Through the Convention Card

In this series (updated and revised from the previous decade), I take the reader through the ACBL Convention Card.

I will give my advice on what conventions are important, and which are not. My opinions reflect 25 years of writing and teaching and are aimed at the intermediate level. This series is not for beginners and not for National Champions. Anyone in between will hopefully benefit from my thoughts.

INTRODUCTION:

I am very much in the KISS (Keep It Simple Sweetheart) School. I believe that focus on declarer play and defense is much more important than adding a fancy convention. If a convention is hard to memorize I will not endorse it. If it is highly artificial, I will say NO. If it doesn't come up much, it shouldn't be in your arsenal.

The only conventions I will endorse, must meet all three of these requirements:

1) Not highly artificial

2) Easy to remember and play

3) Comes up frequently

That said, I will touch on EVERY convention listed on the ACBL Convention Card. I will downplay the "ones to do without" and fully explain those to "do with."