Wednesday,
November 30, 2005 12:27 AM
Hand Evaluation – Openers ( Light Opening Bids )
PITBULLS:
I loathe the practice of opening “non
opening” bids. I like light
opening bids though. What is the difference ? A non opening bid lacks potential for
producing tricks by not holding
enough HCP’s in quick trick combinations or
lacks compensating distribution to open. These horrible opening bids usually just submarines partner. Do not forget that the main
objective of Bridge is to win tricks both
on offense & defense. Opening bids should have this objective in mind.
Modernists who worship HCP’s lose sight of that very basic
Bridge objective. ZAR points bring controls
& distribution into an equation to define opening bids. Getting
the 1st shot in at the Bridge table has a decided tactical advantage. I open light with at
least 2 defensive tricks with the appropriate distribution. What is the
appropriate distribution ? 5-5’s ,
6-5’s or 6-4’s are great playing hands. With two defensive tricks
, I do not hesitate to open with these distributions.
Quick tricks define the “potential”
for a light opening bid. Look at this hand ♠Axxxx ♥Qx ♦Kx ♣Qxxx
so
is this a light opener ? No , because the hand lacks trick taking
potential. Keep the same hand & move the
HCP’s around to “quick trick combinations” . ♠AQxxx ♥xx ♦xx ♣KQxx so this is now a very good opening bid announcing both defensive &
offensive trick taking potential. Tom & I had an argument with a beginner
who contended this was an opening bid ♠Qxxxxxx
♥x ♦Kxx ♣Ax . We said no because the hand lacks defensive potential
with only the 9 HCP’s. Change the cards to “quick tricks” & the 9 HCP
magically becomes an opener ♠KQxxxxx
♥x ♦xxx ♣Ax . Both Tom & I would open that 9 HCP hand as it has both offensive
& defensive trick taking potential. You can re-arrange modern openers into real
openers by the simple method of re-arranging your HCP’s into quick trick combinations. Do that favour
for partner by passing
modern openers.
My partner goes a step further ( I need 10 HCP’s though ) so would even open ♠xx ♥AKxxxx ♦J109xx ♣void with 1♥ ! Nothing wrong with this but your system of forcing NT’s must provide an escape hatch
for these openers. The tool of choice , a relay if responder tries to invite
to game with a 2NT bid. The scheme
below to escape via a relay has been worked
out by Tom Gandolfo & myself
over the years has proved effective.
It is outlined below.
Take
the above hand as an example. Partner opens 1♥ , I respond 1NT. Partner bids 2♦
so I invite with 2NT. OK , Partner wants no more of this probable misfit auction so would like to
escape . He bids 3♣ as a relay , I take the
relay to 3♦ or give preference to 3♥. Partner can pass 3♦ or if he feels like treating the hand as a 6-4 bid 3♥. This will always end the auction. Add the spade Ace
to his hand allows him to just bid naturally
which is a game force somewhere.
Here is our system of relays after
a light major suit opener & a forcing 1NT response. This scheme allows us
to escape to a partial
Natural = GF ( except ♣’s after 1♥ opener) , relay = only escape
With a weak 5-5 in spades and clubs , we open 1♣ which takes these hands out of the mix
.
1♠ 1NT
2♣ 2NT
3♣
5-5 GF
3♠ 6-4 GF
3♦ relay to 3♥
3♠ - weak 6-4
3♥ 5-3-1-4 strong
1♠ 1NT
2♦ 2NT
3♦ GF 5-5 reds
3♣
relay to 3♦ or
preference ( escape )
Pass – weak 5-5
3♠ - weak 6-4
3♠ 6-4 GF
3♥ 5-3-4-1 GF
1♠ 1NT
2♥ 2NT
3♥ GF 5-5
3♣
Relay to 3♦
3♥ 5-5 weak
3♠ 6-4 weak
3♠ 6-4 GF
3♦ 5-4-3-1 GF
1♥ 1NT
2♣ 2NT
3♣ 5-5 weak ( only exception to the natural as GF
rule )
3♥ 6-4 GF
3♦ relay to 3♥
Pass = weak 6-4
3NT = GF 5-5
3♠ 3-5-1-4
GF
1♥ 1NT
2♦ 2NT
3♦ GF 5-5 reds
3♣
relay to 3♦ or
preference ( escape )
Pass 5-5 reds
3♥ weak
6-4
3♥ 6-4 GF
3♠ 3-5-4-1 GF