Quick Tricks are more important than your high card points. Let’s say partner opens 3S and you have a good hand:
|
Hand |
Holding |
Quick tricks |
Action |
|
Hand a) |
♠ Q 6 ♥ A Q 3 ♦ K J 8 6 ♣ Q J 9 8 |
1 quick trick |
PASS |
|
Hand b) |
♠ 8 6 ♥ A 9 7 5 4 ♦ A K 3 ♣ A 4 2 |
4 quick tricks |
BID 4♠ |
Both hands have 15 hcp but on Hand a) you have only one quick trick whereas on Hand b) you have 4. These quick tricks buy you more time to establish your trumps. My guideline for raising to a 4 level game is at least two trumps and three quick tricks.
Sometimes you will have a good hand but none of your partner’s long suit, or only one. IT IS USUALLY WRONG TO BID 3NT. The 7 card suit is your most valuable asset. Bid game in the pre-empt suit with an abundance of Quick Tricks in the other 3 suits. Without these you should pass.
Other times you will have ample trump support but few points. With 6 or less points it will usually be a winning move to raise partner to game because your opponents will have Game. Depending on the vulnerability you can go two or three light doubled for a better score.
If we are all vulnerable and my partner has opened 3S, I would raise to 4 spades with:
|
Example: all vulnerable after partner opens 3♠ ♠ 9 8 6 3 ♥ 5 ♦ 3 2 ♣ K Q 7 6 5 2 |
Why bid? Only 6 points, but strong trump support. The opponents may have game, so the 4♠ raise can be a winning competitive action. BID 4♠ |
But with more than 6 points your opponents may not have game. Let them overbid!
