Psychic bid
Encyclopedia
Psychic bid is a bid in contract bridge
that grossly misstates the power and/or suit lengths of one's hand. It is used deliberately to deceive the opponents. Normally, the psychic bid is made with a weak hand, overstating its overall strength, the length and strength in a particular suit, or both. (The noun is occasionally misspelled as psyche, through confusion with Psyche, a character in a myth concerning Venus and Cupid.)
North opens 1 and South can see that game in notrump is probably the best prospect. South might support clubs directly, bid 2NT, or temporize with 1 or 1. But South might instead bid 1, a psych that attempts to talk the opponents out of a diamond lead against 3NT.
Right-hand opponent opens 1. Instead of preempt
ing in diamonds, South can bid 1NT to confuse matters, running to diamonds if doubled. This type of psych is referred to as the comic notrump.
Some psychic bids are so common that they are often referred to as mini-psychs. For example, many would consider a hand such as to be an automatic 1 bid after partner opens 1 and the right-hand opponent doubles for takeout
—it is made in an attempt to talk the opponents out of their likely spade fit, subsequently escaping to 3 if necessary.
but also of its habits. For example, if a partnership tends to psych under certain circumstances, it is much better prepared to recognize a psych, and to cope with it, than are its opponents. The game's Laws and Proprieties therefore require disclosure of the partnership's tendency.
In duplicate bridge
, sponsoring organizations often impose a number of restrictions on psychic bids. For example, psychs of strong artificial opening bids (such as strong two clubs
) are not allowed by the American Contract Bridge League
(ACBL). In addition, if the partner is perceived to have bid abnormally due to taking account of a psych, then the score may be adjusted. Also, if the partnership has an agreement about a "check bid" or psychic control, used to verify the psych, such convention is referred to as a brown sticker
and may be banned from certain levels of competition.
Contract bridge
Contract bridge, usually known simply as bridge, is a trick-taking card game using a standard deck of 52 playing cards played by four players in two competing partnerships with partners sitting opposite each other around a small table...
that grossly misstates the power and/or suit lengths of one's hand. It is used deliberately to deceive the opponents. Normally, the psychic bid is made with a weak hand, overstating its overall strength, the length and strength in a particular suit, or both. (The noun is occasionally misspelled as psyche, through confusion with Psyche, a character in a myth concerning Venus and Cupid.)
Examples
After two successive passes, this hand might be opened with 1 as a psych, trying to stop opponents from reaching a likely game or even slam. Some might open with a 1 psych, to confuse matters further. Of course, there is always a danger that the partner will double the opponents on the basis of opener's presumed strength, or support the psychic opening at too high a level.North opens 1 and South can see that game in notrump is probably the best prospect. South might support clubs directly, bid 2NT, or temporize with 1 or 1. But South might instead bid 1, a psych that attempts to talk the opponents out of a diamond lead against 3NT.
Right-hand opponent opens 1. Instead of preempt
Preempt
Preempt is a bid in contract bridge whose primary objectives are to thwart opponents ability to bid to their best contract, with some safety, and to fully describe one's hand to one's partner in a single bid. A preemptive bid is usually made by jumping, i.e. skipping one or more bidding levels...
ing in diamonds, South can bid 1NT to confuse matters, running to diamonds if doubled. This type of psych is referred to as the comic notrump.
Some psychic bids are so common that they are often referred to as mini-psychs. For example, many would consider a hand such as to be an automatic 1 bid after partner opens 1 and the right-hand opponent doubles for takeout
Takeout double
In the card game bridge, a takeout double is any call of "double" that shows a desire to compete for the contract by further bidding. Many takeout doubles nearly require partner to bid; partner should pass for penalty with an appropriate hand, but that is uncommon...
—it is made in an attempt to talk the opponents out of their likely spade fit, subsequently escaping to 3 if necessary.
Regulations
Per rules of the game, the partner of a player who has psyched must not take advantage of any special knowledge of the partnership's habits. So a partnership that uses occasional psychic bids must take care to ensure full disclosure — not only of its formal bidding systemBidding system
A bidding system in contract bridge is the set of agreements and understandings assigned to calls and sequences of calls used by a partnership, and includes a full description of the meaning of each treatment and convention...
but also of its habits. For example, if a partnership tends to psych under certain circumstances, it is much better prepared to recognize a psych, and to cope with it, than are its opponents. The game's Laws and Proprieties therefore require disclosure of the partnership's tendency.
In duplicate bridge
Duplicate bridge
Duplicate bridge is the most widely used variation of contract bridge in club and tournament play. It is called duplicate because the same bridge deal is played at each table and scoring is based on relative performance...
, sponsoring organizations often impose a number of restrictions on psychic bids. For example, psychs of strong artificial opening bids (such as strong two clubs
Strong two clubs
In most natural bridge bidding systems, the opening bid of 2 is used exclusively for hands too strong for an opening bid at the one-level. Systems that incorporate a strong 2-club opening bid include modern Standard American, standard Acol, 2/1 game forcing and many others...
) are not allowed by the American Contract Bridge League
American Contract Bridge League
The American Contract Bridge League is the largest contract bridge organization in North America. It promotes the game of bridge in the United States, Mexico, Bermuda, and Canada, and is a member of the World Bridge Federation...
(ACBL). In addition, if the partner is perceived to have bid abnormally due to taking account of a psych, then the score may be adjusted. Also, if the partnership has an agreement about a "check bid" or psychic control, used to verify the psych, such convention is referred to as a brown sticker
Brown sticker
Brown sticker is a category of contract bridge conventional agreements defined by the World Bridge Federation .Brown sticker conventions are considered, by some, to be difficult to defend against, and thus are only permitted at the highest levels of tournament play in most locations...
and may be banned from certain levels of competition.