General Approach:   Standard American Yellow Card

• 5 card majors
• 2 suited hands:
  • open higher suit:   5-5 or 6-6
  • open 1D:   4-4 in minors
  • open 1C:   3-3 in minors
• Light Openings:   3rd/4th hand
• 1NT Opener:   classic strong NT
• 2NT, 3NT Opener:   stronger NT openers
• Strong Forcing Opener:   2C

One NoTrump Opening Bid

• 1NT:   15-17 HCPs
  • no singleton or void
  • 5 card minor:   OK
  • 5 card major:   rare
• Responses after 1NT:
  • 2C:   Non-Forcing Stayman
    • Repond 2D:   no 4+ card major
    • Repond 2H:   4 card heart suit (or both majors)
    • Repond 2S:   4 card spade suit
  • 2D/H:   Jacoby Transfer to 2H/S
    • Repond 2H:   after 2D transer bid
    • Repond 2S:   after 2H transer bid
    • super acceptance with 17 HCPs & 4+ card support
      • Respond 3H/3S rather than 2H/2S
  • 2S:   Transfer to 3C/D (to play)
    • Repond 3C:   2S bidder will pass or correct to 3D which should be passed
  • 2NT:   8-9 HCPs, game invitational
  • 3C/D:   6+ cards, game invitational
  • 3H/S:   6+ cards, slam invitational
  • 3NT:   to play
  • 4C:   Gerber (Ace asking bid)
  • 4NT:   invitation to 6NT
  • 5NT:   forcing to 6NT, invitation to 7NT
• Subsequent Responses:
  • 3C/D/H/S after Stayman & Jacoby:   natural, slam interest
  • 4C:   Gerber
    • after responses to Stayman & Jacoby
• After Interference:
  • double:   normal systems
  • other bids: natural responses, cue bid for Stayman

Two NoTrump Opening Bid

• 2NT:   20-21 HCPs
  • 5 card major:   rare
• Responses after 2NT:
  • 3C:   Stayman
  • 3D/H:   Jacoby Transfer to 3H/S
  • 3NT:   to play
  • 4C:   Gerber
  • 4NT:   invitation to 6NT
  • 5NT:   forcing to 6NT, invitation to 7NT
• Subsequent Responses:
  • 4C:   Gerber
    • after responses to Stayman & Jacoby
• After Interference:
  • double:   normal systems
  • other bids:   natural responses, cue bid for Stayman

Three NoTrump Opening Bid

• 3NT:   25-27 HCPs
• Responses after 3NT:
  • 4C:   Stayman
  • 4D/H:   Jacoby Transfer to 4H/S
  • 4NT:   Blackwood

Major Suit Opening Bid

• Minimum Length:
  • 5 cards - 1st, 2nd, 3rd, & 4th seat
• Responses:
  • New suit response:
    • 1S(after 1H):   1 round force, 6+ pts, 4+ spades
      • if weak (6-9 pts) bid 2H with 3+ hearts & 4 spades
    • 2C/D:   1 round force, 10+ pts, 4+ cards
      • a new suit by opener is forcing for 1 round
    • 2H(after 1S):   1 round force, 10+ pts, (4)5+ cards
      • a new suit by opener is forcing for 1 round
    • 2S,3C/D/H(new suit):   game force, 19+ pts, (3)4+ cards
  • NT response:
    • 1NT(all seats):   non-forcing, 6-9 HCPs
    • 2NT(3rd/4th):   non-forcing, 11/12 HCPs, balanced
    • 3NT(all seats):   13-15 HCPs, 2 card support, balanced
  • Natural raises:
    • single raise:   minimum, 6-9 pts, 3+ card support
    • double raise:   invitational, 10-11 pts, 3+ card support
    • double raise (after overcall):   preemptive, 4+ card support
    • game raise:   8-9 HCPs, 5+ card support, singleton or void
  • Conventional raises:
    • Jacoby 2NT (by unpassed hand) - game force (13+ pts), 4+ card support
      • Rebid new suit, 3C/D/H/S:   singleton or void
      • Rebid opening suit, 4/H/S:   minimum hand
      • Rebid 3NT:   medium hand
      • Rebid opening suit, 3/H/S:   maximum hand
      • Rebid new suit, 4C/D/H:   2nd 5-card suit
• Rebids by opener:
  • Minimum (12-15 HCPs):
    • minimum raise of responder's suit:   (3)4 card support
    • rebid 1st suit bid at lowest level:   6+ card suit
    • rebid new suit at 1 level:   4+ card suit
    • rebid new (lower ranking) suit at 2 level:   4+ card suit
    • rebid lowest NT:   balanced or semi-balanced hand
  • Medium (16-18 HCPs):
    • jump raise of responder's suit:   (3)4 card support
    • jump rebid 1st suit bid at lowest level:   6+ card suit
    • rebid new (higher ranking) suit at 2 level:   4+ card suit
      • referred to as a reverse bid
    • rebid new (lower ranking) suit at 2 level:   4+ card suit
      • Note:   could also show minimum hand
    • jump to 2NT:   balanced or semi-balanced hand
      • Note:   after a 1H or 1S opening
      • Note:   only with very good 16 pt hand
  • Maximum (19-22 HCPs):
    • double jump raise of responder's suit: (3)4 card support
    • double jump rebid 1st suit bid at lowest level: 6+ card suit
    • jump rebid new (higher ranking) suit at 2 level: 4+ card suit
      • referred to as a jump shift
    • jump to 2NT:   balanced or semi-balanced hand
      • Note:   after a 1C or 1D opening

Minor Suit Opening Bid

• Minimum Length:
  • 3 cards
• Responses:   raises
  • single raise: minimum (6-9 pts), 4+ cards
  • double raise: invitational (10-11 pts), 4+ cards
  • double raise (after overcall): preemptive, 4+ cards
• Responses: new suit
  • 1C-1D/H/S - 6+ pts, 4+ cards
  • 1D-2C - 10+ pts, 4+ cards
  • 1C-2D - not defined
• Responses: no trump
  • 1NT:
    • after 1C: 8-10 HCPs
      • with 6-7 pts, bid 1D - possibly 3 card diamond suit
      • with 6-7 pts, bid 2C - 5 card club suit & no 4 card suit
    • after 1D: 6-9 HCPs
  • 2NT - 13-15 HCPs
  • 3NT - 16-18 HCPs

2C Opening Bid

• Classical strong 2 opener
• 9 1/2 or more tricks - unbalanced
• 22-24 or 28+ HCPs - balanced
• Responses:
  • Waiting
    • 2D: waiting
    • 2H-3D: good 5 card suit, (8)9+ pts, 2 of top 3 cards
    • 2NT: 10+ HCPs
  • Rebids:
    • 2NT: 22-24 HCPs
    • 3NT: 28-30 HCPs

2D/H/S Opening Bid

• Weak 2 Bid
• 5-11 HCPs
• 6 card suit
• 3rd seat - also 5 card suit, 10-12 HCPs
• Responses:
  • 2NT: ask for hand description
    • 3 suit rebid - weak hand & suit
    • new suit - good hand & feature
    • 3NT - AKQxxx, no outside feature
  • new suit: forcing (2NT responses)
    • 3 suit rebid - weak hand & suit
    • raise - weak hand, 3 card support
    • new suit - good hand & feature
    • 3NT - AKQxxx, no outside feature

3/4 Preemptive Opening Bid

• light (non-vul), sound (vul)

Miscellaneous Responses

Special Doubles

• Negative - thru 3S

Simple Overcalls

• 1-level: 8-16 HCPs, 4 cards occasionally
• Responses:
  • cue bid - limit raise or better
  • jump raise - preemptive
  • new suit - non-forcing
  • jump new suit - preemptive

Strong Overcalls

• double, then bid new suit or jump raise response to double
• shows 17+ pts

Jump Overcalls

• preemptive

NT Overcalls

• 15-18 HCPs
• Responses: 2C -> Stayman, other bids -> natural

2 Suited Overcall

• 5-5 or longer
• jump to 2NT: 2 lower unbid suits
• cue over minor: 2 major suits
• cue over major: other major & 1 minor suit
• natural: opponents bid 2 suits

Balancing Overcalls

• NT: 10-14 HCPs
• 2NT: 2 lower suits
• cue: 2 suited (ala Michaels)
• jump cue: (5)6+ cards in unknown suit, 18+ pts
• jump suit: 6+ cards, 13-15 pts

Defense vs NoTrump

• natural

Double vs Preempts

• double: takeout (optional) - thru 4H
• 4NT: forcing takeout (also after preemptive overcalls)

Over Takeout Double

• 1-level: new suit forcing
• jump new suit: weak
• redouble:
  • 10+ HPCs
  • implies no fit
• 2NT: limit raise or better

Slam Conventions

• Gerber:
  • Responses:
    • 4D: 0 or 4 aces
    • 4H: 1 ace
    • 4S: 2 aces
    • 4NT: 3 aces
  • Rebids:
    • 4H/S: to play
    • 4NT: to play
    • 5C: ask for kings
    • 5D/H/S/NT: invitational to 6 level
    • 6C/D/H/S/NT: to play
    • 7C/D/H/S/NT: to play
• Blackwood:
  • Responses:
    • 5C: 0 or 4 aces
    • 5D: 1 ace
    • 5H: 2 aces
    • 5S: 3 aces
  • Rebids:
    • 5D/H/S: to play
    • 5NT: ask for kings
    • 6C/D/H/S/NT: to play
    • 7C/D/H/S/NT: to play
• After Inteference:
  • DOPI (double with zero, pass with one)
  • ROPI (redouble with zero, pass with one)

Leads vs NT

• from honor: 4th best
• from 3 small: top down (Xxx)
• from 4+ small: (xXxx)
• top of touching honors: including K from AK

Leads vs Suit

• from honor: 4th best
• from 3 small: middle up down (xXx)
• from 4+ small: middle up down (xXxx)
• top of touching honors: including A from AK

Signals

• attitude - high-low encourages
• suit led by declarer - standard count