Franke at Seaside

Opening Bids

Requirements:

• 1 in minor suit: 3 cards; 12-22 TP (at least 11 HCP)
• 1 in major suit: 5 cards; 12-22 TP (at least 11 HCP)
• 1 NT: balanced hand; 15-17 HCP
• 2 NT: balanced hand; 20-21 HCP
• 3 NT: balanced hand; 26-27 HCP
• 2 C: strongest opening, see convention
• 2 D, H, or S: Weak-2, see convention
• 7 or 8 cards in any suit: Weak-3 or-4, see below.

There are no other opening options

Should you always open with weak (12-14) points? Generally speaking, you should always open when you have at least 11 HCP and 12 or more total points. You should open in the first or second seat, even with weak points and poor shape. This is for your partner who might have a strong hand. In the third seat, you should open to preempt the fourth seat. But you may want to pass with an all-around weak hand in the fourth seat.

Opening in a minor suit - the logic: Ideally, you would open with a 5-card suit, but you might not have one. Without a 5-card major suit, you have to have at least five cards in the minor suits, and you have to have at least three cards in one of those. In this situation, open in the longest minor suit. If the suits are equal in length, open with the strongest one. Your partner knows you might have only three cards in your suit and will strive not to leave you there. If you open with 5+ cards in a minor suit, you can rebid in the next round to inform your partner that your opening bid was not artificial. Using this logic, you will occasionally get stuck declaring one club or one diamond when you only have a 3-card suit, but this does not happen often.

There are many theories on how to open in a minor suit and how to respond. What is important is that you and your partner use the same theory.

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Opening Bids - Strong Balanced Hand

Use for balanced hands only !
Total Points	Opening Bid	Rebid
12 to 14	1 in a suit	1 NT
15 to 17	1 NT
18 to 19	1 in a suit	2 NT
20 to 21	2 NT
22 to 23	2 clubs	2 NT
24 to 25	2 clubs	3 NT
26 to 27	3 NT
28+	2 clubs	4 NT (not Blackwood)
This table may be the most useful information on this website. However, it is of little use if you and your partner do not have it memorized. The first row above can be easily memorized and it represents the most frequently occurring situation. When you rebid 1 NT, you send valuable information across the table about your point spread, 12 to 14, and about the shape of your hand.

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Opening Bids - Weak 2's, 3's and 4's

Requirements common to all preemptive bids:

Points:

• 6 to 11 points
• In the suit being bid, 3 honors or 2 of the top three honors
• No 4-card major in a side suit
• No void(s)

Number of cards in suit:

• Weak-2, exactly 6
• Weak-3, seven or more
• Weak-4, eight or more

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