SUPER CONGRESS 2009: Program and Results
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Brown Sticker Conventions NOT allowed in normal duplicate sessions
Tue, 2009-06-30 14:14 — John McIlrath
What is a Brown Sticker Convention?
The following is an extract from the ABF System Regulations. The full regulations can be found at http://www.abf.com.au/events/tournregs/ABFSystemRegs08.pdf
Brown Sticker Conventions.
Certain types of conventional calls or treatments are considered to place demands upon the opponents’ defensive preparations. The conventions/ treatments in question are categorized as ‘Brown Sticker’ (BS).
Any one of the following characteristics qualifies a convention/ treatment as BS if it is a matter of
partnership agreement:
a) Any opening bid of two clubs through three spades that: could be weak and does not promise at least four cards in a known suit.
Exceptions:
(i) Where all the weak meanings guarantee at least four cards in one known suit and only the strong
options do not.
(ii) A two level opening bid in a minor may show a weak hand with 5+ cards in either major only, or
as an option among any number of strong hand types.
b) An overcall of a natural opening bid of one of a suit that does not promise at least four cards in a known suit.
Exceptions:
(i) A natural overcall in no trumps.
(ii) Any cue bid that shows a strong hand.
(iii) A cue bid in an opponent’s known suit that asks partner to bid 3NT with a stopper in that suit.
c) Any weak two-suited bid (whether it be an overcall, an opening bid or a response) at the two or three level that may by agreement be made with three cards or fewer in one of the suits.
Brown Sticker Ban
I have been playing with my partner for 9 years developing a system which is perfect (for us).
We both live in the South West and over the years, as we have improved our game, the competition at our local clubs has declined. I told my partner that we should go to the North Shore Bridge club (a long way to travel) to get a " Good Game ".
Is it something I said??? It seems as soon as we find a decent game something happens to ruin it!
I learned to play Bridge years ago in NZ and on completion of my lessons was thrown into the lions den. My Bridge improved because of it and made me want to learn more!.
I played against Michael Courtney the other day, can I be protected against him? Don't get me wrong; he is a wonderful player who just bids all the time and I find him difficult to play against
I realise that the numbers of Bridge players are declining but how far do we go in order to protect the beginners and inexperienced? I think a sticker system to protect some pairs have some merit, but the idea in general is counter productive.
I still remember, when I was inexperienced. A person, who will remain nameless ( ex NSWBA president); bid INT, I had 16 points, so x; his partner bid 2C and it went pass, pass, back to me, who didn't have a clue and passed. We missed 3NT. The 1NT opener had about 8pts??? I just took it on the chin and remembered him for next time.
I would like to add, that we have tried playing at various clubs. We found the North Shore Bridge Club to be the strongest but the first club to ban brown sticker conventions
I hope Australia is not going to become like America, where everything they don't understand is either banned or blown up.
Elizabeth Bornecrantz & Graeme Corin
Brown Sticker Conventions
When I played in the National Championships in the U.S.A the opponents in my first knock out match, all seasoned internationals, were up in arms about our 2D opening, not the normal European multi, but showing both majors with less than an opening bid. Yes, we gave them two anchor suits but they were still apoplectic and demanded that we presented them with a defence to our methods. I pointed out that when they opened 2D, the European multi, they presented me with no anchor suit at all, so if they wanted a defence to our 2D opening they could work it out for themselves.
OK, the U.S.A is very restrictive in the use of conventions, and, as Ian points out, this restriction could be seen as contrary to the general development of bridge. Whereas I am in general agreement of this point of view I am of the opinion that the majority of our club players at North Shore Bridge Club wouldn't have a clue how to counter a brown sticker convention. It gives the user of these conventions an unfair advantage and makes their opponents feel totally inadequate.
After due consideration I am now of the view that Brown Sticker conventions should be totally banned from our normal duplicates.
However, our Championship game on Thursday evenings is another matter, and anything and everything should be allowed there, with the exception of HUM systems (Highly Unusual Methods).
Brown sticker conventions
I believe CRO and RCO openings are the main reason for the banning of brown sticker systems which people have been playing for years at all levels without complaint from opponents so I am not sure why it has now been seen as necessary to ban their use
If we need to protect inexperienced players against brown sticker conventions why not adopt the ABF regulations that provide "Protected Pair Status" where a partnership plays a green sticker system with no brown sticker conventions and both players are below the status of National Master or one player is below Local Master status. See ABF Regulation 2.9
It seems to me that this would be a consistent approach and preferable to banning brown sticker systems altogether.
Brown sticker conventions
I too am opposed to the ban, because it prevents players who want to try them from doing so, and it prevents players who don't use them (like me) from getting practice against them and evaluating them.
The ABF regulation begins "certain types of conventional calls ... are considered to place demands upon the opponents defensive preparations". If this is why you want to ban them, may I offer an alternative : in ordinary events, make players who are using them announce that whenever they make a brown sticker call, you and your partner (their opponents) may state the meaning you intend for each call you make in the subsequent auction as you make it.
Peter Gill and his partner (I forget who but also an international) did exactly that when they came to NSBC recently to practice for a msjor event. I thought it more than compensated for any unfair advantage they might gain from my unfamiliarity with their strange conventions
Mike's Forcing Pass System
Where is this a Brown Sticker Convention? Of course you can play good bridge at NSBC. The discussions relate to only regular duplicate sessions. The problem with Brown Sticker conventions is that they have NO anchor suit
Brown sticker conventios
I totally agree with Ian's comments.
No one at the club has ever complained about our forcing pass system, in fact they tend to regard it with amusement.
If we can't play good bridge at NSBS, where can we? This ruling should be reversed ASAP.
Brown Sticker Systems
John,
I am surprised that the notification of banning Brown Sticker systems has suddenly appeared on our new web site.
As North Shore Bridge Club is supposed to be recognised as one of the premier bridge clubs in NSW, if not Australia, why has this decision been made.
My first question is who made this decision? Was it the elected committee? Was it the Tournament Committee or was this decision made solely by you?
I have a suggestion that may be of some agreement to the majority of our members.
I can see that several members of our club object to being faced with a system that they have no defense against and I can see their point of view.
We have several sessions at North Shore Bridge Club that are divided into sections. For example we have sessions at the Cove Sport Club venue on Tuesday and Thursday afternoons that have an "A" and "B" section and at Club Willoughby we have sessions on Monday, Wednesday, Thursday and Saturday day sessions that have "A", "B" and often "C" sections. Why cannot we have a rule that in the "A" sections in these events Brown Sticker systems are allowed.
Therefore if a partnership wants to play a Brown Sticker system they must play in the "A" section. If a pair does not want to play against such a system then they can elect to play in either the "B" or "C" section.
As a regular player at our club I play Brown Sticker systems, when allowed, with several of my partners. These partners with whom I do play this system see the advantages.
When I have established some sort of enjoyable partnership and see a possibility of furthering our ventures into Congresses and higher level events I would like to be able develop and practice our system within our one club. Where else do we have these opportunities if our own club will not allow us to do this?
I am strongly opposed to this restriction, as it stands, as it inhibits development of bridge.
RCO twos
These ARE brown sticker conventions. See part a) of the regs. As there is no anchor suit, it is a brown sticker. If you open 2NT to be either two majors or 2 minors, this is a brown sticker convention as there is no known anchor suit
rco twos
Hi Milan
I play rco twos and I believe they are brown sticker
Is RCO brown sticker?
After reading the article I was trying to figure out whether any of the commonly used conventional openings would qualify as brown sticker. Multi 2D seems to be clear, as an exception (ii) to rule (a). However, I couldn't find anything that would clear using RCO (rank, colour, odd) style opening.
Can you clarify, please? It would be nice to mention if any of the commonly used openings qualifies as brown sticker, to avoid misunderstandings at the table.