1. BERGEN RAISES RESPONDING TO PARTNER’S FIVE CARD MAJOR SUIT OPENING
AND!
REMEMBERING THE LAW OF TOTAL TRICKS

2. SOME DEFINITIONS
PARTNER OPENS 1H NO SUPPORT SMALL DOUBLETON H PARTIAL SUPPORT 3 SMALL H’s PARTIAL SUPPORT Ax, Kx, Qx H’s PRIMARY SUPPORT QXX H’s OR BETTER SUPERFIT ANY 4 CARD H SUPPORT

3. THE LAW OF TOTAL TRICKS THE PRINCIPLES OF BERGEN RAISES COMPLY WITH
THAT IS; IN COMPETITIVE SITUATIONS BELOW GAME
WE ARE BIDDING TO THE NUMBER OF TRUMPS
WITH 3 CARD SUPPORT FOR THE KNOWN 5 AND MINIMUM
WE BID FOR 8 TRICKS; 2 LEVEL
WITH 4 CARD SUPPORT AND MIN, WE BID TO THE 3 LEVEL
WITH 5 CARD SUPPORT AND NOTHING ELSE – BID GAME!!!

4. NOW FOR HAND EVALUATION
REMEMBER – WE ARE DEALING WITH SUIT CONTRACTS.
COUNT UP YOUR TOTAL POINTS IN PARTNER’S SUIT AS FOLLOWS
SMALL DOUBLETON DEVALUE BY 1 POINT
Ax/Kx/Qx NO ADJUSTMENT
Jxx or less ADD SHORTAGE POINTS AS USUAL
Qxx or better PRIMARY SUPPORT, BUT AS ABOVE
xxxx or better ADD 1 POINT FOR SUPERFIT
xxxxx/xxxxxx or better ADD 2 POINTS

5. PARTNER OPENS 1H HEREWITH YOUR BERGEN RAISES BASED ON TOTAL POINTS 3 CARD SUPPORT 0-5 T P PASS 6-9 BID 2H 10+ BID YOUR 4+ SUIT 4 CARD SUPPORT 0-5 TP 3H! alertable 6-9 3C, alertable D, alertable 13+ 2NT, alertable; GAME FORCE NT IF

6. OPENER’S REBIDS FOLLOWING ARTIFICIAL RESPONSES (3C, 3D, 2NT) 3C SIGN-OFF 3H WITH 15 POINTS OR LESS. BID GAME DIRECTLY WITH BEST TO BID A NEW SUIT AS A GAME TRY. 3D 15+ BID GAME. WITH UNBALANCE POSSIBLE SLAM TRY 2NT (GAME FORCE) 4H AS SIGN-OFF 3H = 17+, UNBALANCED, SLAM INTEREST 3NT = BALANCED ( )

7. NOW! PARTNER OPENS 1H WHAT IS YOUR RESPONDING BID?
♠Q1052 ♥AQ3 ♦83 ♣ H
♠Q1052 ♥A83 ♦73 ♣ H
♠Q1052 ♥AQ3 ♦A3 ♣ S
♠Q1052 ♥853 ♦K3 ♣ PASS
♠Q105 ♥ ♦83 ♣ H
♠Q105 ♥8753 ♦83 ♣ H
♠Q105 ♥8753 ♦AK ♣AK72 2NT

8. PARTNER RESPONDS 2NT WHAT IS YOUR REBID? ♠Q105 ♥AQ873 ♦A3 ♣1097 4H
YOU OPEN 1H
PARTNER RESPONDS 2NT
WHAT IS YOUR REBID?
♠Q105 ♥AQ873 ♦A3 ♣ H
♠Q1052 ♥AQ873 ♦A3 ♣KJ72 3S (?)
♠Q105 ♥AQ873 ♦A3 ♣KQ7 3NT
♠A1052 ♥AQ8532 ♦AK ♣2 3S
♠AK8 ♥ ♦- ♣AKQ75 4C
BE BRAVE AND BOLD …
BID UP!!!

9. Have your readymade Rules of Thumb. Do not “overthink” Take action ☻
In the game of Bridge
Have your readymade Rules of Thumb.
Do not “overthink”
Take action
Too much thinking savages the brain! ☻