Test your knowledge
Opening bids - Balanced
- Question 1
(of 11 on this page)
Your hand is balanced. You have sufficient points to open. What is your main objective, as far as communicating with your partner is concerned ?
1. Get him to listen to me
2. Tell him I'm balanced
3. Give him a precise point count
- Question 1
(of 11 on this page)
Your hand is balanced. You have sufficient points to open. What is your main objective, as far as communicating with your partner is concerned ?
Answer
.
All three, though getting him to listen may be tricky. A precise point count is essential in bidding for a No Trump contract. So plan your first two bids vey carefully, in advance.
- Question 2
(of 11 on this page)
If you have 15-19 HCP, balanced hand, what should you open the bidding with ?
1. 1 NT
2. 2 NT
3. Your longest suit
4. The lower denomination of your two longest suits
5. The lower denomination of your two longest suits, or Hearts if that's one of your two 4-card suits
6. 3 NT
- Question 2
(of 11 on this page)
If you have 15-19 HCP, balanced hand, what should you open the bidding with ?
Answer
5 . The lower denomination of your two longest suits, or Hearts if that's one of your two 4-card suits
You increase your chances of finding an 8-card fit in a Major by preferring Hearts.
- Question 3
(of 11 on this page)
If you have 15-19 HCP, balanced hand, what should you bid on your second bid ?
1. 1 NT
2. 2 NT
3. NT at the next available level
4. jump in NT
5. 3 NT
6. NT, at a level determined both by my strength and by the minimum point count promised by my partner's response
- Question 3
(of 11 on this page)
If you have 15-19 HCP, balanced hand, what should you bid on your second bid ?
Answer
6 . NT, at a level determined both by my strength and by the minimum point count promised by my partner's response
Beginners are often taught that with 15-16, the answer is no. 3 (NT at the next available level), and that with 17-18 the answer is number 4 (jump in NT). But these suggestions take no account of your partner's strength. If your partner was obliged to reply at the 2-level, and was capable of doing so, he has 3-4 more points GUARANTEED than can be inferred from a 1-level response. MAKE SURE you discuss this very important point with your partner. The best answer is 6, which in effect invites your partner to go to game if he's 3 points higher than his bid assured you. In any event, with 19 HCP, bid 3NT, answer 5.
- Question 4
(of 11 on this page)
If you only have 12-14 points, but a balanced hand, what should you open the bidding with ?
1. pass
2. 1 NT
3. Your longest suit
4. 1 Club
- Question 4
(of 11 on this page)
If you only have 12-14 points, but a balanced hand, what should you open the bidding with ?
Answer
2 . 1 NT
You can sometimes pass if your cards and your 12 points are badly distributed
- Question 5
(of 11 on this page)
What would you open with West's hand, in the hands shown to the right ? He has 12 points, balanced hand
1. pass
2. 1 NT
3. 1 diamond
4. 1 spade
- Question 5
(of 11 on this page)
What would you open with West's hand, in the hands shown to the right ? He has 12 points, balanced hand
Answer
1 . pass
The honours are all split up, you have no 5-card minor. Very weak in NT. Not great in diamonds either, it's an 8.5-loser hand, not 7. Pass and re-evaluate after partner's bid.
- Question 6
(of 11 on this page)
You are North. You have a balanced hand and 25 points. What should you open with ?
1. 1 NT
2. 2 NT
3. 3 NT
4. 2 clubs
5. 2 diamonds
- Question 6
(of 11 on this page)
You are North. You have a balanced hand and 25 points. What should you open with ?
Answer
4 . 2 clubs
With 23+ points you always open 2 Clubs. Your rebid in NT will show that you have a balanced hand. (Some advanced players use 2 diamonds to indicate 23+, see "Weak Twos").
- Question 7
(of 11 on this page)
What should North rebid, after his 2 Club opening ?
1. 1 NT
2. 2 NT
3. 3 NT
- Question 7
(of 11 on this page)
What should North rebid, after his 2 Club opening ?
Answer
3 . 3 NT
2NT indicates 23-24 balanced hand. But you have 25, so you should bid 3NT to give your partner an accurate point count. You have only 4 losers, and could even make 3NT with nothing from your partner.
- Question 8
(of 11 on this page)
You are East. You have a balanced hand with 21 points. What should you open the bidding with ?
1. 1 NT
2. 2 NT
3. Your longest suit, diamonds
4. The lower denomination of your two longest suits
5. The lower denomination of your two longest suits, or the Major if you have one Major and one minor
6. 3 NT
- Question 8
(of 11 on this page)
You are East. You have a balanced hand with 21 points. What should you open the bidding with ?
Answer
2 . 2 NT
You have a good 2NT hand. The 5-card suit in the minor is probably worth an extra point. With 5-losers, you also have a great hand for a suit fit.
- Question 9
(of 11 on this page)
You are East. You have a balanced hand with 21 points. You opened 2 NT. With such a strong hand, is your partner obliged to reply, and if so, with what ?
1. no
2. yes, in his best suit or in NT if balanced
- Question 9
(of 11 on this page)
You are East. You have a balanced hand with 21 points. You opened 2 NT. With such a strong hand, is your partner obliged to reply, and if so, with what ?
Answer
1 . no
Only after a strong 2 opening in a suit, is your partner is obliged to reply. But not after 2 NT. He can pass. That's another reason to be cautious when opening 2NT. You could be left in NT with no help. Be more cautious if the distribution is poor, and open with a suit and plan to rebid NT.
- Question 10
(of 11 on this page)
If your partner does not pass after your opening bid of 2 NT, how many HCP can you be sure he has ?
1. 1
2. 8
3. 3
4. 4
5. 5
- Question 10
(of 11 on this page)
If your partner does not pass after your opening bid of 2 NT, how many HCP can you be sure he has ?
Answer
4 . 4
Giving you a combined point range of 24-26 (minimum). If it's 24 exactly and you play in NT or use Stayman and Transfers, at least the good hand will be hidden from the enemy.
- Question 11
(of 11 on this page)
You are South. You have 20 HCP and a balanced hand. What should you open ?
1. 1 NT
2. 2 NT
3. Your longest suit, diamonds
4. The lower denomination of your two longest suits
5. The lower denomination of your two longest suits, or the Major if you have one Major and one minor
6. 3 NT
- Question 11
(of 11 on this page)
You are South. You have 20 HCP and a balanced hand. What should you open ?
Answer
3 . Your longest suit, diamonds
Although you are balanced and have 20-22 HCP, your hand is weak. The Spade honours (although nice) are in a short suit; you have no 5-card minor, and apart from those in Spades your honours are not well grouped. Better to bid diamonds than get stranded in 2NT with only 4 tricks assured, and possible severe exposure in the red suits.
- Question 12
(of 11 on this page)
You have
K J 7 6 5, 
9 2 ,
6, 
A K Q 7 6. What should you open with? (Keep in mind: what will you rebid after a reply in Diamonds?)
1. 1 Club
2. 1 Spade
- Question 12
(of 11 on this page)
You have
Answer K J 7 6 5, 9 2 ,
6, A K Q 7 6. What should you open with? (Keep in mind: what will you rebid after a reply in Diamonds?)
2 . 1 Spade
You have 13 HCP, and nice shape, 5521. What do you open with this hand, and what is your rebid after a reply in Diamonds? Bidding 1 club first then 1 spade shows 12-15 HCP, 5-4 or 5-5. Bidding 1 spade first shows 5-4 or 5-5. Bidding 1 spade then 3 club shows 16+ HCP. All somewhat misleading. If you bid the highest ranking first, spade, then any bid in a new suit from partner other than 1NT will force you to break your barrier when you bid your second suit. This will give your partner the impression that you have 16+ HCP. With only 13, this could be too misleading. Rebid your Spade suit instead, and not mention your clubs. Alternatively, bid them the other way round, giving the false impression that you might only have a 5-4 distribution. That could be a bad thing, since you'd usually rather be in the Major. In the end, the relative merits of the two suits will be an additional factor. In this case, the Spades are rather wonderful.
| West | |
|---|---|
 | A 10 4 2 |
 | Q 5 4 |
 | K 8 4 3 |
 | Q J |
| North | |
|---|---|
| A K |
| K Q 10 |
| A K J 10 8 |
| A J 10 |
| East | |
|---|---|
| A K |
| K Q 10 |
| K J 10 9 8 |
| A J 10 |
| South | |
|---|---|
| A K Q |
| K 9 2 |
| K 9 8 4 |
| A J 6 |