Weekly Hand Analysis - Vic Johnson - March 27, 2023 - 1NT

 

Question:  West starts with 1NT.  East has 7 points and a five card diamond suit.  Did East make a good bid by passing?  West made 8 tricks.

Vic:

Before answering your question, I feel compelled to advise you that Pass is not a "bid'. Pass is a "call". Naughty, naughty, naughty the Bridge Word Police would chant. 

The term "call" refers to any auction signal you can make using the bidding box.  

The term "bid" specifically refers to one of the rungs on the bidding ladder. That is, one of the five "strains" at one of the seven levels (1H - 3S - 6NT - whatever). 

All bids are also calls. But not all calls are bids. Double & Redouble are other examples of calls that are not bids. 

As for your question, it begs a two word answer that commonly applies to many questions asked about bridge. "It depends." 

Audrey Grant teaches that you should include length points in the initial evaluation of your hand. I would expect an Audrey Grant disciple to add one length point to the East hand. That would make it an 8 point hand in which case I would expect them to bid 2NT. 

Holding the East hand, I would expect a player who does not include length points in the initial evaluation of their hand to Pass.