12-21-2012, 09:30 AM
Comment, make adjustments, explain your reasoning. Remember, this will be for a completely new player. Consider these basic guidelines for a new player to learn, to build upon as they become more familiar with the game. This is for a player that hasn't learned how to count tricks yet.
Opening Bids: (These are the basic bidding rules if no one has made a bid yet.)
50 - Want the bid; or if the first player to bid passes, you are "saving" your partner with a minimum strength hand or better. (need to teach newbie how to count tricks and define a biddable hand and minimum strength required to make a "save" bid)
(Bids of 51 to 59 are called Meld Bids - because they are showing meld and do not mean the player wants the bid)
51 - Aces Around
52 - 16 to 24 meld
53 - 26 to 34 meld
54 - 36 to 44 meld
55 - 46 to 54 meld
56 - 56 to 64 meld
57 - 66 to 76 meld
58 - 76 + meld (unlimited meld)
59 - Double Aces
60 - Want the bid (like 50) but have 30 or more meld in your hand (counting a run) so you are jumping to 60 to keep your opponents from sharing information through bidding. (As a beginner, if you want to play it safe, only jump to 60 with 35 or more meld. At least until you learn how to count tricks which indicates the strength of a hand.)
Response bids: (These are the basic bidding rules after the bidding has started)
+1 - Same as an opening bid of 50, either you want the bid, or you are "saving" your partner. (A save bid is needed when your partner makes a Meld Bid and the opponent after your partner passes.)
(+2 to +9, if the bid is under 60 is a Meld Bid)
+2 - same meaning as 52
+3 - same meaning as 53
+4 - same meaning as 54
Etc.
Final note:
If the bidding gets to you and the minimum bid you can make is 65 or greater (bidding over 60 goes by fives), a +5 bid means the same as a +1 bid and a +10 bid is a Meld Bid indicating 30+ meld.
Opening Bids: (These are the basic bidding rules if no one has made a bid yet.)
50 - Want the bid; or if the first player to bid passes, you are "saving" your partner with a minimum strength hand or better. (need to teach newbie how to count tricks and define a biddable hand and minimum strength required to make a "save" bid)
(Bids of 51 to 59 are called Meld Bids - because they are showing meld and do not mean the player wants the bid)
51 - Aces Around
52 - 16 to 24 meld
53 - 26 to 34 meld
54 - 36 to 44 meld
55 - 46 to 54 meld
56 - 56 to 64 meld
57 - 66 to 76 meld
58 - 76 + meld (unlimited meld)
59 - Double Aces
60 - Want the bid (like 50) but have 30 or more meld in your hand (counting a run) so you are jumping to 60 to keep your opponents from sharing information through bidding. (As a beginner, if you want to play it safe, only jump to 60 with 35 or more meld. At least until you learn how to count tricks which indicates the strength of a hand.)
Response bids: (These are the basic bidding rules after the bidding has started)
+1 - Same as an opening bid of 50, either you want the bid, or you are "saving" your partner. (A save bid is needed when your partner makes a Meld Bid and the opponent after your partner passes.)
(+2 to +9, if the bid is under 60 is a Meld Bid)
+2 - same meaning as 52
+3 - same meaning as 53
+4 - same meaning as 54
Etc.
Final note:
If the bidding gets to you and the minimum bid you can make is 65 or greater (bidding over 60 goes by fives), a +5 bid means the same as a +1 bid and a +10 bid is a Meld Bid indicating 30+ meld.