ACBL SAYC SYSTEM BOOKLET Revised January 2006 OVERVIEW The ACBL Standard American Yellow Card (SAYC) was created to be the required system to be used in a Standard Yellow Card event. The object was to provide a simple, modern method that will lead to a good, solid understanding in a partnership when both players have read this booklet. More info on SAYC: ACBL SAYC System Booklet (PDF format). See also: Full SAYC convention card by Michel Heger and SAYCBridge.com, for online practice bidding with SAYC. Standard American Yellow Card (SAYC) opening characteristics response meaning continuation 1♣ 3+ cards 2NT 13–15, GF.
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Standard American is a bidding system for the game of bridge widely used in North America and elsewhere. Owing to the popularization of the game by Charles Goren in the 1940s and 1950s, its early versions were sometimes referred to simply as 'Goren'. With the addition and evolution of various treatments and conventions, it is now more generally referred to as Standard American. It is a bidding system based on five-card majors and a strong notrump; players may add conventions and refine the meanings of bids through partnership agreements summarized in their convention card. One standardised version, SAYC (Standard American Yellow Card), is widely used by casual partnerships and in online bridge.
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Role of bidding systems[edit]
The purpose of bidding during the auction phase of each deal is to disclose information which one's partner may employ in order to arrive at an optimal contract while concurrently contending with the opponents' attempts to do likewise. A bidding system is a set of agreements about the meanings of the different bids that the players use. Each bid provides information about the hand's high-card strength and suit distribution based on hand evaluation techniques.
History[edit]
'Standard American' was the label given to the bridge bidding system developed by Charles Goren and his contemporaries in the 1940s. This system employed the 1915 point-count method to evaluate the strength of a bridge hand. Most bids had fairly specific requirements regarding hand strength and suit distribution. This point-count system became so popular that most bridge players, social and tournament players alike, used it. American bridge teams in the late 1930s and 1940s won world championships using Standard American.
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Modifications began to appear from the 1950s forward. Before the year 2000, new bidding systems evolved, including '2/1 Game Forcing' which are otherwise substantial departures from early Standard American methods. Most tournament pairs now assemble their own system from a variety of new treatments and conventions that have evolved. The nearest thing to a common system in tournament play is the 'Standard American Yellow Card' (SAYC) promulgated by the American Contract Bridge League. SAYC is widely used in internet bridge play, but only rarely in on-site tournament play.
Most common elements[edit]
The essential common elements of modern Standard American systems are:
- A hand-strength requirement of at least 12-13 points to open 1-of-a-suit.
- Five-card majors: opening a major suit promises at least a five-card holding in that suit.
- Weak two bids: Two diamond, heart or spade openers are made with a sound six-card suit in a hand without enough overall strength to open 1 of the suit.
- Strong two clubs: All unbalanced hands too strong to open at the one-level are opened with an artificial 2♣ call, as well as balanced hands stronger than 21 HCP.
- Pre-emptive opening bids: Suit openings above the two level are pre-emptive, promising a long and strong suit.
- Limit Raises: A jump-raise of the opener's suit by responder, in the absence of opponent interference, is invitational to game. In Goren's system, this was a strong game-forcing raise.
- Notrump openers show a balanced hand, with the following common point ranges:
- 1NT = 15-17 HCP
- 2NT = 20-21 HCP
- 3NT = 25-27 HCP
- Common notrump follow-up conventions include Stayman, Jacoby transfers and Gerber.
SAYC[edit]
The Standard American Yellow Card (SAYC) is a set of partnership agreements summarized in a convention card created by the American Contract Bridge League (ACBL) to be used as the required bidding system in specified events or as a base for a casual or online partnerships. Some of the specific agreements in Standard American Yellow Card (SAYC) that elaborate on or depart from more current Standard American bidding are:
- A 2♣ response to a 1NT opening is specified as the 'non-forcing' version of the Stayman convention.
- A 2♠ response to a 1NT is a relay to the minors when responder holds a long (at least six card length) minor suit and a weak hand; opener bids 3♣ and responder either passes or corrects to 3♦ which opener is expected to pass.
- Straight Blackwood is used and not the Roman Key Card Blackwood or other variation.
- In response to a 2♣ opening, the 2♦ response is the 'waiting' version of that response.
- In response to a weak-two opening, RONF ('Raise Only Non-Force') is used.
- The Jacoby 2NT is used to show a game-forcing raise of a major suit with four-card support.
- Negative doubles are used through the level of 2♠.
- Fourth suit forcing is used.
- Michaels cuebid and Unusual notrump are used.
- Conventions are specified as being 'off' in response to a 1NT overcall, except that 2♣ is still Stayman.
See also[edit]
References[edit]
- Standard American 21 by John Sheridan Thomas, ISBN1-4120-2063-8
- Standard Bidding with SAYC by Ned Downey & Ellen Pomer, ISBN1-897106-03-3, eBook version
External links[edit]
- Standard American Yellow Card by the American Contract Bridge League
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Effective January 17
Bridge Bulletin Standard is the bidding system used by the panelists for It’s Your Call. It is loosely based on popular Standard American and 2/1 treatments commonly used by duplicate players in North America. It is more than SAYC, but less than a full-blown 2/1 system.
Although there may be superior bidding approaches, BBS is designed to allow the majority of ACBL players the ability to make an informed decision on each of the monthly bidding problems. It doesn’t cover every situation, but is only intended as a general framework.
1NT = 15-17 HCP
Responses:
Non-forcing Stayman.
Jacoby and Texas transfers.
3♣/3♦ = natural, invitational to 3NT.
3♥ = 5-5 in the majors, invitational; 3♠ = 5-5 in the majors, forcing.
Four-suit transfers (accept in minor by bidding the suit).
Smolen (game forcing).
Lebensohl (fast arrival denies stopper).
Gerber in notrump sequences; Roman Key Card Gerber after Stayman.
Responses:
Non-forcing Stayman.
Jacoby and Texas transfers.
3♣/3♦ = natural, invitational to 3NT.
3♥ = 5-5 in the majors, invitational; 3♠ = 5-5 in the majors, forcing.
Four-suit transfers (accept in minor by bidding the suit).
Smolen (game forcing).
Lebensohl (fast arrival denies stopper).
Gerber in notrump sequences; Roman Key Card Gerber after Stayman.
2NT = 20-21 HCP
Responses:
Stayman transfers (Jacoby and Texas).
Responses:
Stayman transfers (Jacoby and Texas).
3NT = gambling: solid minor suit, no outside ace or king.
Opening bids of 1♥ or 1♠ are usually at least five cards in length.
Responses:
1NT = one round force by a non-passed hand.
Jump raise = invitational.
2NT = forcing raise (three-level rebids = shortness, four-level rebids = second five-card)
Splinters.
3NT = Good preemptive raise to 4♥ or 4♠
Reverse Drury.
Jump responses in non-competitive auctions = strong by an unpassed hand.
Jump responses in competition = weak by an unpassed hand.
Jump responses in competition = fit-showing by a passed hand.
1NT = one round force by a non-passed hand.
Jump raise = invitational.
2NT = forcing raise (three-level rebids = shortness, four-level rebids = second five-card)
Splinters.
3NT = Good preemptive raise to 4♥ or 4♠
Reverse Drury.
Jump responses in non-competitive auctions = strong by an unpassed hand.
Jump responses in competition = weak by an unpassed hand.
Jump responses in competition = fit-showing by a passed hand.
Opening bids in first and second seat are sound if balanced.
Opening bids of 1♣ or 1♦ are at least three cards in length.
Opening bids of 1♣ or 1♦ are at least three cards in length.
Responses:
Single raise = natural, game-forcing.
Jump raise = invitational.
Jump response in competition = weak.
Cuebid = invitational or better raise.
1NT response = 6-10 HCP.
2NT = 11-12 HCP; 3NT = 13-15 HCP.
Jump response in a new suit = strong by an unpassed hand.
Single raise = natural, game-forcing.
Jump raise = invitational.
Jump response in competition = weak.
Cuebid = invitational or better raise.
1NT response = 6-10 HCP.
2NT = 11-12 HCP; 3NT = 13-15 HCP.
Jump response in a new suit = strong by an unpassed hand.
2♣ is strong and artificial.
2♦ response is waiting.
2♦, 2♥, 2♠ = weak two bids (disciplined in first two seats).
Responses:
2NT asks for a feature.
Raise Only Non Force by unpassed hand.
2♦ response is waiting.
2♦, 2♥, 2♠ = weak two bids (disciplined in first two seats).
Responses:
2NT asks for a feature.
Raise Only Non Force by unpassed hand.
Other:
New minor forcing (invitational or better).
Fourth-suit forcing (to game).
Unusual/unusual (defense to unusual 2NT or Michaels when both suits are known).
New minor forcing (invitational or better).
Fourth-suit forcing (to game).
Unusual/unusual (defense to unusual 2NT or Michaels when both suits are known).
Negative doubles through 3♠.
Responsive doubles through 3♠.
Doubles at low levels are for takeout. Example: 1♠ Pass 1NT 2♦; Double.
Support doubles through 2♥.
Snapdragon double: A double in fourth seat, after three suits have been bid, promises a good five-card or longer holding in the fourth suit and tolerance for partner’s suit.
Rosenkranz redoubles.
Responsive doubles through 3♠.
Doubles at low levels are for takeout. Example: 1♠ Pass 1NT 2♦; Double.
Support doubles through 2♥.
Snapdragon double: A double in fourth seat, after three suits have been bid, promises a good five-card or longer holding in the fourth suit and tolerance for partner’s suit.
Rosenkranz redoubles.
Standard overcalls.
Jump shifts are fit-showing.
Jump raises are preemptive.
Non-jump new suits are non-forcing.
Cuebids guarantee fit.
Mixed raises: After an overcall, a jump cuebid by the overcaller’s partner shows 6-10 points and 4 plus trumps.
Jump shifts are fit-showing.
Jump raises are preemptive.
Non-jump new suits are non-forcing.
Cuebids guarantee fit.
Mixed raises: After an overcall, a jump cuebid by the overcaller’s partner shows 6-10 points and 4 plus trumps.
Jump overcalls weak.
Opening three-level preempts tend to be light.
Michaels cuebid over minor and major opening.
1NT overcall = 15-18 (Strong NT system on).
2NT overcall = two lower unbid suits.
2NT overcall = two lower unbid suits.
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Defense against 1NT opener: DONT (double = one-suiter; 2♣ = clubs and another suit; 2♦ = diamonds and a major; 2♥ = majors; 2♠ = spades. Doubling then bidding 2♠ shows a stronger hand with spades.
vs. opp’s takeout double, 2NT response shows at least Limit raise values.
vs. opening preempts, double is takeout through 4♠.
Lebensohl versus weak two-bids or after reverses or jump shifts.
vs. opening preempts, double is takeout through 4♠.
Lebensohl versus weak two-bids or after reverses or jump shifts.
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Two-suited jump overcalls over preempts. Example: 2♠-4♦: diamonds and hearts, at least 5-5 and is forcing.
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Slam Bidding
Roman Key Card Blackwood.
4♣ over 3♦/3♥/3♠ (4♦ over 3♣) is preemptive key card Blackwood.
Bidding 5NT is pick a slam in auctions when no major suit has been agreed. When certain
of the trump suit, then 5NT is grand slam force.
Roman Key Card Blackwood.
4♣ over 3♦/3♥/3♠ (4♦ over 3♣) is preemptive key card Blackwood.
Bidding 5NT is pick a slam in auctions when no major suit has been agreed. When certain
of the trump suit, then 5NT is grand slam force.