Australian Bridge Standard

The system used in our Bidding Forum

In all cases, explanatory footnotes in the magazine or on the web page override these notes.

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Minors

With 4-4, 5-5 or 6-6 in minors, open 1 (showing 4+).

With 3-3 minors, or three diamonds and two clubs, open 1.

Responses:

Four-card suits up the line.

No suit quality required for a suit response.

Criss-cross invitational raises (1-2, 1-3), with club raise showing 5+. Preemptive jump raises.

1 minor – 1NT: 8-10 over 1,  7-9 over 1.

1 minor – two of the same minor: inverted, 11+ HCP.

1 minor – 2NT: 11-12, no major.

1 minor – 2 of a major: weak jump shift, 4-6 HCP.

1 minor – 3, 3: splinter.

1 minor – 3NT: (12) 13-15, balanced raise, 4+ card support.

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Majors

Five-card suits in first or second seat, may be strong four-card suits in third or fourth position.

Responses:

2/1 game forcing (unless indicated otherwise in the footnote of the problem).
1-2 shows five, 1M-2 can be three if planning to rebid 2NT.

Preemptive jump raises.

Long-suit trial bids by opener.

Splinters.

1 major – 1NT: 6-11, semi-forcing (opener can pass with minimum 5332).

1 major – 2NT: Jacoby. Continuations will not be relevant to our bidding forum problems.

1 major – 3NT: (12) 13-15, balanced raise, 4+ card support.

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1NT: 15-17

Responses to 1NT:

Simple Stayman (promises a major).

Transfers to majors.

2: transfer to either minor (opener bids 3).

3-minor: natural game force.

3-major: natural slam invite.

Stayman followed by 3-minor is natural and forcing (and promises a major).

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2 opening: Game Force or 23-24 balanced.

Responses:

2: less than 3 controls (A=2, K=1).

2, 2, 2: Weak Twos

Responses:

Ogust.

2NT: 21-22 balanced.

Responses:

3: Simple Stayman.

3, 3: Transfers.

3: 5 spades, 4 hearts.

4, 4: natural, slam tries.

3 and higher:

Normal preempts. 3NT: Gambling.

Shows any solid seven-card suit, with less than a king outside suit.

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Responding and rebidding style:

Reverses forcing for one round. Fast arrival applies.

New suit over two-level response forcing; promises another bid, e.g. 1 – 2 – 2.

Raising responder’s two-over-one response to three shows a minimum, non-forcing.

Double jump rebid by responder splinter (e.g. 1 – 1; 4).

Jump rebids by responder in a bid suit or to 2NT non-forcing (e.g. 1 – 1; 1 – 2NT).

Fourth-suit forcing to game.

After opener’s 1NT rebid, 2 is Checkback, other non-reverse bids are droppable, three-level rebids of responder’s original suit are invitational, and new suits at the three-level force to game.

Slam bidding methods:

4NT: RKCB (1430)

First- and second-round control bids.

When a major is agreed, the next notrump bid is a pivot (e.g. 1 - 2NT - 3 - 3NT denies A or A).

Competitive bidding:

2 over their 1NT is takeout for the majors – responder’s 2 shows equal length.

Other bids over their 1NT are natural.

Negative doubles to 4.

Responsive doubles to 4.
(Note: responsive doubles apply after the opponents have raised a suit, eg. 1-dbl-2-dbl or 1-dbl-4-dbl).

Lebensohl after doubles of weak twos (3X stronger than 2NT, slow show).

2NT scramble over takeout double when both opponents are bidding.

Weak jump overcalls.

Support doubles.

Fit-showing jumps in competition.

1NT overcall 15-18: same methods used as over a 1NT opening.

1NT balancing: 10-14, shows stopper in the suit opened.

Takeout doubles after interference to our notrump.

Takeout doubles over weak twos or preempts to 4.

Change of suit after overcall forcing, 2NT bid droppable.

Preemptive jump raises of overcalls.

Cue raises of opener's suit or overcaller's suit (invite or better). Direct raise is less than an invitation.

In response to partner’s takeout double, 2NT is droppable, a bid of the enemy suit is forcing to suit agreement.