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Openings

The 1♣ opening in Polish Club 2020: Expert contains minimum clubs. This modern adjustment frees up 2♣ to preempt.

DUCE Polish 1♦ contains 18–20 unbalanced diamonds. This method makes 1♣ - 1♦ - 3♣♦ limited enough (21–23) for their level.

Precision-like 1♥♠ narrow down possibilities. Responder judges better and bids faster:

  • Game jumps are not only weak preempts but also non-slam values.
  • Frequent passes threaten to close bidding when games are out of sight.
1♣!F, Polish Club, showing either:
(12–14, 2–4♠, 2–4♥, 2–4♦, 2–4♣)
or (11–16, 5+♣ or 4414)
or (17+, unsuitable for 1♦ and 1NT)
1♦11–20, (5+♦ or (UNBAL, 4=♦, 1–5♣))
1♥♠11–16, 5+#
1NT15–17, 2–5♠, 2–5♥, 2–6♦, 2–6♣
2♣!PRE, 4–10, 4+♠, 4+♥, not 44(32) if VUL
2♦!PRE, 4–10, 6+♠♥
2♥♠!PRE, 4–10, 5=#, 4+♦♣
2NT!UNT, 4–10, 5+♦, 5+♣
3xPRE, 7+#
3NT!Gambling, SOL 7+♦♣, 0–1 outside A/K
4♣!PRE, S-SOL 8+♠♥, 0–1 outside A/K
4♦!PRE, SOL 8+♠♥, no outside A/K
4♥♠PRE, 8+#
4NT!UNT, 6+♦, 6+♣

The notrump ladder

  • 12–14: 1♣ - 1♦ - 1M
  • 15–17: 1NT
  • 18–20: 1♣ - 1♦ - 1NT
  • 21+: 1♣ - 1♦ - 2♦

Opening floors

An 11-count is a normal minimum for 1♥♠, but a selective minimum for 1♣♦.

  • Major suits: Open balanced 11-counts with a five-card major. Shortness or an unusually strong suit is not required.
  • Minor suits: Balanced hands normally need 12. An 11-count needs extra playing strength, such as useful shortness or a strong long suit. Pass an ordinary balanced 11-count with a five-card minor.

The ranges describe hands we may open, not a requirement to open every hand within them. Passing is appropriate when a hand qualifies for neither a one-level opening nor a preempt.

Late seats

Partner’s initial pass limits their hand and changes the purpose of an opening. A light opening directs the lead and competes for the partscore.

Light openings are for balanced and wasted hands, whose values scatter in short suits. Light shapely hands still open at the 2-level, so the ranges overlap.

  • Minor suits: Such 11-counts are good for 1♣♦ if these minor suits are worth leading.
  • Major suits: Such hands can go lower to 9+. Drury keeps 3-card limit raises at the 2-level. A light 1♥ promises 3+♠, so opener can always pass 1♠. Light hearts with short spades open 2♦♥ or pass.
P -
1♥9–16, 5+♥, 3+♠ when 9–10
1♠9–16, 5+♠

Fourth-seat 2♣ reduces to a natural jump. The other 2-level openings keep their shapes but upgrade to intermediate values.

P P P
2♣9–12, 6+♣
2♦!9–12, 6+♠♥
2♥♠!9–12, 5=#, 4+♦♣
2NT!9–12, 5+♦, 5+♣

Choosing the minor suit with (xx)45

Apply the opening floors first. This table chooses the opening for a hand already worth opening.

(40)45(31)452245
11–171♣1♦1♦/1NT
18–201♣1♦1♣
21+1♣1♣1♣

(40)45

You have no problem with rebidding the major suit or 2♣. I believe that 4M5♣ better describes your hand than 4M4♦.

(31)45

There is no natural diamond reverse in Polish 1♣. The only chance to introduce diamonds is at the opening. I’d open 1♦ until the artificial 1♣ - 1♦ - 2♦ relay (21+ any) takes over.

2245

Similar to (31)45, but 1NT and 1♣ - 1♦ - 1NT accept (5422), so 15–20 hands need not open 1♦.