A preempt is an opening bid at the two, three or four level with a long suit and a weak hand. A weak two (2♦, 2♥ or 2♠) shows a good six-card suit and about 5-10 HCP; a three-level opening shows a seven-card suit and less than opening strength. You open high on purpose, to use up the bidding space the opponents need.
Preempts work because the opponents usually hold most of the points. When you take away their one level and part of the two level, they must guess, and guesses at the three and four level are expensive.
Weak Two Bids
In 2/1 Game Force, the system these lessons use (and in SAYC too), the openings of 2♦, 2♥ and 2♠ are weak twos. (2♣ is the strong opening from Lesson 19.) A sound weak two has:
- A six-card suit with good quality: two of the top three honors, or three of the top five. ♥KQ10974 is ideal; ♥976432 is not.
- About 5-10 HCP, with most of them in the long suit.
- No four-card side major in most partnerships, and no void.
Position matters. In first and second seat, partner has not passed yet, so stay disciplined. In third seat, after partner has passed, you can preempt with a lighter hand to make life harder for the fourth player.
Many Acol players also use weak twos in diamonds, hearts and spades. Traditional Acol uses strong twos instead, so ask before you play with a new partner. More on the details in weak two bids, and you can see what 2♥ means in every system.
Opening at the Three Level
Open 3♣, 3♦, 3♥ or 3♠ with a seven-card suit and a weak hand, usually 5-10 HCP. With an eight-card suit, or seven cards and wild shape, you can open at the four level.
How high is safe? Count your playing tricks, then use the rule of two and three: vulnerable, you may be about two tricks short of your contract; not vulnerable, about three. With ♠KQJ10872 ♥5 ♦J83 ♣42 you have six spade tricks. Not vulnerable, 3♠ is fine: three down doubled costs 500, about what the opponents would score for a game. Vulnerable, two down doubled also costs 500.
| Opening | Suit | HCP | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2♦, 2♥, 2♠ | Six cards, good | About 5-10 | No four-card side major |
| Three level | Seven cards | Under 10 or so | Count tricks, mind vulnerability |
| Four level | Eight cards, or seven with shape | Under opening | 4♥ and 4♠ are to play |
When Partner Preempts
When partner preempts, count tricks, not points. A weak two is worth about five or six tricks with partner's suit as trumps; a three-level opening about six or seven. Add your own sure tricks:
- Raise to game when the total reaches ten tricks for 4♥ or 4♠. Aces and kings count; queens and jacks outside partner's suit often do not.
- Raise to block with a weak hand and support. With three-card support for a weak two, bid three: the Law of Total Tricks says nine trumps between you are safe at the three level.
- Over a weak two, 2NT is an ask and forces partner to describe the hand. Many pairs play Ogust here.
- 3NT over a minor preempt needs stoppers in the other suits and a way to reach partner's long suit.
Do not rescue partner into your own suit with a weak hand. Partner chose the trump suit, and a preempt is not an invitation.
Watch It in a Deal
Partner opens 3♥ and you are South with 16 HCP.
You count tricks and raise to game.
Partner holds 6 HCP and seven hearts headed by the KJ109. That suit is worth about six tricks. Your hand adds the ♠A, ♠K and ♦A, three sure tricks, and the ♥Q fills partner's suit. Six plus three is nine, and your ♣K with partner's ♣Q gives a tenth trick once the ♣A is gone: bid 4♥.
Look at 3NT for contrast. You have 16 HCP and the stoppers, but partner has no entry outside hearts, and the opponents hold the ♥A. Double-dummy analysis gives 3NT by South only six tricks, while 4♥ by North takes ten.
What to Keep From Preempts
Rule of ThumbPreempt with a long, strong suit and a weak hand. When partner preempts, count tricks: raise to game when you can see ten, raise one level to block with support and a weak hand, and otherwise pass.
Practice: Preempts
East passes. You are South, second seat, nobody vulnerable.
East passes. What do you open with this hand?
Your hand:
Preempts are easier to judge after you have seen many of them. The BridgeDummy Bidding Room gives you random deals with EPBot robots that preempt and answer preempts by their system, so you meet both sides of the weak two.
Previous lesson: Lesson 19: Strong Openings. Next lesson: Lesson 21: Bidding a Slam. Full course: Bridge lessons for beginners.