Opening Bids
| Bid | Description |
|---|---|
| 1 club | 11-14 points, no 5 card suit - asks for partner to bid longest suit.
1 diamond is a negative response - no 5 card suit & less than 6 points. |
| 1 diamond | 11-14 points 5+ clubs or diamonds. Partner bids 1NT to ask for suit |
| 1 heart | 11-14 points 5+ hearts |
| 1 spade | 11-14 points 5+ spades |
| 1NT | 12 - 14 HCP no singletons or voids |
| 2 clubs | 15-19 points, artificial, demand |
| 2 diamonds | 20 - 24 points, artificial, demand |
| 2 hearts/spades | 15-19 points, 6 card suit, forcing |
| 2 NT | 11-14 points 7 card suit. Partner bids 3 clubs to ask for suit. |
| 3 clubs | 5-4 distribution in clubs and diamonds with 15-19 points. Partner picks best suit. |
| 3 diamonds | 5-4 distribution in red suits or black suits with 15-19 points. Responder bids 3 hearts to ask for suits. Opener then bids 3 spades for black suits and 3 NT for red suits. Responder picks the suit that is best. |
| 3 hearts | 5-4 distribution in hearts and spades with 15-19 points. Partner picks best suit. |
| 3 spades | 5-4 distribution in clubs and hearts or diamonds and spades with 15-19 points. Responder bids 3 NT to ask for suits. Opener then bids 4 clubs for clubs and hearts and 4diamonds for diamonds and spades. Responder picks the suit that is best. |
| 3 NT | 26 HCP, no singletons or voids, forcing |
| 4 clubs/diamonds/hearts/spades | preemptives, 8+ card suit, 11-14 points |
Bids after 1NT opening
| Bid | Description |
|---|---|
| pass | less than 7 points or less than 12 and suit response impossible |
| 2 clubs | Stayman - 4+ card suits in both majors |
| 2 diamonds | Jacoby Transfer to hearts - 5 card suit |
| 2 hearts | Jacoby Transfer to spades - 5 card suit |
| 2 spades | Minor Suit Stayman - 4+ card suits in both minors |
| 2 NT | Jacoby Transfer to clubs - 5 card suit |
| 3 clubs | Jacoby Transfer to diamonds - 5 card suit |
| 3 diamonds/hearts/spades | 6 card suit - minimum of 9 points |
| 3 NT | 12-14 HCP, no singletons or voids |
2 clubs Opening Structure
| Responses | Description |
|---|---|
| 2 diamonds | 0-6 points |
| 2 hearts | 7-10 points |
| 2 spades | 11-14 points |
| 2 NT | 15 + points |
After responder has indicated points opener may ask for responder's longest suit by bidding the next suit. Example: If responder bids 2 hearts indicating 7-10 points opener would bid 2 spades to ask for responder's longest suit. Responder may not name a 4 card suit. If responder has no 5+ card suit then he bids the lowest available NT. If responder has a good (6+ HCP in suit) 6 card suit he bids at the four level. If opener has a 5 card suit of his own he may bid it without asking responder for his suit.
2 diamonds Opening Structure
| Bid | Description |
|---|---|
| 2 hearts | 0-6 points |
| 2 spades | 7-10 points |
| 2 NT | 11-14 points |
| 3 clubs | 15 + points |
After responder has indicated points opener may ask for responder's longest suit by bidding the next suit. Example: If responder bids 2 hearts indicating 0-6 points opener would bid 2 spades to ask for responder's longest suit. Responder may not name a 4 card suit. If responder has no 5+ card suit then he bids the lowest available NT. If responder has a good (6+ HCP in suit) 6 card suit he bids at the four level.
Counting Your Points
A-4, K-3, Q-2, J-1 Subtract one point if the honor is not guarded.
Void-5, Singleton-3, Doubleton-1
As responder, add one point for each trump you have over 3.
Raising your Partner
If you have 3 cards with an honor or 4 cards in suit of partner's bid, you raise.
From a bid of 1 you raise to…
2 with 6-9 points
3 with 10-12 points
4 with 13-15 points
5 with 16-18 points
6 with 19-21 points
7 with 22+ points
Contracts and points required
2 in a suit 17
2NT 21
3 in a suit 21
3NT 26
4 in a suit 26
Game Forcing Raise
A bid of 2NT following a 1H or 1S opening shows game values and support in opener's suit.
Negative Response
A bid of NT at the same level as a previous suit bid by opener indicates at least 10 points but no support in opener's suit.
Jump Shifts:
With 15-19 points and a six card suit you jump shift even if you have support for your opener if your suit is a major and opener bid a minor.
If opener bid a major and you have a minor you jump shift with a singleton or void in openers suit. If you have a doubleton it is a judgment call.
Examples of jump shifts:
1D - 2S
1S - 3C
Opener may raise the shifter to 4 with two in the responder's trump suit. With three you can raise to 5 if it seems prudent.
3NT should also be a consideration. Say you open 1H and responder bids 3C. You have 1 club in your hand but have diamonds and spades stopped in addition to hearts - you bid 3NT.
Any time there is a jump shift the potential for slam exists. If opener has 14 points, the upper limit for a 1 bid, then at his discretion he can bid 4NT to initiate Blackwood and start exploring slam.
Stayman
When opener bids 1 NT...
If responder has at least 4 cards in both hearts and spades with at least one honor, he bids 2 clubs (If you wish to play in clubs, bid 2 NT).
If opener has 4 hearts and maybe 4 spades, he bids 2 hearts.
If opener has 4 spades but not 4 hearts, he bids 2 spades.
If opener does not have 4 cards in hearts or spades, he bids 2 diamonds.
Minor Suit Stayman
When opener bids 1 NT…
If responder has at least four cards in both clubs and diamonds then he bids 2 spades.
Opener then bids 3 clubs or 3 diamonds with a four card suit.
If opener has no four card minor then he bids 2 NT.
Blackwood
Used for slam bidding. Partner bids 4 NT asking for aces. 5 NT asks for kings.
ACES KINGS
5 clubs 0 or 4 6 clubs 0 or 4
5 diamonds 1 6 diamond 1
5 hearts 2 6 hearts 2
5 spades 3 6 spades 3
Cue Bids
They occur once a suit has been chosen (also used after Jacoby Transfers) and show first round controls (ace or void).
If rebid they show second round controls (king or singleton.)
Any double of 2C asks for points.
Defense to preempt 3 bids
Following a pre-empt (3 bid) bid by opponents, you can bid 3NT to show even distribution and 18 or more points. This is a demand bid that asks for partner to bid his suit.
Michaels
With 5-4 distribution and at least 10+ points you rebid the opponents opening suit as follows...
If they open with a minor and you rebid it that indicates both majors.
If they open a major and you rebid it that indicates the other major and an unspecified minor.
Slightly more points and at least 5/5 length is recommended if vulnerable.
Brozel
After opponent bids 1NT...
2 suited hands
(These bids indicate at a minimum a 5 card suit and a 4 card suit and 11 points).
2C clubs and hearts (becomes 3 clubs if the partner responds at 2 level)
2D diamonds and hearts
2H hearts and spades
2S spades and a minor
2NT both minors
Single suited hands
(Requirers at least 11 points.)
If you have a single suit, double your opponent's bid.
Your partner asks for your suit by bidding 2 clubs.
Voids
(a.k.a. 3 suited hands with even distribution - 14 points minimum.)
Bid 3 of the suit in which you are void.
This bid DEMANDS a response.
Developed by Will Aubrey Copyright 2002