TH asked: To open the bidding, you can add length points to your HCPs to get to 12+ . Length points are 1 point for a five card suit, 2 for a six card suit and 3 for a seven card suit etc. Isn’t this misleading responder because he/she expects you as opener to have 12+ HCPs - whereas in reality you may have only 10 HCP as the other 2 points came from length points? If responder had 13 HCPs and his partner opened, then responder would assume a minimum of 12 HCPs – add the two together to get 25 and therefore you bid to game – however in reality the total is only 23 HCP and you fail your game contract.
Cath W answered: Beginners learn to open 12 HCP plus a length point (so with12 HCP and a flat 4-3-3-3 they don’t open – even many experienced players won’t open this).
At Peninsula we set practice hands that contain 12 HCP and a length point to open or 13 HCP and flat. Some improver hands will be 12 HCP with different shapes to practice the “Rule of 20” (where you add HCP and the length of your two longest suits and open if you get to 20).
At Peninsula we teach 15-17 HCP to open 1NT (without including length points). Nevertheless, a 5 card suit will generally give you an extra trick – so that fifth card has value (but you need to use your tools of promotion and length (and ruffing in a suit contract) to realise that value.
