essential techniques to play better bridge. to play better bridge a partnership must do the...
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Essential Techniques
To Play Better Bridge
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To play better Bridge a partnership must do the following:
Play a sound bridge system that each player knows well
Play certain conventions to improve their bidding
Play some form of signalling method
Be disciplined in your bidding
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The bidding system does not have to be complicated It can be a fairly basic system, but you have to play certain conventions That help you reach the correct contract
Your bidding system should include either a weak or strong opening 1NT and all the responses to an opening NT –are they weak and non-forcing or are they forcing and constructive?
Are your two openings weak, showing a six card suit? Or are they strong and forcing(showing 8 playing tricks)?You can play any of the above, as long as both you and your Partner play the same system and have good judgement in your bidding
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Your system must incorporate certain conventions that help the bidding
I recommend that you use the following conventions;
(a)Stayman after a 1NT or 2NT opening – (essential convention) and transfers(b) An ace asking convention, be it Gerber, Blackwood or Roman Key Card Blackwood (RKCB)
(c)Unassuming cue bids – you may unaware of this convention, but it is essential that you play it(d) Fourth suit forcing - this is another very worthwhile convention and is particularly useful in reaching the
correct contract(e) Negative doubles(Sputnik) – This is also very useful, but for another date
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Unassuming cue bidsThese are bids that you make if your partner has overcalled a suit and you have good support and a good hand
♠ AQ1087 ♥ K5
♦ 54♣ Q1052
♠ KJ4 ♥ A654
♦ KQ76♣ 43
W EN E S W
1♦ 1♠Pass ?
What does east bid? - 2♠, 3♠ or somethingelse? They should bid 2♦ an unassuming cue bid.This tells partner you have support and Good values, the emphasis is now on you, do youSign off in 2♠ or do you try for game? 2♠ shows support and a maximum of 11 points –
3♠ is weak and a pre-emptive bid
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A method of asking your partner to lead a certain suit is essential -
Otherwise you are working in the dark!
There are a choice of methods;
(a) A high card in a certain suit is encouraging in that suit(Attitude)(b) A low card in a certain suit is encouraging in that suit(Reverse Attitude)(c) A high card discarded in a suit, is asking for the higher ranking suit - a low card discarded is asking for the lower ranking suit(McKenney)There are various methods, but the three above are the most common
You should also use a method for showing your length in a suit!
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You can use standard count or reverse count methods
Standard Count; Play a high card, then a low card this indicates an even number of cards in the suit
If you play a low card, followed by a higher cardThis indicates an odd number in the suit
Reverse Count; This method is the reverse of the above
High-low, shows an odd number of cards in the suitLow-high, indicates an even number of cards in the suit
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Why are count signals important?
The more bridge you play, you find out how essential count signals areHere is an example of a hand I defended a few years ago
♠ Q653 ♥ Q85
♦ K5♣10642
♠ AK109 ♥ AK973
♦ Q7 ♣ K9
N
S
W E
N E S WPass 1♦ X 1♥Pass 2♣ 2♥ 3♣Pass 4♣ X all pass
You lead the A♥, then the A♠ then what?You can cash one more King, but which one?If you do not cash the correct king, the contract will makeDeclarers hand is; ♠7 ♥64 ♦AJ1093 ♣AQJ75
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Fourth Suit ForcingThis is a method of finding out more about partners hand If you bid the fourth suit, it does not infer that you have that suit - but it is forcing!This convention is played differently by certain bridge players. I play it forcing to game, others play it forcing for one round -the way I play it, after you have used it, you do not have to jump bid afterwards
Here are some examples;
♠K9♥98♦A43♣AQJ763
♠A653♥KJ107 ♦Q7 ♣1087
W E
N E S W pass 1♣Pass 1♥ pass 2♣Pass 2 ♠ pass 3♦(FSF)Pass 3NT all pass (This has right sided the NT)
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Fourth Suit Forcing
W E
♠KQ98♥J72♦AK975♣9
♠J5♥KQ1086♦J83♣AJ8
Partner You 1♦ 1♥ 1♠ ?
Bid 2♣, this is merely a waiting bidYou are interested in game, but not strong enough to jump
This is one of the best bid hands of the last Camrose - It was bid by Wales
W E
♠KQ98♥7♦AJ865♣A65
♠AJ105♥AK982♦Q93♣7
West East 1♦ 1♥ 1 ♠ 2 ♣ (Game Force) 2 ♦ 2 ♠ (This has set the trump suit)
They cue bid to reach a small slam in ♠ Scotland only reached 4♠, against them!
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To be a good bidder - you have to be disciplined!Try the following examples.
♠ Q1097 ♥ K
♦ Q54♣ AQ1052
(a) You open 1♣ and partner responds 1♥, your next opponent bids 2♦ -What do you bid?You should definitely pass – Be disciplined!
♠ Q1097 ♥ K54
♦ Q♣ AQ1052
(b) The bidding is the same as above -What do you bid?
This time you should bid 2♥
♠ AQ1064 ♥ K5
♦ Q6♣ Q953
(c) This time you open 1♠ and partner responds 2♦, your opponent bids 2♥ What do you bid next?
This time you should also pass – you have a minimum hand, so tell your partnerIf partner has fair values, they will bid again
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Remember which Remember which conventionsconventions
you are playing!you are playing!
As Ever –Happy Bridging!