ONE NO TRUMP OPENER
  So far we opened the bidding with 1 of a suit. But what about No Trump? Can we open 1 No Trump with 13 HCP's and a whim? No! Whims  sometimes produce good bids, but not good partnership synergy nor accurate bidding.
      The requirements for an opening bid of 
1 No Trump in Standard American Bidding (SAB) are:
 
16 - 18  High Card Points* (HCP)

A  Balanced Hand

In evaluating a hand for No Trump, Distributional Points are of no value; so do not count them. Count only HCP.

* There are players who by partnership agreement, 
use a range of 15 - 17 HCP.

 

 
  WHAT IS A BALANCED HAND?
No Singletons or Voids
One Doubleton maximum
There are only three possible shapes:
        4,3,3,3   a very flat hand
        4,4,3,2   one Doubleton only
        5,3,3,2   can have a five card suit
 

WHAT IS A STOPPER?
A card, or a combination of cards which will stop the opponents from running a suit if they were to lead that suit. A Stopper in every suit is NOT needed to open the bidding1 No Trump. 1 NT could even be opened with a worthless Doubleton (a Doubleton without an honor).
 
 
 
 
 

 QUIZ 2 OPENING BIDS IN 1 NT 

WHAT IS YOUR OPENING BID?

  1. S  A J 10 3
H  A 4
D  K 8 3 2 
C  A 8 7		 6.  S  A K 7
H  Q 8 7 
D  A K 3 
C  Q J 9 8
   

2.
S  A K 3 2
H  Q J 8 6
D  9
C  K Q J 2
7. 
S  A Q 7
H  Q 8 4 
D  K 3 2 
C  J 9 8 5
 
3.
S  A J
H  A J 9 8 7 
D  Q 7 6 3
C  A Q
8. 
S  A Q 4
H  A 7 6 2 
D  K Q 3
C  5 4 3
 
4.
S  9 8 7 3 2
H  A K Q
D  Q J 9 4 
C  8
9. 
S  A 8 7 5
H  K Q 5 4 
D  9 8 6
C  A 5
 
5.
S  A K 2
H  K 8 6 
D  A 8 7 6 
C  K J 10
10. 
S  A 8 7
H  3 2 
D  K Q 8 7 
C  A Q J 8

ANSWERS to Quiz 2


CORNERSTONES OF SAB
five card majors
strong no trump

 
 

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