BRIDGE MASTERCLASS

What would you open?

THIS is the type of hand that players love to get, but hate to bid because you haven’t got a perfectly truthful opening.

You are a king short for a 2♣ opener; with 20HCPs, 2NT describes your count accurately, but it is a dangerous option, when two-thirds of your values and cards are in the majors.

That leaves us with opening in your best suit, but do you bid 1♠ or 2♠? 1♠ can be passed and a game missed; 2♠ does not have 8-playing tricks, and you may be stuck for rebids.

on balance, I’d opt for 2♠, although this is a hand for judgment and good luck that you pick the winning option.

I keep Benjaminised acol methods strictly for the tournament circuit, otherwise, of course, the many ‘Benji’ players would not have a problem — they merely open 2♣, which shows either an eight playing trick hand, or a strong balanced 19+.