The PRIMARY purpose of a pre-emptive bid is
prevent the opponents from finding their best contract.
Bidding OUR best contract is of secondary concern,
ESPECIALLY if pre-empting opposite a passed hand (when
game our way is hopeless). OBSTRUCTION is key.
In showing a long suit with a pre-emptive bid,
we invite partner to bid sacrificially with any
modicum of support. By how high should partner
sacrifice? To help partner decide this, pre-emptor
must remember the FIRST rule of pre-empting:
NEVER PRE-EMPT WITH TWO OR MORE DEFENSIVE TRICKS.
S- KQxxxx H- Axx D- xx C- xx
With a Heart and a likely Spade trick on
defence, do NOT open a weak 2S here. PASS
and bid the Spades WITHOUT JUMPING later.
By knowing that pre-emptor does NOT have a
2nd defensive trick, pre-emptor's partner will know
that, with no defense in hir hand, sacrificing even
at the SLAM level may be profitable.
The second rule of pre-empting is a simple
extension of the first:
NEVER PRE-EMPT WITH AN OPENING HAND.
S- x H- KQJ10xxx D- AJx C- Jx
Open 1H, not 3H or 4H here.
The third rule of pre-empting reflects the
fact that we do NOT want to make it impossible
for partner to find a 4-4 major suit fit (if
partner is not a passed hand) and we do not
want to prevent the opponents from bidding a
major suit game if THEIR trumps are breaking
badly:
NEVER PRE-EMPT WITH A 4-CARD (unbid) MAJOR.
Orthodox Pre-Empting Strategy
Conservative players observe strict rules
for their first and second seat pre-empts. Many
will only pre-empt with two of the top three
honours in the long suit: usually AQ or KQ
(since AK might constitute two defensive
tricks). Only in THIRD seat do these players
relax these suit strength requirements.
Conservative authorities observe the
RULE OF 1-2-3:
HAVE WITHIN 1 TRICK OF YOUR BID IF VUL vs NOT
HAVE WITHIN 2 TRICKS OF YOUR BID IF BOTH VUL
HAVE WITHIN 3 TRICKS OF YOUR BID IF NOT VUL
The reasoning is that if doubled, the
pre-emptor will go down LESS than the opponents
would make if they were to bid and make game.
The exception to this comes when neither side is
vulnerable, but -500 may not be bad if our
adversaries happen to make a slam.
When playing with an unknown partner,
assume that these orthodox restrictions apply.
Hemmingway Pre-Empts
Aggressive players pre-empt on MUCH
weaker hands, but are more strict in regards
to the 1st Rule of Pre-Empting (NO SECOND
DEFENSIVE TRICK!). Because of the weakness
of Hemmingway pre-empts, partner of the
Pre-Emptor requires a veritable POWERHOUSE
to even CONSIDER going on. As one wit said,
"Bidding opposite an orthodox pre-empt requires
a Frankenstein-class MONSTER hand; bidding
opposite a Hemmingway requires a full GODZILLA!" :)
The stultifying effect that Hemmingway
Pre-empts have on partners explains their name:
"Ask NOT for whom partner pre-empts,"
Hemmingway advocates will say, "s/he pre-empts
thee!" :)
Instead of the Rule of 1-2-3, Hemmingway
pre-emptors observe the "52 Pickup" Rule. Be
ready to down:
FIVE tricks NOT VUL versus VUL opponents
FOUR tricks if NEITHER side is VUL
THREE tricks if BOTH sides are VUL
TWO tricks if VUL versus NON-VUL opponents
This ultra-aggressive style reflects some
realities of the game: the opponents may not
be able or willing to double, pre-empts often
pressure opponents into percipitous action, and,
if partner does NOT contribute a trick to our
cause, the opponents will likely be cold for
SLAM, not simply GAME. -1100 isn't so garish
if the opponents can make +1430 for 6H or 6S.
It follows that Hemmingway pre-emptors
will PASS on many hands with which orthodox bidders
would pre-empt.
S- AQJxxx H- Qxx D- xx C- xx
Orthodox bidders would pre-empt 2S here. But
if partners of Hemmingway pre-emptors begin
to expect such hands, they may begin to bid
with 16-point hands. Pass, and overcall
Spades LATER--WITHOUT jumping in Spades.
As a general rule, Hemmingway pre-emptors
tend NOT to pre-empt with the ACE of the long
suit. This is because, against any final suit
contract by the opponents, the Ace may find
partner with a singleton and constitute TWO
tricks (the Ace and a ruff).
S- xxx H- A109xxx D- xxx C- x
Do NOT open 2H here. PASS and overcall
SIMPLY in Hearts later. This, of course, means
that the RANGE of one's simple overcalls is much
WIDER when playing the Hemmingway style: 4-16
instead of the standard 8-16 HCPs.
Weak 2-Bids
An opening bid of 2S, 2H and 2D in SAYC
shows a 6-card suit any either 6-10 HCPs
(orthodox) or 4-8 HCPs (Hemmingway). Modern
pre-emptors will occasionally do so with a
FIVE card suit. This is not recommended since
it precludes partner from applying the Law of
Total Tricks, which dictates that the partnership
should compete or pre-empt to the level of ONE
trick for each trump the partnership holds. How
can partner judge how many trumps the pair holds
if pre-emptor starts "fudging" on their number?
Responses to a weak 2-bid by an unpassed
hand are a simple matter: new suit responses
are forcing, raises are not, and 2NT asks
Opener to rebid a "feature" (Ace, King or Qxx)
in an unbid suit unless minimal (in which
case Opener rebids the long suit).
3-Level Pre-empts
3-level pre-empts tend to show SEVEN
card suits, although a 6-carder WITH GOOD
SPOTS may qualify--especially for a 3C opening
(since 2C is not available as a weak 2-bid).
In response to a 3-level pre-empt, a
new MAJOR suit is natural and forcing UNLESS
a game bid (e.g. 3S-P-4H). Responses in a
MINOR suit are often CUEBIDS, inviting Opener
to cuebid a control in one of the unbids if
it is convenient to do so. Responder clarifies
hir intent later.
e.g. 3H 4C - Club length or cuebid.
4D 4NT - Blackwood, excited by 4D cuebid.
3S 4D - Diamond length or cuebid.
4H 5C - Natural, minors. Non-forcing.
Game Level Pre-Empts
The "Brough" Theory dictates that "3S is
more pre-emptive than 4S". This stems from the
fact that doubling 3S puts the opponents into
game if they happen to make. Doubling 4S is
strictly for penalty (bid 4NT for takeout over
4S). Because it is so much easier to double
game-level contracts for penalty (and they
are ALREADY in game, after all), then, we
should strictly apply the Rule of 1-2-3 here
EVEN IF PLAYING HEMMINGWAY PRE-EMPTS. Save
your light pre-empts for NON-GAME level bids.
Fourth Seat "Pre-Empts"
Any "pre-empt" in fourth seat is not
really a pre-empt at all, since Opener could
simply pass out the hand. Rather, they show
a MINIMAL legitimate Opener with a 6-card
suit and good chances of making--but NO interest
in game opposite a passed partner. This usually
implies GOOD trumps--including good trump spots.
The idea is to prevent the opponents from finding
a makeable PART SCORE. It is important to TAKE
A PLUS SCORE here to justify the non-passout.
S- QJ109xx H - KQJ D- x C- A10x
Open 2S in 4th seat, to make it tough
for the opponents to find their Diamond fit and
to prevent partner from making a limit raise.
