We would like to introduce the Baron System, or the Baron convention, which was developed in the 1940s by Mr. Leo Baron and Mr. Adam Meredith. The success of the Baron System has lead to the incorporation of many treatments and conventions into the Acol System. We wish only to introduce the main features of the Baron System and not the complete system.

Several features of the Baron System include:

1. the Weak No Trump Opening Bid combined with a No Trump constructive rebid.

2. bidding "up the line" with 4-card suits.

3. Relaxed requirements for "biddable suits".

4. The 5-card suit requirement for a response of 2 Hearts to an opening of 1 Spade.

5. The lead of the Ace from Ace-King.

6. The bid of the third suit by the opener on the one level is a Forcing bid. Some players include this requirement on the Two Level.

7. An immediate raise requires at least a 4-card Trump support.

8. Suit opening bids are highly prepared, with a 4-card Spade suit being opened ahead of a 5-card Heart suit regardless of the quality of the suit.

9. Simple overcalls are strong and Jump overcalls are weak.

We would also like to introduce the Baron Slam Try, which is an invitation to a slam contract if the partner holds good trump support. A bid of the suit next below the agreed suit at the Five or Six Level specifically asks partner whether he holds good trump support or not. For example: if Spades is the agreed suit, 5 Hearts invites to 6 Spades, and 6 Hearts invites to 7 Spades. Each partner must consider the information shared in the continuing auction and decide what constitutes good trump support.

We would also like to introduce the Baron Response of Two No Trump after an Opening Suit Bid of One. This feature of the Baron System indicates 16-18 high card points and is game forcing. In the Baron System, the responses of 2 No Trump and 3 No Trump are inverted. The inversion bid of 3 No Trump equals 12-14 high card points, and the effect is that the opener can select a suitable game contract. The 2 No Trump response leaves more bidding space open for exchanging descriptive information about the holdings where a slam contract is a feasible possibility.

http://www.acolbridge.co.uk/conventions.php

Baron

After a 2NT opener a response of 3C is the "Baron" convention, asking partner to show a four suit if he has one. It can also be used after a 2C opener followed by 2D response and a 2NT rebid. The respones to the Baron 3C are:

3NT if he only hold a four card club suit
With one four card suit, bid that suit
With two four card suits, bid the lower ranking one unless it's clubs

If you wish to include this feature, or any other feature, of the game of bridge in your partnership agreement, then please make certain that the concept is understood by both partners. Be aware whether or not the feature is alertable or not and whether an announcement should or must be made. Check with the governing body and/or the bridge district and/or the bridge unit prior to the game to establish the guidelines applied. Please include the particular feature on your convention card in order that your opponents are also aware of this feature during the bidding process, since this information must be made known to them according to the Laws of Duplicate Contract Bridge. We do not always include the procedure regarding Alerts and/or Announcements, since these regulations are changed and revised during time by the governing body. It is our intention only to present the information as concisely and as accurately as possible.

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