Bridge Precision bidding guide. Forcing bids are marked as (!). Alertable bids are starred. Announces are marked as [A]. OVERVIEW: First two bids establish HCPs in partnership. Next two bids establish suit. Splinter + cue bids to show slam interest. RKC1430 + quantative NT to set slam contracts. SECTION I: Offensive Conventions, non-competitive bidding opening bids: 1C*: 16+ HCPs (!) [A: length] 1D: 13-15 HCPs (12-15 if non-vul and body), unnamed long minor [A: length] 1H: 12-15 HCPs, 5+ hearts 1S: 12-15 HCPs, 5+ spades 1NT: 12-15 HCPs, even distribution (11-15 if non-vul) [A: NT range] 2C*: Mini-Roman (12-15HCP, 4-4-4-1 or 5-4-4-0 split) (!) 2D*: Flannery (4-5-x-x, 11-15 HCP if non-vul, 12-15 HCP if vul) 2H: weak 2H bid, 6-11 HCPs, 6+ hearts 2S: weak 2S bid, 6-11 HCPs, 6+ spades 2NT:3C, 3D, 3H, 3C: prempt 3-level bid (minimum 6 quick tricks, 7 if vul) 4NT: Blackwood (NOT 1430 RKC, just ace-asking) (!) (even distribution = no voids/singleton, no more than 1 doubleton) responses to 1C: over an interference bid[1]: 1D!: 0-7HCP or 4441 split (see: impossible negative) 1H!, 1S!, 2C!, 2D!: Positive, 8+ HCP, 5+ cards, game forcing 1NT!: 8-10 or 20+ HCP, balanced hand, NT conventions are off 2H,2S: 6+ cards, 4-7HCP 3C, 3D, 3H, 3S: 7+ cards, 4-7HCP 2NT: 11-19 HCP, balanced hand, NT conventions are off over interferance: pass: 0-4 points (re)double: 5-7 points or no good positive bid available suit at lowest available level: positive, same as above immediate jump-shift: 8+ HCP 4-4-4-1 split with shortage in bid suit opener's 2nd round responses to 1c-1d: suit bid at cheapest level: 16-21 HCP, 5+ cards jump sit, 22+ HCP, 5+ cards, game forcing 1NT: 16-21 HCP, balanced hand, stopper in every suit, nt conventions on 2NT: 22+ HCP, balanced hand, stopper in every suit, nt conventions on Impossible Negative If responder bids 1D with 8+ HCP and a 4441 split they must jump to indicate their strength. Over a bid by opener of responder's singleton, responder jumps to NT Over a bid by opener of one of responder's long suits, jump to the suit below the singleton Over a bid by opener of NT responder bids normally as they now choose the final contract responses to 1D: pass: 0-5 HCPs or none of the below 1H: 6+ HCPs, 4+ hearts 1S: 6+ HCPs, 4+ spades 1NT*: 6-12 HCPs, even distribution (!); ask partner to rebid longest minor 2C: 6+ HCPs, 5+ clubs 2D: 6+ HCPs, 5+ diamonds 2NT: 13+ HCP, even distribution, game forcing On a two suited hand bid in the order Clubs,Spades,Hearts,Diamonds reversing shows 12+ HCP and 5 of both suits and is game forcing jump bids are strong Following 1D-2D an opener bid of a major at the 2 level indicates 4 cards in the major and 5 cards in clubs. Following 1D-3D opener bids 3NT to correct to clubs, 3H,3S,4C to indicate (in order of preference) second and third round controls, first round controls, or second round controls. Bid second and third before first, even if it is a higher suit (RKC will show firsts and then the other two will be known), or 4D to initiate RKC in diamonds. Following 1D-3C opener bids 3D to correct to diamonds, 3H,3S,3NT are cuebids (see above) where 3NT is a cuebid for diamonds. 4C initiates RKC in clubs. Note that in both of these sequences RKC is unadvisable if your suit agrees with the jumpshifter. The jumpshifter almost certainly has the better hand for evaluation since you don't have a side suit, so it's better to cuebid. Be aware that with a 1D open and if partner has no points, the resulting contract is an awful 1D with possibly no trumps at all. This is an unfortunate side-effect of using Precision bidding. In the event that the opener's RHO bids before he has disclosed which minor he has, a pass is clubs and a double is diamonds. (Assuming bidding is below 3NT) responses to 1H: bid as normal SAYC (same for 1S except for suit) 1S: four spades, 6+ HCP (one round forcing) 1NT: 6-10 points, denies fit 2C,2D! : 11+ HCP, four card suit (one round forcing) 2H: 3+ card support, 6-10 HCP 2NT!: Jacoby 2NT, 13+ HCP and 4 card support 2S,3C,3D!: invites slam 3H: 10-12 HCP, 4+ card support (limit raise) 3NT: 15-17HCP, balanced hand 3S,4C,4D!: splinter, 4 card support, 10-13HCP with singleton in bid suit or 9-12HCP with void in bid suit 4H: 5+ hearts, singleton or void, fewer than 10HCP responses to 1S: bid as normal SAYC 1NT: 6-10 points, denies fit 2C,2D,2H! : 11+ HCP, four card suit (one round forcing) 2S: 3+ card support, 6-10 HCP 2NT!: Jacoby 2NT, 13+ HCP and 4 card support 3C,3D,3H!: invites slam 3S: 10-12 HCP, 4+ card support (limit raise) 3NT: 15-17HCP, balanced hand 4C,4D,4H!: splinter, 4 card support, 10-13HCP with singleton in bid suit or 9-12HCP with void in bid suit 4S: 5+ spades, singleton or void, fewer than 10HCP responses to 1NT: pass: 0-6 HCPs (1NT open), even distribution 2C: major suit Stayman (!) (alert if auction opened with 1C) 2D: Jacoby transfer to 2H (!) [A: transfer] 2H: Jacoby transfer to 2S (!) [A: transfer] 2S: minor suit transfer to 3C (!) 2NT: minor suit transfer to 3D (!) note: after a minor suit transfer, opener may refuse by switching to the intermediate suit (2n for clubs and 3c for diamonds) 3C: long clubs (6+), weak ("bust") hand, sign-off 3D: long diamonds (6+), weak ("bust") hand, sign-off 3H: long hearts (6+), limit-raise (10-12 HCPs) 3S: long spades (6+), limit-raise (10-12 HCPs) 3NT: 12-15 HCPs, even distribution, sign-off 4C: Gerber (!), slam attempt 4D: Texas transfer to 4H (!) [A: transfer] 4H: Texas transfer to 4S (!) [A: transfer] 4NT: quantative NT slam attempt With 7-11HCP and even distribution, bid stayman and reject the suit to NT 1NT over a double is conventional, over 2c is conventional except double indicates stayman 1NT over 2D/H/S (lebensohl, slow denies): 2 of a suit - natural, sign-off 3 of something other than ops suit - 5 card support, stoppper, game forcing cuebid of overcalled suit - promises a stopper in ops suit, asks for 4 card major 3NT - to play, no major, promises a stopper 2NT - relay, denies stopper, requires 3C response then pass - weak hand, good clubs 3 of a lower ranked suit - natural, sign-off 3 of a higher ranked suit - natural, invitational cuebid - asks for 4 card major, denies stopper 3N - to play, no major, no stopper responses to 2C (Mini-Roman): 2D, 2H, 2S, 3C: Natural, indicates longest suit and no game interest Opener then passes or corrects to next suit up if bid is in short suit 2NT: Asks for short suit and shows game interest over an interference bid (HCP is flexible) double*: 8+ HCP 4 card holdings in at least two suits opener responds by bidding short suit any suit: 10+ HCP 5 or strong 4 card holding in bid suit opener corrects to next suit up if short suit pass: no interest in contract responses to 2D (Flannery): pass: 6 diamonds, less than 10 HCPs 2H: sign-off in hearts, less than 10 HCPs 2S: sign-off in spades, less than 10 HCPs 2NT*: request partner to clarify (possible minor suit game or slam) (!) 3C: if opener has club fit, sign-off with 3NT; else pass 3D: if opener has diamond fit, sign-off with 3NT; else pass 3H/3S: invitation to game, 10-12 HCPs 4C/4D: transfer to 4H/4S, sign-off, 13-15 HCPs and little length in trumps 4H/4S: sign-off, 13-15 HCPs and length in trump suit (if opener has fit = Ax, Kx, or Qxx in that minor suit) clarification bid after 2NT: 3C: 4-5-1-3 (3 clubs) 3D: 4-5-3-1 (3 diamonds) 3H: majority of points in H, 2-2 in minors 3S: majority of points in S, 2-2 in minors 3NT: majority of points in minors, 2-2 4C: 4-5-0-4 (diamond void) 4D: 4-5-4-0 (club void) responses to 2H, 2S: raise: to play, 2 card support non-forcing shift: natural, 5 card suit, either 12+ points or two card support in opener's suit, forcing one round 2NT: request outside feature. 3 in opener's suit indicates no outside features, forcing one round responses to 3H, 3S: raise: to play, 2 card support, preemptive (must be bid with 3 card support) shift: natural, 5 card suit, either 12+ points or two card support, forcing (responder supports with 3 cards or rebids without) 3NT: to play, shows a strong hand with the expectation of running suits SECTION II: Slam Conventions See the slam page. SECTION III: Defensive Bidding Doubles up to 3S are takeout/negative doubles. Doubles at 3NT or above are penalty doubles. Exception: doubling Artificial Bids at or above 3NT (such as Blackwood responses) indicate what suit to lead. If partner's last bid was 1NT (opened 1NT or 1C-p-1x-p-1NT-2C) and RHO bids 2C, double to indicate Staymen. Unless responding to Blackwood or Gerber, redoubling indicates support: 3+ in the suit and minimal values. Unusual 2NT: After a 1 level open, 11+ HCP and at least 5 card support in the two lower unbid suits. E.g., RHO opens 1D, 2NT indicates at least 5 hearts and 5 clubs. Michael's Cue bid: After a 1 level open, 5-11 HCP and 5/5 support in the two higher unbid suits. SECTION IV: General Bidding Notes When determing what final bid level the contract should be, combine yours and your partner's high card points. 1-level = 13-18 HCP 2-level = 19-21 HCP 3-level = 22-24 HCP 4-level = 25-27 HCP 5-level = 28-32 HCP 6-level = 33-36 HCP avoid bidding grand slams without at least 37 HCPs Add distribution points after a suit has been agreed upon. One popular convention is to count voids as 3 points, singletons as 2, and doubletons as 1. Acknowledgements: The original framework for this bidding sheet comes from Fred Mueller and Barbara Israel of the Columbia (Maryland) Bridge Club. I would guess that none of their work is left, but I'll leave credit just in case :-P This page was mainly done by Jason Tang and modified substantially by Christopher Craig Et Cetera: Opening leads and discard strategies