Learn to Play Bridge A New Players Guide Partners Bridge Club 416-422-CLUB (2582) www.partnersbridge.com [e-mail] Bridge for New Players Tuesday Afternoons at 12:15 Improving Players Wednesday Mornings - 9:15 am Thursday Evenings -

1
Learn to Play BridgeA New Players
GuidePartners Bridge Club416-422-CLUB
(2582)www.partnersbridge.compartnersbridge_at_sympa
tico.caBridge for New PlayersTuesday
Afternoons at 1215Improving PlayersWednesday
Mornings - 915 amThursday Evenings - 7
pmFriday Mornings - 915 amSaturday Afternoons
- 1 pm
Stayman When partner opens 1 NT and you have a
4-card major With one or both 4-card majors and
8 points, bid 2? - this is Stayman, asking
partner to bid a 4-card major suit - it says
nothing at all about Clubs! Notrump bidders
response to Stayman Bid a 4-card major suit at
the 2-level (with both majors, bid ?
first) Without a 4-card major, bid 2? (remember
Diamonds Denies) Responders second bid, after
opener has shown or denied a major If openers
suit matches yours, invite to game with 8-9 pts
by bidding 3, and just bid game with 10
points. If 2? bid or non-fit invite to game (bid
2NT) with 8-9 pts bid 3NT with 10 Remember
Count Dummy points if you have found a major suit
fit
Transfers When ptnr opens 1 NT and you have a 5
card major Bid the suit BELOW your major, even
with ZERO points! Dont pass! If you have 5 ?,
bid 2?. If you have 5 ?, bid 2?. NT opener
MUST respond with next higher suit, i.e. yours.
(2? or 2?), completing the transfer! Responder
then will Pass with fewer than 8 points. If you
have exactly 5 cards in your major 8-9 points
bid 2NT 10 points 3NT Partner will pass if he
has a doubleton in your major, or return to it
with 3. With 6 in your major and 8-9 points bid
3?/?. With 10 points bid 4?/?. Note with 5
of one major and 4 of the other, use Stayman, not
transfers.
Overcalls when the opponents have opened the
bidding Suit overcalls promise a 5 card suit
with good honour cards 8-17 pts With 17 pts,
double first, then bid your best suit or raise
partners with a fit You need 10-17 points to
overcall at the 2-level, 12-17 for the 3-level.
You can also overcall 1NT with a balanced hand,
15-18 pts, and a stopper in opponents
suit. Cue-Bids (bidding the opponents
suit) When partner has opened and an opponent has
overcalled, OR when an opponent has opened and
your partner has overcalled If you have support
for partners suit and 10 HCP, bid the
opponents suit! Examples Ptnr Opp You
OR Opp Ptnr Opp You
1 ? 2 ? 3 ?
1 ? 1 ? Pass 2 ? In both cases
you have support for partners spades and 10
HCP. 3-card support is OK at the 2-level. 4-card
support is needed at the 3-level.
Audrey Grants Bridge at a Glance for Your Next
Step! ?
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Opening the Bidding .. In order of priority 1.
1NT 15-17 HCP only balanced hand (i.e. no
voids, no singletons, at most one
doubleton)Major Minor Suit OpeningsRange
13-21 total points (HCP length)2. Open 1? or
1? with a 5 card suit With two 5-card suits,
bid the higher ranking suit first 3. 1? or
1? bid your longest minor or With 4 cards
in each minor, open 1? With 3 cards in each
minor, open 1?
Opening Bids High Card Points Length Points
Openers Second Bid
Trump Fit 8 cards with you partner!

• Openers Ranges
• 13-15 points Minimum
• 16-18 points Medium
• 19-21 points Maximum

Describe the strength and shape of your hand! If
partner raises your major suit to the 2-level1.
Pass with minimum (13-15)2. Raise to 3-level
with medium (16-18) 3. Bid game (4?, 4? ) with
maximum (19-21)Without support from partner, and
Unbalanced 1. Rebid a 6-card suit at the 2-level
with a minimum, or at the 3-level with a medium
hand 2. Support partners suit with 4 cards3.
Bid at the 2-level with 4 cards in a suit that
is lower ranking than your first bid suit with lt
17 points (Reverse 17 points 2nd bid suit
is higher ranking and shorter than 1st bid suit,
forcing for one round) Without support
from partner, and Balanced 1NT 13-14 points or
2NT 18-19 points
Have Fun! Say Hello! Every hand is an
adventure! Smile! ? Laugh Out Loud!
Responders Ranges 0-5 points pass 6-9 points
Minimum 10-11 points Medium 12 points
Maximum
Responding to an Opening Bid
Add Dummy Points with support for partners
suit! (instead of length points) Void 5
points Singleton 3 points Doubleton 1 point

• Responder (you must bid with 6 points)
• When Partner opens a Major suit (?/?)
• With support (3) raise partners major suit
• With 6-9 raise to 2 of his suit, with 10-11
  to 3
• With 12 bid a new suit, then bid game (or
  more)
• 2. When partner opens 1?, bid 1? with 4 spades
• 3. Bid 1 NT with any other minimum hand
• 4. Bid a new suit at the 2-level you need 10
  points
• When partner opens a Minor suit (?/?)
• Bid a 4 card major suit at the 1-level
• (with both 4 card majors, bid ?s first)
• 2. Bid 1NT with a minimum and no 4-card major
• 3. Bid a new suit at the 2-level you need 10
  pts
• 4. Raise partners minor suit with 5-card support
• and a minimum hand
• When partner opens 1NT
• Bid 2? Stayman (see over)
• 2. Use transfers (see over)
• 3. With no 4 card major, bid 2NT with 8-9
  points,

Count, Count, Count!
Responders Second Bid

• Combined Points
• Required for Game
• 25 points 4?, 4?, 3NT
• 29 points 5?, 5?
• 33 points Small slam
• 37 points Grand Slam

• Opener has described the strength and shape of
  their hand
• Do you have a fit?...Do you want to be in game or
  a part score?
• With a major suit fit, 8 cards in the suit
  together, Play There!
• Without a major suit fit, play in No Trump
• With a minor suit fit, consider No Trump
• If opener has shown a minimum hand
• Responder with a Minimum hand (6-9 points) pass
• Responder with a Medium hand (10-11 points),
  invite game
• Raise partners major to 3-level
• Bid a new suit - forcing
• Rebid your original suit at the 3-level - you
  need 6 cards in it!
• Responder with a Maximum hand (12 points) You
  Must Get to Game!
• Bid game in a major suit with a fit
• Bid a new suit..forcing! Or bid 3NT without a
  fit.

Other Opening Bids
Strong hands (22 points) Open 2?
(artificial). Responder bids 2? (just
waiting) 2NT 20-21 HCPs Balanced With 18 or
19 HCP and Balanced Open 1 of a suit and rebid
2NT, or 3 of partners suit with a 4
fit Preemptive Hands Weak hands (5-9 points with
a good long suit and very little else!) 6-card
suit (not ?)open 2?/ 2?/2? (a raise of your
suit by partner is not forcing or invitational!
Pass!) Bid a new suit or 2NT FeatureForcing Any
7-card suit open at the 3-level Any 8-card
suit open at the 4-level
Opening Leads Top of a Sequence is usually best
2 cards in suit, 3 in NT Lead the suit Partner
has bid! Usually your lowest card. 4th Best from
Longest Strongest is great against NT.
Take Out Doubles
Shape and Strength! When an opponent has opened
the bidding and you are short in the opponents
suit with support for all the unbid
suits.especially 4 cards in the unbid major
suitsvalue your hand including dummy points.if
you have an opening hand make a take out
double.this asks partner to bid his longest
suit! Partner must bid, even with zero points,
unless the next opponent bids, .with 8 pts,
partner should bid anyway. After you make a take
out double, you pass next. If you double and
then bid again, with a new suit or NT, youre
showing 17 points!
Playing the Hand Count winners in No Trump Count
losers with a Trump Fit