[gwnn]

I heard in the club that the most common opening bid is (hidden). I'd like to make a little BBF experiment.

I deliberately do not give a bridge hand or a bidding system to go with the question.

[jjbrr]

1C. Precision! Polish! And it's opened a lot in standard too

[PassedOut]

For me, it's 1NT by a considerable margin.

[peachy]

I think 1C, and I think it is clear. Playing some sort of natural methods, 1C is opened with clubs, with 3-3 minors, some open 1C with 4-4 minors, with xx clubs in the style where 1C *could be short, with 4-4 clubs and major. In addition, strong club systems, Polish Club and some home brew systems as well.

[jdonn]

I think clearly 1♣.

[Cyberyeti]

jdonn, on Aug 19 2010, 05:35 PM, said:

I think clearly 1♣.

If you play strong NT I guess 1♣, weak NT may well be 1N.

[jdonn]

Cyberyeti, on Aug 19 2010, 05:36 PM, said:

jdonn, on Aug 19 2010, 05:35 PM, said:

I think clearly 1♣.

If you play strong NT I guess 1♣, weak NT may well be 1N.

What is this "if"? This question is being asked of all bridge players who play all systems combined.

[jjbrr]

There should be a feature to make polls public so that we can see who voted for what. I would like to know the joker who clicked 3♦.

[cherdanno]

Clearly 2D - it's open with both majors weak, both majors strong, one major weak, diamonds weak, ...

[inquiry]

It will not be 1C, because those of you who play 1C systems will know that 1C does not come up often. what do you open when you can not open 1C? The more strong club players in the field, the less likely 1C will be opened.


Also, playing 5 card major it will not be either major. And when playing better minor you are likely to open 1D as you are 1C.

So I vote for 1D.

[jdonn]

I don't think it's 1♦ but I was waiting for someone to suggest it.

[inquiry]

jdonn, on Aug 19 2010, 06:42 PM, said:

I don't think it's 1♦ but I was waiting for someone to suggest it.

well i lot of people are opening 2 card clubs suits 1C, so clubs might win out. But again, since strong club needs 16 hcp or so to open 1C, the higher frequency of players playing a strong club bidding system, the lower the number of 1C openings there will be.

[TylerE]

But those will be at least partially (and maybe more) balanced by those playing Polish-type systems where about 90% of the Std 1♣ openers are still 1♣ + the extra stuff.

[awm]

In a weak notrump environment it would be 1NT. For example in England I expect that 1NT is the most common opener. However, worldwide I don't think weak notrump is all that popular.

Playing strong notrump in a standard style, it's 1♣. This is even more true if you play a short club of some type. Playing polish club, it's also 1♣.

Playing precision, 1♦ is more common than 1♣. However, it's not necessarily by a huge factor, and I'm not convinced this outweighs the high 1♣ frequency in standard and 2/1 (and polish).

Overall I'll go with 1♣.

[TylerE]

I do wonder if it might be 1M...just because people will stretch more to open.

So I'm going to go out on a limb and say 1♠.

[MickyB]

If you open 1C with 3-3 and 1D with 4-4, is 1C actually more frequent?

[rogerclee]

never mind

[Phil]

1♣>1♦

1N seems more likely than 1♥ or 1♠ however. I could be wrong.

[NickRW]

awm, on Aug 20 2010, 12:01 AM, said:

In a weak notrump environment it would be 1NT. For example in England I expect that 1NT is the most common opener.

Assuming so called 'modern' Acol style (weak NT, 4 card majors and 4432 shapes outside the NT range opened in H/S/D/C priority order), then it is very close between 1NT and 1H.

However, there are those who open up the line, those who play 5 card majors or 5 card spades and those who like strong NT, and a few who like strong club systems, which changes the overall picture. Weak NT is, never the less, quite ubiquitous at least in the MP club arena, so probably overall, 1NT wins out.

Nick

[Mbodell]

Pass is obviously the most common, but after pass I think 1♣ is next most common. Certainly in places where strong NT and SA or 2/1 are the most common systems.