1S Opening bid

♣  ♥  ♠ ♦

Opening Bid options for hands with a 5+ card inSpades

Due to the critical need to enter the auction when holding a Major suit: the minimum requirements are lower for the Majors: 10HCP;by comparison to other 1-level openings: 1♦: (10)11+; 1♣: 12+;1N: 12-14.

First we must eliminate other holdings of 5+ Spades which are processed in other ways:

A) All hands with 5+ spades and a second suit of 5+ cards: these require a maximum of <=7LTC strict and are bid as follows :

(i) S & H open 3♦!
(ii) S & D open 2♦! multi and rebid 3♦!
(iii) S & C open 1♠ and rebid 3♣! with or without jump.

For further information see 5-5+

B) With 5+ Spades and a 4 card 2nd suit and <=5LTC BETA opens with 2S. See 2Ma
Partner may PASS with absolutely nothing or bid 2N to hear the 2nd suit

C) With 7+ Spades and <=5LTC BETA also opens with 2Ma as above and rebid in the Major denying a 2nd suit.

D) An important special case: A hand with exactly 4-4 in the Majors is opened 1♥. Requires 10+HCP. See opening bid for more detail

E) 6+ Spades but 6-9 HCP - 'a weak 2' are opened with 2♦.  If partner bids 2S you PASS, if Partner bids 2♥ you rebid 2♠

F) 7+ Spades Pre-empt. Opening bid is 3♠.

G) Hands with 23+ HCP and a 5+ card Spades are opened with 2♣ subsequently the 2♣ opener wiil test support for Spades

H) Balanced Hands with 21-22 and a 5 card Major are opened 2NT responder uses Puppet 2♣ bid which discovers the 5+ card Spade suit - all other bids are transfers -

Z) All other hands with 5+ spades are opened 1♠. see continuation guide below:

PASS:          Have Nothing - say Nothing.
Break-out:    E.G, 1♠-3suit. Only exception is to make a 'break-out' bid 3 in  your 7+ card suit  ONLY when lacking 2 card Spade support. 'Contract in your long suit likely to be safer'.
SWISS:        Bid 4mi! Conventional Require good support in spades and possible interest in a slam
BARON       Bid 2N - shows 16+ HCP. Shows balanced hand with 2+ Spades othe suits guarded
1S-2X:         Responder makes a positive bid shows his own suit: usually 10+ HCP if Hearts 8+ with a minor
1S-1N          Asks partner to rebid 2♣ and responder shows his red suit to play - which can be raised by opener whoe should not usually revert to spades. However in this case and predecessor if opener rebids 3♣ he is showing 5-5 or better. and you now must choose a black suit.