Pre-emptive bids
Pre-emptive bids are made in auctions to a suit with a jump. These can be made either directly when opening or when overcalling. In both cases, the meaning is the same.
Unlike standard openings/overcalls, they show very precise hands: a nice long suit with a weak hand.
Unlike standard openings/overcalls, they show very precise hands: a nice long suit with a weak hand.
The strength of a pre-empt
You show a hand with few HCP and below-opening strength (5-10 HCP).
A nice suit and a weak hand (5-10 HCP): the perfect hand for a pre-empt.
The number of cards
You show a precise number of cards in the opening suit through the level at which you open or overcall:
At the 2-level, you must have 6 cards.
At the 3-level, you must have 7 cards.
At the 4-level, you must have 8 cards.
At the 5-level (for minors only), you must have 9 cards.
A pre-emptive opening is interesting because it bothers the opponents a lot, whilst being descriptive.
Your distribution provides the safety which allows you to bid at a higher level, despite having a weak hand.
This is a statistical law, according to which a side must commit to taking as many tricks as trumps held: either they make this contract or they don't but the opponents usually have a better contract to play by their side.
Indeed, when you open
Of course, opening or overcalling at the 3-level doesn't guarantee that you will have 9 trumps between you and your partner and that you will make this contract. And if the opponents have a better contract, you will have made the task of finding it harder.
Your distribution provides the safety which allows you to bid at a higher level, despite having a weak hand.
This is a statistical law, according to which a side must commit to taking as many tricks as trumps held: either they make this contract or they don't but the opponents usually have a better contract to play by their side.
Indeed, when you open
, you promise 7 cards in Hearts, which leaves 6 between the three remaining players. Your partner therefore has 2 cards in the suit on average, giving you 9 trumps and the distributional safety to play at the 3-level (with 9 trumps, you can commit to taking 9 tricks and so on).
Of course, opening or overcalling at the 3-level doesn't guarantee that you will have 9 trumps between you and your partner and that you will make this contract. And if the opponents have a better contract, you will have made the task of finding it harder.
Be aware!
The
bid is an exception. It is not a pre-empt but it is a game-forcing
bid.
The
bid is not a pre-empt either. It shows a strong balanced hand of 20-22 HCP.