ingilizce briç kursu: 2010

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TABLE OF CONTENTS
INTRODUCTION FOR THE BRIDGE BEGINNER ........................................................... 4
INTRODUCTION FOR THE BRIDGE TEACHER ............................................................ 5
Chapter 1 - The Basics of Standard Systems .......................................................................... 9
Part 1 - Standard American Style ............................................................................................. 16
Chapter 2 - Opening with 1-in-a-Suit .................................................................................... 17
Chapter 3 - The One No-Trump Opening ............................................................................ 30
Chapter 4 - Responding with Weak Hands .......................................................................... 40
Chapter 5 - Responding with Strong Hands ......................................................................... 63
Chapter 6 - Bidding by a Passed Hand ................................................................................. 85
Chapter 7 - Super-Strong Opening Bids ............................................................................... 89
Part 2 - Areas of Bidding .......................................................................................................... 101
Chapter 8 - Slam Bidding ..................................................................................................... 102
Chapter 9 - Pre-emptive Opening Bids ............................................................................... 115
Chapter 10 - Standard Overcalls ......................................................................................... 128
Chapter 11 - Takeout Doubles ............................................................................................. 145
Chapter 12 - Penalty Doubles ............................................................................................... 162
Part 3 - Additional Material..................................................................................................... 164
Appendix 1: From Whist To Bridge ..................................................................................... 164
Appendix 2: The Stayman Convention ................................................................................ 168
Appendix 3: Opening Leads - The Suit to Lead .................................................................. 169
Appendix 4: Opening Leads - The Card to Lead ................................................................ 170
Appendix 5: Negative Doubles .............................................................................................. 171
Appendix 6: Bridge Myths and Fallacies ............................................................................. 176
Appendix 7: Ethics and Etiquette ......................................................................................... 177
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Appendix 8: Tournament Bridge.......................................................................................... 178
Appendix 9: How to Improve Your Game ........................................................................... 181
Appendix 10: Popular Conventions and Systems ............................................................... 182
Appendix 11: The Mechanics and Rules of Bridge ............................................................. 183
GLOSSARY AND INDEX ................................................................................................... 189
ANSWERS TO EXERCISES AND BIDDING PRACTICE ............................................ 192
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INTRODUCTION FOR THE BRIDGE BEGINNER
Bridge is fun to play, but the better you play, the more fun it is. As you improve, you will be fascinated at discovering how much there is to the game. Despite popular opinion to the contrary, bridge is not difficult to learn.
This book is the product of many classes given to beginners and improving players. It is intended for those who know nothing about bridge and also for those who already know how the game is played but who wish to learn Standard American bidding or to improve their game. The book can be used as a self-teacher or in conjunction with bridge classes.
If you are an absolute beginner, play through the games for beginners set out in Appendix 1 'From Whist To Bridge'. After you have become familiar with the mechanics of the game, proceed to Chapter 1.
For the reader who can already play, do not try to memorise everything as you go, but do pay close attention to the examples, the exercises, the partnership bidding practice and the play hands in each chapter. It is worth re-reading the text every six months or so until you are confident you know the contents. It is beneficial to test yourself on the exercises as you go. These exercises simulate countless ordinary bidding situations, and by scoring well on the exercises you will build up confidence and also score well at the table when the everyday problems occur.
This book is not for the expert and will not make you an expert bridge player. It does not deal with expert bidding, expert play or expert defense, but it does cover the ordinary, standard situations - the basics that make up 95% of the game - where most players go wrong. Follow the recommendations and you will eliminate fundamental flaws from your game and progress from a novice to a competent, confident bridge player.
To improve, you should try to play as often as possible, for the more you play, the speedier will be your improvement. It is all very well to take lessons and read books, but a lot of bridge competence is based on experience. The more often you encounter a basic situation, the more readily you will be able to deal with it in future.
Above all, remember that bridge is a game to be enjoyed . It can and should be a lot of fun and that is how you should approach it. I hope you derive as much enjoyment and satisfaction from it as I have.
Happy bridging.
Ron Klinger, 1993, 2000
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INTRODUCTION FOR THE BRIDGE TEACHER
In conducting regular courses for bridge players, you will encounter two distinct types of players in classes for beginners: those who have never played bridge (and may never have played cards), and those who have played before and might have learnt socially but who either know very little about bidding methods or have not played for quite some time and have forgotten most of what they have learned. It is quite a task to cater for both groups within the one class. If you dwell at length on the basic concepts of a 'trick', 'trumps, 'lead' and so on, needed for the absolute beginners, the more advanced players are wasting their time since they know these fundamentals. On the other hand, if you cater for them advanced to members of your class, you run the far greater risk of leaving the absolute beginners floundering, and they may lose interest and perhaps give up. Bridge Basics is suitable for classes for beginners' to improvers' standard. It is based on Standard American bidding and can be used for courses for absolute beginners. When dealing with absolute beginners, it is desirable to base the first class or even the first two classes on 'From Whist To Bridge' (Appendix 1), before starting on a Chapter 1. This is like a 'pre-bridge' course. It is even sensible to hold two such pre-bridge classes (for those who have never played) before commencing the course proper (when those who have played previously joined in). Bridge Basics commences with the basics of all standard systems -the high card point count valuation and hand patterns. Chapter two covers the one-level suit opening bids. Chapter 3 deals with the 1NT opening and the treatment of balanced hand patterns, but does not include the 2NT and 3NT openings or slam bidding. These appear later to reduce the content at the start of the course. It is important not to overwhelm your students with too much detail at the beginning The suit openings when holding a 5-card or longer suit are standard (open the longest suit, with five-five open the higher) regardless of which approach is adopted. Differences arise only for the 4-4-3-2,4-3-3-3 and 4-4-4-1 patterns. The answers to the exercises at the back of the book state when a difference arises because of the bidding system. However, the play hands have been constructed to tally with either method. Each teacher can thus cover the approach that is in local common use. Weak responding hands (under 10 points) are covered in Chapter 4 followed by strong responding hands (10 points for more) in Chapter 5. This division should simplify matters for both teacher and student. When we respond to partner's opening, we think in terms of 'weak hand' or 'strong hand'. This conceptual approach should be of considerable assistance to students. Bidding by a passed hand is covered in Chapter 6 and strong openings (2-openings plus 2NT and 3NT openings are discussed in Chapter 7). Slam bidding has a chapter of its own (Chapter 8) as do pre-emptive openings (Chapter 9). Each chapter has its own set of exercises, partnership bidding practice and play hands. The last three chapters deal with competitive bidding: overcalls, takeout doubles and penalty doubles respectively. In the chapter on takeout doubles, the suit response at the cheapest level is 0-9 (counting distribution) and the jump - response is 10-12. The no - trump response also conform to these ranges: the 1NT response to a double is 6-9 and the jump to 2NT is 10–12. The advantages of these ranges are that they coincide with the ranges for responding to an opening bid (0-5, 6-9, 10 or more) covered in the earlier chapters, and that the ranges for the no-trump responses dovetail with the ranges for a suit response. Both of these features mean that the ranges will strike students as familiar. Students will not have to learn one set of the ranges for
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suit bidding and a different one for no-trump responses. The use of the 5-3-1 short suit count for suit response to a takeout double has the effect of making the recommended ranges as accurate as necessary. The 3-2-1 short suit count is suggested as helpful in valuing a hand in order to make a takeout double even if it is not be used in determining when to open the bidding and when to pass. The exercises, the partnership bidding and the play hands provide more material than you can usually manage within a lesson. Choose the exercises you feel our most useful but remember, the more student participation, the better. In particular, do not omit the four play hands. Students often find this the most valuable part of the class. Exercises which you have not been able to cover in class can be set as homework and corrected at the start of the next class.
Suggested Structure of Bridge Courses Course content will vary according to the number of classes available and the standard of the players. The following are possible suggestions but, of course, you may construct your own curriculum. Content of bridge courses (chapters in Bridge Basics in brackets) Absolute beginners 12-week course: 1. Whist To Bridge I 2. Whist To Bridge II 3. Basics & suit openings (1, 2) 4. 1 NT opening (3) 5. Weak responding hands (4) 6. Strong responding hands (5) 7. Two-openings (7) 8. Slam bidding (8) 9. Pre-empts (9) 10.Overcalls (10) 11.Doubles (11, 12) 12.Revision and play practice 10-week course: 1. Whist To Bridge I 2. Whist To Bridge II 3. Basics & suit openings (1, 2) 4. 1 NT opening (3) 5. Weak responding hands (4) 6. Strong responding hands (5) 7. Two-openings (7) 8. Slam bidding (8) 9. Overcalls (10) 10.Takeout doubles (11, 12)
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8-week course : 1. Whist To Bridge 2. Basics & suit openings (1,2) 3. 1 NT openings (3) 4. Weak responding hands (4) 5. Strong responding hands (5) 6. Two-openings (7) 7. Slam bidding (8) 8. Overcalls and doubles (10, 11) Improvers
12-week course: 1. Basics & suit openings (1, 2) 2. 1 NT opening (3) 3. Weak responding hands I (4) 4. Weak responding hands II (4) S. Strong responding hands I (5) 6. Strong responding hands II (5, 6) 7. Two-openings (7) 8. Slam bidding (8) 9. Pre-empts (9) 10.Overcalls (10) 11.Takeout doubles (11, 12) 12.Revision and play practice 10-week course: 1. Basics & suit openings (1, 2) 2. 1 NT opening (3) 3. Weak responding hands (4) 4. Strong responding hands (5, 6) 5. two-openings (7) 6. Slam bidding (8) 7. Pre-empts (9) 8. Overcalls (10) 9. Takeout doubles (11, 12) 10.Revision and play practice 8-week course: 1. Opening bids (1, 2, 3) 2. Weak responding hands (4) 3. Strong responding hands (5, 6) 4. Two-openings (7) 5. Slam bidding (8) 6. Pre-empts (9) 7. Overcalls (10) 8. Takeout doubles (11, 12)
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Each of our classes lasts about 2 1/2 hours and the content of each class after the first follows this structure: correct homework; introduce a new material; exercises; partnership bidding hands; coffee break; play hands. We do not spend too much time on the homework, but this allows stragglers to come to class without missing any new material. Students bring their Bridge Basics to each class for the partnership bidding and the play hands. Make sure to include the four play hands in each class. They are at least as important as the main part of the lesson. Students learn much more quickly by playing than by listening and it is also more enjoyable. The hands are structured so that each player is declarer once. Except for the hands on defensive play (Chapter 10), each contract can be made and the idea is to give relatively new players confidence in their ability. After the cards have been sorted out, the students should be allowed to bid the hands themselves. After their bidding is finished, go over the bidding with the class and explain any traps or errors. The final contract should be the one in the book, not some other contract the students might have reached. The opening lead is made and, if wrong should be corrected together with an appropriate explanation. The students should be left to play the hands on their own, though some brief advice can be given (e.g., ‘You need to ruff a club in dummy.'). Students should be encouraged to play the cards in duplicate fashion, so that the hand can be conveniently replayed, if necessary. Some declarer's will go down, some will make overtricks, some defences will be atrocious. After the hand, spend just a little time explaining the main thrust of the hand, but remember that the students can go over the hands at home. At the end of the course, encourage your students to play as often as possible. If you can arrange supervised practice sessions in conjunction with the course, so much the better. The aim of Bridge Basics is to make the game easy and fun for the students. If you can do the same, you will find the teaching of bridge to be a pleasant and rewarding pastime.
Ron Klinger, 1993, 2000
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Chapter 1
The Basics of Standard Systems
THE HIGH CARD POINT COUNT
All standard systems start hand valuation by counting the high card content of the hand on this scale: A = 4 K = 3 Q = 2 J = 1 These are known as High Card Points, or HCP. Other points may be added to the high card point total of the cards you hold but all hand valuation starts with the 4-3-2-1 count. The first thing you will do after you have sorted your cards into suits is to count and total your high card points. Then you will move on to noting the shape of the hand and the number of cards in each suit.
HAND PATTERNS AND HAND SHAPES
Each bridge hand contains 13 cards. The pattern of the hand describes the length of each suit in the hand starting with the longest suits, followed by the longest and ending with the shortest. For example, to say that a hand is 5-4-2-2 means that it contains a 5-card suit, a 4-card suit plus two doubletons, while a 6-3-3-1 pattern means that the hand has a 6-card suit, two 3-card suits and a singleton. There are three hand shapes: balanced, semi-balanced and unbalanced. A balanced hand has a 4-4-3-3, 4-4-3-2, 5-3-3-2 pattern. It contains no void, no singleton and at most one doubleton. A semi–balanced hand has a 5-4-2-2, 6-3-2-2 or 7-2-2-2 pattern. It has no void, no singleton, but will have two or three doubletons (in contrast to the balanced shapes, which contain either one doubleton or no doubleton). Unbalanced hands consist of every other possible pattern, but they all have one common feature: they must contain a void or a singleton. The hand shapes are summarised in the following table:
HAND SHAPES
BALANCED 4-3-3-3 4-4-3-2 5-3-3-2 SEMI-BALANCED 5-4-2-2 6-3-2-2 7-2-2-2 UNBALANCED 5-4-3-1 5-5-2-1
No void, no singleton, at most one doubleton
No void, no singleton, two or three doubletons
and all other shapes which include a void or a singleton
Balanced hands are best for no-trump contracts. Since there is no short suit and at most one doubleton, there is little prospect for trumping and you are bound to follow suit almost
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throughout the hand. Therefore, a trump contract holds little attraction. Your approach would be to suggest no-trumps early in the bidding. Unbalanced hands are best for trump contracts. As you hold either a void or a singleton, there is ample opportunity for trumping. Your best approach is to suggest one or more trump suits, reverting to no-trumps only as a last resort. Semi-balanced hands are reasonable both for trump contracts and for no-trumps. Having two or three doubletons makes trumping attractive, while the absence of any singletons or voids makes no-trumps less risky.
1-SUITERS, 2-SUITERS AND 3-SUITERS
Hands are also described according to how many suits are available for bidding. For a suit to be biddable, it requires at least four cards. When a hand contains only one suit with four or more cards, it is called a one-suiter. When it contains two such suits, it is a two-suiter and with three such suits, it is termed a three-suiter. For example:
Exercise 1: Hand shapes Hands can be balanced, semi-balanced or unbalanced. What is the shape of each of these hands?
1. x x x x x x x x x x x x x
2. x x x x x x x x x x x x x
8 6 2 A 9 4 A Q 9 8 3 5 4 A J 8 7 3 K 4 8 2 A Q J 9
A Q 7 6 A K J 4 9 K Q J 9
This is a 10-point balanced 1-suiter
A 15-point, semi-balanced 2-suiter
This is a 20-point, unbalanced 3-suiter
Pattern: 5-3-3-2
Pattern: 5-4-2-2
Pattern: 4-4-4-1
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3. x x x x x x x x x x x x x
4. x x x x x x x x x x x x x
5. x x x x x x x x x x x x x
6. x x x x x x x x x x x x x
7. x x x x x x x x x x x x x
8. x x x x x x x x x x x x x
Exercise 2: Points, shape and hand patterns For each of the following hands, complete these details:
A. High Card Points B. Shape C. Pattern D. 1-, 2- or 3-suiter
1.
A 4 Q 8 6 3 2 K Q J 9 J 2
2.
A K 4 3 A 9 8 3 K 6 10 4 2
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A. .........
B. .........
C. .........
D. .........
A. .........
B. .........
C. .........
D. .........
3.
A 9 3 Q 9 7 2 A Q 4 Q 8 2
4.
K J 8 7 6 A K J 6 3 6 J 8
A. .........
B. .........
C. .........
D. .........
A. .........
B. .........
C. .........
D. .........
5.
K J 7 5 3 A J 9 8 4 2 Q 6
6.
A K 9 4 2 - - - 6 5 A J 8 7 5 2
A. .........
B. .........
C. .........
D. .........
A. .........
B. .........
C. .........
D. .........
7.
A 10 9 6 5 K J 10 9 A Q 10 5
8.
9 8 6 5 4 2 - - - A K 3 A Q 8 5
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A. .........
B. .........
C. .........
D. .........
A. .........
B. .........
C. .........
D. .........
POINTS NEEDED FOR GAMES AND SLAMS
IN ORDER TO MAKE
YOU + PARTNER NEED 3NT 4 Hearts or 4 Spades 5 Clubs or 5 Diamonds 6-in-a-suit 7-in-a-suit 9 tricks 10 tricks 11 tricks 12 tricks 13 tricks 26 points 26 points + 8 or more trumps 29 points + 8 or more trumps 33 points + 8 or more trumps 37 points + 8 or more trumps
To say that 26 points or more are required to make a game in 3NT or that 33 points are needed before two should try for a small slam does not automatically guarantee that you will succeed if you have that number of points. However, the point requirements do mean that with the indicated number of points, you are more likely to succeed than fail. Skill in declarer play may still be required, but even with skill you may fail if the cards lie badly for your side. Bridget is not a game of guarantees and certainties. It is a game in which one takes calculated risks. The point requirements reveal when the risks are worth taking, when the odds of obtaining a significance score are in your favour. Successful players are generally those who are prepared to 'have a go' at game or slams. If you and partner have enough strength to make a game but you fail to bid it, you have lost a valuable score. Similarly, if the partnership hands can produce a slam but slam is not bid, again a valuable score is lost. If the opposition bid and make a game, while you could have bid higher than their contract (even though you would have been defeated), you would have been better off to bid higher if the penalty for defeat would have been less than the value of their game. It is better to accept a small loss (a 'sacrifice') than to let the opposition score a game or a slam. You need not succeed in every game or every slam you bid. The rewards for finishing a rubber and the rewards for making a slam are so great that failing now and again is no tragedy. A failure rate in games or slams of about 1 in 4 is normal and expected. Suppose that you bid to 3NT four times and fail on two occasions but succeed on two occasions. Your success rate is only 50% but you are some 700 points in front because of the bonus points for winning two games. The point to remember is that you need not be downhearted if you do not make every contract you bid
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TALKING BRIDGE
The little girl is watching her mother and three other ladies playing bridge. As the girl is taking a keen interest in the game, one of the ladies asks her, 'And can you play bridge?'The girl replies, 'No, but I can speak it.' Bridge players love to discuss bridge hands and there is an accepted method of description. To give general account of the hand, state the number of high card points held and the hand pattern. For example: A J 8 7 3 2 A K Q 9 5 3 Q
A general description would be 'A 16-point 6-3-3-1 hand.’ A more precise description details the pattern by suit lengths in the order of the suits, spades, hearts, diamonds, clubs. Such a description of this hand would be 'I held a 16-point, 3-3-6-1...' Most players, however, prefer to include the details of the actual high cards held. This is done by stating the honour cards in each suit followed by the total number of cards in that suit. Thus, A-9-6 is 'ace - king – jack to three', K-Q-5-2 is 'king – queen to four ‘and A-K-J-8-4-2 is 'ace - king - jack to six'. Players in other parts of the world do use slightly different jargon, such as A-9-6 as 'ace third',K-Q-5-2 as 'king queen fourth ‘and A-K-J-8-4-2 as 'ace king jack sixth'. When the suit contains no honour cards, the number of cards in the suit is followed by the word 'rags'. Thus, 8-6-2 would be ‘three rags 'and 9-7-4-3-2 is 'five rags'. If a doubleton is held, use 'doubleton' rather than 'to two'. Two specific cards (K-J) would be’ king jack doubleton, but where the suit has no honour, use 'two rags', 'rag doubleton' or 'doubleton rag'. Where a singleton is held, the terminology is the honour followed by singleton (such as 'king singleton') or, with no honour,’ singleton rag'. It is also common to refer to a singleton honour as 'bare'(such as 'the bare king' or 'king bare'). Slang for singleton is 'stiff', so that king singleton becomes 'stiff king ‘and a worthless singleton is simply 'stiff'. The word 'tight’ is commonly used to mean 'no more cards in the suit’ so that king singleton is 'king tight', K-Q doubleton is 'king–queen-tight’ and so on. The hand near the top of the page could be described as 'ace jack to three, three rags', ace king queen sixth and stiff queen'.
BRIDGE NOTATION
When writing about bridge, it is conventional to write the bridge bid with the number first, denomination second, just as though it were spoken. Thus, 1NT stands for One No-Trump, 3 means Three Spades, 4 is a bid of Four Hearts and so on. When writing about cards held or
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played, the suit symbol is written first followed by the card(s), so that 7 stands for the seven of spades, K means the king of hearts, and so on.
When writing of bidding sequence, a colon (:) separates the bids. Bids by your side are written without brackets and bids made by the opposing side are written inside brackets, for example,1 : (2 ): Pass: (3 )... When written bidding is in use, a diagonal stroke (/) indicates a pass, double is X and redouble is XX.
STANDARD BIDDING SYSTEMS
A bidding system is like a language -it is a means of communicating with your partner. However, the language of bridge allows only 15 legal words: one, two, three, four, five, six, seven, no-trumps, spades, hearts, diamonds, clubs, double, redouble and pass ('no bid'). Without any opposition bidding, there are only 35 bids available between 1 Club and 7 No-Trumps. With this restricted language, you try to describe to partner your thirteen cards, one of billions of possible hands. Just as there are many languages, so there are many bidding systems. Just as some people are fluent in more than one language, so top players are adept at more than one system. As some languages are easier to learn than others, so some bidding systems are more efficient than others. The bidding system is not just one system. It consists of quite a number of sub-systems, each dependent on which opening bid is chosen. The requirements to open the bidding, which opening bid is to be chosen, the requirements to respond and what is meant by each possible response or rebid are stipulated by the system being learnt. Just as words have different meanings in different languages, in different countries or in different ages, so bids frequently have different meanings in different systems. Bridge Basics uses the most popular bidding system, Standard American. When you are just starting out at bridge, learn one basic system thoroughly and play it regularly for some two to three years. Only when you have become proficient in your system and in general play, should you consider adopting some other system.
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Part 1
Standard American Style
FIVE CARD MAJORS, BETTER MINOR
or
MODERN STANDARD WITH 4-CARD SUITS
or
THE GOREN SYSTEM WITH 4-CARD SUITS
In Part 1 you will learn:
 When to open the bidding and when to pass
 Which suit to start when you make a suit opening
 When to open with 1NT and when to prefer a suit opening
 When to start with a 1-opening and when to prefer the 2-opening
 How to respond two partners opening -when to choose a suit response, when to prefer a no-trump response and when to raise partner's suit; when to respond at the cheapest level and when to make a jump response; which suit to choose for your response when you have a choice of suits.
 How to choose your rebids as opener or responder
 Have to judge when you should bid for game and when to stop below game, when to try for slam and when to be satisfied with game.
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Chapter 2
Opening with 1-in-a-Suit
See below if you wish to learn 5-Card Major openings
4-CARD SUITS - THE GOREN SYSTEM
When valuing for a suit opening, count HCP and add Length Points : 1 point for each 5-card suit, 2 points for a 6-card suit, and so on. When Should You Open?
 0-12 points: Do not open the bidding.
 13-21 points: open with a 1-in-a-suit unless the hand fits a 1NT opening. The 1-opening should contain at least 10 high card points.
 22 points for more: Choose a 2-opening (see Chapter 7).
Which Suit Should You Open?
 Open your longest suit. Bid a 6-card minor ahead of a 5-card major.
 With two 5-card suits or 6-card suits, open the higher-ranking.
 With two or three 4-card suits, open the 4-card suit below your shortage. Locate your shortest suit (singleton or doubleton) and go down in rank and bid the first 4-card suit below your shortest suit.
Longest first; 5-5 / 6-6: higher first; 4-carders: below the shortage. Biddable Suits Any 5-card or longer suit may be opened. Any 4-card minor may be opened. To open a 4-card major, the suit should contain at least 4 points. If not, you are permitted to open 1 with a 3-card club suit.
4-CARD SUITS - MODERN STANDARD
This is exactly the same as above except when it comes to opening with no 5-card or longer suit:
 With two or three 4-card suits, open the cheapest 4-card suit. This is bidding your suits 'up-the-line'. 5-card suits are bid 'down-the-line'(higher suit first) and 4-card suits are bidding 'up-the-line'(cheapest first).
Longest first; 5-5 or 6-6: higher first; 4-carders: up-the-line. The same rules apply when you are responder with a choice of suits.
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Biddable Suits Any 4-card suit may be opened. Any 5-card suit may be bid twice.
5-CARD MAJORS, BETTER MINOR
When valuing for a suit opening, count HCP and add Length Points : 1 point for each 5-card suit, 2 points for a 6-card suit, and so on. When Should You Open?
 0-11 points: Do not open with a 1-bid. With a long, strong suit, your hand may be worth a pre-emptive opening of 3, 4 or 5 (see Chapter 9).
 12 HCP: Open the bidding unless your hand pattern is 4-3-3-3.
 12 total points but only 11 HCP or less (or 12 HCP with a 4-3-3-3 pattern): Do not open with a 1-bid.
 13-21 points: Open with 1-in-a-suit unless your hand fits a 1NT opening. The 1-opening should contain at least 10 high card points.
 22 points or more: Choose a two-opening (see Chapter 7).
Which Suit Should You Open?
 Open the longest suit. Bidding a 6-card minor ahead of a 5-card major.
 With two 5-card suits or two 6-card suits, open the higher-ranking.
 With no 5-card suit, open the longer minor.
 Do not open 1 or 1 in first or second seat unless you have at least five cards in that suit.
 With 4-4 in the minors, open 1 (which is almost a 4-card suit; you should therefore support diamonds with 4-card support).
 If you have 3-3 in the minors, open 1 .
There is no minimum suit quality for an opening bid. The opening bid chosen depends solely on the length of the suits.
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EXAMPLES
1.
A J 9 4 K Q Q J 7 4 3 7 2
Open 1 .
Longest first.
2.
A J 8 K Q 9 6 K 8 4 3 J 8
Open 1 .
Longer minor.
3.
K J 9 6 7 Q 8 4 3 A K 9 8
Open 1 .
4-4 minors.
4.
J 8 4 3 A Q 6 A J 7 Q 5 2
Open 1 .
3-3 minors.
There is very little difference between playing 5-Card Majors or 4-Card Suits. The differences arise when opening the bidding with no 5-card suit, and with the word support needed to raise partner (3+ cards = support for a 5-card suit and 4+ cards = support for a 4-card suit). The rest is the same.
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EXERCISE ON OPENING THE BIDDING
You are the dealer, neither vulnerable. What action do you take? Exercises are suitable for both 5-Card Majors or 4-Card Suits. Where a difference occurs, this is pointed out in the answers.
1. A Q 7 K Q 8 6 3 J 8 7 4 2
2. A Q 7 K Q 8 6 2 3 J 8 7 4
3. A 8 7 K Q 8 6 2 3 J 8 7 4
4. A 8 7 K Q 8 6 2 3 A K Q 4
5. A K 7 6 3 A 3 6 K Q 9 5 2
6. Q 9 8 6 2 A K J 7 3 J 5 6
7. K Q J A 8 6 4 3 K Q 7 4 2 - - -
8. 8 A J 9 7 2 A Q J 8 4 3 6
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9. A J 9 K Q 7 J 8 4 3 J 7 2
10. A Q 9 K Q 7 J 8 4 3 J 7 2
11. A K 9 K J 7 A 4 3 K J 6 2
12. A Q 7 2 A 9 8 K 7 2 9 8 4
13. A Q 7 4 J 8 7 6 2 K Q 9 3
14. A K 8 Q 9 6 2 A 4 6 4 3 2
15. 6 2 A J 8 K 9 7 2 A J 5 4
16. A K J 9 A Q 3 A 9 6 2 Q 8
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17. A Q 7 2 K Q 9 3 Q 7 6 2 4
18. A J 8 3 Q 7 4 2 9 A Q J 2
19. A K 3 2 7 A Q 4 3 A J 6 5
20. 9 A 8 7 6 K 9 4 3 A Q 7 2
21. K 9 7 6 2 A Q 3 Q 7 8 6 5
22. A Q 9 7 6 2 K Q 3 7 6 3 4
23. A J 8 7 4 4 A Q 9 6 5 7 2
24. 8 7 A J 8 6 4 2 A K 6 4 3
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25. K J 9 4 A Q 8 5 Q 7 4 J 8
26. K J 9 4 A Q 8 5 Q 7 J 8 6
27. K J 9 7 2 Q 8 4 3 A K 9 8
28. K J 9 8 7 6 2 Q 8 3 A K 9
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PLAY HANDS ON OPENING WITH 1-IN-A-SUIT
Hand 1: High Cards From Shortage, Low From Length
Dealer North : Nil vulnerable
NORTH
♠ A Q J 7
♥ 9 4 3
♦ Q 7 5
♣ 6 4 2
WEST EAST
♠6 5 ♠ 109432
♥ K Q J 10 8 2 ♥ 5
♦ A 8 ♦ J1096
♣ J 8 5 ♣ KQ10
SOUTH
♠ K 8
♥ A 7 6
♦ K 4 3 2
♣ A 9 7 3
West
North
East
South
Pass
Pass
1 *
1
1
Pass
1NT
Pass
Pass
Pass
(* or 1 )
Lead: K.Top of a sequence.
Correct play : After taking the A, play the K (high-from-shortage) followed by a spade to dummy and cash the other spade winners. Then lead a diamond to your king to set up a diamond trick. 7 tricks.
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UPGRADE TO VIEW MORE HANDS
Hand 2: Overcalling - The High-Card-From-Shortage Principle
Dealer East : N-S vulnerable

♠
♥
♦
♣

♠♠
♥♥
♦♦
♣♣

♠
♥
♦
♣















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UPGRADE TO VIEW MORE HANDS

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UPGRADE TO VIEW MORE HANDS
Hand 3: overtaking a winner in order to reach dummy
Dealer South : E-W vulnerable

♠
♥
♦
♣

♠♠
♥♥
♦♦
♣♣

♠
♥
♦
♣

















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UPGRADE TO VIEW MORE HANDS
UPGRADE TO VIEW MORE HANDS
Hand 4: Overtaking a winner to gain access to dummy
Dealer West : Both vulnerable

♠
♥
♦
♣

♠♠
♥♥
♦♦
♣♣
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UPGRADE TO VIEW MORE HANDS

♠
♥
♦
♣
















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Chapter 3
The One No-Trump Opening
The 1NT opening shows 16 - 18 points and a balanced shape. Most hands in the 13-21 zone start with a suit opening, but if your hand fits 1NT, prefer that opening to any other.
How to Handle Balanced Hands (4-4-3-2 / 5-3-3-2 / 4-3-3-3)
 0-11 points: Pass
 12 HCP: Open if 4-4-3-2 or 5-3-3-2. Pass in 1st or 2nd seat if 4-3-3-3.
 13 - 15 points: Open with 1-in-a-suit (see Chapter 2)
 16 - 18 points: Open 1NT with any 4-3-3-3 or 4-4-3-2. Open 1NT with a 5-3-3-2 pattern if the 5-card suit is a minor. If a major, open 1 or 1 .
 19 - 21 points: Open with 1-in-a-suit (see Chapter 2).
 22 points or more: See Chapter 7.
Winning Strategy When holding 26 points or more between you and partner, the partnership should bid a game. Therefore, do not pass in the bidding until some game is reached if the partnership could have 26 points or more.
 With 26 points together, game is a good chance.
 With 25 points together, game is a reasonable chance.
 With 24 points or less, game prospects are poor.
RESPONDING TO 1NT WITH A BALANCED HAND
0-7 points
PASS
Game prospects poor
8-9 points
2NT
Game possible, not sure
10-14 points
3NT
Good chances for game
15 points or more
See Chapter 8
Slam is possible
Unbalanced hands
See Chapters 4 & 5
After 1NT : 2NT, opener should pass with 16 points (minimum) and continue to 3NT with 17-18 points (maximum). After 1NT : 3NT, opener must pass. After a 1NT, 2NT or 3NT opening, responder decides how high to bid. Responder knows the combined strength, opener does not.
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EXERCISES A. What is your opening bid on these hands?
1. A Q 6 K Q 8 7 6 5 A J 9 4
2. A Q 6 K Q 7 6 5 A J 9 4 2
3. A Q 6 4 3 K Q 7 6 5 A J 9
4. K J 6 A Q 9 A 10 6 3 K Q 8
B. Partner Opens 1NT. What is your response?
1. A 9 8 K J 7 Q 9 8 4 7 6 2
2. K 7 6 4 3 K 9 8 2 7 6 4 3
3. K 7 6 4 3 K Q 8 2 7 6 4 3
4. A K 7 6 4 Q 9 8 K J 7 6 2
PARTNERSHIP BIDDING PRACTICE
West is the dealer on each hand. How should the bidding go?
WEST
EAST
1. A J 7 2 7 6 4 3 7 5 7 2
1. K Q 9 A 8 A K 8 4 Q 9 4 3
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2. K Q 8 6 A 9 A K 4 9 7 6 2
2. A 3 2 10 8 6 9 6 3 2 A 1
3. A J 4 8 3 J 10 6 K 9 7 6 2
3. K Q 3 2 A 2 8 7 4 3 A Q J
4. A J 9 2 K Q J K 9 2 Q 8 4
4. K Q 7 8 4 2 A 6 5 3 7 5 3
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5. 6 2 Q 10 6 K Q J 4 8 7 4 3
5. A Q 7 K J 8 2 A 7 6 K 9 5
6. A 3 2 A 10 9 2 K Q 7 2 K J
6. Q 6 4 8 3 J 10 5 Q 8 6 4 3
7. A 3 2 9 8 7 A Q 4 A K 6 5
7. Q J 6 5 A 6 2 8 3 2 9 4 3
8. A 10 8 9 2 A 10 8 6 4 Q 8 7
8. K 7 5 A 6 5 4 K Q 9 3 A 5
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PLAY HANDS FOR THE ONE NO-TRUMP OPENING
Hand 5: High Cards From Shortage, Low From Length
Dealer North : Nil vulnerable
NORTH
♠ A Q 5 3
♥ 8 6 3
♦ 7 4 2
♣ 10 8 5
WEST EAST
♠ 7 6 ♠ 10 9 8 2
♥ J 10 9 ♥ Q 5 4
♦ 10 6 3 ♦ K Q J 9
♣ A Q 9 7 4 ♣ K 2
SOUTH
♠ K J 4
♥ A K 7 2
♦ A 8 5
♣ J 6 3
West
North
East
South
Pass
Pass
1NT
Pass
Pass
Pass
Lead : 7 . Against no-trumps, lead your long suit. Choose the fourth-highest when no sequence of three or more cards is held. Play : East plays the K (third hand high), winning the trick, and returns a club. Return partner's lead unless you have a very good alternative. The defenders win the first five tricks, South discarding red suit losers from both hands. Do not discard a spade. South wins the J switch at trick 6 and cashes four spades: king first, then jack, then low to dummy
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UPGRADE TO VIEW MORE HANDS
Hand 6: The High-Card-From-Shortage Principle
Dealer East : N-S vulnerable

♠
♥
♦
♣

♠♠
♥♥
♦♦
♣♣

♠
♥
♦
♣






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




UPGRADE TO VIEW MORE HANDS
Hand 7: Overtaking a winner in order to reach dummy
Dealer South : E-W vulnerable

♠
♥
♦
♣

♠♠
♥♥
♦♦
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UPGRADE TO VIEW MORE HANDS
♣♣

♠
♥
♦
♣













UPGRADE TO VIEW MORE HANDS
Hand 8: Overtaking a winner to gain access to dummy
Dealer West : Both vulnerable
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UPGRADE TO VIEW MORE HANDS
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♣♣
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
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UPGRADE TO VIEW MORE HANDS
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Chapter 4
Responding with Weak Hands
RESPONDING TO AN OPENING OF 1 , 1 , 1 OR 1
 0-5 points: Pass
 6-9 points: Bid only at the 1-level or raise opener's suit to the 2-level.
An average hand contains 10 high card points. Hands below 10 points are considered weak that but game is still possible if partner has a very strong hand. Therefore, always respond to a suit opening bid with 6 points or more, but normally pass with a hand in the 0-5 point range. If responding with a weak hand, keep the bidding at a low level initially, since partner may only a minimum opening of about 13 points. Then the partnership will have only about 20 minutes, perhaps a little more. With the strength evenly divided between the two sides, it will be tough to make more than 7 or 8 tricks. Consequently, you may raise opener's suit to the 2-level with a weak hand, but otherwise remain at the 1-level. Do not bid a new suit at the 2-level with 6-9 points, only with 10 high card points or better, or with 11 or more points, including length points. Your Choice of Response: Raise Opener or New Suit or 1NT Raise opener to the 2-level: 6-9 points + support for opener's suit. A decent trump holding for your partnership is 8 trumps or more. With fewer than 8 trumps, the opponents will have almost as many, or more than you, making your task to win very difficult. To ensure the partnership has at least 8 trumps, should have three trumps (or more) to support a 5-card suit (an opening bid of 1 or 1 if playing 5-card majors), four trumps (or more) to support a 4-card suit, and five trumps (or more) to support a 1 opening, a suit that might be just a 3-carder. Without support for partner, count high card points and length points.
With support for partner, ignore length points and count high card points plus Ruffling Points: 5 for a void, 3 for a singleton, 1 for each doubleton. With 10 HCP and a 4-3-3-3 pattern with support for opener, a raise to the 2-level is acceptable. With less than 10 HCP but a total of 10 points after adding distribution, a raise to the 2-level is also acceptable.
Bid Your Own Suit (but only at the 1-level): 6 points or more.
The suit you bid must contain at least four cards but it need not have any high cards in the suit itself. In other words, any 4-card suit is biddable for responder. A significant difference
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between bidding your own suit at the 1-level and raising opener to the 2-level or responding 1NT is this: while the raise is 6-9 and the 1NT response is 6-9, the new suit response is 6 points or more. In other words, a new suit at the 1-level might be based on a strong hand, which you will reveal later in the bidding, but it need not have more than the minimum of 6 points. Because the raise to the 2-level is limited (6-9) and the 1NT response is limited (6-9), opener may pass these responses, but since a new suit response is unlimited (6 points or more), opener is obliged to rebid after a new suit response. When you have a choice of suits as responder, the order of preference is: (1) Bid your longest suit first. (2) With two 5-card suits or two 6-card suits, bid the higher ranking. (3) With two or three 4-card suits, bid the cheapest suit first.
'Cheapest' means the first available bid over partner's bid, not necessarily the lowest-ranking suit. If partner opened 1 and you have 4 spades and 4 clubs, 1 is a cheaper bid than 2 . Likewise, if partner opened 1 and you hold 4 spades and 4 hearts, the cheaper suit is hearts and your response should be 1 . This method of bidding your cheapest 4-card suit is called bidding your suits 'up-the-line'. Note that the up-the-line rule applies only to 4-card suits, not to 5-card suits.
This order of preference in bidding suits is subject to the priority that you should not bid a new suit at the 2-level unless you have at least 10 high card points (or 11 or more points including length points). Consequently, when you have only 6-9 points, you may occasionally be forced into bidding a suit which is not your normal first preference. Suppose partner has opened 1 and you have 6 points with 4 spades and 5 clubs. You should respond 1 . Your hand is not strong enough for 2 . Respond 1NT: 6-9 points, no support for opener, no suit that you can bid at the 1-level, any shape. If unable to raise opener and unable to bid a suit at the 1-level respond 1NT as your last resort. Because of the importance of the rule requiring 10+ points for a new suit at the 2-level, 1NT response need not be balanced. With the HCP and a 4-3-3-3 pattern, prefer a 1NT response to a 2-level change of suit.
Resolving a Choice of Responses What happens when your hand fits two or more responses? Perhaps you are able to support partner but you also have a suit of your own? Perhaps you could raise opener, bid your own suit or respond 1NT? The way to solve such conflicts will depend on whether your partner has opened with a major suit or with a minor suit. If you have only 6-9 points, this is the order of responding priorities: If partner opened with a major suit: (1) Raise opener's major. (2) Bid 1 over 1 if unable to support hearts (3) Respond 1NT
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If partner opened with a minor suit: (1) Change suit at the 1-level. Prefer a major to raising a minor. (2) Raise opener's minor. it is better to raise minor's than to show the other minor. (3) Respond 1NT.
These priorities apply when responding with a weak hand. There may be different priorities when responding with a strong hand. When changing suit in response to an opening bid of 1 or 1 , follow the normal rules when you have a choice of suits: longest suit first; the higher suit with two 5-card suits or two 6-card suits; bid up-the-line with 4-card suits.
EXERCISE
What is your response to these hands if partner opened...
(a) 1 ?
(b) 1 ?
(c) 1 ?
(d) 1 ?
1. J 4 3 2 8 6 A J 7 4 3 9 5
2. K J 8 3 Q 5 4 2 7 6 8 7 3
3. Q J 6 5 2 K 3 8 7 3 9 4 2
4. 9 8 4 2 7 4 A 8 5 A 8 3 2
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5. A Q 8 3 8 7 6 2 7 5 4 3 2
6. K 9 7 4 3 6 A 7 6 5 4 2 4
7. 4 3 A J 7 6 6 2 Q J 7 5 4
8. 4 3 Q 10 7 5 4 9 8 6 4 3 2
EXERCISES ON RESPONDING WITH A WEAK HAND
A. Partner opens 1 , next player passes. What is your response?
1. K J 8 A 7 6 9 6 4 8 7 3 2
2. K J 8 A 7 6 9 6 4 3 8 7 3
3. K J 8 A 7 6 4 9 6 4 8 7 3
4. K J 8 2 A 7 6 9 6 4 8 7 3
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5. A 7 4 2 7 6 K 8 6 4 9 4 3
6. A 7 4 2 K 8 6 4 7 6 9 4 3
7. A 7 4 2 7 6 9 4 3 K 8 6 4
8. 7 6 K 8 6 4 A 7 4 2 9 4 3
9. A 8 6 3 2 Q J 7 6 5 9 7 2
10. A 8 6 3 2 9 7 2 Q J 7 6 5
11. K J 7 5 J 8 4 3 Q 9 8 3 2
12. K J 7 5 J 8 4 3 2 Q 9 8 3
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13. A J 7 2 7 6 5 4 Q 9 8 6 3
14. 7 6 5 4 A J 7 2 Q 9 8 6 3
15. Q 6 5 4 2 A J 7 9 8 6 3 2
16. Q J 7 2 6 A 9 7 6 4 3 5 2
B. Partner opens 1 , next player passes. What is your response?
1. K 7 6 4 8 Q 9 7 2 Q 8 4 3
2. 8 7 5 3 9 2 J 8 4 3 A K 2
3. K 7 4 8 6 A J 7 4 9 5 3 2
4. Q J 9 4 8 A J 8 6 3 7 6 2
5. A 7 J 7 6 3 9 8 7 4 4 3 2
6. A J 7 2 Q 9 8 3 7 6 4 4 2
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7. A J 7 3 2 Q 8 7 5 7 5 4 2
8. Q J 9 6 Q 9 7 4 K 7 5 3 2
9. 9 4 3 2 8 A K J 3 9 5 3 2
10. 8 3 6 2 K 8 4 3 2 Q J 6 4
11. J 2 8 6 A J 8 6 4 3 Q 9 5
12. 7 K 9 8 2 7 5 4 3 J 8 5 2
Shut-Out Jump-Raises
The jump raises to game in the major suits (1 : 4 and 1 : 4 ) are used on weak responding hands. They show about 6-9 high card points (could possibly be less), excellent trump support (more than the minimum needed for a raise) and unbalanced shape (must have a singleton or a void). The message is: 'I have excellent support but am weak in high cards.' They are called 'shut-out' because their function is to shut the next player out of the bidding. At the same time they serve as warning to partner not expect too much in high cards if partner has notions about a slam. They are also known as 'weak freaks' or 'gambling raises', but with the excellent support and unbalanced shape, it is not much of a gamble.
Shut-out raises in the minor suits (1 : 4 or 1 : 5 or 1 : 4 or 1 : 5 ) are available but are very rare since they bypass a possible 3NT contract. When used, however, they do show the same sort of hand as the shut-out raise in the minor suits, namely weak in high cards (usually 6-9 high card points, occasionally even weaker), 5-card or longer trump support and an unbalanced hand (must contain a void or a singleton)
RESPONDING TO AN OPENING BID OF 1NT
Responding to 1NT with a balanced hand was covered in Chapter 3. Responding to 1NT with a weak unbalanced hand is different to responding to a suit opening, because the 1NT opening is closely defined, a balanced 16-18, while the suit opening has a wide range, 13-21 points and a balanced, semi-balanced and unbalanced shape. You would pass a suit opening with 0-5 points
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but you are allowed, even encouraged, to respond to 1NT with a hopelessly weak hand, provided that you have a long suit. 1NT : 2-in-a-suit = 0-7 points and a 5-card or longer suit. Opener should pass this 2-level response but with 18 points and 4-card support, opener is permitted to raise responder's suit to the 3-level.
1NT : 2 is commonly used as the Stayman Convention, which you should certainly adopt after you have been playing for some time.
With 8 more points, responder has a chance for game opposite 1NT and therefore must not make a weak suit response at the 2-level. 2NT is used as a response with exactly 8-9 points (Chapter 3). The Stayman Convention can be used when exploring for game in a major suit with 8 points or more. Other strong responses to 1NT are covered in Chapter 5.
OPENER'S REBIDS AFTER A WEAK RESPONSE
Opener's hand is generally divided into three ranges: 13-15 points : Minimum opening 16-18 points : Strong opening 19 points up : Maximum opening Strategy: If the partnership could hold 26 points , keep on bidding since game is feasible. If the combined total is 25 points at least and there might be less, do not bid for a game. If the combined total is 25 points at most and there might be less, do not bid for a game. With 26 points together, game is a good bet; with 25 points together, game is a reasonable bet and with 24 points together or less, game is a poor bet. The bidding strategy is revealed in the approach taken by opener after a weak response from partner. Opener's action after a raise in the 2-level (e.g., 1 :2 ...?) Count HCP plus 5-3-1 ruffing points (void 5, singleton 3, doubleton 1)
13-15 points
Pass (responder 6-9, so below 26 points together).
16-18 points
Bid again (raise a major to the 3-level; if your suit is a minor, raise to the 3-level or try 2NT).
19 points up
Bid game (if your suit is a major, raise to the 4-level; if it is a minor, consider 3NT if your hand is balanced or semi-balanced)
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After a 1NT response (e.g., 1 : 1NT,...?)
(a) If satisfied with no-trumps:
13-15 points
Pass (responder has 6-9, so below 26 points together).
16-18 points
2NT (opener figures to be semi-balanced)
19 points
3NT (the partnership has 25 points at worst)
(b) If not happy with no-trumps:
13-15 points
Bid a new suit lower than your first bid or repeat your first suit with extra length in the suit.
16-18 points
Bid any new suit or with no second suit, jump to three in the first suit with 6 cards in it.
19 points up
Jump to the 3-level in a new suit (jump-shift) or jump to game in your suit.
A 9 8 4 3 A 9 7 K Q J 3 2
You opened 1 . Your rebid after 2 or 1NT? Over 2 you should pass - the partnership does not have 26 points. Pass also over 1NT. With a 5-3-3-2, the hand is balanced, so no-trumps is attractive.
7 A 9 7 3 2 K Q 8 6 Q J 4
You opened 1 . Your rebid after 2 or 1NT? Over 2 , you should pass - no 26 points - but over 1NT, prefer a 2 rebid. Your hand is unbalanced and so a trump contract figures to be a better chance.
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A Q 8 6 4 A K 9 3 A Q J 7
You opened 1 . Your rebid after 2 or 1NT? You have more than 20 points and therefore enough for Game opposite partner's 6-9 points. Over 2 , bid 4 . Over 1NT force to game with a jump-shift to 3
9 K Q 8 A K 8 7 4 3 A 9 3
You opened 1 . Your rebid after 2 or 1NT? Game is possible but not certain. In both cases, rebid 3 to invite game. Responder will pass if minimum, but will bid again with a maximum (8-9 points)
After a suit response at the 1-level (e.g., 1 : 1 ,...?)
(a) Opener has 13-15 points With a minimum opening, opener makes a minimum rebid. You must not make a minimum rebid as opener unless you have a strong hand. In order of preference, opener's rebids are:
(1) Raise responder's suit. This requires 4-card support since the suit bid by responder need not have more than four cards in it. The only time opener would not raise responder's suit at once is if the bidding has started 1 : 1 and opener has a 4-card major as well as support for diamonds. Show your major first rather than support partner's minor.
(2) Bid a new suit at the 1-level. The new suit must have four cards in it, but any suit quality will do. Prefer to bid a new suit at the 1-level rather than rebid 1NT or repeat your first suit.
(3) Rebid 1NT if your hand is unbalanced.
(4) Bid a new suit at the 2-level lower than your first suit. With a minimum opening, should not rebid higher than two of your first suit, unless you are supporting responder's suit. (5) Rebid your first suit as your last resort. To rebid you suit after a 1-level response, the suit must have extra length (more than the opening promised).
(b) Opener has 16-18 points In order of preference, opener should:
(1) Jump-raise responder's suit to the 3-level. Opener must have 4-card support for this. The only time opener would not raise responder at once is if the bidding has begun 1 : 1 , and opener has a 4-card major as well as support for diamonds. In that case, show the major first.
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(2) Bid a new suit at the 1-level or 2-level. (3) As a last resort, jump to the 3-level in the suit opened, provided that you have at least six cards in that suit.
(c) Opener has 19 points or more In order of preference, opener should:
(1) Jump in game in responder's suit. This requires 4-card support. The only time opener would not support responder at once is if the bidding has begun 1 : 1 , and opener has a 4-card major as well as support for diamonds. In that case, opener would jump-shift to two of the major rather than support the diamonds at this stage. Majors come first.
(2) Jump to 2NT, provided that your hand is balanced. After a minor suit opening, the jump to 2NT (e.g.,1 : 1 , 2NT) is forcing to game. (3) As a last resort, if none of the above is available, jump to game in your first suit, provided you have a very powerful 6-card suit (it should contain at least four honours) or a strong 7-card suit. Q 8 4 2 A J 8 7 3 A Q J 6
You opened 1 . You rebid after 1 or 1 ? In either case you should rebid 2 , showing your second suit and denying a balanced hand (no NT rebid). Further action will depend on responder's rebid.
A K 3 A Q 4 A 9 8 Q 10 3 2
You opened 1 . You rebid after 1 , 1 or 1 ? In each case rebid with a jump to 2NT showing balanced 19-21 points and forcing to game, Responder may bid 3NT, suggest a suitcontract or aim for slam.
A 7 3 2 6 A Q J 9 5 K 8 3
You opened 1 . You rebid after 1 or 1 ? Over 1 , rebid 1 and not 2 . Show a major rather than rebid a longer minor. Over 1 , you are worth 17 points (via the singleton) so that you should jump-raise to 3 .
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RESPONDER'S REBID WITH A WEAK HAND
If the opener has made a minimum rebid, confirming a hand in the 13-15 point range, responder is allowed to pass, but responder is not obliged to pass if opener's rebid is unsuitable. However, a responder with a weak hand must not make a strong rebid. Responder is entitled to bid again with a weak hand, provided that responder's rebid is:
 A raise of opener's second suit (e.g., 1 : 1 , 1 : 2 ). This still shows just 6-9 points. Four trumps are needed to raise opener's second suit.
 A preference to opener's first suit (e.g., 1 : 1 , 1 : 2 ). This also shows just 6-9 points in the same way that an immediate raise of opener's first suit (1 : 2 ) shows 6-9 points.
 A rebid of 1NT shows 6-9 points in the same way that an initial response of 1NT shows 6-9 points.
 As a last resort, responder may rebid his own suit, provided that it contains at least six cards or is a strong 5-card suit.
If opener's rebid is a jump showing 16-18 points, the responder is permitted to pass with just 6-7 points but is expected to bid on with 8 points or more since the partnership could then have 26 points or better. If opener's rebid is a change of suit, opener may have up to 18 (opener's range for a change of suit 13-18 since 19 points or more are needed for a jump-shift rebid). Accordingly, responder strives to find a rebid with 8 points or better, since the partnership could have 26 points. If opener's rebid is a jump showing 19 points or more (a jump-shift or a jump to 2NT or a jump to game), responder is forced to bid again if game has not yet been reached, but is permitted to pass, of course, if opener's rebid is already a game (e.g., 1 : 1 , 4 ) A J 8 7 6 7 3 2 K 5 4 8 6
Partner opened 1 , you responded 1 . Now, if partner rebids 1NT, 2 or 2 , you should pass. If partner rebids 2 , you should rebid 2 . Show a preference for one of partner's suit rather than rebid an ordinary 5-card suit.
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A 10 9 7 3 2 Q 4 2 8 7 5 3
If partner opened 1 and you responded 1 , then if partner rebids 1NT, 2 or 2 , you should rebid 2 , showing long spades but a minimum response(6-9 points). If partner rebids 2NT or 3 , you should rebid 4 .
PARTNERSHIP BIDDING PRACTICE FEATURING RESPONDING WITH WEAK HANDS
West is the dealer on each hand. How should the bidding go?
WEST
EAST
9. K Q 7 4 A 8 9 7 3 A 7 6 2
9. 6 5 K J 5 2 A 8 6 4 8 4 3
10. A J 8 K Q 3 A J 4 K Q 7 2
10. 4 J 10 8 6 5 K Q 5 8 6 4 3
11. 8 4 3 A 6 2 K 5 10 9 7 6 2
11. A 9 7 2 K Q 4 A 8 K Q J 3
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12. A Q 9 K Q 7 3 8 6 K 7 4 2
12. 6 3 J 6 5 2 A K 4 3 9 8 5
13. 9 7 6 4 2 7 5 A 8 5 4 J 9
13. A K 5 3 A 9 3 6 A K 8 4 3
14. A J 8 7 6 A K Q 3 A J 7 6
14. 5 2 J 9 7 6 K 6 4 3 K 8 4
15. K 7 2 A 8 4 3 Q 9 5 9 6 5
15. A J K Q 9 7 2 A J 6 2 8 7
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16. A K 8 7 2 K Q J A 9 8 6 4
16. 4 3 9 6 5 K Q 7 4 K J 10 5
17. Q 10 5 Q J 6 8 2 K 9 5 4 3
17. A 8 4 K 9 2 K Q 7 6 5 8 2
18. A 8 6 3 8 4 A 10 6 5 K Q 2
18. 5 4 K Q 9 7 K 7 4 2 7 6 5
19. Q 8 3 2 K Q 9 5 9 4 8 4 3
19. J 9 7 4 7 4 3 A Q K Q J 6
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20. A J 7 5 4 K 4 3 A K Q 6 2
20. K 9 8 3 8 7 6 5 2 Q J 5 4
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PLAY HANDS ON WEAK RESPONDING HANDS
Hand 9: Drawing trumps - Discarding a loser on dummy's winner Dealer North : Nil vulnerable
NORTH
♠ A K Q 9 8 3
♥ A 8 6
♦ Q 3
♣ J 10
WEST EAST
♠ 10 2 ♠ J
♥ 4 ♥ K Q J 10 5 3
♦ K 10 7 6 ♦ A 9 8 2
♣ 8 7 6 5 4 2 ♣ 9 3
SOUTH
♠ 7 6 5 4
♥ 9 7 2
♦ J 5 4
♣ A K Q
West
North
East
South
1
2
2
Pass
3
Pass
4
Pass
Pass
Pass
Bidding: North's 3 invites South to bid game with 8+ points. Lead: K, top of a sequence. Play: North wins A, draw trumps in two rounds and plays A,K,Q of clubs to discard a red suit loser. It is normal to draw trumps first. Wrong play: (1) Failing to win the A at trick one. West would ruff the next heart and could defeat 4 . (2) Playing clubs before drawing trumps. East ruffs the third round of clubs and 4 would be beaten.
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Hand 10: Drawing trumps - Setting up winners to discard a loser Dealer East : N-S vulnerable
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Hand 11: Ruffing a loser in dummy - Drawing trumps delayed Dealer South : Both vulnerable
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
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
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UPGRADE TO VIEW MORE HANDS
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Hand 12: Urgent discard of a loser - Drawing trumps delayed Dealer West : Nil vulnerable
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UPGRADE TO VIEW MORE HANDS
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Chapter 5
Responding with Strong Hands
RESPONDING TO AN OPENING OF 1 , 1 , 1 OR 1
Hands with 10 or more high card points are considered strong hands for responder. Hands with exactly 10 HCP are borderline. With 10 HCP and 4-3-3-3 pattern, a 1NT response is acceptable. Other patterns with exactly 10 HCP are too strong for 1NT. With 10 HCP and a 4-3-3-3 pattern, you may raise opener's suit to the 2-level, provided that trump support is present. Other patterns with 10 HCP would be too strong. Responder's most common action with a strong hand is to change suit, await further information from opener and then either make a decision as to the best contract or make another descriptive bid to help partner. When responder is changing suit, the normal order of priorities applies: (1) Bid your longest suit first. (2) With 5-5 or 6-6 patterns, bid the higher-ranking suit first. (3) 4-card suits are bid up-the-line With a strong hand, there is no need to bid suits out of normal order. Responder might have to bid in a different order with a weak hand. However, when bidding a new suit with a strong hand, responder may bid at the 1-level or at the 2-level. At the 1-level a new suit shows 6 points or more, while a new suit at the 2-level shows 10 points up, provided that is not a jump-shift. When bidding a new suit, bid it at the cheapest level possible. A suit response at the 1-level does not deny a strong hand. A jump-shift (e.g., 1 : 2 or 1 : 3 ), shows 19 points up and usually a powerful 5-card or longer suit. The jump-shift is very rare. It is forcing to game and strongly suggests slam possibilities.
Aside from challenging suit, responder has three specific strong responses, but the hand must fit the requirements before these bid are chosen:
 2NT response: 13-15 points, balanced shape, stoppers in unbid suits. In 5-card majors 1 / 1 : 2NT does not deny the other major.
 3NT response - 16-18 points, balanced shape, stoppers in unbid suits. 1 / 1 : 3NT does not deny the other major, regardless of system.
 Jump-raise, e.g.,1 : 3 : 13 points or more and strong support
The 2NT and 3NT responses are not all that common but if the hand fits, prefer that response to a change of suit. The minimum holdings which qualify as stoppers are A-x, K-x,Q-x-x or J-x-x-x. 0-12 points: Respond with a change of suit and then big again, inviting game. For example, 1 : 2 , 2 : 3 ...or 1 : 2 , 2 : 3 ...or 1 : 2 , 2 : 2 ...
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 13-15 points: These hands are strong enough to bid for a game. If the hand fits 2NT or a jump-raise, choose that response. If not, change suit and bid again (which will require the opener to bid once more) or jump on the next round. For example, 1 : 1 , 1NT : 4 ...or 1 : 2 , 2 : 4
 16-18 points: Choose the 3NT response or jump-raise if the hand fits. If not, change suit initially and jump-rebid to insist on game. If opener has promised better than minimum, you should plan to look for a slam.
 19 points or more: Jump-shift if possible. If not, change suit and judge which slam to try for after opener has told you more with the rebid.
An opening hand facing an opening hand should produce a game. An opening hand facing an opener who jumps can produce a slam if a good trump fit is located. A 19-up hand opposite an opening will usually produce a slam if a good trump fit is located.
RESPONDING TO A 1NT OPENING
With 10 points or more opposite a 1NT opening, game is a good bet. Jump directly to game if you know the best spot (e.g., 1NT : 3NT or 1NT : 4 ) or you may jump to 3-in-a-suit (e.g., 1NT : 3 ), which is forcing to game and shows a 5-card suit. Opener will support your suit if possible, but if opener holds only a doubleton, opener will rebid 3NT. You may also use the Stayman Convention with 8 points or more and a 4-card major. With 8 points or more, game is possible - make sure you do not respond to 1NT with a weak response of 2-in-a-suit which shows only 0-7 points and asks opener to pass. When you have 8 or 9 points and your long suit is a minor or you have both minor suits, the best bet is to stick with no-trumps.
If you have 15 points or more opposite a 1NT opening, you have slam prospects. This is covered in more detail in Chapter 8. A Q 8 6 4 A K 9 5 7 3 2 5
Suppose partner opens 1 . You know you have enough for a game, but which game? As you cannot tell, respond 1 and await opener's rebid. Over 2 , bid 4 but over 2 , bid 2 , a new suit and forcing. Over 1NT, jump to forcing.
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A Q 8 6 4 2 A K J 7 3 2 5
If partner opens 1 , respond 1 . Then, over 2 , rebid 4 . Over 1NT, rebid 4 as opener should have 2-3 spades. The 1NT rebid is expected to be balanced. Over 2 , rebid 3 showing a strong hand with six spades.
A J 5 Q 9 6 K J 8 Q J 9 4
If partner opens the bidding, you have enough for a game, no matter which opening bid was made. Over any suit opening, you are worth 2NT, showing 13-15 points and a balanced hand. This is forcing to game and suggests 3NT.
8 A 9 8 5 4 A Q 7 4 3 J 2
If partner opens 1 , respond 2 , the higher suit with 5-5 pattern. Normally responder's change of suit promises no more than a 4-card suit, but 1 : 2 is an exception and promises five hearts or more.
A 7 5 2 5 A J 6 3 A Q 9 4
If partner opens 1 , respond 1 . Bid 4-card suits up the line whether opening or responding. 'Cheapest' suit does not mean 'lowest' suit. 1 is cheaper than 2 . Do not respond 2NT, since that guarantees a balanced hand.
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A J 8 8 7 Q J 6 4 K 9 8 3
Hands of 11-12 points should always start with a change of suit. Over a 1 opening, respond 1 and over a 1 opening, bid 2 ,. You are too strong just to raise to the two-level. Over a 1 or 1 opening, respond 2 , bidding up-the-line.
A K Q J 7 4 A K 8 8 7 Q
If partner opens the bidding with 1 , 1 or 1 , you should respond 2 , a jump-shift showing 19 points up. This is forcing game, strongly suggests slam is possible and normally shows a strong 5-card or longer suit.
8 5 A Q 4 2 A 8 7 K J 5 4
If partner opens 1 , your hand is ideal for a 2NT response, while over 1 , you should jump-raise to a 3 . Over 1 or 1 , your spades are too weak for a response of 2NT. Prefer a response of 1 .
EXERCISES ON RESPONDING WITH A STRONG HAND
A. Partner opens 1 , next player passes. What is your response?
1. K Q 8 A J 7 K 9 7 2 8 4 3
2. K 9 8 A J 2 K 9 7 2 A 8 4
3. 8 7 4 A J 7 K 9 7 2 A Q 3
4. K Q 8 A J 7 4 2 K 9 J 8 3
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5. A J 8 2 A J 7 6 A Q 7 4 7
6. A J 8 2 A J 7 6 7 A Q 7 4
7. A J 8 2 7 A Q 7 4 A J 7 6
8. 7 6 A Q J 4 A K 9 A Q 3 2
B. Partner opens 1 . next player passes. What is your response?
1. A 7 A 9 7 Q J 8 4 3 Q 9 4
2. A 7 A 9 7 2 Q J 8 4 3 K 6
3. A Q 8 4 K Q 7 2 K 3 7 6 5
4. A Q 8 4 3 K Q 7 3 2 K 3 5
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C. Partner opens 1 , next player passes. What is your response?
1. A Q 9 8 K Q 7 2 K 3 7 6 3
2. A Q 9 8 K 7 2 K Q 3 2 7 6
3. 8 4 3 K 3 Q J 7 6 A J 9 8
4. 8 4 3 A Q 9 7 6 A K 8 4 3
D. Partner opens 1 , next player passes. What is your response?
1. A J 7 6 4 2 K Q 9 3 J 8 7
2. A J 7 K Q 9 3 2 K 7 8 4 2
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3. 7 4 A Q 8 6 A K 9 3 8 4 2
4. Q 8 4 3 K 8 A J 6 3 J 6 2
E. Partner opens 1NT. next player passes. What is your response?
1. K Q 8 7 6 A 8 J 6 3 2 J 8
2. A 7 K 8 3 J 9 8 7 3 2 Q 6
3. - - - J 9 8 7 6 3 A K 3 2 J 6 5
4. 4 K Q 9 5 3 A Q 7 6 4 A 3
OPENER'S REBID AFTER A STRONG RESPONSE
After a suit response at the 1-level. A suit response after the 1-level can be a weak responding hand or a strong responding hand. Opener's rebids have been discussed. After a response of 2NT or 3NT or a jump-raise. With a minimum bid no higher than game, but with a powerful opening, explore slam possibilities. Slam bidding is covered in Chapter 8. After a response of 2NT or 3NT, stay with
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no-trumps with a balanced hand, but try to play in a trump contract if the hand is unbalanced. For example, after 1 : 2NT, opener could rebid 3 to show 5 spades and four hearts and a desire to play in one of the majors rather than in no-trumps. After a jump-shift response Opener should support responder's suit with three or more trumps. Without support, make a natural rebid, bidding a second suit if possible. After a suit response at the 2-level (e.g.,1 : 2 ) With a minimum opening, your order of priorities is: (1) Support responder to the 3-level (e.g., 1 : 2 , 3 ). Opener would choose not to support responder at once only after 1 : 2 or 1 : 2 , where opener with four hearts would rather bid 2 to show the other major. (2) Bid a new suit lower-ranking than the first suit (e.g., 1 : 2 , 2 ) (3) Repeat the first suit with at least 5 cards in the suit (e.g., 1 : 2 , 2 ). The suit need not be more than five cards long. The rebid of opener's first suit is used to confirm a minimum opening with no cheaper suit to bid. (4) Rebid 2NT with a balanced hand. 1 : 2 , 2NT is used to show a minimum opening hand (weaker than a 1NT opening), but a 2NT rebid after opening 1 or 1 is strong, 15-18 HCP. It aims to show the values for a 1NT opening plus a 5-card major in a 5-3-3-2 pattern. Opener's change of suit to a lower suit (e.g., 1 : 2 , 2 ) has a range of 12-18 points, since a jump-shift needs 19 points or more. It may thus be a minimum opening or a strong opening . Therefore, change-of-suit after a 2-level response is forcing. A new suit by opener beyond 2-in-the-suit-opened (e.g., 1 : 2 , 2 ) shows better than a minimum opening, say 16 points or more. Logically it is forcing to game since responder has 10 points or more for the 2-level response and opener has shown 16 points or more with a strong rebid.
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EXERCISES ON REBIDS AFTER A STRONG RESPONSE
A. West 1 : East 2NT. West's rebid?
1. K 7 8 4 3 A Q 6 5 4 K J 2
2. 7 K Q 4 3 A K J 6 2 9 4 2
3. 6 5 4 A K J 8 6 A Q J 6 3
4. A 7 2 6 5 3 K Q 9 8 A 4 3
B. West 1 : East 2 . West's rebid?
1. K Q 3 A 8 7 K J 7 4 8 6 2
2. K Q 3 A 8 7 K Q J 4 A 10 7
3. K 3 2 A Q 8 6 K J 9 8 7 4
4. 7 2 A 2 A Q 8 7 4 K 4 3 2
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C. West 1 : East 2 . West's rebid?
1. A 4 K Q 7 6 2 A 9 8 3 7 6
2. A 9 8 3 K Q 7 6 2 7 6 A 4
3. 9 7 5 A K J 7 3 9 7 2 A 10
4. Q 8 A J 9 7 4 2 K Q 5 J 8
5. A J 8 A Q 7 6 4 K 7 4 K 2
6. A J 8 A Q 6 3 2 K Q 4 K 2
7. A J 8 2 A Q J 9 4 2 A 4 3
8. 7 2 A 9 7 3 2 A K Q 5 A 8
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D. West 1 : East 2NT. West's rebid?
1. A J 7 4 K J 9 5 4 7 A 4 3
2. A J 7 K J 9 8 4 3 7 K J 2
3. A 6 A 9 7 5 3 K Q 3 7 6 2
4. - - - A Q 8 7 5 K Q 7 6 3 Q J 8
E. West 1 : East 2 . West's rebid?
1. A K 9 8 3 K Q 7 6 4 8 5 3
2. A K 9 8 3 8 5 3 4 K Q 7 6
3. A K J 7 3 2 A 4 3 9 2 K Q
4. A Q J 9 8 6 2 7 2 K Q J J
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PARTNERSHIP BIDDING PRACTICE
FEATURING RESPONDING WITH STRONG HANDS
West is the dealer on each hand. How should the bidding go?
WEST
EAST
21. A J 9 7 K 9 4 7 6 A J 3 2
21. 8 2 A Q 7 2 K 9 4 3 K Q 6
22. A Q J 7 3 4 7 A J 9 5 4 3
22. 8 2 A Q 7 2 K 9 4 3 K Q 6
23. A K J K 7 7 2 A J 9 8 4 3
23. 9 5 Q 10 6 5 2 A K J 9 6 2
24. J 6 K J 3 Q 7 A J 9 8 4 3
24. 9 5 Q 10 6 5 2 A K J 9 K 2
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25. 7 6 4 3 A Q 8 7 6 A K 4 3
25. A J 9 2 4 2 A K 9 7 5 8 6
26. Q J 3 A Q 8 7 6 A K 5 4 3
26. K 4 6 2 A K J 8 7 5 9 7 2
27. A J 8 K Q 7 K 9 4 2 7 6 2
27. K 7 2 9 5 8 5 3 A K 8 4 3
28. A 7 7 2 K Q J 5 3 A Q 10 6
28. 9 4 3 K J 8 4 A 2 K 5 3 2
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29. A 10 6 K 8 4 3 K Q 9 6 2 8
29. K 5 Q J 6 5 8 7 A K 9 4 3
30. A 6 4 3 A Q 8 7 4 K Q J 3
30. 7 2 K Q J 8 5 2 J 6 A 5 2
31. K Q 6 7 2 A Q 9 7 5 3 J 8
31. A 8 4 3 A 10 5 3 K 4 K 9 2
32. 7 J 2 A J 7 6 2 A Q 9 7 5
32. A K 8 4 3 K Q 9 4 5 3 J 6
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PARTNERSHIP BIDDING PRACTICE
FEATURING RESPONDING WITH STRONG HANDS
West is the dealer on each hand. How should the bidding go?
WEST
EAST
WEST
EAST
33. 8 6 5 A Q 7 4 3 2 A K 9 2
33. A K 9 4 2 6 Q 8 3 Q J 10 5
39. A K J 8 7 A Q J 6 3 7 3 8
39. 6 5 4 8 2 A K 8 6 2 K 7 2
34. 8 A Q 7 4 3 2 A K 9 8 6 2
34. A K 9 4 2 6 Q 8 3 Q J 10 5
40. A K J 8 7 A Q J 6 3 7 3 8
40. 6 K 8 4 A Q 8 6 4 Q 9 7 2
35. A J 9 K Q 8 4 3 A Q 4 2 6
35. Q 8 2 J 5 J 8 7 A K 8 7 3
41. A K J 8 7 A Q J 6 7 3 8 5
41. 9 6 K 8 A Q 8 6 4 Q 9 7 2
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36. K 9 5 2 A K J 8 7 Q 3 2 K
36. 8 6 3 Q A 6 5 A Q 8 6 5 2
42. K Q 6 5 4 A 2 A Q 9 8 3 Q
42. 8 K Q 8 7 6 3 K J 6 J 7 2
37. A K J 2 K 9 7 6 4 J 2 6 3
37. Q 7 6 5 4 5 3 A K 9 4 3 4
43. A Q 8 7 4 J 6 K Q J 9 8 3
43. J 6 A 8 7 4 3 A 9 5 J 4 2
38. 6 A Q J 7 6 K Q J 5 9 3 2
38. Q 8 7 8 3 2 A 9 8 3 2 A J
44. A Q 8 7 4 J 6 2 K Q J 9 8
44. J 6 A K 8 4 3 A 9 5 J 6 4
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PLAY HANDS ON STRONG RESPONDING HANDS
Hand 13: Coping with a bad break - The marked finesse Dealer North : Nil vulnerable
NORTH
♠ 10 7 4
♥ A K Q 10
♦ K
♣ J 8 7 6 2
WEST EAST
♠ A K 8 6 3 ♠ 9 5 2
♥ J 9 8 2 ♥ - - -
♦ A 9 ♦ 10 8 7 6 5 4
♣ Q 9 ♣ 10 5 4 3
SOUTH
♠ Q J
♥ 7 6 5 4 3
♦ Q J 3 2
♣ A K
West
North
East
South
1
Pass
1
1
2
Pass
4
Pass
Pass
Pass
Bidding: With 13 points opposite an opening, South always intended to reach game. When North raised hearts, that settled the matter.Lead: A, normal from A-K suits. Play: After the top spades and the A, win the next trick and play the A. When East shows out, play a club to hand and lead a heart towards dummy, finessing the 10 when West plays low. Draw West's trumps and use the 10 or the J to discard a diamond loser.
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UPGRADE TO VIEW MORE HANDS
Hand 14: Drawing trumps - The marked finesse Dealer East ; N-S vulnerable
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♣♣
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♥
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Hand 15: Drawing trumps in the correct order - The marked finesse
Dealer South : Both vulnerable

♠
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♦♦
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UPGRADE TO VIEW MORE HANDS
Hand 16: Drawing trumps - Marked finesse - Repeating the finesse Dealer West : Nil vulnerable

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UPGRADE TO VIEW MORE HANDS
♠
♥
♦
♣

♠♠
♥♥
♦♦
♣♣

♠
♥
♦
♣











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
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UPGRADE TO VIEW MORE HANDS

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Chapter 6
Bidding by a Passed Hand
Once you have passed initially, some of your bids have a different meaning as you cannot hold 13 points, else you would have opened. Your weak responses are not affected: a raise of opener's suit to the two-level is still 6-9 points and the 1NT response is also still 6-9 points. A change of suit at the one-level now has a range of 6-12 points, as opposed to the wide-ranging 6+ points for a new suit response at the one-level by an unpassed hand. Since a passed hand cannot hold 13 points, a jump response shows exactly 10-12 points. Specifically:
 The jump to 2NT by a passed hand (e.g., Pass : 1 : 2NT) shows a balance hand, 10-12 points, and denies support for opener's suit.
 The jump-raise by a passed hand (e.g., Pass : 1 , 3 ) shows 10-12 points and support for opener's suit. The shape need not be balanced.
 The jump-shift by a passed hand (e.g., Pass : 1 , 2 ) shows 10-12 points and a strong 5-card suit. If the suit is only four cards long or if the suit is not strong, bid the suit at the cheapest level without a jump.
The most important rule about bidding by a passed hand is this:
A BID BY A PASSED HAND IS NOT FORCING This applies whether it is a jump bid or a change of suit so that the normal rules about change-of-suit forcing or jump responses forcing to game do not apply when the responder is a passed hand. Because any bid by a passed hand is not forcing, it is vital to make a response which gives partner the most important message in one bid. There might be no second chance. Therefore, raise a major suit as first priority. Do not bid a new suit when you have a major suit raise available. The change of suit to the 2-level still requires 10 points, but the range is 10-12 points rather than the normal 10 points or more, and a very significant difference is that 5-card or longer suit is promised (since it may be passed by opener). With only 4-card suits, bid a suit at the 1-level (a new suit at the 1-level does not promise more than four cards) or respond 1NT or 2NT.
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EXERCISES ON PASSED HAND BIDDING
A. You passed as dealer and partner opens 1 . What is your response?
1. K Q 6 K J 8 Q 6 5 2 J 9 4
2. A J K Q 3 2 J 7 6 8 7 4 2
3. A Q J 4 3 K 9 7 6 5 J 9 2
4. K 8 A Q 9 6 3 J 8 7 5 3 2
B. You passed as dealer and partner opens 1 . What is your response?
1. A J K 9 7 6 6 5 4 Q J 9 4
2. A J 8 4 2 Q 7 6 2 4 3 6 2
3. K Q 6 4 3 J 10 4 3 A J 10 2
4. A Q J 9 8 J 6 K 4 3 7 6 2
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5. A 9 8 6 7 Q 9 8 4 K J 8 2
6. A 5 3 4 3 K J 9 8 2 Q 4 2
7. A 5 2 4 K J 8 2 9 7 5 4 3
8. 5 2 7 6 4 3 A K J 8 Q J 2
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PARTNERSHIP BIDDING PRACTICE
West is the dealer on each hand. How should the bidding go?
WEST
EAST
WEST
EAST
45. A J 7 K 9 8 4 7 6 4 3 2 6
45. 9 5 A Q 6 3 2 A K 8 J 7 4
48. A 7 6 4 2 K J Q 9 8 J 6 2
48. J 9 8 Q 4 3 6 5 2 A K Q 9
46. A Q 7 2 K 9 8 3 J 8 7 4 2
46. K 9 4 3 7 A K 3 A J 9 5 3
49. A J 7 8 7 K 8 2 K 8 6 4 3
49. Q 3 2 K Q 6 A 7 5 A 9 7 2
47. Q 7 A 8 Q J 8 6 4 3 7 6 2
47. K 9 8 5 2 K 7 6 9 5 2 A Q
50. 7 A 9 8 2 J 9 7 3 A Q 7 6
50. Q J 6 4 3 Q 7 A 8 5 K 5 2
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Chapter 7
Super-Strong Opening Bids
Hands with more than 21 HCP are too strong to open with one-opening, since partner will normally pass with 5 points or less. A K J 8 4 3 A K 3 A K Q 5
If you were open this hand 1 , imagine your dismay if the bidding went: Pass, Pass, Pass. With just two or three points ,partner would be right to pass but game may be a great chance opposite even less.
To cope with such a powerhouse, open with a Two-Bid. The bid chosen depends on shape, but if the hand is not balanced follow the normal rules: longest suit first; with a 5-5 or 6-6, bid the higher-ranking first; with 4-card suits only, bid up-the-line. Two specific openings cater for balanced hands. 2NT = 22-24 points and balanced shape. Partner is permitted to pass this with no points or only one point, but with any hope for game, partner will respond. With a balanced hand, responder keeps to no-trumps, while with unbalanced shapes, bid three-in-a-suit (promises a 5-card suit) or bid game in a major suit with six cards or more in the major. The Stayman 3 Convention is also commonly used. 3NT = 25-27 points and balanced shape. Responder will stay with 3NT unless there are slam prospects or responder's hand is unbalanced. With a hand that is not balanced, open 2-in-a-suit on any hand with 22+ HCP or with fewer than 22 HCP if it is stronger than nine playing tricks. How to count playing tricks: In your long suits (four or more cards): Count the ace and king as winners. Count the queen as a winner if the suit contains another honour. Count every card after the third card as a winner. In your short suits: Count A = 1, K with another honour = 1, K with one or more cards but no other honour = 1/2, Q or J with at least one higher honour = 1/2 (but A-K-Q is of course three tricks). For example:
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A K Q 8 7 6 3 A K 5 A 3 6
This hand is worth 10 tricks with spades as trumps. It would be a tragedy to open 1 and be left there. Open 2 and insist on game. To open 4 has a different meaning.
RESPONDING TO A 2-OPENING
While responder is expected to pass a one-opening with 0-5 points, responder must reply to a two-opening, no matter how weak the hand. The two-in-a-suit opening is forcing to game. This means that both partners must keep bidding until at least game is reached. Responder's weakest reply is 2NT : 0-7 points and any shape. The 2NT reply is used purely as an artificial weakness reply because the responder has to bid. It need not be a balanced hand at all. If there happens to be an intervening bid over partner's 2-opening, responder would pass to show the negative reply. There is no obligation to bid over an intervening bid, since opener has another chance to bid anyway. Any response other than 2NT shows a stronger hand, about 8 points or more, about 1/2 tricks or better. With a positive response, which often leads to a slam, responder should show support for opener's major suit opening as first priority. Responder is entitled to expect the first suit bid by a 2-opener to be a 5-card or longer suit may therefore support it with just three trumps. If opener repeats the first suit, responder may support it with a doubleton. To support opener's second suit requires four trumps, however, since the second suit need not have more than four cards. When responder has a positive reply but lacks support for opener, the normal rules apply for bidding a new suit (longest first, with 5-5 or 6-6 patterns, bid the higher suit first; 4-card suits up-the-line). With a balanced hand without support for opener, responder may bid 3NT with about 8-10 high card points. Opener will not pass since slam is likely.
REBIDS BY THE OPENER
(a) After a 2NT response Opener will bid a second suit or four or more cards as first choice. With no second suit to show, opener will rebid the first suit with six or more cards or rebid 3NT with a 5-3-3-2 pattern. Responder will strive to support opener. If this is not possible, responder may introduce a long suit or rebid 3NT. Responder will not pass the bidding out below game.
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(b) After a positive response Opener will support responder's suit if possible. If not, bid a second suit or rebid the first suit with six or more cards in it. Slam is highly likely after a positive response but it is important to reach agreement on a trump suit if possible. Slam bidding is covered in Chapter 8.
EXERCISES ON SUPER-STRONG OPENING BIDS
A. What is your opening bid on these hands?
1. A 6 A K J 10 6 2 A Q K 8 3
2. A A K Q A K J 10 6 5 2 5 3
3. A K Q 8 4 A K J 9 8 7 A 4
4. Q 7 5 4 3 A K 6 5 A K A 2
5. - - - A K Q 8 6 5 4 A Q J 8 7 3 - - -
6. A K Q J A Q J 7 4 A K Q 8
B. Partner opens 2 , next player passes. What is your response?
1. 7 5 4 6 4 2 5 4 3 2 7 6 3
2. K 8 7 6 4 K 6 5 3 9 8 6 4
3. A 8 7 6 4 Q J 7 6 Q 9 6 2
4. A 8 7 4 2 K Q 5 3 2 9 8 4
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5. A 8 7 Q 9 8 K 7 4 3 2 J 2
6. A K 8 4 8 7 5 3 4 2 K 8 6
7. 7 6 Q J 7 5 Q 8 7 6 8 5 4
8. A 7 6 2 2 A J 7 5 9 8 5 2
C. West 2 : East 2NT. West's rebid?
1. A K Q J 7 A K J 4 4 3 A K
2. A K Q J 8 7 6 5 3 A 4 A K
3. A Q 9 8 6 2 A K A Q J A 5
4. A K Q 8 6 A Q 5 A K 7 A 3
5. A Q J 9 8 6 5 A K Q J 8 3 - - - - - -
6. A K Q J 7 A 7 4 A K Q 6 3
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D. West 2 : East 2NT. West rebids 3 . What should East rebid?
1. 6 5 4 3 Q J 6 5 J 8 7 6 4
2. 9 8 7 7 6 Q J 7 6 3 4 3 2
3. Q 8 7 4 8 7 5 3 2 K 9 6 5
4. 8 7 2 A J 8 6 5 3 2 5 3 2
5. 6 5 7 6 4 3 9 6 5 2 9 8 3
6. J 8 7 Q 5 2 6 5 4 2 5 3 2
7. 3 2 9 Q J 8 7 6 Q 10 9 4 2
8. K 8 Q 9 4 3 6 3 2 7 5 3 2
E. West 2 : East 2NT. West rebids 6 . What should East call now?
1. J 7 6 5 4 9 8 6 5 4 6 4 2
2. 6 4 3 2 4 3 8 7 5 5 4 3 2
3. 8 6 5 3 4 K 7 5 9 6 5 3 2
4. 9 8 2 A 7 6 4 3 7 6 5 3 2
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PARTNERSHIP BIDDING PRACTICE
West is the dealer on each hand. How should the bidding go?
WEST
EAST
WEST
EAST
51. A K Q 9 Q 9 A Q J 10 8 5 A
51. 6 4 3 J 10 8 5 4 3 2 K 6 3
54. 7 A K 2 K Q J 9 8 6 4 A K
54. K J 9 8 5 6 3 2 10 9 7 6 4
52. Q 10 7 J 10 7 4 K 8 3 2 7 2
52. A K 8 6 3 K - - - A Q J 9 8 5 4
55. 9 3 J 8 7 4 6 3 Q 7 6 4 3
55. A K Q J 5 A K 6 2 A K K 2
53. A K J 9 8 7 3 A 6 2 - - - A K J
53. 6 5 4 J 10 4 Q 5 2 8 6 3 2
56. J 5 4 9 7 Q 8 6 3 J 7 4 3
56. A 9 A Q 3 A K 5 2 K Q 8 6
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PLAY HANDS ON SUPER-STRONG OPENINGS
Hand 17: 2NT opening - Suit contract - Finessing Dealer North : Nil vulnerable
NORTH
♠ A Q J 3
♥ A K
♦ A J 4 2
♣ Q J 9
WEST EAST
♠ K 10 9 ♠ 7 5 4
♥ 10 ♥ 9 5 4 2
♦ 8 6 5 3 ♦ K Q 10 9
♣ A K 7 4 2 ♣ 10 3
SOUTH
♠ 8 6 2
♥ Q J 8 7 6 3
♦ 7
♣ 8 6 5
West
North
East
South
2NT
Pass
4
Pass
Pass
Pass
Bidding: South knows N-S must have 8 or more hearts and has enough to bid game. Note that 3NT fails as there is no entry to the South hand. Lead: A, normal from A-K suits. Play: East signals high-low, 10 then 3 of clubs, and ruffs the third round. The A wins the K exit and the A-K of hearts are cashed . A diamond is ruffed and the last trump is drawn. A spade is led, finessing the queen. When this finesse succeeds, another diamond is ruffed and the jack of spades is finessed. Making 10 tricks.
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UPGRADE TO VIEW MORE HANDS
Hand 18: Demand opening - Weakness response - Finessing Dealer East : N-S vulnerable
NORTH
♠
♥
♦
♣
WEST EAST
♠♠
♥♥
♦♦
♣♣
SOUTH
♠
♥
♦
♣




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










UPGRADE TO VIEW MORE HANDS
Hand 19: 2NT opening - suit response - Finessing Dealer South : N-S vulnerable
NORTH
♠
♥
♦
♣
WEST EAST
♠♠
♥♥
♦♦
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♣♣
SOUTH
♠
♥
♦
♣











UPGRADE TO VIEW MORE HANDS

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UPGRADE TO VIEW MORE HANDS
Hand 20: Refusing to overruff - Discarding a loser instead
Dealer West : Nil vulnerable
NORTH
♠
♥
♦
♣
WEST EAST
♠♠
♥♥
♦♦
♣♣
SOUTH
♠
♥
♦
♣
West
North
East
South
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










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UPGRADE TO VIEW MORE HANDS
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WEAK TWO BIDS AND 2 GAME FORCE
A popular method among tournament players is to use 2 as the only strong opening bid. The opening bids of 2 , 2 and 2 are used as weak openings, like a pre-empt (see Chapter 9) but with only a 6-card suit. The 2 opening is artificial and forcing. Opener shows the long suit on the next round or rebids no-trumps with a balanced hand. The expectancy for the 2 opening is 23 HCP or more or a hand with ten playing tricks or better. Players using this approach usually adjust the ranges for strong balanced hands as follows:
 21-22 points balanced: Open 2NT
 23-24 points balanced: Open 2 , rebid 2NT.
 25-28 points balanced: Open 2 , rebid 3NT.
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Part 2
Areas of Bidding
Common to all Standard Systems
In general it is correct to say that when you state that you are playing a specific system this refers only to the meaning of your bids when your side opens the bidding and the responses to those opening bids. Almost invariably, the system you play will not stipulate the methods you should use when the opponents open the bidding. Also, it is usually only the meaning of opening bids at the one-level and two-level that are dictated by system requirements. Openings at higher levels are unaffected if a standard system is being played. There are several ways of bidding which are common to all standard bidding systems. The areas which have a common treatment are:
 Slam bidding using the Blackwood Convention.
 Pre-emptive openings of 3 or more in a suit.
 Standard overcalls.
 Takeout doubles.
Each of these topics is examined in the following chapters.
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Chapter 8
Slam Bidding
If you and partner have the values for a slam, it is a losing approach not to bid the slam. Even if you fail occasionally, the rewards for slams are so great that you will be in front in the long run if you succeed in more than 50% of your slams. A small slam is worthwhile with 33 points or more and a grand slam should be bid if you have at least 37 points together. However, there is more to bidding slams than just points. It is also vital that you cannot lose the first two tricks in a small slam and that there should be little risk of a loser in a grand slam. In particular, there should not be two aces missing for a small slam, or an ace or a critical king or queen missing for a grand slam. As the 33 points for a small slam need not all be high card points, it is possible for two aces to be missing. Likewise, the 37 points for a grand slam can contain shortage points and again an ace or a key king or key queen could be missing. If you are in doubt, settle for a good small slam rather than take a risk for a grand slam. If you know the partnership has 33 HCP or more, you know that there cannot be two aces missing. If you have located a good trump fit or you know that you should be in no-trumps, you can then simply bid the slam you judge to be best without further ado. For example, if partner opens 2NT and you hold 13 points with a 4-3-3-3 pattern, the commonsense bid is 6NT. You need no extra information to bid the slam. In other situations, you may know that there is enough strength for a slam and can tell that you cannot lose the first two tricks. For example: A Q J 8 6 4 A 4 5 A K 3 2
Partner passed, you opened 1 and partner raised 3 . Since partner passed initially, you can expect the jump-raise to show support and 11-12 points. Your hand, now 22, is enough for a small slam.
As you hold three aces and a singleton in the other suit, there is no threat of losing the first two tricks. Bid 6 Most of the time you may know that there are enough points for a slam, but two aces could be missing. You will need to ask partner for aces using the Blackwood Convention. With Blackwood, you can check on how many aces partner holds and also how many kings. Before you use Blackwood, you should be confident of two things; firstly, that there are enough points for slam (aces do not cure a deficiency in points - even all four aces will produce only four tricks, while four aces and four kings add up to eight tricks), and secondly, you know your final destination: you know no-trumps still all right or you are aware of a strong trump fit, or you have a powerful self-sufficient trump suit.
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BLACKWOOD 4NT - ASKING FOR ACES
A jump to 4NT after a suit bid asks partner:
How many aces do you have?
The replies are:
5 = 0 or 4
5 = 1
5 = 2
5 = 3
After the answer to 4NT, 5NT asks partner:
How many kings do you hold?
The replies are:
6 = 0
6 = 1
6 = 2
6 = 3
6NT = 4
To use the 5NT ask for kings, you should have ambitions for a grand slam. The partnership should have the values for a grand slam, a strong trump suit and there should not be any aces missing. In other words, the use of 5NT asking for kings promises that the partnership holds all the aces. 4NT is usually Blackwood asking for aces, but if 4NT is used as an immediate response to an opening bid of no-trumps (e.g., 1NT : 4NT or 2NT : 4NT) this is not used as Blackwood but an invitation to 6NT. Opener is asked to pass with a minimum opening and to bid on with more than minimum points. If you wish to check on aces after an opening bid of no-trumps, you will need to bid a suit first (e.g., 1NT : 3 or 2NT : 3 ) and then bid 4NT later. It is an ask for aces if there has been a suit bid in the auction.
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EXERCISES ON SLAM BIDDING
A. In each of the following auctions you are South with the hand shown. Would you say that you are in the slam zone or the game zone?
1. K 10 9 6 4 K J 5 A 9 7 3 4
2. K 6 3 K 9 K 10 7 6 5 3 A 2
3. K Q 7 K J 4 3 A 8 7 J 4 3
N S
2NT ?
N S
2 ?
N S
1NT ?
4. A K J K Q 10 9 7 6 K Q J 6
5. Q 5 A Q 8 4 3 K 7 2 Q 4 3
6. 6 K 9 A 4 3 2 A K Q 7 6 2
N S
1
4 ?
N S
1
3 ?
N S
1 2
3 ?
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B. What should South call next in each of these auctions?
1. A J 8 3 A 6 A Q J 4 2 8 3
2. A 8 7 A 4 A J 9 4 A 7 4 3
3. K Q 7 K Q J 4 3 ? A Q 4 3
N S
1
1 3
4NT ?
N S
1NT
3 3NT
4NT ?
N S
1
3 4NT
5 ?
4. J 4 3 2 K 8 5 3 A K J 6 4
5. K 8 4 2 A 9 Q J 9 8 K 8 6
6. K Q 3 6 4 2 A K 5 2 A J 8
N S
1 2
2 3
4NT ?
N S
1 2NT
4NT 5
5 ?
N S
1 3NT
4NT 5
5NT ?
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C. You hold: K Q 8 5 3 A Q J 2 K Q 4 6
What is your next call in each of these auctions?
a. You Ptnr.
1 3
4NT 5
?
b. You Ptnr.
1 3
4NT 5
5NT 6
?
c. You Ptnr.
1 3
4NT 5
5NT 6
?
D. You hold: A 9 5 A J 6 3 2 - - - Q J 8 7 6
What is your next call in each of these auctions?
a. You Ptnr.
1 4NT
5 6
?
b. You Ptnr.
1
2 4NT
5 6
?
c. You Ptnr.
1 1
2 4NT
5 5
?
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E. You hold: A 8 4 3 2 K Q 10 6 K Q J 3
What is your next call in each of these auctions?
a. You Ptnr.
1 2
4 4NT
5 5
?
b. You Ptnr.
1 2
3 5
?
c. You Ptnr.
1 2
4 5
?
PARTNERSHIP BIDDING PRACTICE
West is the dealer on each hand. How should the bidding go?
WEST
EAST
WEST
EAST
57. A K J 7 4 A K Q 3 A J J 3
57. 10 3 J 8 K Q 6 2 K Q 9 7 4
60. A Q J 7 6 A Q J 5 K 3 K 9
60. 9 5 K 7 4 3 A Q 7 A J 5 4
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58. A Q 8 K Q 9 7 A K 3 8 7 2
58. K 6 4 A J 2 8 7 4 2 A K Q
61. K 9 8 Q J 7 A Q J A K Q 6
61. A Q 6 A K 3 K 8 5 2 9 5 4
59. K 6 9 5 3 2 K 7 4 A 8 4 2
59. A Q J A K Q 8 7 6 A Q 3 K
62. A J A K Q J 8 4 A K Q 2 A
62. K 9 4 5 3 2 8 7 5 K 8 6 2
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PLAY HANDS ON SLAM BIDDING
Hand 21: 2NT opening - Setting up extra tricks - Finessing
Dealer North : Nil vulnerable
NORTH
♠ 9 6 5 2
♥ J 10 9 4 3
♦ 6 5 2
♣ 10
WEST EAST
♠ Q J 4 ♠ A K 7
♥ K Q 6 ♥ A 8 2
♦ K 7 4 ♦ A Q 3
♣ J 8 3 2 ♣ K Q 5 4
SOUTH
♠ 10 8 3
♥ 7 5
♦ J 10 9 8
♣ A 9 7 6
West
North
East
South
Pass
2NT
Pass
6NT
Pass
Pass
Pass
Bidding; With 12 points opposite 22 at least, West has enough for slam. Lead: J. Top of a sequence. Play: With 9 tricks outside clubs, 3 club tricks are needed to succeed. Win the lead and play the K. If it wins, continue with the Q, while if the K is taken by the ace, win the return and cash the Q. When North shows out on the second club, take a finesse of dummy's 8 next time. Wrong play: Playing winners in the other suits before tackling clubs.
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UPGRADE TO VIEW MORE HANDS
Hand 22: Leaving the top trump out while you discard a loser Dealer East : N-S vulnerable
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UPGRADE TO VIEW MORE HANDS
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UPGRADE TO VIEW MORE HANDS
Hand 23: Rejecting a finesse - Delaying trumps - Discarding a loser Dealer South : Both vulnerable
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Hand 24: Card combinations - Setting up winners to discard losers Dealer West : Nil vulnerable
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♠♠
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UPGRADE TO VIEW MORE HANDS

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Chapter 9
Pre-emptive Opening Bids
Without interference, most pairs with a little experience can bid well enough to the best spot most of the time. Information is exchanged by the partnership's dialogue. For example, 1 : 2 ,2 : 2 , 4 can be translated into: 'I have hearts.' : 'What about clubs?', 'No, I have diamonds, too.':'Oh,I prefer your hearts.','All right, lets try 4 then.' Imagine that before the above dialogue took place you had opened 3 .What happens to their dialogue? Opening bids of 3-in-a-suit or 4-in-a-suit or 5 or 5 are called pre-empts, because by getting in first you aim to shut out the opponents. Pre-empts force the opposition into guessing what to do. Their decisions have to be made without any clear knowledge of what is held by their partner. When they have to guess at the contract, they will sometimes make the wrong guess. That is your profit.
A pre-emptive bid is made on the first round of bidding. There is no such concept as a pre-emptive rebid, since if the opponents have not entered the bidding on the first round, there is no need to shut them out. A pre-empt can be made in any position, by opener, by responder or by either defender. Pre-empts are more effective the sooner they are made as that reduces the amount of information the opponents can exchange. Therefore, pre-empt as high as you dare as early as possible. Once you have pre-empted, do not bid again, unless your partner makes a forcing bid. A pre-emptive bid skips two or more levels of bidding. For example, opening 3 is a pre-empt because it skips over 1 and 2 . Likewise, 1 : 3 is a pre-empt because it skips over 1 and 2 , but, 1 :3 would not be a pre-empt, as it skips over only one level, the 2 bid. The 3 response here is a jump-shift, the most powerful response possible.
The normal pre-empt contains 6-10 HCP and a strong 7+ suit.
A pre-emptive opening may have fewer than 6 points if it contains the right number of playing tricks, but in practice, this is very rare. It may also be a very powerful 6-card suit, but this is rare, too. Do not pre-empt if you have a 4-card or longer major as a second suit.
When you have a hand suitable for a pre-empt, you may open with a bid of 3 or a bid of 4 (and if your suit is a minor, you may even begin with a bid of 5 or 5 ). How can you judge whether you should open with a 3-bid or with a higher bid? The answer depends on the number of playing tricks you hold. The rule of 3 and 2 states: ‘Count your playing tricks and add 3 tricks if not vulnerable, 2 tricks if vulnerable. Make the opening bid corresponding to this total number of tricks.’ In other words:
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 With 6 playing tricks, open 3 if not vulnerable, pass if vulnerable.
 With 7 playing tricks, open 4 if not vulnerable, open 3 if vulnerable.
 With 8 playing tricks: Not vulnerable, open 4 if your suit is a major and 5 if your suit is a minor. If vulnerable, open 4 in either case.
 With 9 playing tricks, open 4 if your suit is a major, 5 if a minor.
HOW TO COUNT YOUR PLAYING TRICKS
(1) Count every card after the third card in a suit as one playing trick. (2) In the top three cards of each suit, each ace and each king = one trick. (3) Count each queen as a trick if there is a second honour card in that suit. (4) Count no trick for a singleton king, singleton queen or queen doubleton. Count only one trick for holding K-Q doubleton.
RESPONDING TO PARTNER'S PRE-EMPTIVE OPENING
(1) Assess how many tricks your partner has shown by deducting three if your side is not vulnerable or two if your side is vulnerable. (2) Add to this your own 'quick tricks': Count the A,K or Q of partner's suit as one trick each. In other suits, count A-K as 2, A-Q as 1 1/2, A as 1, K-Q as 1, and K as 1/2. If you have support for opener's suit, count an outside singleton as one and an outside void as two. (3) If the total is less than partner's bid or just enough for the contract, pass. (4) If the total is more than partner's bid, you should bid on to game(but if partner's bid is already a game, you would pass). If the total is 12 or more, bid on to a slam provided that you are not missing two aces. (5) Over an opening bid of 3 or 3 , you may try 3NT with a strong balanced hand and at least one stopper in each of the outside suits. (6) Over other opening pre-empts, prefer to stick with partner's suit unless you have a strong hand and a long, powerful suit of your own. A change of suit in response to a pre-empt is forcing. (7) Do not rescue partner from a pre-empt. With a weak hand, pass.
EXERCISES ON PRE-EMPTIVE BIDDING
A. pre-empts are based on playing trick potential. How many tricks would you expect to win with each of these suits as trumps?
1. A K Q x x x x x
7. A Q x x x x x
13. K J x x x x x x
2. A K Q x x x x
8. A K x x x x x
14. K x x x x x x
3. A K Q x x x
9. A J x x x x
15. Q J 10 x x x x
4. A K J x x x x x
10. A x x x x x x
16. Q x x x x x x x
5 . A K J x x x x
11. K Q J x x x x
17. J x x x x x x
6. A Q J x x x x
12. K Q x x x x x x
18. x x x x x x x x x
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B. You are dealer. What action do you take with these hands if you are:
(i) not vulnerable? (ii) vulnerable?
1. Q J 10 8 7 4 2 5 K Q J 5 4
2. 8 K Q J 9 7 6 5 4 4 3 3 2
3. K 3 5 4 8 7 A K J 9 8 6 2
4. 3 2 - - - A K Q 9 8 7 5 4 2 5 2
5. K J 10 7 6 5 4 6 Q J 10 9 6 - - -
6. 5 4 3 7 4 3 2 A K Q 7 6 4
7. K Q J 8 7 5 Q J 10 6 4 3 2
8. K 6 3 2 9 3 A 8 7 6 4 3 2
9. J 9 8 6 5 4 A K 3 9 8 7 3
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10. A K 8 7 6 4 Q 9 7 6 4 3 2 2 6
11. A 5 A K Q 9 7 6 3 Q 9 7 2
12. 6 5 A K Q 9 7 6 3 9 7 3 2
13. 4 J 9 7 6 4 3 2 A 2 J 8 6
14. A K Q J 5 3 2 A K Q 9 7 A
15. K Q J 6 5 3 2 4 2 Q 10 7 3
C. Partner opens 3 . Your response: (i) not vulnerable? (ii) vulnerable?
1. A J 9 8 7 5 3 Q J 7 6 8 5
2. A J 9 8 6 4 3 Q J 7 6 5 2
3. A K 5 4 3 - - - J 8 7 4 3 9 7 6
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4. A K J 8 7 2 5 A Q J J 3 2
5. A 8 7 Q 7 6 5 K 8 3 6 4 2
6. 7 Q 4 3 A K 8 4 3 J 6 3 2
7. A Q J 5 4 3 Q J 10 6 K Q 10
8. A K 6 5 3 2 4 3 A 7 Q J 7
9. A K J 4 3 9 7 K Q J 7 6 2
10. K 8 7 6 4 3 A J 7 6 5 2 4
11. A 5 K 7 6 4 A 9 7 A K Q J
12. A 6 5 K 9 4 A K Q 8 7 2 5
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PARTNERSHIP BIDDING PRACTICE
West is the dealer, neither side vulnerable. How should the bidding go?
WEST
EAST
63.
63.
K Q J 8 6 4 3 8 4 4 3 9 7
10 2 A K 6 A K 7 5 8 6 5 4
64.
64. 8 10 6 A Q J 7 6 5 4 7 6 2
A Q 3 A J 7 2 8 3 2 A J 10
65.
65.
9 3 8 A K J 7 5 3 2 9 5 3
A K 7 6 5 4 A 9 5 8 A Q 4
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66.
66.
A 7 6 7 A J 8 4 3 6 5 4 2
4 K Q J 8 6 5 2 9 6 8 7 3
67.
67.
A Q J 9 6 4 3 2 9 4 8 9 7
K 8 7 7 A K 4 3 A 8 6 4 3
68.
68.
8 2 A 4 K Q 9 7 4 3 2 7 5
A K Q K Q J 7 5 3 2 6 A Q
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PLAY HANDS ON PRE-EMPTIVE BIDDING
Hand 25: Shut-out opening - Establishing a second suit in hand
Dealer North : Nil vulnerable
NORTH
♠ A K Q 9 7 6 5
♥ 2
♦ 8
♣ 9 8 7 3
WEST EAST
♠ J 8 3 ♠ 10
♥ 10 9 6 5 4 ♥ K Q J 8 3
♦ K Q 10 ♦ A J 5
♣ A K ♣ 6 5 4 2
SOUTH
♠ 4 2
♥ A 7
♦ 9 7 6 4 3 2
♣ Q J 10
West
North
East
South
4
All pass
Bidding: With 7 tricks not vulnerable, North has enough to open a 4 rather than 3 . Neither East nor West are strong enough to bid over that. Note that if West were the dealer, West would open 1 and over North's 4 overcall, East would compete to 5 , which would succeed. North's 4 opening has shut East-West out of the game they could make. Lead: K. Top of a sequence. Play: Win A, draw trumps in three rounds and then lead clubs at each opportunity to set up two extra tricks after the A-K are forced out.
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UPGRADE TO VIEW MORE HANDS
Hand 26: Play from dummy at trick 1- Establishing a long suit.
Dealer East : N-S vulnerable
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♣
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♥♥
♦♦
♣♣

♠
♥
♦
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♣
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
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
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

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UPGRADE TO VIEW MORE HANDS
UPGRADE TO VIEW MORE HANDS
Hand 27: Slam bidding after a pre-empt - Setting up a long suit
Dealer South : Both vulnerable

♠
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♦
♣

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♠♠
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♦♦
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♠
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♦
♣
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


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UPGRADE TO VIEW MORE HANDS

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UPGRADE TO VIEW MORE HANDS
Hand 28: Pre-emptive opening - Counting tricks - Slam bidding
Dealer West : Nil vulnerable
NORTH
♠
♥
♦
♣
WEST EAST
♠♠
♥♥
♦♦
♣♣
SOUTH
♠
♥
♦
♣
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West
North
East
South







UPGRADE TO VIEW MORE HANDS

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Chapter 10
Standard Overcalls
With normal luck, your side will open the bidding only half the time. This chapter and the next are concerned with the actions you may take after the bidding has been opened by the other side. There is only one opening bid in each auction, the first bid made, and there is only one opening bidder. The partner of the opening bidder is the responder and the opposing side is known as the 'the defenders'. Their bidding is called 'defensive bidding'. A bid made by a defender is an 'overall'(or an 'interpose') but not an opening. There is no such concept as 'opening for your side' after the other side has made a bid. The principles for defensive bidding are not the same as for opening the bidding and it is essential to appreciate the differences.
THE 1NT OVERCALL This shows a balanced hand, 16-18 points and at least one stopper in their suit. The minimum holdings which qualify as a stopper are the ace, K-x, Q-x-x or J-x-x-x, i.e., a holding where if they lead their suit from the top, you will win a trick in that suit. Bidding after the 1NT (see Chapter 3). THE SUIT OVERCALL The great difference opening the bidding (constructive bidding) and bidding after the opponents have opened (defensive bidding) is this: With 13 points or more, you would always open the bidding, yet if they have already opened the bidding, you should pass unless your hand fits the requirements for an overcall or for a takeout double (see Chapter 11). Thus, if they have opened, there is no obligation for you to bid, even if you have 13 points or 15 points or 17 points...The most common strong hands on which you would pass are balanced hands up to 15 points (too weak for a 1NT overcall) if they are not suitable for a takeout double, and those hands which have length and strength in a suit bid by the opponents. While there are no suit quality requirements for opening and while you might open in a very weak suit, overcalls in a suit are based on strongish suits, at least five cards long. The essence of the overcall is the long, strong suit. If your suit is strong, make an overcall even with as few as 8 or 9 HCP. Points are less important than suit quality.
A suit overcall at the 1-level shows:
 A strong suit, at least five cards long, and
 8-15 HCP.
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A suit overcall at the 2-level (not a jump-overcall) shows:
 A strong suit, at least five cards long, and
 10-15 HCP.
Thus, an overcall might be as strong as a minimum opening hand, but it need not be that strong, and can be quite weak in high cards. Just how good must a suit be to qualify as a 'strong suit'? An excellent guide for overcalls and for pre-emptive openings is the Suit Quality Test: Count the number of cards in the suit you wish to bid. Add the number of honour cards in the suit (but count the jack or ten as a full honour only if the suit also contains at least one higher honour). The total is the number of tricks for which you may bid the suit. Thus, if the total is 7, you may bid your suit at the 1-level. If the total is 8, you may bid your suit at the 1-level, or the 2-level if necessary. If the total is 9, you may bid your suit at the 1-level, the 2-level or, if necessary, the 3-level.
RESPONDING TO A SUIT OVERCALL
Below 8 points, you should normally pass unless you have good support for partner. With exactly 8 points, bid if you have something worthwhile to say, otherwise pass. With 9 or more points, you should find some bid. Raising partner shows 8-11 points (but only three trumps are required), a jump-raise would show 12-15 and a raise from the 1-level to game would be based on 16 points or more. With their suit stopped, you may reply 1NT(8-11 points), 2NT(12-15), or 3NT(16-18). A change of suit at the 1-level would show 8-15 points and a good 5-card suit, while at the 2-level it would show 10-15 points plus a good 5-card or longer suit. None of these actions is forcing. To force the overcaller to bid again, jump-shift (jump in a new suit to show 16 or more points and a good 5+ suit) or bid the enemy suit (an artificial forcing bid, called 'cue bid'). After partner has replied to your overcall you may pass with a minimum overcall if you have nothing worthwhile to add, but keep bidding if: (a) Partner's reply was forcing, or (b) You have a maximum overcall (in the 13-15 point zone), or (c) You are minimum but you have something extra worth showing.
THE JUMP-OVERCALL
A jump-overcall is an overcall of one more than the minimum required, for example, (1 ):2 or (1 ):3 . The jump-overcall shows a good six-card or longer suit and 16 points or more, usually 16-19 points. This method is known as strong jump overcalls.(Other methods which are in use are weak jump-overcalls - 12-15 HCP and a six-card or longer suit.) You may assume that you are using strong jump-overcalls unless you and your partner have specifically agreed to use one of the other methods.
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One-suited hands are normally shown simply by bidding your long suit. However, hands with a good five-card suit but which are too strong for a simple overcall are shown by a double first, followed by a bid of your long suit on the next round (see Chapter 11).
RESPONDING TO A STRONG JUMP-OVERCALL
You should respond to a strong jump-overcall with 6 points or more. If partner's suit is a major, first priority is to raise that major. Only two trumps are needed to raise a jump-overcall since the suit will be at least six cards long. With 10 points or more, you should raise a major suit jump-overcall from the 2-level to the 4-level. Without support, bid the other major with at least five cards there, or bid no-trumps if you have their suit stopped. Your last choice would be to introduce a minor suit, but if there is nothing else available, bid a long minor. If partner's suit is a minor, bid a long major as first priority, no trumps as your second choice and raise the minor or bid the other minor as your last choice. A change of suit in reply to a jump-overcall is forcing. With a strong hand and no clear-cut action, you may force partner to keep bidding if you bid the enemy suit, an artificial forcing action.
DOUBLE AND TRIPLE JUMP OVER-CALLS
A double or triple jump-overcall, such as (1 ):3 or (1 ):4 , is a pre-empt since it skips over two or more levels of bidding. Pre-emptive jump-overcalls follow the same rules as a pre-emptive opening bid. The suit should have at least seven cards and it should be a strong suit, conforming to the Suit Quality Test. The Rule of 3 and 2 applies and the normal high card strength is 6-10 points. However, pre-emptive overcalls of 4 or 4 are more flexible and the strength can be up to 15 HCP (since your bid is already game and slam is so unlikely after they have opened the bidding).
EXERCISES ON OVERCALLS
A. Your right=hand opponent opens 1 . Do you bid or pass on the following hands? If you decide to bid, what bid did you make?
1. A 7 Q 5 2 K J 4 2 K J 6 4
2. A 9 K Q 8 3 A J 7 Q J 8 2
3. A 7 5 2 Q 8 Q 7 6 5 3 K 3
4. K Q A K J 9 7 9 4 3 2 J 2
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B. Your right-hand opponent opens 1 . What action do you take?
1. K Q 9 7 4 3 7 6 4 K 8 2 6
2. A Q 9 4 2 7 A 5 4 2 7 6 5
3. K Q 9 7 3 A 8 7 2 Q 7 6 3
4. 7 A J 7 2 A Q J 9 3 7 6 3
5. A A J 7 2 J 8 5 3 2 Q 9 7
6. A Q J 10 7 5 4 6 Q 9 5 3 7
7. A Q 9 4 2 7 A K J 5 3 6 2
8. A Q A K J 7 5 4 Q 4 3 6 2
9. A Q 9 7 5 3 2 K Q Q 8 7 2
C. Your right-hand opponent opens 1 . What action do you take?
1. K 7 6 4 A Q J 7 3 2 7 6 3
2. K 7 A Q Q 8 6 3 2 Q 9 8 6
3. 7 6 K 4 A 5 4 A K Q J 7 5
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4. A Q 8 5 3 A 5 A K Q J 4 3
5. 7 A 10 9 8 6 2 A K J 2 8 3
6. A K 10 7 K Q 9 7 J 8 6 3
7. - - - 7 6 K Q J 9 8 6 4 3 A J 10
8. - - - 7 6 4 K Q J 9 6 5 K 9 6 2
9. 7 8 6 4 6 2 Q 7 A K 8 4 2
D.
N E S W
1 No 1 ?
The bidding has started as on the left.
What actions should West take on these hands?
1. A J 7 4 J 5 2 K Q 5 2 A 7
2. K Q J 8 4 A Q 5 4 3 2 7 6
3. Q J 10 9 7 4 3 6 - - - A 8 4 3 2
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E.
N E S W
1 No 2 ?
The bidding has started as on the left.
What action should West take on these hands?
F.
N E S W
1 1 No ?
The bidding has started on the left.
What action should West take on these hands?
1. K 8 4 3 7 6 K 7 6 3 9 4 3
2. 6 K 8 4 3 2 A K 8 6 5 7 4
3. 6 4 K 8 4 3 A 8 5 4 2 7 2
4. Q 6 K 8 4 A K 8 5 3 7 5 2
5. A 6 5 3 K Q J 6 4 2 7 6 3
6. A 9 7 7 6 K 10 8 6 Q J 9 4
1. K 6 3 2 Q J 8 2 A K 7 K Q
2. 6 K Q J 10 9 4 3 K Q 3 A Q
3. A Q 9 7 A 4 3 9 2
K Q J 5
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7. A J 8 Q 4 3 J 10 7 4 K Q 10
8. A Q 9 7 4 3 7 2 K 8 4 6 3
9. A Q 8 K 7 Q J 10 7 K Q 8 6
G.
N E S W
1 2 No ?
East's 2 is a strong jump-overcall.
What action should West take on these hands?
1. 10 7 6 Q 9 A 8 7 4 2 5 4 3
2. K 7 4 2 4 Q J 9 5 8 7 5 2
3. 7 6 K Q 10 8 7 6 4 2 Q 10 3
PARTNERSHIP BIDDING PRACTICE FEATURING OVERCALLS
There is no North-South bidding other than that shown.
WEST
EAST
69.
69.
S. opens 1 .
S. opens 1 . A J 8 K Q 9 8 6 3 7 6 2 8 K Q 3 7 5 J 9 8 3 A 9 7 4
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70.
70.
S. opens 1 .
S. opens 1 . A Q 7 K Q A 9 8 3 Q 8 7 2
K J J 10 9 7 4 2 K Q 6 2 3
71.
71.
N. opens 1 .
N. opens 1 . A 7 6 K Q 3 J 8 7 4 7 3 2
K 8 3 A J 10 7 6 4 A Q Q 4
72.
72.
N. opens 1 .
N. opens 1 . K Q J 9 8 5 2 Q 3 A J 8 5
A 7 4 K Q J 7 3 K 8 4 7 3
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73.
73.
S. opens 1 .
S. opens 1 . K Q 8 A Q 7 6 4 2 A K 9 3
7 6 5 8 4 3 A Q Q 7 5 4 2
74.
74.
N. opens 1 .
N. opens 1 . A J 7 5 4 2 K Q 3 8 6 4 2 K Q 9 7 6 2 9 3 A 8 A K 5
75.
75.
N. opens 1 .
N. opens 1 . Q J 7 6 4 7 Q 9 3 A J 8 6 A 9 3 6 2 A K J 8 7 4 9 3
76.
76.
S. opens 1 .
S. opens 1 . 7 5 A 8 3 7 6 A K J 9 3 2 K 8 4 2 K 9 7 A J 5 2 Q 8
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77.
77.
S. opens 1 .
S. opens 1 . 6 4 3 2 A 8 K Q 7 9 8 4 2 9 K Q J 5 4 A 6 3 K Q J
78.
78.
N. opens 1 .
N. opens 1 . A Q A J 6 K Q 9 4 9 5 3 2 7 K 9 2 J 8 2 K Q J 8 7 4
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PLAY HANDS ON OVERCALLS AND DEFENCE
Hand 29: Overcall - Leading partner's suit - Creating a void
Dealer North : Nil vulnerable
NORTH
♠ A K
♥ K 8 6 2
♦ K Q 10 9 3
♣ 10 5
WEST EAST
♠ 10 9 8 ♠ 6 5 4 3
♥ 4 3 ♥ 9 5
♦ 8 7 6 5 2 ♦ A
♣ K 7 2 ♣ A Q J 8 6 3
SOUTH
♠ Q J 7 2
♥ A Q J 10 7
♦ J 4
♣ 9 4
West
North
East
South
1
2
2
Pass
4
All Pass
Bidding: East's suit is excellent and warrants the overcall. South's 2 shows 10 points or better so that North, worth 17 points in support of hearts, has no trouble raising to 4 . Lead: 2. Lead bottom from three or four to an honour. Play: East should take the A, cash the A to create a void and lead a low club. West wins the K and East ruffs the diamond return. This plan would also work if West's 2 lead were a singleton, but if West wrongly led the K, 4 would succeed.
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UPGRADE TO VIEW MORE HANDS
Hand 30: Raising an overcall - Reading the lead - Creating a void
Dealer East : Nil vulnerable
NORTH
♠
♥
♦
♣
WEST EAST
♠♠
♥♥
♦♦
♣♣
SOUTH
♠
♥
♦
♣
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West
North
East
South 




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
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UPGRADE TO VIEW MORE HANDS
Hand 31: Raising an overcall - Third hand high - Finding a switch
Dealer South : Nil vulnerable
NORTH
♠
♥
♦
♣
WEST EAST
♠♠
♥♥
♦♦
♣♣
SOUTH
♠
♥
♦
♣
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West
North
East
South 
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

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UPGRADE TO VIEW MORE HANDS
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UPGRADE TO VIEW MORE HANDS
Hand 32: Reading the lead - Third hand high - Finding the switch
Dealer West : Nil vulnerable
NORTH
♠
♥
♦
♣
WEST EAST
♠♠
♥♥
♦♦
♣♣
SOUTH
♠
♥
♦
♣
West
North
East
South
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





UPGRADE TO VIEW MORE HANDS

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Chapter 11
Takeout Doubles
If the opponents have opened the bidding and you have a strong hand, you will want to enter the bidding. Yet if you lack a long suit to overcall and the hand is not suitable for a 1NT overcall, you should pass unless your hand meets all the requirements for a takeout double. Two basic types of doubles are commonly used: The Penalty Double which asks partner to pass (and aims to collect larger penalties by defeating the opponents' contract) and the Takeout Double which asks partner to bid (and aims to find a decent contract for your side). It is clearly vital to know when partner's double is for takeout and when it is for penalties.
In standard methods, a double is for penalties if:
 it is a double of a no-trump bid, or
 it is a double at the three-level or higher.
Some partnerships change these conditions, but unless you and partner have some specific agreement to the contrary, a double under either of the above conditions is intended as a penalty double. The general rule is that a double is for takeout if it is a double of a suit bid at the one-level or the two-level. A takeout double is usually made at the first opportunity, but this need to be so. It is certainly possible to open the bidding and make a takeout double on the second round, or make an overcall initially and a takeout double on the next round, provided that the above conditions for a takeout double are met. Many partnerships play that a double of a pre-emptive opening at the three-level is for takeout.
WHAT YOU NEED TO MAKE A TAKEOUT DOUBLE
A takeout double has point count requirements and shape requirements. The more strength, the more you may depart from the requirements of shape, but for a minimum strength double, the shape factors are vital. When valuing your hand for a takeout double, count high card points and add 3-2-1 points for a shortage in the opposition's suit: 3 for a void, 2 for a singleton and 1 for a doubleton. If your hand now measures 13 points or better, you have the minimum strength needed for a double.
The shape requirements for a takeout double are a shortage in the enemy suit (doubleton or shorter) plus support (four cards) in each unbid suit. It is permissible to have tolerance (three cards) in one of the unbid suits. Thus, if partner doubles a major, expect partner to have four cards in the other major, while if partner doubles a minor suit, expect at least 4-3 in the major suits. Holding both majors, double with 4-4, 5-4 or 5-5 in the majors, but prefer to overcall with 5-3 in the majors when the 5-card suit is strong.
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If the opponents have bid two suits, a takeout double shows support for both unbid suits. If the doubler is a passed hand, the takeout double shows 9-11 HCP plus support for any unbid suit. With 16+ HCP, the shape requirements are eased: the doubler need not have a shortage in the enemy suit and need have only tolerance in the unbid suits rather than support. With 19+ HCP, there are no shape requirements for the double.
RESPONDING TO PARTNER'S TAKEOUT DOUBLE
You are expected to answer partner's takeout double no matter how weak a have you have. The only time you might elect to pass a takeout double, and thus convert it to a penalty double, is when you have better trumps in your hand than the opponent who bid that suit. (Normally, you would need at least five trumps including three honours to pass out a takeout double.) For practical purposes, take partner's takeout double as forcing.
If you intend to bid a suit in answer to the double, count your HCP and add 5-3-1 ruffing points (5 for a void, 3 for a singleton, 1 for a doubleton). If you intend to bid no-trumps, count only your high card points. After you have assessed the value of your hand, these are options: 0-5 points : Bid a suit at the cheapest possible level. 6-9 points : Bid a suit at the cheapest possible level, or bid 1NT. 10-12 points : Make a jump bid in a suit, or bid 2NT. 13 points or more : Bid a game, or bid the enemy suit to force to game.
A suit response thus has a range of 0-9 points (including points for distribution). With the upper end of this range (6-9), try to bid a second time if a convenient opportunity arises. If third player bids over partner's takeout double, and thus removes it, the obligation to reply to the double ceases. In such a case you should pass with 0-5 points and make your normal reply with 6 points or more. When responding to a takeout double, ask yourself first 'What shall I bid?' and after you have the answer to that, ask 'How high shall I bid it?'
The order of priority when responding to a takeout double is: (1) Bid a major first. Prefer a major suit to a longer or better minor. (2) With no major available, choose a response in no-trumps if possible. For a no-trumps if possible. For a no-trumps response, you need at least one stopper in the enemy suit and some high card strength (6-9 points for 1NT). When you hold just 0-5 points, choose a suit bid. The 1NT response is not rubbish. (3) If unable to bid a major or no-trumps, bid a minor.
REBIDS BY THE DOUBLER
(a) After a reply showing up to 9 points: Revalue the hand if a trump fit is located, adding the 5-3-1 ruffing count to the HCP. Then with 13-16 points, pass. With 17-19 points, bid again, and with 20-22 points, make a jump rebid. If the doubler bids again, partner should keep bidding with the 6-9 point hand and pass with 0-5, while if the doubler has made a jump rebid, partner should bid to game if holding one sure trick.
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(b) After a response showing 10-12 points: Pass with just 12-13 points, but bid on with 14 points or more and head for a game with 16 or more. (c) A second bid by the doubler is always a strong action, showing at least 16 points. A change of suit by the doubler shows a 5-card or longer suit and denies support for the suit bid by partner. A no-trumps rebid by the doubler shows 19-21 points and a balanced hand (since with 16-18 balanced, you would make an immediate overcall of 1NT, and with 13-15 you should not bid again after doubling if partner has shown fewer than 10 points). A new suit by the doubler is not forcing if partner has shown 0-9 points, but is forcing if partner made a reply showing 10-12 points.
ACTION BY THIRD HAND AFTER A TAKEOUT DOUBLE
After partner has opened and second player doubles, third player passes with a weak hand, makes a normal bid with 6 points or better and redoubles with 10+ HCP and no fit for opener's suit. After the redouble, the partner of the doubler should make the normal reply (as the redouble has not removed the double) and the opener should usually pass, unless the hand is suitable to double the last bid for penalties. The redouble promises another bid so that the opener can pass in safety, even with a good hand, knowing that the redoubler will bid again. After a redouble, any double by the opener or the redoubler is a penalty double. The function of the redouble is to confirm that your side has more points than they do and so you can capitalise on the jeopardy in which the opponents find themselves.
EXERCISES ON TAKEOUT DOUBLES
A. In the following auctions, is West's double for takeout or for penalties?
1. N E S W
No No 1 Dble
2. N E S W
1 No 1 Dble
3. N E S W
1 No 2 Dble
4. N E S W
No 1 4 Dble
5. N E S W
No 1NT Dble
6. N E S W
1NT 2 Dble
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B. You are East. North opens 1 . What action do you take on these hands?
1. K 8 4 3 Q J 4 2 A Q 7 2 5
2. A J 8 7 Q 9 4 3 A 10 7 4 3 - - -
3. A Q 8 7 6 A K 10 4 3 2 6 2
4. A K J 4 A J 9 6 3 K 2 7 4
5. A Q J 9 6 5 K Q J A K 5 2
6. A Q 8 7 5 6 A K 10 4 3 4 3
7. A J 9 7 K Q 9 A 8 4 3 6 3
8. A J 6 2 K Q 7 J 9 6 A Q 5
9. A 7 K J 2 A Q J 5 K Q 3 2
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C. You are East. North opens 1 . What action do you take on these hands?
1. K J 7 A 8 Q 4 3 2 Q 9 6 3
2. K Q A 4 3 A 8 3 2 J 7 5 4
3. K Q 7 2 A 3 A 8 3 2 J 7 5
4. A K 10 9 6 3 A 5 4 Q 8 6 3
5. J 8 3 2 6 A K 7 6 2 K Q 9
6. K A K 10 9 6 2 A 7 4 J 4 3
7. A Q K 9 3 A J 4 3 K 8 7 4
8. A Q K 9 3 A K 4 3 K J 7 4
9. A Q J 6 2 A 4 A K J 5 Q 3
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D.
N E S W
1 Dble No ?
The bidding has started on the left.
What action should West take on these hands?
1. K 9 7 3 Q 5 7 6 4 3 8 3 2
2. 9 7 3 2 8 4 2 7 6 9 6 4 2
3. Q 9 8 7 4 Q 8 6 5 4 3 6 2
4. 6 2 Q 8 6 5 4 3 Q 9 8 7 4
5. A 7 6 9 2 4 3 2 J 9 8 6 3
6. 7 6 4 5 4 3 7 6 4 3 2 3 2
E.
N E S W
1 Dble No ?
The bidding has started on the left.
What action should West take on these hands?
1. K 9 8 4 3 6 6 4 2 A 7 4 2
2. K 9 5 4 A J 10 7 5 4 3 6 2
3. 7 6 K 8 4 A Q J 4 2 6 5 3
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4. J 8 4 A 7 3 8 5 3 2 Q J 5
5. 8 5 A 7 2 A J 9 3 Q 10 8 7
6. K Q 8 7 4 3 A 8 2 7 6 4 3
F.
N E S W
1 Dble 1 ?
The bidding has started on the left.
What action should West take on these hands?
1. Q 7 Q 8 4 3 9 6 2 8 6 5 2
2. 7 2 Q J 8 4 8 6 5 K J 8 7
3. 9 A J 9 8 5 7 6 2 K 8 7 2
G.
N E S W
No No 1 Dble
No 1 No ?
The bidding has started on the left.
What action should West take on these hands?
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PARTNERSHIP BIDDING PRACTICE
FEATURING TAKEOUT DOUBLES
There is no North-South bidding other than that shown.
WEST
EAST
WEST
EAST
79.
79.
84.
84.
N. opens 1 .
N. opens 1 .
N. opens 1 .
N. opens 1 . J 7 8 6 4 2 Q 7 5 3 10 6 5 K Q 4 3 7 A J 8 6 Q 9 8 3
K J 7 A J 10 7 6 3 8 7 4 2
A Q 9 3 7 2 A 9 2 A Q J 5
80.
80.
85.
85.
S. opens 1 .
S. opens 1 .
S. opens 1 .
S. opens 1 . A K 7 6 8 3 A Q 9 J 7 6 4
10 8 4 9 7 6 4 3 K 9 5 3 2
7 A Q 8 3 K Q 9 3 A J 9 2
A 8 5 2 J 10 2 A 7 4 Q 8 3
81.
81.
86.
86.
S. opens 1 .
S. opens 1 .
S. opens 1 .
S. opens 1 .
1.
A J 7 4 K Q 4 2 7 6 K 8 2
2.
A J 7 4 K Q 4 2 7 6 A K 3
3.
A 8 2 A K Q 3 K Q 9 8 2 6
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A K J 6 K Q J 4 A 4 3 9 2
Q 9 4 3 8 7 9 8 5 2 8 7 6
A 8 6 2 7 4 A K 6 2 J 8 5
K Q 9 7 5 A 2 7 4 3 9 6 3
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82.
82.
87.
87.
N. opens 1 .
N. opens 1 .
N. opens 1 .
N. opens 1 . 9 7 6 5 4 2 7 6 4 J 8 3 2
A K 5 2 K Q J 7 3 K Q 9 7
K Q J 6 5 2 7 5 K J Q 6 2
A 7 4 3 A 9 8 2 A 5 4 3 7
83.
83.
88.
88.
N. opens 1 .
N. opens 1 .
S. opens 1 .
S. opens 1 . K Q 8 7 7 6 5 4 8 6 4 3 2
A 9 6 3 K Q 8 5 9 6 A 7 5
A K J 7 A 10 9 6 2 9 A 6 2
6 4 K 8 3 J 6 5 K Q J 8 3
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PLAY HANDS ON TAKEOUT DOUBLES
Hand 33: Leading towards honour cards when two honours are missing.
Dealer North : Nil vulnerable
NORTH
♠ J 10 8 7 4 3
♥ 6
♦ 10 9 5
♣ J 5 3
WEST EAST
♠ K Q 6 5 ♠ A 2
♥ K Q 5 4 ♥ 9 8 7 3 2
♦ A J 6 4 ♦ K 3
♣ 4 ♣ Q 10 6 2
SOUTH
♠ 9
♥ A J 10
♦ Q 8 7 2
♣ A K 9 8 7
West
North
East
South
Pass
Pass
1
Dble
Pass
2
Pass
4
Pass
Pass
Pass
Bidding: East's 2 jump reply to the double shows 10-12 points. Lead: A. Normal from A-K suits. Play: South switches to the 9. East wins in hand and leads a heart to the K, which wins. As South is marked with the A, do not lead a second heart from dummy. A diamond goes to the king and another heart is led towards dummy. This holds the defence to just one trump trick. One club loser can be ruffed later and another discarded on the third spade.
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UPGRADE TO VIEW MORE HANDS
Hand 34: Delaying trumps to take a quick discard.
Dealer East : E-W vulnerable

♠
♥
♦
♣
WEST EAST
♠♠
♥♥
♦♦
♣♣
SOUTH
♠
♥
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♦
♣
West
North
East
South 




UPGRADE TO VIEW MORE HANDS

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UPGRADE TO VIEW MORE HANDS
Hand 35: Signalling with a doubleton - Card reading by declarer.
Dealer South : Both vulnerable
NORTH
♠
♥
♦
♣
WEST EAST
♠♠
♥♥
♦♦
♣♣
SOUTH
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UPGRADE TO VIEW MORE HANDS

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UPGRADE TO VIEW MORE HANDS
Hand 36: Card reading - Finessing - Careful use of entries
Dealer West : Both vulnerable
NORTH
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WEST EAST
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SOUTH
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UPGRADE TO VIEW MORE HANDS

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Chapter 12
Penalty Doubles
When you are confident that you can defeat the opponents' contract, it is highly attractive to double them. The bonus points for penalties mount up quickly if you beat them by more than one trick. If they are not vulnerable, you collect 50 points for every trick by which they fail, but if you have doubled them, you collect 100 for one down, 300 for two down, 500 for three down and 300 for each additional trick. If they are vulnerable, it is even more lucrative. Undoubled, they lose any 100 per trick. Doubled, they lose 200 for one down and 300 for each additional trick. Three down, doubled, not vulnerable, or two down, doubled and vulnerable = 500, as much as completing the rubber by two games to one.
On the other hand, if they make their contract doubled, they score double points, plus 50 for the insult of being doubled. Overtricks made when doubled are more valuable than usual: 100 points per overtrick when not vulnerable and 200 points per overtrick when vulnerable. Consider also that if they redouble and make it, the preceding scores are doubled again. Therefore, be fairly sure you can defeat them before you double.
When to Double their 1NT Opening
You should hold at least as many points as they do. Double a strong 1NT with 17+ HCP. Double a weak 1NT (12-14 or 13-15 HCP) if holding 15+ HCP. Partner is expected to pass your double, but with a woeful hand and a long suit, partner is permitted to remove your double and bid the long suit. Remove a penalty double only with a very weak hand. If either opponent bids a suit after their 1NT has been doubled, you or partner should double this with a strong 4-card or better holding in that suit.
When a Double their 1NT Overcall
When partner has opened and second player overcalls 1NT, double if your side has more points than they do. If they are trying for more than half the tricks with less than half the points, they will usually fail. Therefore, to maximise your score, double their 1NT has been doubled, if either opponent tries to escape by bidding a suit, you or partner should double this rescue attempt with a strong 4-card holding in that suit.
When to Double their Suit Overcall at the One-Level
To extract a decent penalty at the one-level, you need excellent trumps. To defeat them at all, you have to take seven tricks. This is equivalent to making a contract of one or more in their suit with a known bad break. Consequently, your trumps should be better than theirs and the minimum recommended is five trumps with three honours. It is also helpful to have a shortage in the suit partner opened and at least 20 HCP for your side.
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When to Double their Suit Overcall at the Two-Level
The requirements are slightly less but you still should be strong in their trump suit. For a double at the 2-level you should hold:
 At least 20 HCP between you and partner, and
 Four or more trumps, including at least two honours, and
 A shortage in partner's suit, preferably a singleton.
When to Double their Suit at the Three-Level
As doubles above 2 give them a game if they succeed, you need to be very confident you will defeat them. For a penalty double at the three-level you should have six or more tricks between you and partner, including at least one trump trick. Partner should hold 1-2 tricks with 6-10 HCP and 2-3 tricks with 11-15 HCP. Add your own winners to this expectancy.
If you are highly likely to make a game, do not settle for a small penalty; rather bid on to your best game. If you can make a game, you need at least 500 points from the double as compensation for the game missed.
When to Double their Game Contracts
If they bid above your game, double if your side has more points, but otherwise it usually does not pay to double their game, even though you hope to beat it. Points are not enough. Your expected winners might be ruffed. The best time to double is if they have barely enough for game (after an invitational auction like 1 : 1NT,2 : 2 ,3 : 4 ) and you know they are in for a bad break in trumps. Double and collect big.
When to Double their Slams
Almost never double. You might collect an extra 50 or 100 but they collect an extra 230 (or 640 if they redouble) if they make it. Even with Q-J-10-9 in trumps, pass and be satisfied to defeat them. If you double, they might bid some other slam, such as 6NT, which you cannot beat. What a disaster!
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Part 3
Additional Material
Appendix 1: From Whist To Bridge
The following games provide a suitable introduction to those who have never played bridge before.
WHAT TYPE OF GAME IS BRIDGE?
There are two basic families of card games. In one, the aim is to form combinations of cards, e.g., Gin Rummy and Canasta. Contract Bridge belongs to the other in which the aim is to win tricks. Other games in the trick-taking family are Solo, Five Hundred, Whist and Euchre.
Bridge is played by four people, two playing as partners against the other two. Partners sit opposite each other. You will need a card table, four chairs, preferably two packs of cards (though you can manage with one pack), score pads and pencils.
HOW MANY CARDS ARE IN THE PACK?
A pack (or deck) of 52 cards is used. There are no jokers. There are four suits: spades , hearts , diamonds and clubs . Each suit has thirteen cards, the highest being the ace followed by the king, queen, jack, 10,9,8,7,6,5,4,3 down to the 2 which is the lowest.
HOW DO WE CHOOSE PARTNERS?
You may agree to play in certain partnerships, but it is usual to draw for partners. Spread out one pack, face down, and each player picks a card. The two who draw the higher cards play as partners against the other two, normally for one or two 'rubbers'. Then, cards are drawn again to form two new partnerships. If two or more cards of the same rank are turned up, then the tie is split according to suit, the suits ranking from the highest, spades, through hearts and diamonds, to the lowest, clubs.
WHO DEALS?
The player who drew the highest card has the right to choose seats and which pack of cards to use for dealing, and also becomes the dealer on the first hand. The next dealer will be the player on the left of the previous dealer and so on in clockwise rotation. The cards are shuffled by the player on the dealer's left who passes them across the table to the player on the dealer's right to 'cut' them. The dealer completes the 'cut' and then deals the cards, one at a time, face down in clockwise direction, starting with the player on the dealer's left, until all 52 cards are dealt.
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It is customary etiquette not to pick up your cards until the dealer has finished dealing - this allows the dealer equal time to study the cards and also allows a misdeal to be corrected. During the deal, the dealer's partner is shuffling the other pack in preparation for the next deal. Using two packs speeds up the game. After the shuffling is complete the cards are placed on the shuffler's right, ready for the next dealer to pick up.
THE START OF PLAY
After picking up your 13 cards, sort them into suits. It is usual to separate the red suits and the black suits and also to put your cards in order of rank in each suit. The bidding starts with the dealer. More about the bidding later.
GAME 1 - WHIST
Each player receives 13 cards. Opposite players are partners. There is no bidding yet. The top card of the other pack is turned face up. If it is a 2,3 or 4, the hand is to be played in no-trumps. If it is a 5 or higher, the suit of the faced card will be trumps for that deal. The player on the left of the dealer makes the first lead, that is, places one card face up on the table. Each player in turn, in clockwise order, plays a card face up. That group of four cards, one from each player, is called a trick . Each player must follow suit if possible. If unable to follow suit at no-trumps, discard those cards which you judge to be worthless. When there is a trump suit, you are permitted to play a trump card which beats any card in any other suit.
A trick with no trump card is won by the highest card in the suit led. A trick with a trump card is won by the highest trump card on the trick. You may play a high card or a low card but, if possible, you must follow suit. One situation where you could win the trick, but it could be foolish to do so, is if partner's card has already won the trick. Play continues until all 13 tricks have been played. Each side then counts up the number of tricks won. The side winning more the 6 tricks is the winner and is the only side that scores points.
SCORING
The first partnership to score 100 points or more in tricks won scores a Game. We play a Rubber of bridge. A rubber is the best of three games. Game 1 is worth +350. Game 2 is worth +350. A rubber ends when one side wins two games. If a third game is needed, Game 3 is worth +500.
Scoring - No-Trumps 30 points for each trick won over six, plus 10. Scoring - Trumps With Spades or Hearts as trumps: 30 points for each trick over six. With Diamonds or Clubs as trumps: 20 points for each trick over six.
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A bridge scoresheet consists of two columns with a vertical line down the middle. It also has a horizontal line across both columns a little more than halfway down the columns. It thus looks like an inverted cross. Trick scores are written below the horizontal line, bonus scores above it. Your scores go in the left-hand column, theirs in the right-hand column. At the end of a game, a line is ruled across both columns below the tricks score and both sides start the next game from zero again. At the end of a rubber, both columns are totalled. The side scoring more points is the winner. The difference between the two scores is rounded to the nearest 100 (a difference ending in 50 is rounded down). The score is then entered as the number of 100s won or lost. For example, if you won by 930, your scoresheet reads '+9' while theirs would record '-9'.
GUIDELINES FOR PLAY AT NO-TRUMPS
Prefer to lead your longest suit and keep leading it. When the others run out, your remaining cards in that suit will be winners. As players lead their own long suit, prefer to return partner's led suit, unless you have a strong suit of your own. Usually avoid returning a suit by the opposition. Second player to a trick commonly plays low, third player normally plays high. If partner's card has already won the trick, you need not play high. The card to lead: Top card from a sequence of 3 or more cards headed by the ten or higher (from K-Q-J-5, lead the K; from J-10-9-2, lead the J). Lead fourth highest (fourth from the top) when the long suit has no three-card or longer sequence (from K-J-8-6-3, lead the 6).
GUIDELINES FOR PLAY AT TRUMPS
Leading the longest suit is not so attractive. Prefer to lead a strong suit (headed by a sequence or by A-K) or a singleton (so you can ruff). With plenty of trumps, lead trumps to remove opponents' trump cards so that they cannot ruff your winners. If you decide to lead a doubleton (a two-card suit), standard technique is to lead top card. After a few of these games, move on to Game 2.
GAME 2 - DUMMY WHIST
Each player receives 13 cards and counts the high card points (HCP), using A = 4, K = 3, Q = 2 and J = 1. Starting with the dealer, each player calls out the total number of points held. The side which has more points becomes the declarer side and the partner that has more points becomes the declarer. (The pack has 40 HCP. If each side has 20, redeal the hand. For a tie within the declarer side, the player nearer the dealer is to be the declarer.) Declarer's partner is known as the 'dummy'. The dummy hand is placed face up on the table,
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neatly in suits facing declarer. Declarer then nominates the trump suit or no-trumps. Choose a trump suit with 8+ cards in the two hands. With more than one trump suit available, choose a major (spades or hearts) rather than a minor (diamonds or clubs). The majors score more. With two majors or two minors, choose the longer. With equal length, choose the stronger. With no suit of 8+ trumps together, play no-trumps. After the trump suit or no-trumps has been declared, the player on the left of the declarer makes the first lead. The play proceeds as before but the declarer must play both hands. The dummy player takes no part in the play. If dummy wins a trick, the next lead comes from dummy, while if declarer wins a trick, declarer must lead to the next trick.
SCORING
If declarer scores 7+ tricks, scoring is as usual, If declarer fails to win 7 tricks, the opponents score bonus points. Only the declarer side score points for game. If declarer side has not won a game ('not vulnerable'), the opponents score 50 points for each trick by which they have defeated declarer, regardless of the trump suit or whether no-trumps is played. Where the declarer side has won the game ('vulnerable'), the opponents score 100 points for each trick by which they defeated declarer. Bonus Points, scored above the line, do not count towards a game. They are valuable since they count in your total points at the end of the rubber. The existence of the dummy sets bridge apart from other trick-taking games. From the first lead, each player sees half the pack (13 cards in hand and the 13 cards in dummy), thus making Bridge essentially a game of skill in contrast to other games which have a large luck factor. Since the declarer side in this game will have more points than the defenders, the declarer side is more likely to succeed in taking seven or more tricks. After a few of these games, move on to Game 3.
GAME 3 - BIDDING WHIST
Starting with the dealer, each player states the number of points held. The side with more points is the declarer side and the two partners discuss which suit shall be trumps or whether to play no-trumps. Each partner in turn suggests a trump suit or no-trumps, until agreement is reached. This is known as the 'bidding' or the 'auction'. A bid is just a suggestion to partner which suit you prefer as trumps or whether you prefer no-trumps. A suggested trump suit must contain at least four cards. With no long suit and with no void or singleton it is often best to suggest no-trumps at once. If there is no early agreement and neither partner insists on a suit, one of the partners should suggest no-trumps. After agreement, the first player to suggest the agreed trump suit (or no-trumps, if agreed) is the declarer. The player on the left of the declarer makes the opening lead before seeing dummy. After the lead, dummy's 13 cards are placed face up (in suits) facing declarer (trumps on dummy's right). The scoring is the same as for Game 2.
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GAME 4 - CONTRACT WHIST
Proceed as for Game 3 above, but declarer is required to win a specific number of tricks depending on the total points held by declarer and dummy: 20-22 points : 7 or more tricks in no-trumps 8 or more tricks with a trump suit 23-25 points : 8 or more tricks in no-trumps 9 or more tricks with a trump suit 26-32 points : 9 or more tricks in no-trumps 10 or more tricks with or as trumps 11 or more tricks with or as trumps 33-36 points : 12 or more tricks 37-40 points : All 13 tricks
PLAY: The opening lead is made before dummy is tabled.
SCORING: As for Game 2, but declarer must win the number of tricks stipulated or more. If not, the defenders score 50 (declarer not vulnerable) or 100 (declarer vulnerable) for each trick by which declarer fails. If required to win 12 tricks, the declarer side (if successful) scores an extra 500 not vulnerable, 750 vulnerable. If required to win all 13 tricks, the declarer side (if successful) scores an extra 1000 not vulnerable, 1500 vulnerable. If extra time is available, more games similar to these can be played.
Appendix 2: The Stayman Convention
All experienced players understand the Stayman 2 Convention to locate the best game contract in a major suit in preference to no-trumps. When you have been playing for some time, you will want to include Stayman in your system, since it is part and parcel of all standard systems. The 2 response to 1NT asks partner, 'Do you have a 4-card major?' If opener has a major, opener bids it (bidding 2 if opener has two 4-card majors). The negative reply, denying a 4-card major, is 2 .
WHEN TO USE STAYMAN
Use the 2 reply to 1NT when you hold:
 8+ HCP, and
 One 4-card major or both majors, 4-4, 5-4 or 5-5
REPLIES TO 2 STAYMAN
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2 = No major suit 2 = 4 hearts (may have spades also) 2 = 4 spades (will not have four hearts)
AFTER OPENER'S REPLY TO STAYMAN
A new suit by responder is a 5-card suit and a jump-bid is forcing to game (e.g., 1NT : 2 . 2 : 3 would show five spades and enough for game). If opener has bid one major, a bid of no-trumps by responder would show that responder had four cards in the other major. Responder's rebid of 2NT invites game (like 1NT : 2NT immediately). Raising opener's major suit to the 3-level likewise invites game and shows support for opener's major.
STAYMAN WITH WEAK RESPONDING HANDS
When responder bids 2 over 1NT and rebids 3 over opener's answer, responder is showing 6 or more clubs and a very weak hand (not enough for a game). Opener is expected to pass. Responder's rebid of 2-in-a-major is also a weak rebid showing a 5-card suit. Opener would normally pass but may raise the major with 3-card support and a maximum 1NT opening.
STAYMAN OVER A 2NT OPENING
The 3 response to a 2NT opening operates in the same way as Stayman over 1NT, except that opener's replies occur at the 3-level. To use Stayman over 2NT, responder should have enough strength for game and either one 4-card major or both majors. Anew suit rebid by responder after the reply to Stayman would show at least a 5-card suit and would be forcing.
Appendix 3: Opening Leads - The Suit to Lead
AGAINST NO-TRUMP CONTRACTS
Under normal circumstances, the best strategy is to lead your longest suit. Both defenders should continue with that suit at every opportunity unless the play of the hand clearly indicates it is futile to do so.
 Lead your own longest suit, but
 Prefer to lead a long suit bid by partner, and
 Avoid leading a suit shown by the opponents
Where partner has not bid a suit and your long suit has been bid by the opponents, choose another long suit if you have one. If not, be prepared to lead even a 3-card suit. When faced with this decision to lead a short suit, prefer a major to a minor, longer to shorter and stronger to weaker.
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AGAINST TRUMP CONTRACTS
Now it is not so attractive to lead your long suit, since declarer or dummy is likely to ruff it after one or two rounds. Prefer one of these strong leads:
 A suit headed by a solid sequence, such as K-Q-J,Q-J-10,J-10-9,etc.
 A suit headed by A-K-Q or A-K, or
 A singleton, or
 A suit bid by partner.
If none of the above attractive leads exists:
 Lead a suit with two honours rather than a suit with just one honour.
 Lead a doubleton rather than a suit with just one honour.
 Lead a suit with no honours rather than a suit with just one honour
 Lead a trump from two or three worthless trumps if there is no evidence from the bidding that dummy holds a long suit.
 Lead an unbid suit if dummy is known to hold a long suit. With just one honour card in the possible suits to lead, prefer a suit with a king to one with the queen; prefer a suit with the queen to one with the jack; prefer a suit with a jack to one with just the ace.
 If you hold four or more trumps, lead your longest suit outside trumps to try to force declarer to ruff and so reduce declarer's trump length.
Avoid these dreadful leads:
 A suit headed by the ace without the king as well, or
 Doubleton honours, such as K-x,Q-x,J-x (unless partner bid the suit), or
 A singleton trump, or
 A suit bid by the opposition.
Appendix 4: Opening Leads - The Card to Lead
Top from a doubleton.
From three cards: Top of two or three touching cards headed by an honour; bottom with one honour or non-touching honours; middle with no honour. From four or more cards: Top from solid sequences or near sequences or from touching honours if holding three honours; fourth-highest otherwise. In this list below, the card to lead is the same whether you are leading partner's suit or your own. The lead is the same for a trump contract or for no-trumps except for those with an asterisk.
Holding
Lead
Holding
Lead
Holding
Lead
9 5
9
Q J 10 2
Q
A K
K
9 5 3
5
Q J 9 2
Q
A 6
A
9 6 5 3 2
3
Q J 8 2
2
A K Q
A
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10 9
10
Q 10 9 8
10
A K J
A
10 6
10
Q 10 8 3
3
A K 3
A
10 9 3
10
Q 9 8 7 6
7
A 9 3 **
A
10 6 3
3
Q 8 6 5 2
5
A K Q 3
A
10 6 3 2
2
K Q
K
A K J 3
A
10 9 8 3
10
K 2
K
A K 6 3 *
A
10 9 7 3
10
K Q 5
K
A Q J 3 ***
A
10 9 6 3
3
K J 10
J
A Q 6 3 *
A
J 10
J
K J 5
5
A J 10 3 ***
A
J 5
J
K 10 9
10
A J 6 3 *
A
J 10 6
J
K 10 5
5
A 10 9 8 ***
A
J 5 2
2
K 7 5
5
A 10 5 2 *
A
J 5 4 2
2
K Q J 2
K
A 9 8 7 *
A
J 9 8 7 6
7
K Q 10 2
K
A 9 6 3 *
A
J 7 5 4 2
4
K Q 9 2 *
K
A K J 4 2
A
J 10 9 4
J
K J 10 2
J
A K 7 4 2 *
A
J 10 8 4
J
K J 9 2
2
A Q J 4 2 ***
A
J 10 7 4
4
K 10 9 8
10
A Q 10 9 2 ***
A
Q J
Q
K 10 8 4
4
A Q 10 4 2 *
A
Q 4
Q
K Q J 6 3
K
A Q 6 4 2 *
A
Q J 4
Q
K Q 10 6 3
K
A J 10 5 3 ***
A
Q 10 9
10
K Q 7 6 3 *
K
A J 8 5 3 *
A
Q 10 4
4
K 9 8 7 3
7
A 10 9 8 3 ***
A
Q 6 4
4
K 8 6 4 3
4
A 10 8 5 3 *
A
*Lead fourth-highest against no-trumps
**Lead bottom against no trumps
***Lead the top of the touching honours against no-trumps, e.g., Q from AQJxx,J from AJ10, 10 from A109xx, 10 from A109, A1098 or AQ109x, and so on.
Appendix 5: Negative Doubles
INTRODUCTION
In former standard methods if partner had bid, any subsequent double by you was for penalties. Thus, if the bidding had started 1 from partner, an overcall of 1 on your right and you doubled, it would mean that you had very strong spades (and 5 or 6 of them) and felt that 1 doubled was the best spot for your side.
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The negative double is quite a different approach. The definition of the negative double is 'a double by responder after partner has opened with a suit bid and second player has made a suit overcall'. The negative double is for takeout, not for penalties. The method, devised by Alvin Roth in the late 1950s, has become an integral part of successful competitive bidding.
Without the negative double many hands are difficult to bid sensibly after opposition interference. This is particularly so because of the very strict requirements for a two-level response (at least 10 points). Suppose you pick up A765 K642 763 87 and partner opens 1 . You intend to respond 1 , allowing the partnership to find any available major suit fit. However, when second player overcalls 2 , you are too weak to respond at the two-level. In standard methods you would have to pass. Obviously a good fit in either major could be lost. Similarly if you hold 76 K874 A732 852 and the bidding starts 1 from partner, 1 on your right, a heart fit might be lost in standard methods. There is no satisfactory response (too weak for 2 or 2 , support too poor for 2 and the lack of a stopper negates 1NT).
THE SOLUTION
Using a double by responder as a takeout bid makes competitive bidding simpler and more efficient. On the first hand above, responder doubles 2 for takeout, showing both majors (as a takeout double normally does). If partner has a fit in either major it will be known at once and partner bids as high as the cards warrant. On the second hand, responder doubles 1 , showing 4 or more hearts (as a takeout double of 1 usually does) and if partner also has 4 hearts, the fit will be discovered at once. Agree with partner in advance to use negative doubles. Initially, adopt them only after an intervening suit bid at the one-level or two-level, Opener will assume that the range for the negative double is 6-9 points (minimum response) and with a better hand, responder will make strong bid later.
SPECIFIC SITUATIONS
(a) Minor-Minor: Partner opens with a minor suit and they overcall in a minor suit, for example, 1 : (1 ), or 1 : (2 ), or 1 : (2 )...Here is a double shows both majors, at least 4-4, perhaps 5-4 or 5-5. A major suit bid at the 1-level need not be longer than 4 cards and promises 6 points or more. A major suit response at the two-level (after a two-level overcall) promises a 5-card or longer suit and 10 points or more, obviously forcing. (b) Minor-Major or Major-Minor: If only one major suit has been bid so far, the negative double promises at least 4 cards in the other major. 1 : (1 ): Double shows at least 4 hearts; 1 : (2 ): Double shows at least 4 spades. If partner opens with a minor suit and they intervene with 1 , the double now promises precisely four spades while a response of 1 conveys at least five spades. Major-over-major shows a 5+ suit. (c) Major-Major: If partner opens in one major and they intervene with the other major, the double now shows both minors, at least 4-4 but possibly 5-4, 5-5 or 6-4. The negative double
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would promise 6 points or more while a change of suit by responder at the two-level or higher would promise 10 points or more. Suppose you pick up a hand like this: 43 4 K8754 AJ642 and the bidding starts with 1 from partner and 2 on your right. Instead of fearing interference, you would welcome it here if you are using negative doubles, since the double allows you to express the nature and strength of the hand quite accurately. Without the interference you would have no descriptive response.
SUBSEQUENT BIDDING AFTER A NEGATIVE DOUBLE
Where responder's negative double has promised a specific major, opener rebids as though the responder had bid that major at the one-level. For example, if the bidding had started 1 : (1 ): Double ... the opener would continue as though the responder had replied 1 . Thus, if fourth player passes and opener rebids 3 , it would be equivalent to an auction of 1 : 1 , 3 without interference. A negative double followed by a change of suit by responder shows at least a 5-card suit and at most 9 HCP. With 10+ points and a 5-card suit, responder is strong enough to bid the suit at once. For example, if opener starts with 1 and responder doubles as 1 overcall, and over opener's 2 rebid. responder rebids 2 , responder is showing 5 or more hearts and 6-9 points only. With more, the original response would have been 2 .
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EXAMPLE HANDS USING THE NEGATIVE DOUBLE
How should the following hands be bid? West is the dealer on each hand and North intervenes with 1 on each hand. No other opposition bidding.
Hand 1
WEST 8 4 K 7 6 A 4 A Q 7 4 3 2
Hand 1
EAST 9 5 2 A J 5 3 J 10 9 3 J 6
After 1 West, 1 by North, East doubles to show 4 hearts and 6+ points. Unable to support hearts or rebid no-trumps. West rebids 2 to show a minimum opening and a long club suit. With a minimum double, East passes.
Hand 2
WEST A 4 6 4 K Q 7 6 5 K J 3 2
Hand 2
EAST 3 2 QJ10932 8 4 A 5 4
After 1 West, 1 by North,East is too weak for 2 (10+ points needed) and doubles (only 6+ points with at least 4 hearts).West rebids 2 and East removes to 2 ,confirming 5+ hearts and 6-9 points,West passes.
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Hand 3
WEST A 9 3 2 K 9 8 4 Q A 6 4 3
Hand 3
EAST 6 5 A 6 3 2 A J 3 2 K 8 7
After 1 West, 1 North, East has enough for game but which game? East doubles and awaits further information. West bids 2 (four hearts but only a minimum opening). East knows enough now to bid 4 .
Hand 4
WEST 7 3 A 8 A 9 8 7 3 2 A 8 6
Hand 4
EAST A 10 K 9 7 3 K Q 4 J 4 3 2
After 1 West, 1 North, East has enough for game but should double to try for hearts rather than bid no-trumps at once. When West rebids 2 , a minimum opening without four hearts,East rebids 3NT and there is no heart fit.
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Hand 5
WEST 8 A Q 7 2 K Q 3 A Q J 8 4
Hand 5
EAST 7 6 2 K 9 5 3 A 7 6 4 6 5
After 1 by West, 1 by North, East doubles, showing 4+ hearts and 6+ points). With 3 for the singleton, West is worth 21 points in support of hearts and therefore rebids 4 . A fringe benefit of negative doubles is that the strong hand is often declarer.
Appendix 6: Bridge Myths and Fallacies
The following common fallacies may contain a grain of truth or logic but any value vanishes when they are treated as absolute, unfailing, universal principles. At best, the following are reasonable guides, which should be discarded when the circumstances warrant. (1) Always lead top of partner's suit: No, no, a thousand times no. This approach can cost you tricks time after time. Lead top only from a doubleton or from a sequence or from three cards headed by two touching honours, but lead bottom from three or four to an honour. See Appendix 4 and Chapter 10. (2) Always return your partner's lead: This has more merit but the rule is too wide. It is often best to return partner's lead but many situations require a switch (see Hands 31 and 32, Chapter 10). Keep in mind the number of tricks needed to defeat the contract. Unless a passive defence is clearly indicated, avoid continuing suits which are known to be futile for beating the contract. (3) Never lead from a king: To lead from a king-high holding is not an especially attractive lead but there are far worse combinations. It is usually more dangerous to lead away from a suit headed by the queen or by the jack and far worse in a trump contract to lead from a suit headed by the ace without the king as well. The leads of J-x or Q-x in an unbid suit are also far more dangerous than leading from a king. Leading from a king is acceptable when other choices are even riskier. (4) Always cover an honour with an honour: Rubbish. It is correct to cover an honour with an honour if it will promote cards in your hand or might promote winners for partner. In the trump suit in particular, it is usually wrong to cover an honour unless partner has length in trumps. (5) Lead through strength. Lead up to weakness: This has some sense, but card reading and counting can provide better guides for the defence. Leading through strength does not apply to
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the opening lead (it is rarely best to lead dummy's bid suit) and in the middle game, the rule refers to short suits (doubletons or tripletons). It is normally not in your best interests to attack dummy's or declarer's long side suit. (6) Eight ever, nine never: When missing the queen of a long suit, proper technique is to finesse for it if you have 8 cards together, and to play the ace and king, hoping the queen will drop, when you have 9. When playing a complete hand, however, there can be many other considerations.
Appendix 7: Ethics and Etiquette
Bridge enjoys immense popularity partly because of the high standards of ethics and etiquette, which are observed by the players who are expected to conduct themselves in a highly civilised matter. Violations of proper etiquette are quite common from inexperienced players, either through ignorance or inadvertence. A well-mannered opponent who is the victim of a violation by such a novice player will, if comment is considered necessary, be at pains to make it clear that the comment is intended to be helpful and will never make a newcomer feel ill-at-ease. Bridge is an extremely ethical game. All good players strive to ensure that their bridge ethics are impeccable and no more serious charge, other than outright cheating, can be made than to accuse a player of bad ethics. Unlike poker in which all sorts of mannerisms, misleading statements and bluff tactics are part and parcel of the game, bridge is played with a 'pokerface'! Beginners are, of course, excused for their lapses and in social games nobody minds very much. However, in serious competition your bridge demeanour must be beyond reproach. When dummy, do not look at either opponent's hand or at declarer's. If you do, you lose your rights as dummy. Do not stand behind declarer to see how much you would play. In tournament bridge do not discuss the previous deal if another deal is still to be played. After a deal is over, do not take an opponent's cards and look at them without permission. As a kibitzer (onlooker) try to watch only one hand and, above all, make no facial expression during a deal. Do not comment or talk during or between deals. If the players want the benefit of your views, they will ask for them. Conversations at the table in serious games is generally unwelcome. post-mortems after each hand, if limited, can be useful as long as they seek to be constructive. It is best to keep all post-mortems until the session is over when you can go over the scoresheets with your partner at leisure. During the session, conserve your energies to do battle at the next table. It is extremely poor taste to abuse or criticise partner or an opponent. Experienced players should go out of their way to make novice players feel at ease, so that they see bridge as a pleasant recreation, not a battleground. Never try to teach anyone at the table. Never let a harsh word pass your lips and you will be a sought-after rather than a shunned partner. Prefer to say too little than too much. If partner has bid or played the hand like an idiot, say 'bad luck' and leave it at that. Do not harp on past errors. Use only the proper language. Use either 'No bid' or 'Pass' and stick to it. Do not switch back and forth between 'Pass' and 'No bid'. Do not say 'Content','Okay','By me'. Do not say 'I'll double one heart'. Just say 'Double'. Do not say 'Spade' when you mean 'One Spade'.
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Never vary the intonation in your bidding (softly on weak hands, loudly on good ones). Never put a question mark at the end of your bid to make sure that partner understands that your 4NT is Blackwood or that your double is for takeout. That would be quite atrocious. You are required to convey messages to partner by what you bid, not by the way you bid it. Frowns, scowls, raised eyebrows, etc.,are out. You are not to adopt the tongue-in-cheek remark made by the legendary, Groucho Marx: 'Don't bother to signal. If you like my leads, just smile. I'll understand.' If you partner has a liberal sense of humour, you may be able to make clever remarks such as: 'When did you learn? I know this afternoon, but what time?', or in reply to 'How should I have played that hand?', 'Under an assumed name', or in reply to 'How did I play that hand?', 'Like a millionaire', or in reply to 'Could I have done any better?', 'I suppose double dummy you could have made one less trick'. or in reply to 'Did I do all right?', 'Well, you didn't knock the coffee over',but in general, bridge players are a proud lot with sensitive egos. Politeness and courtesy should be your watchword at the bridge table as in other areas of life. Long pauses before bidding are also to be avoided. For example, the pause followed by 'Pass' tells everyone that you have 11-12 points, not quite good enough to open. Make all your bids at the same pace if you can. Sometimes you will have a serious problem which takes some time to resolve but where this happens the obligation falls on the partner of the 'trancer' who must never take advantage of the information received from the hesitation. As a defender, always play your cards at the same speed if possible. Fumbling or hesitating with intention of deceiving is cheating. You must not try to mislead opponents by your manner. In tournament bridge, if unsure about the correct procedure always call the Tournament Director. Do not let other players tell you what the correct laws are. They are wrong more often than not. Nobody familiar with the tournament scene should mind the Director being called. It is not considered a slight, an insult, or a rebuff to the opposition. Above all, bridge is primarily a game and is meant to be enjoyed as a game. Make sure it is also enjoyable for the other players at your table.
Appendix 8: Tournament Bridge
Bridge is played internationally. In each odd-numbered year there are the Bermuda Bowl (World Open Teams) and the Venice Cup (World Women's Teams) in which teams representing different geographical zones compete. Every four years is the 'Bridge Olympiad' at which more than sixty countries are often represented. In the other even-numbered years there are the World Pairs Championships (open pairs, women's pair, mixed pairs) as well as the Rosenblum Cup (another World Open Teams). World Junior Championships (under-25) and World Senior Championships (over-55) have been instituted in recent years. Each country conducts national championships and many tournaments of lower status. There are also tournaments to select the players who will represent their country, their state of their club. The main kinds of competitive bridge are pairs events and teams events. In general pairs events are more common than any other type of event. The advantage of
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tournament bridge is that the element of having good cards or bad cards is reduced to a minimum, since all players play exactly the same deals. Another advantage is that you can compete against the top players merely by playing in the same tournament. In few other sports could a novice play against a world champion in a tournament. Tournament bridge also improves your game, since you can go over the hand record afterwards. There are differences in technicalities and strategy between tournament bridge and ordinary (rubber) bridge. If the hands are pre-dealt, a common occurrence in the larger clubs, you must not shuffle and deal the cards. Otherwise, you shuffle and deal the cards at the first table, but not thereafter. The cards come to you in a tray, called a 'board' and you must put the cards back in the correct slot after the board has been played. The board is marked N,E,S and W, and must be placed properly on the table; the board also states which side is vulnerable and who is the dealer. During the play, the cards are not thrown into the middle of the table. The players keep the cards in front of them, turning them face down after the trick is over. You may examine the trick just played only while your card remains face up. Tricks won are placed vertically, tricks lost are placed horizontally. After the hand is over, you may see at a glance how many tricks have been won and how many lost. Each board in tournament bridge is scored independently. In rubber bridge, if you make a partscore you have an advantage for the next deal, but in tournament bridge you do not carry forward any scores. You enter the score for the hand played, and on the next board both sides start from zero again. As each deal is totally unrelated to what happened on the previous deal, there are significant scoring differences in tournament bridge: (1) Honours do not count (2) For bidding and making a partscore, add 50 to the trick total. (3) For bidding and making a game not vulnerable, add 300 to the trick total. (4) For bidding and making a game vulnerable, add 500 to the trick total.
The result you obtain on the board is entered on the 'travelling score sheet' at the back of the board. You may not look at the sheet until the deal is over, since it contains a record of the hand and also the scores achieved by other pairs on that board. Your score on each board is compared with the scores of every pair that played it. If you are North-South, your real opponents are all the other North-South pairs, not the particular East-West pair you play each time. On each board, a certain number of matchpoints is awarded (usually one less than the number of pairs who play the board). If 15 pairs play a board, the best score receives 14 matchpoints, a 'top', the next best score receives 13 and so on down to the worst score which receives 0, a 'bottom'. An average score would receive 7 matchpoints. The scoring is done once for the N-S pairs and then for the E-W pairs. Each pair's points over all the boards are totalled and the pair with the highest number of matchpoints wins.
Tactics in pairs events differ from those in rubber bridge. Careful play and defence are vital. Every overtrick and every undertrick can make the difference between a good score andn a bad
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score. In rubber bridge, declarer's aim is almost always to make the contract and the defence's aim is to defeat it. At pairs, the aim is to obtain the best possible score, which may mean that, as declarer, making the contract is a secondary consideration while, as a defender, the possibility of giving away an overtrick in trying to defeat the contract may be unwarranted. Being extremely competitive in the bidding is essential. Almost always force the opposition to the three-level on partscore deals. Almost always force the opposition to the three-level on partscore deals. Be quick to open the bidding if they stop at a very low level in a suit. In pairs events, re-opening the bidding occurs far more often than at rubber bridge.
Minor suit game contracts should be avoided. Prefer 3NT to 5 or 5 , even if 3NT is riskier. Making one overtrick in 3NT scores more than a minor suit game. It is necessary to bid borderline games or close slams. The reward for success in pairs events does not justify bidding 24 point games or 31 point slams. You should be in game or in slam if it has a 50% or better chance. If less, you will score better by staying out of it. What counts at duplicate pairs is how often a certain strategy will work for you, not the size of the result. If a certain action scores 50 extra points 8 times out of 10, but loses 500 twice, it is sensible at duplicate but ridiculous at rubber bridge. Penalty doubles are far more frequent at pairs since players are anxious to improve their score. The rule about a two-trick safety margin is frequently disregarded since one down, doubled, vulnerable, may be a top-score while one down, undoubled, vulnerable may be below average.
Safety plays, which sacrifice a trick to ensure the contract, almost never apply in pairs, unless the contract reached in an unbelievably good one. In the tournament world you will encounter a remarkable number and variety of systems and conventions and gradually you will come to recognise them. The more important ones have been listed in Appendix 10. A most important point to remember is that a bidding system is not some secret code. You and your partner are not allowed to have any secret understanding about the meaning of your bids. That is cheating. The opponents are entitled to know as much about what the bidding means as you or your partner. If asked what you understand by a certain bid of your partner's, you must answer truthfully. Of course, partner's bid may be meaningless and if you cannot understand it, all you can do is be honest and tell the opposition that you do not know what partner's bid means. Similarly, if you do not understand the opposition's bidding, you are entitled to ask. When it is your turn to bid, but before you make your bid, you ask the partner of your bidder 'What do you understand by that bid?' You may ask during the auction or after the auction as ended when it is your turn to play. Unless it affects your making a bid, prefer to wait until the auction is over. After all, the opposition might not understand their bidding either and when you ask, they may well realise their mistake. If an irregularity occurs at the table, do not be dismayed if the Director is called. That is a normal part of the game and it is the Director's job to keep the tournament running smoothly and to sort out any irregularities.
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Appendix 9: How to Improve Your Game
After you have been playing for some time, the following questions may assist you in your desire to improve: (1) Play rubber bridge for as high stakes as you can afford with players who are better than you. This will cost you money but the experience is invaluable for you will learn why they are better than you. You will scarcely improve (although you will undoubtedly enjoy your game) if you are better than the players with whom you are playing. (2) Kibitz (watch) the best players in action. Tournaments are constantly in progress in which top-flight players compete. It usually costs nothing to go along and watch experts play. Few experts object to being watched. On the contrary it boosts their ego, and they may even explain why they made a certain bid or a certain play. To obtain the most benefit from kibitzing, watch one player exclusively. Try to decide what you would bid and play with the same cards. Then you can compare your solution with what the expert does in practice. If there is a startling discrepancy, you might ask for guidance. Experts are happy to explain to those seeking to learn.
(3) Read bridge books. There are excellent books on bidding and on the play of the cards. Unfortunately there are a few which are mediocre. Ask an expert or a good bridge teacher for advice about what books you should be reading. At the early stages, books on card play are the better investment. Controversy exists whether bridge players are born or are made. It used to be the case that the natural player had a considerable edge over those who found bridge hard work. However, even the natural players now have to do a fair amount of bookwork to keep up with technical advances. Flair is certainly helpful but expert technique is an asset that can be acquired. (4) Play tournament bridge as often as you can. Play with a partner who is better than you (if possible). Take particular notice of what happens when you come up against expert pairs. Pay attention to the bids they make, the leads they choose and how they play as declarer or in defence. (5) Take advanced lessons from the best teachers available. (6) Keep up to date with bridge magazines. There are some excellent magazines locally and overseas. Seek the advice of a top player. What is fascinating about bridge is that it can be enjoyed at all levels, but you will find that the better you play the more you enjoy it.
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Appendix 10: Popular Conventions and Systems
The following brief descriptions outline some of the popular conventions and systems that you may come across, particularly in tournament bridge. Before you adopt any of them, you should already be playing a sound game and, of course, you must discuss them fully with your partner first. (1) Stayman 2 over 1NT opening: The artificial inquiry asks whether the opener holds a 4-card major (see Chapter 12). It is highly recommended and is used almost universally by tournament players.
(2) Stayman 3 over a 2NT opening: This is also highly recommended (Chapter 12). It is superior to the Baron 3 convention (which after a 2NT opening asks the opener to bid 4-card suits up-the-line) since Stayman allows the strong hand to remain declarer more frequently and copes easily with 5-4 patterns as well as finding 4-4 fits. (3) Blackwood 4NT asking for aces: This invaluable convention is almost universally played is discussed in Chapter 8. (4) Gerber 4 asking for aces: This convention asks for aces and king like Blackwood 4NT except that the inquiry bid 4 . The replies are: 4 = 0 or 4; 4 = 1;4 = 2;4NT = 3. After the answer to 4 , the ask for kings is initiated by 5 . Gerber 4 is rarely used by expert partnerships because it conflicts with Cuebidding.
(5) Cuebidding: This is a method of slam bidding in which partners tell each other which aces and kings are held as opposed to how many are held (which is the answer to 4NT Blackwood or 4 Gerber). It is a superior bidding method and is used widely among expert partnerships. (6) Negative and competitive doubles: A better name for the negative double (Appendix 5) in responder's double since it is simply a double for takeout by responder. Competitive doubles reflect the trend among the top tournament players today to use virtually all doubles at the one-or two- level for takeout, almost regardless of the preceding auction. This sensible strategy should be adopted as soon as you have confidence and experience. In this style, it does not matter whether you are opener, responder or a defender. If you double a suit bid at the one- or two- level, it is intended as a takeout double. The theory is that you will be dealt many more hands short in the enemy suit than those suitable for a penalty double at such a low level. If you have a hand suitable for penalties, pass and await partner's re-opening takeout double, which you will pass.
(7) Weak No-Trumps: Not everyone uses the same point range for the 1NT opening. The most common range for the weak 1NT is 12-14, but occasionally the 13-15 range is used, as in rhe Precision system. (8) Strong No-Trumps: The range for the strong no-trump 16-18 points, but 15-17 or 15-18 point ranges are also popular.
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(9) Weak Twos: This refers to 2 , 2 and occasionally 2 openings on weak hands of 6-10 HCP with a strong 6-card suit. They are popular in tournament bridge as they arise far more often than strong twos. They are both pre-emptive and constructive. Do open a weak two with a void or two singletons in the hand or with a 4-card major. Pairs using weak twos may open super-strong hands with an artificial 2 (see Chapter 7).
(10) Benjamin Twos: In this popular treatment for two-openings 2 and 2 are weak twos, 2 is a force to game (about 23 HCP or better) and 2 is a strong bid but not forcing to game. 2 and 2 are both artificial and partner's negative reply is the next suit up. A positive reply to 2 is forcing to game and a positive reply to 2 strongly suggests slam. The 2 opening is generally based on a strong one-suiter, around 19-22 points (8 1/2 - 9 1/2 playing tricks) or a two-suiter around 21-22 points. This treatment is attractive because the partnership can bid both weak hands and strong hands more accurately than other systems of opening two-bids. (11) Weak Jump-Overcalls: A treatment in which a single jump-overcall is played as a weak bid, around 6-10 HCP and a 6-card or longer suit. This method is popular in tournament bridge but not at rubber (Chapter 10). (12) Transfer Bids: A method in which a player bids the suit below the suit held. It is used normally only after a 1NT or 2NT opening and often enables the strong hand to become declarer in suit contracts. It is allows a partnership to bid many hands more accurately than in standard methods.
(13) Precision System, Schenken, Big Club, Moscito: Systems in which the 1 opening bid shows a powerful hand, usually around to points or more. As a consequence, other opening bids are limited in strength to less than the requirements for 1 . (14) Underleading Honours: A system of opening leads where a player leads the second card from any sequence rather than the standard top of a sequence lead. From two honours doubleton, the top honour is led.
Appendix 11: The Mechanics and Rules of Bridge
How the Game is Played
This appendix will clear up any queries you might have about the rules or procedure when playing bridge. Bridge is a game for four players, playing in two partnerships. It represents a head-to-head battle - your side against theirs. Partners sit opposite each other. Partnerships are chosen by agreement or by lot. The common method is for each player to choose a card from the pack fanned out face down, with the players selecting the two highest cards forming one partnership against the players selecting the two lowest cards.
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THE BRIDGE PACK
A regular pack of 52 cards is used and there are no jokers and no cards of any exceptional rank or function (unlike 500 where jacks have a special role, or Canasta where the 2s are jokers). There are four suits: SPADES - HEARTS - DIAMOND - CLUBS
Each suit consists of 13 cards which in order of rank are: Ace, King, Queen, Jack, 10, 9 , 8 7 , 6 , 5, 4, 3, 2. An ace beats a king, a king beats a queen, a queen beats a jack, a jack beats a ten and so on. The top five cards in each suit (A,K,Q,J and 10) are known as the honour cards or honours. The suits also have a ranking order : CLUBS ( ) is the lowest suit, then come DIAMONDS ( ) and HEARTS ( ) to the highest ranking suit, SPADES ( ), NO-TRUMPS ranks higher than any suit. The order of the suits - C,D,H,S - is no accident. They are in alphabetical order.
When selecting partnerships, if two cards of the same rank are chosen (e.g., two eights) and the tie needs to be broken, it is decided by suit order (e.g., the 8 would outrank the 8)
DEALING
The player who drew the highest card is the dealer on the first hand and has the right to choose seats and the pack of cards with which to deal. The next dealer will be the person on the left of the previous dealer & so on in clockwise rotation. The cards are shuffled by the person on the dealer's left. The dealer passes the pack across the table to the person on the dealer's right to be cut. The dealer then deals the card one at a time, face down, in clockwise direction, starting with the player on the left, until all 52 cards are dealt, 13 each.
It is usual to leave the cards face down until the dealer has finished dealing. A misdeal may be corrected if the players have not seen their cards. While the dealer is dealing, the partner of the dealer shuffles the other pack for the next deal. Two packs are used to speed up the game. The shuffler places the shuffled pack on the right, ready for the next dealer.
THE START OF PLAY
After picking up your cards, sort them into suits. Separating the red and the black suits makes it easy to see where one suit ends and the next begins. The bidding starts with the dealer. After the bidding is over, the side that has bid higher wins the right to play the hand. One member of this side, called the declarer, plays the hand while opponent defends the hand. The person on the left of the declarer makes the opening lead. The partner of the declarer now puts all thirteen cards face up on the table and arranged in suits. The faced cards are called 'the dummy'. The dummy player takes no part in the play. Declarer plays both hands. Each player can see 26 cards, the thirteen in hand plus the thirteen in dummy.
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Declarer plays a card from dummy, then the third player plays a card and so does declarer. The four cards now face up on the table are a 'trick'. A trick always consists of four cards played in clockwise sequence, one from each hand. Each deal in bridge is a battle over thirteen tricks, declarer trying to win as many as nominated in the bidding, while the defenders try to win enough tricks to defend declarer. The player who wins the trick gathers the four cards together, puts them face down neatly then leads to the next trick, and so on until all thirteen tricks have been played. (In tournament bridge, called 'duplicate', the cards are not gathered together. The players keep their own cards in front of them.)
FOLLOWING SUIT
The player who plays the highest-ranking card of the suit led wins the trick. If two or more cards of the same rank are played to one trick, who wins then? The basic rule of play is: You must follow suit , i.e., you must play a card of the same suit as the suit led. If a heart is led, you must play a heart if you have one and the trick is won by the highest heart played. If the two of hearts is led, and the other cards on the trick are not the ten of hearts, the queen of spades and the ace of clubs, the trick is won by the ten of hearts. If unable to follow suit, you may play any other card at all but remember it is the highest card of the first led suit which wins. If the king of spades is led, it does you no good to play the ace of clubs. Only the ace of spades beats the king of spades.
TRUMPS
There is one exception. Where a suit has been nominated in the bidding as the trump suit, then any card in the trump suit is higher than any card in one of the other suits. If hearts are trumps, the two of hearts would beat the ace of clubs when clubs are led. But, first and foremost, you must follow suit . Only if you are out of a suit can you beat a high card of another suit with a trump. If you are unable to follow suit, you are followed to trump but it is not obligatory. You may choose to discard, and if, for example, partner has won the trick, it may be foolish to trump partner's winner.
A trick that does not contain a trump is won by the highest card in the suit led. A trick that contains a trump is won by the highest trump on the trick. If you fail to follow suit when able to do so, you have revoked (or 'reneged'). The penalty for a revoke is to transfer one or two tricks to the other side, one trick if you do not win the revoking trick or win a trick with the revoking card.
THE BIDDING
The play is preceded by the bidding, also called 'the auction'. Just as in an auction an item goes to the highest bidder, so in the bridge auction each side tries to outbid the other for the right to be declarer and play the hand. The dealer makes the first bid, then the player on dealer's left and so on in clockwise rotation.
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Each player may decline to bid (say 'Pass' or 'No bid') or make a bid. A player who has previously passed may still make a bid later in the auction. A bid consists of a number (1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6 or 7) followed by a suit or no-trumps, e.g., two spades, three hearts, four no-trumps, seven diamonds, 'No-trumps' means that there is to be no trump suit on the deal.
Whenever a bid is made, the bidder is stating the number of tricks above six intended to be won in the play. The minimum number of tricks that you may contract for is seven. A bid of 1 Club contracts to make seven tricks with clubs as trumps. The number to the bid is the number of tricks to be won over and above six tricks. Six tricks is not even halfway and you have to bid for more than half the tricks. The final bid is the 'contract'.
If all players pass without a bid on the first round there is no play, there is no score, the cards are thrown in and the next dealer deals a new hand. When a bid is made on the first round, the auction has started and will be won by the side that bids higher. The auction continues, with each player making a bid or passing, and concludes as soon as a bid is followed by three passes. The side that bids higher sets the trump suit (or no-trumps) and the number of tricks to be won is set by the final bid. The member of the side who first bid the trump suit (or no-trumps) is the declarer.
After a bid, any player in turn may make a higher bid. A bid is higher than a previous bid if it is larger in number than the previous bid or the same number but in higher ranking denomination. The order of ranking is: NO-TRUMPS SPADES HEARTS DIAMONDS CLUBS A bid of 1 Heart is higher than a bid of 1 Club. If you want to bid clubs and the previous bid was 2 Spades, you would have to bid 3 Clubs (or 4 Clubs or 5 Clubs or higher). 2 Clubs would not be higher than 2 Spades.
GAMES
A rubber bridge is over when one side wins two games. A game is won by scoring 100 or more points below the line when declarer. It is vital to understand how bridge is scored, for this affects the bidding and the play. You aim to score more points than the opposition. You may score points: (1) by bidding and making a contract as declarer (2) by defeating the opponents' contract (3) by earning bonus points Some points are written above the line, some below the line on the scoresheet. When adding up the totals, all points count equally, but points below the line are especially valuable, since only
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these points count towards game. Only the declarer side can score points for game. That is the incentive for bidding higher than the opponents. You score points below the line by bidding and making a contract, according to this table:
NO-TRUMPS
40 points for the first trick (over six): 1NT = 40
(NT)
30 for each subsequent trick: 2NT = 70, 3NT = 100... SPADES
30 points for each trick (over six) - major suit HEARTS
30 points for each trick (over six) - major suit DIAMONDS
20 points for each trick (over six) - minor suit CLUBS
20 points for each trick (over six) - minor suit
Since game is 100 points or more, it takes a bid of 5 Clubs or 5 Diamonds too make game in the minors, while a bid of 4 Hearts or 4 Spades or more will score game in the majors. In no-trumps, a bid of 3NT will score a game. The declaring side gets credit for the tricks won but only for the tricks bid and then won. So if 4 is bid and declarer makes 9 tricks, declarer does not give credit for 9 tricks but suffers a penalty for failing to make the contract by one trick. Thus accuracy in bidding distinguishes contract bridge from auction bridge (where you are given credit for what you make, even if you do not bid it) and becomes the single most important element in winning strategy. If declarer makes more tricks than the contract, the extra tricks ('overtricks') are not lost, but are scored as bonuses above the line. Only points scored by winning the actual number of tricks of the contract are written below the line and only points below the line count towards winning games and the rubber. A score below the line of less than 100 is a 'partscore'. Two or more partscores can be combined to score the 100 points for game. Points over 100 cannot be carried forward to the next game. After a game, both sides start the next game from zero. So, if you have a partscore into a game, you start from zero for the next game...they have underlined you.
DOUBLES AND REDOUBLES
Any player may double a bid made by an opponent by saying 'Double'. If there is no further bidding, the double increases the rewards for success and the penalties for failure. After a double, the other side may redouble (say 'Redouble') increasing the rewards and penalties further. A bid cancels any double or redouble, but there may be further doubles and redoubles of later bids. 1 making 7 tricks scores 30 but 1 doubled and redoubled making 7 tricks scores 120 below the line (and game!), plus 100 bonus points for making a redoubled contract ('for the insult')
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OTHER SCORING
You should know the trick value of each suit and no-trumps. It is worth knowing some of the more common scores which go above the line, but the rest of the scoring can be learned gradually, as you play. A side that has scored one game is said to be vulnerable and needs only one more game to complete the rubber. Penalties are more severe for failing to make a contract when vulnerable than when not vulnerable. When one side fails to make its contract, the other side scores 50 points per undertrick if declarer is not vulnerable and 100 points per undertrick if declarer is vulnerable. These and all other bonus points go above the line. If the final contract is doubled or redoubled, the penalties are more severe. Note that penalties are the same whatever the contract. One down in 2 is the same as one down in 7NT.
You may score bonus points for each game (Game 1 +350, Game 2 +350, Game 3, if needed, +500) or enter these when the rubber is over (700 for 2 games to 0, 500 for 2 games to 1). For holding 'honours' and also for overtricks in a doubled or redoubled contract, see the scoring table. The honour cards are the A,K,Q,J and 10. Bonuses for honours are scored whether or not the contract is made. Honours may be held by declarer, dummy or either defender. In order not to tell the opposition what cards you hold, honours are usually claimed after the hand has been played. Honours are not scored when playing duplicate.
A contract of six 912 tricks) is a grand slam. Bid and make a grand slam and you score: 1000 points if not vulnerable, 1500 points if vulnerable. After deducting the loser's total from the winners' total, the next balance is rounded off to the nearest 100 (50 at the end of a score goes down). The score for the rubber is entered next to each player's name on a tally card and the next rubber is then started, either with the same partnerships or by drawing again for new partners. Bridge may be played with or without stakes. The amount of the stakes will be by agreement among the players. The stakes are usually stipulated at so much per hundred points, e.g., ten cents a hundred, one dollar a hundred.
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GLOSSARY AND INDEX
TERM
EXPLANATION
Balanced
A hand pattern of 4-3-3-3, 4-4-3-2, or 5-3-3-2
Bare
No further cards in a suit
Baron Convention
A 3 reply to a 2NT opening to ask for suits up the line
Benjamin Twos
A system of weak and strong two-openings
Big Club
Any system in which a 1 opening shows a powerful hand
Blackwood
A conventional bid of 4NT asking for aces
Blocking
High cards preventing your cashing cards in the other hand
Cash
To play a winning card
Cheapest first
The order in which two or three 4-card suits are rebid
Competitive Double
A low-level takeout double
Convention
Any artificial bid
Cuebidding
A method of showing specific aces, kings and shortages
Doubleton
A suit consisting of exactly two cards
Drawing trumps
Playing trump cards to eliminate the opponents' trumps
Duplicate
Tournament bridge
8-ever, 9-never
A guide when to finesse for a missing queen
Exit
To lead a card without expectation of winning the trick
Finesse
An attempt to win a trick with a card lower than their's
5-3-1-count
Points counted for voids, singletons and doubletons
Forcing bid
A bid that requires partner to bid again
4-3-2-1 count
Points counted for aces, kings, queens and jacks
Gambling raise
A raise from the one-level to the four-level or five-level
Game force
A bid that requires the bidding to continue to game
2 game force
An artificial opening bid usually leading to game
2 game force
Part of Benjamin Twos, artificial and usually game forcing
Gerber
A convention where 4 asks how many aces partner holds
HCP
High card points
High-from-shortage
Playing high cards first from the shorter holding
Honour card
An ace, king, queen, jack or ten
Interior sequence
A sequence not headed by the top card in the suit
Invitational bid
A bid asking partner to bid on if better than minimum
Jump raise
A raise that skips one or more levels of bidding
Jump shift
A bid in a new suit that skips one level of bidding
Length points
Points counted for each card in a suit beyond four
Limited bid
A bid that has narrow point range, e.g., 16-18, 13-15
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Marked finesse
A finesse that you know will succeed
MUD
Middle Up Down - a system of leads from rag cards
Negative double
A double for takeout by responder
Not vulnerable
Not having won a game in the current rubber
One-suiter
A hand containing only one suit of 4 or more cards
Opening bid
The first bid in the auction (Pass is not a bid)
Opening lead
The first card played on the first trick
Overcall
A bid after an opponent has opened the bidding
Overruff
To ruff higher than the trump used by an opponent to ruff
Overtaking
Playing a higher card on a high card of your own
Pattern
The number of cards held in each suit
Penalty Double
A double asking partner to pass and defend
Pre-emptive bid
Intended to shut the opponents of the bidding
Renege
To revoke
Rescue
To remove a a bid made by partner because you fear partner's contract will fail
Revoke
Failure to follow suit when able to do so
Ruff
To trump
Rubber
The unit of play at rubber bridge
Sacrifice
To bid above the opponents' bid for a smaller loss
Semi-balanced
The shape for a 5-4-2-2, 6-3-2-2, or 7-2-2-2 pattern
Shape
Hand type according to the number of short suits held
Shortage points
Points counted for a void, singleton or doubleton
Shutout bid
Designed to keep the opposition out of the bidding
Signoff bid
A bid intended to end the auction
Singleton
A holding of one card in a suit
Sluff
Jargon for 'discard' (e.g. a ruff-and-sluff)
Stayman Convention
A response of 2 to 1NT to ask for a major suit
Stiff
Jargon for singleton
Stopper
A holding of the ace, K-x, Q-x-x, J-x-x-x or better
Takeout double
A double asking partner to bid and remove the double
Tenace
Two high cards with a gap between them and an opponent holding the cards in between
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Three-suiter
A hand with a 4-4-4-1 or 5-4-4-0 pattern
Tight
Jargon for 'no more cards in the suit'
Top of sequence
System of leads from a run of three or more honours
Transfer bid
Conventional bid of the suit below your real suit
Two-suiter
A hand containing two suits of four or more cards
Unbalanced
Shape of any hand pattern with a void or a singleton
Underleading
System of leading 2nd highest card from a sequence
Unlimited bid
Bid with a very wide range of points, e.g. 13-21, 6-18
Up-the-line
The order in which two or three 4-card suits are bid
Void
Holding no cards in a suit
Vulnerable
Having won one game
Weak freak
Characteristics of a shut-out jump raise
Weak takeout
Removal of 1NT into 2-of-a-suit as a signoff
Weak two
Opening bid of 2-in-a-suit as a weak bid
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ANSWERS TO EXERCISES AND BIDDING PRACTICE UPGRADE TO VIEW ANSWERS TO EXERCISES AND BIDDING PRACTICE
ANSWERS TO EXERCISES AND BIDDING PRACTICE
Chapter
(The answers given apply to all methods except where differences according to system are noted.)
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


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UPGRADE TO VIEW ANSWERS TO EXERCISES AND BIDDING PRACTICE
Partnership Bidding Practice:

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
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
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
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6
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UPGRADE TO VIEW ANSWERS TO EXERCISES AND BIDDING PRACTICE
Partnership Bidding Practice:

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

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7

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


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Partnership Bidding Practice:





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




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UPGRADE TO VIEW ANSWERS TO EXERCISES AND BIDDING PRACTICE
Partnership Bidding Practices:






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
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UPGRADE TO VIEW ANSWERS TO EXERCISES AND BIDDING PRACTICE
Partnership Bidding Practice:






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UPGRADE TO VIEW ANSWERS TO EXERCISES AND BIDDING PRACTICE

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UPGRADE TO VIEW ANSWERS TO EXERCISES AND BIDDING PRACTICE
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UPGRADE TO VIEW ANSWERS TO EXERCISES AND BIDDING PRACTICE
Partnership Bidding Practice:
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UPGRADE TO VIEW ANSWERS TO EXERCISES AND BIDDING PRACTICE



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UPGRADE TO VIEW ANSWERS TO EXERCISES AND BIDDING PRACTICE



UPGRADE TO VIEW ANSWERS TO EXERCISES AND BIDDING PRACTICE
Partnership Bidding Practice:
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
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
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UPGRADE TO VIEW ANSWERS TO EXERCISES AND BIDDING PRACTICE

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WHAT DO PARTNER'S RESPONSES MEAN?
You Partner
Meaning of Partner's Bid
1NT : 2C
Stayman Covention
1NT : 2D / 2H / 2S
Weakness rescue from 1NT. Opener should pass
1NT : 2NT
Inviting game. Opener bids 3NT if not minimum
1NT : 3-any-suit
Forcing to game. 5-card suit Opener raises with 3.
1NT : 3NT
Sign-off in game. Opener must pass.
1NT : 4H or 4S
Sign off. 6 card or longer suit. Opener must pass.
1C : 1D / 1H / 1S
One-over-one response. 6 or more points. Forcing.
1C : 2D / 2H / 2S
Jump-shift. 19+ points. Game force. Suggests slam.
1C : 3D / 3H / 3S
Pre-emptive, weak hands, 6 tricks, 7- or 8-card suit.
1C : 4H or 4S
Pre-emptive, weak hand, 7 tricks, 7- or 8- card suit.
1C / 1D : 2C / 2D
Weak raise. No major. Opener passes below 16 pts.
1C / 1D : 3C / 3D
Strong raise but still denies a major suit.
1C / 1D : 1NT
Weak response. Denies a major. Used as last resort.
1C / 1D : 2NT
Strong balanced hand. Denies a major suit.
1C / 1D : 3NT
Stronger-balanced hand. Denies a major suit.
1D : 1H / 1S
4-card or longer suit. 6 or more points. Forcing.
1D : 2C
4-card or longer suit. 10 or more points. Forcing.
1D : 2H / 2S / 3C
Jump-shift. 19+ points. Game force. Suggests slam.
1D : 3H / 3S
Pre-emptive, weak hand, 6 tricks, 7- or 8-card suit.
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1H / 1S : 2H / 2S
Weak raise. Opener passes below 16 points.
1H / 1S : 3H / 3S
Strong raise with 4-card or better support.
1H / 1S : 4H / 4S
Pre-emptive raise, usually 6-10 HCP unbalanced.
1H / 1S : 1NT
Weak response. 1 : 1NT denies 4 spades.
1H / 1S : 2NT
Strong balanced hand. Does not deny other major.
1H / 1S : 3NT
Stronger balanced hand. Denies the other major.
1H : 1S
Four or more spades, 6 or more points. Forcing.
1H / 1S : 2C / 2D
4-card or longer suit, 10 or more points. Forcing.
1S : 2H
Five or more hearts, 10 or more points. Forcing.
1S : 3H
Jump shift. 19+ points. Game force. Suggests slam.
1S : 4H
Pre-emptive, weak hand, 7 tricks, 7- or 8- card suit.
1H / 1S : 3C / 3D
Jump shift. 19+ points. Game force. Suggests slam.
Any suit : 4NT
Blackwood Convention, asking for aces.
1NT : 4NT
Invites 6NT. Opener passes if absolutely minimum.
2NT : 4NT
Invites 6NT. Opener passes if absolutely minimum.
3NT : 4NT
Invites 6NT. Opener passes if absolutely minimum.
2NT : 3C
Stayman.
2NT : 3D / 3H / 3S
5-card suit. forcing to game. Opener raises with 3.
2NT : 4H or 4S
Sign off. 6-card or longer suit. Opener must pass.

ingilizce briç kursu

10 Mayıs 2010 Pazartesi

1

2 -USING THE LOSİNG TRICK COUNT AS OPENER

3-COUNTİNG YOUR OWN LOSERS

4- EXAMPLES OF COUNTİNG LOSERS

5- COMBINATIONS INCLUDING THE Q

6-Why do we count K-Q-x and A-Q-x as 1 loser?

7

8

9

10

11

12

13

14

1

THE MODERN LOSING TRICK COUNT

17 Nisan 2010 Cumartesi

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