The language of bridge bidding can feel like learning a foreign language. This glossary covers every bidding term you’ll encounter, from basic auction mechanics to advanced convention jargon.
Use this as your quick reference when you’re not sure what a term means or need to refresh your memory.
A
Ace-Asking Bid: A convention used to discover how many aces (and often kings) partner holds before bidding slam. See Blackwood and Gerber.
Advance: To bid after partner makes a takeout double or overcall. You’re the advancer, partner is the doubler/overcaller.
Alert: A notification to opponents that your bid has an artificial or special meaning. Tap the table or say “alert” politely. Required for most conventions.
Announcement: Verbally stating the meaning of partner’s bid to opponents without them asking. Required for certain common agreements like transfer bids (“transfer to ♥”).
Artificial Bid: A bid that doesn’t show the suit bid or suggest it as trump. Examples: Stayman 2♣, 4NT Blackwood, Jacoby 2NT.
Asking Bid: Any conventional bid that asks partner a specific question about their hand. Could ask about aces, controls, suit quality, or other features.
Auction: The entire bidding sequence from the opening bid until three consecutive passes end it. Sometimes called the “bidding.”
B
Balancing: Bidding in passout seat (after two passes) to prevent opponents from buying the contract too cheaply. You can balance with fewer values than a direct bid would show.
Blackout: When you have nothing to bid. “I was in blackout with 3 points and no fit.”
Break a Transfer: Bidding something other than the expected suit after partner transfers. Shows maximum strength or exceptional fit. See Jacoby Transfers.
Business Double: A penalty double. You expect to beat the contract and want to increase the score. Less common than takeout doubles.
Bust: A terrible hand, usually 0-4 HCP. “Partner opened, I held a bust.”
C
Call: Any bid, double, redouble, or pass during the auction. A bid is a specific type of call.
Captaincy: The principle that one player (usually responder after opener limits their hand) takes control of the auction and decides the final contract. The captain asks questions, partner answers.
Checkback: A conventional bid that asks opener to clarify their hand after they’ve rebid. Examples: Fourth Suit Forcing, New Minor Forcing.
Competitive Auction: Any auction where both sides are bidding. Requires different strategies than uncontested auctions.
Control: First-round control = ace or void. Second-round control = king or singleton. Controls matter when bidding slams.
Control-Showing Cuebid: Bidding a suit (often at the 4-level or higher) to show a control in that suit, usually heading toward slam. Different from a Michaels cuebid.
Constructive: A bid showing values, not just competitive action. A constructive raise shows 8-10 points, not just “anything to compete.”
Convention: An artificial agreement where a bid means something other than its natural meaning. You must alert most conventions.
Convention Card: The form where you write down your partnership agreements. Opponents can read it before play. Fill it out honestly.
Competitive Double: A double after both sides have bid, usually showing extra values or cards in unbid suits rather than pure penalty. Context matters.
Cuebid: Bidding the opponent’s suit. Can show a strong hand, ask for a stopper, or show a control heading to slam. Meaning depends on context.
D
Delayed Raise: Supporting partner’s suit on your second bid instead of immediately. Usually shows extra values you couldn’t show earlier.
Descriptive Bid: A bid that describes your hand (points, shape, suits) rather than asking partner a question.
Distributional Points: Extra value for short suits. Count 3 for void, 2 for singleton, 1 for doubleton when you have a fit. Also called shortness points.
Double: A call that increases the stakes or (more often) asks partner to pick a suit. See takeout double vs. penalty double.
Drury: A 2♣ response by a passed hand after partner opens a major in third or fourth seat, asking if opener has a genuine opening bid. See Drury.
Dummy Points: Revaluing your hand after finding a fit. Add points for shortness, subtract for honors in partner’s short suits.
E
Escape: Bidding to get out of a bad contract, usually after partner makes an artificial bid you can’t handle or you’ve been doubled.
Exclusion Blackwood: A 5-level jump that shows a void in the suit bid and asks for key cards excluding that suit. Advanced slam convention.
F
Fast Arrival: The principle that bidding game immediately shows minimum values, while going slowly (via game-forcing bids below game) shows extras. “Slow shows, fast denies.”
Fit: When your side has 8+ combined cards in a suit. An 8-card fit is minimum, 9+ is great.
Forcing Bid: A bid partner cannot pass. Includes game forces (forcing to game) and one-round forces (forcing for one round).
Forcing Pass: Passing in a forcing auction (where you can’t actually pass out the contract). Partner must do something, usually double or bid. Used in high-level competitive situations.
Fourth Suit Forcing (FSF): Bidding the only unbid suit as an artificial force, usually looking for notrump or more information. See Fourth Suit Forcing.
Free Bid: Bidding after RHO bids, when you could have passed. Shows real values since you didn’t have to act. “Free bids show cards.”
Fragment: Showing a 3-card holding in a side suit during a slam auction. Helps partner evaluate controls and duplication.
G
Game Force: An agreement that the auction can’t end below game (3NT, 4♥, 4♠, 5♣, 5♦). Neither partner can pass until game is reached.
Game-Forcing Bid: A single bid that creates a game force. Example: 2NT response to 1♥ shows 13+ points and forces to game.
Game Try: A bid between initial agreement on a suit and game that asks partner to bid game with a fitting hand or extras. Common after 1M-2M.
Garbage Stayman: Using Stayman with a weak hand just to escape 1NT. Controversial and risky.
Gerber: 4♣ asking for aces, typically used after notrump bids. Less common than Blackwood. See Gerber.
H
Hampson: Some pairs use this to describe specific responses in their system. Check their convention card.
Help-Suit Game Try: Bidding a side suit after agreeing a major, asking partner to evaluate help (honors, shortness, length) in that suit when deciding whether to bid game.
High Card Points (HCP): The point-count system: A=4, K=3, Q=2, J=1. Standard way to evaluate hand strength.
I
Inference: What you can deduce from partner’s or opponents’ bids. If partner doesn’t bid Stayman, they don’t have a 4-card major.
Insufficient Bid: An illegal bid that’s lower than the previous bid (like bidding 1♠ after 1NT). Director decides the remedy.
Interference: When opponents bid over your auction. Changes your bidding agreements.
Invitational Bid: A bid that suggests game but lets partner decide. Shows about 11-12 points. “I’m inviting, you decide.”
J
Jacoby 2NT: A 2NT response showing 4-card support for partner’s major and game-forcing values. Asks about hand type and shortness. See Splinter Bids.
Jacoby Transfer: Bidding 2♦ over 1NT to show ♥, or 2♥ to show ♠. The most important convention for notrump bidding. See Jacoby Transfers.
Jump: Bidding one level higher than necessary. A jump shift skips a level, a jump raise skips levels. Meaning depends on system.
Jump Cuebid: Jumping to bid opponent’s suit. Can show a two-suited hand (Michaels) or a strong hand, depending on agreements.
Jump Shift: Responding (or rebidding) one level higher than necessary in a new suit. Traditional meaning is very strong (19+ points), but modern methods vary. Check your system.
L
Law of Total Tricks: The principle that the total number of tricks available to both sides equals the total trumps held. Used to guide competitive decisions. Not a law, more a guideline.
Lebensohl: A 2NT relay after interference over 1NT or after partner reverses. Creates forcing and non-forcing auctions at the 3-level. See Lebensohl.
Limit Bid: A bid that shows a narrow point range. Examples: 1NT (15-17), 2NT (20-21), limit raises (10-12).
Limit Raise: Raising partner’s suit to the 3-level showing 10-12 points and 4-card support (or 3-card for minors). Invitational.
Long Suit Trials: Game try showing a long suit where you might take extra tricks.
Losing Trick Count (LTC): An alternative hand evaluation method focusing on losers instead of points. Useful for suit contracts with fits.
M
Major: ♠ or ♥. Game in a major requires only 10 tricks (4♠ or 4♥). Generally preferred over minor suits.
Maximum: Holding the top of your range. If you showed 6-9, maximum is 9. If you showed 12-14, maximum is 14.
Michaels Cuebid: Bidding opponent’s suit to show 5-5 in specific suits. Over minors shows both majors, over majors shows the other major and an unspecified minor. See Michaels Cuebid.
Minimum: Holding the bottom of your range. If you opened 12-14, minimum is 12.
Minor: ♣ or ♦. Game requires 11 tricks (5♣ or 5♦). Often you play 3NT instead.
N
Natural Bid: A bid that shows length and strength in the suit bid and suggests it as a potential trump suit. Opposite of artificial.
Negative Double: Doubling after partner opens and RHO overcalls, showing values (usually 6+ points) and typically the unbid major(s). The most important competitive convention. See Negative Doubles.
New Minor Forcing (NMF): Bidding an unbid minor after opener rebids 1NT as a conventional force, looking for major fits or game. See New Minor Forcing.
New Suit Forcing (NSF): The principle that bidding a new suit is forcing for one round when you haven’t limited your hand yet. Standard in most systems.
Non-Forcing: Partner can pass this bid. Better say “passable” at the table.
O
Opener: The player who makes the first bid in the auction.
Opening Bid: The first bid in the auction. Shows approximately 12+ points or a distributional hand. See Opening Bid Decisions.
Overcall: Bidding after an opponent opens. Shows a good suit and some values, but doesn’t promise an opening hand.
Overbid: To bid more than your hand is worth. Don’t do this.
P
Pass: Declining to bid. “I have nothing to say” or “I’m happy with the current contract.”
Passable: Partner can pass this bid without violating any agreement. Clearer than “non-forcing.”
Passed Hand: You passed originally, so partner knows you don’t have an opening hand. Changes your bidding structure. See Drury.
Penalty Double: A double expecting to defeat the contract. Becoming rare below game as doubles are usually takeout or competitive.
Positive Response: Showing values after partner makes a strong opening (like 2♣). Opposite of negative/waiting response.
Preempt: An opening bid at the 2-level or higher showing a long suit but limited high-card strength. Designed to make opponents guess. See Preemptive Bidding.
Preference: Returning to partner’s first suit when choosing between two suits they’ve bid. Can be with 2 cards.
Psyche (Psych): A deliberate gross misrepresentation of your hand. Rarely used, must be disclosed, borderline unethical.
Puppet Stayman: An advanced form of Stayman used over 2NT openings to find 5-3 major fits. See Puppet Stayman.
Q
Quantitative: A notrump bid (usually 4NT) that’s invitational to slam, not asking for aces. Natural, not Blackwood. Partner adds up points and decides.
Queue Bid: Misspelling of cuebid. It’s cuebid.
R
Raise: Supporting partner’s suit by bidding the same suit at a higher level. Can be limit raise, preemptive raise, or other types.
Rebid: Your second bid. Shows more about your hand.
Redouble: Doubling a double. Shows 10+ points after partner’s opening is doubled, or can be SOS in other contexts.
Relay: A conventional bid that asks partner to bid a specific suit or describe their hand further. You’re not showing your suit, you’re asking for information.
Responder: Partner of the opening bidder.
Responsive Double: Doubling after partner overcalls or doubles and RHO raises. Shows cards and asks partner to pick a suit.
Reverse: Opener bids a higher-ranking suit at the 2-level after bidding a lower suit first (1♦-1♠-2♥). Shows 17+ points and is forcing.
Roman Key Card Blackwood (RKCB): Blackwood that counts the trump king as a 5th “ace.” The modern standard. See Blackwood & RKCB.
Rule of 15: In fourth seat, add your HCP and number of spades. If 15+, open. Otherwise pass it out.
Rule of 20: Add your HCP and length of your two longest suits. If 20+, you can open 1-of-a-suit even with 11 points.
S
Sacrifice (Sac): Bidding a contract you expect to go down because you think opponents can make theirs. You’re “saving.”
Screening: Some jurisdictions use screens. You write your bid on a tray that slides under the screen so partner can’t see you. Changes alerting procedures.
Self-Alerting: Certain bids you alert yourself when making them, not when partner makes them. Examples vary by jurisdiction.
Shift: Changing suits. “Partner shifted to a diamond.”
Short Suit Game Try: Showing shortness when asking partner to evaluate game. Less common than help-suit tries.
Signoff: A bid telling partner you’re done. “This is the contract, pass.” Examples: 2♥ after transferring, 3♠ after invitational 2♠ raise.
Simple Overcall: Overcalling at the cheapest level (1♥ over 1♦). Shows a 5-card suit and roughly 8-17 points.
Slam: A contract for 12 or 13 tricks. Small slam = 6-level (12 tricks), grand slam = 7-level (13 tricks). See Slam Bidding Basics.
Slow Shows: The principle that bidding slowly (below game in a game-forcing auction) shows extras, while jumping to game shows minimum. Opposite of old-fashioned methods.
Smolen: Bidding 3♥ to show 5 spades and 4 hearts (or vice versa) after using Stayman. Lets opener declare with 3-card fit.
SOS Redouble: Redoubling when doubled for penalty, desperately asking partner to rescue you into a better suit.
Splinter: A jump bid in a new suit showing shortness (0-1 cards), support for partner, and slam interest. See Splinter Bids.
Stayman: Bidding 2♣ over 1NT to ask if partner has a 4-card major. The first convention everyone learns. See Stayman Convention.
Stopper: A holding that will win a trick in a suit, usually for notrump (Axx, Kxx, QJx, etc.). “Do you have a ♠ stopper for 3NT?”
Strong: Usually means 17+ points in context of rebids, or 22+ for 2♣ openings. Context matters.
Super-Accept: Accepting a transfer with a maximum and 4-card fit by jumping or bidding a side suit. Shows extras.
Support: Having cards in partner’s suit. Can support with 3 cards usually, prefer 4+.
T
Takeout Double: Doubling an opening bid to show an opening hand and support for unbid suits. Asks partner to bid. See Negative Doubles for the responding version.
Transfer: Bidding one suit to have partner bid another. Most common: Jacoby Transfers (2♦ = ♥, 2♥ = ♠ over 1NT). See Jacoby Transfers.
Trial Bid: See game try.
Two Over One (2/1): A bidding system where a 2-level response in a new suit creates a game force. The modern standard for serious players. See Two Over One Game Force.
Two-Way Game Try: A method that uses both help-suit and short-suit game tries.
U
Unbid Suit: A suit no one has mentioned yet. Important for negative doubles and cuebids.
Underbid: Bidding less than your hand is worth. Also bad, but less embarrassing than overbidding.
Unusual Notrump: Overcalling 2NT over opponent’s opening to show 5-5 in the two lowest unbid suits (usually minors). See Unusual Notrump.
Unusual vs. Unusual: Conventional responses after opponent makes an unusual notrump or Michaels bid. Ask your partner what they play.
Upside-Down Signals: Playing that low cards encourage and high cards discourage (opposite of standard). Common in expert partnerships.
V
Void: Having zero cards in a suit. Worth 5 points when you have a trump fit, or 3 points using standard distributional count.
W
Waiting Bid: An artificial bid that says “I have enough to respond but can’t describe my hand yet.” Example: 2♦ response to 2♣ (waiting, no ace).
Weak: Usually means less than opening strength, or minimum in context of rebids.
Weak Jump Overcall: Jumping to overcall (2♠ over 1♥) showing a weak hand with a long suit. Preemptive.
Weak Two Bid: Opening at the 2-level (except 2♣) showing a 6-card suit and 5-11 points. Preemptive. See Preemptive Bidding.
X-Y-Z
XYZ: A checkback convention after 1x-1y-1z auctions. X asks about stoppers, Y is invitational, Z is signoff. Check with partner.
Yarborough: A hand with no card higher than a 9. Basically worthless. Named after an English earl who apparently held a lot of them.
Quick Reference Links
- Opening Bid Decisions
- Stayman Convention
- Jacoby Transfers
- Negative Doubles
- Two Over One Game Force
- Competitive Bidding
- Slam Bidding Basics
- Complete Conventions Guide
Need a general bridge glossary? See the main Bridge Glossary for play, defense, and scoring terms.