Goren System

(provided courtesy of BridgeGuys)

Also see Goren Bridge Books

The basics of the Goren Bidding System includes opening the longest suit first. Other features
is opening the lower of 4-4 in the Minor suits, jumping to 2 Notrump or 3 of the opening suit,
if the point count is 13 to 15 support points. The Notrump range is between 16 and 18 high
card points, and all 2 Diamonds/Hearts/Spades opening are strong.

Mr. Charles Goren devised a Point Count Table to be used when opening, responding, and
rebidding. The charts below present his Point Count Tables.

Ace: 4 points
King: 3 points
Queen: 2 points
Jack: 1 point

4 Aces: Add 1 point

KQx 2 points
AQx 1.5 points
KQx 1 point
Kx .5 points

Distributional Points are counted as follows:

For any opening bid:

Void: 3 points
Singleton: 2 points
Doubleton: 1 point

If the partner is able to raise the opening of his partner:

Void: 5 points
Singleton: 3 points
Doubleton: 1 point

The concept behind the Point Count is expanded by adding the Distributional Points to the
Point Count of the responder when a fit has been determined, and the result is then added to
the actual point count of the total honors. The thought behind this calculation is to increase or
 promote each honor in the bid suit of the partner by 1 point, unless the honors already exceed
4 points. On the other hand, 1 point is deducted from the total distributional values, if the
holding only contains a 3-card support, and/or the complete distribution is 4-3-3-3.

Certain requirements are advised when opening one of a suit.

1. All holdings containing 14 high card points must be opened.

2. Any holding with 13 high card points may be opened, but there must be a reasonable, logical
rebid available.
3. All openings are required to have 2 Quick Tricks.
4. Any 1 Notrump opening must contain between 16 and 18 high card points and must have a
balanced distribution.
5. An opening in Third Seat is permitted, if the hand contains 11 high card points and the holding
contains a good suit.

Certain requirements are advised when opening two of a suit. As the high card point range
diminishes, the quality of the suit increases.

1. The opener must have 25 high card points and a good 5-card suit.
2. The opener must have 23 high card points and a good 6-card suit.
3. The opener must have 21 high card points and a good 7-card suit.

In his original book, Goren's Bridge Complete, the Goren Opening Bids are shown below:

1
13-22 HCPs 3+ Clubs
C
1
13-22 HCPs 4+ Diamonds
D
1
13-22 HCPs 4+ Hearts
H
1S 13-22 HCPs 4+ Spades
1
16-18 HCPs Balanced shape
N
2
23+ HCPs 5+ Clubs
C
2
23+ HCPs 5+ Diamonds
D
2
23+ HCPs 5+ Hearts
H
2S 23+ HCPs 5+ Spades
2
22-24 HCPs Balanced shape
N

This early version shows that the opening of a 4-card Major suit was allowed. The later, revised
edition of the book Goren's New Bridge Complete in 1985 showed a preference for opening a
 5-card Major suit and allowed for an Minor suit opening of a 3-card suit. The point range for
a 2 Notrump range was also revised. These revised opening bids are shown below.

1C 13-22 HCPs 3+ Clubs

1D 13-22 HCPs 3+ Diamonds
1H 13-22 HCPs 5+ Hearts
1S 13-22 HCPs 5+ Spades
1N 16-18 HCPs Balanced shape
2C 23+ HCPs Any shape
2D 6-12 HCPs 6+ Diamonds
2H 6-12 HCPs 6+ Hearts
2S 6-12 HCPs 6+ Spades
2N 21-22 HCPs Balanced shape

Certain circumstances are understood, if one partner decides to open with a preemptive bid on
the Three Level. The partner should not open any suit on the Three Level with a holding
containing 10 high card points or more. The partner, after a preemptive opening, should not
raise the suit of the partner unless he holds at least 3 or 4 certain Quick Tricks.

If the opponents open the auction with a bid suit first, then a Takeout Double requires that the
doubler must possess a holding which would normally be an opening, which signifies 13 high
card points or more. If the Takeout Double is over a 1 Notrump opening, then the doubler is
required to hold at least 10 high card points.

If the Right Hand Opponent responds to the opening of his partner, then the responder of the
Takeout Doubler is not required to bid. If the Right Hand Opponent passes, then the
responder of the Takeout Doubler is required to respond. According to the Goren Bidding
System, the responder may then bid once with 0 to 6 high card points, the responder may
rebid again with 9 high card points, and the responder may jump bid with 11 to 12 high card
points.

As a defense against the Takeout Double, the responder to the opener should pass with less
than 5 high card points, bid with any values between 6 and 9 high card points, and redouble
when holding 10 high card points or more.

After the auction has officially been opened, any overcall must contain at least 10 high card
points if the overcall is on the One Level. On the Two Level, the overcaller must have 12 high
card points or more and a good suit. To overcall with 1 Notrump, the point range must be
between 16 and 18 high card points and the distribution must be balanced.

In the Goren Bidding System, the responses are defined and should be adhered to as much as
possible in order to communicate definite information to the partner.
If the partner opens with one of a suit, the responder will respond according to the following
chart, if there is no immediate fit. The responses are based on a balanced distribution, not on a
non-balanced distribution.

1
6-10 HCPs
N
2
13-15 HCPs
N
3
16-18 HCPs
N

If the responder is holding any support for the suit bid by his partner, then the responses should
follow the guidelines established below. These responses are based on the fact that the
responder has an unbalanced distribution and can respond after an immediate fit.

Raise 1 Level: With 7-10 HCPs

Raise 2 Levels: With 13-16 HCPs
Jump to 4
With 9 HCPs or less and 5-card support
Level:
Jump Shift: With 19 HCPs or more

If no immediate fit is discovered, then the following chart shows the possible responses.

Show a new suit at the 1 Level: With 6 HCPs plus

Show a new suit at the 2 Level: With 10 HCPs plus
Make 2 progressive bids without
With 11-12 HCPs
forcing to game:

If the partner opens a strong 2 Clubs/Diamonds/Hearts/Spades, then the responder should

communicate his holding to the partner in the following manner, by bidding:

2N With 6 HCPs or less

Positive Response: With 7 HCPs and 1 Quick Trick
Positive Response: With 8 HCPs and 0.5 Quick Tricks

An opening of 1 Notrump promises 16 to 18 high card points and a balanced distribution. The
responder has several options to communicate to his partner a description of his holding by
bidding the following, which would strongly indicate an unbalanced distribution.
 Bid 2C with 8 HCPs or more and a 4-card Major suit
Bid 2D, 2H or 2S with less than 8 HCPs and a 5-card suit
Bid 3 of any suit with 10 HCPs and a good suit
Bid 4 of a long Major suit and less than 10 HCPs

An opening of 1 Notrump promises 16 to 18 high card points and a balanced distribution. The
responder has several options to communicate to his partner a description of his holding by
bidding the following, which would strongly indicate a balanced distribution.

2
With 7 HCPs and a 5-card suit
N
2
With 8-9 HCPs
N
3
With 10-14 HCPs
N
4
With 15-16 HCPs
N
6
With 17-18 HCPs
N
7
With 21 HCPs
N

If the opener opens the auction with 2 Notrump, promising 21 to 22 high card points, a
balanced distribution, and all four suits protected, then the responder has the following
options with a balanced distribution:

3
With 4-8 HCPs
N
4
With 10 HCPs
N
6
With 11-12 HCPs
N
7
With 15 HCPs
N

If the opener opens the auction with 2 Notrump, promising 21 to 22 high card points, a
balanced distribution, and all four suits protected, then the responder has the following
options with an unbalanced distribution:

Responder bids a 5-card Major suit with 1 top honor and 4 high card
points
Responder bids a 6-card suit except Clubs
Responder bids 3 Clubs with 4 high card points and a 4-card Major suit