East Texas Unit 225
ACBL District 16
ACBL Unit 225
East Texas
United States
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Bridge Tips
Card Combinations
As declarer, many times the ability to make our contract depends on playing one of the suits in a way that maximizes our chance to take tricks. The Official Encyclopedia of Bridge by ACBL has a section on playing card combinations. Here is a combination from the Encyclopedia that seems to occur frequently:
A K 10 9
x x x x
We can maximize our chances of 3 tricks by leading a small card towards the 10. If that wins or our left hand opponent rises with the Queen or Jack, we have our 3 tricks. If it loses to the Queen or Jack, then cash the A. The probability of taking 3 tricks is 90%.
What to bid and rebid?
You hold:S – K9
H – AJ984
D – A97
C – KQ6
What is your bid? In his CD on Conventions, Mike Lawrence writes, “1NT is the correct bid. The problem with 1H is that if your partner bids 1S you will be hurting for a rebid. Over a 1S response, 1NT shows 12-14 HCP and 2NT shows 18-19 HCP. Both bids are flawed. To jump to 3H, you need a 6 card suit.” www.michaelslawrence.com
The rebid issue is why more and more players are opening 1NT with hands that have a 5 card major if they have 15-17 HCP. It is hard to show this range of high card points with a balanced hand if you do not open 1NT.
(10/19)
Improving Declarer Play
As declarer, many times the ability to make our contract depends on playing one of the suits in a way that maximizes our chance to take tricks. You are declaring 4H and see the following trump suit:
K5
? ?
Q87632
You need 5 tricks from the suit. Lead low towards the K. If it wins, lead back towards the Queen and duck. The only hope is a 3 – 2 split with West having a doubleton A.
(8/29/19)
It is dangerous to count extra points for short suits or long suits before the bidding starts. (Don’t stop reading!)
If partner bids your short suit, that reduces, not increases, the value of your hand. If one of your opponents bids your long suit, that also decreases the value of your hand. If you let the bidding develop, you will see whether your long or short suits are working for or against you.
You hold: S. Axxx H. x D. Qxxxx C. xxx
What is this hand worth? If partner opens 1H, it is a minus 6 point hand. If partner opens 1S, it has blossomed to a 9-point hand (3 points for the singleton with four-card support).
If LHO opens 1D and partner overcalls 1H, the DQ has lost its value, not to mention the fifth diamond, or the singleton heart! You are now looking at a minus 4 point hand!
Hands that have eight-card fits or longer add extra distributional points; however, until a fit has been uncovered, distributional points should not be added. It doesn't make sense. Hands that are misfits should be subtracting points, not adding them!
Posted 3/28
Bidding Tip
Downgrade Jacks and Queens in suits bid by your opponents unless Partner makes a natural notrump bid.
You hold: S – KJ4 H – QJ87 D- 654 C - 1043
Your partner opens 1 Spade and your RHO overcalls 2D. Bid 2S.
However, if your RHO overcalls 2H, you must pass as your heart honors are worthless in a spade contract.
www.kantarbridge.com
posted 3/10
Count Signals
Count signals are used to tell partner and declarer how many cards you hold in the suit being led by declarer or dummy. If you play Standard signals, a relative high card shows an even number of cards and a relative low card shows an odd number. Once your partner knows how many cards you have in the suit, he knows how many declarer has and can improve his count of the distribution of all 4 suits around the table. Giving count is very important when you have supported partner’s suit Here is an example:
N – Q85
W – AKJ94 E – 10732
S – 6
Partner has bid the suit and you supported. Partner leads a high honor and needs to know how many you hold to decide how to continue the defense. Here you play the 7 to show you raised with 4 pieces. Partner knows declarer has a singleton and plays accordingly.
Posted 2/11/19
Responding with Two 4-Card Majors
When responding to an opening bid with two four-card majors, respond 1H giving partner a chance to bid 1S. If partner doesn't bid 1S, assume partner does not have four spades and bid accordingly.
You hold: S. AJxx H. KQxx D. Jx C. xxx
Partner You
1D 1H
2C ?
Bid 2NT and limit your hand to 11-12 HCP. Do not bid 2S. Partner does not have four spades and bidding the ‘fourth suit’ has a special meaning. It is frequently used as an artificial force when no other rebid describes the hand.
Posted 1/10/19
Trump Leads
- Don't even think of leading a trump when the opponents are in the throes of a misfit.
- Holding a balanced hand with broken strength in each suit, a trump lead from two or three small when dummy has given a single raise is usually best
- With a strong sequence in trump (KQJ, QJ109), a trump lead is usually best
- If partner is marked with a singleton trump, there is no point in leading a trump from Kxx because neither of you will be able to continue the suit. Try another lead and hope that partner will find the trump switch, if necessary.
www.kantarbridge.com
posted 11/30/18
Leads versus a Doubled Contract
When partner doubles the final contract, partner either:
- Thinks that the combined defensive strength between the two defenisive hands is enough to defeat the contract.
- Has a strong trump holding.
- Can tell from the bidding that it is a touch and go contract and that YOU have trump length. This double is an effort to give declarer a false impression of who has the missing trumps. These are called "offside" doubles and require a special relationship with partner when they don't work.
- Is trying to direct your lead to a particular suit, a suit you might not otherwise have led. These 'lead directing doubles' particularly apply vs. slam contracts when partner has preempted or against notrump game or slam contracts that usually call for the lead of dummy's first bid suit.
www.kantarbridge.com
posted 11/30/18
Hand Evaluation
When the opponents bid and support each other, and you have the jack or queen of their suit and are considering bidding, don’t count points for those honors. They are usually worthless.
www.kantarbridge.com
posted 11/9
Rebidding NTs
When opener has opened or rebid NT, the strength and shape of his hand is known. Therefore responder will normally know whether or not the values for game (25 partnership points) are present. If they are, then the only outstanding issue is which game to play. The order of desirability is:
- 4 ♥, 4 ♠ with an eight-card fit.
- 3 NT.
- 5 ♣, 5 ♦
Every effort should be made to locate an eight-card major fit. Say the bidding has begun 1 ♥-2 ♣-2 NT (15-16). What next with:
| Hand (a) | Hand (b) | Hand (c) |
| ♠ K 7 3 ♥ 4 ♦ J 9 6 ♣ A Q 9 8 5 3 | ♠ A J 9 6 ♥ 7 3 ♦ 10 6 ♣ A K 8 6 3 | ♠ 8 7 3 ♥ Q J 7 ♦ Q 4 ♣ K Q 8 6 3 |
(a) 3 NT. No point in bidding more clubs. 5 ♣ is a long way away.
(b) 3 ♠. May still have a spade fit (partner would bid this way with 4 ♥s-4 ♠s and 15-16 balanced).
(c) 3 ♥. This delayed support shows three hearts (with four you would support immediately). Partner may have have five hearts in a 5332 shape, in which case he will raise to 4 ♥. With just four hearts, partner will prefer 3 NT.
www.andrewrobson.com.uk
posted 11/10
Responder's Bid
A book worth owning and reading is “A Treasury of Bridge Tips” by Eddie Kantar. In it he offers the following advice:
“As responder, when you have a game going hand respond to your partner’s opening bid in your longer suit first! Re-read this!” Partner opens the bidding 1C and you hold:
S - AK32
H – 42
D – AQ765
C – 32
Respond 1D intending to rebid 2S after partner’s next bid if it is not 1 Spade.
Hand Evaluation
When the opponents bid and support each other, and you have the jack or queen of their suit and are considering bidding, don’t count points for those honors. They are usually worthless.www.kantarbridge.com
Posted 10/14/18
Third Hand Play – Eddie Kantar writes in his book “Modern Bridge Defense” about what to do when you win the trick as third hand. If you choose to return partner’s suit, give count by leading back as follows:
- With 2 remaining cards lead the higher
- With 3 cards return the lowest
- With more than 3 cards, return your original 4th best.
- With an honor sequence return the higher
www.kantarbridge.com
Posted 9/23/18
Card Combinations -- As declarer, many times the ability to make a contract depends on playing one of the suits in a way that maximizes our chance to take tricks. The Official Encyclopedia of Bridge by ACBL has a section on playing card combinations. Here is a combination from the Encyclopedia that I hate to have as declarer:
K x x x
J x x x
Lead Low to the King hoping West has the A Q doubleton. If it is covered, return to dummy and lead to the Jack. Only a 3% chance of 3 tricks. To maximize chances for 2 tricks, Lead low to the King. If the Q fails to appear, duck, When you regain the lead, return to hand and lead low to the King. 50% chance of 2 tricks.
Posted 8/18/18
Third Hand Play – Eddie Kantar writes in his book “Modern Bridge Defense” about third hand play. We’ve all heard the axiom “third hand high”, but that is not always correct.
When partner leads a trump and you have an honor that might be used to overtrump dummy, save your honor. Spades are trump:
When partner leads a trump and you have an honor that might be used to overtrump dummy, save your honor. Spades are trump:
S – 985
H - K
S – K4 S – J32 (you)
H – Q10972 H – J3
S- AKQ107
H – A8654
Eddie Kantar writes: “Partner anticipating heart ruffs in dummy leads a trump. You can “see” that you can overtrump the third round of hearts with the Jack, if you keep it.”
www.katarbridge.com
Posted 7/26/18
NT Response to a takeout double
A 1NT response to a takeout double shows 6-10 HCP. A 2NT response to a takeout double shows 10-12. Some 10 point hands are better than others because of strong intermediates. You cannot be a slave to point count. Intermediates count!
Notrump responses to a takeout double guarantee at least one stopper (hopefully two), in the opponent’s suit.
www.kantarbridge.com
Posted 7/14/18
Takeout Double by a Passed Hand -- Eddie Kantar
A takeout double by a passed hand shows 9-11 HCP with shortness in the opener’s suit. If the opponents have bid two suits, the double promises at least four-card support in the other two suits.
You hold: S - AJxx H - xx D - KJ10xx C - xx
You hold: S - AJxx H - xx D - KJ10xx C - xx
South (you) West North East
Pass 1C Pass 1H
X (Your double shows diamonds and spades. A 2D bid might lose a spade fit.)
www.kantarbridge.com
Posted 7/4/18
-Copyright 2014 ACBL Unit 225. All rights reserved.
ACBL Unit 225
East Texas
United States
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