Reverse Bergen Major Suit Raises v 0.37 2016 June 11 Page 4 of 4
Compiled by Roger Pfister http://RogerPf.com/bridge
The purpose of these documents is to describe, for any prospective partners, the systems that I try to play. This is basically my take on the approach documented at http://www.bridgesights.com/hondobridge/
Bergen Major Raises date from their 1982 publication in the ACBL Bridge Bulletin. A number of changes and modifications have happened since then. The treatment detailed here includes many of them and also uses the Bergen Hand Evaluation system, published in Marty Bergman's 2008 book – Slam Bidding Made Easier, as the sole criteria for evaluating a hand.
For an easy to remember mnemonic for Bergen Hand Evaluation calculations please see –
http://musingsonbridge.rogerpf.com/2014/04/high-quality-lad-bergen-hand-evaluation.html
The name Reverse Bergen is used here because, as you will see from the tables, the 3♣ bid is stronger than the 3♦ bid. This appears to have become the consensus naming approach. However according to bridgeguys.com this was actually original the order when the bids were first defined.
To find fantastic tutorials on Bergen Hand Evaluation and Reverse Bergen Raises go to
http://www.bridgesights.com/hondobridge where these two 'Bridge Movies' can be played on line.
Or download the aaBridge Movie player from http://rogerpf.com/aaBridge the two moves are built in to aaBridge look under the BooksL menu item.
Note – aaBridge is my work and I am proud of it. However I am in no way associated with the hondobridge website. But I did indeed write aaBridge so that I could play, on my own computer, all of the many hundreds of fantastic Bridge Movies that can be found there.
Bergen Raises can be used only in 5 card major system. They are a way of responding to 1 of a Major such that responder is able accurately show their hand strength and inform declarer as to having 3 or 4 card support. Bergen Raises keep the bidding low with stronger hands so marginal slams can be investigated.
The direct aim of this document is to show (in table form) all the possible responses to 1♥, given that there is a fit of at least three cards. Tables for 1♠ can be easily deduced as 1♠ is the simpler of the two cases.
Tables are given for each of the two 'important to understand' questions –
Given Responders Hand – What should responder now bid?
Given Responders Bid – What strength and length must she/he have?
These dual tables are provided for both 2/1 and SAYC in addition there is a final pair of Jacoby 2NT tables. The approach is unashamedly in the style of hondo717.
In my opinion the tables also show why that what has come to be called Reverse Bergen is the more rational strain.
As stated earlier all the point counts given in the tables are Bergen points, either Starting, Declarer or Dummy as appropriate.
Partner opens 1♥ showing 5♥'s and 12+ starting pts
and you have Trump Support i.e. 3 or more cards and the auction so far is uncontested then –
Given your Dummy Pts and cards in Support – what should you bid?
2 over 1 + Reverse Bergen Raises
Dmy P / Support / Bid / Notes /0 - 4 / 3 / pass / Sometimes you just have to pass
0 - 6 / 4 / 3♥ / Premptive – partner will pass, except with 7♥'s or 6♥'s and 18+ and singleton
0 - 8 / 5+ / 4♥ / Premptive OR (when 8) almost reasonable – hard for opps to counter
5 - 7b / 3 / 1NT (f) / Delayed (slow) Raise. The 1NT is of course forcing. Treat hand as 6-9 but with only 2 card support Next bid 2♥'s e.g. 1♥ - 1NT - 2♦ - 2♥
7g - 9 / 3 / 2♥ / Minimum Raise – the normal minimum, except it is always only 3 card support
7 - 9 / 4 / 3♦ / The Constructive (lower) Reverse Bergen bid
10 - 12 / 3 / 1NT (f) / Delayed (slow) Limit Raise. The 1NT must be agreed forcing (not semi f)
Next bid – jump to 3♥'s e.g. 1♥ - 1NT - 2♦ - 3♥
10 - 12 / 4 / 3♣ / The Limit (higher) Reverse Bergen bid
9 - 12 / 5+ / 3♣ / If partner just converts to 3♥'s then you bid 4♥'s
13 - 15 / 3 / 3NT / & Flat – Conventional – promises stoppers and 3 card support norm 4-3-3-3
13 - 15 / 3 / ♠2♣♦ / Delayed Game Raise. Next bid jump to 4♥'s e.g. 1♥ - 2♣ - 2♦ - 4♥
Fast arrival (at game) shows NO slam interest
16+ / 3 / ♠2♣♦ / Slow crawl towards game – shows slam interest e.g. 1♥ - 2♣ - 2♦ - 2♥
Note – after 1♥ - 1♠ - ... you need to keep forcing e.g. with FSF
13 - 16 / 4 / 3♠
4♣
4♦ / & Singleton or Void – splinter
13+ / 4 / 5+ / 2NT / Jacoby 2NT (denies Singleton unless 17+)
You open 1♥ showing 5♥'s and 12+ pts
The auction so far is uncontested and assuming partner is showing a fit then –
Given partners response – what are her/his dummy points and trump length?
2 over 1 + Reverse Bergen Raises
Bid / Dmy P / Trumps / Notes /1♠
1NT
2♣
2♦ / out of scope - no support shown (for now)
2♥ / 7g - 9 / 3 / Constructive Minimum Raise – except it always shows exactly 3 card support
slow 2♥ / 6 - 9
6 - 9
5 - 7b / 2
2
3 / via 1♠ e.g. 1♥ - 1♠ - 2♦ - 2♥
via 1NT (forcing) e.g. 1♥ - 1NT - 2♦ - 2♥
2 cards only – (false?) preference as partner would have bid 2♥ directly with 3 of them
(except with 5 – 7bad and 3 card support treat 6 – 9 with only 2 card support)
slow 2♥ / 16+ / 3 / via 2 of a suit e.g. 1♥ - 2♣ - 2♦ - 2♥ same as slow 3♥ (below)
2♠ / out of scope - no support shown
2NT / 13+ / 4 / 5+ / Jacoby 2NT (denies Singleton unless 17+) Core Reverse Bergen Raises are shaded
3♣ / 10 - 12 / 4 / 5+ / The Limit (higher) Reverse Bergen bid. If partner then
bids 4♥ over your 3♥ bid then take it as being 9 - 12 with 5+ cards
3♦ / 7 - 9 / 4 / The Constructive (lower) Reverse Bergen bid
3♥ / 0 - 6 / 4 / Premptive – you will pass – except pos with 7♥'s or 6♥'s and 18+ and singleton
slow 3♥ / 10 - 12 / 3 / via 1♠ e.g. 1♥ - 1♠ - 2♦ - 3♥
clearly partner really wanted to show his/her ♠ suit on the way here
via 1NT (forcing) e.g. 1♥ - 1NT - 2♠ - 3♥
slow 3♥ / 16+ / 3 / via 2 of a suit e.g. 1♥ - 2♣ - 2♠ - 3♥
3♠ / 13 - 16 / 4 / Splinter – shows Singleton or Void in ♠ (bid suit)
3NT / 13 - 15 / 3 / & Flat – (conventional) – promises stoppers and 3 card support norm 4-3-3-3
4♣
4♦ / 13 - 16 / 4 / Splinter – shows Singleton or Void in ♣ / ♦ (bid suit)
4♥ / 0 - 8 / 5+ / Premptive OR (when 8) almost reasonable – hard for opps to counter
slow 4♥ / 13 - 15 / 3 / via 1♠ e.g. 1♥ - 1♠ - 2♦ - 4♥
via 2 of a suit e.g. 1♥ - 2♣ - 2♠ - 4♥
- / 16+ / 3 / via 1♠ you are not going to know about this until it is over, as partner will be forcing you until you get to 4♥ or to your best slam. e.g. 1♥ - 1♠ - 2♦ - 3♣ (fsf) ...
You open 1♥ showing 5♥'s and 12+ starting pts
partner responds 2 NT (Jacoby) 4+♥'s and 13+ Dummy Points
the auction so far is uncontested so –
Given your Declarer Pts and other features – what should you bid?
Decl P / S / 5 / Bid / Notes /12+ / ● / ? / 3♣
3♦
3♠ / Bid your shortage suit – (Singleton or Void)
12+ / ● / 4♣
4♦
4♠ / Bid your good (2 of the top three) 2nd, 5 card suit
12 - 14 / 4♥ / Minimum opener (fast arrival = weakest bid) denies 3 Aces
15 - 17 / 3NT / Medium opener
18+ / 3♥ / Maximum opener (you are of course limited by not having opened 2♣)
The only difference between this (the Bergen Recommended) system and the SAYC system from Downey and Pomer is that they prefer that a strong 2nd, five card suit gets priority over the shortage (which must exist in a hand with two 5 card suits). Bergen recommends that shortage get priority, as shown above, (keeps the bidding lower).
Partner opens 1♥ showing 5♥'s and 12+ starting pts
you respond 2 NT (Jacoby) 4+♥'s and 13+ Dummy Points
and the auction so far is uncontested so –
Given openers 2nd bid – what are his/her declarer points and features ?
Bid / Decl pts / S / 5 / Notes /3♣ / 12+ / ● / ? / Shortage - Singleton or Void in ♣ (bid suit)
3♦ / 12+ / ● / ? / Shortage - Singleton or Void in ♦ (bid suit)
3♥ / 18+ / Maximum opener (you are of course limited by not having opened 2♣)
3♠ / 12+ / ● / ? / Shortage - Singleton or Void in ♠ (bid suit)
3NT / 15 - 17 / Medium opener
4♣ / 12+ / ● / Good (2 of the top three) 2nd, 5 card ♣ suit (bid suit)
4♦ / 12+ / ● / Good (2 of the top three) 2nd, 5 card ♦ suit (bid suit)
4♥ / 12 - 14 / Minimum opener (fast arrival = weakest bid) denies 3 Aces
4♠ / 12+ / ● / Good (2 of the top three) 2nd, 5 card ♠ suit (bid suit)
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