Bridge Bidding Cheat Sheet: Opening Bids, Points and Conventions
This bridge bidding cheat sheet covers everything you need at the table: opening bid requirements, point count thresholds for game and slam, responses, and the four conventions every beginner must know. James Harrington has taught bridge to hundreds of players over twenty years, and this is exactly what he hands them on day one.
How Do You Count Your Points in Bridge?
Before you can bid anything, you need to know what your hand is worth. Bridge uses a system called High Card Points, or HCP for short. It was popularised in the 1920s and is still the foundation of every bidding system in the world today.
High Card Points (HCP)
The full deck contains exactly 40 High Card Points, so an average hand holds 10. If you pick up a hand with 13 or more HCP, you have an above-average hand and enough to open the bidding.
Distribution points come into play once you and your partner have found a trump suit:
+3
Void: 0 cards in a suit
+2
Singleton: 1 card in a suit
+1
Doubleton: 2 cards in a suit
How Many Points Do You Need to Open the Bidding?
The general rule is 13 High Card Points to open at the one level. A hand of 12 points can be opened if it has a good long suit or strong distribution. The Rule of 20 is a useful shortcut for borderline hands: add your HCP to the length of your two longest suits. If the total is 20 or more, open.
Standard American Opening Bids
Always open a five-card major if you have one. With two five-card suits, open the higher-ranking one. With no five-card suit, open your longer minor. If your minors are equal length, open 1♣.
For a deeper look at opening one-bids, visit the full guide to opening bids in bridge.
What Should You Bid When Your Partner Opens?
The first question is simple: do you have 6 points? If not, pass. If you do, you must respond. Leaving partner in a one-level opening with a six-point hand is a mistake that can cost the partnership a game.
Responding to partner’s 1♥ or 1♠ opening:
Responses to a Major-Suit Opening
Responding to partner’s 1♣ or 1♦ opening:
With a four-card major, always respond in your major at the one level. This is called “bidding up the line” and it keeps the bidding low while searching for the best fit.
Responding to partner’s 1NT opening:
This is where Stayman and Jacoby Transfers live. See the conventions section below.
When Should You Use Stayman, Jacoby Transfers, Blackwood, and Gerber?
These four conventions are the ones every beginner needs to know. Each has a specific trigger. Using them at the wrong time is as costly as not using them at all.
Stayman
When: Partner opens 1NT. You have 8 or more points and at least one four-card major (hearts or spades).
The bid: 2♣ (artificial: it says nothing about clubs; it asks “do you have a four-card major?”)
Stayman Responses
For a full treatment, see the Stayman convention guide.
Jacoby Transfers
When: Partner opens 1NT. You have five or more cards in hearts or spades: at any point count from 0 upward.
Jacoby Transfer Bids
Why make partner declare? Because the 1NT opener holds the stronger hand. If partner plays the contract, their strong hand is hidden from the opponents, which is a tactical advantage.
After the transfer: with a weak hand (0–7 points), pass. With an invitational hand (8–9 points), bid 2NT. With a game-forcing hand (10+ points), bid 3NT or raise to game in the major.
Learn more at the Jacoby Transfers guide.
Blackwood
When: You are in a forcing auction and want to check how many aces partner holds before bidding slam. Use it after a trump suit has been agreed.
The bid: 4NT
Blackwood Responses (standard)
When not to use Blackwood: Do not use it when you have a void in a suit, because partner’s ace in that suit is useless to you. Do not use it when you are missing two aces and will be forced to stop at the five level, above game. Use Blackwood only when you expect the answer to confirm a slam.
Full details at the Blackwood convention guide.
Gerber
When: Partner opens 1NT or 2NT and you want to ask for aces directly.
The bid: 4♣ (in direct response to a notrump opening)
Gerber Responses
What Do Opener’s Rebids Mean?
Opener’s second bid is the moment the picture of the hand becomes clearer. Responder now knows whether opener has a minimum, an intermediate, or a maximum opening.
After 1♥ by opener and 1♠ by responder:
Opener’s Rebid Options
How Many Points Do You Need for Game or Slam in Bridge?
These thresholds are the most-used numbers in all of bridge. You will refer to them at every table.
Game and Slam Point Thresholds
These are partnership totals. If you open 1NT (15–17 HCP) and partner bids 3NT, they are showing 10–12 HCP. Together you hold 25–29 points: solid game territory.
For an explanation of why these contracts earn bonuses and how scoring works, see the guide to bridge scoring.
What Do You Bid When the Opponents Open First?
Defensive bidding: bidding after the opponents have already opened: follows its own rules. You are no longer just describing your hand to partner; you are also competing for the contract or making life difficult for the opponents.
Defensive Bidding Actions
The takeout double is the most important tool in defensive bidding. It says nothing about the suit the opponents opened. It says: I have a good hand, I am short in their suit, and I want you to pick the best contract for our side. Partner of the doubler must bid their best suit unless they are very strong (12+ HCP), in which case they can pass for penalties.
Worked Example: From the Deal to the Final Contract
Here is a real hand, walked through exactly as it would be bid at a club table.
- North has 14 HCP and no five-card major, so opens 1♦ (convenient minor).
- South has 13 HCP and four spades. The first job as responder is to bid four-card majors up the line: South responds 1♠.
- North now knows South has four spades. North also has four spades. An eight-card fit has been found. With 14 HCP and four-card support, North raises to 2♠: a single raise showing 12–15 HCP.
- South adds up: North showed 12–15 HCP with the raise. South has 13. Together they hold 25–28 points. That is game territory. South bids 4♠ directly.
The final contract is 4♠ by North. The partnership holds a combined 27 HCP and a solid eight-card spade fit. This is exactly the kind of hand a cheat sheet is built to help you recognise.
Quick-Reference Table: All Key Bidding Values at a Glance
This table consolidates every number you need for Standard American bidding into one place. Bookmark this section or print the page.
Opening & Responding
Conventions
Game & Slam Targets (Combined HCP)
Defensive Bidding
Point thresholds are based on Standard American Yellow Card (SAYC) guidelines as published by the American Contract Bridge League and consistent with the framework of the World Bridge Federation. Individual partnerships may agree small variations.
What Comes Next After Learning These Basics?
Once you are comfortable with opening bids and simple responses, the next step is learning to respond specifically to a 1NT opening, because that auction has more moving parts than any other. Stayman and Jacoby Transfers are the key tools, but knowing exactly when to use each one: and what to do after partner’s answer: takes a little more study. The full guide to responding to 1NT walks you through every scenario.
If you are playing at a duplicate club, you will also soon encounter Roman Key Card Blackwood (RKCB), a variation on Blackwood that treats the king of trumps as a fifth “ace.” It is the standard at most duplicate tables. The Roman Key Card Blackwood guide explains how it works and when to switch from standard Blackwood.
Where Do You Go from Here?
A cheat sheet gives you the framework. The game fills in the detail.
To build on what you have learned here, explore the bridge bidding hub for deeper guides on every part of the auction. If you are still learning the fundamentals, the guide to how to play bridge covers the full picture from deal to score. And if scoring is still unclear, the bridge scoring guide explains exactly why game and slam bonuses matter so much.
For the conventions you will use most, start with Stayman and Jacoby Transfers. They will come up in almost every session.
Key Takeaways
- The Standard American High Card Point scale is: Ace = 4, King = 3, Queen = 2, Jack = 1. The deck contains 40 HCP in total.
- Open the bidding at the one level with 13 or more HCP. With 11 or 12, apply the Rule of 20.
- Open 1NT with exactly 15–17 HCP and a balanced hand. No singletons, no voids.
- You need 25 combined HCP for a game contract in notrump or a major suit. Slam requires 33 combined HCP.
- Always bid a five-card major when you have one. Always bid a four-card major in response to partner before leaving the auction in a minor.
- Stayman asks for a four-card major after a 1NT opening. Jacoby Transfers show a five-card major. Use Stayman with 8+ HCP; use transfers at any point count.
- Blackwood (4NT) asks for aces in a suit auction. Gerber (4♣) asks for aces after a notrump opening. They are not the same bid.
- A takeout double over an opponent’s opening bid shows 12+ HCP and asks partner to pick the best suit.
Related Guides
Standard American Bidding Quick Reference: Opening Bids
| You hold | Bid | Shows |
|---|---|---|
| 12-21 HCP with 5+ major | 1♠ or 1♥ | 5+ card suit, limited only by strength |
| 12-21 HCP, no 5-card major | 1♣ or 1♦ | 3+ clubs or 4+ diamonds |
| 15-17 HCP, balanced | 1NT | No singleton, no void, at most one doubleton |
| 22+ HCP, any shape | 2♣ | Strong, forcing to game |
| 20-21 HCP, balanced | 2NT | Same shape requirement as 1NT |
| 6-10 HCP, 6-card major | 2♠ or 2♥ | Weak two, two of top three honors in suit |
| Less than opening, 7-card suit | 3 of a suit | Preemptive, depends on vulnerability |
Responding to Partner's Opening: Quick Reference Table
| Partner opens | You hold | Bid |
|---|---|---|
| 1 of a major | 6-9 HCP, 3+ support | Raise to 2 (simple raise) |
| 1 of a major | 10-12 HCP, 4+ support | Raise to 3 (limit raise, invitational) |
| 1 of a major | 13+ HCP, 4+ support | Bid 2NT (Jacoby 2NT, game force) |
| 1 of a major | 6+ HCP, new 4+ card suit | Bid new suit at 1-level (forcing) |
| 1NT (15-17) | 8-9 HCP, no 4-card major | 2NT (invitational) |
| 1NT (15-17) | 10+ HCP, no 4-card major | 3NT (game, to play) |
| 1NT (15-17) | Any strength, 4-card major | 2♣ (Stayman) |
| 1NT (15-17) | Any strength, 5-card major | 2♦ or 2♥ (Jacoby Transfer) |
For the complete Stayman system, see our Stayman guide. For Jacoby Transfers in full detail, see the Jacoby Transfers guide.
Slam Bidding Shortcuts: When to Use Which Convention
| Situation | Use | Ask for |
|---|---|---|
| Enough points, no void, need ace count | Blackwood 4NT | Number of aces partner holds |
| Trump suit agreed, need ace + king of trump count | Roman Key Card Blackwood (RKCB) | Aces + king of trumps (5 "key cards") |
| Have a void; need first-round control info | Cuebidding | Which aces (or voids) partner holds by suit |
| Minor suit slam, need to check for aces | Gerber 4♣ | Number of aces (used over NT opening) |
Detailed guides: Blackwood, Roman Key Card Blackwood, Gerber.
Frequently Asked Questions
In Standard American bridge, you need at least 13 High Card Points to open the bidding at the one level. You may open a hand of 11 or 12 points if your hand passes the Rule of 20: count your HCP and add the length of your two longest suits. If the total is 20 or more, opening is justified. The rule exists to prevent players from opening very weak hands while giving them the flexibility to open distributional hands with slightly fewer high cards.
You and your partner need a combined total of approximately 25 High Card Points to bid and make a game contract. In practice, 3NT and 4♥ or 4♠ are the most commonly bid games and both require around 25 combined points with an appropriate fit. Minor-suit games (5♣ or 5♦) require 28–29 combined points and are rarely bid unless a notrump game is unavailable. A small slam requires 33 combined points, and a grand slam requires 36–37 combined points plus all four aces.
Stayman and Jacoby Transfers are both used when partner opens 1NT, but they serve different purposes. Stayman (the 2♣ bid) asks whether partner has a four-card major suit, and requires 8 or more HCP to use. Jacoby Transfers (2♦ to show hearts, 2♥ to show spades) show a five-card major in your own hand and can be used at any point count, even with a weak hand you want to rescue from 1NT. Stayman searches for a four-four fit; transfers guarantee a five-card suit.
A limit raise is when you raise partner’s opening major suit bid by two levels, for example from 1♥ to 3♥. It shows 10–12 High Card Points and at least three-card support for partner’s suit. The word “limit” describes the fact that it is not forcing: opener can pass with a minimum hand. It is the right bid when you have a fit and a hand strong enough to invite game, but not quite enough to bid game directly. With 13 or more points and support, bid game directly or use Jacoby 2NT.
In Standard American, if your hand is not strong enough for 1NT (15–17 balanced) and you have no five-card major, you must open a minor suit even if your minor suits are short. This is called opening a “convenient minor” or “prepared minor.” It simply tells partner you have an opening hand without promising a long minor. The auction is designed to continue from there, with both players looking for a major suit fit or notrump. Opening 1♣ with a three-card suit is not a mistake; it is the correct Standard American opening with a balanced 13-point hand and no five-card major.