Introduction
The opening bidder is the first player to make a bid. There is only one opening bidder. Other bidders are either overcallers or responders and use different conventions for bidding. Part 1 will cover an opening bid of 1 in a suit. Part 2 will cover responses and rebids.
The purpose of bidding is to determine if the combined partnership hands are strong enough and shaped properly for a game bid or a slam bid. If so, the goal of the partnership is to arrive at the bid. Otherwise, the partnership should settle for a lower bid or pass.
Members of the bidding team don’t see each other’s hands and only use strict bidding rules. A set of bidding conventions are designed to make the communication of hand strength and suit length to one’s partner so that the goal of reaching a profitable and makeable contract is reached. This and subsequent pages on bidding lay out a set of basic conventions and methodologies that should lead to successful Bridge contracts.
Bidding rules
A bidder can pass or double or redouble or make a bid. A bid is a level (1-7) and the rank of a suit in increasing value (♣, ♦, ♥, ♠ or NT). Bids must increase in value by the rank of a suit, then by level. A double can be made only after the last bid is from an opponent’s hand, A redouble can only be made only if the last action was an opponent’s double. Any bid cancels a double and/or redouble. Three passes after any player action ends the bidding. The last player to make a bid wins the auction.
5-Card Majors Convention
When bidding 1-major suit, the bidder promises at least 5 cards in the major suit. When both major suits are of equal length, bid the ♠ suit first. When a hand has a 5-card major and a 5-card or 6-card minor, bid the major suit first.When the bidder does not have a 5-card major suit, the bidder bids a minor suit using the following rules:
when the minor suits have different sizes, bid the longer suit.
When both suits have a 3- card length, bid 1 ♣.
When both suits have the same length greater than 3, then bid 1 ♦.
The rule that favors ♣ over ♦ in equal sized suits of 3 cards length and favors ♦ over ♣ in equal sized suits over 3 cards in length implies that ♦ suits will have 4 or more cards 90% of the time. In my experience, a 3-card suit bid in ♣ is not common.
This bidding method can be referred to as the convenient minor convention, but it is really an essential component of the 5-card major convention.
The 1-suit Opening
Open 1-suit with a point count in the 12-21-point range. Use the 5-card major rule when making the bid.
Opening Bid Examples
Example 1
North
♠ K, J, 5
♥ A, 8, 5
♦ 3, 2
♣ A, 8, 6, 4, 2
Example 2
South
♠ A, 7
♥ J, 9, 6, 4, 3, 2
♦ A, 5
♣ K, 10, 7
Example 3
West
♠ Q, 6, 4, 2
♥ K, Q
♦ Q, 9, 8, 6, 4
♣ J, 9
This hand has 10 HCP and 1 distribution point for a total of 11 points and a 5-card suit. There are not enough points. Pass.
Example 4
East
♠ A, 9, 8, 3
♥ K, Q, J, 3
♦ K, 10, 7
♣ 10, 5
Review Questions
- What is the correct bid for the following hand?
North
♠ 10
♥ A, J, 10, 7, 3
♦ A, J, 9, 6, 5, 3
♣ 6
2. What is the correct bid for the following hand?
South
♠ A, J, 9, 7, 2
♥ K
♦ 10, 4
♣ A, Q, J, 9, 2
3. What is the correct bid?
West
♠ K, Q, 6, 4
♥ Q, 4, 3
♦ K, Q, 8
♣ K, 10, 7
4. What is the correct bid?
North
♠ J, 10, 5, 4, 2
♥ A
♦ A, 5
♣ A, 10, 5, 4, 3
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♠ ♥ ♦ ♣