A Sample Bidding Sequence in Bridge

In the following example, you can see the bids each bridge player makes during a sample bidding sequence. You don’t see the cards on which each player bases his or her bid — they aren’t important for now. Just follow the bidding around the table, noting how each bid is higher than the one before it. Assume that you’re in the South position.

South (You) West North (Your Partner) East
1♥ Pass 2♣ 2♦
3♣ 3♦ 4♥ Pass
Pass Pass
After your opening 1♥ bid, West passes and your partner (North) bids 2♣. East joins in with a bid of 2♦, a bid that is higher than 2♣. When it’s your turn to bid again, you show support for your partner’s clubs by bidding 3♣. Then West comes to life and supports East’s diamonds by bidding 3♦. Your partner (don’t forget your partner) chimes in with 4♥, a bid that silences everybody. Both East and West decide to pass, just as they would at an auction when the bidding gets too rich for their blood.

It has been a somewhat lively auction, and your side has bought the contract with your partner’s 4♥ bid, which means you need to take ten tricks to make your contract. (Remember, a book — six tricks — is automatically added to the bid.) If you don’t make your contract, the opponents score penalty points and you get zilch. The final contract of 4♥ also designates hearts as the trump suit.

Keep in mind the following points about the bidding sequence:

Each bid made is higher ranking than the previous bid.
A player can pass on the first round and bid later (as West did), or a player can bid on the first round and pass later (as East did).
After a bid has been made and three players in a row pass, the bidding is over.

A sample bidding sequence in bridge illustrates the dynamic exchange between partners as they communicate information about their hands to determine the optimal contract. Let’s consider a simple example:
South, the dealer, starts with "1♦"—indicating a hand with at least 13 high-card points (HCP) and a minimum of four diamonds (the longest or strongest suit). West, holding a weak hand (fewer than 6 HCP), passes. North responds with "1♥," showing 6+ HCP and at least four hearts, a new suit that forces South to bid again. East, also with insufficient strength, passes.
South, with 15 HCP and three-card heart support, raises to "2♥," indicating moderate strength and preference for hearts. West passes once more. North, holding 10 HCP and realizing the combined strength (25+ HCP) meets the requirement for game, jumps to "4♥"—a game contract in hearts. All other players pass, ending the bidding.
This sequence highlights how bids convey strength, suit length, and support, guiding the partnership toward a contract that aligns with their combined resources.

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