for newer players at Rubber Bridge
adapted from the family bridge rules of Dan Westman

Opening Bids

Unbalanced Hand
(if it contains one void, one singleton, or two doubletons)

0-12 Pass
13 Bid if you have rebiddable suit (5 cards) or two suits (4 cards each)
14-15 Bid 1 of your longest suit
16-18 Bid one, jump raise self or partner second time around
19-21 Bid one, jump shift to new suit second time around
22+ Bid two clubs (artificial bid indicating strong hand)
less than 13 with 7 winners Bid 3

Balanced Hand

0-15 Same as above
16-18 Bid 1 NT
19-21 Bid 1 of a suit, then jump in NT on second bid
22-24 Bid 2 NT
25-27 Bid 3 NT

Responses to Opening Bids

Opening Suit Bids

Unbalanced Hand

0-5 Pass
6-9 Bid 1 of a suit or bid 1 NT
10-12 You can introduce a suit at the two level, and bid up to twice
13-15 Your partnership has game. Jump raise or keep bidding new suits until game.
16-18 Bid a second best suit then jump raise yourself or partner with 2nd bid.
19 Jump shift in new suit. You probably have a slam.

Balanced Hand

0-5 Pass
6-9 Bid 1 NT
10-12 You can bid twice
13-15 Bid 2 NT. You have game somewhere
16-18 Bid 3 NT
19 Jump shift in new suit. You probably have a slam.

Opening NT bid

Unbalanced Hand

0-7 Pass
8-9 With 4 card major, bid 2C to look for fit (see Stayman convention)
With 5 card major, bid suit under your major suit, such as 2D for 5 Hearts (see Jacoby Transfer convention)
10-12 Head for game via methods above

Balanced Hand

0-7 Pass
8-9 2 NT
10-13 3 NT
14 4 NT
15 5 NT
16 6 NT
For more advanced bidding, see Gerber convention. 

Opening 3 bid

Two sure tricks (trump not required, such as AK in outside suit): Pass
Two sure tricks plus one possible: Raise if bid is in major suit
Three sure tricks: Raise
Four sure tricks: Raise to game

Opening 2 bids

Raise with two quick tricks outside trump suit.
With 6 or fewer points and 4 card trump support, bid 6 in partner's suit. This is a defensive bid to keep your opponents from finding their game fit.

Overcalls

Overcall when you're not strong enough to double (see below) and when you have a good solid suit
8+ points, good five card suit - bid at the one level
10+ points, five card suit - can bid up to the two level

Response to overcall
Only when you are good and strong

Doubles

Takeout double

14+ points, evenly distributed but short (0-2 cards) in opponents suit
You can only bid again if you have 19+ points

Response to takeout double
If there is no intervening bid, you MUST bid your longest unbid suit unless you can convert the informatory double to a penalty double

Penalty Double

Doubles over the 3S level are usually for penalties
Failure to respond to an informatory double is a double for penalties
When partner of opener doubles, he is counting on 2&1/2 defensive tricks

Responses to Blackwood (4NT)

0 Aces or 4 Aces Bid  5 Clubs
1 Ace Bid 5 Diamonds
2 Aces Bid 5 Hearts
3 Aceds Bid 5 Spades

Remember that Blackwood is to help you avoid bad slam contracts at least as much as it is to help you find a slam contract!

Then, if the aces look good, the same with 5 NT to ask for kings
exception: no kings = 5 clubs, 4 kings = 6 NT

Opening Leads

Against suit bid
It's generally not a good idea to underlead an ace
If you have an honors sequence (KQJ or QJ10), lead from the top of the sequence
If partner has bid, lead his suit
If doubleton, lead high
If 3 or 4, lead low

If your hand has no possible winners, lead an unbid major suit, hoping to hit your partner's strength.

Lead a singleton if it is in your partner's suit or you have trumps stopped.

Key numbers

(with correct bidding from partners, the following is a point estimation of hand possibilities.)

26 points Game in NT or a major suit
29 points Game in a minor suit
33 points Small slam
37 points Grand slam

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