ACES
SCIENTIFIC
SYSTEM
Mr. Ira Corn of Dallas, Texas, had a goal and that was to reclaim the World Team Championship Title to the United States. With his financial aid, he formed a group of professional bridge experts, purchased a set of computers, and developed the Aces Scientific System.
With the aid of the computers, this group of bridge experts fed almost every conceivable and possible card combination into the computer, and examined and analyzed the result. At the end of this procedure, the Aces Scientific System was born. For every card combination held there were precise bidding standards, even for those situations when the opponents decided to enter the auction with either a call or a bid.
A few examples for a situation in the game of bridge follow. A situation is any call or bid which conveys information.
|
Pass |
= a situation | |
|
1 |
= a situation | |
|
1 |
= a situation | |
|
1 |
= a situation | |
|
1 |
= a situation |
For all of these situations, the computer recommended certain precise and detailed bidding methods. These situations had to be recognized by the bridge players and applied at the correct time, almost scientifically.
Although this system had several strong similarities with Standard American, the deviations are quite noticeable.
Following is a short summary of the Aces Scientific System.
| 1 No Trump | Opening | 15 to 18HCPs | ||
2  and 2  |
Responses | Jacoby Transfers | ||
2  |
Response | promises both Minor suits | ||
3  and 3 |
Responses | weak | ||
| 3 |
Response | mild artificial slam attempt in Clubs | ||
| 3 |
Response | mild artificial slam attempt in Diamonds | ||
| 2 |
Response | Stayman, non-forcing | ||
| 3 |
Responder's rebid after Stayman |
attempt to locate 4-4 Minor suit fit | ||
| 3 |
Responder's rebid after Stayman |
artificial, long Minor suit, slam try | ||
| 3 or 3 |
Responder's rebid after opener rebids Major suit |
4-card support for opener's Major suit, shows a singleton, and slam interest |
||
| 1 or 1 |
Opening | a 5-card Major suit | ||
| 1 No Trump | Response | forcing for one round | ||
| 2 and 2 |
Responses | forcing to game | ||
| Jump Raises | Responses | limit bids | ||
| Forcing Raises * and ** | Responses | shows length, strength, singletons | ||
| Jump Shift in Minor suit | Response | equals 6 Quick Tricks | ||
| 3 No Trump | Opener's rebid | shows stoppers and/or features | ||
| 1 or 1 |
Opening | at least a 3-card suit | ||
| Jump Raises | Response | limit raise | ||
| Jump in other Minor | Response | forcing raise | ||
| Jump Shift in Major suit | Response | 1. a solid suit 2. strong suit for No Trump 3. strong suit with strong support for opener |
||
| 2 |
Opening | strong and artificial | ||
| 2 |
Response | artificial and neutral | ||
| 2 and/or 2 |
Response | natural and good values | ||
| 2 No Trump | Response | deny any Aces, balanced | ||
| 3 No Trump | Response | deny any Aces, balanced, stronger values | ||
| 2 or 2 or 2 |
Opening | Weak Two Bids | ||
| Three Level Openings | Opening | normal Preempts |
* As part of the Aces Scientific System, the method of Unbalanced Swiss Raise was used.
After an opening in a Major suit, the responder has several options for game-forcing raises. A jump response on the Three Level of the other Major suit shows 10 to 12 points with an unidentified singleton. The first response of 3 No Trump promised 13 to 15 points and an unidentified singleton.
The opener uses the cheapest rebid in order to locate the singleton. The responder can follow several step patterns to show his singleton. One step pattern is natural and shows a singleton in the suit responder rebids. A second step pattern is to rebid 3 No Trump to show a singleton in the remaining unbid suit. A third step pattern is to rebid four of the anchor suit to show his singleton.
** Also as part of the Aces Scientific System, the method of Value Swiss Raises was used.
Value Swiss Raises are employed to show a range of forcing balancing raises as responses to an opening of a Major suit. These Value Swiss Raises communicate detailed information such as no singleton, a good 5-card suit, and show either a 4-card support for the opener or a 3-card support with two of the top honors for the opener. The chart below shows the point range.
|
Opener |
Responder |
Range |
|
1 |
1 NT |
Forcing |
|
Rebid |
4 |
12-13 points |
|
|
4 |
12-14 points |
|
|
4 |
14-16 points |
|
|
2 NT strong |
16-18 points |
The Aces Scientific System includes several slam bidding conventions. Among them are the elements of Roman, Blackwood, Gerber, and Super Gerber.
The Aces Scientific System was used with good success, placing among the top three contenders. In 1969, the Aces Team, as it became to be known, won the Spingold Knockout Teams, and in 1970 and 1971 won the Bermuda Bowl for North America. Although the Aces Team continued their success, it sort of gradually dissolved around 1983.
If you wish to include this feature, or any other feature, of the game of bridge in your partnership agreement, then please make certain that the concept is understood by both partners. Be aware whether or not the feature is alertable or not and whether an announcement should or must be made. Check with the governing body and/or the bridge district and/or the bridge unit prior to the game to establish the guidelines applied. Please include the particular feature on your convention card in order that your opponents are also aware of this feature during the bidding process, since this information must be made known to them according to the Laws of Duplicate Contract Bridge. We do not always include the procedure regarding Alerts and/or Announcements, since these regulations are changed and revised during time by the governing body. It is our intention only to present the information as concisely and as accurately as possible.