SAYC bidding guide.

Bridge bidding under the Standard American Yellow Card (SAYC)
convention, with some common extensions.
Forcing bids are marked as (!).
Alertable bids are starred.  Announces are marked as [A].

OVERVIEW:

Opening bid gives suit preference, response gives HCP range.  RKC1430
+ quantative NT to set slam contracts.


SECTION I: Offensive Conventions, non-competitive bidding

opening bids:
1C: 12-21 HCPs (13-21 if vul), no 5+ in majors, clubs better than diamonds
1D: 12-21 HCPs (13-21 if vul), no 5+ in majors, diamonds better than clubs
1H: 12-21 HCPs (13-21 if vul), 5+ hearts and 4- spades
1S: 12-21 HCPs (13-21 if vul), 5+ spades
1NT: 15-17 HCPs, even distribution [A: NT range]
2C*: 22+ HCPs, or 16+ HCPs and 8+ quick tricks and not a preempt/3NT bid (!)
2D*: Flannery (exactly 4 spades and 5 hearts, 11-15 HCP non-vul, 12-15 vul)
2H: weak 2 (6-11 HCPs, 6+ hearts and 5- spades)
2S: weak 2 (6-11 HCPs, 6+ spades)
2NT: 20-22 HCPs, even distribution [A: NT range]
3C/3D/3H/3C: prempt 3-level bid (minimum 6 quick tricks, 7 if vul)
3NT: 25-27 HCPs, even distribution [A: NT range]
4NT: Blackwood (NOT 1430 RKC, just ace-asking) (!)
(even distribution = no voids/singleton, no more than 1 doubleton)

responses to 1C:
pass: 0-5 HCPs
1D: 6-12 HCPs, 5+ diamonds, no 4+ in majors
1H: 6-12 HCPs, 4+ hearts, 3- spades
1S: 6-12 HCPs, 4+ spades
1NT: 6-12 HCPs, even distribution [A: range]
2C: 6-12 HCPs, 5+ clubs, no 4+ in majors
2D: 13+ HCPs, 5+ diamonds, no 4+ in majors (!)
2H: 13+ HCPs, 4+ hearts, 3- spades (!)
2S: 13+ HCPs, 4+ spades (!)
2NT: 13+ HCPs, even distribution (!) [A: range]
3C: 13+ HCPs, 5+ clubs, no 4+ in majors (!)

responses to 1D:
pass: 0-5 HCPs
1H: 6-12 HCPs, 4+ hearts, 3- spades
1S: 6-12 HCPs, 4+ spades
1NT: 6-12 HCPs, even distribution [A: range]
2C: 6-12 HCPs, 5+ clubs, no 4+ in majors
2D: 6-12 HCPs, 5+ diamonds, no 4+ in majors
2H: 13+ HCPs, 4+ hearts, 3- spades (!)
2S: 13+ HCPs, 4+ spades (!)
2NT: 13+ HCPs, even distribution (!) [A: range]
3C: 13+ HCPs, 5+ clubs, no 4+ in majors (!)
3D: 13+ HCPs, 5+ diamonds, no 4+ in majors (!)

responses to 1H:
pass: 0-5 HCPs
1S: 6-11 HCPs, 4+ spades, 2- hearts
1NT: 6-9 HCPs, 2- hearts, 3- spades
2C: 6-11 HCPs, 5+ clubs, 4- diamonds
2D: 6-11 HCPs, 5+ diamonds
2H: 6-9 HCPs, 3+ hearts
2S: 12+ HCPs, 4+ spades, 2- hearts (!)
2NT*: Jacoby 2NT (12+ HCPs, 4+ hearts) (!)
3C: 12+ HCPs, 5+ clubs, 4- diamonds (!)
3D: 12+ HCPs, 5+ diamonds (!)
3H: 10-12 HCPs, 3+ hearts, limit-raise
3S*: Splinter (12+ HCPs, 3+ hearts, ace/singleton/void in spades) (!)
3NT: 12+ HCPs, 2- hearts, even distribution
If 12+ HCPs and exactly 3 hearts, lie with 2S/3C/3D, then rebid hearts.

responses to 1S:
pass: 0-5 HCPs
1NT: 6-9 HCPs, 3- spades
2C: 6-11 HCPs, 5+ clubs, 4- diamonds
2D: 6-11 HCPs, 5+ diamonds
2H: 6-11 HCPs, 4+ hearts, 2- spades
2S: 6-9 HCPs, 3+ spades
2NT*: Jacoby 2NT (12+ HCPs, 4+ spades) (!)
3C: 12+ HCPs, 5+ clubs, 4- diamonds (!)
3D: 12+ HCPs, 5+ diamonds (!)
3H: 12+ HCPs, 4+ hearts (!)
3S: 10-12 HCPs, 3+ spades, limit-raise
3NT: 12+ HCPs, 2- spades, even distribution
If 12+ HCPs and exactly 3 spades, lie with 3C/3D/3H, then rebid spades.

responses to 1NT; for 2NT, adjust down by 5 HCPs, and 3C becomes Stayman:
pass: 0-5 HCPs
2C: 6+ HCPs, major suit Stayman (!)
2D: 6+ HCPs, Jacoby transfer to 2H/3H (!) [A: transfer]
2H: 6+ HCPs, Jacoby transfer to 2S/3S (!) [A: transfer]
2S*: 6+ HCPs, minor suit Stayman (!)
2NT: 6-9 HCPs, even distribution, invitational to 3NT
3C: long clubs (6+), weak ("bust") hand, sign-off
3D: long diamonds (6+), weak ("bust") hand, sign-off
3H: 10-12 HCPs, long hearts (6+), limit-raise
3S: 10-12 HCPs, long spades (6+), limit-raise
3NT: 12-15 HCPs, 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: 16+ HCPs, even distribution, quantative NT slam attempt

responses to 2C (artificial 2C):
2D*: relay bid (!) (bid this if none of the below apply)
2H*: 0-6 HCPs
2S*: 6-9 HCPs, 5+ hearts (!)
2N*: 6-9 HCPs, 5+ spades (!)
3C/3D*: 6-9 HCPs, 5+ in suit

 clarification bid over 2D:
 2H/2S/3C/3D: 5+ in suit
 2NT: even distribution (see responses to 1NT/2NT above)
 3H/3S/4C/4D: 5+ in suit, game/slam forcing (!)

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


Slam and defensive bidding are covered in
http://bridge.jtang.org/index.html.