Bergen raises

In the game of bridge, Bergen raises specify a conventional treatment of raising a major suit opening in a five-card major system. This convention is named after Marty Bergen, the developer of this treatment.

When Bergen raises are used, over a 1Hearts (1Spades) opening the bids of 3Clubs, 3Diams and 3Hearts (3Spades) all denote a four (or more) card trump support on hands of variable high card strength:

*3Clubs – weak (typically 7-10 high card points)
*3Diams – invitational to game (typically 11-12 high card points)
*3Hearts/3Spades – very weak (preemptive, typically less than 7 high-card points)

Over 3Clubs Opener may sign off in trumps, but a bid of 3Diams asks partner to bid 3 of the major with a weaker hand, ie 7-8 points, or bid 4 with a stronger hand, ie 9-10 points.

Bergen raises are designed to take advantage of the Law of total tricks, which states that with nine trumps one should compete at the three-level regardless of high card strength.

Partnerships which employ Bergen raises, often utilise a Jacoby 2NT response to major suit openings for game-forcing hands with trump support. A direct raise to game is then preemptive on a very shapely hand (often with five card trump support).

Partnerships that play a major opening as full strength (for example by opening at the 2 level with a weaker hand) will play the 3Diams bid as forcing to game on the premise that normally 23 points are sufficient for game with a 9 card fit.

Modifications to Bergen responses do exist. One such method is to reverse the meanings of the two minor suit responses at the three level, thereby creating a system of responses that denote progressively weaker hands on subsequent bids.