Bergen - Part 1

Bergen Raises – Introduction

Without Bergen Raises, the “standard” method of supporting Partner’s major suit opening is as follows (take the HCP ranges with a grain of salt, as always there is scope for hand evaluation as well as point counting):

1♠ 1NT

2♣ 2♠ 4-9 HCPs, 2-card support or weak 3-card support

1♠ 2♠ 4-9 HCPs, 3- or 4-card support

1♠ 4♠ 4-9 HCPs, 5-card support (preemptive)

1♠ 1NT

2♣ 3♠ 10-12 HCPs, 3-card support

1♠ 3♠ 10-12 HCPs, 4-card support

1♠ 2NT 13+ HCPs, 4-card support

Additional to the above, some partnerships play that 3NT is a conventional major suit raise of some sort or other, and then, of course we also have Splinter sequences, such as 1♠ 4♦ showing shortness in Diamonds. That’s a lot of ways with which to raise Partner, but apparently it’s not enough!

The major defects of the above schema are as follows:

(a) It provides no way of preempting the auction when Responder holds 4-card support and a very weak hand. The options with that hand-type are to bid 4♠ which is one level too high, according to Total Trick analysis, or to bid 2♠ which lies about our HCPs and is one below our Total Trick level, or to just pass which is rarely a good idea holding 4-card support for Partner’s major.

(b) Hands with 4-card support and 4-9 HCPs can be shown with that 2♠ raise, but wouldn’t it be better if we could go straight to the 3-level on such hands (again based on Total Trick analysis);

♠ A764 ♠ A76

♥ QJT4 ♥ QT42

♦ 8 ♦ 82

♣ T986 ♣ 5432

There’s quite a difference between these two hands, too great perhaps to be categorized together under the same 2♠ raise.

Yes, Bergen raises are largely about the Law of Total Tricks … if we have a 9-card fit, we want to get to the 3-level as quickly as possible (for preemptive purposes) and, of course, as descriptively as possible.

Bergen Responses

To achieve the goal of more descriptive raises and fast arrival at the 3-level, Marty Bergen hijacked the 3♣ and 3♦ responses (nobody was using them for very much anyway), and came up with the following set of responses when holding 4-card support for Partner:

1♠ 3♣ Constructive 4-card raise, 7-9 HCPs

1♠ 3♦ Limit 4-card raise, 10-12 HCPs

1♠ 3♠ Preemptive 4-card raise, 0-6 HCPs

It’s important to realize that there is a common variation on these responses, namely the switching of the 3♣ and 3♦ bids. In system discussions with a new partner, when the subject of Bergen Raises comes up, the first question to be asked is “Which flavor do you play?” It’s moot as to which is better, but of course it’s vital that both partners play the same way.

Examples

Partner opens 1♥ and you hold the following hands … plan your method of raising.

♠ A3 A simple 2♥ bid … it’s “constructive” in strength, but the 3♣ raise is

♥ KQ6 reserved for hands with 4-card support. This raise shows exactly 3-

♦ T765 card support.

♣ 5432

♠ A3 This one does qualify as a constructive 3♣ raise.

♥ KQ63

♦ T765

♣ 543

♠ A3 That extra Jack pushes this one into limit raise territory, so bid 3♦.

♥ KQJ3

♦ T765

♣ 543

♠ 32 A preemptive raise to 3♠ … take away that Ace and it’s still worth a

♥ 9653 3♠ bid, it doesn’t matter how weak the hand is … in fact, some would

♦ 7653 say “The weaker the better!”

♣ AJ6

♠ QJ7 An awkward hand! In terms of HCPs it’s on the cusp of a preemptive

♥ 8542 raise and a constructive raise, but, notwithstanding the 4-card support,

♦ QT6 the hand is more defensive than offensive. We would bid 2♥ here,

♣ QT7 ostensibly showing a 3-card raise. Some purists might say that you

“never” bid 2♥ here with 4-card support, we beg to differ and suggest

that very occasionally it’s the right thing to do.