Conventions

SAYC - we follow the ACBL accepted rules of SAYC. You can download a file with the SAYC convention card here.

ACOL - we follow the ACOL version accepted by the English Bridge Union. You can download a file with the ACOL convention card here.

2 over 1 - You can download a file with the 2/1 convention card here.

BLUE CLUB - The bidding system developed by the famous Italian Blue Team is still a classic. You can download a file with the Blue Club convention card here (insert link to file).

PRECISION - You can download a file with the Precision convention card here (insert link to file).
  

Leads 

Roman Key Card Blackwood (RKCB) - 4 NT asking for key cards. The king of trump is included as a control or a "key card"— in effect, as a "fifth ace". The responses are basically the same as for Roman Blackwood, but with five "aces" in play, and additionally queen of trumps:

Stayman  - After an opening bid or an overcall of 1NT (2NT), responder bids 2♣ (3♣) to ask opener or overcaller to bid a four card major suit if he has one. This bid promises four cards in at least one of the major suits and, in standard form, enough strength to continue bidding after partner's response (8 HCP for an invitational bid opposite a standard 1NT showing 15-17 HCP or 5 HCP to go to game opposite a standard 2NT showing 20-21 points). By invoking the Stayman convention, the responder takes control of the bidding since strength and distribution of the opener's hand is already known within a limited range. The opener responds with the following rebids.

• 2♦ (3♦) denies a four card major
• 2♥ (3♥) shows four (or five^[5]) hearts
• 2♠ (3♠) shows four (or five^[6]) spades

A Notrump bidder who has at least four cards in each major suit normally responds in the longer or stronger major.

In the standard form of Stayman over 1NT, the responder has four normal rebids.

• If the Notrump bidder names a major suit and the responder has four cards in that suit, the responder bids three of the Notrump bidder's suit (invitational) with 8-9 HCP or four of the Notrump bidder's major suit (game) with 10 or more HCP.
• If the Notrump bidder bids a major suit in which the responder does not have at least four cards or bids diamonds to deny a major suit with four (or more) cards, the responder bids 2NT (invitational) with 8-9 HCP or 3NT (game) with 10 or more HCP.

Over these bids, the Notrump bidder (1) with a maximum hand (17 HCP), goes to game over an invitational bid and (2) with four (or more) cards in each major suit, correct to the previously unbid major suit.

Jacoby transfer - a transfer in response to a 1NT opening bid:

• Holding a 5-card major suit, responder would traditionally bid 2, 3 or 4 of that suit depending on strength; using transfers, responder will instead bid 2 of the suit below the major suit
• Partner (opener) must then bid 2 of the next suit up (i.e. the major suit in question)
• Examples:
  • 1NT - 2♦ (i.e., "I have a 5-card heart suit, please bid my suit") - opener must rebid 2♥
  • 1NT - 2♥ (i.e., "I have a 5-card spade suit, please bid my suit.") - opener must rebid 2♠

Opener can super-accept the transfer by bidding 3 of the major with a maximum hand containing at least 4 cards in that major.

Gerber - similar to Blackwood Ace (or King) asking convention. When a situation has been reached that an enquiry for aces seems to one player to be suitable, the asking bid of 4♣ is made. The replies by partner are on a sliding scale similar to Blackwood (but at a lower level):

• 4♦ = 0 or 4 aces
• 4♥ = 1 ace
• 4♠ = 2 aces
• 4NT = 3 aces.