Standard Bidding with SAYC
by Ned Downey and Ellen Pomer

Master Point Press, ISBN 1-897106-03-3, US$17.95 from www.masterpointpress.com

If you play on the internet, you must have noticed that SAYC (Standard American Yellow Card, see article on pages 48-52 of the February 2006 issue) has established itself as the default on-line system. But what exactly is SAYC? Like Acol and other systems, it has spawned a number of variations over the years. Which unfortunately means that, virtually or otherwise, if you agree SAYC, you are not proof against silly bidding misunderstandings even though you are supposed to be playing the same system. The authors of this book say 'We hope that, after reading this book . . . you will have a much clearer idea of what you have just agreed to play.' And I am happy to be able to report that they are correct: I do.

The book contains twenty chapters covering everything from no-trump openings, to slam bidding, and Leading and Carding. In between, chapters take the reader through responses, opener rebids and so on, plus material on doubles, balancing, reversing and other subjects. In fact, this is much more than just a book about SAYC. It is stuffed full of sound bridge advice which is valid whatever system you play. For example, in the chapter on pre-emption we are told that SAYC employs weak two bids of 2, 2 and 2, and you might have thought that would be enough. But no, the authors give these hands . . .

Hand 1   K Q 10 9 3 2   8 3   Q 7 6 5    4

Hand 2   A K 10 9 5   5 3   J 10 8   Q 9 8

Hand 3   A Q J 8 7 4   Q 8   K 9   Q 8 3

. . . and explain how each should be opened (or not) in first, second, third or fourth seat. In fact many of the topics covered are valid whatever your system: for example, overcalls, negative doubles, reverses. I would have liked to have seen a clearer demarcation between what is SAYC and what is just normal bridge. My only other nitpick is that sometimes a deal is presented at the bottom of a page, with its corresponding text, irritatingly, overleaf.

I was surprised to find that much of SAYC is not that different from Acol. The main differences are the five-card major opening, using Jacoby 2NT when responding to one-of-a-major, and - well, not much else. One thing that stuck in my mind is this hand:

K Q 7 6 5     10 8 4 3     7     9 8 3

Partner opens 1NT (15-17, of course). What's the problem, I hear you ask? Bid Stayman 2. If partner bids two-of-a-major you are happy and if he says 2, just bid 2 as a weak take-out. Aha, but in SAYC you cannot do this because 2 is not 'drop-dead' as played in the UK, but is invitational. One to remember!

Stephen Cashmore

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