SAYC Intro Bid 1
Opening Bids 2 & 3
Responses to
Suit Openings Bid 2
Responses to
NT Openings Other Bids Practice
Bidding Taking
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• The partnership's priority is to play a MAJOR suit contract first, then play a NO TRUMP contract second, and as a last resort, to play a MINOR suit contract.
• FIRST, determine which suit to play, then determine the contract level to play.

The First Priority is to look for the longest 5+card major suit (hearts or spades). Even if there is a longer minor suit (clubs or diamonds), ignore the minor suits. The minor suits have a lower priority than the major suits.

Open  1 ♠ 
        • The hand must have 12-21 HCPs. The only concern is the total HCPs in the hand. The location of the HCPs does not matter - even if there are no HCPs in the spade suit.
        • Suit Length - The hand must have 5 or more cards in SPADES, and have more spades than hearts. If the number of spades and the number hearts is equal, open with the higher ranking spade suit.

Open  1 ♥ 
        • The hand must have 12-21 HCPs. The only concern is the total HCPs in the hand. The location of the HCPs does not matter - even if there are no HCPs in the heart suit.
        • Suit Length - The hand must have 5 or more cards in HEARTS, and have more hearts than spades.

The Second Priority is to determine if the hand is suitable for a  1 NT  opening bid. There are 3 requirements to be able to open in No Trump:
    • 15 to 17 HCPs exactly - no more, no less. The location of the points does not matter.
    • NO 5+card major - less than 5 cards in spades and less than 5 cards in hearts.
    • BALANCED - no voids, no singletons, and one or zero doubletons (cannot have 2 doubletons).

The Last Priority - If the hand does not have a 5+card major suit and cannot qualify for a No Trump opening bid, the last option is to open the Better Minor suit. For more information, go to the Better Minor web page.

Open  1 ♦ 
        • The hand must have 12-21 HCPs. The only concern is the total HCPs in the hand. The location of the HCPs does not matter - even if there are no HCPs in the diamond suit.
        • The hand must have 3 or more cards in DIAMONDS.

Open  1 ♣ 
        • The hand must have 12-21 HCPs. The only concern is the total HCPs in the hand. The location of the HCPs does not matter - even if there are no HCPs in the club suit.
        • The hand must have 3 or more cards in CLUBS.

The opening bid tells the responder the following information:

Opener has 12-21 HCPs and at least a 5-card spade suit, and maybe longer. Opener might have an equal number of hearts.
    • Opener wants the responder to rebid spades if the responder has a 3+card spades suit. If true, the partnership will be able to play a spade contract with their combined 8+cards in spades.


Opener has 12-21 HCPs and at least a 5-card heart suit, and maybe longer. Opener has more hearts than spades.
    • Opener wants the responder to rebid hearts if the responder has a 3+card heart suit. If true, the partnership will be able to play a heart contract with their combined 8+cards in hearts.


Opener has exactly 15-17 HCPs. Opener does not have a 5+card major suit, but might have a 4-card major suit. The opener also has a balanced hand that contains no voids, no singletons, and no more than 1 doubleton.
    • Opener wants the responder to bid a 5+card major suit so that the partnership can play a contract in a major suit.


Opener has 12-21 HCPs but NO 5+card major suit, and cannot open in No Trump. Diamonds is the better minor, and the opener promises at least a 3+card diamond suit with likely more diamonds than clubs.
    • Opener may or may not want to play a diamond contract. Opener wants the responder to ignore the diamonds and propose a 4+card major suit if the responder has one. If the opener and the responder have the same 4-card major suit, the partnership may still be able to play a major suit contract.


Opener has 12-21 HCPs but NO 5+card major suit, and cannot open in No Trump. Clubs is the better minor, and the opener promises at least a 3+card club suit with likely more clubs than diamonds.
    • Opener may or may not want to play a club contract. Opener wants the responder to ignore the clubs and propose a 4+card major suit if the responder has one. If the opener and the responder have the same 4-card major suit, the partnership may still be able to play a major suit contract.