List of bidding systems


This is a list of bidding systems used in contract bridge. Systems listed have either had a historical impact on the development of bidding in the game or have been or are currently being used at the national or international levels of competition.
Bidding systems are characterized as belonging to one of two broadly defined categories:
  • natural bidding systems and
  • artificial bidding systems.
Nevertheless, each contains elements of the other given the number and variety of treatments and conventions that have been developed by bridge bidding theorists.

Natural four card majors systems

  • 5-4-4-3 System
  • Acol
  • Baron, an English system developed in the 1940s by Leo Baron, Adam Meredith and others.
  • CAB, acronym for Two Clubs, Ace-asking and Blackwood
  • Canapé
  • Colonial Acol
  • Culbertson
  • EFOS, the Economical Forcing System developed by Eric Jannersten and others in Sweden in the sixties and seventies
  • EHAA, acronym for Every Hand An Adventure
  • Four Aces Team
  • Goren
  • Nordic
  • Official System
  • Reith One-over-one

Natural five card majors systems

Strong club systems

Artificial one club systems

Strong diamond systems

  • Big Diamond
  • Quadri Italia
  • Magic Diamond
  • Leghorn Diamond
  • Mirror Diamond
  • CS System

Weak opening systems

Artificial systems

Losing trick count systems

  • Imperspicuity

Other systems

  • Amsterdam Club
  • Bangkok Club
  • Churchill Style
  • Crane
  • Dutch Spade
  • Fiori Romano
  • Kamikaze Notrump
  • Monaco
  • New South Wales
  • Orange Club
  • Pro System
  • Simplified Club
  • Sims
  • Stone Age Acol With Pakistani Preempts
  • Symmetric Relay
  • Ultimate Club
  • Walsh
  • Winslow
  • MMMMajor Bridge Bidding System