Jim Berglund’s Bridge Lesson 4 Opening Bid Considerations

Jim Berglund’s Bridge Lesson 4

Opening Bid Considerations

Caveat

• It is not important that you

agree with me on these

recommendations

• It is important that you

agree on what you’re doing

with your partner, and then

do it consistentl

y!

Wh

at

are

th

e M

inim

um

Req

uir

em

en

ts f

or

an

Op

en

ing

Bid

?• High Card Points, Tricks,

and Distribution

– It is normally stated that

you need 13 HCP, 2½

Quick Tricks, and/or a

good, long suit

– These are guidelines and

are often overruled.

Wouldn’t you open 1♠ with

♠AT98765432 ♥2 ♦2 ♣2?

– Again, 35 HCP and Lots of

Quick Tricks can’t stop 6♠

on the following deal:

♠ First, subtract ½ a point for all jacks, and round up. Subtract 1 point for Aceless hands, Then, the following guidelines apply:

• Recommended considerations for balanced hands (no singletons or voids)

• Open all hands with 13 or more HCP• The only 12-HCP, 4-3-3-3 hand you should open contain 3 Aces.

Pass the rest! • Open 11-HCP 4-4-3-2 hands if you have tricks in your long suits.

– With ♠AT98 ♥6543 ♦KJ3 ♣KT2, Pass.• Open 11-HCP 5-4-2-2 with 2 ½ Quick Tricks.

♠ Recommended considerations for unbalanced hands with 10 HCP

• Open all 5-4-3-1 , 5-5-2-1 or 5-4-4-0 hands with at least one top honor in your longest suit

• Open all 7-card suits headed by the AK• Open all 8-card suits headed by the A• Open all 6-card Spade, Heart or Diamond hands at the 2-level

What are the Minimum

Requirements for a One-level

Opening Bid?

Wh

y m

ake a

n E

ffort

to

Op

en

?1. Opening first gives your

partner maximum flexibility

to describe your hands well

and to get to th best

contract.

2. Opening first has a

preemptive value. Even

opening 1♦ makes it harder

for your opponent to bid her

club suit.

3. If you don’t open with 12 or

13 points, maybe no one

else will, and the board will

be ‘passed out’.

When do You Have an Opening

Bid?• Opening bids have values & defence measured in quick tricks.

– Quick tricks are Aces, Kings (not singleton Kings,) and KQ and QJ10 combinations.

• Opening bids are not just based on totalling HCP’s . They qualify for an opener. – Long suits, singletons, and voids(especially) are also

important considerations. • 1st & 2nd–seat pre-empts should never hold outside controls (Aces or

Kings) . – This is for partnership understanding only, making it easier

for partner to bid and defend. • Suits for weak two’s are not destructive - eg Jxxxxx or worse. They

should only be bid if you will not be embarrassed when partner leads the suit. – Partner should feel comfortable leading the King of your bid

suit if you get on defence, knowing you have the Ace, the Queen, or both.

• Overcalls at the one or two level do not have bad suits. – Overcalls at the two level should ONLY be made with a hand

you would have opened

Bidding Discipline Guidelines

• Vulnerability is respected; more values are expected when vulnerable. – Use the Rule of 1, 2 and 3

• If the vulnerability is even, you van afford to go down two tricks

• If you’re Red vs black (Vulnerable against non-vulnerable opponents) you can only afford to go down one

• If you’re black vs Red (‘terrorism’ vulnerability), you can afford to go down three tricks and still get a good result.

• Psyches (‘lies’) are part of the game, but should only be done when partner is a passed hand & only at favourable vulnerability.– A partner who has passed must listen to the bidding carefully

and not raise your bid if the opponents are clearly holding all the cards and showing confusion.

• Disciplined take out & penalty doubles & passes are partnership assumptions– On the other hand, if you have passed, you can bid or make a

take-out double with few points, but good distribution. Partner has no right to think you have a good hand.

• 1NT overcalls always have a stopper in the bid suit and no singletons (unless it is a singleton Ace).

Bid

din

g D

iscip

lin

e

Gu

idelin

es

• In competitive auctions , bids

have meaning other than “just

pushing them up“

– On the other hand, if you and

your partner have shown a fit,

“pushing them up” is a

legitimate and reasonable

tactic

Competitive doubles have defence not

just distribution for the unbid suits.

You hold ♠K ♥xx ♦QJxxx ♣Qxxxx and

the auction goes 1♥ - 1♠ - 3♥ (weak) - ?

Don’t Double! Partner will invite you to

take action if you pass

1. Points2. Concentration of

Values3. Distribution4. Vulnerability5. Bidding Position6. Fear of getting in

trouble7. Need for a Top

8. Partner’s Ability9. Bidding System -

Tools 10.IMP’s vs Matchpoints11.Opponents Skill

Level12.Bidding Discipline13.Tricks14.Having a Rebid9-13 point hands with

enough tricks & distribution should be opened

AKQx xx is worth MUCH more thanAxxx QJ

AKxxxx is worth at least 3 points more than

AK xxxx

Vulnerability should never effect a one-level opener – except in pass-out seat with the minors

You can take more license in 3rd or 4th seat. (Rule of 15) Note: I generally

prefer pre-empts, if possible

Considerations for opening at the one

level





Tools 10.IMP’s vs Matchpoints11.Opponents Skill Level12.Bidding Discipline13.Tricks14.Having a Rebid

If this is a problem for you, you’re in the wrong game!Never a legitimate reason

for it’s effect on partnership trust

There are several good reasons for ‘right-siding’ the contract.

This isn’t one of them

What was my comment on #6?


level

What will your partner think you have? How much license

will she allow? Will you be able to handle her response?





Tools 10.IMP’s vs

Matchpoints11.Opponents Skill

Level12.Bidding Discipline13.Tricks14.Having a Rebid

This is a consideration in overcalling and bidding games/slams – not for

opening at the one-level,

Your partner has a right to expect you have Aces & Kings, not ‘Quacks’. You may end

up mis-defending if you open garbage

Always consider your second bid before you make your first

Don’t let yourself get ‘out-of-the-box’. You’ll find that your scores, your enjoyment and

your partnership all improve


level

Third or 4th seatAlwaysNeverAlwaysAlwaysThird or 4th SeatAlwaysNeverNeverAlwaysNeverAlwaysNeverAlways

QuizWhen would you open this hand at the 1-level?Third or 4th seat? Always? Never?♠QJxxx ♥QJxxx ♦KQ ♣x♠AJ10xx ♥A109xx ♦Jx ♣x♠KQxx ♥xxx ♦xxx ♣AQJ♠AQxx ♥xxx ♦xxx ♣AQx♠KQxxxxx ♥x ♦xxx ♣Ax♠Qxxxxxx ♥J ♦Kxx ♣Ax♠AQxxx ♥xx ♦xx ♣KQxx♠Axxxx ♥Qx ♦Kx ♣Qxxx♠KQJxxxx ♥AQJ ♦AQ9 ♣-♠AJ10x ♥Axxx ♦AJx ♣AJ♠Kxxx ♥Kxxx ♦Kxxx ♣K♠Axxx ♥Axxxx ♦Axx ♣x♠AJ ♥QJx ♦QJxx ♣Qxxxx♠AQJxxx ♥QJxxxx ♦x ♣

Documents

Jim Berglund’s Bridge Lesson 4 Opening Bid Considerations