OPENING BIDS

♣ ♥ ♠ ♦

Follow the links in the table below for a more detailed definition of each opening bid , their responses & rebids.

Note: Third hand openings can be lighter and a bid suit shorter! - see 3rd-hand-openings - regular openings listed below will otherwise always apply

Note: Extreme 2-suited hands with 5-5, 6-5, 6-6, 7-5 or 6-7 are provided with a their own bidding BETA sequences. This group of hands are known as 55+. Practice has clearly shown that these 2-suited hands need to be handled in a very different way. Firstly one must recognise that its the responder that needs to be totally in charge....!
Therefore never open a 55+ class hand with either a 2♣ or 2Ma bid

In all powerful hands - that's those either balanced and rich in HCP and a likely NT contract or those with a great suit and distribution the opposite is true then its the the strong hand that must be in charge directing the bidding. Also opening bids that require a Minimum LTC of <7 must have a strict LTC evaluation of their entire hand - following Harrison Gray is recommended. Otherwise open with the appropriate 1 level bid.

Here we list the SIX 5-5 hand possibilities these are opened as follows:

♥ ♠: Open 3♦
♥ ♦: Open 3♣
♥ ♣: Open 2♦ then rebid 3♣
♠ ♦: Open 2♦ then rebid 3♦
♠ ♣: Open 1♠ then rebid 3♣
♦ ♣: Open 1♦ then rebid 3♣
See 5-5hands for details of further bidding

Beta also allows you to show any 5-5 hand in 2nd position when opponents open the bidding with 1 in any suit: See our Defence bidding allowing description of any unbid 2 suits 5-5 or better and <=7LTC with either <=5 LTC or 6-7 LTC.
If opponents open a weak 2 using our adopted RUBINSOHL defence methodology. 5-5 hands can be shown by fisrst transferring to the LOWER ranking suit - then rebidding in the higher ranking suit.

BETA 1-level openings are as follows:

BETA operates as a '5452' minimun holdings for ♠♥♦♣ 1-level openings respectively.
With 5+ cards in any of ♦|♥|♠ open the longer suit - A Major requires 10+ HCP while 1♦ prefers 11+ HCP. Normal rebids are a 2nd 4 card suit or NT's without. With 16+ make jump rebids.
The upper limit of 1Ma openings are our alertable 2Ma or 2♣ openings requiring a strict <=5LTC or <3.5LTC. Note: Our 2Ma! openings have no specific HCP requirement usually 16+HCP unless Major (6)7+cards
With precisely 4-4 in ♥&♠ in Beta we also open 1♥ with 10+ HCP even when holding a 5+ card minor suit.

1NT opening is 12-14HCP (ideal range for Beta & reduces the load placed on ) and stringent conditions must be satisfied - see how to choose: 1C&1N.html NEVER open 1♣ when a 1N opening is valid.
Open 1♣ otherwise. This bid is alertable as it can be just 2 cards. 12+HCP is the only requirement. Actually less than 1/10 1♣ openings possess just 2 clubs!
2♣, 2♦ & 2N take preference over all 1-level openings - excepting 5-5 hands as discussed above.

2-level openings are as follows:

2♣: 23+HCP balanced - ONE 5+ card suit is permitted BUT no void or singleton
2♣: <= 3.5 LTC any distribution BUT NEVER with a 5-5+ or 5-4 See 5-5+ & 2Ma for their sequences.
2♦! Multi 3-way:

19-20 HCP Balanced, a 5 card Major is OK: rebid 2N or rebid *|** if interference
2-suited 5-5 or longer D-S or H-C. See above.
A classic 'weak Major 2'

2Ma!: Requires 5+ cards & another 4 card suit. <=5LTC (strict)
2Ma!: Requires 6+ cards suit and <=5LTC
2NT: 21-22 Balanced. 5 card Major is permitted.

3-level opening bids

3mi!: Attention - these bids are NOT pre-empts, they show 5-5+ hands - see above
3Ma: Classic Major pre-empts
3N: Gambling - long solid minor - little else! as then opponents less likely to have slam!
4Ma: Distributional bids - To play
4mi: minor Pre-empts

Please also see notes at end of this page for 3rd hand modified openings.

BID LENGTH NATURE HCP / LTC & Continuation Notes

1♣	2+	Forcing in principal & a strict 12-18HCP. It denies any 5+ card D,H,S suit	<=7 1/2 LTC may be passed only if no major and 0-4 HCP. Majors are shown by ♦\|♥ transfers or \|*. Negative is a 1N: (4)5-9; Positive:- 1♠! (9)10+; 2♣ 10+ 4+cards;2♦ 10+ 5+ cards and 2Ma 15+ & 5+ cards 3any are pre-empts 7+ cards
1♦	5+	Natural non-forcing	(11)12+ <=7 1/2 LTC 5+ Cards Priority response: lowest 4+ card Major even if possessing a longer minor; 2♦ 10+ 4+cards; 3any pre-emptive; 2♣ (9)10+ 4+cards; 1N 5-9HCP
1♥	5+ Hearts OR 4-4 in Majors	Natural non-forcing	10+HCP. 2♥ mandatory response with 4+♥; 1♠ mandatory response with 4+ cards and denies 4+ Hearts; 2mi 4+card (9)10+; 1N 5-9; 3+♥ limit raises 4+ cards. SWISS, DGR and Baron available with stronger game going hands
1♠	5+ Spades	Natural non-forcing	10+HCP < 2♠ opening. As for 1♥ except limit distributional raises: 2♠: Hx, 3♠ 3+, 4♠ 4+ cards min distributional raise. With <4 cards an A\|K\|Q is required. Cont: DGR, SWISS, 2N: Baron
1NT	BALANCED no void or singleton allowed	Natural non-forcing	12-14 adjusted strictly, with 7-8(9)minor cards may contain a 4 card Major, in 4th position: 11-14. No S or V. Major transfers only. Rubinsohl & 2C NP Inquiry. 2S Forcing minor based inquiry.
2♣	BALANCED	Forcing	23+ HCP first response shows controls 2D denies holding either an A or a K with A=2 & K=1: 2H shows 1or 2; 2S shows 3 or 4; 2N 5+. With intervention the 4 steps become: PASS, \|*, NEXT, NEXT+1. Continuations are in a Q&A style
2♣	Unbalanced	Forcing. 15+ <=3 1/2 LTC Contains a (5)6+ card suit. denies holding any 5-5 or 5-4
2♦	Unbalanced	Forcing	5-9 HCP & 6 (weak 7) card Major
2♦	BALANCED	Forcing	19-20 HCP / Balanced, May contain a 5 card major.
2♦	Unbalanced	Forcing	<7LTC, 5-5 or better in Club -Heart OR Diamond-Spade
2♥♠	Unbalanced	non-forcing	<5 LTC/ 5+card major + 4 card 2nd suit. 5422 minimum hands are discouraged
2♥♠	Unbalanced	non-forcing	5 LTC, 6+ Major & no 2nd suit, with distribution values
2NT	BALANCED	non-forcing	21-22. May contain a 5 card major
3♣	2-suited: Both red suits	5-5 or better	<7 LTC
3♦	2-suited: Both Majors	5-5 or better	<7 LTC
3♥\|♠	Pre-empt	non-forcing	(6)7+ card suit
3NT	gambling	PASS or 4C	Solid 8 card minor
4\|5♣\|♦	Pre-empt	non-forcing	(7)8+ card suit distributional & pre-emptive
4♥\|♠	Pre-empt	non-forcing	(7)8+ card suit distributional - to play
5♣\|♦	Pre-empt	non-forcing	8+ card suit distributional

4N	pre-emptive: Both minors - 5-5 or better	Forcing in principal to 5mi	5♣\|♦ response required

In all cases of pre-emptive bids, give appropriate attention to LTC & vulnerability.

3rd Hand Openings

Suit bids in 3rd position lighter, even somewhat pre-emptive openings are tolerated. Partner needs to be aware of this.
1NT opening in 3rd and 4th positions may be shaded to 11 HCP i.e. 11-14HCP range
Weak 1 Spade 3rd position openings are acceptable even with 4 cards to a top honour

Some relaxations are permitted. See 3rd Hand openings.

4th Hand Openings

1NT Opening is relaxed to 11-14 HCP Balanced distribution otherwise as given above
Suit openings of 1 Spade make sense - but exercise caution re-opening the bidding with other suits as opponents may overbid with spades and win the bidding and the hand.