Each game of Acol bridge starts with bidding. During the bidding, the partner's send each other coded messages about their hand in the form of 'bids'.
Each time someone makes a bid they are telling their partner something about their hand. The information given will include one or more of the following: a) Number of Points b) Suits held c) Shape of the hand.
The bidding is sometimes called the auction. As a result of the bidding the players decide on their target (known as the 'Contract') number of tricks and whether or not to use trumps.
The bidding starts with the dealer. Each player adds up the number of points in their hand. Count 4 points for each ace, 3 points for each king, 2 points for each queen and one for each jack.
If a player holds less than 12 points they say 'PASS'. This continues clockwise round the table until the first person with 12 or more points makes a bid. This player becomes the OPENER. His bid is the OPENING BID and his partner is called the RESPONDER.
Bidding starts with one club, one diamond, one heart, one space and one No Trump (NT). A bid of one means that you believe you can win 7 tricks (the first six tricks are not scored).
An opening bid of one of a suit (clubs, diamonds, hearts or spades) means: "I have 12 or more points and at least 4 cards in the suit I bid" An opening bid of 1NT means: "I have 12-14 points and a balanced hand ".
A balanced hand contains cards in every suit (no voids), has no singleton (one card in a suit) and can have only one doubleton (two cards in a suit).
For example, four spades, 3 hearts, 3 diamonds and 3 clubs is a balanced hand. 3 spades, 4 hearts, 2 diamonds and 4 clubs is also a balanced hand (it only contains one doubleton). However, 4 spades, 5 hearts, 2 diamonds and 2 clubs is NOT a balanced hand – it has two doubletons (in diamonds and clubs).