BIDDING

It is best to use 6-9 HCPs in first and second seat. 

PRE-EMPT BIDS

• Can be done over 1NT 
• Do not bid over another weak hand
• Do not do a pre-empt from 4th seat
• Check to see if the hand meets the Rule of 20, if so open at the 1 level.     

2 LEVEL OPENINGS:

• 6 cards in the suit
• 6-10 HCPs (if more HCPs or strong in other suits, do a normal overcall)
• no void (partnership agreement)
• 2D should not have 4+ cards in either major
• 2H or 2S should not have 4 cards in other major
• Must have 2 of top 4 honours (if J is one must be supported by 10)
• Favourable vulnerability
• If in 1st seat MUST have a good hand (only with 6-9 HCPs) - consider waiting and overcalling

3 LEVEL OPENINGS

• 3C - 6 cards in suit, must be good clubs as risky but same rules as a weak 2
• 3D - 7 cards in suit - do pre-empt
• if you have a 7411 hand consider 5C/D or 4H/S
• 3H/S - 7 cards in suit, if borderline (especially spades) pass and wait if in 1st or 2nd seat
  • 7321 (KQJ10xxx) hand is a good pre-empt, as has no high cards in other suits
  • 7222 hand is a poor pre-empt, pass if in 1st or 2nd seat, bid if in 3rd seat

4 LEVEL OPENINGS

• 8 card suit or longer
• 10-11 HCP
• With a major - “shut-out” bid i.e. game level
• With a minor suit open as a 3 bid

Be disciplined in your preemptive bidding, be careful preempting your partner if your partner is not a passed hand, you may still get an opportunity to show your long suit. Third seat and non-vulnerable you can be less disciplined.

QUALITY SUIT - Rule of 2 or 3 or 4

Along with this line of thinking you should have a way to judge a quality suit.  One way is to hold 2 of the top 3 cards or 3 of the top 5 cards (some only use 3 of top 5 if non-vulnerable). Pre-empt such that you expect to lose two tricks when vulnerable or three tricks with equal vulnerability and four tricks with favourable vulnerability. 

OR 

Count winning tricks, by:

1. Counting losers and subtract from 13

2. Estimating winners - A long suit such with a gap AQJT84 can be counted as 5 tricks, an outside Ace or KQx is a trick, Kx, Qxx or Jxxx is a half trick

If you are vulnerable, bid if you are within 2 tricks of your bid, and if not vulnerable bid if you are within 3 tricks.

eg if you have 7 tricks in your hand you can consider a pre-empt at the 4 level if non vulnerable and 3 level if vulnerable

USING VULNERABILITY AND WINNER COUNT TO DETERMINE THE PRE-EMPT LEVEL

Count winners as above and instead of bidding depending on the number of cards in the suit (6 cards = 2 level, 7 cards = 3 level etc) base the bidding level on your winners and vulnerability.

• 5 winners and non-vulnerable (+3) = 2 level
• 6 winners and vulnerable (+2) = 2 level
• 6 winners and non-vulnerable (+3) = 3 level
• 7 winners and vulnerable (+2) = 3 level
• 7 winners and non-vulnerable (+3) = 4 level

• Check the rule of 20 (add the number of cards in 2 longest suits to HCPs), bid 1 in longest  major (if have 2 minors, then better minor)
• Consider not opening a poor 11 points hand (flat, only Qs & Js, no mid range cards) even in 3rd seat

         1 C/D - 4 card suits up the line

NOTE: If you have 16+ HCPs, aim to reverse or jump in the second suit. If you do not have 16+ points do not reverse.

• 1 HEART / 1SPADE -  5 card suits down the line. 

NOTE: If you have 16+ HCPs, aim to reverse or jump in the second suit. If you do not have 16+ points do not reverse.

              1NT (one doubleton, no singleton, no 5 card major*)

*by partnership agreement may open with a 5 card major

                2NT - (one doubleton, no singleton)

NOTE: may open 2C with a 5 card major by partnership agreement

                2 CLUBS then 2NT(22-24) /3NT (28-29) /4NT (30-31) as second bid (also think Blackwood/Slam)

              2 CLUBS

NOTE: Best not to open 2C if you have 2 suits (ie a major and a longer minor), open at the one level

• An opening 3NT bid showing a 7-8 card suit
• Can be aggressive (presumptive) with no stoppers in other suits, moderate or conservative (all suits covered)
• If you are not playing this then 3NT means 25-28 (no need to bid 2C first) 

RESPONDER - usually passes, further responses see below

IN 3rd or 4th SEAT

• Open with 11 HCPs, especially with a 5 card suit

IN 4th SEAT:

• Can you use Rule of 15? 

                   Add your total no of spades to your HCPs and if >15 bid 1 SPADE

• Should you open light? Yes stretch to open if not vulnerable.

1. UP THE LINE

• If you have 3 clubs and 3 diamonds always open 1C
• If you have 4 clubs and 4 diamonds always open 1C

Responder bids 1D before a 4 card major. If you do not have a fit in a major, this type of bidding will show if you have a gap in a suit when you are bidding NTs

2. ALTERNATIVE

• If you have 3 clubs and 3 diamonds always open 1C
• If you have 4 clubs and 4 diamonds always open 1D (partnership agreement)

Bidding this way means that partner will know that statistically when you bid 1D you will have 4 cards 96% of the time and you bid 1C that you will have 4 cards 85% of the time.

HOW IS THIS HELPFUL?

• When an opener opens 1D with only 3 cards then they will have 4-4 in the major suits. So if the bidding goes 1D->1H->1NT, the opener will have 4 diamond cards

THE RULE IS - anytime an opener opens 1D and does not support your major suit opener MUST have 4 diamond cards. This means that if RHO opponent interferes 1D -> (3S) ->? bid 4D with 4 cards and 11 TPs

• When partner opens 1C it means they will have one of the following:

                    * 4-3-3-3

                    * 3-4-3-3

                    * 4-4-2-3

Your partner has bid 1C and you are 4/4 or even 5/4 in diamonds and a major do you?

• BID UP THE LINE?

With 5/4 or 4/4 always bid 1D first

• BID BASED ON NUMBER OF CARDS*

1. With 5/4 bid diamonds first
2. With 4/4 bid hearts first

• BID BASED ON HCPs?**

1. If you are 10+ HCPs - bid diamonds
2. If you are <10 HCPs - bid hearts

NOTE: This could be 12+ HCPs

REASONING:

*Showing diamonds first tells partner you have the diamond suit covered if they are playing NTs

**With lower points you may not get a chance to show your hearts on the second round, by bidding hearts first you have a greater chance of finding the heart fit. A diamond fit is less important.

You opening bid was a minor (1C/D) and your partner has responded 1H, you have 4 spades what do you bid?

1. With a balanced hand (eg 4234) bid 1NT
2. With a singleton (eg 4144) bid 1S

REASONING:

This distinguishes balanced hands from unbalanced hands, partner can always bid the other major (spades) if they have 4 cards in both majors

1. MONTREAL

• Open 1C with no 5 card suit in diamonds, hearts or spades.
• You may only have 1 club eg 4441 hand.
• Respond as usual with 6+ HCPs - bid a 5 card major or bid 2D
• Opener's responses then depend on the hand
• The system is off with interference

The benefit is that a 5/3 fit is less likely to be missed

Checkback presumes that you are bidding a major before a minor unless you re 5/4 in diamonds and a major and have 13+ HCPs and that you will bid 1NT before 1S if you are a balanced hand 

After 1C/D by opener, 1H/S by responder, 1NT (11-14) by opener if responder has an interest in game (11+ HCPs) and wants to look for the best fit then they can bid 2C (CHECKBACK) to ask for more information.

The opener shows:

• opener bids the major with 3 cards in responder's suit
• with 4 cards in an unbid major opener bids it
• with 5 cards in a minor bid that
• or 2NT

REASONING

if responder has 5 cards in their major then they have a fit

If responder has 4 cards in the other major they have a fit

• Bidding the other major by opener denies 3 cards in responders suit
• Bidding the 5 card minor denies 4 cards in the other major and 3 cards responders major
• 2NT denies 3 cards in responders major, 4 cards in the other major and 5 cards in the minor

NOTE:

Bidding 2C (CHECKBACK) is forcing but bidding anything else is not. This way responder can rescue partner from bad 1NT hand.

As per simple checkback except with the additional bid of 2D if responder has a game forcing hand (13+ HCPs). 

So responder has two options:

• Bid 2C with an invitational hand, forcing opener to bid 2D, 

Responder can:

1. rebid the major signalling 5+
2. the other major signalling 4 cards
3. pass if they want to play in diamonds

If responder does not pass opener can:

1. pass responders rebid with a fit and a minimum
2. bid 2NT with a minimum and no fit
3. bid 3NT with a maximum and no fit
4. bid 4 of the major with a maximum and a fit

OR

2D with a game forcing hand. The replies to 2D are:

• opener bids the major with 3 cards in responder's suit
• with 4 cards in an unbid major opener bids it
• with 5 cards in a minor bid that
• or 2NT

If opener opens a minor (1C/D), and then jumps to 2NT signalling 18-19 HCPs then simple checkback (3C) is used by responder to find the best fit with 6-7 HCPs

After 1 of a suit by opener, 1 of a suit by responder and 1NT by opener, if responder is:

• 6-9 HCPs, checkback can be used to sign off in a minor
• 10-12 HCPs, checkback is used to show invitational hands
• 12+ HCPs, check is used to signal game forcing hands

After 1C/D by opener, 1 of a suit by responder and 1NT by opener, checkback can be used by responder with a distributional hand to take opener out of 1NT by bidding 2C which is a relayed to 2D. Responder passes or bids 3C.

NOTE: if checkback is not used by responder then this is a sign off as well:

• 1C -> 1H -> 1NT -> 2H then this signals 6 hearts and 6 to 9 HCPs
• 1C -> 1S -> 1NT -> 2S then this signals 6 spades and 6 to 9 HCPs
• 1C -> 1S -> 1NT -> 5 spades and 4 hearts and 6 to 9 HCPs

1C  -> 1S -> 1NT -> 2C is a relay to 2D responders bids are:

• Pass (sign off)
• 2H invite with 5+ spades and 4+ hearts
• 2S invite with 5 spades
• 2NT invite, natural, implying only 4 spades
• 3C/3D invite with 5+ minor (only 4 spades)
• 3H invite with 5+ spades and 5+ hearts
• 3S invite with 6+ spades

Opener will pass with a minimum or bid game with a maximum

Over 1D -> 1S -> 1NT the 2D is artificial and game forcing. Opener should show what they have up the line, bid

• 2H with 4 hearts
• 2S with <4 hearts and 3 spades
• with neither of these options a 5 card minor or 2NT

NOTE: Over 2H responder with a 5th spade and less than 4 hearts can still bid 2S.

• Whenever an opener bids two suits in such a way that responder is forced to the 3 level (or higher) if they want to rebid the first suit. Eg. 1H/2S - Opener has reversed because crossed the boundary of 2H
• If bidding higher ranking suit first is normal then bidding it second is a reverse (eg 5 card suits up the line instead of down the line)
• Need >17HCPs or if good distribution 15-16HCPs
• Responder can reverse with 13+ HCPs
• Often done with 5/4, 5/5 or 6/5 hands but can do with 6/4 or 6/3 hands if clubs/diamonds 

• Has more cards in the first suit than the second
• Promises: 

1. 17+ HCPs if 5-4 in 2 suits or 
2. 15+ HCP if 6-4 or 
3. 14+ HCPs if 6-5 or 
4. 16+ HCPs if all your HCPs are in the two suits or good 10s and 9s in the two suits with no unsupported Qs and Js in side suits

• Is forcing for one round if following a 1 level response - RESPONDER MUST NOT PASS
• The second bid is a higher rank suit than the first and must be at the second level

NOTE: if responder has bid at the 2 level a bid of a new suit at the 2 level may not be a reverse

Also a jump reverse is a splinter bid, showing 4 card suport for responders suit, shortness in the suit bid (a singleton or void) and enough values for game. This bid must be alerted and is FORCING 

• if partner's 2 level reponse (following an intervening bid) is in a higher ranking suit than yours and your RHO passes, a rebid at the 2 level in a higher ranking suit is NOT a reverse
• If partner's 2 level response (following an intervening bid) is in a higher ranking suit than your first bid suit, a 2NT rebid by you (opener) shows 12-14 pts. This bid ia similar to a 1NT rebid after your partner's one level response
• If the intervening bid is made by Opener's RHO, rather than LHO, and opener voluntarily bids a higher-ranking suit at the 2 level, the opener has REVERSED.
• Holding a 1-4-4-4 hand (singleton spade) and >18 HCPs, open 1D and reverse by bidding 2H if responder bid 1S and your singleton is a J or lower. If the singleton is A, K, or Q jump to 2NTs

NOTE: many players will not open 2C with any 4-4-4-1 hand and 20 or 21 HCPs, they will open a minor and wait to see if partner has 6+ points

Responder needs to tell partner whether they should play game or a part score

RESPONDERS FIRST BID WAS A SUIT:

1. If you have a minimum hand and 

• originally responder bid a 4 suited hand, bid 2NT this is artificial and should be alerted. Opener will decide which is the best suit ie cannot pass the 2NT and usually rebids the first suit (should be at least 5 cards). Responder then passes or rebids the second suit

• originally responder bid a 5 suited hand, rebid your suit (this usually means a 6 card hand but in this case it does not!). Opener can pass with 3 cards in the suit, bid NTs with a doubleton in the suit and a stopper in the unbid suit, or rebid the first suit (no stopper and no fit). Responder passes or corrects to the second suit.

2. With a game going hand - responder cannot rebid 2 of their own suit or NTs!

• Raising the second suit or jumping in the first suit shows game going points and an 8 card fit 
• Jump in own suit with 6 cards
• Bid 3NTs - denies support for either suit and promises a stopper in the unbid suit
• Bid the 4th suit - game going values but no obvious rebid, asking the opener to describe the hand further - may be asking for a stopper in that suit depending on partnership agreement.

RESPONDERS FIRST BID WAS 1NT (showing 6-9 pts and no 4 card major)

1. If you have 6-7 HCPs:

• 2NT as a second bid is a natural bid and denies support for either of openers suits If opener bids again she is showing more extreme distribution (probably 6-5). Responder should choose between the suits
• Bid openers first suit, with support, showing a preference. This is non forcing

2. With 8-9 HCPs, responder chooses from

• 3NTs if you have stopper in the unbid suit
• Raise openers second suit - this only promises 3 cards
• A new suit - this is natural if it is minor suit, but does not show 4 cards if it is a major,  and may be asking for a stopper

RESPONDER BID A TWO-LEVEL RESPONSE

All reverses after a 2 level response are forcing to game

• Bid 3NTs with no support for either suit and a stopper in the unbid suit
• With support bid either suit to game or slam

This is after 1X (opener)-> 1Y (responder)-> 2Z (opener) auctions ONLY

Responder tells partner their point count

• 2NT - BLACKOUT (this needs to be alerted) and means responder has less than 8 HCPs and it means partner bid what you want to play as I will probably pass (if responder is very weak eg singleton in the suit opener rebids responder will bid the other suit and opener should pass)
• Everything else is 8+ HCPs, natural and game forcing

The total number of cards in each partnership's longest suit is equal to the number of "total tricks" that either side can win in a suit contract. 

• If both sides have an 8 card trump fit, you should not let them play at the 2-level
• If both sides have an 8 card trump fit, you should NOT outbid the opponents at the 3 level
• If you suspect there are 17 or 18 trumps (over the 4 hands) you SHOULD outbid at the 3 level (you or they have a 9 card fit)
• With freak distribution you should consider bidding more
• If both sides have a good fit in each major it is generally right to outbid at the 4 level

Generally you should compete to the level equal to the combined number of trumps held by your side, but bid one more in order to outbid opponents if they settled at the 2 level

A limit raise is a response showing a fit to an opening of one of a suit. 

A jump raise of opener's suit typically shows invitational values (10 -12 points). The opener should bid game in a major suit with 14+ points, pass with 11 or 12 and use judgement with 13.

• To make a limit raise try to have some shortage, a singleton or even a doubleton, BUT SHOULD have 4 cards and 11-12 points 
• A 10 point hand balanced (4-3-3-3) is not always good enough to make a jump, even with four trumps.
• Four trumps with a shortage will allow declarer to trump losers in dummy
• A limit raise asks opener to bid game with not much more than a minimum

A limit raise may not have enough strength for game in a minor suit, No Trumps may be better.

• With 3 card support and an unbalanced shape, responder can make a limit raise by partnership agreement
• An alternative to a limit raise is to open a new suit at the 2 level. Typically this shows 5 cards in the new suit but by partnership agreement the responder could do this with as low as 3 cards. In this case opener would need to alert such a bid as it is artificial.

Opener will need to remember it means 3 cards support of the opening suit and does not mean responder has 5 cards in the other suit!

NOTE: Sometimes a 8 card fit may play better in 3NT!

• With interference a cue bid of the interfering suit will show a limit raise