General Approach High Card Points (HCP): Ace = 4, King = 3, Queen = 2, Jack = 1 Distribution Points: Void = 3, Singleton = 2, Doubleton

= 1 *Points refer to HCP + distribution points, while HCP refers to high card points only.

Opening Bids Five-card majors, Three-card minors Open the higher ranking of equal-length suits: 5-5 / 6-6 Notrump hand types: 4-3-3-3, 4-4-3-2, 5-3-3-2 Must open with 13+ points Rule of 20: Open if (HCP + no. of cards in two longest suits) = 20 or more 13 20 Points, 3+ cards 13 20 Points, 5+ cards 15 17 HCP, balanced hand 21+ Points (Artificial Strong Bid) 5 11 Points, 6+ cards (Weak Two) 20 21 HCP, balanced hand At most 10 Points, 7+ cards (Preemptive) 8+ cards (Preemptive)

1C / 1D : 1H / 1S : 1NT : 2C : 2D / 2H / 2S: 2NT : 3 of a suit: 4 of a suit:

Expressing Notrump Hand types: 15 17 HCP 20 21 HCP 22 24 HCP 25 27 HCP 12 14 HCP 18 19 HCP Responses: - Must respond with 6 Points or above Opening Bid Response Open 1NT Open 2NT Open 2C and rebid 2NT Open 2C and rebid 3NT Open 1m and rebid 1NT Open 1m and rebid 2NT

1 of a suit

1 of a minor

Higher ranking suit at 1 level 6+ Points, 4+ cards Non-jump bid at 2 level 11+ Points, 4+ cards 1NT 6 10 HCP, unlimited hand Jump Shift 17+ Points, 5+ cards Double Jump Shift See: Splinter 2 of the minor 10+ Points, 5+ cards 3 of the minor 6 9 Points, 5+ cards * Bid 4+ card suits if available instead of raising minor 2NT 12 15 HCP, stoppers in unbid suits 3NT 16 18 HCP, stoppers in unbid suits 2 of the major 3 of the major 2NT 3NT 4 of the major 6 9 Points, 3+ cards 10-12 Points, 3+ cards 13+ Points, 3+ cards (See: Jacoby 2NT) 15 17 HCP, balanced hand <10 Points, 5+ cards, with singleton or void

1 of a major

1NT

2C See: Stayman 2D, 2H See: Jacoby Transfer 2S See: Minor-Suit Transfer 3C, 3D 6+ cards, invite 3NT 3H, 3S 6+ cards, invite small slam 2NT 8 9 HCP 3NT 10 HCP * Bid 2NT or 3NT if you have no interest in suit contracts 4C See: Gerber 4NT See: Quantitative 4NT 2D 2H, 2S, 3C, 3D 2NT 2NT Raise of the suit 3NT New Suits 0 7 HCP (Negative response) 8+ HCP, 5+ cards 8+ HCP, balanced hand See: 2NT Response to weak 2 To Play (further preempt) To Play

2C

2D / 2H / 2S

Conventions:

Stayman A response of 2C to 1NT is Stayman. It shows 8+ HCP and at least 1 4-card major, and at least 1 doubleton or better shortage. Openers rebid: without a 4-card major with 4 hearts / 4-4 major with 4-spades only 2D 2H 2S

If Stayman bidder has 4-5 in majors, he may rebid the longer suit to show his hand: 1NT 2C 2D/2H 2S = Stayman bidder has 4 hearts and 5 spades 1NT 2C 2D/2S 3H = Stayman bidder has 5 spades and 4 hearts Jacoby Transfer A response of 2D or 2H to 1NT is a transfer. 2D is a transfer to hearts, 2H is a transfer to spades. The bidding 1NT 2D 1NT 2H 1NT 2D 1NT 2H Openers rebid 2H 2S 3H (Only if Opener has 17 HCP and 4 hearts) 3S (Only if Opener has 17 HCP and 4 spades)

1NT 2D 2H 2S = Responder has 5-5 majors, invite game 1NT 2H 2S 3H = Responder has 5-5 majors, forcing to game Jacoby 2NT A response of 2NT to 1 of a major opening shows 13+ Points and 3+ cards. It asks opener to show singleton / void. After 1 of a major 2NT, opener bids as follows: 3 of other suits 4 of other suits 3 of the major 3NT singleton / void in that suit strong 5+ cards 18+ Points, no singleton / void 15-17 Points, no singleton / void

4 of the major <14 Points, no singleton / void * Bid 3 / 4 of the major and 3NT as the last option. Give priority to describing you hand shape. Roman Key Card Blackwood A bid of 4NT in the bidding is an inquiry of key cards. If there isnt previously agreed suit, it treats the last bid suit as trumps. If a suit has been bid and raised, 4NT consider that suit trump. There are 5 Roman Key Cards: 4 Aces + the trump K Response: 5C 5H 0 / 3 Key Cards 2 / 5 Key Cards, no Trump Q 5D 5S 1 / 4 Key Cards 2 / 5 Key Cards, with Trump Q

Splinter A double jump shift to one of a suit opening is a Splinter. It shows 13+ points, a trump fit and a singleton or void in the suit bid. 1H 3S 1C 3H 1H 4D 13+ Points, 3+ cards, singleton / void spade 13+ Points, 5+ cards, singleton / void hearts 13+ Points, 3+ cards, singleton / void diamonds

* 3+ cards are needed to raise major, but 5+ cards are needed to raise minor 2NT response to Weak 2 2NT response to Weak 2 shows 15+ Points and game interest. Openers rebid after Weak 2 2NT: 3 of the original suit 3NT 3 of other suits Quantitative Notrump: A 4NT bid after an opening bid of 1NT is Quantitative Notrump. It asks opener to bid 6NT with a maximum and pass with a minimum. 5 7 HCP (minimum hand) AKQ or AKJ in the long suit Shows A, K or Q in the suit, 8+ HCP (maximum hand)

Help Suit Game Try: After 1 Major 2 Major, Opener can try for game by bidding the other suits below 3 of the major. He bid the suit that needs help. 1S 2S 3H(game try) 1H 2H 2S (game try) 1H 2H 3D (game try) Responder can judge whether to bid game by looking at the game-try suit. If responder has strength / shortage in the suit bid, he can bid game. If responder thinks 2 tricks will be lost in the suit, he bid game only with a maximum (8+ Points). If responder thinks more than 2 tricks will be lost, or if responder wants to turn down the game try, he bid 3 Major. Gerber A 4C response to 1NT and 2NT is Gerber. It asks opener to show the no. of Aces he holds. Opener rebids: 4D with 0 / 4 Aces 4H with 1 Ace 4S with 2 Aces 4NT with 3 Aces If the partnership holds all 4 aces, responder may bid 5C to ask for no. of kings. Openers rebid is the same. Defensive Bidding After opponents open the bidding: Overcall at 1 Level Overcall at 2 Level (non-jump) Overcall 1NT Jump Overcall Double

8 16 Points, 5+ cards 10 16 Points, 5+ cards 15-18 HCP, balanced hand, stopper in suit bid Weak, preemptive, same as opening at the same level *After opponents 1H, 2S overcall = weak 2S opening 13+ Points with support for unbid suits + 17+ Points in a 1 suited hand ( double first and then rebid)

Michaels Cue-Bid: If overcaller bids the same suit as openers suit, it is a Michaels Cuebid. Its variations are as follow: Opponent open Overcall

1C 1D 1H 1S

2C 2D 2H 2S

8+ Points, at least 5-5 in Majors 8+ Points, at least 5-5 in Majors 10+ Points, at least 5-5 in spades and a minor 10+ Points, at least 5-5 in hearts and a minor

Overcallers partner may bid 2NT to ask his partner to identify his minor. Unusual 2NT After an opponents opening, a jump overcall of 2NT is a unusual 2NT. Unusual 2NT shows at least 5-5 in the 2 lower unbid suits and 10+ Points. e.g. If opponent open 1C, overcall of 2NT = 5-5 in diamonds and hearts If opponent open 1D, overcall of 2NT = 5-5 in clubs and hearts.