When you play with French friends or at a French bridge club you will find that almost all players will be using a bidding system based on a Strong No Trump (UN SANS ATOUT FORT) of 15 to 17 points and five card majors (MAJEURS CINQUIEMES). This is broadly similar to the Standard American which you will find all over the States.

The French system of bidding is called LE SYSTEME D’ENSEIGNEMENT FRANCAIS (SEF) which can be translated as the French Teaching System.

To open UN SANS ATOUT you need a balanced hand with 15 to 17 points and no five card major. If you have between 12 and 19 points and 5 or more cards in PIQUES or COEURS you will open one of that suit. If you have 12 to 14 points or 18 to 19 points and no five card major you open one in a minor (UN CARREAU or UN TREFLE) you open your better minor. With two four card minors you open one diamond (UN CARREAU) and with two three card minors you open one club (UN TREFLE).

So you have to remember that while an opening bid of one of a major suit shows a holding of five or more cards the opening of one of a minor may be made on a holding of any number of cards in the suit from three upwards.

So what should you do when playing with French friends? You have two choices. Either you announce at the beginning that you are playing English style Acol - UN SANS ATOUT FAIBLE (DOUZE A QUATORZE POINTS) AVEC MAJEURS QUATRIEMES or you do your best to play the French system (SEF). If you decide to play your usual Acol you will probably have more chance of using your French language skills as you try to explain your system!

Finally some good news! Quite a number of bridge expressions are the same in French as in English. Here are a few. CUE –BID , FIT . INTERVENTION, JUMP, MISFIT, SQUEEZE and TOP. But with a French accent they may sound a bit different!