• 12+ High Card Points (HCP) needed to open (Exception is the Rule of Twenty).
• Do not add for length or shortage when opening- use the Rule of Twenty.
• A balanced hand has
  1. No five card major (A minor is OK)
  2. No Void
  3. No singleton
  4. Not more than one doubleton
• 12-14 HCP and balanced open 1NT
• 20-22 HCP and balanced open 2NT
• Acol Strong Two system o 2♣ 23+ HCP
• 2 of a suit is 20+ points or 8 playing tricks
• Open your longest suit irrespective of quality o Plan your rebid
• Equal length suits open the higher except with 4x♥s and 4x♠s when you open with ♥s.
• 4441 hands o Touching suits – open the middle o Otherwise – open the suit below the singleton o Don’t open with a poor 12-13 HCP hand but wait for the others to bid.