Since mid-nineteenth century when Charles Goren popularized the point -count system of hand evaluation and bridge bidding, a system that became known widely as "Standard American", there have been significant advances in the art of bidding, advances that have been time-tested and proven effective. Unfortunately "Standard American" did not keep pace.

Early point-count standards undervalue many hands. Furthermore, many traditional bidding rules became obsolete and fell by the wayside as new ideas were created, time-tested and adopted by the most innovative players. Prominent among the new methods are five-card majors, limit raises, preemptive two-level openers, the Stayman convention, and a reconstruction of the entire notrump bidding scheme.

Standard American 21 presents an integrated, modern contract bridge bidding system. The entire system can be adopted quite readily by players of intermediate skills and beyond. Here for the first time bridge players have the tools to achieve real precision bidding from part-score through game and slam.