General Rules of Bidding


  1. The "HIGH-FIVE" Rule:   With 2 5+card suits, bid the Higher ranked suit first.
        Q x x x x     A K J x x     Q x     x
    Open 1, not 1, even though Hearts are stronger. 

    Exception #1: With Clubs and Spades and a minimum opener, begin with 1, not 1.

        A Q x x x     x x     x     A Q x x x
    Bid 1 NOW.  You may not get another chance !

    Exception #2: If the lower ranked suit is longer and the hand is a maximum (17-21 if an Opener, 13+ if a Responder), then start with the 6+card lower ranked suit and bid & rebid the higher 5+card suit — even if this involves increasing the bidding level.

        K Q x x x     A K Q x x x     —     K x
    Open 1 and, over 1NT, rebid 2
        K Q x x x     K Q x x x x     x     K x
    When partner opens 1, respond 1 and, over a 1NT rebid by partner, "reverse" into 2

  2. Always bid the LOWER/LOWEST of 2 or 3 4-card suits.
    The is called bidding the suits "up the line"
        Q x x x     Q x x x     Q x x x     x
    If partner opens 1, respond 1.  This leaves Opener plenty of chance to show a 4-card major. 

    Exception: When opening with 4-4 in the Minors and no 5-card Major, open 1 and not 1

        K J x     J x     J x x x     A K x x
    Lacking the strength for 1NT, open 1, not 1.

  3. A new suit by an unpassed Responder is forcing.
    11  – Forcing
    22  – Forcing

    Exception: A natural new suit bid by Responder (after Opener has bid 1NT) is NOT forcing unless it is a jump.
    11  – Forcing.
    1NT2  – NOT Forcing, 3 Would be forcing.

  4. Except for conventional bids (Blackwood, Stayman, transfers, Grand Slam Force, etc.), a passed hand has NO forcing options.  A jump shift by a passed hand is "all but forcing" and should only be passed if the 3rd seat opener is sub-minimal.
    Pass
    11  – NOT Forcing.
    1NT3  – NOT Forcing.
    Pass
    12  – Good hand, often with Diamond support. 
    Pass  – A sub-minimum.

  5. Bids of a suit previously mentioned by the partnership are non-forcing.
    11  – Forcing. 
    23  – NOT Forcing. 
    22  – Waiting
    22NT  – No Spade support. 
    3  – Not Forcing.   Cancels game force. 

    Exception #1: If Responder's previous bid showed 10+ points a jump in a previously bid suit is forcing. 
    12  – Forcing, 10+ points. 
    23  – Stronger than 4

    Exception #2: If either player has started a game forcing sequence, a raise to any level below game shows a good hand (while a jump to game shows a bad hand according to the Principle of Fast Arrival). 
    22  – Waiting.  2 is GF *if* there is a fit. 
    23  – Stronger than 4.  Forcing. 

          Compare this auction to the 2:2 above, where 2 Opener is NOT guaranteed a fit.  Only 2 opener can cancel the game force !

    Exception #3: Any suit bid (new or not) over a jump 2NT bid by Opener is forcing.
    11  – 6+ points, 4+Spades. 
    2NT3  – 5+Spades, forcing.

  6. Except for conventional bids (i.e., Blackwood, Grand Slam Force), 1-of-a-suit Opener has NO 100% forcing bids. 
    11
    2  – This strong "reverse" is NOT forcing. 

    Exception #1: If Responder has raised one of Opener's suits, any suit bid is forcing — at least until the pair returns to the agreed suit.
    1 2  – 6-9 points, 3+Spades. 
    3  – Forcing to at least 3

    Exception #2: A jump shift in a new suit is forcing in the opinion of most experienced players.  I do NOT consider them 100% forcing, and will pass with a bare minimum 6 points and a total misfit for partner.
    1 1NT  – 6-9 points, 0-2 Spades (else 2). 
    3  – Forcing in most expert's opinion ...  

        x     x     Q J x x x     Q J x x x x

          ...but bidding on with this hand is suicidal. 

  7. If a Minor suit is established as trumps, any new suit tends to show a guard for NoTrump, until 3NT is passed.
    1 2  – 6-9 points, 5+ Diamonds.
    2  – Spade stopper.  No Heart stopper. 

  8. If a Major suit is established as trumps, any new suit below 3-of-the-major is a game try, hoping for help in that suit.  Any non-trump suit bid beyond that level is a cuebid of an Ace or void (or King or singleton, perhaps). 
    1  – 13-21 points, 5+Spades. 
    2 3  – Forcing to 3, looking for Diamond help. 
    3 4  – A cuebid, looking for a Spade slam.

  9. A bid of 4-of-a-major can only be a cuebid, if neither partner has bid that major naturally.  Otherwise, it is a natural sign-off. 
    1 1  – 6+ points, 4+Spades. 
    3 4  – Natural sign-off.  NOT a cuebid. 

  10. Once partner opens, overcalls or responds, a Cuebid of the opponents' suit shows strength.  Failure to make such a Cuebid often limits one's hand.
    1 1 Pass 1  – NOT forcing.  "Forward going".

    Exception: Free suit bids by an unpassed Responder are forcing. 
    1 1 1  – Forcing.  No need for 2 here. 

  11. Doubles followed by free bids tend to show strength.
    1 Dble Pass 1  – 0-8 points, Spades. 
    Pass 2  – 16-19, too strong for 1.
    With 20+, Doubler cues 2.
    1 Dble Pass 1  – 0-8 points, Spades. 
    Pass 1NT  – 19-21, too strong for 1NT.
    immediately over 1..

  12. 1NT bid shows 13-14 when partner responds, 18-19 when partner does NOT respond. 
    1 Pass 1 Pass
    1NT  – 13-14 points, flat. 
    1 1 Pass Pass
    1NT  – 18-19 points, flat. 

  13. With 3-3 in the Minors, 13-21 points and no 5+card Major , open 1 unless the hand qualifies for a 1NT (15-17) opening. 
       Q x x x    A J x    A K x    x x x

    Open this hand with 1, even though the Diamonds are stronger. 

  14.   A  1 opening can be made on 3 Diamonds ONLY with 4-4-3-2 distribution and either 13-14 points or 18-19. 
    With a flat 15-17 points, open 1NT. 
    Q x x x     A J x x     x x x     A K

    Open this with 1

  15. The "New News" Rule (aka "The `Tell me Something I DON'T Know' Rule"): When choosing between two good alternatives in a constructive auction, make the bid which is most descriptive. 
       K Q x x x x    K Q x x    A x    x

    Over 1:1NT, bid 2 and NOT 2.  2 would locate six cards in your hand.  2 will locate nine of your cards (5 Spades and 4 Hearts) and is much more likely to "strike gold" in partner's hand. 

    Exception: Rebid a good 6-card major before showing a 4-card Minor. 

       K Q x x x x    A x    K Q x x    x
    Over 1:1NT, bid 2, not 2 — especially at MatchPoints.


List of Articles

General Rules of SAYC Bidding Fit Inspired Bids – "FIBs"
Doubles Cuebids
IMPs Versus MatchPoints Lebensohl
Hand Evaluation Defensive Signals
Jacoby Transfers Pre-Empts
Jacoby 2NT Response to 1 or 1 Michaels Cuebids
3 Types of Responding Hands Percentages in Bridge
Roman Key Card Blackwood BROZEL over their 1NT
4th Suit Force Maximum Flexibility


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