tennis, life and a few things in between

Bidding opens a bridge game, and points determine how you bid, or not.

There are total 40 points in a deck: A K Q J, the high card point HCP.

• Ace = 4 points
• King = 3
• Queen = 2
• Jack = 1
• long suit:
  1.  = 5-card suit
  2. = 6-card suit
  3. = 7-card suit
• short suit:
  1. = doubleton
  2. = singleton
  3. = void

Just so you know, the maximum points a hand can have – mathematically proven ha ha ha, is 37 HCP bec each hand has only 13 cards.

♠️ A K Q J
♥️ A K Q
♦️ A K Q
♣️ A K Q

The very basic rule for bidding in each level:

1. 12-13 HCP to open bid in ♠️♥️♦️♣️, 16-17 to 1NT
   • ♦️/♣️ = 3 in the suit
   • ♠️/♥️ = 5 in the suit
2. see ⇓ conventions; 21 HCP NT; 22 in ♠️♥️♦️♣️
3. ♠️♥️♦️♣️: weak (5-9 HCP) 7-card suit
4. ♠️♥️♦️♣️: weak (6-10 HCP) 8-card suit

 Some conventions

• 2♣️ bid is artificial = 22 HCP or 9+ tricks
• 2♦️♠️♥️ bid is weak 2 bid: 5-10 HCP and 6-card suit

Responses

Responses to partner’s 1NT opening bid: (Responses to a 2NT opening bid are the same, except 2NT 3C is Stayman)

• Pass: Normal if game is out of reach, unless 2D 2H or 2S is a safer contract.
• 2C is Stayman, promising some 4+ card major and asking partner to bid her 4-card major (2H or 2S) if she has one, otherwise to bid 2D. You can subsequently shift to a major to show a 5-card suit and invite game.
• 2D, 2H, or 2S is a sign-off; partner must pass.
• 2NT is invitational to 3NT; partner will raise if at the high end of her 16-18.
• 3-of-a-suit is forcing. Partner will raise with 3+ card support, and otherwise bid 3NT.
• 3NT or 4H or 4S is a sign-off in game.
• 4C is Gerber, asking for aces. Partner responds 4D with 0 or 4 aces, 4H with 1, 4S with 2, 4NT with 3.
• 4NT is invitational to 6NT (This is quantitative, not Blackwood.)

Responses to partner’s 1-of-a-suit bid

• Pass with 0-5 points.
• ^{1H →} 2H = 6-10 points and support in the suit (8+ cards between you)
• ^{1H →} 3H = force a game, 13 points and support.
• ^{1H →}  4H = is a sign-off, indicating a weak hand but with many trumps.
• ^{1H →}  1S = 6-18 points, and 4+ cards in the suit. Forcing, i.e. don’t let the bidding stop there.
• ^{1H →}  2C = 10-18 points, and 4+ cards in the suit. Forcing (except by passed hand).
• ^{1H →} 2S = 19+ points. Forcing to game, and slam is likely.
• ^{1H →} 1NT =: 6-9 points, no fit in partner’s suit, no other suit that can be bid at one level. Not necessarily balanced.
• ^{1H →} 2NT = 13-15 points and a balanced hand, and usually no 4+ card major suits.
• ^{1H →} 3NT = 16-18 points and a balanced hand.