Bridge Conventions List: 20 Essential Conventions Every Player Should Know

Most club players know Stayman. A few have heard of Blackwood. But somewhere between “beginner who knows the basics” and “expert who bids naturally,” there’s a gap filled by about 20 conventions that actually matter.

This is that list.

Not every convention ever invented. Not an encyclopedia of every two-card overcall system. Just the 20 that will let you bid accurately with any reasonable partner, in any competitive situation, without confusion.

I’ve grouped them by function. Start with Group 1 if you’re still sorting out notrump auctions. Group 4 can wait until you’re comfortable with the first three.

Group 1: Responding to 1NT

These five conventions handle the most common bidding situation you’ll face: partner opens 1NT and you have to figure out where to play.

1. Stayman (Beginner)

Stayman lets you ask partner “do you have a four-card major?” with a bid of 2♣. If they say yes (2♥ or 2♠), you’ve found a 4-4 major fit. If they say 2♦ (no major), you know notrump is probably right.

What it shows: A four-card major (or both) with at least invitational values.
When to use it: 8+ points and a four-card major after partner’s 1NT opening. Don’t use it with a weak hand just to escape. Transfers handle that.
Skill level: Beginner. This is convention #1 for a reason.

2. Jacoby Transfers (Beginner/Intermediate)

Jacoby Transfers redirect the final contract to opener’s hand. Bid 2♦ to show hearts; bid 2♥ to show spades. Opener accepts by bidding your suit. The benefit: the stronger hand becomes declarer, hiding the dangerous cards from the opening lead.

What it shows: Five or more cards in a major.
When to use it: Any hand with a five-card major after partner’s 1NT. Virtually everyone plays this.
Skill level: Beginner. Learn it right after Stayman.

3. Texas Transfers (Intermediate)

Texas Transfers work like Jacoby but at the four-level: 4♦ asks opener to bid 4♥, and 4♥ asks for 4♠. You use them when you know you want game in a major and don’t need any information from partner first.

What it shows: A six-card major with game values and no interest in slam.
When to use it: When you’re ready to play game directly and need the lead coming into opener’s hand.
Skill level: Intermediate. Add this after you’re comfortable with Jacoby Transfers.

4. Minor Suit Stayman (Intermediate)

Minor Suit Stayman handles hands with long minor suits after a 1NT opening. Standard Jacoby only covers majors, so you need a different tool when you’re sitting there with six diamonds.

What it shows: Five or more cards in a minor.
When to use it: A long minor with either a weak hand looking to escape or a very strong hand investigating slam.
Skill level: Intermediate.

5. Puppet Stayman (Advanced)

Puppet Stayman is Stayman’s more complex cousin, used mainly after 2NT openings. It finds five-card majors in opener’s hand as well as four-card majors, which regular Stayman misses.

What it shows: Interest in any major (four or five cards) with game or slam values.
When to use it: After partner opens 2NT. The responses are different from regular Stayman, so get comfortable there first.
Skill level: Advanced.

If you’re still learning the auction, start with our bidding for beginners guide first.

Group 2: Raising Partner’s Suit

Once partner opens a suit, you need ways to show different levels of support. These conventions give you the precision to do it without burning space.

6. Limit Raises (Beginner)

A limit raise shows 10-12 points with four-card support for partner’s major. Rather than jumping to three (preemptive) or four (too high), you have a specific bid that says “I want to play game, but only if you have extras.”

What it shows: 10-12 points and four-card major support.
When to use it: The invitational raise: partner accepts with 15+ and passes with 12-14.
Skill level: Beginner. Essential from the start.

7. Bergen Raises (Intermediate)

Bergen Raises use 3♣ and 3♦ as conventional raises of partner’s major opening. 3♣ shows four-card support with 7-9 points; 3♦ shows four-card support with 10-12. You’re describing the hand while simultaneously making life harder for the opponents.

What it shows: Four-card support with defined point ranges.
When to use it: Moderate support hands that fit poorly into natural bidding structures, especially against aggressive opponents.
Skill level: Intermediate.

8. Jacoby 2NT (Intermediate)

Jacoby 2NT is a 2NT response to a major suit opening that says: “I have four-card support and game-forcing values. Tell me about your distribution.” Opener then shows shortness or extra length, letting the partnership decide whether to stop at game or push for slam.

What it shows: Four-card support and 13+ points (an unlimited game force).
When to use it: Whenever you have a game-force with major suit support. This is the most important slam-investigation tool when you have a fit.
Skill level: Intermediate.

9. Splinters (Intermediate)

Splinters are jump bids that show support for partner’s suit plus a singleton or void in the bid suit. If partner opens 1♠ and you bid 4♣, you’re saying “I have spade support, game-forcing values, and at most one club.”

What it shows: Fit, game-forcing values, and shortness in the bid suit.
When to use it: Partner can now evaluate slam potential based on how well your shortness fits their hand. Xx wasted values in your short suit = bad news; aces and kings there = excellent.
Skill level: Intermediate.

10. Reverse Drury (Intermediate)

Reverse Drury is a 2♣ response to partner’s major opening in third or fourth seat, showing a limit raise with a passed hand. Instead of jumping to three (which partner might pass), you check whether their opening was full-strength or light.

What it shows: Three-card or better support and 10-12 points after originally passing.
When to use it: You passed originally and partner opens a major in third or fourth seat. You have a limit raise but don’t want to commit to game if they opened light.
Skill level: Intermediate.

Group 3: Investigating Slam

These conventions handle the question every ambitious partnership eventually faces: do we have enough for slam?

11. Roman Keycard Blackwood (Intermediate)

Roman Keycard Blackwood (RKCB) is the modern version of Blackwood. A 4NT bid asks how many keycards partner holds: the four aces plus the trump king, five keycards total. Responses: 5♣ = 0 or 3, 5♦ = 1 or 4, 5♥ = 2 without the trump queen, 5♠ = 2 with it.

What it shows: A request for aces and the trump king.
When to use it: A trump suit is agreed and you’re ready to bid slam if partner has the right cards.
Skill level: Intermediate. Learn RKCB, not regular Blackwood. Most serious partnerships have moved on.

12. Gerber (Intermediate)

Gerber (4♣) asks for aces in notrump auctions. Most partnerships use it only when the auction has been entirely in notrump: opener bids 1NT or 2NT and responder bids 4♣ to count aces before committing to slam.

What it shows: An ace-asking bid after a notrump opening.
When to use it: After partner opens notrump when you’re considering slam.
Skill level: Intermediate. Simpler than RKCB but less informative.

13. Control Bids (Intermediate/Advanced)

Control bids show first-round control (ace or void) or second-round control (king or singleton) in a suit, after a trump suit is agreed. Instead of jumping to Blackwood, you tell partner specifically where your controls are, and they can sign off if they have a problem suit.

What it shows: A control in the bid suit, with interest in slam.
When to use it: You’re in a slam-going auction with a fit and want to exchange information before committing to the six-level.
Skill level: Intermediate/Advanced. The most flexible slam tool, once you understand them.

14. Fourth Suit Forcing (Intermediate)

Fourth Suit Forcing is a bid of the unbid fourth suit that says nothing about holding cards there; it’s an artificial inquiry asking partner to describe their hand. It creates a game force (or at minimum a one-round force, depending on your agreement).

What it shows: Enough strength for game with no natural bid available.
When to use it: You’ve heard bids in three suits and need more information. Common in auctions like 1♦ - 1♠ - 2♣ - 2♥.
Skill level: Intermediate.

Group 4: Competitive Bidding

When the opponents enter the auction, these conventions keep you from losing the thread.

15. Negative Doubles (Beginner/Intermediate)

Negative Doubles let you show the unbid major(s) when an opponent overcalls and you can’t bid naturally at a reasonable level. After 1♦ - (1♥), a double shows spades (and possibly four cards in both majors). It’s not a penalty double.

What it shows: The unbid major(s) after an opponent’s overcall.
When to use it: Opponents overcall and you have the unbid major(s) but can’t bid at the one-level cleanly.
Skill level: Beginner/Intermediate. One of the highest-impact conventions at the club level.

16. Takeout Doubles (Beginner)

A takeout double of the opponents’ opening says: “Partner, pick a suit. I have support for the unbid suits.” It’s how you enter the auction without a long suit of your own.

What it shows: Support for the unbid suits and at least opening-hand strength (or a very strong hand that can handle any response).
When to use it: You have a hand worth competing with but no natural suit to bid.
Skill level: Beginner. Fundamental, not optional.

17. Michaels Cuebid (Intermediate)

A Michaels Cuebid is a direct cuebid of the opponents’ suit that shows a two-suited hand. Over a minor opening, it shows both majors. Over a major, it shows the other major and an unspecified minor.

What it shows: A two-suited hand (at least 5-5).
When to use it: Works best with a weak hand (preemptive) or a very strong hand. Avoid with in-between values. Partner will place the contract and you’ll be stuck with it.
Skill level: Intermediate.

18. Unusual 2NT (Intermediate)

Unusual 2NT is an overcall of 2NT over an opponent’s major opening that shows both minor suits (typically at least 5-5). Like Michaels, it works as a preemptive or strong two-suiter.

What it shows: Both minors, usually 5-5 or better.
When to use it: Your right-hand opponent opens a major and you have length in both minors.
Skill level: Intermediate. Often played alongside Michaels as a package.

19. Lebensohl (Advanced)

Lebensohl is a 2NT relay used in specific compressed auctions: after partner doubles a weak two-bid, or after a 1NT opening gets overcalled. It lets you distinguish between weak, invitational, and game-forcing hands when the auction has used up bidding space.

What it shows: Depends on context; the scheme of “slow shows a stopper” (or “fast denies”) distinguishes hand types.
When to use it: You need to distinguish hand strength after specific competitive auctions.
Skill level: Advanced. Learn this after you’re comfortable with everything else here.

20. 2-over-1 Game Forcing (Intermediate)

2-over-1 is a system agreement: any new suit bid at the two-level in response to a one-level opening is an immediate game force. This frees responder to explore at lower levels without fear of being dropped, and pairs naturally with most conventions on this list.

What it shows: Game-forcing values with a new suit at the two-level.
When to use it: Most intermediate and advanced players adopt 2-over-1 as their default system.
Skill level: Intermediate.

Where to start

New to conventions: learn Stayman, Jacoby Transfers, Limit Raises, Negative Doubles, and Takeout Doubles. That set handles the majority of what comes up at a club game.

From there, add RKCB and Jacoby 2NT when you want to bid slams properly. Then Michaels and Unusual 2NT when you want to compete more aggressively.

Lebensohl last. It’s useful, but the specific auctions where you need it don’t come up every session. Get everything else down first.

Practice with an AI coach

Reading about conventions is one thing. Knowing when to use them mid-auction, hand in front of you, clock ticking, partner waiting, is a different thing entirely.

Brian, Bridgetastic’s AI bridge coach, walks you through bidding decisions in real time. Ask why you should or shouldn’t use Stayman on a specific hand. Work through Jacoby 2NT auctions until the responses feel automatic. Get feedback on your slam investigation without waiting for your next club night.

Try Brian free at app.bridgetastic.com

FAQ

What is the most important bridge convention?

Stayman and Jacoby Transfers together. They handle the single most common auction in bridge: partner opens 1NT. Most club partnerships expect both.

Do you need to play all 20 conventions on this list?

No. Plenty of good players use a solid dozen rather than struggling with twenty. Accuracy matters more than volume. Start with what you need and add others when you see real gaps in your bidding.

What’s the difference between Blackwood and Roman Keycard Blackwood?

Regular Blackwood counts aces only. RKCB counts aces plus the trump king as a fifth “keycard,” and has a mechanism to ask about the trump queen as well. Most partnerships have moved to RKCB because it produces better slam decisions for the same bid.

Do bridge conventions have to be agreed in advance?

Yes. Conventions aren’t automatic; your partnership needs to discuss what you play before the game. That’s what a convention card documents.

Can beginners play bridge without conventions?

You can, but Stayman and Jacoby Transfers are so common that most partners will assume you play them. Learn those two before anything else.