Mr. Eli Culbertson devised a standard version of opening bids to support his methods. The opening bids of his version is outlined below and pertain only to the opening bids.

Opening Bids Only

Bids		Strength		Meaning
1 :		13-22 high card points		Shows a 3-card plus Club suit.
1 :		13-22 high card points		Shows a 4-card plus Diamond suit.
1 :		13-22 high card points		Shows a 4-card plus Heart suit.
1 :		13-22 high card points		Shows a 4-card plus Spade suit.
1 NT:		16-19 high card points		Shows balanced shape.
2 :		23+ high card points		Shows a 5-card plus Club suit.
2 :		23+ high card points		Shows a 5-card plus Diamond suit.
2 :		23+ high card points		Shows a 5-card plus Heart suit.
2 :		23+ high card points		Shows a 5-card plus Spade suit.
2 NT:		20-22 high card points		Shows balanced shape.

Mr. Eli Culbertson required at least one honor in a suit, if it were to be opened. Otherwise the opening bid had to be the Club suit. Any jump raise on the three level was equivalent to a game-forcing bid; opener could not pass until game had been reached. All openings on the two level held sufficient values as to be a stand-alone holding and were game-forcing; the only negative response was a 2 No Trump bid.

The Delayed Raise was employed to invite to game with trump support in that the responder first bid another suit and then raised the opening bid suit.

If you wish to include this feature, or any other feature, of the game of bridge in your partnership agreement, then please make certain that the concept is understood by both partners. Be aware whether or not the feature is alertable or not and whether an announcement should or must be made. Check with the governing body and/or the bridge district and/or the bridge unit prior to the game to establish the guidelines applied. Please include the particular feature on your convention card in order that your opponents are also aware of this feature during the bidding process, since this information must be made known to them according to the Laws of Duplicate Contract Bridge. We do not always include the procedure regarding Alerts and/or Announcements, since these regulations are changed and revised during time by the governing body. It is our intention only to present the information as concisely and as accurately as possible.