Opening 1 Suit 4 Card Majors UK : Bridge Online
When you have counted your points, you need to decide if you have enough to open. To open the bidding 1♣, 1♦, 1♥ or 1♠, you should have between 12 and 19 HCP.
Open your longest suit
Once you have calculated that you are strong enough to open the bidding, you need to decide what suit to open. The more trumps you have the better, so you should open the bidding with your longest suit.
| ♠ A2 | ||
| ♥ AQ9 | ||
| ♦ AJ3 | ||
| ♣ Q8643 |
| North | East | South | West | |
| P | P | 1♣ |
You have 17 HCP in this hand, which is plenty. Clubs are your longest suit, and the rule is that you should open your longest suit. The correct opening bid is 1♣.
| ♠ A2 | ||
| ♥ J9864 | ||
| ♦ 32 | ||
| ♣ AKQ2 |
| North | East | South | West | |
| P | P | 1♥ |
This time your hearts are longer than your clubs. The correct opening bid is 1♥. Ignore the quality of your club suit. Length is more important than strength.
Always keep in mind when you opening: 'Length before strength!'
Opening with two suits of equal length
| ♠ KQJ2 | ||
| ♥ KJ2 | ||
| ♦ A2 | ||
| ♣ Q632 |
| North | East | South | West | |
| P | P | 1♠ |
Sometimes you will have two suits that are the same length. Open your higher 4-card suit. The correct opening bid with your hand is 1♠.
| ♠ 2 | ||
| ♥ KQJ92 | ||
| ♦ K3 | ||
| ♣ Q8632 |
| North | East | South | West | |
| P | P | 1♥ |
Open your higher 5-card suit. The correct opening bid with this hand is 1♥.
| ♠ AK72 | ||
| ♥ KQJ2 | ||
| ♦ KJ2 | ||
| ♣ 65 |
There is one exception to the rule about opening your higher ranking suit and that is when you have two 4-card majors. In that case, you should open 1♥.
Opening the Bidding
• 12-19 HCP
• Longest suit
• Higher-ranking 4-card suit (except with 4 hearts and 4 spades open 1♥)
• Higher-ranking 5-card suit