Choosing an opening bid

Choosing an Opening Bid: Unbalanced Hands

As you have seen, there are only three balanced hand shapes, which leaves a huge variety of unbalanced shapes. Sometimes we open the bidding at higher levels with hands that are very unbalanced but weak, and we will learn about that in the next step. Here, we are just going to look at opening unbalanced hands with 12 or more points. Once you have watched the video, try the quiz to see if you can pick the best bid every time. You can also practice both choosing the best bid and some card play techniques with our practice hands.

Try some hands

Hand 1

Your partner will respond to your opening bid by supporting your suit at the lowest level they can. This shows a weak hand with fit. Because your hand is not especially strong, you know you don’t have enough points between you for game, so you should pass on your next bid. See if you can find a way to avoid losing a trump trick.

Hand 2

This time, your partner is much more enthusiastic, and bids game right away. Happy days. You can pass on your second bid, knowing that you are in a good contract. Look for an extra trick in clubs!

Hand 3

This time, your partner will respond by supporting your suit at a slightly higher level than they need to, showing what we call an invitational hand. This means that they can see enough points for game if you have more than the minimum you needed for your opening bid. You have a nice hand, so you should bid the game contract.

Hand 4

After you have made your opening bid, your partner will respond 1NT, which limits their hand to a maximum of 11 points. You should then bid your suit again at the 2 level, to say that you are really only interested in that suit. Your partner will pass, so your target is eight tricks – but see if you can manage a ninth.

Back

Opening Unbalanced Hands

A huge variety of hand shapes, but just a few key principles to learn.

Question 1/6

Choose an opening bid

This hand has enough points to open at the one level (13 hcp) and is single-suited (one long suit of six or more cards). With your nice, six card spade suit it's clear to bid 1♠ and tell partner which suit you like best.

Choose an opening bid

Again, a strong enough hand to open at the one level, and unbalanced. This time it's a two-suited hand (one suit of at least five cards and another of at least four cards). As spades are your longer suit, you start with those.

Choose an opening bid - carefully!

A bit mean to throw this one in here as a bit of a trap. You have enough points to open at the one level but this is a balanced shape - 5,3,3,2 and the point count falls within our NT range of 15-17. So despite the lovely heart suit, you should open 1NT. Don't worry - if you end up playing in NT those hearts will take at least four tricks - maybe 5.

What would you open with this shapely hand?

A very nice 14 hcp and a two-suited hand. With two suits of equal length, you open the higher-ranking, so here your first bid will be 1♠.

This one is tricky. What is your best opening bid?

You have 14 hcp, so you want to open at the one level. It's the dreaded 4,4,4,1 shape. You can't open 1♠, even though you have nice cards in the suit, because we need at least five cards in the suit to open a major. Your only viable option is 1♦, showing at least four of those, which you do have.

Finally, what would you open with this hand?

Again, you have enough strength to open at the one level - 13 hcp, but no five card major and not even four diamonds. It's back to our old versatile friend, 1♣.

The 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.