Opening Light in Third Seat

This is an area that many players (including me) find confusing.

The logic is that it is not too dangerous to open with a hand that you would normally pass because partner has already passed. This means that you can pass any reply that partner makes. The gains should be

1. to make it more difficult for the opponent to bid. This means that if you open 1 spade the opponent has to reply at the 2 level or double. Pre-empts with weak hands and relatively poor suits can also be effective!

2. It might give your partner a lead but if you are opening light you may not want him/her to lead your suit!

What are the limits of the bid? How weak a hand can you open or pre-empt with? Vulnerability is obviously a factor. If you open 1 something vulnerable after your partner has passed and the person to your left has 18 points and 6 of the suit you opened you could be in trouble! These days the opponents will probably make a 'take-out' double in 4th seat which your left hand opponent will gleefully leave in!

One guideline that usually works is to have a good suit when opening. The problem with this is that your other suits will be weaker and this makes it harder to pass your partner's reply in other suits.

I suppose that there are negative guidelines that say do not bid if you are not prepared to either bid your suit again, or your second suit or pass a suit bid by your partner.

As is often the case Ron Klinger has more on this than most authors. He states that 13 HCP or more should always open the bidding but with 9-11 points there is a strong chance that you will be outbid. He suggests that the bidding should be opened 1 spade with (presumably if you are an ACOL player):

♠ AKJ7

♥ 53

♦ Q 10 7 2

♣ 843

But pass with

♠ Q7532

♥ AKJ

♦ 972

♣ 95

The logic is that your bid should suggest an opening lead to partner, otherwise the downside of informing the opposition of the location of the strength they are missing is too big a risk.

His really good advice is "if your hand has a good suit and would be worth an overcall at the one-level, it is worth a third seat opening".

see "When to bid, When to Pass" by Ron Klinger.