You're bidding along and all of a sudden you get a question from your opponent: "What does your bid mean?" Or you get a system message that your bid has been questioned and there's that little box for you to type your answer.

What does he want? Your bid means what it means, right? Well not always.

Although it may appear to you that they are asking you something that is none of their business, actually it is.

At the bridge table there can be few secrets. The opponents are entitled to the very same information that your partner has. If you have an agreement with partner about a certain bid, the opponents are entitled to know what that agreement is, and it's your responsibility to tell them

And when you answer your opponents you must answer promptly, clearly and completely. For instance, it may surprise you to know that not everyone has heard of, for instance, the Flannery convention or knows what it means. But it's true. So when you're questioned about your 2D bid, "Flannery" isn't the right answer. And although there's not a whole lot of room to explain, it can be done with just a few more characters by typing "11-15, majors."

This is what Full Disclosure means. If you have an agreement with partner, the opponents are entitled to that information also. This not the time to be coy or to give bits and pieces of information, this is the time for Full Disclosure!

But what if you make a bid and you have no agreement with partner? Do you still have to explain your bid and more or less tell them what you hold in your hand? Of course not. If you have no agreement with partner on a bid your answer to your opponent's question is No Agreement. It's as simple as that!

By answering your opponents quickly and completely when questioned, your game will go faster, smoother and give YOU a reputation as a bridge player in the know.