Yellow Card Bidding System ● The partnerships want to play contracts in the following priority:
1) play a MAJOR suit contract first; or if not possible
2) play a NO TRUMP contract second; or as a last result
3) play a MINOR suit contract.
● After the suit or no trump is known, then determine the contract level to play.
The opener's bid of 1 ♦ indicates:
• 12 to 21 HCPs
• no 5+card major suit
• cannot open in No Trump
• has at least a 3-card diamond suit (diamonds are better than clubs)
The responder's bid is based upon:
• Points in the responder's hand (the location of the points does not matter)
• Suit Length of each suit
For bid selection purposes:
• responder must have 6+ pts • responder assumes the opener has at least 12 HCPs
Very Important: The partnership prefers to play a major suit contract. Since the opener does not have a 5+card major suit, the opener could not open in a major suit. However, the opener might have a 4-card major suit but could not open it. The responder first tries to learn if the opener has a 4-card major suit.
If the responder has:
• 0 to 5 pts: - bid PASS - there are not enough points to respond.
• 6 to 20 pts (in order of priorities):
Response to 1 ♦ opening - Responder has 6-20 HCPs - Propose the better 4+card major×
If the responder has a 4+card major, and the opener has the same 4-card major, the partnership can still play a major suit contract. Propose the better 4+card major at the lowest possible level and see if the opener also has the same 4-card major. This provides bidding room in case the opener want to bid another suit. The proposal level depends upon the responder's point count range. If the responder has:
• 6-16 HCPs: Propose the Better Major suit 1 ♥ or 2 ♠ - The 1-over-1 restriction does not prohibit this bid. This bid indicates 6-17 HCPs and a 4+card major in the mentioned suit. Since this bid is a new suit, the opener must respond.
• 17-20 HCPs: Propose the Better Major suit 2 ♥ or 2 ♠ - This jump-shift indicates the responder has 17-20 HCPs and a 4+card major suit. This bid provides the opener the options to play the contract in No Trump, play the contract in the proposed major, or explore a slam contract. Since this bid is a new suit, the opener must respond.
Response to 1 ♦ opening - Responder has a 5+card diamond suit and 6-20 HCPs×
The partnership has an 8-card fit in diamonds and can play a contract in diamonds. Ignore the clubs - the opener might not have clubs. Take the known 8-card fit in diamonds instead of hoping for something better. Support the diamond suit with a diamond response at the appropriate point range level. The 1-over-1 restriction does not apply to support bids. If the responder has:
• 6 to 9 pts: Bid 2 ♦ - a single raise indicates the point count range. There are not enough combined partnership points for a game in a minor suit.
• 10 to 12 pts: Bid 3 ♦ - a double raise indicates the point count range. There are not quite enough combined partnership points for a game in a minor suit.
• 13 to 16 pts: Bid 2 NT - an artificial bid indicating 5+card diamond support in this point count range. A triple raise to 4Diamonds eliminates the option of playing game in 3 No Trump. The 2NT artifical bid provides the opener with the options to play the contract in diamonds or to play a game in No Trump.
• 17 to 20 pts: The responder has 2 options:
1) Bid 3 NT - an artificial bid indicating diamond support in this point count range, and commits the partnership to a game-level contract. Gives the opener the option to play the contract in No Trump, or to play the contract in 5 ♣ .
2) Bid 5 ♦ - a quadruple raise committing the partnership to a game in a minor suit - opener will consider this a closeout bid
Response to 1 ♦ opening - Responder has a 4+card club suit and 6-20 HCPs×
If the responder has:
• 6-9 pts: Propose 1 NT . Since clubs is a lower hierarchy than diamonds, the 1-over-1 restriction prohibits bidding a new suit at the 2-level. This bid indicates no 4+card major, less than 5-diamonds and indicates nothing about the club suit. The responder has too many points to PASS. This artificial bid keeps the bidding open. The opener does not have to respond.
• 10-16 pts: Propose 2 ♣ . When holding 10+ points, the 1-over-1 restriction does not apply. This bid indicates no 4+card major, less than 5-diamonds, and a 4+card club suit. This keeps the bidding at the lowest possible level in case the opener does not like the clubs suit. Since this bid is a new suit, the opener must respond.
• 17-20 pts: - Propose 3 ♣ . This jump-shift proposal indicates 17-19 points with a 4+card club suit. This keeps the bidding at the lowest possible level in case the opener does not like the clubs suit. Since this bid is a new suit, the opener must respond.
Response to 1 ♦ opening - Responder has 6-20 HCPs and NO 4+card suits to propose.
×
The responder cannot propose a major suit (less than 4-cards each), cannot support a diamond suit (less than 5-cards), and cannot propose a club suit (less than 4-cards). The responder has a balanced hand (3-3-4-3) and must propose a bid in No Trump. The responder cannot PASS. A PASS indicates 0-5 pts, which is misleading. If the responder has:
• 6-16 pts: Propose 1 NT . This bid indicates the point count range with a balanced hand. The opener does NOT have to respond.
• 17-20 pts: Propose 3 NT . This double jump-shift bid indicates the point count range with a balanced hand, and commits the partnership to a game-level contract. This bid provides the opener the options to play a No Trump contract, a diamonds contract, or to explore a slam contract. The opener does NOT have to respond.
• 21+ HCPs:
Response to 1 ♦ opening - Responder has 21+ HCPs - half the HCPs in the deck.
×
There are enough points for a slam. Bid 4 ♣ (Gerber) to ask the opener for the number of aces the opener holds.
