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The standard played globally in bridge clubs and over the internet.
Designed to be used in electronic format over the internet, this online book is hypertext sensitive with links making it easy to access the resources of the book; other documents or information related to the topic; or references on the world wide web (www).
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If you hold a license to use this online book, a hard copy may be printed for personal reference U.1, but the document is really long!!! and it is not guaranteed the document will format and print correctly on your system. In addition, if you print a hard copy now you will not have updates unless you come back and print the document again, and again, and again. It is best to select and print sections or tables you want to read and/or review via hard copy and work with the complete document over the internet. ______________________________ U.1 Copyright © 2006 by Fred E. Ferguson, The Ferguson Group, Hilton Head Island, SC USA. All rights reserved. License holders may print a hard copy of this document for personal use only, but no part may be reproduced, stored or transmitted, in any form electronic or mechanical without written permission from Fred E. Ferguson.
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Overview of Standard American SAYCStandard American SAYC is generally a natural method of bidding. There are few conventions in use and no complex bidding systems. According to ACBL there should be few Alerts and Announcements.
Opening suit bids and responses are natural, meaning that a bid shows length in a suit and a willingness to play in that suit. Opening notrump bids show a balanced hand and a willingness to play in notrump. The conventions and system bids, bids with a defined meaning and not intended as a willingness to play in the suit bid, are primarily in response to 1Nt opening bids.
Few bidding sequences are defined in the later rounds of auctions and players are free to assign forcing, invitational or non-forcing meanings to natural calls in such sequences. Players may still exercise their bridge judgments for example, SAYC, normally a 5-card majors approach, can withstand an occasional deviation such as deciding to open a 4-card major in third seat. However, players who routinely open a 4-card major in third seat or use light initial actions are not adhering to the spirit of SAYC. Psychs are very rare! A totally unexpected psych is not illegal, but players who wish to psych with any degree of frequency should not be playing a standard SAYC card.
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Standard American SAYC | ©2006 Fred E. Ferguson | The Ferguson Group | fred@onent.com |
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.Make point count your servant, not your master. ―Terence Reese . Chapter 1: Hand Valuation.
In contract bridge partnerships first auction, via competitive bidding, to
determine which partnership will undertake a contract to win a required number
of tricks. During the auction each partnership works together to reach
their optimum contract to play the hand of bridge. Through bidding, the
partnership decides the
level
to which they can afford to bid (how many tricks they can take) and the
denomination or
strain (
In Chapter 1: Hand Valuation we focus on how partnerships determine the strength of their hands. Beginning in Chapter 2 we focus on how partnerships communicate, through bidding, the strength and shape (distribution) of their hand using the Standard American SAYC system.
Point Count MethodTo determine the strength (or total value) of a hand, features are first given a relative point value that allow partnerships to communicate strength.
Tricks are taken one of three ways: with high cards (A, K, Q, J and 10), with long suits where even low cards (2, 3, 4, 5, and 6) can win tricks, and by playing a trump card (trumping or ruffing) when a player can't follow suit. Winning tricks by trumping requires two concurrent features in one hand: first, a short suit and second, enough cards in the trump suit to ruff losers in partner's hand. When doing our initial hand valuation (there has been no bidding) we do not know the trump suit or if there is a fit with partner, thus, valuing shortness for trumping before it is known if the partnership has a fit does not work. Short suits without trumping power do not take tricks!!! Re-evaluating hands to consider shortness will be discussed later in this class.
When doing our initial hand valuation we do know tricks are taken with high cards and long suits.
· High Card Points: Tricks are taken with high cards, thus, a relative point value is awarded to the four highest honor cards in a suit . The Ace ("A") is assigned 4 points, the King ("K") - 3 points, the Queen ("Q") - 2 points and the Jack ("J")- 1 point (some argue that the 10 card should be awarded ½ point).1.1 These points are referred to as high card points ("hcp"). Authorities recognize that the 4-3-2-1 count has some deficiencies and many recommend some corrections1.2, but the simplicity of this approach to valuing a hand has lead to its universal acceptance.
· Distribution Points: Goren supplemented the original point count system with valuation for shortness (distribution). But, as has already been discussed, short suits, in and of themselves, do not take tricks. However, extra cards in long suits do take tricks, thus, distribution points are awarded for length in the initial hand valuation. One point is awarded for each card over 4 in a suit.1.3 A 5-card suit is awarded 1 point (for one card more than 4), a 6-card suit - 2 points (for two cards more than 4), a 7-card suit - 3 points, a 8-card suit - 4 points, etc. These points are referred to as distribution points ("dp") or length points in the initial hand valuation..
· Hand Value: By adding together the high card points ("hcp") and the distribution points ("dp") the total points ("points") represents the strength or relative value of the hand. .
. Strategic Issues: There are also strategic issues that impact the value of a hand. For example, you hold ♣KJxx. The point count method says this suit has 4 hcp, but winning more than one club trick could be difficult. Either the ♣A or ♣Q could take one of your honors or the clubs might not be played four tricks or someone could ruff in on clubs before you can score your ♣J. If partner initially bids clubs or supports clubs, you can probably count on partner to have an honor, now the ♣KJxx opposed to partners ♣Q10xx or ♣A10xx gives you a nice combined suit holding of ♣AKJ10xxxx or ♣KQJ10xxxx and ♣J looks to take a trick. If however, it is your left hand opponent that bids clubs (and will be playing after you in the play of the cards sequence) he may have ♣AQ10x sitting behind your ♣KJxx and your 4 points may be worthless.
. . ______________________________ 1.1 The point count system of high card valuation was first introduced by Bryant McCampbell in 1915 and publicized in America by Milton Work, after whom it was named, but was not in favor in America until publicized by Fred Karpin and Charles Goren (Point Count Bidding 1949). 1.2 The points assigned to hand features can be refined or modified. For example, a Queen in a suit holding of Qxx may never take a trick and is not worth 2 points, but combine the Qxx with another honor such as AQx, KQx or QJx and the Queen has real value and may be worth more than 2 points. 1.3 According to the Encyclopedia of Bridge, the distributional point count system of adding points for length (Karpin Count) was popularized (1947) by Fred Karpin. Throughout the years noted bridge authorities have continued to support length points. In 1964 Terence Reese in his book Bridge for Bright Beginners (p.24) uses length distribution points to back into opening bids: 13 points with no long suit, 12 points with a 5-card suit and 11 points with a 6-card suit or two 5-card suits. In modern bridge era, as early as 1986 in his book Commonsense Bidding (p.2) William Root assigned value for long suits. In 1990 Audrey Grant made this method of valuing long suits standard for new bridge players with the publishing by the ACBL of Volume 1: Bidding - The Club Series (p.30). And, in 2000 Max Hardy has continued this method of initial hand valuation adding points for length in his 2/1 book Standard Bridge Bidding for the 21st Century (p.9). ___________________________________________________________________________________
Standard American SAYC | ©2006 Fred E. Ferguson | The Ferguson Group | fred@onent.com |
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Bidding ... the fundamentals of the game.
Remember, through bidding the partnership decides the level to which they can afford to bid (how many tricks they can take) and the denomination (♣, ♦, ♥, ♠ or notrump) the partnership prefers. Chapter 1: Hand Valuation focused on how partnerships determine the strength or value of their hands to make bidding decisions.
The commitment of making a required number of tricks is what distinguishes Contract Bridge from all previous forms of the game. In Auction Bridge there was no incentive to bidding higher once you had won the auction. Contract Bridge, however, provides bonuses for bidding and making a game contract or a slam contract (discussed later). To understand the bidding process, we need to understand the game bonus levels. To make game in a notrump contract (3Nt) requires the partnership to take 9 tricks (6 book + 3 odd tricks - the level to which the partnership bids) and experience tells that to fulfill this contract will require 25 (or 26)2.1 combined points. To make game in a major suit (4M or 4♥ or 4♠) requires the partnership to take 10 tricks (6 book + 4 odd tricks - the level to which the partnership bids) and experience tells that to fulfill this contract will require 26 combined points. To make game in a minor suit (5m or 5♣ or 5♦) requires the partnership to take 11 tricks (6 book + 5 odd tricks - the level to which the partnership bids) and experience tells that to fulfill this contract will require 29 combined points. .
. Chapter 2: General Approach and Opening Bids begins to focus on how partnerships communicate, through competitive bidding, the strength and shape (distribution) of their hands.
. . Roles of the Partnership Opener: The opener is the first person to bid at the table. The opener does not yet know anything about partner's hand. The opener begins the process of describing his hand by telling partner about the strength and distribution of his hand. (see Opener) Responder: The responder is the opener's partner. Responder bids to describe her hand to opener. But responder has the advantage of having heard opener's first descriptive bid. Responder knows more about the combined holding of the partnership and has the initial responsibility of the auction (captaincy) of guiding the partnership to the best contract.
The responder has to evaluate What Level? and What Denomination (suit or notrump)? to which the partnership should commit. (see Responder) What Level?: The responder must estimate the combined strength of the two hands and determine whether the partnership belongs in a partscore, game, or slam contract. What Denomination?: The responder must also estimate the combined distribution of the partnership to determine whether the partnership should play in a suit or in notrump.
When one partner opens the bidding a communications process begins. The opener is the first person to bid at the table and there is only one opener per auction.
Opening Notrump: Opening in notrump (1Nt, 2Nt or 3Nt) is a special bid. Remember, the opener is the describer and begins the bidding process by describing his hand to partner. The opening bid should give as much information as possible to partner about the strength and distribution of opener's hand. One of the best descriptive opening bids is the notrump opening bid. To understand the uniqueness of notrump it is important to first understand the concept of balanced and unbalanced hands.
· Balanced vs. Unbalanced Hands: A balanced hand does not have disproportional shortness and/or length in any one suit. Shortness in a suit is considered to be a void (no cards in a suit), a singleton (1 card in a suit) or a doubleton (2 cards in a suit). A balanced hand will have no voids, no singletons, and not more than one doubleton and by inference this also means a balanced hand will not have a 6-card suit and not more than one 5-card suit. Balanced hands will have a shape of 4-3-3-3 ("square hand") or 4-4-3-2 or 5-3-3-2. All other shapes are unbalanced.
Since notrump hands cannot trump in side suits, notrump contracts must guard against all suits. In addition, since a notrump hand has no trumping (ruffing) value, notrump hands requires more strength (total points) to take the same number of tricks as a suit bid at the same level. To make game in a notrump contract (3Nt) requires the partnership to take 9 tricks (6 + 3 the level to which the partnership bids) and experience tells that to fulfill this contract will require 25 (to 26) combined points.
Since a notrump contract requires more strength to take the same number of tricks it therefore takes more points to open in notrump than a suit contract. To open 1Nt requires 15 to 17 points.2.2 Because the notrump bidder will have a balanced shape, the notrump bidder will not have a 6-card suit and not more than one 5-card suit. This means the minimum points the 1Nt bidder can have is 14 hcp + 1 dp - more than the requirement to open one of a suit. .
. Opening One of a Suit: To open one of a suit (1♣, 1♦, 1♥ or 1♠) requires a minimum of 13 but no more than 21 points combining high card points and distribution (length) points. Players who routinely use light initial actions are not adhering to the spirit of SAYC.
Since often what doesn't happen at the table is just as important as what does happen at the table. It is imperative to open all 13 point hands. If you have 13 points and don't open partner will never know the strength of your hand. If you have 13 points find a bid!!!
If you have as much as 22 points and a hand that should be opened in a suit, you have too many points to open one of a suit. This bid requires a special bid to communicate the strength of your hand. Strong and forcing 2♣ opening bids will be discussed later in this class.
· Major Suits: You need 5 or more cards to open the bidding in a major suit (1♥ or 1♠), thus, a "5-card major suit" system. Opener wants to describe his hand, both strength and shape, as accurately as possible. While not as descriptive as an opening 1Nt bid, when opener starts the bidding with 1♥ or 1♠, the bid describes a hand that has at least 13 points and at least 5-cards in the major suit bid. To make game in a major suit (4♥ or 4♠) requires the partnership to take 10 tricks (6 + 4 the level to which the partnership bids) and experience tells that to fulfill this contract will require about 26 combined points.
· Minor Suits: You have 13-21 points and do not have a 5-card major you have to open a minor suit. With no 5-card (or longer) major and a hand not suitable to opening 1Nt, bid your better minor (1♣ or 1♦) - generally your longer minor. To make game in a minor suit (5♣ or 5♦) requires the partnership to take 11 tricks (6 + 5 the level to which the partnership bids) and experience tells us that to fulfill this contract will require about 29 combined points. .
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The partnership is first looking for an 8-card major suit fit. If responder knows there is combined strength for game and there is an 8-card major suit fit she knows the partnership should play in four of a major (4M) and should bid game (4♠ or 4♥). If there is combined strength for game and no major suit fit the partnership will most likely want to play in 3Nt ... only opting to play in five of a minor (5m) as a last resort (5♦ or 5♣). The first partner who knows there is combined strength for game has the responsibility to bid game. He who knows goes!! If the partnership does not have the combined strength for game the partnership will want to play in the best partscore contract.
In Chapter 3 we will study Responses to Notrump Opening Bids and in Chapter 4 we will study Responses to Opening Bids of One of a Suit.
Play of the Hand The opening lead is made, partner puts down the dummy, and you, as declarer, have to play for the contract. What do you do first?
· Declarer's Objective: Declarer's objective is to fulfill (or make) the contract by taking the required number of tricks. You, as declarer, should know how many tricks you need to take. In a 2♦ contract you need to take 8 tricks ... 6 tricks by nature of winning the auction (called book) plus 2, the level to which your partnership bid. In a 3Nt contract you need to take 9 tricks (6 + 3) and in a 4♥ contract you need to take 10 tricks (6 + 4). Once you know how many tricks you need to take, count the number of winners (sure tricks) you know you can take without giving up the lead to the opponents. Before you play to the first trick from dummy STOP and determine if you can make your contract or if not, how close you are to making your contract.
· Honor From the Short Side First: On many deals, you will be able to make your contract with little extra effort. If you can count enough sure tricks to make your contract you should take your tricks and run being careful the order in which you take your tricks does not spoil the ability to take all your winners.
Play honors from the short side first.
· Dummy holds ♣A64 and you hold ♣K52 ... you have two ♣ winners and it does not much matter the order in which you win the ♣A and ♣K. · Dummy holds ♥Q83 and you hold ♥AK4 ... you have three ♥ winners and again it does not matter the order in which you win your tricks. · Dummy holds ♠Q8 and you hold ♠AK4 ... now you have to be careful, you have three ♠ tricks but you must win the ♠Q in dummy first (short side) and then lead the ♠8 to win the ♠AK in you hand, otherwise, you might block the suit. . ______________________________ 2.1 In both Root's Commonsense Bidding (1986) and Grant's Bidding (1990) the requirements for game in notrump was 26 points. The common use of 25 points today is often attributed to better declarer play. 2.2 In the Bidding (©1990) text author, Audrey Grant, uses a 16 to 18 point range for opening 1Nt. In her newest book Bridge Basics 1: An Introduction (© 2003) Audrey acknowledges that 15 to 17 points is more commonly used today throughout North America and is the standard universally used on the internet. ___________________________________________________________________________________
Standard American SAYC | ©2006 Fred E. Ferguson | The Ferguson Group | fred@onent.com |
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Chapter 3: Responses to Notrump Opening Bids . The opener begins the bidding by describing his hand: telling partner, as accurately as possible, about the strength and distribution of his hand. In Chapter 2: Opening Bids we saw how opener began the process to communicate the strength and shape of his hand.
As soon as one partner has accurately defined his hand showing both strength and distribution it is said he has "limited his hand". Once one partner has limited his hand the other partner has the responsibility to guide (captain) the partnership to the best contract. By opening 1Nt opener has with one bid described both the strength (15 to 17 points) and distribution (balanced) of his hand, thus, limiting his hand. Responder now has captaincy. In Chapter 3: Responses to Notrump Opening Bids we will look at responder's responsibilities and how responder makes her first bid.
Responses to 1Nt
By opening the bidding in notrump, opener is off to the most descriptive opening bid that can be made. Responder knows within a 3-point range that if opener has bid 1Nt opener has 15, 16 or 17 points (with a minimum of 14 hcp + 1 dp and a maximum of 17hcp) and has a balanced hand of either a 4-3-3-3 or 4-4-3-2 or 5-3-3-2 shape (no voids, no singletons, not more than one doubleton, no 6-card suit and not more than one 5-card suit). Responder now has captaincy and has to consider What Level? and What Suit?
· What Level?: Responder, will have one of three kinds of hands: weak, invitational or (game) forcing. Based on opener's precise 1Nt bid showing 15 to 17 points responder will know that with a weak hand of 0 to 7 points that the partnership has a maximum combined strength of 22 to 24 points and that game is unlikely. With an invitational hand of 8 to 9 points responder will know that the partnership has between 23 to 26 points and that game is feasible. And with a forcing hand of 10 to 15 points responder will know the partnership has 25 to 32 points and that game is certain. With 16 or more points the partnership should explore slam. [Slam bidding will be covered later in this class.]
· What Suit?: Major suit contracts usually play better than Nt contracts with an 8-card fit. As it takes about 25 or 26 combined points to make game in four of a major and three notrump, the partnership would like to find an 8-card major suit fit. If the partnership cannot find an 8-card major suit fit then the partnership would normally prefer to play in notrump which take about 25 points for game versus playing in a minor suit contract which requires 29 points for game.
· Finding a Fit: If responder has a 6-card major suit she is certain, knowing that opener has promised 2 cards in each suit, that the partnership has an 8-card fit. If responder has a 5-card suit, she knows it is highly likely (a little better than 75%) the partnership has an 8-card fit and at worst if responder's 5-card suit matches up with opener's 2-card suit the partnership still has a majority of the cards in the suit (7 of 13). If responder has a 4-card suit it is now less than likely that the responder's 4-card suit will match up with a 4-card suit in opener's hand to find an 8-card fit. If responder has less than a 4-card suit, there is virtually no chance of an 8-card fit.
· Natural vs. Conventional Responses: In searching for a fit, responder should also consider that in the event that the partnership does find a fit and win the contract to play the hand of bridge ... who will play the contract? It is generally considered good bridge to protect the "big hand" of the partnership from going down on the table as dummy. First, you want the opening lead to come into the strong hand and not through the strong hand, and second, you do not want to disclose the big hand, as dummy, to the opponents and give them the opportunity to pick and play the big hand throughout the play of the cards.
If responder has a major suit such as ♥AK1094 and bids hearts as a natural bid (showing a suit with length and the willingness to play the contract in that suit) the hand will be reversed. Responder will be the first to bid hearts and then have the obligation to play the contract. Over Nt opening bids, responder has some tools available to tell opener about her hand and ask opener to further describe his hand without first naming the preferred suit.
Even more importantly making natural bids over 1Nt limits the partnerships ability to describe responder's hand. If in response to 1Nt responder bids 2♥ as a willingness to play 2♥ asking opener to pass (signoff bid) and 3♥ as a game forcing bid asking opener to chose between 4♥ and 3Nt (game forcing) then how does responder invite opener to game ... 1Nt - 2½♥ is not a legal bid.
It is part of SAYC to play both the Stayman and Jacoby Transfers conventions (systems bid with an artificial meaning and not intended as a willingness to play in the suit) over 1Nt openings . Using Stayman and Jacoby conventions protects the bid hand from going down on the table as dummy, keeps the opening lead coming into the bid hand, but more importantly gives responder the ability to show an invitational hand allowing opener to play in a part score or game. (also see 2Nt and 3Nt openings below) .
. Responder Hands Responder will have one of three kinds of hands:
· Responder has a Weak Hand - 0 to 7 Points: Responder knows with a weak hand of 0 to 7 points the partnership has a maximum of 22 to 24 points and that game is not a consideration. The contract should be played in a partscore. But what partscore? With 0 to 7 points responder cannot afford to commit the partnership to anything higher than 2 of a suit.
Responder would like to find an 8-card major suit fit. With a 4-card major responder could use Stayman, but responder's use of Stayman (2♣) commits the partnership to at least 2Nt, responder needs a better hand to go through Stayman. However with a 6-card major responder can transfer opener into 2 of a major suit, using Jacoby Transfers, knowing an 8-card fit is certain as opener has promised at least 2 cards in each suit, and with a 5-card major responder knows the partnership has at least a 7-card fit with the likely prospect of an 8-card fit. After transferring opener to a major suit, responder should pass.
With a balanced hand of her own responder should pass and play the contract in 1Nt. Any bid in a minor suit commits the partnership to 3 of a minor. With a minor suit you would just as soon play the contract in notrump anyway. If responder's suit is a minor, pass. .
. · Responder has an Invitational Hand - 8 to 9 Points: Responder knows with an invitational hand of 8 to 9 points the partnership has between 23 to 26 points and that game is a consideration. Half of the time the partnership will have combined strength of 25 points or more, enough for game. Responder needs to explore for a game contract. But what game?
Responder would like to find an 8-card major suit fit. With a 4-card major and 8 points responder can now use Stayman (2♣) to find out if opener has a 4-card major. Responder's second bid should invite opener by raising responder if an 4-4 fit is found or bidding 2Nt to show the other major and an invitational hand. (see Stayman)
With a 5-card major, however, responder can transfer opener into 2 of a major suit knowing the partnership has a 7-card fit with the likely prospect of an 8-card fit. With a 6-card major responder knows an 8-card fit is certain. Responder's second bid should invite opener by raising transferred suit if a 6-card (or longer) suit or bidding 2Nt. (see Jacoby Transfers)
With a balanced hand of her own responder should bid 2Nt. A minor suit bid of 3♣ or 3♦ shows a 6-card suit (and an unbalanced hand) and is invitational to 3Nt. With a minor suit and a balanced hand you would just as soon play the contract in notrump, bid 2Nt.
Opener should accept all invitations with 16 or 17 points and pass with 15 points. .
. · Responder has a Game Forcing Hand - 10 to 15 Points: When responder has 10 or more points responder knows that game is a certainty and has the responsibility for the partnership reaching game. But what game?
Responder would like to find an 8-card major suit fit. With a 4-card major responder should Stayman (2♣) the hand to find out if opener has a 4-card major. Responder's second bid should bid game by raising responder if an 4-4 fit is found to game or bidding 3Nt to show the other major and a game forcing hand. (see Stayman)
With a 5-card major responder should transfer opener into 2 of a major suit knowing the partnership has a 7-card fit with the likely prospect of an 8-card fit. With a 6-card major responder knows an 8-card fit is certain. Responder's second bid should bid game by bidding at the 4-level if responder has a 6-card (or longer) suit or bidding 3Nt. (see Jacoby Transfer)
With a balanced hand of her own responder should bid 3Nt straight away. With a 6-card minor suit and no interest in slam responder bids 3Nt.
With 16 or more points responder should explore for slam.. .
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. By opening the bidding in 1Nt, opener is off to a very descriptive bid. The same is true of opening bids in 2Nt and 3Nt.
Opening 2Nt By opening 2Nt opener has 20 or 21 points and a balanced hand. A 2Nt opening bid is highly invitational. If responder has a bust hand of 0 to 3 points responder can pass 2Nt, but if responder has 4 points - an A or a K and a J or 2 Queens, certainly 2Q and a J, responder needs to bid. Both Stayman and Jacoby Transfer conventions are played over opening 2Nt (systems are on). .
. Opening 3Nt By opening 3Nt responder knows opener has 25, 26 or 27 points and a balanced hand and is willing to play in 3Nt. .
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Play of the Hand In the last chapter we saw that, as declarer, before you play to the first trick you should STOP and determine if you can make your contract or if not, how close you are to making your contract. You need to count the number of winners (sure tricks) you know you can take without giving up the lead to the opponents. If you can count enough sure tricks to make your contract you should take your tricks and run. But what if you do not have enough winners to make your contract? Declarer will now have to develop extra tricks through the play of the cards.
Developing Tricks Through Promotion: A card is promoted into a sure trick when all of the other higher ranking cards have been played. Holding ♣KQ you do not have any sure winners (remember, a winner is a trick you can take without giving up the lead to the opponents). If you play the ♣K and lose to the ♣A, however, now the ♣Q has been promoted to a winner.
· Dummy holds ♣54 and you hold ♣KQ ... you have no ♣ winners, but by playing the ♣K you promote the ♣Q to be a winner. · Dummy holds ♥Q6 and you hold ♥KJ5 ... you have no ♥ winners, but you can develop two sure tricks (winners) by playing the ♥Q (remember play honors from the short side first) which loses to the ♥A and now you have promoted the ♥KJ to be winners (sure tricks). · You hold ♠KQJ1098 ... while this is an impressive suit, you have no sure winners!!!, however, by playing the ♠K, then the ♠Q, ♠J, etc. once you lose a trick to the ♠A you have promoted 5 winners.
One of the features of trick promotion is that to develop tricks through promotion you have to give up the lead to the opponents. Sometimes when you give up the lead the opponents can take their tricks, setting the contract, before you can develop your tricks. Giving up tricks to the opponents can be a risky business. When giving up tricks to the opponents you want to be sure you can regain the lead and take your promoted tricks before the opponents can take their tricks. One of the strategies related to trick promotion is to lose your tricks early and keep a sure trick in other suits or protect the suits until you can promote your winning tricks. . ___________________________________________________________________________________
Standard American SAYC | ©2006 Fred E. Ferguson | The Ferguson Group | fred@onent.com |
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Chapter 4: Responses to Opening Bids of One of a Suit . Responder's Approach As we learned earlier, the opener begins the bidding by describing his hand: telling partner, as accurately as possible, about the strength and distribution of his hand. A one notrump ("1Nt") opening bid is very specific. With one bid the 1Nt opener has described both the strength (15 to 17 points) and distribution (balanced) of his hand, thus, limiting his hand. Knowing so much about opener's hand and seeing her own hand responder knows how to captain the auction to the right contract.
An opening bid in one of a suit (1♣, 1♦, 1♥ or 1♠), however, is not very specific about the strength and distribution of opener's hand. We learned in Chapter 2 that an opening bid of one of a suit could have a minimum of 13 points, the requirement to open the bidding, up to 21 points. In addition, opener's hand could be balanced or distributional (greatly unbalanced). Opening one of a suit presents a hand that is not very descriptive (not limited). Before deciding on where to play a contract (level and denomination), responder usually needs to know more about opener's hand.
Responder's Hand: Responder's first bid now begins to tell opener about her hand (and may ask opener to further describe his hand). Responder can have one of 4 kinds of hands:
Forcing Bids: To understand responder's options, it is important to understand the concept of forcing bids. A bid can either be forcing, invitational or completely non-forcing. With responder's bid, responder not only conveys information about her hand, but she also conveys a message whether opener should bid again or pass. Bids are either:
Rule: A new suit by an unpassed responder is forcing. Responders bid of a new suit is 100% forcing. Responder has captaincy and is asking opener to further describe his hand. Opener should choose the bid that best describes his hand, but responder cannot pass.
Responder has a Very Weak Hand - 0 to 5 Points: Responder knows with a very weak hand of 0 to 5 points the contract will have to be played in a partscore. There is only a remote chance that if responder were on the absolute top of her hand with 5 points and opener was on the absolute top of his hand with 21 points would the partnership have 26 points and a chance for game. Any suit bid by responder, either support for partner's suit or a new suit, is going to force the partnership to the 2-level. With a hand this weak there is no room to explore for or show a suit fit. Responder should pass.
. Responder has a Weak Hand - 6 to 10 Points: Responder knows with a minimal hand of 6 to 10 points that there are two scenarios of making game. If responder is on the top of her bid (10 points) and if opener has extra values of a King better than an opening hand (13 + 3 = 16 points) the partnership has the combined strength (26 points) for game; or if she is on the bottom of her bid (6 points) and opener is on the top of his (21 points) there are enough points (27 points) for game. However, responder also knows that if opener does not have extra values (13 to 15 points) it does not matter if she has a maximum hand or not, there will not be enough combined strength for game and the he contract should be played in a partscore. Until opener has a chance to quantify his opening bid, responder has the responsibility to keep the bidding open. With 6 points, responder owes her partner a bid!!
Responder would like to find an 8-card major suit fit. Remember, a suit contract is usually better (than notrump) when there is an 8-card major suit fit. Where with a very weak hand (0 to 5 points) responder's hand was too weak to explore for a fit, with a minimum hand (6 to 10 points) responder must explore for a fit and give opener a chance to quantify his hand.
Responding a Major Suit (1♥ or 1♠): Responder's first responsibility is to let opener know if you have and 8-card major suit fit. If opener opens with one of a major, responder knows opener has a 5-card (or longer) major suit and that all responder needs, to have an 8-card fit, is 3-card support for opener's suit. With 6 to 10 points (minimum hand) and 3-card support responder should raise opener suit to the 2-level (1♥ - 2♥ or 1♠ - 2♠). Raising partner's suit to the 2-level is a sign-off bid saying to partner I do not have an invitational or game forcing hand.
If responder does not have a fit with opener's major suit, responder can bid a new 4-card suit at the 1-level (1♥ - 1♠). This bid is 100% forcing for one round and asks partner to further define his hand.
Without support for partner's suit and no 4-card suit that can be bid at the 1-level, responder can bid 1Nt. 1Nt by responder does not promise a balanced hand. 1Nt in response to a 1-level bid shows a 6 to 10 point hand and that you are unable to support partner's suit or bid a new 4-card suit at the 1-level. 1Nt is non-forcing (signoff).
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Responding a Minor Suit (1♣ or 1♦): Responder's
Example 4: Responses to 1 of a Suit
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Opener could have one of three kinds of hands. With 13 to 15 points opener has minimum opening bid values ... simply an opening hand. With extra values opener can have an invitational hand of 16 to 18 points or a game forcing hand of 19 to 21 points.
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Chapter 6: Rebids by Responder [Text to be entered.]
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Chapter 7: Overcalls and Responses [Text to be entered.]
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Chapter 8: Takeout Doubles and Responses [Text to be entered.]
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What is Standard American SAYC
· History of Contract Bridge: In the 16th century, Europeans were playing a game similar to bridge called triumph, trump, ruff, slamm, whist, etc. Whist, which was already popular by the middle of the 17th century, was made famous in 1742 by Edmond Hoyle with his "Short Treatise on the Game of Whist". The first game of duplicate whist was played in 1857 under the direction of Henry James "Cavendish" to demonstrate the advantage accruing to skillful play. According to one modern authority, bridge was originally developed in the diplomatic community in Istanbul and the name "bridge" may be for the Galata Bridge in Istanbul, which British soldiers crossed during the Crimean War in the 1850s to reach a coffeehouse where they played cards. The actual game of bridge, which led to the decline and fall of whist, didn't come on the scene in America and England until the 1890s.
In 1904 the game of Auction Bridge, first introduced the concept of an auction for the privilege of naming the trump suit instead of trump being determined by the last card dealt. The form of bridge we play today was first introduced in 1918 in France where each side had to bid to its "plafond" or ceiling where only tricks bid and made counted toward game. No individual can be given credit for the dummy, the idea of bidding, the auction principle or the ceiling principle. But, in 1925 Harold Vanderbilt USA perfected a new form of the game he called Contract Bridge starting with the best elements of Auction Bridge and Plafond and incorporating the elements of vulnerability and a scoring table including premiums for slams and penalties. (see Encyclopedia of Bridge, 185-188)
· Modern Bridge: While the fundamentals of playing contract bridge are the same today, modern bridge is quite different. Our grandparents might have played contract bridge based on Ely Culbertson's honor trick system where the auction was based on honors (what we today would call "quick tricks" or "defensive tricks"). Our parents might have played contract bridge based on a system by Charles Goren which relied on bidding agreements such as opening 4-card major suits, forcing 2 bids and jump bids by responder were always strong and forcing.
Modern bridge today has many different bidding systems such as Standard American, Precision, Kaplan-Sheinwold, or Two-Over-One Game Force. According to the Encyclopedia of Bridge, "Standard American" is a nebulous term applied to the methods of bidding most commonly used in the U.S. In fact, Standard American can vary depending on bidding agreements (bidding sequences and conventions) employed. Modern Standard American may have started with the methods advocated by Charles Goren, but now include updates to bidding agreements that rely on a "5-card major suit" approach and includes many new bidding features like weak-two bids and jump bids by responder which can include limit bids, signoff bids and non-forcing jumps.
· Standard American SAYC: While advanced Standard American agreements may vary, there is one standard for basic Standard American. This class will teach the Standard American SAYC system based on the American Contract Bridge League (ACBL) published Standard Yellow Card System - commonly referred to as Standard American Yellow Card (SAYC). The primary authority and resource for this class is the ACBL Standard Yellow Card System Booklet available for access on this web site or downloadable from the ACBL.
SAYC, according to ACBL, is a system of bidding agreements that reflects a modern style of bridge. The SAYC system is the basic standard played universally today in bridge clubs and over the internet. While the emphasis of this class will be on SAYC bidding agreements (bidding sequences and conventions), the class will include certain standard methods necessary to play bridge such as, hand valuation methods (see Chapter1: Hand Valuation); and some tips on play of the hand (see Appendix 3: Play of the Hand Techniques).
· Fundamentals of Bridge: This class assumes the participant knows the basic fundamentals of how to play bridge: rank of cards, fundamentals of bidding, taking tricks, declarer play, partnerships, scoring, etc. Some explanations on terms, definitions and how to play bridge are included for readability and to make clear bridge skills discussed. In addition, terms or usage of terms may be hypertext to a Glossary.
If the participant does not already know the fundamentals of how to play bridge, as a prerequisite, I recommend Chapter 1 of two books for the true beginner written by world famous bridge author Audrey Grant: Bridge Basics 1: An Introduction published by Better Bridge Inc. and Volume One: Bidding - The Club Series published by the American Contract Bridge League .
Those interested in playing duplicate bridge should consider the Easybridge book by Edith McMullin published in partnership with ACBL. The Grant books are more methodical in teaching solid fundamentals of bridge, but do not get the beginner into advanced bidding agreements fast enough to play in duplicate games. On the other hand, the Easybridge book gets to advanced bidding systems quicker, but does not teach or treats lightly many of the necessary bidding sequences important to build a good, solid understanding of bridge.
I have added to the suggested reading list some of the books I have used as a reference to preparing these notes and several reference books I think will be worth adding to your bridge library. (see Bibliography)
I hope you find these notes beneficial, otherwise, I am wasting a lot of my playing time.
Fred Ferguson ___________________________________________________________________________________
Standard American SAYC | ©2006 Fred E. Ferguson | The Ferguson Group | fred@onent.com |
 Glossary:
Terms and Definitions |
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Explanations: Definitions listed within quotation marks " " are taken exactly from reference.
A [abbr. of Alert] · Capital (red, bold) A. (see Alert) A [abbr. of Announce] · Capital (blue, bold) A. (see Announce) ACBL [abbr. of American Contract Bridge League] · "The American Contract Bridge League was founded in 1937. Today it is the largest bridge organization in the world, with more than 160,000 members living in the United States, Canada, Mexico and Bermuda. A not-for-profit organization, the ACBL determines internationally recognized rules of bridge, sanctions clubs and tournament games, and encourages participation at all levels of proficiency and experience." (see ACBL) Adjusted Score · "An arbitrary score awarded by the Director (see Law 12). It is either "artificial" or "assigned". 1. An artificial adjusted score is one awarded in lieu of a result because no result can be obtained or estimated for a particular deal (e.g., when an irregularity prevents the play of a deal). 2. An assigned adjusted score is awarded to one side, or to both sides, to be the result of the deal in place of the result actually obtained after an irregularity." (see Laws - Definitions pp.1-2) Agreements · Partnership agreements (stated or implied) A While the emphasis of this document is on bidding sequences (natural bids) and systems (artificial bids), other partnership agreements such as hand valuation, requirements for opening bids, leads and defensive signals are also included. Alert · "A notification, whose form may be specified by a sponsoring organization, to the effect that opponents may be in need of an explanation" (see Laws - Definitions pp.1-2) Artificial Score · (see Adjusted Score) Assigned Score · (see Adjusted Score) Auction · "1. The process of determining the contract by means of successive calls. 2. The aggregate of calls made (see Law 17E)." (see Laws - Definitions pp.1-2)
Balanced Hand · A balanced hand has cards in all suits and does not have disproportional shortness and/or length in any one suit. A balanced hand is one typically adaptable to play notrump contracts where declarer must protect against all suits. Specifically a balanced hand, as used in notrump bidding, has no voids, no singletons, and not more than one doubleton, which also means that a balanced hand has no six-card suit and not more than one five-card suit. A balanced hand will have the shape of 4-3-3-3 (square hand) or 4-4-3-2 or 5-3-3-2. A hand with two doubletons (5-4-2-2, 6-3-2-2 or 7-2-2-2) is commonly considered as semi-balanced. Any hand with a singleton or void is unbalanced! (See Distributional Hand) Bid · "An undertaking to win at least a specified number of odd tricks in a specified denomination." (see Laws - Definitions pp.1-2) Bidding System · Complete method of bidding agreements both natural and conventional combined into a system of opening bids, responses and rebids. For example: Goren, Kaplan-Sheinwold, Standard American, Precision or 2/1 Game Force. Book · The tricks won by a side that have no value in the score. By winning the auction, declarer must take a majority of the tricks - six plus the number of trick contacted. Thus, for declarer the fist 6 tricks are book and have no value in the score. The first odd trick now contributes to making the contract. Defenders book is the maximum number of tricks defenders can take without defeating the contract (7 - contract). .
. Call · "Any bid, pass, double or redouble." Laws - Definitions p.1
Convention or Conventional Bid · systems bid with a defined meaning (artificial) meaning and not intended as a willingness to play in the suit bid . .
. Defensive Tricks · Honor cards or card combinations that may be expected to win a trick on defense. (also see Quick Tricks)
Denomination · Law 18 says each bid must name a number of odd tricks and a denomination. The Laws define denomination as the suit (♣, ♦, ♥, ♠) or notrump specified in a bid. The Encyclopedia also uses the term strain for denomination.
Distributional Hand · A distributional hand has a disproportional shortness and/or length in one or more suits. Specifically a distributional hand will have a void, a singleton, two or more doubletons, a six card suit or two five card suits. A distributional hand is one typically adaptable to play in a suit contract where declarer can take advantage of ruffing power. (see Balanced Hand)
Disciplined Bidding · Adhering to the partnership system and bidding agreements (bidding sequences and conventions) between you and your partner.
Distribution Points · points assigned to suits with more than 4 cards for the purpose of hand valuation
Doubleton · Two (2) cards in a suit.
dp · see Distribution Points
DT – (see Defensive Trick)
. Encyclopedia · The Official Encyclopedia of Bridge. EasyBridge
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. Hand Valuation or Hand Value · method of assigning value to trick taking possibilities of a hand High Card Points - points assigned to the A, K, Q and J for the purpose of hand valuation. hcp - see High Card Points .
. intermediate cards (intermediates) · 8, 9 and 10 .
. Jacoby Transfer · is a system used by responder after an opening of 1Nt to transfers the play of the hand from responder to opener. After the opening bid of 1NT, if responder has a 5 card (or longer) major suit responder transfers opener to the suit by bidding the lower ranking suit ‘2♦ transfers to 2♥’ and ‘2♥ transfers to 2♠’. .
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. Law(s) · The Laws of Duplicate Contract Bridge (American Edition) as promulgated in the Western Hemisphere by the American Contract Bridge League, 1999 Revised Authorized Edition. (See Credits)
Level · Law 18 says each bid must name a number of odd tricks and a denomination. The level is the number of odd tricks to which a partnership can afford to bid or how many odd tricks the partnership believes they can take. . Limited Hand · As soon as one partner has accurately defined his hand showing both strength and distribution it is said he has "limited his hand".
low cards · 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, and 74
Memory Squeeze · Where you play off all your winners and see if they can remember what to save. (see McMullin: The Convention Card p.7)
. Natural Bid · A bid showing a suit with length and the willingness to play the contract in that suit. (see Conventional Bid) Notrump Bidding Sequences .
. Odd Tricks · Tricks won by declarer in excess of book. (see Book) .
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. QT – (see Quick Trick) Quick Loser · A tick the opponents can take as soon as they get the lead. Quick Tricks · Honor cards and combinations usually expected to win a trick. (also see Defensive Tricks)
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Rule of 20 Twenty · TBA (see EasyBridge 1 p.18) . Ruff ·
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SAYC [abbr. of Standard American Yellow Card] · The Standard American Yellow Card (Yellow Card) is set out by ACBL as a simple modern method without complex bidding systems. There are few conventions, Alerts and Announcements (non unexpected). Normally a five-card majors system, bidding is natural and few sequences are defined in the later rounds of SAYC auctions. Players are free to assign forcing, invitational or non-forcing meanings to such sequences. SAYC, as set out in the Standard Yellow Card System Booklet, was to provide a system to play in the "ACBL Standard Yellow Card" game, however, the term "SAYC" is now often used synonymously in internet and club play with the term "Standard American". In internet play, players will often qualify their system as "Advanced SAYC" to infer that they play Standard American, but have added conventions, systems and bidding agreements beyond the scope of SAYC. (see Bibliography) Semi-balanced Hand · A hand with no voids or singletons but containing two doubletons (5-4-2-2, 6-3-2-2 or 7-2-2-2) is considered as semi-balanced. (See Balanced Hand) Shortness · Shortness in a suit is considered to be a void, a singleton or a doubleton. Singleton · One (1) card in a suit. Square Hand · A square hand, is a hand that has as equal number of cards as possible (4-3-3-3) in all suits. (slow) loser - is a loser that the opponents will have to give up the lead before they can take their tricks. Standard American · Standard American (Std. Am.) is a general term used to define a modern style of bidding played in club games in America, and universally in internet play. There is no single authority as to 'what is' or 'what is not' Standard American. Std. Am. originated with the methods advocated by Charles Goren. ACBL publishes a version of Std. Am. in its Standard Yellow Card System Booklet which is a simple method where bidding is natural, but without complex bidding sequences and few defined sequences in the later rounds of auctions. Modern Standard American is a system of natural bids where a bid defines a hand with an intent to play in the suit bid, and now include bidding agreements that rely on a 5-card major suit approach and includes many bidding features like weak-two bids and jump bids by responder which can include limit bids, signoff bids and non-forcing jumps. Standard Yellow Card System Booklet "ACBL Standard Yellow Card" game is one where all partnerships have agreed to play the system exactly as described in the "ACBL Standard Yellow Card System Booklet".
Stayman ·
Strain · See Denomination. System · (see Bidding System) Systems Bid · Usually refers to a conventional bid or a bid with a special meaning versus a natural bid. (see Conventional Bid and Natural Bid) .
Tenace · any holding of cards not quite in a sequence: for A-Q is "major tenace" and K-J is "minor tenace" (see finesse) Temporizing · TBA Texture of the Hand · TBA .
Unbalance Hand · An unbalanced hand will have shortness in one or more suits containing at least one void, one singleton or two doubletons. (See Balanced Hand)
Undisciplined Bidding · Not adhering to the partnership system and bidding agreements (bidding sequences and conventions) between you and your partner.
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. w/ · Abbreviation for with ... sometimes when, where, etc. winner · is a trick you can take without giving up the lead.
. x (lower case x) · Denotes a small (insignificant) card in a suit – usually a 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8 or 9, but not a 10 and not a 9 in combination with a 10. e.g., 10xx denotes a 10 and 2 little cards not expected to win a trick given a usual line of play.
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≡ – Identical To · Usually shows the (actual or interpretive) meaning of a bid or bidding sequence. 16+ – Good 16 points 18− – Bad 18 points 4SF (or FSF) – Fourth Suit Forcing · BPH – By Passed Hand BUPH – By Unpassed Hand Comp – Competition Dbl – Double
dp – Distribution Points F – Forcing F1 – Forcing one round. GF – Game force or game forcing. hcp – High Card Points JS – Jump Shift Inv – Invitational LM – Limit Raise M – Major suit. m – Minor suit. NF – Non-forcing or not forcing. NMF – New Minor Forcing NI – Non Invitational Ogust – (see chart)
O – Opener OM – Other Major om – other minor pts – Points or Total Points R – Responder W2-Bids – Weak Two-Bids
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Bibliography:
References and Suggested Readings |
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Index: |
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| Standard American SAYC | ©2006 Fred E. Ferguson | The Ferguson Group | fred@onent.com |
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· Preemptive Nature of 1Nt: In addition, 1Nt is preemptive in that it takes up all of the 1st level of bidding space. If the opponents had wanted to open the bidding with a bid of 1 one of a suit, the bid of 1Nt forces the opponents to now bid at the 2-level to start the bidding and forces the opponent's partner to often bid at the 3-level to advance the bidding.
, the
link is to a location within this book or opens another document from this website
(in a new page) and
if the hypertext is in 'bold blue' such as
Table of Contents
with 4-4 in the minors and 1
with
3-3 in the minors. 
or 2
are weak two-bid openings.
