Bidding Convention for Bridge

[ Openings | Overcalls | Over T.O. Double | Initial Response | Response to 1 or 2 NT |
Stayman Response | Opening Lead | Discards | Special Conventions | ]


Openings

0 - 10 6C and void or
7C+ suit not vulnerable
NO 4C+ major		 3 Suit, No rebid
6C and void or
7C+ suit not vulnerable
4C+ major		 1 Suit, Rebid Major
6 - 11 6C Suit (D,H,S)
2 of top 3 Honors 		2 Suit, Rebid -only- on partners request
12 - 15 5C Major no
other 4C suit 		1 Suit then 1 NT or support
No 5C Minor and
4C Major 		1 best minor, then major
No 4C Major and
No 5C Minor 		1 best minor, then 1 NT
No 4C Major and
5C+ Minor 		1 Minor, then rebid minor
6C Major 1 Major, then rebid Major
7C+ Suit
No 4C+ Major
Vulnerable		 3 Suit
7C+ Suit
4C+ Major
Vulnerable		 1 Suit, rebid major
5C+ Major and 5C+ Minor 1 Major, then bid Minor
15 - 18 NO void or singleton
NO Doubleton less than Kx
NO 5C Major
NO 6C Minor		 1 N.T.
Same dist. as 12 - 15 Same as 12 - 15, Jump in suit or partners suit
19 - 20 Same as 12 - 15 Same as 12 - 15, Jump into new suit on rebid
20+ 5C+ Suit 2 Clubs then Suit (Alert bid)
21 - 23 4,3,3,3 or 4,4,3,2
No 5C Major
No 5C Minor		 2 N.T.
24+ Same as 21 - 23 3 N.T.

Overcalls

7 - 11 5C-6C Suit, not
6C+ & 2/3 Honors		 Bid your suit at next level
6C+ Suit, 2/top 3
or 7C+ suit		 Jump overcall
12 - 18 2 - 5C+ Suits 2 N.T. (Alert bid)
No 5C+ Suit Double - Note: Double over Pre-Empt. is optional
No void or singleton
No doubleton less than Kx
No 5C+ suit		 N.T. overcall at 1 level only
5C+ Suit Suit at next level, then jump if 15-18
No 5C+ Suit
not N.T. layout		 Double
19+ HCP Any layout Cue bid openers suit

Do not change partner's overcall suit without 6C+ suit
containing 3 of top 5 honors and void or near void in
partner's overcall suit!

Over T.O. Doubles

Partner in suit bid:

0 - 5 No 6C+ suit Pass
6C+ suit Jump in your suit
6 - 9 Suit support Bid partner's opening suit
5C+ suit and no support Bid your suit at next level
10+ Any holding Re-Double
12 - 15 Suit support 2 N.T. (Jacoby) *1 (Special convention)

Partner 1 N.T. opening:

0 - 7 No 6C Suit Pass
6C+ Suit Bid suit at next level (unless clubs, then
2Club, 3Club Drop)
8+ HCP Any layout Proceed as if no T.O. double

Initial Responses

Partner opens 1 in Minor:

0 - 5 4C+ Support Pass
No 4C+ Support
4C+ Major		 1 Major
No 4C+ Support
No 4C+ Major		 1 N.T.
6 - 10 No 5C Minor
No 4C Major		 1 N.T.
5C+ Support and
No 4C+ Major		 2 in Suit
4C+ Major 1 Major then 1 NT or support/pass
5C+ Major 1 Major then rebid major if 10HCP
5C+ Minor 1D over 1C, 2C over 1C, 2D over 1D
2C over 1D if 10HCP
11 No 4C Major
No 5C Support		 2 N.T.
12 - 18 5C+ Major 1 Suit then jump in suit on rebid
5C+ Minor Jump if opening suit, follow rules for 6-10HCP
then jump on second bid, consider 3 N.T.
12 - 18 No 4C+ Major
No 5C+ Support		 3 N.T.
19+ Any Go Bananas

Partner opens 1 in Major:

0 - 5 Any Pass
6 - 10 3C+ Support 2 Suit
6 - 11 4C+ other major
No 3C support		 1 your Suit if possible
2 your suit if 10+HCP or 1 N.T.
No 3C support
No 4C Major
Any 5C+ Minor		 2 Suit if 10+ or 1 N.T.
11 3C+ Support 3 Suit
12 - 15 3C+ Support 2 N.T. (Jacoby) *1 (Special convention)
16 - 18 3C+ Support 4 Suit
4C+ Suit
No 3C+ support		 1 or 2 your suit, jump in suit or N.T.
19+ Any Go Bananas

Partner opens 2 Clubs:

Less than 8 Any 2D
8+ 4C+ Major 2 Major
No 4C+ Major
No 5C+ Minor		 2 N.T.
No 4C+ Major
5C+ Minor		 3 in Minor
6C+ Suit Jump in your suit

Partner opens 2 D,H,S:

Less than 12 Any Pass
13 - 15 2C Support 4 if Major, 3 if Minor suit
NO Support 2 N.T.
16 - 18 2C Support 4 if Major, 5 if Minor suit
NO 2C Support Consider 3 N.T. or 4 if Major
19+ Any Go Bananas

Response to 1 or 2 N.T. Opening/Overcall

For 1 NT

Less than 7 No 4C+ Major or
6C+ Minor		 Pass
8 No 4C+ Major or
6C+ Minor		 2 N.T.
9 - 14 No 4C+ Major or
6C+ Minor		 3 N.T.
15+ No 4C+ Major or
6C+ Minor		 4 N.T. (Gerber)

Note: Over 1 NT & 2 NT, Gerber only if direct immediate jump response.

For 2 NT

Less than 4 No 5C suit Pass
Less than 8 5C+ Major 2 in suit lower (Jacoby Transfer)
6C+ Minor 2 suit, 3 suit
8 - 12 6 C+ Major 4 in suit lower (Jacoby Transfer)
6C+ Minor, No
4C Major		 3 N.T.
2 5C+ Minors 2D then 3C
4 or 5C Major
No 6C+ Minor		 Stayman, 4 Suit agreement, 3 NT on no agreement
13+ 6C+ Major 3H, 3S - No Jacoby
6C+ Minor
No 4C+ Major		 3C, 3D
4C+ Major Stayman, then 3D cue bid

Note: Over 1 NT & 2 NT, Gerber only if direct immediate jump response.

Stayman Responses

One No Trump opening Responder bids 2C (artificial)

  • Responder guarantees:
    • Over 1 NT: 1 or 2 4C+ Majors, 8+ HCP
    • Over 2 NT: 1 or 2 4C+ Majors, 4+ HCP
  • Opener replies:
    • 2D = No 4C Major
    • 2H = 4C Hart suit or 4C in both Harts and Spades
    • 2S = 4C Spade suit and no 4C hart suit
  • Responder bids:
    • If match occurs, bid suit or cue bid:
      • 3 level if 8 or 9 HCP
      • 4 level if 10 to 12 HCP
      • 3D (*2 - Special Convention) if 13+ HCP, other major if 5C+
    • 2 NT if no match and 8 or 9 HCP
    • 3 NT if no match and 10 to 14 HCP
  • Opener knows by inference that NT by responder certifies other major suit and will place bid if he has both majors

Opening Lead

Opening leads:

  • Against NT
    • Indicator lead in partners suit if he bid
    • Fourth from top unless sequience exists
    • Top of sequence
  • Against suit (no partnership suit bids) - Indicator leads
    • 2,3,4 indicates honor (not Ace) is held
    • 5 is maybee card
    • 6,7,8,9,10 indicates no honor held (8,9,10 suspect singlton)
    • Honor = top of sequence (at least two) or singleton
    • K lead = have Ace Queen or singleton
  • Against suit (partner has bid)
    • Lead highest in partners suit
  • General rules
    • Lead Ace from Ace King doubleton
    • Lead King then Ace from AK+
    • Do not lead from doubleton unless AK or partners bid suit
    • Do not lead from 3 card suit headed by Q unless partner's bit suit

Discards

Discards:

  • On partner's opening lead, low discard suggests new suit, high discard suggests continuation of suit
  • Lavinthal Discards On first opportunity, player discards suit least wanted returned, low card suggests lowest non-trump, high card suggests highest non-trump suit
  • When leading to partner's trump-in situation, low card suggests return lowest non-trump suit, high card suggests highest non-trump suit

Special Conventions (Alert Bids)

Special Conventions

  • *1 - Cue bid over partner's T/O double denotes Opening Hand
  • *2 - 3D after Stayman responses to 1 NT opening or overcall denotes:
    • Responder - Suit agreement and 13 pts (with distribution)
    • Opener - Suit agreement and 17 or 18 pts.
  • Grand Slam Force (Jump to 5 NT or 6C (Alert)). Partner bids:
    • 6 in agreed suit with 1/3 top honors
    • 7 in agreed suit with 2/3 top honors
  • *3 - DOPI - Over interference bid during Blackwood or Gerber, partner bids:
    • Double with zero Aces
    • Pass with one Ace
    • Next suit with two Aces
    • Skip one suit with three Aces
    • Skip two suits with four Aces