Bridge Game
Bridge card game, the most popular card game in the world
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Standard American
Standard American is a common
bidding system for the game of
bridge in the
United States, and is now the most widely used method of bidding at Bridge
in the world. This system, or a slight variant, is learned first by most
beginners in the U.S. Most advanced or expert players in the U.S. play a variant
of
2/1 game forcing.
Role of bidding systems
The purpose of bidding is to exchange information with your partner so that
you can arrive at an optimal contract, while preventing the opponents from
finding their optimal contract. A bidding system is a set of agreements about
the meanings of the different bids that the players can make during the auction
phase of each hand. Bids are generally defined in terms of the hand's suit
distribution and strength. In Standard American, strength is evaluated by the
high card point method, with adjustments for distribution. Most beginners
rigidly follow point count requirements, but experts will make adjustments based
on their hand and the bidding so far.
History of Standard American
"Standard American" was the label given to the bridge bidding system
developed by
Charles Goren in the 1940s. This system was the first to employ the
point-count method to evaluate the strength of a bridge hand. Most bids had
fairly specific requirements regarding hand strength and suit distribution. The
Goren point-count system became so popular that nearly all bridge players in the
United States, social and tournament players alike, used it. American bridge
teams won world championships using Goren's Standard American.
Modifications began to appear from the 1960s foreward. By the year 2000, some
completely new bidding systems had evolved, including "Precision" and "2/1 Game
Forcing" which, although still relying on point-count rules for hand evaluation,
are otherwise substantial departures from the early Goren system. 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.
There is no longer a universally recognized standard for social/rubber bridge
players. However generally they follow the rules described in Standard
American 21, The Rubber Bridge Players Guide for the Twenty-first Century by
John Sheridan Thomas. The essential elements of StdAm21 are:
- Five-card majors: opening a major suit promises a five-card suit.
- Weak two openers: Two diamond, heart or spade openers are made with a
six-card suit and 6 to 10 high-card points.
- The Two Club
Convention: All unbalanced hands too strong to open at the one-level are
opened with an artificial 2 club call.
- Pre-emptive openers: All suit openers above the two level are
pre-emptive, promising a long suit and 6 to 10 high-card points.
- Notrump openers show a balanced hand, and may contain a five-card minor
(see note 1 below), with the following point ranges:
- 1 NT = 16 to 18 points (15-17 is now preferred in duplicate bridge
play)
- 2 NT = 21 to 22 points balanced (no void, no singleton, at most one
doubleton)
Note 1: Some experts, notably Marty Bergen and John S. Thomas, strongly
advise opening 1 NT also with a five-card major in preference to the major,
arguing persuasively that the notrump choice produces better results
considerably more often than 50% of the time.
- Notrump point requirements may include distribution points for a good
five-card suit.
- Balanced hands stronger than 22 points are opened using the Two Club
Convention.
- Notrump conventions include Stayman,
Jacoby Transfers and Gerber.
Opener approximate hand strengths
- 13-15 points: Hands of 13 points or more are strong enough to open the
bidding. Follow up with a call that shows a maximum of 15 points (or does
not show more than the minimum opening range).
- 16-18 points: A hand in this range is strong enough to open the bidding
and bid again freely. This range may be defined accurately by making a
reverse bid (forcing) after opening.
- 19 to 20 points: Opener shows this strength by a jump shift or by
jumping to 2NT after opening a minor suit. This call is forcing to game.
Having such accurate information (the jump shift shows 19 to 20 points,a
five-card suit and a four-card suit) responding partner should be able to
place the final contract.
- 21+ points: Normally a hand this strong should open at a higher level
than one, either a strong 2 club (conventional), or 2NT (21 to 22 points).
Responder approximate hand strengths
- 0-5 points: A hand in this range normally should not bid unless partner
shows a very strong hand and makes a forcing bid.
- 6-9 points: This is a minimum response hand. You should always respond
(minimally) when partner opens.
- 11-12 points: This is known as invitational strength. A hand in this
range should not open the bidding, but holding a good suit may overcall an
opponent's bid. When partner opens the bidding, this hand should bid in a
manner that is recognized by partner as inviting to game.
- 13 to 16 points: If partner opens and you hold a hand in this range, the
partnership has sufficient strength for game in notrump or a major suit (26
points) and you should press on to game whenever a suitable contract can be
found.
- 17 to 18 points: If partner opens, you are in a slam invitational range
(slam requires 32 points). You may show this strength by a jump-shift
response (game-forcing) immediately following partner's opening bid.
- 19+ points: If at any time a responder has a hand of this strength, he
or she should press on to a slam contract providing a suitable strain can be
found. The only requirement below game is to make forcing calls. A new suit
by responder is forcing.
References
- Standard American 21 by John Sheridan Thomas,
ISBN 1412020638
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Bridge card game, the most popular card game in the world.