Dear Ed & Peter,

Could you enlighten me about The Rule of 20?

Thanks, Stig R. Ofstad.

Reply Ed Hoogenkamp (South)

Dear Stig,

You apply The Rule of 20 when you're in doubt whether to open one in a suit or not. The rule says:
Open if your combined point count and number of cards in your two longest suits is 20 or more.

(After I explained this rule to Peter, he passed some amazingly strong hands. I asked him why.
'I'm using The Rule of 20', he said.
He had got it all wrong, of course: he thought he had to subtract the combined number of cards in his two longest suits from his point count. He passed a 6-4 distribution with 29 points! He was one point short of opening according to his new learned rule...)

This means you open:
- Any hand with 13 points or more, since 13 + 7 (4+3 = minimum amount of card in two longest suits) = 20
- Any hand with 12 points with (at least) 5-3 in the longest suits.
- Any hand with 11 points with (at least) 5-4, 6-3 or 7-2.

Of course you reach a point where your suit(s) are that long you might consider opening three of four in your longest suit.
If you consider yourself a good card player you can consider changing the rule into The Rule of 19 or 18 ....
I advised Peter to use The Rule of 23 or 24.

Un saludo, greetings from Barcelona

Reply Peter van der Linden (North)

Dear Stig Rune,

It's clear that this rule is a very simple one, since even Ed could explain it.

The only thing I would like to add is: take a good look at the position of your honour cards.
I wouldn't open:

Whereas I would certainly open 1♥ on:

Both hands qualify for an opening according to The Rule of 20...
I have tried to explain this to Ed, but alas... Counting as far as 20 had already drained his mental powers...

And about Ed's 'advice' to me: I hope that you, Stig Rune, can vouch for my ability to use the Rule of 20 (for those who wonder why: Stig Rune and I have been colleagues at work and played together as well, to mutual pleasure).

En hils, greetings from Orkanger.