[Bensdad]

I have only recently started playing on Bridgebase. Please can someone either tell me the bidding system generally in use, along with the conventions taken for granted or point me at some source for such information. My partners and the others at the tables where I have been playing have been very unhelpful.

[bucky]

There are standard system notes published on BBO. However, not many follow them (or worse yet, many claims to play them but don't). The bottomline is, with a random partner you shouldn't assume anything. Sorry I wish I could be more helpful.

[hrothgar]

5 card majors
A 1N opening shows about 15 - 17 HCP
If partner makes a 2/1 he'll get upset if you pass
A 7NT opening measn that partner is pissed about something

[gurgistan]

From my experience, what people call Standard American Yellow Card is most commonly played.

However, SAYC is very specific and most people who claim to play it actually play standard American which is something like:

5 card majors
1N 15-17hcp
2N 20-21 hcp
2C 22hcp+, when responding to 2C opener 2D waiting is probably most common
weak 2 openers (other than the above mentioned 2C)

Jacoby 2N
Splinters
Roman Keycard Blackwood 1430/3014
Unusual Notrump
Michaels Cuebid
Stayman
Transfers over 1N

Anyterm you do not understand please google.

If I have stated anything incorrectly or people wish to add for the sake of comprehensiveness then please correct/add.

[blackshoe]

Heh. Several years ago, a local director introduced me to a woman who had come to the game looking for a partner. After the introductions, she said very proudly "I play SAYC!" I replied "Good, then you play Jacoby 2NT." She said 'What's that?"

I played with her for two and a half years. She never did learn J2NT.

[neilkaz]

blackshoe, on Sep 17 2010, 01:37 PM, said:

Heh. Several years ago, a local director introduced me to a woman who had come to the game looking for a partner. After the introductions, she said very proudly "I play SAYC!" I replied "Good, then you play Jacoby 2NT." She said 'What's that?"

I played with her for two and a half years. She never did learn J2NT.

You'll be shocked how many people don't know that J2NT is part of SAYC.

Also there are countless players on BBO who say they play SAYC when they mean 5 card majors/transfers/and 2/1 isn't GF.

I rarely assume that anyone who doesn't list J2N plays it unless they are North American and list 2/1 and a few associated conventions.

[bucky]

J2N is a tall order. Instead, try Jxfer after 1NT opening, you'll be surprised how many times it gets passed, or opener bids 2NT with 2-card support.

[pooltuna]

neilkaz, on Sep 17 2010, 01:57 PM, said:

blackshoe, on Sep 17 2010, 01:37 PM, said:

Heh. Several years ago, a local director introduced me to a woman who had come to the game looking for a partner. After the introductions, she said very proudly "I play SAYC!" I replied "Good, then you play Jacoby 2NT." She said 'What's that?"

I played with her for two and a half years. She never did learn J2NT.

You'll be shocked how many people don't know that J2NT is part of SAYC.

Also there are countless players on BBO who say they play SAYC when they mean 5 card majors/transfers/and 2/1 isn't GF.

I rarely assume that anyone who doesn't list J2N plays it unless they are North American and list 2/1 and a few associated conventions.

The problem with using J2NT is not the call itself but the different varieties of followups which have come into existence

[bucky]

pooltuna, on Sep 17 2010, 02:11 PM, said:

The problem with using J2NT is not the call itself but the different varieties of followups which have come into existence

Well, that is a 2nd-order problem.

The 1st-order problem is that many just don't know J2NT being forcing raise. But of course the problem doesn't stop there. Playing 2NT as natural (without realizing it is non-SAYC), there is no clue on the strength. Is it game-forcing or invitational? Your guess is as good as (actually probably better than) mine.

[W Kovacs]

I wouldn't assume anyone knows Michaels, either.

http://forums.bridge...showtopic=41098

I made that thread after a partner passed out my Michaels cuebid. I didn't fare too well

[manudude03]

All you can really assume is that 1NT is 15-17 and 2C is "strong". I've been passed in transfers, michaels, U2NT (with big double fit), cuebids etc. And then I had a rather curious case where partner pre-empted 3S then showed 2 key cards with the Q. The problem? I had 4 key cards in my own hand!

http://forums.bridgebase.com/index.php?sho...3&hl=impossible
the memories

I was kibitzing a friend earlier, his pickup partner (rated advanced) holds something like Axxx Qx AKQx xxx and chose to open 1♦, they landed in 2♠ and then this convo takes place (paraphrasing):

Friend: What do your 1NT openings show?
Partner: 15-17 balanced.
Friend: And what have you got?
Partner: Unbalanced.


And of course the partner then goes on to suggest that the friend bids 1N after 1D-1H-1S despite 4 card support for spades on the basis of the club stopper.

[mgoetze]

I would also like to point out that on BBO, "Standard American" or "SAYC" generally means "better minor", i.e. if you have 3-3 in or 4-4 in minors you open the one with better honors. I mention this because at one real-life club close to where I live (Germany), people proudly announcing "Standard American" at the beginning of the round are trying to telling you that their 1♦ opening promises 4, and clubs could be short.

In general, a glance at partner's profile can give you a quick estimate of what they play. If it happens to mention Stayman and Transfers, they probably don't play any other conventions. If you see a French flag, they are likely playing SEF, and if you see a Polish flag with "wj" in the description they probably know Polish Club, however some of them will nevertheless make an effort to play "SAYC" if playing with a non-Polish partner. Needless to say, it's best to try and discuss at least some essentials.

With partners from western Europe you must be aware that they might play "Benjamin", wherein a 2♣ opening is strong, but a 2♦ opening is even stronger.

Anyway, my policy is to always try to establish a basic system via chat (nothing fancy, just "2/1" or "wj odw 4455"), and if that doesn't work and it's not obvious from partner's profile what system (s)he plays, to look for another table.

[kaltstart]

I think that gurgistan´s overview of conventions which can be expected to be used in the main room is quite complete. I don´t see many problems with transfers over 1nt openers (1nt overcalls are maybe a different story). The bigger problem I see is that the 1nt opener is often rather 15-19, and can be unbalanced (just check the movie a few times).

However I´d like to add to be careful if in your partner´s profile you only see 0314 or 1430 without "rkcb" or the like. They expect only the answer for aces and get upset if you answer key cards. Besides, many, maybe even the vast majority use 4nt as "always blackwood", and also get upset if you pass it with minimum and you thought it´s quantitative.

Michael´s cue bid can be tricky if opponents open 1♣. Many French and Polish players for example use 2♦ for the majors.

[peachy]

You could post a convention card, the BBO Basic or the BBO 2/1. Or modify one of those and add and remove stuff you want/don't want.

It takes a while to find friends and compatible partners to play with, everybody has been in your shoes

[Bensdad]

Thank you very much Gurgistan, I now have a chance.

I am amazed that the slam convention generally in use is Roman Key-card Blackwood, please can anyone else confirm this, I played high level bridge in the UK for 15 years, and barely encountered anyone who played it.

[wank]

Bensdad, on Sep 19 2010, 02:16 AM, said:

Roman Key-card Blackwood

I played high level bridge in the UK for 15 years, and barely encountered anyone who played it.

to put it bluntly, the people you were playing against evidently weren't as high level as you think.

everyone even vaguely near the top in the uk (and i expect everywhere else) plays it and have done for the past 20 years

[RMB1]

wank, on Sep 19 2010, 08:36 AM, said:

Bensdad, on Sep 19 2010, 02:16 AM, said:

Roman Key-card Blackwood

I played high level bridge in the UK for 15 years, and barely encountered anyone who played it.

to put it bluntly, the people you were playing against evidently weren't as high level as you think.

everyone even vaguely near the top in the uk (and i expect everywhere else) plays it and have done for the past 20 years

He doesn't say which 15 years could be 1970-1985.

But in the last 20 years RKCB has been the fashion amongst the top club players in the south of England, with 50% or so playing 40/31.

[gordontd]

Bensdad, on Sep 19 2010, 08:16 AM, said:

I am amazed that the slam convention generally in use is Roman Key-card Blackwood, please can anyone else confirm this, I played high level bridge in the UK for 15 years, and barely encountered anyone who played it.

Were you playing duplicate or rubber bridge?

[pooltuna]

Bensdad, on Sep 19 2010, 02:16 AM, said:

Thank you very much Gurgistan, I now have a chance.

I am amazed that the slam convention generally in use is Roman Key-card Blackwood, please can anyone else confirm this, I played high level bridge in the UK for 15 years, and barely encountered anyone who played it.

it is common to also chat to the table "0314? pard" or "1430? pard" or to check partners profile for something akin to 0314 or 1430