After you arrange your hand into suits, the next thing you do is count points.

INITIAL POINT COUNTING
• Ace=4   King=3   Queen=2   Jack=1
• Add 1 point for any 5-card suit, 2 for a 6-card suit etc
• Do not count doubletons, singletons or voids when deciding whether to open the bidding

BIDDING GOAL : SUIT PRIORITIES
1. Try to find an 8+ card fit in a Major suit; ♠s or ♥s
2. Try to play a Notrump contract
3. Try to find a 9+ card fit in a Minor suit; ♦s or ♣s

BIDDING GOAL : CONTRACT LEVEL (total partnership points)
• 25 points or below : partscore
• 26 to 32 points : game in Notrump or Major suit
• 29 to 32 points : game in a Minor suit
• 33 to 36 points : small slam (12 tricks)
• 37 points or above : Grand slam (13 tricks)