The openings of 1
and 1
are central to Chilli. The system is optimised around finding four-four major fits, and having found them, to find the correct level. For that reason, all minimum opening hands holding at least four hearts are opened 1, and minimum hands with at least four spades but fewer than four hearts are opened 1. Both openings may conceal a longer suit, and show sound opening values.
The 1 and 1 openings occur with considerably more frequency than in common British systems, for four reasons:
- Most people in Britain play a weak no-trump, and many hands that are opened one of a major in Chilli are weak no-trumps.
- Other hands are opened with one of a longer minor in other systems e.g. with a 1453 shape. Opening the major suit reduces the need for negative doubles, and gives you the luxury of re-entering a competitive auction with your longer suit, confident that a four-four major fit does not exist.
- Yet more hands are opened one of a minor in other systems for reasons of preparedness. For instance, with a 4144 shape, opening 1 in standard systems gives opener a problem after a 2 response, whereas the Chilli bidder can rebid 2NT with a minimum hand.
- Many people play five-card majors, making a prepared minor suit opening when holding only a four-card major.
In Chilli, an opening one of a major will often have seven losers, but could have six or eight. With five, strongly consider 1
, and with nine strongly consider pass.