Choosing an Opening Bid

Choosing an Opening Bid: Strong Opening Bids

When you have a really strong hand, it’s helpful to be able to let your partner know that right away, so they don’t just pass and leave you in a low-level contract. In this step, we will discover two bids that do just that; one for balanced hands and one for hands that definitely want to play in game, no matter how weak your partner’s hand is.

Try some hands

Hand 1

After you make your opening bid here, your partner will bid game and you can pass. See if you can find the three extra tricks you’ll need from spades and diamonds.

Hand 2

You will need to pick the right bid and rebid here. Because your partner now knows that you have a very strong hand, they will put you in a more exciting contract this time. Good luck!

Hand 3

Like the previous hand, you will need to make a second bid after partner’s ‘relay’ response. Remember that we don’t always show our hand as balanced if we’re more intersted in showing particular five-card suits that are better than NT. After partner then decides you’re meant to be in game, you can just pass.

Hand 4

Once again, you are going to start with that initial sequence that means that the partnership must go at least to game. Think carefully before deciding on your second bid, remembering that we still show some 5,3,3,2 hands as balanced in these particular sequences. Once partner bids game you can pass.

Back

Strong Opening Bids

Just two opening bids to learn about here, but they are ones that you will enjoy using.

Question 1/6

What should you open here?

This hand has 21 points and is a balanced shape (5,3,3,2) so it is perfect for opening 2NT. It's important not to be tempted to bid hearts, even though you have a nice suit, because you won't then be able to convey the strength of your hand. It's not strong enough to open 2♣ (23+ for balanced hands), either in terms of high card points or distribution.

How about this lovely hand? What is your best opening bid?

Another balanced hand (5,3,3,2 shape) but this one has 24 points. Just like the 1NT opening, 2NT shows a very specific point range. For 2NT that range is 20-22 so this hand is too strong. It does, however, meet the criteria for opening 2♣, as we do that with any hand that has 23+ HCP, or any hand that definitely wants to be in game because of its distributional strength.

Walter has opened 2♣, showing a very strong hand that wants to play a game contract. What should Penelope bid?

When your partner opens 2♣ they are using an artificial bid to establish that the partnership must not stop bidding below the level of game. As the partner of the opener, you want to leave them the maximum amount of bidding space to show their hand after this, so you just make the next highest bid, 2♦, as a relay. Both bids are artificial.

You have wisely chosen to open 2♣ to tell your partner that you have a very strong hand. What are you planning to bid after their 2♦ relay bid?

What a nice hand! You have 26 HCP and a balanced shape (4,4,3,2) with good cards in every suit. You definitely want to show the hand as balanced so you bid 2NT after the relay. Now partner will know that you have this kind of hand, that was too strong to open 2NT.

Once again, you make the excellent choice to open 2♣, and partner duly bids their 2♦ relay. What now?

This hand is unbalanced (5,4,2,2 shape), with a nice five card heart suit that you would definitely want to tell partner about. When you start with 2♣ to show a 23+ HCP hand, you should then show a five card major with your next bid, even in a 5,3,3,2 hand. This is to allow you to find the major suit fit as quickly as possible when partner has three cards in the major. If your 23+ hand has a five card minor in a 5,3,3,2 shape, you should show it as balanced by bidding 2NT after the 2♦ bid. So it's a little different from the NT opening bids in this respect, where all 5,3,3,2 hands within the appropriate point range open NT.

What should you open with this nice hand?

This is an example of a hand that doesn't have 23+ HCP but should still open 2♣ on the basis of playing strength. You would definitely want to play at least in game with this hand, and in 4♥ you are very likely to take 10 tricks even if partner has nothing helpful at all in their hand. Once you have opened 2♣ and partner has responded 2♦ you can show your heart suit by bidding 2♥. Now, if partner raises hearts, you might well be making slam, but because you have started with the game forcing sequence you will be sure to play in at least 4♥.

These links will take you to the Bridge Training website, where you can have a go at choosing the best opening bid. Because there are aspects of bidding that you have not yet covered, we have given you some notes on each hand that will tell you what to do if you have to make more than one bid. You will then be able to play the hands and see if you can make your contract. Have as many goes as you like if you don’t succeed the first time.