Bridge Precision bidding guide.

This is for my precision-like bidding convention. Also see my SAYC bidding guide.
Forcing bids are marked as (!).
Alertable bids are starred.  Announces are marked as [A].

OVERVIEW:

First two bids establish HCPs in partnership.  Next two bids establish
suit.  Splinter + cue bids to show slam interest.  RKC1430 + quantative
NT to set slam contracts.


SECTION I: Offensive Conventions, non-competitive bidding

opening bids:
1C*: 16+ HCPs (!) [A: length]
1D: 13-15 HCPs (12-15 if non-vul and body), no five card major [A: length]
1H: 12-15 HCPs, 5+ hearts
1S: 12-15 HCPs, 5+ spades
1NT: 12-15 HCPs, even distribution (11-15 if non-vul) [A: NT range]
2C*: Mini-Roman (12-15 HCPs, 4-4-4-1 or 5-4-4-0 split) (!)
2D*: Flannery (exactly 4 spades and 5 hearts, 11-15 HCP non-vul, 12-15 vul)
2H: weak 2H bid, 6-11 HCPs, 6+ hearts
2S: weak 2S bid, 6-11 HCPs, 6+ spades
2NT*: Unusual 2NT (8-15 HCP, at least 5-5 split, and not covered elsewhere) (!)
3C, 3D, 3H, 3C: prempt 3-level bid (minimum 6 quick tricks, 7 if vul)
4NT: Blackwood (NOT 1430 RKC, just ace-asking) (!)
(even distribution = no voids/singleton, no more than 1 doubleton)

responses to 1C:        over an interference bid:
1D*: 0-6 HCPs           pass:   0-6 HCPs
1H*: 7-9 HCPs (!)       double*: 7-9 HCPs
1S*: 10-12 HCPs (!)     1 step*: 10-12 HCPs
1NT*: 13+ HCPs (!)      2 steps*: 13+ HCPs
(Rest of bids are natural, but at one rank higher than normal.  If 1C
opener jumps over 1D/pass then it indicates strength, 21+ HCP, not
necessarily length.  If 1D opener jumps then it indicates length, 6+,
in the suit.)

responses to 1D:
pass: 0-5 HCPs or none of the below
1H: 6+ HCPs, 4+ hearts
1S: 6+ HCPs, 4+ spades, less than 4 hearts
1NT: 6-9 HCPs, flat distribution
2C: 6+ HCPs, 5+ clubs
2D: 6+ HCPs, 5+ diamonds
2NT: 10+ HCPs, flat distribution
This is a forcing bid if responder has not passed yet.
Be aware that with a 1D open and if partner has no points, the resulting
contract is an awful 1D with possibly no trumps at all.  This is an
unfortunate side-effect of using Precision bidding.

responses to 1H, 1S (SAYC 5 card major):
   bid as normal SAYC

responses to 1NT (either 1NT opening or 1C-pass-1x-pass-1NT):
pass: 0-6 HCPs (1NT open) / 0-3 HCPs (1C open), even distribution
2C: major suit Stayman (!)  (alert if auction opened with 1C)
2D: Jacoby transfer to 2H (!) [A: transfer]
2H: Jacoby transfer to 2S (!) [A: transfer]
2S*: minor suit Stayman (!)
2NT: 7-11 HCPs (1NT open) / 4-6 HCPs (1C open), even distribution, sign-off
3C: long clubs (6+), weak ("bust") hand, sign-off
3D: long diamonds (6+), weak ("bust") hand, sign-off
3H: long hearts (6+), limit-raise (10-12 HCPs (1NT open), 7-9 HCPs (1C open))
3S: long spades (6+), limit-raise (10-12 HCPs (1NT open), 7-9 HCPs (1C open))
3NT: 12-15 HCPs (1NT open) / 7-9 HCPs (1C open), even distribution, sign-off
4C: Gerber (!), slam attempt
4D: Texas transfer to 4H, no slam interest (!) [A: transfer]
4H: Texas transfer to 4S, no slam interest (!) [A: transfer]
4NT: quantative NT slam attempt

responses to 2C (Mini-Roman):
2D, 2H, 2S, 3C: no game interest; opener can pass or correct to next suit
2NT*: force to game; asks opener for short suit (11+ HCP and/or long suit)

 over interference bid:
  pass: 0-6 HCPs
  double*: ask for short suit
  all others: natural bid, no game interest; opener can pass or correct

responses to 2D (Flannery):
pass: 6 diamonds and less than 10 HCPs (sign-off bid)
2H: sign-off in hearts, less than 10 HCPs (bust bid)
2S: sign-off in spades, less than 10 HCPs (bust bid)
2NT*: request partner to clarify (possible minor suit game or slam) (!)
3C/3D: 6+ C/D, 11-13 HCP; if opener has C/D fit, sign-off with 3NT, else pass
3H/3S: invitation to game, 10-12 HCPs
4C/4D: transfer to 4H/4S, sign-off, 13-15 HCPs and little length in trumps
4H/4S: sign-off, 13-15 HCPs, 4+ in trumps (and are good trumps)
(if opener has fit = Ax, Kx, or Qxx in that minor suit)

 clarification bid after 2NT:
  3C: 4-5-1-3 (3 clubs)
  3D: 4-5-3-1 (3 diamonds)
  3H: plurality of points in H, 2-2 in minors
  3S: plurality of points in S, 2-2 in minors
  3NT: none of above
  4C: 4-5-0-4 (diamond void)
  4D: 4-5-4-0 (club void)

responses to 2H, 2S (Weak 2s):
  2NT: request partner clarify (possible game or slam) (!)
  3 in trump suit: 2+ in trump suit; opener should pass
  new suit: natural bid (5+ in new suit)

 clarification bid after 2NT:
  3 in trump suit: no side features
  3 in non-trump suit: ace or king in that suit

responses to 2NT (Unusual 2NT):
3C*: request partner to clarify (catch all bid)
3D, 3H, 3S: 6+ in suit, 8-17 HCPs (opener should then pass)
3NT: balanced hand, 15-17 HCPs (opener should then pass)

 clarification bid after 3C:
  pass: cheapest tolerable suit is clubs, 5+ in suit
  3D/3H/3S: cheapest tolerable suit, 5+ in suit


SECTION II: Slam Conventions

A non-forced 4NT bid over a suit bid is 1430 Blackwood in the agreed
upon suit.  EXCEPTION: if the contract will be in clubs, this is 0314
Blackwood.  Agreed is when both partners have bid the same suit, or
one made a Splinter bid.  If a suit has not been agreed upon, then the
suit in question is last suit bid by that team.  RKC responses over
interference:
  double: 3 or 0 key cards    1 step: 2 key cards without the Queen of Trump
  pass: 1 or 4 key cards      2 steps: 2 key cards with Queen of Trump
RKC response is off if resulting bid is 5S or greater.  Generally pass
in this case.

A bid of 4C after no-trump has been agreed is a Gerber bid.  Gerber
resposes over interference (DOPI):
  double: 0 aces       1 step: 2 aces        3 steps: 4 aces
  pass: 1 ace          2 steps: 3 aces
Gerber response is off if resulting bid is 5NT or greater.

A bid of 4NT when no-trump has been agreed upon is quantative slam.
Partner is to bid 6NT if holding strong values (i.e., on upper-range
of promised points), or to pass if at lower values.

A voluntary bid 5 of a major is a slam attempt.  If opponents have not
made any bids, then partner is to raise to 7 if holding maximum
values, raise to 6 if minimal.  This is a forcing bid.  If an oppenent
has made a bid, or control has been established in all suits but one,
then this asks partner for controls in the last suit bid by the
opponents or the remaining suit:
  pass: no controls in that suit (2+ quick losers)
  cue bid the suit: first round control of that suit
  6 of the major: second round control of that suit
  5NT: guarded king in that suit

A bid of 5NT when a suit bid has been agreed upon, and when not part
of a Blackwood / Gerber sequence, is Grand Slam Force.  Partner bids 7
in the suit if holding 2 of the top 3 honors in that suit, or 6 if
holding 1.  If holding none of the honors then bid 6C.  (Note that
this means if the agreed upon suit is clubs then a response of 6C has
one of two meanings.)  This is a forcing bid.


SECTION III: Defensive Bidding

Doubles up to 3S are takeout/negative doubles.  Doubles at 3NT or
above are penalty doubles.  Exception: doubling Artificial Bids at or
above 3NT (such as Blackwood responses) indicate what suit to lead.

If partner's last bid was 1NT (opened 1NT or 1C-p-1x-p-1NT-2C) and RHO
bids 2C, double to indicate Staymen.

Unless responding to Blackwood or Gerber, redoubling indicates
support: 3+ in the suit and minimal values.

Unusual 2NT: After a 1 level open, 11+ HCP and at least 5 card support
in the two lower unbid suits.  E.g., RHO opens 1D, 2NT indicates at
least 5 hearts and 5 clubs.

Michael's Cue bid: After a 1 level open, 5-11 HCP and 5/5 support.  If
overcalling a minor, then 5/5 in majors; otherwise 5/5 in the other
major and an unspecified minor.


SECTION IV: General Bidding Notes

When determing what final bid level the contract should be, combine yours
and your partner's high card points.
  1-level = 13-18 HCP
  2-level = 19-21 HCP
  3-level = 22-24 HCP
  4-level = 25-27 HCP
  5-level = 28-32 HCP
  6-level = 33-36 HCP
  avoid bidding grand slams without at least 37 HCPs

Add distribution points after a suit has been agreed upon.  One popular
convention is to count voids as 3 points, singletons as 2, and doubletons
as 1.

Use Blackwood/Gerber as slam /attempts/.  Be especially wary of using
Blackwood if the agreed suit is a minor.  Instead use control-showing
bids and/or splinter bids to show aces, for they keep bidding low enough
such that a team can abort the slam before over-bidding.  Splinter bids
may also be used as appropriate.


Acknowledgements:
The original framework for this bidding sheet comes from Fred Mueller
and Barbara Israel of the Columbia (Maryland) Bridge Club.
Et Cetera

Here is a list of other conventions used by 3k players.
Fingolfin's SAYC derivative:: http://www.flagrancy.net/~jmitchel/sayc.txt
Another good SAYC bidding guide:: http://www.swangames.com/main/Duckling/SAYC/sayc.html
Heilman/Remington Non-Deterministic Precision Bidding "System":: http://heilman.users.wreck.org/bridge/bidding.html
Defense to the NDR:: http://www.ccraig.org/bridge/defense-to-ndr
Opening leads and discard strategies:: http://bridge.jtang.org/bridge-play.html
Filled-in ACBL bidding sheet:: http://bridge.jtang.org/acbl-sheet.png