Bridge Bidding for Beginners
By Ralph Welton
The Bridge Bears bidding system is a simple version of Standard American. It is most akin to what is called Yellow Card.
After you learn the Bridge Bears system, you will be able to play with almost any partner, even one who has never visited the Bridge Bears web site.
Keep in mind that the meanings of the bids as I explain them are not the only possible meanings. The "right" meaning for a bid is whatever you and partner agree on. If you have no agreements, you cannot bid intelligently. That's why we have bidding "systems."
A bidding system is a pre-made collection of bidding "agreements." After learning the system, whatever you think a bid means, partner thinks the same thing. (Assuming Partner has also learned the system.)
Happiness is being on the same wavelength with partner. And for beginners, happiness is having that agreed bidding system as simple and easy to remember as possible.
Let's get started!
Bidding topics for beginners
| ♣ | How to count points |
| ♦ | Opening bids |
| ♥ | Responses |
| ♠ | Opener's rebids |
| ♣ | Overcalls |
| ♦ | Responding to an overcall |
| ♥ | Takeout doubles |
| ♠ | Responding to a takeout double |
| ♣ | 3-level competitive bidding |
Bridge Bears is run by a retired teacher and ACBL life master who has 35 years teaching experience and who's been playing bridge for over 50 years. I don't claim to be one of the top players, but I do understand how slowly beginners need to go when they are trying to learn how to play bridge.