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INTERMEDIATE BRIDGE

 

LESSON 7

 

OPENING SUIT BIDS

 

 

 

PROPER OPENING WHEN HOLDING  MORE THAN ONE BIDDABLE SUIT

 

     With an unbalanced hand; i.e., when holding one or more singletons, more than one doubleton, and/or one or more voids, an opening bid of 1 of a suit may be made with as few as 11-12 HCP’s with a good 5-card suit.  With14 or more HCP’s the bidding must be initiated.  Conditions can exist, however, when the opener holds more than one biddable suit.  Under these conditions:

 

a.      With two 4‑Card Suits ‑ When holding one Minor and one Major, bid the Minor and then (if 

          possible) the Major; if holding both Minors, bid the Diamonds first and then the Clubs.

             b.  With three 4-card Suits ‑ Open with the Minor suit if holding one Minor and two Majors, and with

                       Diamonds if holding both Minors.

c.      With one 5‑Card suit and one 4‑Card suit ‑ Open with the 5‑Card suit and rebid the 4‑Card suit if

          bidding and point count allows (Careful not to reverse unless point count permits).

d.      With two 5‑Card or two 6‑Card suits ‑ bid the higher ranking suit first and then the lower ranking

    second.

e.      With one 5‑Card suit and one 6‑Card suit ‑ Open the 6‑Card suit, rebid the 5‑Card suit, and then re-rebid the 5‑Card suit a second time (6-5-5).

f.       With One 6-Card Suit and one 4-Card suit - Open the 6-Card suit, bid next the 4-Card suit, and then rebid the 6-card suit a second time (6-4-6).

 

 

BIDDING RANGES FOR UNBALANCED HANDS

 

a.      0-11   Points - Pass

b.      12      Points - May open 1 of a suit with a good 5-card suit

c.      13      Points - May open 1 of a suit with a good 4-card suit

d.      14-15 Points - Must open 1 of a suit (Any 5-card Major or, alternatively, a preferred Minor suit and  

                                    then  rebid:

(1)   1No Trump

(2)   Rebid ones own suit evidencing a 6-card Major or a 5-card Minor

(3)   Raise partner one level in his/her suit

(4)   Pass only if responding partner has made a limited bid of either 2 of opener’s suit or else 1 NT

(5)   Pass if opponent to opener’s right (RHO) has made an intervening overcall, said bid affording opener’s responder another opportunity to bid if he/she so chooses

                             (Use the Rule of 20 to further clarify (a-d) above in 1st and 2nd Positions)

e.      16-18 Points - Open 1 of a suit (A Major or a Preferred Minor) and then rebid:

(1)   Jump in opener’s suit if holding 6 or more cards in opener’s suit

(2)   Jump in partner’s suit if support for partner is present

f.       19 Points or More - Open 1 of a suit and Jump Shift into a second suit

g.      21 Points (With a 7-card suit)

      23 Points (With a 6-card suit)          =   Open “2C” then rebid longest suit

      25 Points (With a 5-card suit)