Opening 1NT at pairs with 11 poi

Opening 1NT at pairs with 11 points

At teams or rubber bridge the danger of opening 1NT weak is a hefty penalty. 800 or 1100 in the opponents’ ledger takes a lot of good results to recover. But at pairs the odds are different.

If you get doubled, not vulnerable, and go off 3 (-500) you are probably making the same tricks as you would in defence to 3NT. Obviously the lead will be different and that may swing it either way. If the opponents are vulnerable you will score a top if they can bid and make 3NT. 4 off (-800) is probably a bottom as they have no slam and at best 660 their way. Similarly 5 off (-1100) is guaranteed zero. 6 off (-1400), however, may be a fair result if they can bid their slam although it is not recommended.

Two off may be a bottom if they cannot make a game but often they can. One off should be OK.

So, in summary, doubled and going off is not usually a happy experience. It’s top or bottom land. But it is surprisingly difficult for the opponents unless partner has virtually nothing in a balanced hand (see my article on the “wriggle”).

The upside of light opening bids can be summarised:

You make it difficult for the opponents to compete. 1NT is pre-emptive and if both have balanced 11-13 point hands you may escape undoubled.

Your partner will know, within a trick, what is the limit of the hand. That is the advantage of any NT opening.

There is, of course, a downside:

Partner may take you too high with 13 or 20 points.

If the opponents play the hand they can finesse you to death.

So when should you consider opening light?

At unfavourable vulnerability it is unwise.

At equal vulnerability it depends on the quality of the opponents and “table feel”. If your LHO is consulting her abacus and preparing to open you may throw a spanner in the works – or you may present them with a big penalty. If the opponents don’t have good judgement they may well let you play cheaply or fail to bid their hands well.

At favourable vulnerability the major danger is losing 300 on a part score hand.

What sort of hands justify a light opener?

Readers of my article on point count bidding will realise the importance I give to aces and tens. Neither are fully valued in the Milton Work count. Also good five card suits, especially minors, can save the day. Good five card majors are no problem – open the suit and rebid it.

These are examples of “11 point hands” [the quotes are to emphasise that I believe these hands are worth 12 or more points] which I would or have opened:

This hand has four working “ace-tens” and a good suit so I would actually treat this as 13 points and open at all vulnerabilities.

This hand has three “ace-tens” so I would promote it. But it is very flat with a poor suit so too risky at unfavourable vulnerability and only fair at equal vulnerability.

This hand has a fair five card suit but not good enough to rebid unless partner has a good hand so 1NT is the practical bid in first or second position at favourable vulnerability. Third in hand I would open 1ª as the suit is just as pre-emptive as 1NT and partner might have a fit.

This hand only scores 11 points under any method of counting and would be a horrible light opener at anything but favourable vulnerability and, even then, would only occur to me if I had a low opinion of the opponents’ ability. I would expect to play in 3NT going off when partner had a good but not fitting 13. But if partner had 10 or a bad 11 points I would hope to escape unscathed.