Fibonacci Sequence
Most of you are familiar with the Fibonacci sequence, each
number being the sum of the prior two: 1,2,3,5,8,13,21,34...
ultimately leading to a ratio of successive integers
approaching (sqrt(5)+1)/2=1.618034... or if you prefer, its
inverse 0.618034. These numbers uniquely satisfying the
condition of a number being one more (or less) than its
inverse. For some "magical" reason which may always remain
unknown to man, this elegant ratio appears commonly in nature,
from dimensions of leaves and other living organisms, conch
shells to cloud formations, geography, topography, chemistry
and astronomy, and has been viewed as the most aesthetically
pleasing to the eye in many scenarios.
Some relay structures are built around a claim of symmetry,
with a nod to Fibonacci. The truth is messier, partly because
those underlying principles are often in conflict.
This is the start of the Fibonacci series
(1),1,1,2,3,5,8,13,21
To make efficient use of bidding space, Fibonacci advises us
to place a Fibonacci number of hand patterns in each bid box.
Say your 1H opening shows 4+ and denies 4 cards in the other
major. When partner relays with 1S, you use 2C to shows a
balanced hand, of which there are 8. Perfect!
1H 4+H, not 4S
1S 2C balanced
2D 2H 5H --------------------
2S H & D -------
2N 2-4-3-4 | 2-5-3-3
3C 3-4-2-4 2-4-4-3 3-5-2-3
3D 3-4-3-3 3-4-4-2 3-5-3-2
It's easy enough to remember the structure via a step mnemonic
“5 cards, diamonds, clubs-high, clubs-low, square”
While neat, that structure is certainly not “symmetric”.
Bridge players use that term to indicate that the same generic
hand patterns make the same final descriptive bids. The
earlier bids sort out the permutations. With the structure
above, the three 5332s end up at three different spots.
In contrast, here is a sample of a pure symmetric structure,
one used when describing a 5-4 (or 6-4) 2-suiter
1H
1S 2H C>H
2S 2N HS ----------
3C 2-4-2-5 |
3D 3-4-1-5 1-4-3-5
3H 2-4-1-6 1-4-2-6
3S 3-4-0-6 0-4-3-6
HS = high shortage, so short in the higher-ranking side-suit.
Those two 3D bids describe the 5431s with C>H. If the hearts
were longer, one of the earlier bids would be different (2D
instead of 2H) but the end point would be the same.
Add the other five 2-suiters to make 24 5431s in total. With
symmetric, all 24 of those will finish shape-showing at 3D,
whether responding to a strong club, or after a limit opening.
Excellent for memorability. It's also good that a common shape
like 5431 is resolved low down, to leave room for partner to
ask about strength.
Fibonacci might not be impressed. “4 in a line is no good” To
add to that concern, there is a raft of rarer 2-suiters eager
to be tacked on to the end of the lines: 7411, 7420, …, up to
9400 if you really insist.
Compare this group with those common balanced hands, where the
permutations are (more or less) equally likely. This makes it
desirable to resolve them all as low as possible, following
Fibonacci.
With the unbalanced hands, the two 5-4s are 30 times as common
as the two 7-4s, so there's not much value in designing a
Fibonacci structure that would lower the end points. It's
better to tack the rare hands on the end, letting one or more
flow over to 4C if need be. (In the early days, people lumped
7411 in with 5422 as a nod to Fibonacci, though that didn't
achieve anything useful)
With 1-suiters, it's possible to design a symmetric structure
that would also mostly satisfy Fibonacci, if you ignore the 8-
carders.
If 5332s are balanced, 1-suiters show 6+:
1H
1S 2S 6+H, HS -------------------------
2N MS -------------------- |
3C "bal" ------ | "bal" ------
3D 3-6-3-1 | 3-6-1-3 1-6-3-3 |
3H 2-7-3-1 3-6-2-2 2-7-1-3 1-7-2-3 2-6-2-3
3S 3-7-2-1 2-7-7-2 3-7-1-2 1-7-3-2 2-6-3-2
3N 3-7-3-0 3-7-0-3 0-7-3-3
MS = middle shortage, Bal = semi-balanced.
This is mostly symmetric, but not quite. One of the 6322s
spoils it. Easy enough to learn. Basically “The bigger the
number, the higher you bid”
Fibonacci would be happy enough. If we discount the rare
7330s, that leaves 13 shapes, a Fibonacci number.
Roy Kerr, Walter Jones and others were able to combine the two
competing methods to devise structures like this that have
changed little over the years.
(Many pairs treat 5332s as 1-suiters, bidding 3D to show that.
They recover the lost step by concatenating 7-(32)-1 into one
bid.)
Fibonacci tells you what you can and can't do. If responder to
a strong club starts shape-showing at 1H, there are 377 hand
patterns you can describe by 3NT. That's more than enough
space, since most structures aim to show about 300 shapes, by
excluding the super-rare. However, if you start shape-showing
at 1S, there is only room for 233 patterns. (Also, designing a
symmetric structure over a Precision 1D is no fun)
When there is a conflict, symmetry wins out because it's more
memorable. The problem for Fibonacci is that many hand
patterns fall naturally into groups of four, not three. Take
flat hands (no 5-card suit) There are 16 of those, which is a
bad Fibonacci number. 12 x 4432, 4 x 4333.
1.Scud and Relay: When Herbert Negative is received, We go
by Fibonacci rules (we call it Scud Relay) leading to a
bid following ratio of successive integers approaching
1.618034 or its inverse 0.618034.
Therefore, after Herbert Negative, the following relay
comes to effect:
a) Pass/Rebid : 5 cards suit. Minimum hand.
b) 1NT/2C : Balanced Minimum.
c) Support : 3 cards. 4 card Diamond. 5-4 shape.
d) 2NT : Guard in Both other suit. Balanced.
e) 3C : Club 4 cards. 3 card in higher suit
f) 3D : Diamond 4 cards. 3 card in higher suit
The Scud Relay:
a) 2OM= May be artificial with 3 card. Short Minors. Upper hand
b) 2NT= Guard in both Major. Both Minor short. Upper hand
c) 3C/D= 4 card. Rest 2 suit short. Upper hand
Responder after the Scud relay:
a) Pass = To Play. Weak hand.
b) 2OM or Raise = BR suit or 4 card. Upper hand
c) 2NT = Guard in both short suits. Sign Off.
d) 3-Other = Singleton Suit. Upper hand
e) 3NT = To Play.
The Opener’s bid after BR suit: Shape showing::
a) Step 1 = 2-2 in other two suits.
b) Step 2 = 3-1 in other two suits.
c) Step 3 = 2-1 in other two suits.
d) Step 4 = 3-0 hand in other two suits. 6-4 hand.
e) Step 5 = 3-0 hand in other two suits. 7-4 hand.
Rule : “5 cards, diamonds, clubs-high, clubs-low, square”
1H 4+H, not 4S
1S 2C balanced
2D 2H 5H --------------------
2S H & D -------
2N 2-4-3-4 | 2-5-3-3
3C 3-4-2-4 2-4-4-3 3-5-2-3
3D 3-4-3-3 3-4-4-2 3-5-3-2
1H
1S 2H C>H
2S 2N HS ----------
3C 2-4-2-5 |
3D 3-4-1-5 1-4-3-5
3H 2-4-1-6 1-4-2-6
3S 3-4-0-6 0-4-3-6
1H
1S 2S 6+H, HS -------------------------
2N MS -------------------- |
3C "bal" ------ | "bal" ------
3D 3-6-3-1 | 3-6-1-3 1-6-3-3 |
3H 2-7-3-1 3-6-2-2 2-7-1-3 1-7-2-3 2-6-2-3
3S 3-7-2-1 2-7-7-2 3-7-1-2 1-7-3-2 2-6-3-2
3N 3-7-3-0 3-7-0-3 0-7-3-3
