Opening bids come in 3 types: NT openings, 2C, and
1-of-a-suit. In the case of 2C openings, Responder
generally assumes a rather passive role, leaving the
final decision up to Opener until such time as Opener
passes the baton to Responder by signing off in 2NT or
by rebidding an unsupported suit. In all other cases,
Responder assumes the role of captain until such time
as Responder relinquishes it to Opener.
The over-riding concern focuses on whether or not
the hands have enough strength to warrant game. If the
answer is NO, the Captain will sign off as soon as
possible. If YES, the Captain will likely retain that
role until game is reached, and investigate the possibility
of slam in the meantime. If the answer is MAYBE, the Captain
will usually endeavour to make a clearly invitational move
and then pass the final decision on to partner. The first
question, then is always: "Are MY values, added to the MOST
that partner can have, enough to make game?"
--------- Responding to a 1NT Opening Bid ---------
The responses to the 15-17 point 1NT are about as
scientific as SAYC gets. Here are the responses for a
balanced or semi-balanced responding hand:
5NT - Quantitative, 20-21 points, FORCING 6NT, inviting 7NT.
4NT - Quantitative, 16-17 points, inviting 6NT.
3NT - To play. 11-15 points. No interest in slam.
2NT - Inviting 3NT. 9-10 points.
Pass - 0-8 points, no 5+card major or 6+card minor.
Responses with an unbalanced hand are:
4C - Gerber. A direct 4C is Responder's ONLY chance to
use 4C as Gerber. If you are using Gerber twice
in the same year, you are either using it unwisely
or playing too much bridge! :)
3H or 3S - 6+card suit, 11+ points, GF. "3-card support?"
3C or 3D - 6+card suit, 9-10 points, invitational.
2S - Transfer to a long minor. Opener rebids 2NT with
better Diamonds, 3C with superior Clubs. Responder
can stop in 3-of-a-minor or rebid 3H or higher to
look for a SLAM in an unspecified minor.
2H - 5+ Spades, ANY point range. Once Opener rebids 2S
Responder can PASS (0-8 pts.), rebid 2NT or 3S
(6 Spades) with 9-11, or force game with any
other rebid. 1NT:2H:2S:4NT is BLACKWOOD.
2D - 5+ Hearts, ANY point range, same as 2H (above).
2C - Stayman. Either 9+ points OR 0-8 with a 3-suiter,
short in Clubs ("Psychic Stayman", when Responder
will PASS Opener's response to 1NT:2C. Any MINOR
suit rebid by Responder will be game-forcing. A
major suit rebid of 2H or 2S over 1NT:2C:2D is
NOT forcing. 1NT:2C:2H:2S, though, IS forcing.
Any 4NT rebid by Stayman Responder is Blackwood.
-------------------- Questions ----------------------
Question: How do we use Gerber after responding 2C, 2D
or 2H, then? And how would we use 4NT as quantitative
after making a 2C, 2D or 2H response?
Question: What can I do with a slammish major 1-suiter?
--------- Responding to a 2NT Opening Bid ---------
The bidding is much more crowded after Opener starts
with 2NT. For this reason, we should never stretch to
open 2NT, and should NEVER open 2NT with a 5-card major.
With a flat hand Responder will bid:
Pass - 0-5 points.
3NT - 6-11 points.
4NT - Quantitative, 12 points, inviting 6NT.
5NT - Quantitative, 16 points, forcing 6NT, inviting 7NT.
6NT - 13-15 points.
7NT - 17+ points.
With an unbalanced hand, Responder will bid Stayman
(3C), a Jacoby Transfer (3D or 3H), show minor suit length
with 3S, or leap to game. 2NT:4C is Gerber.
--------- Responding to a 3NT Opening Bid ---------
In response to the 25-27 point 3NT opening bid, 4C is
Stayman, 4D and 4H are transfers, 4S signs off in a minor.
--------- Responding to a 2C Opening Bid ---------
Flat responding hands will generally respond 2NT
7-9 points), 3NT (10-11 HCPs) or 2D, "waiting" with
0-5 or 12+ points. Over 2C:2NT a 3C rebid will be
Stayman, but transfers are NOT on here, since that
would involve the STRONGER hand transferring to the
WEAKER one.
UNBALANCED hands with 0-7 HCPs will reply 2D.
With 8+ HCPs and a 5-card suit, bid the 5-carder.
With a 3-suited hand and 8+points, bid your
cheapest suit unless short in Hearts (in which
case I suggest a 3C response).
A jump to 3H or 3S directly over 2C shows
a weak hand, 0-5 points, and a SEVEN card suit.
Parenthetically:
The SAYC-OK notes say that a positive response of 2H
through 3D should show 8+ points. As a matter of syle,
I would suggest a slightly lower range of 6+ HCPs,
ESPECIALLY for a 2H reply (otherwise, the Hearts may
become lost over a Spade rebid by Opener).
--- Responding to a 1-of-a-Suit Opening Bid ---
These general over-riding rules apply when replying
to a 1C, 1D, 1H or 1S opening bid:
With 0-5 points, PASS.
With 6-9 points:
- Raise a major with 3+card support
- Respond in a 4+card suit if you can
- With TWO or THREE 4-card suits, bid the CHEAPEST
- With 2 5+ card suits, bid the HIGHER one first
- Raise a MINOR suit with 5+ and no higher ranked suit
- Respond 1NT with NONE of the above.
--------- Responding to a 1S Opening Bid ---------
With 6-9 HCPs respond 1NT (0-2 Spades), 2S (3-4 Spades)
or 4 Spades (5+ Spades, 0-9 points). The only exception
to this is a hand with 8-9 points and a GOOD 6-card suit;
in this case, bid and rebid the suit (e.g. 1S:2D:any:3D).
Holding 10-12 points and 3-4 Spades, make a LIMIT raise
of 3S. With 5+ Spades, make a 2-over-1 reply of 2C, 2D or
2H (5 Hearts), even if you are bidding a 3-card minor, and
then jump to 4S.
Holding 10+ points and fewer than 3 Spades, reply
with a 2-over-1 response in your longest suit. Remember,
though, that a 2H response should show 5+ Hearts.
With 13-15 points and 3+ Spades, make a 2-over-1
response and then bid 3S. This is game-forcing, but will
only excite partner if she has a VERY good opening hand.
With 16+ points and 3+ Spades, make a Jacoby 2NT
response. Opener will rebid 4S (weak Opener),
3-of-a-new-suit (with a singleton or a void in the bid
suit), 3NT (6+ GOOD Spades, no singleton or void) or
3S (good hand, none of the above). Note that MANY modern
SAYC players will use a Jacoby 2NT on 13+ points.
Hence, we have:
1NT - 6-9 points, 0-3 Spades
2C - 8-9 points, 6+ good Clubs, or 10+ pts., 3+ Clubs
2D - 8-9 points, 6+ good Diamonds, or 10+ pts, 3+ Diamonds
2H - 8-9 points, 6+ good Hearts, or 10+ pts, 5+ Hearts
2S - 6-9 points, 3-4 Spades
2NT - 16+ (or 13+, for MANY) points, 3+ Spades, Jacoby 2NT.
3C - 16+ pts., 4+ Clubs & 3+ Spades OR 6+ GOOD Clubs
3D - 16+ pts., 4+ Diamonds & 3+ Spades OR 6+ GOOD Diamonds
3H - 16+ pts., 5+ Hearts & 3+ Spades OR 6+ GOOD Hearts
3S - 10-12 points, 3-4 Spades
3NT - 15-17 points, flat hand, usually on TWO Spades
4S - 0-9 points, 5+ Spades.
4C, 4D or 4H - 7+ card suit, 6-9 points, 0-2 Spades.
-------- Responding to a 1H Opening Bid ---------
The responses to 1H are similar to responses to 1H.
The major differences stem from Responder's actions
with 4+ Spades. Generally, Responder will bid the
Spades unless:
a) The hand is in the 6-8 point range with 3+card Heart
support. In this case, respond 2H.
S- K10xxx H- Qxx D- Jxx C- xx
If you respond 1S and partner rebids 2H, what
will you rebid? Better to reply 2H NOW.
b) The hand is in the 13+ point range and has a longer,
5+card minor with FOUR Spades. In this case, reply
in the minor and rebid the Spades later.
S- KJxx H- Jx D- Ax C- AQxxx
Respond 2C, not 1S, with the idea of rebid 2S
over 2D or 2H. This will show 13+ points and
force game.
Hence, we have:
1S - 4+ Spades, 6+ points
1NT - 6-9 points, 0-3 Spades, 0-2 Hearts
2C - 8-9 points, 6+ good Clubs, or 10+ pts., 3+ Clubs
2D - 8-9 points, 6+ good Diamonds, or 10+ pts, 3+ Diamonds
2H - 6-9 points, 3-4 Hearts
2S - 16+ points, 5+ Spades & 3+ Hearts or 6+ GOOD Spades
2NT - 16+ (or 13+, for MANY) points, 3+ Hearts, Jacoby 2NT.
3C - 16+ pts., 4+ Clubs & 3+ Hearts OR 6+ GOOD Clubs
3D - 16+ pts., 4+ Diamonds & 3+ Hearts OR 6+ GOOD Diamonds
3H - 10-12 points, 3+ Hearts
3S - 6-7 points, 7 Spades, pre-emptive, 0-2 Hearts
3NT - 15-17 points, flat hand, usually including TWO Hearts
4H - 0-9 points, 5+ Hearts
4C, 4D or 4S - 7+ card suit, 6-9 points, 0-2 Hearts.
-------- Responding to a 1D Opening Bid ---------
In responding to a 1D bid, we should always show
a 4+ card major, except with the 13+ point hand that has
4 cards in a major and 5+ Clubs (see above hand "b").
Raises of Diamonds tend to show 5+ Diamonds (6-9 points
for 2D, 10-12 for 3D), but may be done with only four
Diamonds in a pinch (e.g. 2-2-4-5).
The MAIN difference between responding to a major
and a minor suit opening is that, in SAYC, there is
NO game-forcing way to raise the minor! Settling
Diamonds as trump in a game-forcing manner often
requires some deft maneuovers. One tactic is to reply
2C and then raise Diamonds. Another tactic--and one
that may raise some eyebrows--is to respond 2NT, showing
13-15 points and a FLAT hand. Since 2NT *is* forcing,
you will be guaranteed a chance to show your 5+card
Diamond support later.
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This is HARDLY a textbook 2NT response! But
2NT keeps the auction alive. If partner rebids
3NT, you can rebid 4D to reveal your intentions.
Partner should understand this as a slam try.
Hence, we have:
1H - 4+ Hearts, 6+ points, denies 5+ Spades unless
5-6 in the majors and 13+ points
1S - 4+ Spades, 6+ points, longer Spades than Hearts
1NT - 6-9 points, 0-3 Spades, 0-3 Hearts
2C - 8-9 points, 6+ good Clubs, or 10+ pts., 3+ Clubs
2D - 6-9 points, 4+ Diamonds, no 4+card major
2H - 16+ pts., 5+ Hearts & 4+ Diamonds OR 6+ GOOD Hearts
2S - 16+ points, 5+ Spades & 4+ Diamonds or 6+ GOOD Spades
2NT - 13-15 points, flat, or 13+ points with 5+ Diamonds
3C - 16+ pts., 4+ Clubs & 4+ Diamonds OR 6+ GOOD Clubs
3D - 10-12+ pts., 4+ Diamonds, no 4+card major
3H - 7+ Hearts, 6-7 points
3S - 7+ Spades, 6-7 points
3NT - 16-18 points, flat hand, no major
4D - 0-6 points, 6+ Diamonds
4C, 4H or 4S - 7+ card suit, 8-9 points.
-------------------- Questions ----------------------
Question a) What are the FEWEST Diamonds that Opener
could have for the auction 1D:2C:2D ?
-------- Responding to a 1C Opening Bid ---------
There are two significant differences between bidding
after a 1D and a 1C opening bid. For one, No Trump
responses to 1C ALWAYS show 4+ card support for Clubs,
since Responder has plenty of room to bid any suit
before NT is reached. Hence, NT Responder is always
1-suited in Clubs. Secondly, it is MORE difficult to
force game with Clubs only opposite a 1C opening bid.
After all, Responder does not have the option of a
2-over-1 response, followed by a Club raise, as we
saw opposite a 1D opening bid (i.e. 1D:2C:any:3D).
Hence, with 5+ Clubs, 13+ points and no 2nd suit to
bid Responder MUST "abuse" the 2NT response--yes, even
though 2NT SHOULD show 13-15 flat.
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If anyone tells you that 2NT shows a flat 13-15
points opposite 1C, ask them what they would
respond with THIS hand. :)
Hence, we have:
1D - 4+ Diamonds, 6+ points, denies a 5+card major
unless 5-6 with 13+ points
1H - 4+ Hearts, 6+ points, denies 5+ Spades unless
5-6 in the majors and 13+ points
1S - 4+ Spades, 6+ points, longer Spades than Hearts
or Diamonds.
1NT - 6-9 points, 0-3 Spades, 0-3 Hearts, 0-3 Diamonds.
2C - 6-9 points, 5+ good Clubs
2D - 16+ points, 5+ Diamonds & 4+ Clubs or 6+ GOOD Diamonds
2H - 16+ pts., 5+ Hearts & 4+ Clubs OR 6+ GOOD Hearts
2S - 16+ points, 5+ Spades & 4+ Clubs or 6+ GOOD Spades
2NT - 13-15 points, flat, or 13+ points with 5+ Clubs
3C - 10-12 pts., 5+ Clubs, 1-suited.
3D - 7+ Diamonds, 6-7 points
3H - 7+ Hearts, 6-7 points
3S - 7+ Spades, 6-7 points
3NT - 16-18 points, flat hand, no major
4C - 0-6 points, 6+ Clubs
4D, 4H or 4S - 7+ card suit, 8-9 points.
------ Jump Shift Responses to 1-of-a-Suit -------
A single jump in an unbid suit (e.g. 1H:2S, 3C or 3D)
shows 16+ points and EITHER a GOOD 6+card suit (1-suited)
OR a decent 5+card suit with support for Opener's suit.
These "jump shifts" are game-forcing, and are often part
of a slam try.
 |
Q U I Z
|
1. What do you respond to 1C with the following hands?
| a) |
 J10xxx |
 AKQxxx |
 Kx |
 void |
| b) |
Ax |
Kxx |
QJx |
J10xxx |
| c) |
AKxxx |
x |
Axx |
AQJx |
| d) |
xx |
xx |
Jxx |
AQ10xxx |
| e) |
AKJx |
Qxxx |
Qxxx |
x |
|
2. What do you respond to 1H with the following hands?
| a) |
J10xxx |
Axxx |
xx |
xx |
| b) |
Axxx |
Kxx |
Qxx |
xxx |
| c) |
AKxxx |
Kxx |
xx |
AQx |
| d) |
Qxx |
xx |
Kxxx |
AQ10x |
| e) |
KJx |
Qxxx |
Qxxxx |
x |
| f) |
Ax |
Kxxx |
AJx |
Qxxx |
| g) |
x |
AJx |
Axxxx |
AKxx |
|
| |
RAINBOW Series
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The Rainbow Series, from 10:00 A.M. to 12:30 PST every weekday, is a lecture program on the SAYC system, from
Opening Bids all the way through to the conventional aspects of SAYC.
Unlike the FireSide and 5th Chair sessions mentioned above, the
Rainbow Series is a semi-private lesson program for our students.
Nevertheless, you are invited to stop by and "eavesdrop"
on the discussion from the Spectator's Loft.
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| If your computer
has MIDI capacity, you have been listening to Pink Floyd's "Wish You Were Here". |
