[cybersonix]

Hi: I am learning Bridge using the Learn to Play Bridge (done!) and now Part 2 by ACBL. I also have an ACBL SAYC system summary booklet. This is what the booklet nd the software says about bidding minor oriented hands over 1NT opening.

1NT - 2S (ASKS OPENER TO BID 3C)
3C - PASS (six card clubs and want to play there)

1NT - 2S (ASKS OPENER TO BID 3C)
3C - 3D (six card diamonds and want to play there)

1NT - 3C (six card clubs, invitational strength Opener to pass or bid 3NT)
1NT - 3D (six card diamonds, invitational strength Opener to pass or bid 3NT)

I have a question. Say I have KJXXXX in diamonds, Game forcing hand with 13+ total points where 5D and 3NT are both possible contracts. I want partner to decide after showing him my hand. I want to go by SAYC and not look any further at the moment. What should I do? If you are playing SAYC with a pickup partner online - what would you do?

Thanks,
Shashank.

[Stephen Tu]

To force, you have to bid stayman, then 3 of a minor on the 2nd round.

But with a random pickup partner, there is a rather large danger they will not be familiar with this sequence and will pass you there, as that sequence is sometimes non-forcing in some non-SAYC systems. It may be more practical to just bid an appropriate number of notrump, and gamble that NT is as good a contract as the minor. At matchpoints you usually want to be in nt anyway.

[mycroft]

First, hello and welcome! You've started on a terrific journey, and I think you're doing it in a very sane way.

---
Before we start on your specific case, let's talk about captaincy.

I'm handwaving a lot here, but the basic idea is that when you've described your hand to partner ("limited" it), partner gets to make all the decisions, and/or ask questions you must answer. 1NT is the classic "limiting" bid; your hand is known to within 2 HCP and the shape to basically a card. You can see the captaincy principle in the responses to 1NT: they either place the contract (3NT), force partner to do something so you can place the contract (2♦ and 2♥ transfers), or ask a question (2NT "are you a max?"; 3m "I have a long minor and a card. Can we run the suit?", transfer then NT ("I have 5 of the suit. Do you have 2 or 3?"). Note that (again, handwaving like mad here) you should make the limiting bid, and make your partner captain, if you have an option to do that and it's not totally unreasonable.

Another "basic rule" is that any information you give your partner, you give the opponents. It is much harder, say, to find an opening lead against 1NT-p-3NT than it is if you spend a round or two describing your hand.
---

Now: one thing that players have found (especially at matchpoints, but even at IMPs) is that a) almost never is 5♦ better than 3NT, and b) when it is, it's screamingly obvious. So, in the case you are asking about, by and large, you're going to make the decision, and almost always, you're going to just bid 3NT straight up and not tell anybody about your hand. Partner doesn't need to know (you're captain) and you want the opponents to make a blind lead.

Also, the times when 3NT is bad is when you both have the same short suit without a stopper and you lose 5 tricks in NT and 2 tricks in a trump suit. There is no way to say "partner, if you can stop hearts, we can make 3NT" in SAYC. So you either decide from your hand that it's likely and just bid 5♦ yourself, or blast 3NT and hope either partner does have the stopper or you don't get that lead.

Having said that, your "13+" (high, usually plus shortness) is pushing the territory of *6* diamonds, and that is where you want a "suit set slam try" (as you have in SAYC with 1NT-3♥ or 3♠). There really isn't a way, so you have to guess whether you're going to try for it (giving up the chance to play 3NT) or give up on it. Minor suit slams are hard to bid in any system, not just SAYC. To do it you just have to get your point across. Whether it's round 1 Gerber, or transfer and make some bid you hope partner will get (2♠, then either 4 or 5♦?), is up to you.

That's another basic rule of bridge: No matter what your system, there will be hands that take you past the system. At that point, you have to make some bid that partner may not get, but won't pass, and hopefully will give you useful information.

Again, welcome to this fascinating and wonderful game. I will warn you, it doesn't get any easier - it's just that the problems are at a higher level.

[ggwhiz]

mycroft, on 2016-June-10, 09:42, said:

I will warn you, it doesn't get any easier - it's just that the problems are at a higher level.

Yes. Bob Hamman wrote "If 3nt is one of the possible bids, there are no others" so landing on a dime in 5♦ instead of 3nt needs to be extremely low on your list of priorities. You need at least modest slam aspirations to go that route.

I landed on my head so many times when I started I had a concussion. Don't be afraid to experiment within the SAYC structure and it will lead you to more advanced systems/agreements with a better understanding of why you choose to play whatever.