Openings

A hand with 12+ HCP is sufficient for an opening. With 10–11 HCP, open if HCP plus the lengths of the two longest suits reach 20, the rule of 20. Probing Wbridge5 5.12 shows this fits light openings better than counting points: it always opens at 21 and about half the time at 20, occasionally at 19 with a 7-card suit too poor for a preempt. If both hands in a pair are opening hands, they can probably make a game contract. Therefore, Wbridge5 opens every opening hand to prevent a pass out.

Moreover, some hands with good distribution but poor values are suitable for an opening as well. These openings are preemptive, which focus on disturbing opponents from bidding a good contract. Criteria for these openings depend on vulnerability and seat, so there is a separate article to describe them.

Alertable openings

These conventional openings are unexpected for a random bridge player. The game-forcing 2♦ is standard in France but unexpected outside. The standard meaning of 3NT is a strong balanced hand.

One-of-a-suit openings

Wbridge5 bids 1 of a suit with an opening hand ineligible for a strong opening. Opening in a major requires 5+ cards, 1♦ for 4+ cards, 1♣ for 3+ cards. With the special shape 4=4=3=2, it opens 1♦ as a fallback. If opener finds more than one eligible suit, bid the longest suit. If more than one eligible suit is equally long, bid the highest suit.

Do not consider suit quality. In bridge, quantity is more important than quality.

• ♠10 ♥1054 ♦KJ52 ♣AKJ97: Open 1♣ because clubs is the longer eligible suit.
• ♠J9864 ♥A8654 ♦A ♣KJ: Open 1♠ because spades is the higher eligible suit.
• ♠AQ73 ♥Q1087 ♦A862 ♣K: Open 1♦ because diamonds is the only eligible suit.
• ♠AK74 ♥AJ54 ♦J107 ♣72: Open 1♦ because no suit is eligible.

Strong notrump openings

The strong notrumps alleviate burden of suit openings. Balanced and semibalanced hands with specific strength are opened in notrump.

The 1NT opening also allows pattern 5-4-2-2 or 6-3-2-2 led by a minor. With 12–14 or 18–19 HCP, Wbridge5 opens 1 of a suit. Probing Wbridge5 5.12 shows that hand evaluation blurs the top of the 1NT range: 189 of 258 balanced hands with 17 HCP opened 1NT, and 76 of 265 with 18 HCP, fewer with more aces, 10s, or a doubleton. With 5-4-2-2, 12 of 42 hands opened 1NT at 17 HCP and none of 35 at 18. The bottom is firm: all 300 hands with 15 HCP, 2–4 cards in each major, and 2–5 in each minor opened 1NT, and 5 of 300 such hands with 14 HCP. Above, 2 of 53 balanced 19 HCP hands opened 2NT. A simple notrump rebid stands for weak notrump; a jump notrump rebid shows a hand between 1NT and 2NT openings.

• ♠54 ♥A863 ♦AQ986 ♣AJ: Open 1NT. Although this hand is not balanced, it is acceptable.
• ♠K9 ♥AKJ84 ♦KJ92 ♣76: Open 1♥. Always open the major with a major-dominant non-balanced hand.
• ♠A95 ♥KQ10 ♦AKJ6 ♣K102: Open 2NT.
• ♠A6 ♥KQ3 ♦K75 ♣AK987: Open 1♣. This hand is too weak for 2NT but too strong for 1NT.

Strong 2♣ & 2♦ openings

The strong 2♣ shows two kinds of invitational hands. The 2♣ is a limit bid, so the responder becomes the captain.

• 21–23 points unsuitable for a 2NT opening. Probing Wbridge5 5.12 shows that a 4-loser hand with fewer points opens 1 of a suit.
• 22–23 HCP, 2–4 cards in each major, 2–5 cards in each minor.

The strong 2♦ shows a game-forcing hand, stronger than 2♣.

What to bid with a big hand

There are three openings describing a hand with 21+ points or 20+ HCP, viz. 2NT, 2♣, and 2♦. This section is easier to follow after the continuations after 2NT, 2♣, and 2♦.

The chance to open 2♦ is slim. Actually 2♦ is a dustbin for hands way too strong, clarifying other bids for hands with 21–23 points. With 24+ points or 24+ HCP, Wbridge5 opens 2♦. Losers only break ties: 3-loser hands open 1 of a suit, 2♣, or 2♦ alike.

Probing Wbridge5 5.12 shows that the choice does not depend on seat or vulnerability. The same 300 hands with 19–26 HCP opened 2NT 65 times, 2♣ 74 times, and 2♦ 47 times, each hand making the same opening in all four seats and when both vulnerable. So did 300 balanced hands with 21–24 HCP in the 1st, 3rd, and 4th seats. See later seats in the 2♦ chapter.

The frequent rebids of 2♣ openings are 2♥ through 3♦. The 2NT rebid describes a notrump hand stronger than 2NT opening. The majors promise 5+ cards, minors 6+. Therefore, hands with 5-card major, 6-card minor, or 2NT distribution are noncontroversial.

The controversial hands are hands with a singleton or a void but no 5-card major nor 6-card minor. These patterns are 4-4-4-1, 5-4-3-1, and 5-4-4-0.

If the singleton in 4-4-4-1 is an ace or a king, take this hand as notrump distribution. Bid 1 of the minor suit for the other controversial hands. A wrong 1♦ is much easier to play than a wrong 3NT.

• ♠AKQ108 ♥J ♦AK1064 ♣K2: Open 2♣ and prepare to rebid 2♠.
• ♠K2 ♥A8 ♦AK1092 ♣AQ104: Open 2♣ and prepare to rebid 2NT.
• ♠K ♥AQ76 ♦AK65 ♣KQ104: Open 2NT. A partially stopped 4-4-4-1 is deemed as a notrump distribution.
• ♠Q1064 ♥AK6 ♦Q ♣AKQ52: Open 1♣ because this hand is controversial.
• ♠AKJ6 ♥A93 ♦K ♣AKQJ9: Open 2♦ with such a blockbuster. There is no controversy for a blockbuster, is there?

Suit openings from 2♥ on

See preemptive openings for the first 3 seats, balancing openings for the 4th seat.

Gambling 3NT

Gambling 3NT shows a 7+-card minor led by AKQ with no stopper in the side suits. This is a pass-or-correct bid where responder passes with 2 stopped suits.

• ♠642 ♥K ♦AKQ9652 ♣98: Open 3NT. Singleton king is no stopper.
• ♠642 ♥9 ♦AKQ9652 ♣K8: Open 1♦. Kx is half stopper.

Unusual 4NT

Unusual 4NT shows 6+ cards in each minor.

Not probed

• The 2♣ and 2NT openings in the 2nd, 3rd, and 4th seats on hands outside the 19–26 HCP set (all four seats) and the balanced 21–24 HCP set (1st, 3rd, and 4th seats).
• The gambling 3NT and the 4NT when vulnerable, seen on 1 and 10 boards.
• The gambling 3NT in the 2nd and 3rd seats.