Bridge Trading System

Bridge trading system - a set of request values accepted by a pair for the legal exchange of information during trading. The purpose of the applications is to describe the card and, ultimately, to appoint the final contract. An application becomes a contract if it is followed by three passes in a row. Thus, any bid in the trade is a potential contract.

In each trading system, each (ideally) possible request of a partner is assigned a certain value, and the system is a conditional language that gives the bridger an idea of the partner's card. The “vocabulary” of trade is limited to 35 different constructive applications, plus pass, counter and counter. The constructive application consists of two components: level 1 to 7 and denomination (club ♣, tambourine ♦ , heart ♥ , peak ♠ or without a trump card)

According to the rules of the game, the agreement of the pair regarding the application must be available to opponents. In a regular club or home game, opponents are given the right, in turn, of an application to ask the partner of an opponent who has made some application about the meaning of this application. In high-level tournaments that are held using screens, the player asks the opponent who is on one side of the screen with him about the value of the bids of both opponents. In addition, it is considered good form to provide opponents with a written statement of their system, the so-called convention card . In some competitions, a convention card is required. In a game over the Internet, the player himself warns his opponents about the possible unnatural value of the order (alerts) and explains its meaning, but the alert and explanation are visible only to opponents.

Content

Classification

Trading systems are divided into two large categories: natural and artificial . In natural systems, most applications, especially at an early stage of trading, indicate the length in the declared suit. In artificial systems, most applications have code values; for example, application 1 ♣ may not mean that the applicant holds a suit of clubs.

Natural systems can play the role of a kind of “language of international communication” for bridglers, although their details may vary. Such a system can be relatively successfully used with an unfamiliar partner. However, players can also agree on some of the nuances of the system, specifying preferred conventions and special agreements.

The classification of systems is based on a range of discovery values. For most modern natural systems, openings ranging from 1 ♣ to 2 ♣ have the same or similar meanings, and openings at level 1 guarantee a certain minimum length in the corresponding suit and do not force. In artificial systems, at least one discovery at level 1 is reserved for special information not related to suit length.

Natural systems

In natural systems, discoveries usually have the following meanings:

Application 1 in a major suit (1 ♥ or 1 ♠) shows at least 4 or 5 cards in that suit, and 1 in a minor (1 ♣ or 1 ♦ ) shows at least 3 or 4 cards in a suit. The onary strength of the hand is usually (11) 12-20 (22) points. Having a choice between two major or two minor, the opener declares a longer suit; with equal length, a higher suit is usually chosen. If the opening 1 ♥ or 1 ♠ promises 5 cards, they say that this is a system with opening from 5 in major, otherwise - from 4 in major. Discoveries from five-card majors imply that a discovery in minor can also be made from three cards (for example, the hand layout can be 4 = 4 = 2 = 3, and then no major contains enough cards to show in the opening).
Application 1BC shows a uniform arm in the narrow limit of onerous force. The usual limits for such a discovery are 15-17 or 16-18 points ("strong without a trump card") and 12-14 points ("weak without a trump card").
Application 2 ♣ usually shows a very strong card (22+ points).
Application 2BC shows a strong uniform hand, usually 20-21 points.
The openings 2 ♦ , 2 ♥ and 2 ♠ are different in different systems. One of the commonly used values is a weak application at the second level, similar to a block. The other is “strong two”, a natural application, showing a very strong hand, stronger than when opening at the first level. Other options that are often used by Russian bridgers in otherwise natural systems are the multi-valued Malti 2 ♦ in combination with the “Polish two-masters” - weak discoveries 2 in major, showing, in addition to the declared major five, a five in a different suit, as well as convention 2 ♦ Wilkosh.

Most Common Natural Systems

Akol, a system with discoveries in four-card major and weak without a trump card. Mostly popular in the UK .
Standard American, initially included major openings from four cards, then openings were accepted with five-card major.
French natural, opening with five-card majors, strong without a trump card.

The development of natural systems sometimes leads to the appearance of unnatural features. Examples: Romex , Boring club , Fantunes, and EHAA (Every Hand An Adventure - Each hand has its own merits).

Artificial Systems

Artificial systems can be divided into:

Systems with strong clubs are the most popular artificial systems, where the opening 1 ♣ shows a strong card, most often from 16 points. Other discoveries in suits on the first level are usually natural, but limited in strength to 15 points. Among Russian bridgers, the most popular system with strong clubs is Accurate clubs , also called “Precision” (from the English name “Precision Club”).

In systems with small clubs, the opening 1 ♣ forces, but is not necessarily strong. It usually includes a certain range of strength in a uniform alignment, some hands with a long club suit and very strong hands. The most famous systems in Russia are Common Language and Polish Standard . Both are of Polish descent, but the first is widespread outside of Poland.
Systems with a strong tambourine are basically similar to systems with a strong club, but the claim 1 ♦ shows a strong discovery, and 1 ♣ is ambiguous, as in systems with a small club. An example of this is the Leghorn diamond system ^[1] , which was played by some leading Italian couples in the 1970s.
Systems with a strong pass are highly artificial and relatively rarely used. In these systems, the initial word pass means a card with opening power (13+ points). Accordingly, weaker hands (8-12) require a constructive application. As a rule, one of the applications of the first level is reserved for showing very weak hands, 0-7 points. In many competitions held by the World Bridge Federation and other bridge organizations, highly artificial systems (HUM systems, from the English highly unusual method ) are forbidden, since it is unrealistic to immediately come up with a satisfactory defense against a highly artificial system that has been carefully prepared by opponents in advance.
Relay systems , also sometimes called captain's systems , include artificial applications that one of the partners makes at the lowest possible level in the lowest denomination, and the other describes in detail the distribution and onerous strength of his hand using codified answers. Such systems are outside the previous classification based on the spectrum of discoveries. Relays are used in further trading. Examples of relay systems: strong-club , strong-pass, and Symmetric relay . The latter is based on Precise Club. Not all relay systems begin with an initial forced pass or forced opening of 1 ♣.

Links

↑ Leghorn Diamond System (unopened) (link not available) . Date of treatment June 27, 2009. Archived February 14, 2009.