2a: Bidding - Balanced Hands

Some information that you need to know for this lesson is the approximate number of points you and your partner need between you to make game:

3NTat least 25 points.
4H or 4Sat least 25 points and a fit (8 trumps).
5C or 5Dat least 28 points and a fit.

2a.1: Opening the bidding with a balanced hand

As you will probably remember from last week, a balanced hand is one where the cards are distributed evenly between the suits (4333, 4432, or occasionally 5332 if the 5 card suit is a bad minor).

If you have a balanced hand of 12 or more points, and you want to open the auction, the bids are as follows:
12-14 pointsopen 1NT
15-16 pointsopen a 4 card suit and rebid no trumps at the lowest level
17-18 pointsopen a 4 card suit and rebid no trumps at jump level
19 pointsopen a 4 card suit and rebid 3NT - if partner can respond at all (showing 6+ points) then the partnership has at least 25 points, which is enough for game
20-22 pointsopen 2NT
These allow opener to describe his hand accurately within one or two rounds of bidding. Because the opening hand will be limited by the bidding, it is usually up to responder to decide what the final contract should be.

Please note that you don't need a "stop" (high honour card) in every suit to bid no trumps.

Examples

What do you open with these hands, and what do you intend to rebid? ("x" represents a low card)
1)S
H
D
C
KQxx
Jx
Axxx
QJx
2)S
H
D
C
Kx
QJx
Jxxxx
AQx
3)S
H
D
C
Kxxxx
Jx
QJx
AQx
4)S
H
D
C
AKJx
Qxx
Axx
Kxx
5)S
H
D
C
KQxx
Qxx
Ax
AKJx
6)S
H
D
C
AKQ
QJx
KQxx
Axx
Answers

2a.2: Responses to opening bids in no trumps

Here is a quick reference to the responses to no trump openings, which we will discuss in detail below.
OpeningResponseMeaning
1NTPass Weak
2C Stayman
2D/H/S Weak, 5+ card suit, must be passed
2NT Invites 3NT
3C/D/H/S Strong, 5+ card suit, game forcing
3NT/4H/4SGame, must be passed
2NTPass Weak
3C Stayman
3D/H/S Strong, 5+ card suit, game forcing
3NT/4H/4SGame, must be passed
The Stayman Convention.

The 2C response to 1NT (or 3C over 2NT) is a conventional bid. That is, it doesn't mean "I've got clubs, partner." Instead, it asks opener to bid a four card major if he has one, or to bid 2D otherwise. This allows a 4-4 major suit fit to be found, if there is one, and so helps the partnership to decide on the best contract.

You should only use the Stayman convention when you know what you will do over any rebid your partner could make.

The reason there is so much emphasis on finding a major suit fit, and the minor suits are ignored, is that on most hands that 5 of a minor (game) makes, 3NT also makes. Also, because game in the minors requires two more tricks, it can often be safer to play in no trumps even where there is a fit.

2a.3: Discussion of responses to NT opening bids

If your partner has opened or rebid in no trumps, you will know to within 3 points how many points you and your partner have between you. Your partner, on the other hand, doesn't know this. So, you will have a much better idea of the possible contracts to play the hand in, and your partner should only bid on if you have made an invitational or a forcing bid. The types of hands you could have when responding to a NT opening or rebid fall into 4 categories:
  1. weak balanced hands that have no interest in game
  2. hands that are interested in game if partner has maximum points
  3. hands that are going to game whatever partner has
  4. very weak unbalanced hands

2a.3.1: weak balanced hands

If partner opened 1NT and you have less than 11 points, your partnership's combined point count cannot be enough for game, and as you have a balanced hand, there is no advantage in playing in a suit contract. When this happens - pass.

If partner opened 2NT you should pass with 3 or less points, because even if you have three points, you don't know (and you have no way of finding out) whether the combined point count is at least 25.

If partner opened one of a suit and rebid one or two no trumps, and it is not possible that the total number of points between the two hands is at least 25, pass.

2a.3.2: hands that are interested in game

Typically, in response to 1NT, these hands will be fairly balanced (may have a 5 card major or 5422 distribution), and have about 11-12 points.

If you have no 4 card major, you should bid 2NT. This invitational bid asks partner to bid 3NT if s/he has 14 (or good 13) points.

If you have a four (or five) card major, bid 2C - Stayman. Once your partner has replied to Stayman, you have either found a fit, or found that you haven't got a fit. If partner bids your suit (e.g. you have 4 hearts and the bidding on your side goes: 1NT-2C-2H you shouldn't pass! Remember, you are interested in game, so you must bid 3H to ask your partner to bid 4(c) with a maximum point count. If you haven't found a fit, you still want to be in game in no trumps if partner has a maximum point count, so bid 2NT, inviting partner to bid 3NT.

If partner opens 2NT, there is no room to invite game, you must either pass, or make a game forcing bid.

2a.3.3: game-going hands

If partner opens 1NT and you have about 13+ points, you obviously want to be in game. You have several options: If partner opens 2NT, showing a very strong hand, bid if you think your side should be in game (i.e. if you've got more than about 3 points).

2a.3.4: very weak unbalanced hands

If partner opens 1NT, and you have such a bad hand that you think partner will be really struggling to make 1NT (i.e. about 0-7 ish points), and you have an unbalanced hand, you can make a weak take-out bid. Responses of 2D, 2H or 2S are all weak take-out bids showing a 5+ card suit and a bad hand, and your partner must pass.

Examples

If partner opens 1NT, what would you bid with the following hands, and what, if anything, do you intend to rebid?
1)S
H
D
C
Kxxx
Jx
Axxx
Jxx
2)S
H
D
C
KJxx
Qx
Axxx
Jxx
3)S
H
D
C
KQxx
Axxx
Jx
Axx
4)S
H
D
C
AQxxx
KQx
QJx
xx
5)S
H
D
C
Jx
Qxx
xxxxx
Qxx
6)S
H
D
C
AKQ
Qxx
Jxxx
QJx
7)S
H
D
C
AQxxxx
KQx
QJx
x
8)S
H
D
C
xxx
xxx
xx
xxxxx
Answers


2b: Simple card play (1)

The bidding is only one part of the game of bridge. To be a good bridge player, it is necessary to study the play of the cards, as well as the bidding. To start with, we will consider one suit in isolation. This makes it easier to see what's going on.

2b.1: How many top tricks are there in a suit?

Here are some example suit combinations (dummy's cards above, declarer's below). Try and work out how many tricks can be made in the suit (assuming there are no trumps):
1)xxx

AKQ

2)Qxx

AKx

3)J109

AKQ

4)xx

AKQJ

It is fairly easy to see that a suit combination such as (1) will give three tricks. The three top cards in a suit always win tricks if they are played on separate tricks.

The second combination will also yield three tricks, as long as the Q from dummy is played on the same trick as the x from hand. After all, it would be a waste to play it on the same trick as the A.

There are only three tricks to be had from the third set of cards too. Even though the six top cards are held, one card must be played from each hand for each trick.

The last pair of hands yields four tricks, even though only the top four cards are held.

2b.2: Making tricks with little cards

In no trumps, the top cards can always make tricks. It is also possible for little cards to make tricks, when the higher cards have been played. This is also the case in a suit contract, as long as the defenders can't trump them. Consider these combinations; again, try to work out how many tricks can be made:
1)8765

AKQ432

2)765

AKQ432

3)5

AKQ432

4)none

AKQ43

With the first pair of hands, you are guaranteed six tricks in the suit, even though you only have three of the top cards. This is because you are only missing three cards in the suit, and each defender also has to play a card on each trick. So, when you play the AKQ on the first three tricks, the J109 must be played, even if one defender is holding all three. After that the 432 will be the highest cards left in the suit, and will be unbeatable.

Things are not quite so certain with the second set of hands. There are four cards missing in the suit, so if one defender is holding all four s/he will be able to win the fourth trick in the suit (you can only draw three of them with the AKQ). However, all is not lost. It is not very probable (about 9%) that one defender holds 4 cards and the other holds 0 (often written "a 4-0 break"), so chances are high that six tricks will be made with this holding.

If you are holding the third pair of hands, you only have slim chances of making six tricks. You are missing six cards in the suit, so the only way that you will make six tricks is if the missing cards break 3-3 (i.e. each defender had three cards in the suit). Then they will be forced to play them under the AKQ. The chances of a 3-3 break are only 36%.

Finally, with the fourth holding in the suit, you cannot possibly make six tricks. If the remaining seven cards are split as evenly as possible (i.e. 4-3), one defender will still have a high card left after you have played the AKQ on the first three tricks.

2b.3: Establishing tricks

Even though you may not have enough high cards in a suit to be sure of making as many tricks as possible, you may establish your little cards as winners after the defenders have taken their tricks. If you look carefully at the second, third and fourth examples in the last section, you may be able to see this for yourself. Once your opponents have taken any winners they may have in the suit, if you are the only player left with cards in that suit, those cards cannot be beaten - they are established.

Again, some examples to demonstrate the concept (the first two are from the last section).
1)765

AKQ432

2)none

AKQ432

3)32

QJ109876

4)32

J10987654

5)none

KQ

In the first example, you already know that if the remaining cards in the suit don't break 4-0, you have six tricks. If they do break 4-0, you still have five tricks in the suit. This is because your 3 and 2 become established once you have played your AKQ and the defender with 4 cards in the suit has won his/her trick; there are no other cards left in the suit after that, apart from your little cards. The important thing to remember is that you have to lose a trick to establish the 3 and the 2.

In the next example, it is likely that the remaining cards will break 4-3, and, following the same logic that was applied in the previous hand, you should then make five tricks in the suit. However, if the missing cards break more unevenly, you will make correspondingly less tricks. If they break 5-2, you will make four tricks, because you can still establish your 2, but if they break 6-1 or 7-0 you can only make your three top tricks.

In the third and fourth suit combinations you have no top cards, but you are still guaranteed tricks. Once the opponents have played off their top cards (usually because you have forced them to by leading the suit yourself), you will have five sure winners in each example. This demonstrates the principle of "losing tricks to make tricks" - sometimes you have to let the opponents make tricks to establish your own little cards.

The fifth example is rather extreme, but it shows how even with very few cards in the suit you can be guaranteed to be able to establish at least one trick. Once the defenders have played their ace to beat your king, the queen is a winner.

2b.4: The complete hand

It's all very well looking at each suit in isolation, but you need to know how to use this knowledge and apply it to the play of an entire hand.

Here are the basic rules you should always follow when you are declarer:

You should do this as soon as dummy's hand is put down, before playing a card from dummy. Here is an example of how these rules might be applied:
W: xxx
AKx
KQx
xxxx
E: Axxx
xx
xx
AKQxx
Contract: 3NT by West
Lead: 3H
So, following the rules, West can work out: To make the contract, West needs 3 of these unaccounted for tricks in addition to the 6 top tricks he already has. In sections 2b.2 and 2b.3 we saw how little cards in a long suit (like the clubs here) can be established. There are 4 clubs missing, so as long as there isn't a 4-0 break, West can count on 2 more tricks from the clubs. Also in 2b.3, we saw that cards can be established by first losing tricks in the suit; so West can establish a trick in the diamond suit once the ace has been played.

The one major thing to beware of here is setting up the defenders' tricks before setting up your own . In this example, it would be wrong to play off the AKH and the AS This is because, when the defenders win the lead with the AD (remember, West is planning to establish a diamond trick to make the contract), they would then have top hearts and spades that they can just play off to defeat the contract.

So, West's plan is to win the first heart trick, then to play the KD. If the defenders don't take the ace, West has made the necessary diamond trick. If they do, the QD is established as a winner, and the defender on lead can't run off lots of tricks in a major suit because West still has stops in both suits. When West gets the lead next, he plays off three rounds of clubs, hoping they break 3-1 or 2-2.

Two important principles of no trump play have been illustrated by this hand:

Examples

In both of these hands, you are West, playing in 3NT, with the lead of the 3H. Plan the play.

1) W: xxxx
AKx
xx
AJxx
E: AKx
xx
AKxxxx
xx
Contract: 3NT by West
Lead: 3H
2) W: AKx
AKQ
AQ
Jxxx
E: xxx
xx
Kx
xxxxxx
Contract: 3NT by West
Lead: 3H
Answers


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