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Goren Bidding System

One of the oldest bidding systems developed by Charles Goren.

Goren Bidding System is the most natural and there are very few conventional biddings. Openning bid requires 13-14 Total points and 4 cards is sufficient for any suit openning but it should include 3 HCPs.  If the suit is 5 cards then there is no need for any high card.

NoTrump opennings requires balanced hands and 16-18 HCPs. A NoTrump Openning may include a weak 5 cards major. There is a negative 1 Club Openning in this system. If you do not have a 5 cards or a good 4 cards suit, you can open the bidding with 1 Club unless you can open 1 NT. 1 Club openning is one tour forcing and the weak response is 1 Diamond. You can examine the opennings and the responses at the below table.

Opener Points Distribution Responder Points Distribution
1 Spade,         1 Heart,          1 Diamond 13+ TP At least 4 cards
Simple Support
                         
 
Jump Support   Game in Majors       1 Shifting Suit           2 Shifting Suit
(Without Jump) JumpShift                               
 
 
1 NT             
2 NT            
3 NT             
4 Clubs                 
4 NT
7-10 TP
               
 
13-16 TP 10-12 TP 6+ TP     10+ TP
 
19+ TP
 
 
6-10 HCP 16-18 HCP 13-15 HCP Gerber Blackwood
4 cards or 3 cards with high cards                  4 cards               5 cards              At least 4 cards    At least 5 cards
 
Single suited hand, Slam interest      
-
Balanced       Balanced      Balanced             At least 4 cards support
1 Club
13+ TP
Could be negative
1 Diamond                 2 Diamonds      
The Other responses
0-5 OP    10+ TP  Same as above
-      
5 Parça               
2 Suits
21+TP   23+TP   25+TP
7 cards          
6 cards         
5 cards
2 NT           
3 NT       
Simple Support 
Shifting Suit     Game                   
4 NT
0-6 TP      7+ TP       7+ TP       7+ TP        4-6 TP Blackwood
-
Balanced             At least 3 cards  At least 4 cards   At least 3 cards   At least 3 cards
3 Suits 9-12 TP 7 cards Simple Support At least 3 winner At least 2 cards
4 Spades
4 Hearts
At least 7 cards with 8 winners hand
4 NT
Blackwood
At least 2 cards
1 NT
16-18 HCP
Balanced
2 NT           
3 NT            
4 NT             
6 NT           
7 NT             
2 Suits                
3 Suits                
4 Clubs
7-8 HCP
9+ HCP
15-17 HCP
18-19 HCP
20+ HCP
6+ HCP
13+ HCP
Gerber  
Balanced              Balanced          Balanced        Balanced            Balanced             At least 5 cards At least 6 cards Balanced
2 NT
22-24 HCP
Balanced
3 NT            
4 NT            
6 NT             
3 Majors              
3 Minors              
4 Clubs
4+ HCP
9+ HCP
11-12 HCP
4+ HCP
6+ HCP
Gerber
Balanced   Balanced          Balanced            At least 5 cards    At least 6 cards Balanced
3 NT
25-27 HCP
Balanced
4 NT            
6 NT             
4 Clubs               
4 Majors               
5 Minors
6-8 HCP     9+ HCP  Gerber        0-3 HCP   2-4 HCP
Balanced      Balanced       Balanced           At least 6 cards    At least 6 cards

Some Goren players use Stayman and Transfer conventions.

Rebid of the Opener :

- If the game is not possible according to the response he gets, he should stop bidding at the possible lowest level. He may pass, repeat the openning suit, or bid the second suit which will not be reverse.  

- If the game is possible according to the response he gets, he should continue to bid. With the minimum openning value he may bid 1 NT, may support responders suit with 4 cards, may declare his second suit which will not be reverse or may repeat his openning suit.

- If the game is possible in spite of the response he gets, then he should have more than minimum openning value. In such a situation he may jump in his suit or in responders suit or in NoTrump or in a second suit, he can bid a second suit which is a reverse.