REALBRIDGE 

1NT. You have a balanced 4333 shape with 13 high card points.

If partner is also 4333 shape and the 4 card suit is different, the hand will probably be difficult to play. However, you must bid your hand.

Pass.You only have 11 points

1NT

You have 12 high card points in a balanced 5332 shape. As you are playing a Weak NT 12-14 your bid is clear. The 5 card suit could be an asset. Do not worry about your weak hearts. With a 12-14 point hand you will usually have a weak suit(s).

1NT.

Opinion is divided when you have a 5332 shape, including a good 5 card major. Some will bid 1S whilst others say 1NT.

As 5332 shape is one of 3 balanced shapes it seems to me to be logical to bid 1NT.There are several advantages in bidding in this way. We will in some future hands see these in operation.

1H.

The 14 point hand has a 5422 shape. This is an Unbalanced hand so we bid our longest suit.

2NT.

This bid shows 20-22 points. Your hand is Balanced 5332.

The KQJT of diamonds make the hand worth more. All 4 cards can only be beaten by the ace so it could be argued that all 4 cards are worth 3 points each.

The hand has only 5 losers - 1s, 1h, 1d & 2c. More on this later.

2H

You are playing Strong Twos and have 21 points with a powerful 6431 shape. 

Hands with 20-22 points are bid a Strong 2 (Unbalanced Hands) or 2NT. (Balanced hands)

Attitudes vary but it is best to treat a Strong Two as a 1 round force i.e partner must respond.

2C

Holding 23 points you open the conventional 2C. This is forcing to Game except in one sequence 2C - 2D (negative or relay) - 2NT. 

3H

With a 7 card suit in an otherwise weak hand open 3 of your suit.This is highly preemptive and the aim is to make life difficult for the opponents.

Opinions vary as to what strength is required and vulnerability is a factor.

The best position at the table to make such a bid is 3rd after two passes. 4th hand is likely to be strong.

If you have 2 of the top 3 honours in the suit, or 3 of the top 5 you will not go too far wrong. 

1H. your longest suit.

You have an Unbalanced 5422 shape with 14 points.

On your rebid you intend 2C to show your shape. If however, partner shows support for your major, then the planned rebid will be abandoned.

1D your longest suit.

Whatever bidding system you play there will be certain hands that are uncomfortable to bid. The type of hand will vary.

For the system we are employing this hand has potential problems when it comes to a rebid. The fact that the minor suit is longer than the major suit is the reason.We must bid our longer suit first and we would prefer this to be the higher ranking suit.

We will revisit this hand when looking at responder's bid and opener's rebid.

1S. 

With 14 points in an Unabalnced Hand (6331) an easy opening bid.

When making an opening bid you should have a good idea of what your response will be to partner's bid. Here repeating your spades seems obvious.

1S

You only have 11 points but you have a very shapely hand. An often used tool to decide whether you open on a hand is The Rule of 20. Your total points + the number of cards in your two longest suits = 20 or more the hand is usually worth an opening bid.

Here we have 11 points + 5 spades and 4 hearts = 20.

Furthermore we have an easy redid of 2H showing our 5 - 4 shape.

1D

You have a Balanced (4432) 18 point hand with two 4 card suits. Open the higher ranking of two 4 card suits unless the suits are hearts & spades in which case open 1H.

It does not matter that the diamond suit is weak. The days of biddable suits has long gone.

1H

This is a problem shape (4441) under most systems. You have 16 points.

The most common theory is that you should open the suit below the singleton hence 1H.

If you find a fit (8+ cards) then the hand could prove strong. However, what usually happens, is that partner bids your singleton suit, after all there are 12 cards in spades to be divided between 3 hands.