1. Jim Berglund’s Bridge Lesson 4 Opening Bid Considerations

2. 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 consistently!

3. What are the Minimum Requirements for an Opening 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:

4. ♠ 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?

5. Why make an Effort to Open? 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’.

6. When do You Have an Opening Bid? O pening 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. 1 st & 2 nd –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

7. 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).

8. Bidding Discipline Guidelines 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

9. 1.Points 2.Concentration of Values 3.Distribution 4.Vulnerability 5.Bidding Position 6.Fear of getting in trouble 7.Need for a Top 8.Partner’s Ability 9.Bidding System - Tools 10.IMP’s vs Matchpoints 11.Opponents Skill Level 12.Bidding Discipline 13.Tricks 14.Having a Rebid 9-13 point hands with enough tricks & distribution should be opened AKQx xx is worth MUCH more than Axxx QJ AKQx xx is worth MUCH more than Axxx QJ AKxxxx is worth at least 3 points more than AK xxxx 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 3 rd or 4 th seat. (Rule of 15) Note: I generally prefer pre-empts, if possible Considerations for opening at the one level

10. 1.Points 2.Concentration of Values 3.Distribution 4.Vulnerability 5.Bidding Position 6.Fear of getting in trouble 7.Need for a Top 8.Partner’s Ability 9.Bidding System - Tools 10.IMP’s vs Matchpoints 11.Opponents Skill Level 12.Bidding Discipline 13.Tricks 14.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 There are several good reasons for ‘right-siding’ the contract. This isn’t one of them What was my comment on #6? Considerations for opening at the one level What will your partner think you have? How much license will she allow? Will you be able to handle her response?

11. 1.Points 2.Concentration of Values 3.Distribution 4.Vulnerability 5.Bidding Position 6.Fear of getting in trouble 7.Need for a Top 8.Partner’s Ability 9.Bidding System - Tools 10.IMP’s vs Matchpoints 11.Opponents Skill Level 12.Bidding Discipline 13.Tricks 14.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 Considerations for opening at the one level

12. Third or 4 th seat Always Never Always Third or 4 th Seat Always Never Always Never Always Never Always Quiz When would you open this hand at the 1-level? Third or 4 th 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 ♣