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Standard American Yellow Card (SAYC)
The objective of the Yellow Card is to provide a simple, common, modern framework for new partnerships. SAYC is not a 2/1 Game Forcing system, but it does employ 5-card majors and a few artificial bids. However, for the most part, SAYC is a natural system, fairly close to the simple style played by thousands of Club players around the country. This write-up is for the benefit of those Wednesday Gamers who prefer a simpler system, one without the added complications of Forcing No Trump, 2/1, and the like.
Throughout this explanation of SAYC, you will see some links to other articles in the System Library ... please be warned some of the content in these articles is "non-SAYC", if you want just the SAYC-approved content, then you must limit yourself to the following article and not follow the links.
General Approach
5-card majors in all seats Open 1♦ with 4-4 in the minors Open 1♣ with 3-3 in the minors No Trump openings show balanced hands (may have a 5-card suit): 1NT 15-17 2NT 20-21 3NT 25-27 2♣ is artificial and strong 2♦, 2♥ and 2♠ openings are weak
After 1NT Opening
Opener bids 2♥ with 4-4 in the majors If Responder rebids 3♣ or 3♦ he has slam interest and at least 5 cards in the bid suit 2♦ transfers to Hearts 2♥ transfers to Spades 1NT 2♦, 3♥ shows 17 HCPs and 4-card support for Hearts 1NT 2♦, 2♥ 2NT is invitational with 5 Hearts 1NT 2♦, 2♥ 3♥ is invitational with 6+ Hearts 1NT 2♦, 2♥ 3NT offer a choice between 3NT and 4♥ 1NT 2♠: Requires Opener to bid 3♣ Responder passes with Club bust, bids 3♦ with Diamond bust (Opener must pass) Gerber: 1NT 4♣ is Ace-asking (now 4♦ is 0 or 4, 4♥ is 1, 4♠ is 2, 4NT is 3) 1NT 4♣, 4x 5♣ is King asking (similar responses) Gerber is also used over any 1NT or 2NT bid, including rebids. Other responses: 1NT 3♣ and 1NT 3♦ show at least 6-card suit and are invitational to 3NT 1NT 3♥ and 1NT 3♠ show at least 6-card suit and slam interest 1NT 4NT is invitational to 6NT (not Ace-asking) After they Double 1NT: All conventional responses are still “on” (1NT Dbl 2♣ is Stayman, for example) If they bid over 1NT, then conventional bids are “off”, and bids are natural, except for cue-bids which are used as Stayman, with game-forcing strength. After they Double a Jacoby Transfer: 1NT Pass 2♦ Dbl, 2♥ says “I have a 3+ of your Hearts” 1NT Pass 2♦ Dbl, Pass says “I have only 2 of your Hearts”
After a 2NT or 3NT Opening
Stayman, Jacoby Transfers, and Gerber are all used. 2NT 4NT is invitational to 6NT (not Ace-asking)
Openings of One of a Major
Openings of 1♥ or 1♠ show 5 or more in the suit.
After a 1♥ opening: 1♠ shows at least 4 Spades, 6 or more points, tends to deny a Heart fit. 1NT shows 6-10 points, denies 4 Spades and 3 Hearts, not forcing. 2♣ and 2♦ show 11+ points, at least 4 cards in the bid suit 2♥ shows 3+ Heart, 6-10 dummy points 2NT is a game-forcing raise (Jacoby 2NT) with 13+ dummy points … Opener is expected to show a short suit to help Responder evaluate slam prospects. 2♠, 3♣, 3♦ are strong jump shifts, natural with slam interest. 3♥ is a limit raise, 3+ Hearts with 10-12 dummy points. 3NT is 15-17, balanced, with 2-card support for Partner.
Opener’s rebids are natural and standard: With a minimum hand (13-16), Opener makes a minimum-level rebid. With a medium (17-18), Opener jump raises Partner, or jump rebids his own suit, or bids a new suit (may be a strength-showing reverse or a wide range non-reverse) With a maximum hand (19-22), Opener makes a double jump raise of his suit or Partner’s suit, or jumps in No Trump, or makes a jump shift in a new suit.
Subsequent bidding by Responder – sample auctions: 1♥ 1♠, 2♣: Responder may pass, or bid 2♥ or 2♠ with 6-10 points. Responder bids 2NT or 3♥ or 3♠ to invite game. If Responder bids 2♦ this is forcing for 1 round, may be conventional. 1♥ 1♠, 1NT: 2♣ and 2♦ are non-forcing 3♣ and 3♦ are forcing to game 1♣ 1♥, 1NT: 2♠ is a reverse and is game-forcing. 1♠ 2♣, 2♥: Pass is not permitted Responder may invite to game with 2NT, 3♣, 3♥ Responder bids 2♠ to give preference (minimum hand, 2 Spades) If Responder bids 3♠, this is forcing to game.
Opening of One of a Minor
An opening 1♦ bid is usually at last 4 cards long, the one exception being 4-4-3-2.
Bidding after a 1♣ or 1♦ opening follows the “up-the-line” principle.
No Trump responses: 1♣ 2NT is 13-15, forcing to game. 1♣ 3NT is 16-17
There is no forcing minor suit raise.
Two Club Openings
The 2♣ opening shows 22+ points or the playing equivalent.
Responses to 2♣: 2♦ is a waiting bid (could be a good hand unsuitable for another bid) 2♥, 2♠, 3♣, 3♦ are natural, game-forcing, at least a 5-card suit and 8 points. 2NT is a balanced 8 points.
If Opener rebids 2NT he shows 22-24 points After 2♣ 2♦, 2NT, same system as for 2NT opening bid (Stayman, Jacoby, Gerber)
If Opener rebids a suit after 2♣ 2♦, auction is forcing to 3 of Opener’s major, or 4 of Opener’s minor (2♣ 2♦, 2♥ 2♠, 3♥ is non-forcing)
Weak Two Openings
Opening bids of 2♦, 2♥, and 2♠ show 6-card suit of reasonable quality, 5-11 points.
A 2NT response is forcing, showing game interest (also applies in competition): Opener rebids his suit with a weak hand (5-8) With a stronger hand, Opener bids a new suit to show a feature (Ace or King) With a stronger hand, but no feature, Opener bids 3NT.
A simple raise, such as 2♥ 3♥, is preemptive.
A new suit by Responder is forcing for one round, and shows at least a 5-card suit. After a new suit response, Opener does one of the following: Opener should raise Partner’s major with a 3-card fit, or perhaps a doubleton honor. With a minimum (5-8), Opener rebids his suit at the lowest level With a maximum, Opener names a new suit or bids No Trump.
Slam Bidding
Blackwood 4NT is used to ask for Aces (5♣ for 0 or 4, 5♦ for 1, 5♥ for 2, 5♠ for 3)
After Blackwood 4NT response, 5NT is used to ask for Kings (with the same schema of responses). Asking for Kings guarantees that all the Aces are held by the partnership.
A jump to 5NT is the “Grand Slam Force”, to which the responses are: 6 of the trump suit, with fewer than two top trump honors (A, K, Q) 7 of the trump suit , with two top trump honors.
Defensive Bidding
Overcalls show 8-16 points (with stronger hand, Double, then bid the long suit). Opposite an overcall, the only forcing bid is a cue-bid in their suit. (1♦) 1♠ (Pass) 2♦: Now, 2♠ is a minimum overcall Other bids show extra strength (at least 11 or 12)
A 1NT overcall is 15-18 points, balanced, preferably with a stopper in their suit. After a 1NT overcall, the only conventional bid is 2♣, which is Stayman.
A jump overcall of 2NT is the Unusual No Trump, showing the two lower unbid suits (for example, 1♦ 2NT shows Clubs and Hearts).
Jump overcalls are preemptive: 1♦ 2♠ shows the same values as a Weak Two opening in Spades. 1♦ 3♠ shows the same as a 3♠ opening bid.
When the opponents have bid two suits, bidding one of their suits is natural: (1♣) Pass (1♠) 2♣: Shows Clubs When the opponents have bid one suit, the cue-bid is Michaels: (1♦) 2♦: Shows at least 5 cards in both majors, at least 8 points (1♠) 2♠: Shows at least 5-5 in Hearts and a minor, at least 10 points. (1♠) 2♠ (Pass) 2NT: Asks for Partner’s minor.
Reopening bids are similar to direct seat bids, though they may be made with fewer points. A reopening 1NT shows 10-15 points, for example (1♦) Pass (Pass) 1NT.
A Double is for take-out over an opening suit bid of 4♦ or lower, and for penalty if the opening bid is 4♥ or higher. A jump response to a take-out Double is invitational, as in: (1♦) Dbl (Pass) 2♠.
A cue-bid of a preempt is Michaels.
Competitive Bidding
Cuebidding right-hand opponent’s suit shows values for game (usually has a fit, but not guaranteed) as in: 1♠ (2♣) 3♣.
The Negative Double is on through 2♠: 1♣ (1♦) Dbl: At least 4-4 in the minors 1♦ (1♥) Dbl: Exactly 4 Spades (1♠ promises 5) 1♦ (1♠) Dbl: 4 Hearts and 6+ points, or 5 Hearts and 5-10 points 1♦ (1♠) 2♥: 5 Hearts, 11+ points.
After they make a take-out Double: 1♦ (Dbl) 1♥: Forcing, unlimited in point count 1♦ (Dbl) 2♣: Non-forcing, 6-10 points, usually a 6-card suit 1♦ (Dbl) 2NT: Limit raise or better (10+), should not have 4-card major 1♦ (Dbl) Rdbl: 10+ points, preferably without another descriptive bid 1♦ (Dbl) 3♦: Preemptive, good Diamond support, less than 10 points. 1♦ (Dbl) 2♠: Like a Weak Two bid
Meanings for a Redouble: 4♠ (Dbl) Rdbl: At the 4-level or higher, the Redouble is for penalty. 1NT (Pass) 2♦ (Dbl) Rdbl: If the Double is of an artificial bid, then the Redouble is for Penalty (shows a good Diamond suit) 1♦ (Pass) Pass (Dbl) Pass (Pass) Rdbl: If we are doubled for penalty in a trump suit at the 3-level or lower, the Redouble is SOS, Responder can support at least two of the other suits.
Unless noted otherwise, any bid or Double by the opponents cancels a convention intended for non-competitive sequences. For example: 1♥ (2♠) 2NT: Natural (12-14 points) 2♣ (Dbl) 2♦: Natural and positive
Against Michaels and the Unusual No Trump: 1♠ (2♠) 3♥: Cue-bid of one of their known suits is a game-force 1♠ (2♠) Dbl: At least 10 points, usually balanced
Defensive Carding
Defensive carding, when following suit or discarding are “high encourages, low discourages”.
Leads are top of touching honors (with choices for AKx and interior sequences, see below).
SAYC offers choices in the following areas of carding: Which card to lead from AKx Which card to lead from xxx, xxx, xxxxx Whether 4th best, or 3rd and 5th best, leads are used Whether 3rd best is led from KJTx, KT9x, QT9x (and AJTx or AT9x against NT) Whether or not frequent count signals are given.
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