Excerpt from Marty Bergen's Secrets to Winning Bridge

Bergen Raises

By Marty Bergen

Some people have given up on playing competitively for many reasons: memory work, new wrinkles in your own methods, etc. Just give me the tried and true and I'm happy.

It's not easy with methods allowed by the various NCBOs, but this one, devised by Marty, may let you move those few places up the ladder.

The Law of Total Tricks

In order to appreciate Bergen Raises, you must first know something about LOTT. The LAW says: You are safe in bidding to the level of your side's number of trumps. By doing so, either you will make your contract, or you'll go down a little when the opponents could have made something their way. Do note that there was no mention of HCP.

Is LOTT accurate? Yes. In fact, it is definitely more accurate than any expert I have ever encountered. Does following The LAW guarantee a good result? No, just as there's no guarantee that you'll be in the best contract when you raise 1NT to 3NT with:

ªJ4 © A2 ¨ J53 § KQT874

Should you blindly follow The LAW? Of course not. Virtually nothing in bridge (or life) should be done without thought. On the other hand, because LOTT is so accurate, you could do a lot worse than relying on The LAW in most situations.

If you believe in LOTT, you'll be eager to bid to the 3 level with 9 trumps, and the 4 level with 10 trumps. Obviously, vulnerability and distribution are relevant, especially when considering bidding to the 4 level

What else must you know about The LAW?

1. Think twice before bidding to a level above your side's number of trumps. Of course, with great shape or the appropriate # HCP -make the indicated bid.

2. Don't lie about your # points. With this hand:

ª7643 © QT8 ¨ 8542 § 72

If partner opens 1©, do not raise to 2©. The LAW says you are safe at the two level, but partner will expect a better hand and may get overboard. But, if partner opens 2©. or 3©., raising a preempt says nothing about points, so you can (and should) raise.

Why Play Bergen Raises?

1. The great importance of the 9th trump is the most underrated concept in bridge.

2. Virtually all players distinguish 3 trumps from 4 when making limit raises and forcing raises. It is also crucial for responder to clarify his number of trumps with weaker hands. When responder raises to two, he is more likely to have 3 trumps than 4, but in Standard, opener won't know for sure until he sees dummy. But, if opener has a shapely opening bid, he needs to know before making his second bid. In Standard, what would you do with the next two hands after partner raises 1ª to 2ª?

ª Q6542© 9 ¨ AQT § AQ62

ª J7643 © AQ ¨ AJ1053 § 4

If partner has three trumps, 4ª is very unlikely to make, and with your shaky trumps, your best bet is to pass. But, if responder has 4-card support, game rates to be excellent. In Standard, you're forced to guess. When using Bergen Raises, you immediately know how many trumps partner has.

3. All experienced players use weak jump raises (WJR) in competitive auctions. If it's good bridge to make a WJR after a double or overcall, it must be better to make the preemptive jump before the enemy has a chance to exchange any information. So, responder's jump raise should be weak.

4. Mixed raises are excellent 2-way bids. 3§ shows the 4th trump, and preempts the opponents.

5. Defining 3NT as a 4-3-3-3 band with 13-15 HCP makes it easy for opener to choose the best game.

6. If you believe in LOTT, then it is clear to play Bergen Raises. If you believe that you are smarter than The LAW - good luck, you'll need it.

Dummy Points

People will believe what people will believe, but Iwant to make sure that YOU know the true story. When raising partner's major suit, # HCP alone does NOT determine the value of your hand.

This is true regardless of the amount of strength you're showing. After partner opens 1©, it is clear that because of the minor-suit distribution, hand 1it is clear that because of the minor-suit distribution, hand 1 is the weakest, and hand 3 is the strongest.

1.ª A54 © 9762 ¨ K97 § 872

2. ª A54 © 9762 ¨ K973 § 72

3. ª A54 © 9762 ¨ K9732 § 2

So, referring to all of these as 7-point hands is silly.

When you have a major-suit fit, # HCP is just one piece of the puzzle. The only number that really matters for dummy is the sum of his HCP plus points for distribution. Teachers refer to this total as dummy points.

I suggest you add points for long suits as soon as you pick up your hand. This is easy. Add 1 point. for a 5-card suit; 2 points for a 6-card suit, etc.

When you find a fit, both players are entitled to add points for their short suits AND long suits. If dummy has any short suits, the correct way to evaluate for them is addressed below. Counting Dummy's Short-Suit Points

Counting Dummy's Short-Suit Points

Doubleton: Add one point for each one

Singleton: With three trumps, add 2 points

With 4+ trumps add 3 points

Void:Its value is the same as dummy's # of trumps (regardless of what your friends tell you).

Determining your Dummy Points

Partner opens 1©. Examples 1-4 all have 8 HCP. For each hand there are four questions:

A. How many length points?

B. How many short-suit points?

C. How many dummy points?

D. Playing Bergen Raises, what is your response?

If not familiar with Bergen Raises refer below.

Bergen Raises

Partner opens 1© or 1ª and RHO passes.

Raise to 2: A decent single raise with 3 trumps. Promises 7-10 dummy points.

Jacoby 2NT: A game-forcing raise with 4 trumps. Promises 13+ dummy points.

3§: A decent single raise with 4 trumps. Promises 7-10 dummy points.

3¨: A limit raise with 4 trumps. Promises 10-12 dummy points.

Raise to 3(WJR): A very weak raise with 4 trumps. Nonvul, promises 2-7 dummy points. Vul shows 4-7.

3NT: Nonforcing. 13-15 HCP, 3 trumps, 4-3-3-3.

Double jump in new suit:Splinter Bid. 4 trumps, 13-16 dummy points, void or singleton in suit bid.

Raise to 4:A weak hand with 5 trumps, or 4 trumps with exceptional shape. Shows 3-10 dummy points.

Tying Up Loose Ends

The key to Bergen Raises is understanding the concepts, as opposed to memorizing the numbers.

Vulnerability: Only relevant if considering a W.lR.

# of trumps: 4-trump raises might have a 5th card. With an llgly 4-card raise, bid as if you had 3 trumps.

# Dummy Points: If the hand evaluates to 7 or 10, responder has a choice. For example, with 4 trumps, bid 3¨ witha nice 10; but 3§ with a bad 10.

Setting the Record Straight

If playing 5-card majors, you can use Bergen Raises. Whether you play Standard, or 2/1 Game Forcing and 1NT Forcing or Semi-Forcing, does not matter.

Bergen Raises in Action

Both vul, partner opens 1ª. How many dummy points do you have? What's your bid?

1. ª J106 © 6432 ¨A6 § A987

10 nice dummy points, so you're too strong for 2ª. If playing 1NT Forcing or Semi-Forcing, bid 1NT. If playing Standard, respond 2§.

2.ª 0954 © 76 ¨ 42 § 109843

You have 5 dummy points (5th club =1); so3ª is clear. Tempted to pass because you're vul? Don't!

3. ª 8654 © Q65 ¨ AQ § J763

The value of your three quacks is questionable, so with your soft 10 points, bid 3§.

4.ª J87 © AK7 ¨ Q953 § K104

13 dummy points. A 3NT Bergen Raise describes your hand perfectly. 3NT is far more appealing than bidding 2¨ and guessing whether to bid spades or notrump later. After 3NT, opener will usually bid 4ª, but he is welcome to pass with a balanced hand.

5. ª 743 © KJ5 ¨ QJ6 § 9763

With 7 very ugly dummy points, I'd respond 1NT whether it was non-forcing, forcing, or semi-forcing.

6.ª Q93 © 76 ¨ 7654 § A1086 Nothing wrong with these honors. These 7 dummy points definitely justify a raise to 2ª.

7.ª 10763 © A8754 ¨ 4 § 632 4 HCP + singleton (3 points) + 5-card suit (1 point) = 8dummy points. That is more than enough for 3§.

8. ª 8654 © QJ4 ¨ QJ7 § KJ 2 Yuck! With this soft, flat mess, I refuse to respond at the three level. I'm bidding 2ª. Period.

9. ª K954 © - ¨ 976542 § 763 Bid 4ª. With this shape, you don't need 5 trumps.

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