| Standard English Foundation Level (English Bridge Union) |
| Standard English Modern Acol (English Bridge Union) |
| SAYC (Standard American Yellow Card) |
| Two-Over-One Game-Forcing |
Over the last few years my interest in bidding systems has deepened
as I have become aware of the shortcomings of many common approaches.
I was convinced I could do better!
But designing a bidding system is not a trivial task by any means.
Nevertheless, after more than a year of putting together ideas,
an observation by my regular partner, Alan Taylor, prompted me to make a significant change
that made all my ideas fit together into a comprehensive and flexible bidding system.
That last element was to put the strength of the opening 1NT bid at
For those of you who really like to keep things simple, here is what I claim as "the world's simplest bidding system". It is simple but not trivial. It is highly suitable for teaching to a casual bridge player. I have played it with my wife when she has visited the club and it has never failed to place us in a sensible contract. Not the best, perhaps, since with no Stayman or transfers you will play 3NT when a major suit might be better, but always sensible and highly playable. The complete description of the system fits on one small web page. When my wife plays the system with me, she has a printed version that (with the opponents' permission) she can refer to when stuck. Being so brief, it doesn't take long to find the right item.
Author: Chris Burton
Gravesend Bridge Club