This is a summary of the HSBC variant of the Standard American system. It doesn't cover everything, and I probably skip over some things. So if you have any questions, please ask them.
Goal 1 - Major game. 8+ card fit and 26 (25?) points.
Goal 2 - 3N. No major fit and 26 (25?) points
Goal 3 - partscore - best suit (or NT) at cheapest level.
Goal 4 - slam (rarely.) 33+ points and an 8+ card fit - any suit. (Preferably 9+ cards) 37+ points for a grand slam. A good fit and the right distribution can lower these point count dramatically, but if you aren't sure, only look for slam if you think it is reasonable that your side could have 33+ points.
Note - there is no goal of bidding game in a minor. While it is occasionally right to bid a minor game, from a simplification stand point, you can just say you never want to do this.
Opening bids
2C - 22+ points
2N - 20-21 and balanced
1N - 15-17 and balanced
Other 1 level openings:
Major opening promises 5 cards.
Minor opening promises 3. (though partner can raise with only 4 if stuck for a bid).
Overcall promises 5+ card (both majors and minors).
Always try to find a major fit, even if you already know about a minor fit. (in competition you may violate this rule) i.e. if you have 5 diamonds and 4 hearts and your partner opens 1D, you should bid 1H, not 2D. You can always bid diamonds later, if partner doesn't support the hearts.
Responding
Supporting partner, promises 8 card fit. Raise to 2 level shows weak hand (6-10), raise to 3 level shows invitational hand (10-12). Raise to 4 level shows weak hand (5-8?) and good distribution (usually 5 card support for a major, 6 for a minor) plus a side singleton or void.
Bidding a new suit typically promises 4. New suit at the 2 level promises 10+ points.
New suit by responder is forcing, unless it is at the 1 level and responder is a passed hand.
Jump shift (e.g. bidding 2S after partner opens 1H) Shows a *really* good hand (typically 18+ points) and a good suit (at least 5 cards). Neither partner may pass below game, and you can't let the opponents play in an undoubled contract.
Rebidding
Rebidding a suit you've already bid almost always shows at least 6. Note, this means that there isn't really a way to show 5 cards (in a minor if you are opener, in anything if you are responder). This actually still works out most of the time.
Bidding a new suit is forcing, unless you are opener and the bid is less than a reverse.
Bidding 1N after a 1 of a suit opener limits your hand. As opener it shows a minimum opener. As responder it shows a minimum response. (6-10)
Competition
When both sides are competing it is usually more important to find the right fit than to bid game. With a good fit you can be more aggressive about bidding than you would without competition. The longer the fit, the more aggressive you can be.
Don't forget about double. If you are ever in a situation where it isn't obvious what you should bid, think if double might be right.
When both sides are bidding remember the rule "The 3 and 5 levels are for the opponents." For example, your side is bidding clubs, and they are bidding hearts.
1H 2C 2H 3C
3H P P 4C
?
The 4C bid is probably a mistake. You might encourage them to bid 4H and make a game they wouldn't have bid. Or maybe they'll double you and set you a bunch. Maybe they would've gotten set in 3H and instead you get set in 4C.
Double
Double is almost always some form of takeout. (Takeout/Negative/Responsive)
Remember that you have to bid even with 0 points, when partner makes a takeout double. e.g.
1H X P ?
Since you could have as few as 0 points, if you actually have some strength (say 8+ points) you need to let partner know by doing something stronger than just bidding a suit at the cheapest level. (Jump, bid NT, cue bid the opponent's suit)
It is penalty if your side has an agreed upon suit. Some examples:
1H P 3H 3S
4H 4S X P
This is penalty, since you already know what suit you want to play in.
2H 3C X P
This is penalty. When you preempt, you have set the suit, so later doubles are penalty.
It is also penalty, if takeout just doesn't make sense, based on the bidding. Example:
1H P 3H P
4H X
This is penalty, because if this hand wanted to do a takeout double they would have done it the first time.
Pretty much every other double is takeout of some form.
Note - if your partner makes a takeout double, you are always allowed to leave it in. But make sure you are doing it intentionally, not because you don't know what else to do. I.e. if the bid is below game (2D, 3S, etc.) you should be *very* confident you will set the contract to leave the double in. If the bid is game (4H, 5C, etc.), it is much more likely that you can leave it in. If partner is doubling at this high of a level they have a strong hand. Given this, if you think your side can make, you should bid, but if you are not, it is probably safer to pass.
Note - in a team game, you should only double someone into game if you are confident you can set the contract at least *2* tricks. You can be a little more aggressive with other contracts but you still want to be sure.
doubling into game: 2H doubled is game (since 4H is game) but 1S or 2D doubled is not game (since 2S or 4D is not game
1N responses
When you open 1N, even though you have the strength, your partner is the captain. You've already described your hands and they make the decisions.
When partner opens 1N, there are two questions you want answered. "Do we have enough points for game?" "Do we have a major fit?"
Responses to 1N (make sure you have these memorized)
2C - Stayman. Asks partner to bid a 4 card major, or bid 2D with no 4 card major. Promises at least 8 points.
2D - Transfer. Tells partner to bid hearts. Promises at least 5 hearts and between 0 and 40 points.
2H - Transfer. Tells partner to bid spades. Promises at least 5 spades and between 0 and 40 points.
If you have a weak hand (less than 8 points) and a 5+ card major, please transfer and don't pass! The weaker your hand, the more important this rule is!
2N - Invitational (8-9 points)
3 of suit - don't make this bid, unless you have had a very specific conversation with your partner about what it means and you are 100% sure they will know what you mean.
3N - to play
4D - Transfer. Tells partner to bid hearts. Promises at least 6 hearts and game values
4H - Transfer. Tells partner to bid spades. Promises at least 6 spades and game values
4N - invitational to slam. This is *NOT* ace asking
If the opponents interfere over the 1N bid, but before you bid, here are my recommendations:
If they double - bid as if they hadn't bid.
If they bid 2C - same, but double if you want to bid Stayman.
Anything else:
2N / 3N / 4N bids mean the same thing as before (but should show a stopper)
2 of a suit - I want to play it here. The 1N opener should pass!
3 of a major - 5 card suit, 1N opener should either bid 3N or 4 of the major.
4D or 4H (if you still had the option of bidding 3 of a major) - transfer bids
4H or 4S (if you didn't have the option of bidding 3 of a major) - to play.
X - takeout. With a stopper the 1N bidder should probably consider bidding NT.
Bidding the opponents suit - Strong and forcing.
Any other bids - make at your own peril, but presumably natural.
Preempts
If you open with a preempt (2 level, 3 level, 4 level) and partner:
Raises your suit (to any level) - you should always pass
Passes - you should always pass
Bids game (in your suit, 3N, or a different suit (not the opponent's suit)) - you should always pass.
Remember this. When you've preempted, you have described your hand and put your partner in control. Let your partner decide how high to preempt.
The only time you should bid again is if partner bids a new suit below game (natural and forcing) or if partner bids 2N. (asking for a feature. It doesn't come up often, so if you don't know what it means, don't worry about it, unless you're comfortable with everything else in this document.)
When partner preempts
If you think you can make game - bid it.
If you have a strong hand, but aren't sure about game, either bid 2N (asking for a feature) or bid your own 5 card suit, naturally.
You *cannot* invite in partners suit. Raising their bid to 3 is *NOT* invitational. They *will* pass.
If your hand isn't strong enough for a game, a good rule of thumb is to bid to the number of combined trump you have. So if partner opens 2H, and you have 2 hearts, you have an 8 card fit, so it is safe to be at the level where you need 8 tricks, i.e. 2H. So don't raise. With 3 card support, raise partner to 3H. With 4 card support you can raise to 4H.
Also - when raising partner's preempt, it is almost always right to do it right away - raise as high as you are willing to at your first bid, and then pass if the opponents bid any higher.
2C Openers
Responding
With a good 5+ card suit (2 of top 3 honors) and 8+ points, you can bid your suit. (2H/2S/3C/3D). With a strong balanced hand, you can bid 2N. Any of these bids are game forcing, and it is likely that you will end up in slam.
With almost all hands you want to respond 2D.
Opener now describes her hand. 2N shows a balanced hand with 22-24 points. (too strong for 2N, too weak to open 3N). 3N shows a balanced hand with 28+ points. (opening 3N shows 25-27) Systems are on, just as if they had opened NT (but with a different point range, of course)
Any other bid is natural and forcing. After an auction that starts:
2C 2D
?(not no trump)
all bids below game are forcing except a raise of a naturally bid suit.
2C 2D
2H 3H not forcing
2C 2D
2H 2S
3H not forcing
2C 2D
2H 2S
3C 3S not forcing
All other bids (below game) are forcing. Even if you have 0 points!!!! Remember, as responder, you only need about 3-4 points to force to game. Partner might be happy going to game even if you have 0, so respect this rule.
Other Conventions
You should really be comfortable with everything above here before playing the following conventions. And if you do want to play them, make sure you keep them straight. If you think you will get Michael's Cue Bid and Unusual No Trump mixed up - don't play them. It is better to not play a convention than to get it wrong. (and let partner know to not bid them.)
Michael's Cue Bid
Bidding the opponent's suit at your first opportunity, when neither you nor your partner has bid anything. Over a minor it shows 5-5 in the majors. Over a major it shows 5-5 in the other major and an undisclosed minor. (partner bids 2N to ask which minor). ex.
1H 2H P ? (shows spades and a minor)
Unusual NT
Jumping to 2N over the opponent's 1 level bid at your first opportunity, when neither you nor your partner has bid anything. Shows 5-5 in the two lower unbid suits. ex.
1H 2N P ? (shows clubs and diamonds)
Blackwood
A bid of 4N (when you aren't bidding NT naturally) asks for aces. 5C = 0 or 4, 5D = 1, etc. If your side has all 4 aces, you can ask for kings by next bidding 5N. (only if you bid 4N originally)
Note - over NT, 4N is "quantitative" i.e. invitational to slam, but not forcing.
Gerber
over NT, a *jump* to 4C is ace asking. 4D = 0 or 4, 4H = 1, etc. ex.
1N P 4C P
?
If there has been a bunch of bidding and then someone on your side bids 3N and partner bids 4C, this is natural and not Gerber. It is only ace asking if it was a jump to 4C over a natural NT bid.
