How high do you raise?

[VixTD]

Cross-IMP teams-of-eight, scored by victory points.

[hv=pc=n&w=sq54hak53da9863c8&d=w&v=e&b=16&a=1dp1hp]133|200[/hv]

You're playing Acol with a weak NT and four-card majors, no particularly fancy agreements. What's your rebid, and why?

[Cyberyeti]

Do you habitually raise on 3 card support ? If not, 2♥ is not unreasonable, if you do, I'd bid 3♥.

[sfi]

Doesn't a simple raise in Acol show extras - about the playing strength of a strong NT? If I understand it correctly, this looks to be an easier choice than in a strong NT system. Even so, it's a pretty nice hand.

[FelicityR]

Vulnerable I'm raising to 3♥. Solid raise. The opponents haven't come in. You have top trumps, an ace and a singleton. It's a 15 count on distribution, and that in my view is the lower end of a jump raise.

 

The intermediates are poor, and ♠QJx or Q10x would be better. But it's far too good to raise just to 2♥ so fortune favours the brave, I feel.

[silvr bull]

Doesn't a simple raise in Acol show extras - about the playing strength of a strong NT?

This is the key to my view of the correct bid. Playing a 12-14 NT, a simple raise cannot be a balanced minimum (which would have opened 1NT), so the 2H raise is the equivalent strength of a 15-17 NT hand. In the OP hand, added distribution makes up for fewer HCP, so a 2H raise is a perfect description of the hand strength. Note that the corollary is that a weaker hand (like Qxx KQxx Axxxx x) should pass first instead of opening 1D because this 11 HCP hand is not strong enough to raise a possible 1H response to 2H.

[steve2005]

Playing a weak NT 2♥ is adequate. Yesdefinitely a maximum but partner will expect something close to this.

Playing a strong NT you probably have to bid 3♥. If east doesn't have shortness or a honour in spades this will be an overbid.

[nige1]

[hv=pc=n&w=sq54hak53da9863c8&d=w&v=e&b=16&a=1dp1hp]133|200|

Cross-IMP teams-of-eight, scored by victory points.

You're playing Acol with a weak NT and four-card majors,

no particularly fancy agreements.

What's your rebid, and why?[/hv]

I rank

1. 3♥ = NAT. Limit. 6 losers. Aces, kings and a singleton.
2. 2♥ = NAT. Limit. It's a close decision.

[wank]

Yes 2h. 3h is for people who don't understand weak nt

[Zelandakh]

Yes 2h. 3h is for people who don't understand weak nt

I do not think it is as simple as this assessment. The lower range of the opening is relevant here and Acol traditionally opens light. Would you open ♠xx ♥Axxx ♦AQxxx ♣xx? If this is a 1♦ opener, and it will be for some but not all, then I think the range of your 2♥ raise is too great if the OP hand is also included. The simplest way of seeing it in my mind is that the OP hand is worth about 16. If our 2♥ range is 13-16 then this is a 2♥ rebid. If instead it is 12-15 then this is a 3♥ raise. It is possible to play either style while still "understanding a weak NT".

[MrAce]

Doesn't a simple raise in Acol show extras - about the playing strength of a strong NT? If I understand it correctly, this looks to be an easier choice than in a strong NT system. Even so, it's a pretty nice hand.

 

 

Playing weak NT I would bid 2♥ with the OP hand but close to 3♥. This auction should not promise extras but an unbalanced min hand. That's all it promises for me. xxx ATxx KQJxx x for example. Add ♠J or something if this is too weak to open 1♦ for your taste.

Change the ♠Q to K OR make the hand rich with spot cards then I would bid 3♥.

 

So, unless they have another way to express the hand type that I wrote above in ACOL, I do not think simple raise shows playing strength of a strong NT. Yes 5431 11-12 hcp is stronger than balanced 11-12 hcp with fit but no need to exaggerate what it shows.