Acol Disaster

Last ranked period I played Acol to the Ace rank with almost no problems. Today, I had five losses against the expert. That did not happen before. Usually, I am well above 20 points, often winning. All Acol problems could be completely my errors. But I have to give up this system to protect my temper.

In the hand above, the error is easy to spot if you look at the description. But Lia does not play Texas transfers after 1NT, so I thought 4♥ would still be natural. However, it is interpreted as "shortness in spades", and 3-5 cards in all other suits. When I saw Lia bidding a "fit in clubs" with 4♠ and a slam trial, I gave up.

 

The second hand brought us to a 4-3 major fit where you make just as many tricks as in NT. Indeed, 3♠ is explained as 3+ spades. The idea is to show a preferred spot to play and missing a stopper somewhere. Lia would have bid 3NT.

I went down twice after a small spade lead. The expert played one down in 5♦. 

Lia would reach the impossible 3NT bidding 3♦ instead of 3NT. After that, North asks for a spade stopper with 3♠, and 3NT follow. This happened on other tables too, and prevents West from leading spades. Many made an overtrick in 3NT.

This the right contract. Nevertheless, Lia would have played in 3NT, and the expert played that too, making 2 overtricks. The bidding of the expert and of Lia is listed below. I mishandled the hand, and lost again. I could have made 7, but did not. 

Why would you want to play in 3NT here?

After all this frustration, I was glad to get the chance for a slam. But again, we are in a 4-3 fit with no chance to get a good result. Lia would have reached 4♥ for one down.

I dislike Lia's 2♠. 4-4-4-1 fits are always difficult. In this case 3♣ looks like a more natural continuation. But probably this would strongly indicate a 5-card opening. Opening 1♣ looks like the natural bid to me. After my 1♦ response, things sort out easily. After a major response, North would be happy. After 1NT, passing is the only way to save the day.