SAYC
× Introduction:
  1. Introduction
  2. Evaluate an Opening Hand
  3. Bidding Process / Hierarchy Chart
  4. Bidding Strategy

  SAYC (Standard American Yellow Card)
  Statistics
× Opening Bids
       Opening Bid Options
Open 1 Level
   Open  1 ♠ 
   Open  1 ♥ 
       Open  1 NT 
           Open Better Minor
           Open  1 ♦ 
           Open  1 ♣ 
Weak Opening Bids
 •          2 ♦   2 ♥   2 ♠  (6-card suit)
 •  3 ♣   3 ♦   3 ♥   3 ♠  (7-card suit)
 •                  4 ♥   4 ♠  (8-card suit)
Strong Opening Bids
      • Open  2 ♣ 
      • Open  2 NT 
      • Open  3 NT 
Opening vs Table Position
× Bid 2: Respond to Suit Openings
   Guidelines for Responses
         1-over-1 Restriction
         Distribution Points
   Respond to  1 ♠ 
   Respond to  1 ♥ 
         (Jacoby  2 NT )
   Respond to  1 ♦ 
   Respond to  1 ♣ 
Bid 3: Opener's Next Bid
   Responder Supports the Bid Suit
       (Response to Jacoby  2 NT )
   Responder Proposes a New Suit
Respond to Weak Openings
  • Respond to  2 ♠   2 ♥   2 ♦ 
  • Respond to  3 ♠   3 ♥   3 ♦   3 ♣ 
  • Respond to  4 ♠   4 ♥ 
Respond to Strong Openings
  • Respond to  2 ♣  using:
      • 2-Diamond Waiting
      • 3-Point Step
      • 2-Diamond Bust
  • Respond to Strong 2
× Respond to NT Openings
Respond to  1 NT 
    Transfers (1NT)
       Stayman (1NT)
          No 4-card Major (1NT)
Respond to  2 NT 
    Transfers (2NT)
       Stayman (2NT)
          4-card Major (2NT)
Respond to  3 NT 
    Transfers (3NT)
       Stayman (3NT)
          No 4-card Major (3NT)
× Other Bids:
 • Slam (Blackwood & Gerber)
 • Overcalls
 • Doubles
 • Balancing
× Practice Bidding:
   • Open 1 Level
   • Responses to 1 Suit Openings
   • Open 1 NT & 14 Responses
   • Open 1 NT & 16 Responses
   • Responses to 2 Club Opening
   • Overcalls
Practice Websites:
   • SAYC Bidding Practice
   • Trickster
× Taking Tricks:
• Leads on Defense
• Leads on Offense
    • Finessing a Tenace
× Keeping Score:
1. Contract Points Scoring
2. Match Points Scoring
× Downloads:
• SAYC Summary
• Open 1-Level
• Responses to 1-Suit Opening Bids
• 1 NT Openings & Responses
• Responses to Weak Openings
• Responses to 2 Club Openings

Response to a Weak 3 Opening ( 3 ♣ ,  3 ♦ ,  3 ♥ ,  3 ♠ )

  • The opener has less than 12 honor card points (HCPs), and a 7-card suit (in clubs, diamonds, hearts or spades) with at least 5 honor card points (HCPs) in that suit. The opener likely holds only 6 or 7 tricks, so the responder is expected (or hoped) to make up the difference of 2 tricks or more. The opener does not know if the responder has a strong or weak hand, so the opener must follow the direction of the responder's bidding.
  • The responder assumes the opener has 10 honor card points (HCPs).
  • The responder does not have to hold any cards in the opened suit - the opener already has 7 cards in the opened suit.
  • The responder must have at least 15+ points for a response.
  • Whenever one player at the table has a long suit, it is not unusual for additional players to have a long suit as well. The bidding can be unsusual, and the player with a long suit with a higher hierarchy has a bidding advantage.

    • Responder's Initial Response

    Responder's Requirements Responder's Point Count and Bid
    0 to 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25
    PASS Minimum Hand Medium Hand Strong Hand Slam
    Has 1+card support
    in Opened Suit    		 in Opener's  Major  Suit PASS  4 ♥  or  4 ♠  or  3 NT   4 ♣  Gerber
    Explore Slam
    in Opener's  Minor  Suit PASS or  3 NT   5 ♣  or  5 ♦  or  3 NT 
    No Support (void)
    in Opened Suit    		 New 6+card Major  3 ♥  or  3 ♠ 
    Balanced  3 NT 
    8/6/2024 10 to 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35
    Minimum PARTNERSHIP Points     (assume opener has 10 points)
    If the responder has:
       • 0 to 14 pts:  Bid PASS - There are not enough combined points for a game.
       • 15 to 22 pts and:
          
    Support (1+cards) in opened suit ×
                 1) If the opened Suit is a Major Suit: Responder supports the major suit with a 4-level game bid.
                 2) If the opened Suit is a Minor Suit, the response depends upon points:
                       15 to 18 pts: Responder bids PASS - not enough points for a game in a minor suit.
                       19 to 22 pts: Responder bids game with 5-level minor suit.


          
    NO Support (void) in the opened suit ×
           NO Support in the opened suit
                 1) If the responder has 6+card major suit with at least 5+ HCPs in that major suit, responder bids that major suit with an under-bid at that 3-level Major. This is a game-forcing bid in that major 6+card suit.
                 2) If the responder is balanced and has stopers in the other 3 suits, bid  3 NT .


       • 23+ pts - There are enough combined points for a slam. Bid  4 ♣  Gerber - asking for Aces.

    Go to the web page for Opening Preemptive 3.

    6/24/2024
    Reed's Bridge Site © 2024         (Updated 11/20/2024)