Question: This hand made 3NT. How do you decide when to go to game when the partner indicates a minimum support hand?
The longer you play bridge, the more ways you will learn to evaluate the strength of your hands. In my two part Beginning Bridge course I teach three basic methods.
Point Count: A common partnership agreement is that an opening bid of 1NT should promise 15-17 HCPS. The above opening hand is at the top of that range. Given that point count is considered the primary hand evaluation criterion, going to game based on point count alone would be automatic for many players.
Quick Tricks: Common agreement is that a standard opening hand should include at least 2.0 Quick Tricks. The above opening hand has 3.5 Quick Tricks, significantly stronger than standard. The Quick Trick count screams "go to game".
Losers: Common agreement is that a standard opening hand should have no more than 7 losers. The above opening hand does have exactly 7 Losers. No reason to worry here.
Taken as a group, the three evaluations above clearly identify a hand that is strong enough to accept an invitation to game.
Note: If you are a player who is not already routinely evaluating your hands for Quick Tricks & Losers, I would encourage you to start doing so. Don't know how? Sign up for the Beginning Bridge course I expect to be teaching live at the Bridge Club in January//February 2023.
Ain't bridge a great game.
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