This is an outline of Standard American bidding and carding agreements that apply to bidding polls and play contests conducted by Richard Pavlicek. Default conventions include Stayman, strong artificial 2 bid, negative doubles, Michaels cue-bid, unusual notrump, Gerber, new minor forcing, fourth suit forcing, and regular Blackwood. For greater detail, Richard’s Bidding Guide applies where nonconflicting here. If a special case arises that differs, it would be noted in the appropriate poll or contest.
Most recent update: May 7, 2007.
Bidding Agreements
General Approach
Standard with 5 Card Majors
Strong forcing opening: 2
Notrump Opening Bids
1 NT = 15 to 17 HCP
2 = Stayman; if followed by:
2 or 2 = invitational
3 or 3 = game forcing
3 or 3 = weak (sign-off)
After a double:
all suit bids are natural to play
After an overcall:
all doubles are penalty
cue-bid of real suit = Stayman
2 NT = 20 to 22 HCP
3 = Stayman
3 NT = 25 to 26 HCP
4 = Stayman
Major Openings
5+ cards
Double raise = forcing (limit in competition)
1 NT = 6 to 10
2 NT = 13 to 16 (11-12 in competition)
3 NT = 17 to 18
Minor Openings
3+ cards
Double raise = forcing (limit in competition)
1 NT = 6 to 10
2 NT = 13 to 16 (11-12 in competition)
3 NT = 17 to 18
Two-Club Opening
Strong (usually 23+) and artificial
2 = 0 to 7 HCP; artificial
Other responses = 8+ HCP; natural
Weak Two-Bids
5 to 11 HCP; 6 cards (occasionally strong 5)
New suit response nonforcing (usually constructive)
2 NT only force; asks for feature if not minimum
Other Agreements
New minor forcing (game invitational or better)
Fourth suit forcing (game invitational or better)
Responder’s second-round jump bids game forcing (by unpassed hand)
Two-over-one response shows 11+ points and promises a rebid (if below game)
Special Doubles
Negative through 4
Direct Notrump Overcalls
1 NT = 15 to 18 HCP (10 to 15 in passout)
Respond as to 1 NT opening
2 NT nonjump = 16 to 19 (14 to 17 in passout)
Respond as to 2 NT opening
2 NT jump = unusual for two lower unbid suits
3 NT = natural; may have 6+ card minor
All responses natural (except a cue-bid)
4 NT jump = like unusual 2 NT but extreme shape
Versus All Notrump Openings
Double = 14+ HCP (optional)
All suit bids = natural
Simple Overcall
Typically 8 to 17 HCP
Simple response = 8-11 (may be less in competition); nonforcing
Jump response = invitational
Cue-bid response = forcing to game or four of previously bid minor
If enemy showed two suits, implies stopper in cue-bid suit
If beyond 3 NT, shows control and implies fit (slam try)
Jump Overcall
Weak (like a weak two-bid or preemptive opening)
Respond as to same opening
Over Opp’s Takeout Double
New suit = nonforcing
Jump raise = 8 to 10 points; 4+ trumps
Redouble = 10+ HCP or 11+ support points
Opening Preempts
Light; based on the rule of 2, 3 or 4
Versus Enemy Preempts
Double = takeout through 4
Double of 4 , 4 , 5 or 5 = optional
4 NT over 4 = all suit takeout
4 NT over any other major bid = minors
Psychics
Rare (never initial actions)
Direct Cue-bid
Michaels (two-suiter)
Over a minor shows both majors
Over a major shows other major and unspecified minor
Slam Conventions
Blackwood 4 NT (regular, not key-card)
Resp: 5 = 0 or 4; 5 = 1; 5 = 2; 5 = 3
5 NT follow-up asks for kings in a similar way
Gerber 4 (must be a jump and partner must have made a natural notrump bid)
Resp: 4 = 0 or 4; 4 = 1; 4 = 2; 4 NT = 3
5 follow-up asks for kings in a similar way
Carding Agreements
Leads
Against all contracts:
King from A-K
Top of an honor sequence
Fourth best
Against suits:
Low from three small
Against notrump:
High from three small
Ace from great strength (e.g., A-K-J-10-x) to demand unblock of king, queen or jack
Signals
Attitude when partner leads (high encourages*; low discourages). Clarifications and exceptions:
When partner leads your shown 5+ card suit, encourage with a middle card.
At a suit contract, high-low with a doubleton on a king lead.
At a suit slam, give count on a king lead (unless you showed 5+ cards in auction).
At notrump, give count on an ace lead if you have no honor to unblock.
*Signals are generally specific to the suit led. Do not encourage a continuation just to prevent a shift to another suit, unless certain that a continuation is safe. The so-called “obvious shift principle” is not a part of these agreements.
Count when declarer leads any suit except trumps (high-low shows an even number of cards; up-the-line shows odd).
Trump signal applies in general to all plays in the trump suit (high-low shows an odd number; up-the-line shows even). Note that this is the exact opposite of the count signal in other suits.
Suit preference (high asks for higher non-trump suit*; low asks for lower non-trump suit*; middle asks for a continuation or trump shift, or merely shows no preference) applies:
When partner leads your shown 5+ card suit
When dummy has a singleton in a side suit led against a suit bid
When partner’s lead is an obvious singleton against a suit bid
When giving partner a ruff
When making a subsequent play in a suit after attitude or count has been shown
When partner knows your exact holding (typically by declarer showing out of suit)
*At notrump, if there are three possible suits, one suit (usually dummy’s strongest) is eliminated by logic; then high/low relate to the two remaining suits.
System Notes 7G13 by Richard Pavlicek
bid, negative doubles, Michaels cue-bid, unusual notrump, Gerber, new minor forcing, fourth suit forcing, and regular Blackwood. For greater detail, Richard’s Bidding Guide applies where nonconflicting here. If a special case arises that differs, it would be noted in the appropriate poll or contest.
Bidding Agreements
or 2 
= invitational
= game forcing
*Signals are generally specific to the suit led. Do not encourage a continuation just to prevent a shift to another suit, unless certain that a continuation is safe. The so-called “obvious shift principle” is not a part of these agreements.