<p>As for me, I do not think about hand strength here. There are only 3 reasons to bid, and if you have 2 of them- you can bid:
Constructive - to bid you best contract
Destructive - create a problem for opponents
Defense plan </p>

<p>Here you suggest very different hands. I'll answer about AKQJx -3-3-2, because KQJxx, Axx, Jxx xx is completely ok to open imho.</p>

<p>I don't like to open 1s with AKQJx. For several reasons.
 If you are going to win the bidding - you would probably choose NT or spades. So, if you finish in spades - you are definitely playing from the wrong side. May be it's impossible to reach spades from another, but who knows? If your partner supports spades, your J almost disappears. And you still have 8 losers.
If you find NT- how many HCP you need to win the game? Something like 14-16 , otherwise you will not find 4 tricks, or opps will hit their suit faster.
Of course, much less could be enough, with some lucky leads and distribution. But generally, your partner should hold strong NT.</p>

<p>For destruction I can open 2sp. This does not work very good, because of flat shape, but if I want to make a move...</p>

<p>For lead- you don't need to open. If opps bid 1nt-3nt - double. If they have lots of points- they will walk to 3nt if you pass. </p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2015-12-26T23:58:42.267Z
2015-12-26T23:58:42.267Z
Mikhail Krasnoselskiy
<p>By "light," mean with something like (s) AKQJx (h)Jxx (d)xxx (c)xx, or (s) KQJTx (h)Jxx (d)Axx (c)xx, or even (s) AKQJT (h)xxx (d)xxx (c)xx?</p>

<p>I can think of two reasons. 1) I was taught that three or four honors in sequence is worth a point or so more than their nominal value, so e.g. AKQJx is worth 11, not 10, and KQJT is worth 7-8. Then AKQJT is worth about 12. If I make these adjustments, I have enough to open. And 2) the honors bonus will defray whatever penalty I incur. </p>

<p>Or am I "stretching" too far to open in most positions and vulnerabilities?</p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2015-12-23T06:03:03.137Z
Experts only play ***Honours*** scoring in money games; against suckers. "*If you don't know who the sucker in the games is; it's probably you.*" Don't twist your game around trying to adjust for this; collect it when you or partner hold it, concede it when the opponents hold it, and practice improving your defense and card-reading skills instead.
Forget I was ever here
CC BY-SA 3.0
2015-12-23T15:34:24.877Z
@PieterGeerkens: The point of the question (as revised), is "Do the honors (including 1 T) signal that the holding is stronger than its nominal value? (That is, "10" is really worth 11?)  In your other example, you convinced me that your "11 hcp" holding with tens and nines was actually worth 12.
Tom Au
CC BY-SA 3.0
2015-12-23T22:52:00.903Z
Asking about *Honours* is just a red herring that obfuscates the real question on hand evaluation.
Forget I was ever here
<bridge><bidding>
Should "100 or 150 honors" allow you to open light?
Tom Au
# Should "100 or 150 honors" allow you to open light?

(Asked by: username_0 on 2015-12-21)

By "light," mean with something like (s) AKQJx (h)Jxx (d)xxx (c)xx, or (s) KQJTx (h)Jxx (d)Axx (c)xx, or even (s) AKQJT (h)xxx (d)xxx (c)xx?

I can think of two reasons. 1) I was taught that three or four honors in sequence is worth a point or so more than their nominal value, so e.g. AKQJx is worth 11, not 10, and KQJT is worth 7-8. Then AKQJT is worth about 12. If I make these adjustments, I have enough to open. And 2) the honors bonus will defray whatever penalty I incur.

Or am I "stretching" too far to open in most positions and vulnerabilities?

**Tags:** bridge, bidding

> **Comments:**
> **username_1**: Experts only play ***Honours*** scoring in money games; against suckers. "*If you don't know who the sucker in the games is; it's probably you.*" Don't twist your game around trying to adjust for this; collect it when you or partner hold it, concede it when the opponents hold it, and practice improving your defense and card-reading skills instead.  
> **username_0**: @PieterGeerkens: The point of the question (as revised), is "Do the honors (including 1 T) signal that the holding is stronger than its nominal value? (That is, "10" is really worth 11?)  In your other example, you convinced me that your "11 hcp" holding with tens and nines was actually worth 12.  
> **username_1**: Asking about *Honours* is just a red herring that obfuscates the real question on hand evaluation.  

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## 1 answers

### Answer by username_2 on 2015-12-26. Score: 1 | Accepted answer

As for me, I do not think about hand strength username_1. There are only 3 reasons to bid, and if you have 2 of them- you can bid:
Constructive - to bid you best contract
Destructive - create a problem for opponents
Defense plan

username_1 you suggest very different hands. I'll answer about AKQJx -3-3-2, because KQJxx, Axx, Jxx xx is completely ok to open imho.

I don't like to open 1s with AKQJx. For several reasons.
If you are going to win the bidding - you would probably choose NT or spades. So, if you finish in spades - you are definitely playing from the wrong side. May be it's impossible to reach spades from another, but who knows? If your partner supports spades, your J almost disappears. And you still have 8 losers.
If you find NT- how many HCP you need to win the game? Something like 14-16 , otherwise you will not find 4 tricks, or opps will hit their suit faster.
Of course, much less could be enough, with some lucky leads and distribution. But generally, your partner should hold strong NT.

For destruction I can open 2sp. This does not work very good, because of flat shape, but if I want to make a move...

For lead- you don't need to open. If opps bid 1nt-3nt - double. If they have lots of points- they will walk to 3nt if you pass.


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