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Who is in Control?
Control Precision’s Golden rule
The first bidder in the partnership always is the Blind Bidder, and partner becomes the Control Bidder, except when the opening bid is One ♣. Then opener is the Control Bidder. When the one ♣ opener rebids a No Trump Bid, then the roles change and responder takes control.
If both partners know and understand this golden rule, then both will know who the Control Bidder and Blind Bidder is at all times. Armed with this information both partners now know their respective roles throughout the bidding and defence.
Both partners have no need to have a combined picture of both hands. We only need one partner to receive an accurate description of the other’s cards. Therefore if opener can accurately describe to partner the exact point count and distribution of the hand, the responder will gather this information and add it to the 13 cards already known. Responder must now place the opener into the right contract. He does so by describing the relative strength in a limited, invitational or game forcing bid. Now the Blind Partner knows how safe it is to continue bidding.
When opening the bidding with a limited 11-15 High Card Points the responder becomes the Control Bidder. Now the opener must accurately describe the hand, while responder gathers the information, to decide the final outcome of the bidding. This applies to all 1♦, 1♥, 1♠, 1NT and 2♣ openings. This rule also applies to the multi 2♦ and weak 2♥, 2♠, 2NT bids too, as well as your weak 3 and 4 bids. Overcall Bidding is very similar, using the take out double for strong overcall hands.
For other openings, the opener immediately defines the hand to a limited type of distribution and point range. The responder, now only has to return to the opener enough feedback as to whether there is enough combined point holding is safe to bid into the next round, onto game or slam. Responder may prefer to exit the auction early or concede to the opponent’s overbid. In some cases the responder may require specific information, like finding No Trump stoppers, or slam controls, so he asks.
Opener then makes the second bid, which gives more information as to the kind of distribution and point range. Sometimes if a third bid is necessary this can be done at the appropriate time if responder allows for such a bid. On many slam-going combinations a few relays may be necessary. These relays are triggered off with Omega Bids, thus allowing Control Bidder to ask the holding in specific suits. Control Bidder, who is looking at his own cards, will be best able to assess the combined holding of the partnership.
When the opener has the stronger 16+ Hcp hand then open 1♣, and takes control of the bidding, unless there is No Trump type of hand. This means that the opener, after opening 1♣ and hearing either a weak 1♦ or any other bid will proceed to ask the responder for further information about the cards.
Should opener choose a No Trump bid after 1♣, at any level, he then describes a limited Balanced Hand. Control will now return to the responder who can then proceed to place the final contract after any further questions have been answered. Balanced Hands are easy to define, so responder will have the best picture of the combined holding.
There are five ways to define the shape of the blind hand. We have divided our shapes into five different categories. 4441 hands, long suits weak, 2 suiters, Major suit hands and Balanced Hands. By choosing both your opening bid, and the second bid carefully, Control Partner will be able to know exactly the type of hand that is being bid.
It is best to use only, absolute High Card Point Count during the first round of bidding. I do not advise adjusting the point count for distribution, (e.g. adjusting a good 15 Hcp to open 1♣ or adjusting a poor 16 Hcp to open 1NT) as this will lead to the delivery of misleading information.
Control Precision Plus does allow for some point modification when holding specific types of hands. This is for more experienced Control Precision players. This way you describe exactly what you hold, without adjusting for distribution or doubleton queens or singleton kings. This can be allowed for in the next round of bidding and can be taken into account before jumping to show strength. So a good hand with 13 High Card Points. and a singleton may be bid as strong, while a similar hand with the king in the singleton suite, or the existence of a queen in a doubleton or singleton suite may be adjusted as weak. While these occurrences do weaken your hand, I believe that by being able to accurately describe you high card points, the controlling partner can access the balance of strength from the total point count of 40, which is the total amount of points in the deck of cards. Remember that any combined holding of 21+ High Card Points means that you hold the balance of strength over your opponents.
Now that the responder is armed with accurate information, and will be in the best position to know exactly what is going on when the opponents make an overcall, or jump shift. Many players can’t resist to over or under value their hands, only to brag on when the final outcome has been successful, and that it was this decision that lead to the final outcome. This may happen from time to time, but it will also be the biggest cause of bad results, as gambling bids at the bridge table are so unnecessary. Accurate information is usually the best policy. Note, that had you bid properly you probably would have come at the best contract anyway. If you occasionally get bad scores due to bad breaks or unusual defence, don’t be discouraged. No bridge system can tell what the opponents’ cards and distribution may be. It forms part of the mystery of this great game. But there is no law against listening to their bids and watching their play to gather information about bad breaks and missing key cards, experts will do that anyway. Very few tournaments are decided on 1 or 2 bad breaks and players who get accurate 60% scores most of the time find themselves at the top or near the top of the result sheet.
I also believe that the sooner you enter the auction the greater the advantage. Control Precision gives you maximum opportunity to do so. If either partner has 11+ points or more (1/4 of the total count) you are into the bidding. You will have a huge arsenal of weak openings for any type of distributional hands, when holding a 5-5 or 6-card suite. These bids help you to enter the bidding early with as little as 7 High Card Points.
