Bridge conventions trip people up in two ways: forgetting what a convention does, and forgetting when to use it. This reference covers the conventions that come up in most Standard American games — with enough detail to be useful at the table, not so much that you lose the main points in the weeds.
For deeper guides on each convention, follow the links to our encyclopedia articles.
No trump conventions
Stayman (2♣ over 1NT)
Asks opener if they have a 4-card major. Use it when you have at least one 4-card major and enough strength to care about finding a fit (generally 8+ HCP, or weak with specific shape).
Opener responds: 2♦ = no 4-card major; 2♥ = 4+ hearts; 2♠ = 4+ spades.
The key thing beginners miss: don't bid Stayman just because you have a 4-card major. Bid it when you need to find out if there's a fit. If you have a 5-card major, use a transfer instead — Stayman implies you're looking for a 4-4 fit.
See our full Stayman convention guide for edge cases including Garbage Stayman and Puppet Stayman.
Jacoby Transfers (2♦ and 2♥ over 1NT)
Transfers opener to your major, putting the strong hand on lead. 2♦ transfers to hearts; 2♥ transfers to spades. Use this any time you have a 5-card major, at any point range.
After the transfer, your next bid describes your strength: pass = weak, raise to 3M = invitational, bid 3NT = game-going with exactly 5 in the major, bid 4M = game-going with 6-card major.
Why bother with the extra step? The 1NT opener usually has the stronger hand. Putting them as declarer keeps the stronger hand hidden from the defense. Our Jacoby Transfers guide covers the super-accept and other follow-ups.
Gerber (4♣ over 1NT or 2NT)
Asks for aces directly over notrump openings. Responses: 4♦ = 0 or 4 aces; 4♥ = 1 ace; 4♠ = 2 aces; 4NT = 3 aces.
Important: Gerber only applies as a direct response to 1NT or 2NT. A 4♣ bid in most other auctions is not Gerber.
Slam conventions
Blackwood (4NT)
Asks how many aces partner holds. Responses: 5♣ = 0 or 4 aces; 5♦ = 1 ace; 5♥ = 2 aces; 5♠ = 3 aces.
Use Blackwood when you're interested in a slam and need the ace count. Don't use it when you have a void (responses become ambiguous), when the trump suit is unclear, or when any answer from partner would leave you stuck.
Roman Keycard Blackwood (4NT)
An improvement on standard Blackwood. Instead of four aces, there are five "key cards": four aces plus the king of the agreed trump suit. Responses: 5♣ = 0 or 3 key cards; 5♦ = 1 or 4 key cards; 5♥ = 2 key cards without the trump queen; 5♠ = 2 key cards with the trump queen.
Most partnerships use RKCB over standard Blackwood because knowing about the trump king matters. When 5♣ shows 0 or 3 and 5♦ shows 1 or 4, the follow-up ask is 5NT (do you have the higher or lower number?).
Jacoby 2NT (after a major suit opening)
After partner opens 1♥ or 1♠, a jump to 2NT shows 4+ card support and at least opening-hand strength (12+ HCP). It's game-forcing and asks opener to further describe their hand.
Opener responds by showing shortness (a singleton or void) or describing hand strength. This back-and-forth helps the partnership identify slam potential before committing to game.
Splinter bids (double jump shift)
A double jump in a new suit after partner opens shows 4+ card support for partner's major, game-going values, and a singleton or void in the bid suit.
Example: Partner opens 1♠. You jump to 4♣. This shows 4+ spades, 12+ HCP, and at most one club. Partner can now evaluate whether their side-suit holdings mesh well with your shortness.
Competitive conventions
Negative Double
After partner opens and right-hand opponent overcalls, a double is not for penalty — it's competitive, showing the unbid suits.
Example: Partner opens 1♦, RHO overcalls 1♠, you double. This shows 4+ hearts (and often clubs), at least 6-8 HCP. You're telling partner you have values in the suits the opponents aren't bidding.
Point requirements increase at higher levels: 6+ at the 1-level, 8+ at the 2-level, 10+ at the 3-level.
Michaels Cuebid
A direct cuebid of an opponent's opening bid shows a two-suited hand. Over a minor (1♣ or 1♦), the cuebid shows both majors. Over a major (1♥ or 1♠), it shows the other major plus an unspecified minor.
Strength is typically either weak (7-10 HCP) or strong (16+). Avoid Michaels with intermediate hands because the auction can get complicated if partner makes a natural-looking raise.
Unusual 2NT
After an opponent opens a major, a 2NT bid shows the two lower unbid suits — clubs and diamonds. Same strength guidelines as Michaels: weak or strong, not in between.
Quick reference
| Convention | Trigger | What it shows |
|---|---|---|
| Stayman | 2♣ over 1NT | 8+ HCP, 4-card major, looking for fit |
| Jacoby Transfer | 2♦/2♥ over 1NT | 5+ card major, any strength |
| Gerber | 4♣ over 1NT/2NT | Asks for aces |
| Blackwood | 4NT | Asks for aces |
| RKCB | 4NT | Asks for key cards (aces + trump K) |
| Jacoby 2NT | 2NT over major opening | 4+ support, 12+ HCP, slam interest |
| Splinter | Double jump new suit | 4+ support, game values, singleton/void |
| Negative Double | Double over overcall | Unbid suits, competitive values |
| Michaels | Cuebid of opener's suit | Two-suited hand (5-5+) |
| Unusual 2NT | 2NT over major opening | Both minors (5-5+) |
A few of these — Stayman, Jacoby Transfers, Negative Doubles — will come up in nearly every session. The others appear less often but matter a lot when they do.
If you want to work through how each convention applies to specific hands, Brian at Bridgetastic can walk you through auctions live, explaining why one bid is better than another and what partner should understand from each call.
Practice these conventions with Brian
Brian walks you through hands and explains every bid — including when a convention applies and when it doesn't. Try it on any convention from this list.
Practice with Brian FreeFAQ
Which bridge conventions should I learn first?
Stayman and Jacoby Transfers. They apply to every 1NT opening, and 1NT comes up constantly. Once those are automatic, add Negative Doubles, then Jacoby 2NT.
What's the difference between Blackwood and RKCB?
Standard Blackwood asks for aces only. Roman Keycard Blackwood adds the king of trumps as a fifth "key card" and also identifies whether you hold the trump queen. Most partnerships use RKCB because the trump king information matters for close slam decisions.
When should I not use Blackwood?
When you have a void, when the trump suit hasn't been confirmed, or when any of partner's possible answers would leave you stuck. If you'd be in trouble regardless of what partner shows, find another way to explore the slam first.
Is Negative Double the same as a penalty double?
No. A Negative Double is competitive — it shows the unbid suits after an opponent overcalls. Penalty doubles occur in specific situations that partnerships define, but early in the auction in Standard American, most doubles are takeout or negative.
Related Articles
Stayman Convention: Full Guide
Everything about Stayman including edge cases, Puppet Stayman, and common mistakes.
Jacoby Transfers: Full Guide
When to transfer, what to do after the transfer, and super-accept situations.
How to Practice Bridge Bidding
Structured approaches to practicing conventions at the edge cases that actually trip you up.
Practice Conventions with Brian
Walk through any convention with Brian and get explanations at each step.