Opening with 11 HCP

Using our deal generation program, we see that roughly 80% of the times we open a hand 1♣, it is in the first category (11-14 HCP and balanced). You might be wondering about our opening range including 11 HCP. We are not requiring all 11 HCP hands to be opened. That still requires good judgment of the partnership. However, if you decide to open 11 HCP with a balanced hand, 1♣ will fit the need. Consider a hand ♠AT98 ♥AT98 ♦KT8 ♣T9. Would you like an opportunity to get into this auction before the opponents? We would. As you recall in the first chapter on hand evaluation, we like opening hands that have 7 LTC or better. We like to have 2 quick tricks (favoring Aces over Quacks) and to have intermediates (Ts and 9s). Remember, this is an 11 HCP balanced hand. You may also wish to have a 5 card minor suit or 4-4 in both majors, 4-3-3-3 shaped hands are weaker, even with an AAK making up the 11 HCP. The Toucan system, like most all modern bridge bidding system, emphasizes reaching a major suit contract when any fit is found. If you are going to open 1♣ light, we recommend that you hold 4 cards in both majors in anticipation of your partner's transfer response. At a minimum you should have a plan for your rebid before you open 1♣. Generally, 11 HCP balanced hands are stronger if you have top controls (Ace and Kings as opposed to Queens and Jacks) and those values are concentrated in your longer suits. A Kxxx is much stronger than Kx (doubleton).