BRIDGE MASTERCLASS

WouLD you open on this hand and, if so, what would you bid?

STYLES vary on pre-emptive bidding, and your choice would depend on whether you were playing duplicate or rubber bridge, the state of vulnerability, and your position in the bidding rota. But, whatever your style, it is important that it’s the same as your partner’s, especially when you pre-empt first or second in hand. The danger of being too strong is that partner will pass with a good hand and a game will be missed.

A useful guideline is to follow the rule of 300 and 500, being the maximum size of penalties you should concede, dependent on opponents’ vulnerability. You should also have at least a seven-card suit, with no defensive trick outside your suit. The purpose of pre- empting is to obstruct the opponents, but NOT your partner.

On the above hand, I would open 3 ♦ at rubber bridge, and 4 ♦ at Pairs, except at adverse vulnerability. You are fairly certain to make seven tricks in diamonds, so you should always take some action. Add an ace, or even a king to the hand, and it would become too strong to pre-empt in the first two positions, but acceptable in third or fourth.