CC Intro

Conventions and the Convention Card

What's A Convention Card ?

To help you remember the standard bids and to provide a place for you to display the conventions you intend to use, a form called a 'convention card' is provided at all games. (See example Convention Card below.)

This card, which must be carried by each player, lists conventions and bidding style for most bidding situations and indicates in red ink those which must be alerted. Also listed is your general approach to play, e.g., Standard American or Two Over One, plus such things as your point range for opening 1 Notrump bids, your leads and signals, etc.

Opponents at each table will glance briefly at this card before play starts to understand your bidding style and system. You should do the same with their card, thus eliminating the requirement to ask for an explanations at each Alert.

This does not eliminate the requirement to Alert - it simply saves time in explanation.

Starting Your Own Convention Card

To start filling out your own Convention Card, just write your name and Notrump opening range in the Notrump Opening Bids box, at least for the one and two Notrump openers. Then check the boxes which describe your Stayman usage: 90% of players use the Non-Forc. box. Then check if you use Jacoby Transfers as 90% of players do; and/or Texas Transfers, used by 10% or so.

(Each of the other boxes on the convention card will be explained in detail in the rest of this section. Skip them for now if you are reading for information and aren't ready to fill out a Convention Card.)

There is an American Standard Convention Card, published by the ACBL. It is used often by beginners, and in some special 'Yellow Card' events at tournaments (It's colored yellow). You might want to use it when you begin, although filling out a regular convention card is easy.