queen or more above the strength of an average hand
(an average hand contains 10 HCP) |
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b)
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By partnership
agreement an opening bid at the one level may be weaker than
pass. |
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c)
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By partnership
agreement an opening bid at the one level may be made with
values a king or more below average strength. |
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d)
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By partnership
agreement an opening bid at the one level shows (a) either
length or shortage in a specified suit or (b) either length
in one suit or length in another
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Section
2.2 - Classification of Systems
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In order to facilitate
recognition and handling, systems material will be identified
by one or more of the following:
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i)
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a WBF coloured
sticker; |
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ii)
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the appropriate
name (hand printed or typed) colour; |
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iii)
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a check mark
on a convention card next to the appropriate colour - in keeping
with the following descriptions:
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Green
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Natural |
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Blue
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Strong Club/Strong
Diamond, where one club/one diamond is always strong |
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Red
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Artificial: this
category includes all artificial systems that do not fall
under the definition of Highly Unusual Methods (HUM) systems
[see definition below], other than Strong Club/Strong Diamond
systems (see 'Blue'). |
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Examples would
be a system where one club shows one of three types - a natural
club suit, a balanced hand of a specific range, or a Strong
Club opener; or a system in which the basic methods (other
than the no trump range) vary according to position, vulnerability
and the like; or a system that uses conventional 'weak' or
'multi-meaning' bids (with or without some weak option) in
potentially contestable auctions, other than those described
in the main part of the WBF Convention Booklet |
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Yellow
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Highly Unusual
Methods ('HUM') as defined above.
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2.3 Brown
Sticker Conventions and Treatments
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The following
conventions or treatments are categorised as 'Brown Sticker':
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a)
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Any opening bid
of two clubs through three spades that: |
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i) could be weak (may by
agreement be made with values below average strength) AND
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ii) does not promise
at least four cards in a known suit. |
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EXCEPTION: The
bid always shows at least four cards in a known suit if it
is weak. If the bid does not show a known four card suit it
must show a hand a king or more over average strength. (Explanation:
Where all the weak meanings show at least four cards in one
known suit, and the strong meanings show a hand with a king
or more above average strength, it is not a Brown Sticker
Convention.) |
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iii) A two level
opening bid in a minor showing a weak two in either major,
whether with or without the option of strong hand types, as
described in the WBF Conventions Booklet. |
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b)
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An overcall of
a natural opening bid of one of a suit that does not promise
at least four cards in a known suit. |
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EXCEPTION: A natural
overcall in no trumps. |
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c)
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Any 'weak' two-suited
bids at the two or three level that may by agreement be made
with three cards or fewer in one of the suits. |
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d)
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Psychic bids protected
by system or required by system. |
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e)
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None of the foregoing
restrictions pertain to conventional defences against strong,
artificial opening bids or defences against 'Brown Sticker'
or HUM conventions.
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Additional to
the classification of systems in 2.2 above, any partnership
using one or more 'Brown Sticker' conventions must indicate
this alongside its system classification.
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2.4 Encrypted
Signals
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Additional to the restrictions
on bidding methods and conventions above, players may not
use signalling methods by which the message or messages
conveyed by the signals are hidden from the declarer because
of some key available only to the defenders (i.e. encrypted
signals are not allowed)
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