Excerpt from Marty Bergen’s Secrets to Winning BridgeBy Marty Bergen Bergen Raises and the Law of Total TricksCompetitive bidding, especially with the current practice of light and super-light openings, is a major headache for the advancing player. As opponents open the auction with fewer and fewer points, the main objective becomes destroying your ability to reach the right contract. With the Law of Total Tricks, Larry Cohen and Marty Bergen started fighting back in positions where the hand didn’t necessarily belong to the opponents. In conjunction with this, Marty developed Bergen Raises, which allows the partnership to find a fit in competition. The Law of Total TricksIn 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 the other 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 3 NT with:
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:
If partner opens 1H, do not raise to 2H. 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 2H or 3H, raising a preempt says nothing about points, so you can (and should) raise. Why Play Bergen Raises?1.The importance of the 9th trump is the most underrated concept in bridge. 2.Virtually all players distinguish 3 trumps and 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 1S to 2S?
If partner has three trumps, 4S 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 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. 3C shows the 4th trump, and preempts the opponents. 5.Defining 3NT as a 4-3-3-3 hand 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. Bergen RaisesPartner opens 1H or 1S, and RHO passes. Raise to 2: A decent single raise with three trumps. Promises 7-10 dummy points. Jacoby 2NT: A game-forcing raise with 4 trumps Promises 13+ dummy points. 3C: A decent single raise with 4 trumps. Promises 7-10 dummy points. 3D: A limit raise with 4 trumps. 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 EndsThe key to Bergen Raises is understanding the concepts, as opposed to memorizing the numbers. Vulnerability: Only relevant if considering a WJR. # Trumps: 4 trump raises might have a fifth card. With an ugly 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 3D with a nice 10; but 3C with a bad 10. Bergen Raises in Action Both vul, partner opens 1S. How many dummy points do you have? What’s your bid?
All of Marty's books can now be ordered through his website , where one can also find the latest deals on his books, lecture schedule, and upcoming bridge cruises. Also announced is a three-day bridge seminar with Larry Cohen June 22-24 in Las Vegas covering many topics of interest for many levels of expertise. |