Beginning Bridge Bidding Cheat Sheet

Opening Bids:
1 No Trump 15-17 Points Balanced hand (no singleton or void)
5 Card major 13-21 points
Best minor (Even if only 3 cards in suit) 13-21 points
Responses to Opener’s bid of a suit:
With fewer than 6 Points pass
With 6 or more points bid
Responses to 1NT Opening (Responses do Not include using Stayman yet)
7 or less points
Pass, unless you have a 5+-card major, then bid 1 level below your major at the 2 level,
2♦ = promises 5+ Hearts
2♥ = 5+ Spades NT Opener must bid the major (this lets the strong NT hand be declarer).
Once the Opener has accepted the transfer, Pass.

8-9 points invite to game by bidding 2NT

With a 5-card major transfer into your major at the 2 level, this lets strong hand be declarer
Next bid 2NT to invite game
NT Opener: With 3+ card support and bottom of range bid 3 of Responder’s major
(confirming fit but showing minimum)
With 3+ card support and top of range bid 4 of Responder’s major
(confirming fit and showing maximum)
With only 2 card support and bottom of range Pass 2NT
With only 2 card support and top of range bid 3NT
Without 5-card major bid 2NT, (if NT Opener is at top of 15-17 point range they now bid 3NT)

10–14 points bid game

With a 5-card major transfer into your major at the 2 level, this lets strong hand be declarer
Next bid 3NT to give NT Opener choice of game 3NT or 4 of major
Without 5-card major bid 3NT

Responses to (1♥ or 1♠)

Fewer than 6 points
Pass

6-10 points
With 3 or more card support and 6-10 points make a simple raise to 2 of the major
Without support (3 Card heart support) bid 1♠ with 4 or more spades
Without support and fewer than 11 points bid 1NT

11-12 points
With 3+ card support and 11-12 points bid 3 of major
Without support (3 Card heart support) bid 1♠ with 4 or more spades
Without support and 11 or 12 points and no 5-card suit, bid 2NT (invitational)

12-15 points
With 3+ card support and 12-15 points bid 4 of major
Without support (3 Card heart support) bid 1♠ with 4 or more spades
 Without support and 12 or more points bid a 5-card suit at the 2 level, (this is 2 over 1 and creates
a game forcing auction)
Without support and 12 points and no 5-card suit, bid 2NT (as previously stated)
Without support and 13-15 points and no 5-card suit, bid 3NT

Responses to 1♣ or 1♦
Fewer than 6 points = Pass

With 4 card major bid the major up the line hearts before spades
Bid 5 card or longer major (with two 5 card majors bid spades first)
With 5 or more card support and 6-10 points make a simple raise to 2 of Opener’s minor
With 5 or more card support and 12-15 points raise to 3 of minor, or, with balanced hand, bid 3NT

With no 4-card major and 6-10 points bid 1 NT

With no 4-card major and 11-12 points bid 2 NT
With no 4-card major and 13-15 points bid 3 NT

If Opener bid 1♣, with 5 or more diamonds bid 1♦ (shows 6+ points)

If Opener bid 1♦, with a good 12 or more points and 5 or more clubs bid 2♣ (this is 2 over 1
and creates a game forcing auction)

2nd Bid By Opener:

Opener’s hand is broken-down into 3 ranges
Weak opening 13-15 points
Intermediate 16-18 points
Strong 19-21 points

With a weak opening hand bid your 2nd suit or raise Responder’s new minor suit with 3+ card support or
raise Responder’s major suit with 4 card support

With an intermediate hand bid at least 2NT or with 4 card support in Responder’s major bid 3 of the major

With a strong hand and 4 card support for Responder’s major bid game in the major. Otherwise bid 3NT
with a balanced hand and no known 8-card fit.

Responder with 16+ points should be interested in a possible slam. Opener’s 2nd bid
should help determine if they opened a weak 13-15 hcp or a better 16-18 intermediate
hand or a strong 19-21 hand. Normally a slam requires around 33 points.