Opening bids. Strong
Hey, wake up. I've got something exciting here
The chances of Game are high, and Slam chances are also higher than normal. When very strong, alert your partner immediately so he doesn't pass!
In fact, your partner has to bid something. He's not allowed to pass.
Open at the 2 level, e.g. 2
, to say that you can make 8 tricks all on your own, and force your partner to reply. He'll will reply 2NT if he's weak with less than 8 HCP.
You are promising:
- 8 playing tricks
- 16-22 HCP (no more)
- a good 6-card suit
If you can't satisfy all these condition, bid at the one level & jump bid later on to show your strength, if you get the chance.
Note
- "Good" means 2 honours.
- If you don't have a 6-card suit, a 5-4 with a good 5-card suit will do
For your next bid
Your partner's reply will have told you if he is weak (2NT = < 8HCP) or strong (any other bid). You can now add your points together and work out where you could be heading. Think about what is needed for Game or for Slam. If your partner replied positively, Game is certain and you should explore a Slam.
Continue to describe your hand by bidding naturally. For example, bid your 4-card suit, or rebid your strong first suit if it's the only suit you have.
Very strong hands
If you have 23+ HCP, and 9 playing tricks, open 2
. This is a special signal to your partner, for which the "I'm not interested, I have less than 8HCP" reply is 2
. If you really do have a good club suit, you must bid clubs next time round in order to clarify this fact with your partner.
Now try the quiz
Can you put all this into action ? Try the quiz for this subject by clicking on the link at the top left of the page, just below the main menu.
(You can try quizzes for any other subjects too while you're there. Look out for the thin red line).
