Pre-emptive Bidding -- Upping the Pre-empt

WARNING! The following post talks about Pre-emptive Bidding. Pre-empts are bids used by more experienced players. If you are a new player do NOT bother reading this post. When you have played a bit more and know a bit more you can learn how to use them. For now, do not bother.

Please read these posts first to learn a little bit about pre-emptive bidding:
Pre-emptive Bidding -- An Introduction
Responding to a Weak 2

When Partner pre-empts and you have good trump support but a weakish hand you should UP the PRE-EMPT. That means make it even MORE difficult for the Opponents to figure things out.

For instance Partner opens 2♠, RHO Passes (or Doubles or even Overcalls) and you hold:
♠K765
♥J4
♦2
♣QJT832

What do you bid?

Well if you said "Pass" because you are not going to make a game you are sort of right. You are probably NOT going to make a game. But guess who is?

That's right. Your Opponents. They've got to be making at least 4♥.

But they are not in the auction yet. Or if they are in the auction they don't really know what is going on. Want to make life VERY difficult for your LHO? Bid 4♠. Now they have a tough bid. Maybe you are bidding game because you will make it. They don't know. Maybe they will Pass and let you play in 4♠. Sure you will go down one or two but you probably won't be doubled. They might not even figure out they can make a game.

But if you Pass Partner's 2♠ bid it is easy for LHO to come in with either a Double or an Overcall. Now they will find their contract.

Once they know they have game, if you then bid 4♠ it is easy for them to know what to do. They will either Double you in your game or bid 5♥ and make that. It is easy once you give them room to explore.

So when Partner opens and you have a weakish hand, raise them to your LAW level. That means raise them to the same level of the number of trumps you hold between the two of you.

So if Partner opens a weak 2 they have six trump. If you have three trump raise them to the 3 level. If you have four trump raise them to the 4 level.

Let's practice. Partner opens the bidding 2♠. RHO Passes (or Doubles or even Overcalls). What is your bid?

Hand 1

♠K765
♥J4
♦2
♣QJT832



Hand 2

♠953
♥AJ
♦AT9654
♣83



Hand 3

♠QT74
♥AT32
♦7
♣A654



Hand 4

♠T83
♥87
♦8753
♣AKT5



Hand 5

♠A754
♥T76
♦86
♣Q853



Hand 6

♠K86
♥J853
♦43
♣KQJ9



Hand 7

♠A32
♥T9
♦K72
♣Q9765



Hand 8

♠JT9
♥AJ76
♦J872
♣42



Hand 9

♠KJ32
♥7
♦JT983
♣KT8



Hand 10

♠J432
♥6532
♦84
♣AJ8



Hand 11

♠742
♥KT98
♦98
♣K876



Hand 12

♠8543
♥T9
♦K82
♣KT64



Hand 13

♠AQ65
♥A732
♦T52
♣62



Hand 14

♠J73
♥83
♦54
♣KQ8652



Hand 15

♠KJ4
♥93
♦K652
♣KT42



Hand 16

♠KT83
♥82
♦95
♣JT974



Hand 17

♠Q73
♥JT94
♦32
♣AQ96



Hand 18

♠QJ93
♥97
♦AK873
♣T2



Hand 19

♠QT43
♥A6
♦3
♣KT8765



Hand 20

♠T43
♥KJ5
♦K87543
♣J



Hand 21

♠Q963
♥QT86
♦3
♣QT95



Hand 22

♠542
♥AT742
♦Q72
♣J7



Hand 23

♠KT72
♥A53
♦6
♣QJ852



Hand 24

♠J97
♥83
♦AJ93
♣KJ94



Hand 25

♠KJ86
♥T6
♦T52
♣A985



Hand 26

♠Q875
♥876
♦J9
♣JT76



Hand 27

♠Q94
♥95
♦KQT65
♣QJ7



Hand 28

♠8653
♥8
♦64
♣KQJ874



Hand 29

♠9432
♥AQT64
♦74
♣A4



Hand 30

♠AQ3
♥987532
♦97
♣94



Hand 31

♠AJ74
♥KJ43
♦
♣T9743



Hand 32

♠A942
♥93
♦A83
♣7532



Hand 33

♠KT7
♥JT542
♦843
♣KT



Hand 34

♠T94
♥KT7
♦T2
♣A9742



Hand 35

♠Q652
♥K843
♦KT943
♣



Hand 36

♠KT9
♥A7632
♦642
♣J7



Hand 37

♠J653
♥J875
♦
♣AK753



Hand 38

♠AQ4
♥T873
♦8652
♣J4



Hand 39

♠K743
♥82
♦A3
♣KT876