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INTERMEDIATE BRIDGE

LESSON 1

OPENING NO TRUMP BIDDING

Requirements: (Things to consider)

a. Count only high card points (do not count distribution)

b. Must have an evenly balanced hand; i.e., no voids, no singletons, and not more than one

doubleton. Examples: 4‑3‑3‑3, 4‑4‑3‑2, 5-3-3-2

c. If the distribution is 5‑3‑3‑2, the 5-card suit must not be a Major suit (Hearts or Spades)

d. The entire system is based upon 26 HCP's = Game, 33 HCP's = Small Slam,

and 37 HCP's = Grand Slam

Point count: (High Card Points Only)

a. 0-10 HCP’s - Pass

b. 11-14 HCP’s - Bid one of a Minor and rebid 1NT

c. 15-17 HCP’s - Bid 1NT

d. 18-20 HCP’s - Open one of a minor and jump to 2NT with 18 or 19 HCP’s --- 3NT with 20 HCP’s

e. 21-22 HCP’s - Bid 2NT

f. 23-24 HCP’s - Open “2C” and rebid 2NT

g. 25-27 HCP’s - Open “2C” and jump to 3NT on your rebid

Special Circumstances: - GAMBLING 3NT - A gambling pre-emptive game try.

a. Requirement - a >7-card self‑sufficient (AKQXXXX) Minor suit (Clubs or Diamonds)

b. Response by partner - If partner has stoppers in both Majors and two (2) quick

tricks or better, he (she) passes. Alternatively partner bids 4C and opener either passes or corrects to 4D (his/her preferred 7-card Minor) in order to escape the doomed 3NT contract.

Responses to Opening 1 No Trump: (Only HCP’s count)

a. 0- 8 HCP’s - Pass

b. 9-10 HCP’s - Bid 2NT (Invites opener to game - Opening 1NT bidder passes with a

minimum of 15 HCP’s and goes to 3NT with a maximum of 16-17 HCP’s)

c. 11-15 HCP’s - Bid 3NT

d. 16-17 HCP’s - Bid 4NT (Invites opener to 6NT - Opening 1NT bidder passes with a

minimum of 15 HCP’s and goes to 6NT with a maximum of 16-17 HCP’s)

Note: - 4NT in this scenario is not the Blackwood Convention asking for Aces; rather it is a

quantitative bid seeking Slam. If partner desires to ask for Aces, the Gerber (“4C”)

Convention must be used.

e. 18-19 HCP’s - Bid 6NT

f. 20-21 HCP’s - Bid 5NT (Invites partner to Small or Grand Slam - Opening 1NT bidder bids

6NT with a minimum of 15 HCP’s and bids 7NT with a maximum of

16-17 HCP’s)

g. 22-23 HCP’s - Bid 7NT

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