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The Everything Bridge Book: Easy-to-Follow Instructions that Will Have You Playing in No Time

Bridge Player's Bible: Illustrated Strategies for Staying ahead of the Game

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How to Play Bridge

Next:
How to Win at Bridge

How to Bid Strategically

Bidding strategically is the single most important bridge skill—the actual play of the hands is secondary. Bidding not only determines the contract for the hand but also communicates essential information to your partner.

How to Evaluate Your Hand

Before you can think about your bid, you have to evaluate your hand. The strength of your hand—for both bidding and playing purposes—is determined by two factors:

The ranks of your cards
The distribution of suits in your hand

How to Count High Card Points

The more high cards you have, the better. A universal system, called high card points (HCPs), has been established to evaluate exactly how strong a given bridge hand is in this respect. Before you make your first bid, add up the HCPs in your hand as follows:

For each card of this rank in your hand . . .		Add this many HCPs . . .
Ace		4
King		3
Queen		2
Jack		1

For example, a hand of

AQ83

AKT

97632

J has 14 HCPs: 4 for the

A, 2 for the

Q, 4 for the

A, 3 for the

K, and 1 for the

J, for a total of 4 + 2 + 4 + 3 + 1 = 14.

How to Evaluate Suit Distribution

Evaluating your suit distribution means counting the number of suits in which you have at least four cards. The example hand shown previously (

AQ83

AKT

97632

J) is considered a two-suited hand, since it has at least four cards in both spades and diamonds. In a given hand, you can have the following suit distributions:

One-suited: Only one suit of at least four cards
Two-suited: Two suits of at least four cards
Three-suited: Three suits of at least four cards

If you have no particularly long suit, your hand is considered balanced. Balanced hands have a 4-3-3-3, 4-4-3-2, or 5-3-3-2 distribution of suits. Having two cards of a particular suit is called a doubleton; having only one card in a particular suit is called a singleton; having no cards in a suit is called a void.

You should consider bidding only those suits in which you have at least four cards. The ultimate strength or weakness of your suit distribution, though, also depends on your partner’s hand—you want to find a suit in which you’re both reasonably strong. Skillful bidding allows you to do exactly that.

The Opening Bid

If you’re the dealer, or if everyone in front of you has passed, you make the opening bid. Making the right opening bid is essential for communicating with your partner and winning a favorable contract.

Unbalanced Hands

One-, two-, or three-suited hands are called unbalanced hands. If you have an unbalanced hand, you should make a trump bid. A trump bid, also called a suit bid, is a bid of spades, hearts, diamonds, or clubs. The chart below tells you exactly what trump bid to make depending on your HCPs and your suit distribution:

	One-Suited	Two-Suited	Three-Suited
12–20 HCPs	bid 1 of longest suit	bid 1 of longest suit	bid 1(or 1)
21+ HCPs	bid 2	bid 2	bid 2

A common strategy is to bid your longest suit. When in doubt about which suit to bid, bidding the suit in which you have the most cards is a good choice. If more than one suit is tied for the longest, bid the highest-ranking of those suits (recall that the order of suits, from highest to lowest, is spades, hearts, diamonds, clubs).

If you have 21 or more HCPs, bid 2

regardless of whether clubs is your longest suit. This bid of 2

is an artificial bid that tells your opponent that you have a great hand with lots of HCPs. Artificial bids in bridge are established conventions that players have agreed upon to indicate certain types of hands. When you bid 2

, an experienced partner will know that you have many HCPs.

On the other hand, an opening bid of 1

is an artificial bid that indicates that you have a three-suited hand with 12–20 HCPs. Though it’s true that you would also bid 1

if diamonds were your longest suit, this artificial bid at least lets your partner know that a three-suited hand is a possibility. (If you have a diamond void or singleton, bid 1

instead of 1

Preemptive Bids

What if you have fewer than 12 HCPs? Surprisingly, you should bid even higher. Called a preemptive bid, this bid is designed to make it harder for your opponents to bid effectively. By opening with 2, 3, or 4, you force your opponents to bid higher than they otherwise would. Your preemptive bid depends on the length of your longest suit. If you have only 6–10 HCPs, here’s how to make a great preemptive bid:

If you have a six-card suit with at least three honor cards in that suit: Bid 2, 2, or 2 (whichever is your longest suit). Remember that the 10, jack, queen, king, and ace are all honor cards. Do not bid 2, however, since that bid already has a special meaning. If your longest suit is clubs, bid 2 of your second-longest suit.
If you have a seven-card suit with at least three honors in that suit: Bid 3 of your longest suit.
If you have an eight-card suit with at least three honors in that suit: Bid 4 of your longest suit.

If you have fewer than 12 HCPs and don’t meet any of the above bidding requirements, you should pass. Note that a hand with 11 HCPs should generally be passed—it’s not high enough for a traditional bid and not quite low enough for a preemptive bid.

Balanced Hands

If you have a balanced hand, you should usually open with a no trump bid. The following no trump opening bids indicate something very specific to your partner.

1NT: This indicates that you have 16–18 HCPs.
2NT: This indicates that you have 22–24 HCPs.
3NT: This indicates that you have exactly 25 or 26 HCPs. The following table tells you what bid to make depending on your HCPs and your suit distribution:

Number of HCPs	4-4-3-2	4-3-3-3	5-3-3-2
12–14	bid 1 of minor suit	bid 1 of minor suit	bid 1 of longest suit
15–17	bid 1NT	bid 1NT	bid 1NT
18–19	bid 1 of minor suit	bid 1 of minor suit	bid 1 of longest suit
20–21	bid 2NT	bid 2NT	bid 2NT
22–24	bid 2	bid 2	bid 2
25–26	bid 3NT	bid 3NT	bid 3NT

When you don’t meet the exact requirement for a no trump bid, the bid you should make depends on your suit distribution. If you have a 5-3-3-2 distribution, your longest suit is long enough to warrant bidding that suit. When you have either 4-4-3-2 or 4-3-3-3, the convention is to bid your strongest minor suit (diamonds or clubs).

Bidding a minor suit makes it easier for your partner to respond. Remember, your partner must bid higher than you, so bidding a major suit would likely force him to take the bid to the next level (e.g., from 1 to 2 or from 2 to 3). A bid of 1

, for example, forces your partner either to bid 1NT or to make a bid at the 2 level.

How to Respond to Bids

When you bid after your partner, he has already communicated vital information to you about his HCPs and suit distribution. Your goal as the responder is to find a suit in which both of you are strong.

How to Evaluate Your Hand and Your Partner’s Bid

If you have fewer than six HCPs, your response is simple: pass. Your hand is so weak that no other response is justified. If you have six or more HCPs, though, you need to make a bid. Your requirements are lower than those for opening: by bidding, your partner has already shown some strength (otherwise, he would have passed).

Responding to Suit Bids

Your response to a suit bid depends largely on whether it’s a minor or major suit. Minor suits are generally easier to respond to because you don’t have to bid at the next level as often. Ideally, you’d like to be strong in the same suit as your partner. This is called having support for your partner. If your strongest suit is the same as your partner’s, you can add the following support points to your HCP total:

5 points for each void
3 points for each singleton
1 point for each doubleton

For example, if your partner has bid 1

, and your hand is

QJT53

KQ943

J74, bid as though you have 14 HCPs. Though you technically only have 9 HCPs, you’re strong in the same suit as your partner (hearts—which you know from his bid), and you have one void (because you have no diamonds), which is worth 5 points. Since 9 + 5 = 14, bid as though you have 14 HCPs.

Minor Suit Bids

If your partner bids a minor suit (diamonds or clubs), here’s how to respond:

If you have six or more HCPs but no support for your partner: Bid 1 of your strongest suit if you have at least four cards in it. Otherwise, pass.
If you have support for your partner and 6–9 HCPs and support points: Bid 1 more than your partner in the same suit.
If you have support for your partner and 10–12 HCPs and support points: Bid 2 more than your partner in the same suit.
If you have a balanced hand: Bid 1NT if you have 6–11 HCPs, bid 2NT if you have 12–15 HCPs, and bid 3NT if you have 16–18 HCPs.

Major Suit Bids

The best way to respond when your partner bids a major suit (spades or hearts) depends on how many cards you have in the suit that your partner bid.

If you have fewer than three cards in the suit that your partner bid and have:

An unbalanced hand with 6–10 HCPs: Bid 1NT.
An unbalanced hand with at least 11 HCPs: Bid 2 in your strongest suit.
A balanced hand with 13–15 HCPs: Bid 2NT.
A balanced hand with 16–18 HCPs: Bid 3NT.

If you have three cards in the suit that your partner bid and have:

6–10 HCPs and support points: Bid 2 in your partner’s suit.
11–12 HCPs and support points: Bid 2 in your longest suit, then bid 3 in your partner’s suit on your next bid.
13–16 HCPs and support points: Bid 2 in your longest suit, then bid 4 in your partner’s suit on your next bid.

If you have more than three cards in the suit that your partner bid and have:

6–8 HCPs and support points: Bid 2 in your partner’s suit.
9–12 HCPs and support points: Bid 3 in your partner’s suit.
13–16 HCPs and support points: Bid 4 in your partner’s suit.

How to Respond to No Trump Bids

If your partner bids no trump, it’s a pretty clear indication of strength. It’s also an indication of a balanced hand: you know that your partner has at least two cards of every suit.

To respond to a no trump bid, first reevaluate your HCPs by adding two points if you have a five-or six-card suit with at least two honor cards. The reason for this adjustment is that your honors are less likely to lose to your opponents, since your partner has so many high cards. If you have a balanced hand (or if your strongest suit is a minor suit) and have:

0–8 adjusted HCPs: Pass.
9 adjusted HCPs: Bid 2NT.
10–15 adjusted HCPs: Bid 3NT.

If you have a five- or six-card major suit, you and your partner are very likely to win a game contract. But you need to ensure that your major suit is trump; therefore, the bidding must end in a contract for your major suit. To convey this information to your partner, use the following convention:

If your strong major suit is spades: Bid 2.
If your strong major suit is hearts: Bid 2.

This is a standard convention, so an experienced partner should know exactly what your bid means.

The Eight-Card Fit

Finding a suit in which you and your partner have at least eight cards total is called an eight-card fit. Even if you’re slightly weak in HCPs, having eight trumps is enough to win most contracts. It’s ideal if you can find an eight-card fit in a major suit.

The Stayman Convention

If your partner opens with 1NT and you have at least four cards in a major suit, you’d like to know whether your partner also has four cards in that suit. That would provide a good eight-card fit in a major suit, which is usually enough to win the game. The Stayman convention is a bid that allows you to find out whether your partner has four cards in a major suit, also called having a four-card major. The Stayman convention works as follows:

Your partner bids 1NT, indicating a balanced hand.
You bid 2. This is the key bid of the Stayman convention—it signifies the following:
1. You have at least eight HCPs.
2. You have at least four cards of a major suit.
3. You want to know whether your partner has a four-card major.
If your partner has a four-card major, he bids 2 of that suit. For example, if your partner responds to your bid of 2 with a bid of 2, that indicates that he has a four-card major in hearts. Otherwise, your partner must bid 2. This is part of the Stayman convention and lets you know that your partner does not have a four-card major.

How to Rebid

For bids later in the auction, the principles that you’ve already learned still apply. Your subsequent bids should be based on the following factors:

Your HCPs
Your suit distribution
Finding an eight-card fit with your partner
Following the Stayman convention as appropriate

In the earlier stages of bidding, sometimes you’ll be near the minimum of the range of requirements for a particular bid. In this case, you should try to end the contract at the lowest level possible.

If you’re closer to the maximum of the range of requirements for a particular bid, and your partner has shown strength, you should try to end the contract in a bid of four of a major suit or five of a minor suit. These bids are enough to win the game in a single hand.

Defensive Bidding

If your opponents open the bidding, you want to make it difficult for them to get the contract they want. You also need to avoid making a bid for a contract that you won’t be able to win. Defensive bidding involves balancing these two goals. To obstruct your opponents’ bidding, you or your partner can make overcalls. An overcall is a bid made after your opponents open. To make an effective overcall, follow these guidelines:

For a one-level overcall (e.g., bidding 1 after your opponents bid 1): You need to have 9–16 HCPs and at least five cards of the suit that you’re bidding.
For a two-level overcall (e.g., bidding 2 after your opponents bid 1): You need to have a hand that meets all the requirements for making an opening bid and at least six cards of the suit that you’re bidding.
For a three-level overcall: You need to have 6–9 HCPs and a seven-card suit with an ace.
For a four-level overcall: You need to have 6–12 HCPs and an eight-card suit with at least two honors, including an ace.

When making an overcall, always bid your longest suit. An overcall is a clear signal to your partner that you have at least five cards of the suit that you bid.

Note that the requirements above are significantly different from those for making opening or responding bids. When you’re opening or responding to your partner, your primary goal is to win a favorable auction. When you’re bidding defensively, though, your primary goal is to make it difficult for your opponents to bid. Making high bids with long suits, even with only a few HCPs, can force your opponents to make a higher bid than they otherwise would.

Doubles

In addition to bidding suits and no trump, you can double by announcing “Double” when it’s your turn to bid. This bid doubles the value of the current game if everyone passes after your bid is made. If other players bid after you double, bidding and scoring proceed normally.

Penalty Doubles

A penalty double is designed to penalize your opponents for overbidding their hands. It’s made when you don’t think your opponents will make their bid, and you’d like to increase the score you’ll receive when you set them. The following example illustrates when you might use a penalty double.

Suppose one of your opponents bids 6

. This means that they intend to take 6 + 6 = 12 tricks. With only 13 tricks total, your opponents can afford to lose only one trick—otherwise they’ll get set. If you hold

AK, you’re guaranteed to win at least two tricks, thereby setting your opponents. This is a clear case when you should double—you know your opponents can’t make their bid, and you have an opportunity to make them pay a higher penalty for getting set. Your partner should pass when you make a penalty double.

Though your opponents don’t have to pass, they don’t have a better option. Bidding 6

or 7 of anything is likely to be much worse than their bid of 6

, so they’re stuck with losing a doubled contract. Make a penalty double whenever you think your opponents have grossly overvalued their hands.

Takeout Doubles

Unlike a penalty double, a takeout double is made with the expectation that it will be rendered irrelevant. The purpose of a takeout double is to convey the following information to your partner:

You have at least 12 (and possibly far more) HCPs.
You’re weak in the suit that your opponent just bid.
You’re strong in the unbid suits.

You can think of a takeout double as a bid in multiple suits at once—you’re telling your opponent that you’re strong in all the unbid suits. You should make a takeout double whenever your hand meets all three of the above criteria.

So how do you and your partner distinguish between the two types of doubles? A penalty double is usually made near the end of the bidding, after the bid has become relatively high. A takeout double is made earlier, when the bidding is still low, and you and your partner will have the chance to bid again.

Redoubles

If your opponent doubles you, but you think he has made a mistake in doing so, you can redouble. Redoubled contracts are worth even more than doubled contracts if everyone passes after this bid is made. As with a double, players may decide to bid after you redouble, in which case bidding and scoring proceed normally. Make this bid by saying “Redouble.” You may redouble only after a double has been made.

Slams

A slam is a contract for 12 or 13 tricks. A small slam is a contract for 12 tricks, made with a bid of 6; a grand slam is a contract for all 13 tricks, made with a bid of 7. Since making slam contracts is so difficult, a substantial bonus is given to a successful declarer. On the other hand, failing to make a slam results in a large penalty.

Requirements for Slams

To decide whether to go for a slam, you first need to decide whether a no trump or a trump slam makes more sense.

Requirements for a No Trump Slam

For a no trump slam, you need to meet two requirements:

You and your partner both have balanced hands.
You have at least 33 HCPs between the two hands.

Part of the reason the conventions for no trump bidding are so rigid is to allow you to determine exactly how many HCPs you and your partner have between you. If you don’t meet both of the above requirements, don’t risk going for a no trump slam.

Requirements for a Trump Slam

For a trump slam, you need to meet four requirements:

You have at least 31 HCPs between you and your partner’s hands.
You have at least three aces between you.
You and your partner are strong in the same trump suit.
Your opponents don’t have both the ace and king in any suit.

To determine exactly how many aces and kings you and your partner have, use the Blackwood convention.

The Blackwood Convention

The Blackwood convention was designed specifically for slam bidding. It provides a method for asking your partner how many aces and kings he has.

How to Ask for Aces

To find out how many aces your partner has, bid 4NT. As long as the previous bid wasn’t also a no trump bid, 4NT has only one meaning: “How many aces do you have?” Your partner’s bid provides the answer:

5: 0 or 4 aces
5: 1 ace
5: 2 aces
5: 3 aces

Based on previous bidding and the cards in your own hand, it should be clear whether your partner has 0 or 4 aces in the case of a 5

bid. If you’ve established that you and your partner have all four aces, you might want to consider a grand slam. Your decision now hinges on how many kings you have between you.

How to Ask for Kings

To find out how many kings your partner has, bid 5NT. As long as the previous bid wasn’t also a no trump bid, 5NT has only one meaning: “How many kings do you have?” Your partner’s bid provides the answer:

6: 0 or 4 kings
6: 1 king
6: 2 kings
6: 3 kings

Based on previous bidding and the cards in your own hand, it should be clear whether your partner has 0 or 4 kings in the case of a 6

bid. If you and your partner have all the aces and all the kings, and you meet the other requirements for a slam, a grand slam may not be out of the question. (For more on how the potential rewards and penalties for a grand slam are decisive, see Bridge Scoring Details.)

Acknowledgments & Disclaimer

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