Lesson 6 - Opening with a 1NT bid

If you are the first person to have a hand suitable for opening the bidding you have to decide what bid to make.  Each bid you and your partner make aims to tell each other something about your hand.

The simplest opening bid to learn in a game of bridge is 1NT.

This bid is made IF and ONLY IF:

1.1)  Your hand contains 12 - 14 HCPs (High Card Points) if you are playing Acol bridge (weak No Trumps)

1.2)  Your hand contains 15 - 17 HCPs if you are playing Standard American bridge. (Strong No Trumps)

2)  You hold a balanced hand.

What is a balanced hand?

A balanced hand contains

• no voids (ie, you must hold cards in all 4 suits),


• no singletons (you mustn't hold just one card in a suit)


• no more than one doubleton (a suit with 2 cards)

Note:  If you hold a 5 card major suit (spades or hearts) then you should open with a bid of 1 of  the major suit.  However, if you hold a 5 card minor suit, you should open with 1NT.

For Standard American players
Examples of a balanced hand with 15 - 17 points

Example 1


Spades K J 8 3, Hearts A 6 5,  Diamonds K J 9, Clubs A 7 4

This hand has 16 HCPs, cards in all four suits and no voids or singletons

Example 2

Spades A Q, Hearts J 7 6 2, Diamonds K Q 10 3, Clubs Q J 4

This hand has 15 HCPs and only one doubleton (spades)

Example 3

Spades A J 9 4 , Hearts A K 8 2, Diamonds K 7, Clubs Q 10 6

This hand has 17 HCPs and only one doublton.

For Acol players
Examples of a balanced hand (with 12 - 14 points)

Example 1

Spades K 10 9 3, Hearts A 7 2,  Diamonds Q J 6, Clubs K 7 4

This hand has 13 HCPs, cards in all four suits and no voids or singletons

Example 2

Spades A J, Hearts 10 9 4 2, Diamonds K Q 7 6, Clubs Q 8 5

This hand has 12 HCPs and only one doubleton (spades)

Example 3

Spades Q J 8 9 , Hearts A K 7 6, Diamonds Q J, Clubs J 6 3

This hand has 14 HCPs and only one doublton.

What This Bid Tells Your Partner?

For Standard American players
An OPENING bid of 1NT tells your partner that you have 15 - 17 HCPs and a balanced hand.

For Acol players
An OPENING bid of 1NT tells your partner that you have 12 - 14 HCPs and a balanced hand.

Acol players can practice and learn bridge bidding and play online at No Fear Bridge UK.

American Standard players can learn at No Fear Bridge US.