Blue Book 2022 – Opening Bids

by Stephen Green (vice-chair of the Laws and Ethics committee)

The word count relating to Sections 7C1 and 7C2 in the Blue Book has been much reduced, with references to “controls” and “playing tricks”(PT) removed. This area of the regulations continues to attract questions on the margins of what is allowed or not, so it is hoped the changes help understanding. As always we are treading the fine line between allowing as much variety as possible whilst ensuring that a standard set of defence agreements can apply without the need for lengthy discussion in advance. The main four changes (that apply at Level 4) are:

  1. A Strong opening bid at the 1 level may contain as few as 13HCP. Therefore Strong Clubbers can elect to upgrade HandA to be a 1 opening (currently prohibited because fewer than 5 controls and fewer than 16HCP), whilst HandB is no longer allowed to be described as a Strong  (because fewer than 13HCP, even though it meets the current requirements of 5+ controls)
  2. A Strong 2 level opening bid must either continue to have at least 16HCP, alternatively 13HCP in any 2 suits totalling 10+ cards eg. HandC is currently prohibited from opening a Strong 2, but will now be allowed. 
  3. Three categories of Opening Bid at 2/3 level: either Strong, Natural, or Non-Natural. You may have any number of meanings if all your meanings fall into one of the three categories. Alternatively any number of Strong meanings may be combined with a single Natural or Non-Natural meaning. For example take a typical Multi 2 opening described as either:
    • a.    Balanced 20-22, or
      b.    Strong in any suit, or
      c.    Weak in a major

    This combines two Strong options with one non-natural option i.e. fine. However, take care. The following description including “8PT” has caused uncertainty under the current regulations too. The Multi must not now be described as:

    • a.    Balanced 20-22, or
      b.    8PT in any suit, or
      c.    Weak in a major

    This is not allowed because 8PT is not necessarily Strong and you cannot combine two non-strong meanings with a Strong one. Further, even if you remove the balanced 20-22 option, there is still a problem, because non-strong, non-natural options, such as “8PT in any suit”, must not lead with the suit opened, in this case s. The advice here is to make sure all Strong opening bids meet the definition of “Strong” (see para 5D1). This gives you many more options. 

  4. Natural bids at the 2 level must contain 5+cards; or if only 4 must specify a second suit. The bidding goes 2 on your left, 3 from partner. Is this natural, two suited or maybe a stop ask? Hopefully you have agreed what it means if 2 showed a Weak Two, but what if it showed a weak hand with 4 and a longer minor? We think this is too challenging to have a standard defence against, so we are only permitting 4 card openers if a second suit is also specified, giving the defence another takeout option via a cue of their second suit.

 

HandA HandB HandC
KQJ109 A32 -
KQ1098 A32 543
A109 A32 K8
- 5432 AKQJ8653