4. Bidding Strategy
As with many competitive games, the winner is the one with the most points. The structure of the point awarding system influences the strategy of the game.
Contract Points for a Suit Contract
In the trick taking portion of the game, each trick is awarded a certain number of contract points. For example:
• If the contract is in a Major suit (hearts or spades), each trick that is won is awarded 30 contract points, no matter if the suits in the trick are hearts, spades, clubs, or diamonds.
• If the contract is in a Minor suit (clubs or diamonds), each trick that is won is awarded 20 contract points, no matter if the suits in the trick are hearts, spades, clubs, or diamonds.
Obviously, it is preferable to play a major suit contract instead of a minor suit contract.
Contract Points for a No Trump Contract
The contract points for tricks won in No Trump contract are slightly different.
• The first trick won is worth 40 contract points.
• Then each successive trick won is worth 30 contract points.
For the same number of tricks won, a team will score more contract points in a No Trump contract than either a major suit or minor suit contract.
An important aspect of the scoring system structure is that the first 6 tricks that are won are not awarded any contract points. These first 6 tricks are called a "book". Contract points are awarded AFTER the team wins 6 tricks (a book). The table below displays the contract points that are awarded based upon how many tricks a team wins (13 is the maximum number of tricks that can be won).
|
Contract Points |
| Tricks Won = |
0 - 6 |
7 |
8 |
9 |
10 |
11 |
12 |
13 |
No Trump Contract
(40 pts/first trick then 30pts/successive tricks) |
0 |
40 |
70 |
100 |
130 |
160 |
190 |
220 |
Major Suit Contract
(30 pts/trick) |
0 |
30 |
60 |
90 |
120 |
150 |
180 |
210 |
Minor Suit Contract
(20pts/trick) |
0 |
20 |
40 |
60 |
80 |
100 |
120 |
140 |
Very Important !!!!!
After actuarial analyses of millions and millions and millions of trick taking processes, it turns out that
a Major Suit contract is more likely to be successful than a No Trump contract. The advantage is the suit contract uses a "wild card" to win one more trick than a No Trump contract (without wild cards).
Consequently, a major suit contract winning 10 tricks is generally more successful than a No Trump contract winning only 9 tricks. The advantage for the major suit is about 10%.
This advantage for a suit contract to be more successful than a No Trump contract alters the priority of which type of contract to persue:
|
Contract Points |
| Tricks Won = |
0 - 6 |
7 |
8 |
9 |
10 |
11 |
12 |
13 |
1st Priority: Major Suit Contract
(30 pts/trick) |
0 |
30 |
60 |
90 |
120 |
150 |
180 |
210 |
2nd Priority: No Trump Contract
(40 pts/first trick then 30pts/successive tricks) |
0 |
40 |
70 |
100 |
130 |
160 |
190 |
220 |
Last Resort: Minor Suit Contract
(20pts/trick) |
0 |
20 |
40 |
60 |
80 |
100 |
120 |
140 |
In order to be awarded 100 contract points in a
Minor suit (clubs or diamonds), the partnership must win
11 tricks, which requires a combined partnership point count of
29 HCPs. The minor suit contract requires stronger hands to win more tricks with minimal reward. Consequently, a contract in a minor suit is the last resort.
The bidding strategy of SAYC is the result of statistical/actuarial analysis of playing bridge. The strategy is directed toward reaching the optimum contract with the maximum points (at the least risk) for a given hand.
The SAYC bidding strategy in order of priority is:
1st: Try for a suit contract in a Major suit (hearts or spades).
2nd: If a major suit contract is not practical, try for a contract in No Trump.
Last Resort: If a major suit contract and a No Trump contract are not practical, settle for a contract in a Minor suit.
Goto the web page for the Opening Bid at the 1-Level.
7/31/2024
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