Why combined points matter
Many bidding decisions come down to one question: does our side have enough strength to bid game, settle for part-score, or stay out of the auction?
Counting combined points — your hand plus what partner has shown — is one of the most important habits to build in bridge.
The 25-point rule for game
The standard guideline:
- 25+ combined points → bid game.
- 18-23 combined → look to compete for a part-score.
- Under 18 → usually not enough strength to fight on points alone.
If your side has 25+ combined points, look first for an 8-card major fit. With an 8-card fit in a major, 4 hearts or 4 spades is usually the right contract. Without a major fit, 3NT is almost always preferable to 5 of a minor. 5 of a minor is a last resort — it takes 11 tricks instead of 9 or 10.
Whose job is it to drive the auction?
Often only one player can actually see that the partnership has enough points. In many auctions one player has already shown their point range and the other has not. A common example: one player has opened 1NT, and the other hasn't even made a bid yet.
Once you have already shown your point count, it is typically your partner's responsibility to bid game if we have enough.
On the other hand, if you haven't bid anything yet or shown your hand, it will likely be your responsibility to bid game — or let your partner know what's going on somehow.
Two common examples:
- Partner opens 1NT (15-17 points). You have 10. You can already count to 25+. You should bid game.
- Partner opens 1 club (12+ points). You have 13. You know you have at least 25 combined. Make sure the auction reaches game.
If you have the information, it's your duty to use it. Partner cannot guess what is in your hand.
Example
Auction: 1♦ by north, P, ?
On this hand, already because partner opened (usually 12+ points), you should be targeting game. In other words, even before your first bid, in the back of your mind you should be thinking that you don't want to let this one go before game.
HOWEVER, keep that in the back of your mind for now, an auction doesn't need to be a single bid only, you do not need to show all your strength immediately, start off with a calm but very descriptive 1♠ bid
Competing in the 18-23 range
With 18-23 combined points, you usually do not have enough for game. But you often do have enough to play a part-score.
This range is where the part-score battle happens — 2 of your suit, 3 of a minor with a fit, that sort of thing. Don't let opponents push you out of the auction without contesting. A part-score is worth fighting for.
Example
Auction: 1♣ by north, 2♥ by east, ?
You do not have a great hand, but your partner has an opening hand and you have enough to push you to that 18-23 point range where it is sensible to compete. (You can bid a takeout double here - the key idea is that you have short hearts (✓) and the other suits (✓) with a fairly balanced hand (✓). Check out my takeout double complete guide article for more info on that topic)
Under 18 points — when a big fit beats points
If your side has less than 18 combined points, you usually aren't bidding constructively. But there is one major exception: a big trump fit.
If partner opens 1 spade and you have only 2 points but four-card spade support, it is usually right to raise. You might have only 14 or 15 combined points, but a 9+ card fit changes everything.
This is called a preemptive raise, and we have a separate article on it.
Why does it work? Because with big trump fits, you can often make a contract on shape alone — and you take bidding room away from opponents who probably have the balance of strength.
1C by west, 1S, 2D, ?
On this hand, even though you have no reason to expect your side to have even 15 of the 40 points, bidding 4♠ is a very reasonable bid. You have a large trump fit, and a singleton.
When you have large trump fits 9+ cards, points are not as relevant.
How to build the habit
Every time partner bids, train yourself to ask one question:
What is our combined point count?
The faster you do this in real time, the more accurate your auctions get.
Final takeaway
Combined point ranges are not a rigid law — they are a practical decision framework. 25+ pushes you to game, 18-23 fights for the part-score, under 18 stays low unless you have a big fit. Develop the habit of doing the math at every call, and your bidding judgment improves quickly.