- PRINCIPLE 0: Almost always open, overcall and respond with your clearly longest suit. (That is, except when responding to an opening/overcall of Three of a Suit, when it is often better to bid one's cheapest 4+ card suit.)
- PRINCIPLE 5: 1NT, whether bid as an opening, overcall or response, does not claim a stopper in any suit bid by the opponents.
- PRINCIPLE 9: Simplex is a fundamentally natural bidding system. The only gadgets used are 2♣ Redshift, 4NT Blackwood, and the Simplex 2NT.
- PRINCIPLE 10: Responding hands with trump support but less than 10 HCP bid immediately to their total trump level. (For example, after a 1♥ opening by partner, a hand containing 6 HCP and four cards in the heart suit would immediately raise to 3♥. Partner is known to have at least five hearts. Add those five to the four that responder has makes nine. Take six from nine means a raise to the 3-level.) Equally if opener has less than 10 HCP but support for responder's suit, he will bid to the total trump level on the second round.
- PRINCIPLE 11: If a bidder cannot make the first-round bid his hand merits (because the opposition have already taken the auction too high), the bidder simply doubles, with an implied message to partner: "RHO has just taken my opening bid away, and I believe it is safe for you to bid at this or one level higher."
- PRINCIPLE 13: Ignore first-round doubles by the opponents. Carry on and make the bid you would have made if the opponents had passed.
- PRINCIPLE 16: In response to an opening of One or Two of a Suit, responder shows a hand worth a good raise to at least Three of the Suit — i.e. 10+ HCP and 9+ trumps between them — by bidding the Simplex 2NT. If Responder bids a suit on the 1st round, a rebid by opener of 2NT shows that opener has 10+ HCP and that the pair have at least nine cards in responder's suit. And if Opener changes suit on the second round, Responder can bid the Simplex 2NT in reply, showing 10-16 HCP and 4+ card support for Opener's second suit — e.g. 1♥:1♠, 2♣:2NT.
- PRINCIPLE 18: An opening bid, overcall or response of Three of a new Suit guarantees four or more cards in the suit and 17-22 HCP.
- PRINCIPLE 19: Responder's first-round responses to an opening of one or two of a suit should be:
- Show support for partner's major.
- If you are weak (0-9 HCP), show support for partner's minor.
- Make the bid you would have made, had you been opener.
- If you are strong (10+ HCP), show support for partner's minor.
- Show support for partner's minor.
- Double the opposition's bid if it has taken away your opening bid.
- Bid 1NT with 8-16 HCP and no biddable suit.
- PRINCIPLE 22: Always bid the cheaper of two equal-length suits.
- PRINCIPLE 23: Except for strong (17+ HCP) hands and responses to doubles, four-card suits are never explicitly bid in the first round.
|
