A 4 player trick-taking card game where opposing partners try to either take the number of tricks they bid or prevent their opponents from doing so.
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Interpreting bidding by partners
RHO: 1C
LHO: 1S
RHO: 2D
Does this mean 4-4 in clubs/diamonds, or 5-4 in clubs diamonds. Is it a reverse? (e.g.18+ pts?).
Assuming opponents play SAYC.
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1answer
65 views
Analyzing bidding sequence
My left opponent opened 1S - Right-side opponent responded 2H (I understood: 11+, 4+ card heart suit, shortness in spades) - L.O. responded 2S - R.O. responded 3D (has shortness of spades).
R.O. : 4 ...
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2answers
76 views
Responding to a simple overcall (SAYC)
LHO opened with 1C – Partner overcalled with 1S – (I have 6 pts, 4 Spades) → Do I respond with 2S?
P.S. rho pass.
EDIT : what my gripe with this is, that according to textbooks, you respond to ...
5
votes
5answers
160 views
What are some good introductory rules to bridge?
I've tried to learn how to play bridge before, but there are so many variations (even on the Wikipedia page) that it's hard to keep track of everything and pin down exactly one way of playing it that ...
-1
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3answers
813 views
Is A Good time Make a “Penalty” Double When Your Defensive Tricks Exceed Your “Allowance”?
Most contracts are predicated on the supposition that the defenders will win some tricks. If game can be made with "26 points and eight trumps," this leaves 14 points and five trumps to the defenders ...
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3answers
192 views
Which Experts Seem to Interchange Trumps and Points in Bridge Bidding?
Most bridge players know that you can make a major suit game with combined partnership holdings of 26 points and eight trumps. (Plus the absence of "bad breaks" in trumps, finesses, etc.).
My ...
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3answers
68 views
What is the meaning of “count your losers” at no trump, and “count your winners” for a trump contract?
Are no trump bidders taught to "count your losers" because their 25-26 points represents enough material for nine tricks so that they should "play not to lose" (i.e. to prevent their opponents from ...
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1answer
57 views
Overcall of 3S over 1C opening, what does it show? (assuming bidding system SAYC)
I assumed it was 10+pts, and 7 Spade suit -- am I correct?
1
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1answer
63 views
In bridge, what level of strength do different systems require to bid a short minor?
Most players will bid 1 spade with (s) AKJxx (h)Axxx (d)xx (c)xx. That is, 12 hcp and a five card major.
If you "redistribute" the two spade spots, you get: (s) AKJ (h)Axxx (d)xxx (c)xxx.
Many ...
0
votes
2answers
69 views
In bridge, does a declarer “need to” locate all 52 cards during the play of a trump contract?
This was recommended by author Terence Reese (and several members of the site).
But I was taught differently, at least as declarer.
That is, I was taught to count "trumps and honors." So, if you are ...
2
votes
3answers
215 views
Should I respond to 1 NT in a suit or NT holding 17 HCP and a void?
My partner opened a "strong" one NT. I am holding:
♠ void
♥ KJxx
♦ AKQxxx
♣ KJx
What should I bid?
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3answers
408 views
What caused this world-class player' to respond inappropriately to her partner's transfer bids?
Zia Mahmood's Bridge column today relates an amusing tale of disaster at the World Championships. A player on the apparently very talented Netherlands ladies team, holding the following 6-3-2-2 hand:
...
3
votes
2answers
71 views
In bridge, what caused bidding “standards” to decline post Goren?
I was weaned on "Goren" in the 1960s, and as some readers of my other questions have pointed out, am not totally comfortable with "Standard American" or other newer standards. These may be some ...
1
vote
2answers
40 views
Is there a way to quantify the effects of luck versus skill in rubber bridge?
Duplicate bridge was created to "eliminate" the luck factor. That is partnerships are compared only against other partnerships playing the same cards.
Rubber bridge is a different animal. Here, "luck ...
4
votes
3answers
189 views
In Bridge, What Are Some Defenses Against Squeezes?
My understanding is that squeezes are most likely to occur when one defender holds all the key cards in say, two different suits. And in most cases, they are what I call "secondary" cards (e.g. Kx, ...
8
votes
5answers
697 views
When will playing Rubber Bridge vs. Duplicate Bridge affect your decisions?
In Rubber Bridge, you are trying to get more points than your opponents. In Duplicate Bridge, you are trying to get more points than the other people playing the same hand later on do. For a while I ...
1
vote
2answers
34 views
Question on leading
In bridge, what is the priority in leading when partner bid spades, and contract is clubs, and I have ace and queen of spades. Does the rule "do not underlead an ace" here override the rule "lead with ...
2
votes
2answers
367 views
Are there “established” systems where “Five Card Majors” isn't a strict rule?
In "Standard American," I must open a major with 65432 while refraining from opening a major with AKQJ.
IMHO, there are five card majors that are too weak to be opened and there four card majors that ...
2
votes
2answers
119 views
In bridge, do people go through cycles of under- and -over bidding?
In the board game Go, there are two basic styles, high and low. "High" is all the rage for about ten years, until people have forgotten how to play "low." Then "low" gets "rediscovered," and people ...
6
votes
2answers
125 views
In bridge, how can you “see” (locate) most of 52 cards halfway into the play?
Author Terence Reese wrote that the difference between amateurs and professional was that the former could "see" (locate) only 26 cards, while professionals could "see" 52 before the hand was over. ...
6
votes
4answers
155 views
How can I practice my opening leads in bridge?
After playing bridge for several months, I feel my declarer play and bidding have improved to a beginner-intermediate level. However, I think my skill at making an opening lead is that of a novice at ...
3
votes
1answer
123 views
In bridge, how do you tell when to use holdup versus blocking plays?
You are the declarer at a 3NT contract (1NT, 3NT, no opposing bids). West leads what appears to be a five card suit, and you have Axx in dummy.
Your main concern is that East can get the setting ...
3
votes
2answers
85 views
Opener rebid priority
I'm playing/studying SAYC. So I know that game in major comes first then notrump then game in minors.
When I open with 1 Club partner responds with 1 Spade -- I have 18PTS and 4 hearts and NT ...
4
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3answers
147 views
Bridge bidding - how do I decide whether or not to bid 1NT with weakness in a particular suit?
If I'm inclined to bid NT with 15-17 points, but am weak in one suit, how weak can I be, and still bid 1NT, as opposed to bidding 1 club, to find out if my partner can show strength e.g. a stopper in ...
3
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4answers
943 views
In Bridge, what are “proper” responses to a “strong” 2 club bid?
Bidding Standard American, and opening a "strong" two clubs (typically 22 HCPs and a six card suit), I like to hear responses of 2 diamonds (0-8 points, no more than game interest), or 2NT (9+ plus ...
4
votes
3answers
200 views
What Is a “Reverse” In Bridge?
Partner opened one diamond. I responded 1 NT with the following hand.
♠Txxx ♥Axx ♦Txxx ♣Ax
Partner then rebid two spades. I raised to four spades, reading my partner for 17 points or so. We went ...
4
votes
2answers
329 views
Is Duplicate Bridge (standard Matchpoints) a game of pure skill?
I'm inclined to say "no" because because each of the following could be considered lucky:
A finesse can be tried 2 different ways and your partnership selects
the one that works
You play a routine, ...
8
votes
2answers
114 views
Question on ethics or rules
I would very much like to know the correct ethical procedure for the following play. Hearts are trump.
West led a small club
North played a small club
East played a small spade
I as South played a ...
3
votes
1answer
58 views
In bridge, are “sequences” more valuable than non-sequences of similar point count?
In backgammon, for instance, sequences of "points" are more valuable than the same number of points out of sequence. That is the 6-5, or 6-5-4 points, are more valuable than the 6-4, or 6-4-2 points ...
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0answers
21 views
please recommend some movies for contract bridge? [closed]
Just wonder, are there movies for contract bridge? there are "color of money" for billiard, "the major league" for baseball etc... I'd like to watch a couple of good movies for contract bridge.
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1answer
261 views
What are rules for an overcall that have wide acceptance? [closed]
This question was inspired by this link, http://www.jazclass.aust.com/bridge/br14.htm which required a five card suit with two honors, at least one of them a queen or higher, for a one-level overcall. ...
3
votes
1answer
88 views
Are there many mandated “time outs” in tournament bridge?
In "Points, Schmoints," Marty Bergen related an instance in which he announced "skip bid," before "jumping" his partner's two diamond bid to the five level (instead of three). According to him, his ...
3
votes
1answer
80 views
Is a “drop-finesse” better than a simple “drop” play with a nine card suit in bridge?
Regarding finesses for a missing queen in a key (e.g. trump suit), there is a proverb of "eight ever [always] nine never." Instead, one is supposed to play for a drop. (This, and most other proverbs ...
7
votes
2answers
118 views
Can one ask for a “time out” to study the hand in bridge?
"West" (the opening leader) has to lead before seeing the dummy. Both declarer (South) and partner (East) ought to study the dummy before playing. But often they do not.
Suppose South wins the trick, ...
1
vote
2answers
52 views
In bridge, should a defender play differently with most, about half, or few of the partnership's points?
This example is from Victor Mollo's "Test Your Defense, Where the Points are Won."
You are East. The bidding has been 1NT pass 3NT pass. West leads what looks to be the fourth highest spade. You ...
1
vote
4answers
107 views
In bridge, does it make sense to “tighten” or 'loosen" up on bidding depending on vulnerability?
For instance, the minimum standard seems to be about 12 points to open with a five card suit, or 13 points with a four card minor. That makes sense with equal vulnerability (both vulnerable or both ...
2
votes
1answer
83 views
When should a bridge defender return the second, rather than fourth highest card in suit?
Against a bidding sequence of 1NT, 3NT, partner, West, opens with what looks like the fourth highest of a suit. Dummy goes down with two small cards in the suit. I have four to the king in the suit, ...
6
votes
3answers
169 views
In bridge, can “good” players get away with bidding “light”?
The conventional wisdom is that it takes 26 points to make a game. But authors such as Terence Reese have written compendiums of how they made games with 23-25 points by "outplaying" the defense; ...
2
votes
3answers
86 views
Different kinds of “two direction” finesses in bridge?
I once read in a book about a "backward" finesse. You, declarer, have AJ9, and dummy has Kxx.
Ordinarily, you would finesse twice from dummy toward AJ9. Except that your left hand opponent has ...
5
votes
4answers
753 views
In Bridge, Why Do People Use “Transfer Bids” Over 1 NT?
Over 1NT, some people bid two diamonds to say they have five hearts, and two hearts to say they have five spades. The 1NT person bids the desired suit, completing the transfer.
Apparently the idea is ...
5
votes
3answers
1k views
What Are The Key Features Of The “Fantunes” Bidding System?
Zia Mahmood's Bridge column for the Guardian newspaper today tells of two players with world titles to their names, Fulvio Fantoni and Claudio Nunes, who apparently have an intriguing bidding system:
...
4
votes
1answer
122 views
In bridge, what are exceptions to “third hand high?”
You are sitting "East" (with dummy to your right), and your partner West leads a low (presumably fourth best) card in a suit against a 3 no trump contract. When dummy plays low from "nothing," and you ...
11
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3answers
942 views
Why is there a bonus for holding honors in bridge? Isn't having 4-5 of the highest trumps privileges enough?
After I read about honors in bridge, I quickly started wondering why they were added to the scoring system. Its obviously a privilege to be holding the cards required, so I can see why the scoring ...
4
votes
3answers
344 views
In Bridge, Can I Ask About Previously Played Cards to the Current Trick?
In Bridge, one is allowed to look at the four cards played to the last trick (if the next round hasn't started).
Can I similarly ask about cards played to the current trick?
I was sitting at East, ...
2
votes
1answer
163 views
In Bridge, What is the Merit of Taking a “Double” Finesse?
Suppose I am declarer, and dummy has a "side" (non-trump) suit with AQx or AQxx, and I have xxx in my hand. I have been told NOT to finesse the Q (a 50-50 chance), except as a last resort, or late in ...
3
votes
1answer
64 views
What are ways to “read” the shape of your opponents' hands early on?
Toward the end, the shape of opponents' hands can be read by "counting" (playing out two or three suits and inferring the shape of the remaining one(s)).
In the beginning, one looks for more subtle ...
7
votes
2answers
1k views
What is the penalty for failing to follow suit?
Assume the mistake is unintentional, what course of action should be taken when this occurs and is discovered?
If the person discovers themselves that they earlier made the mistake, is the penalty ...
12
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2answers
137 views
Hesitating as bluff
The contracting player leads a trump. As the next player I make an obvious hesitation before playing my singleton 10 of trumps. At the end of the hand my opponent, who did not call the director, ...
8
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2answers
154 views
In bridge, what are some exceptions to “second hand low?”
Most beginners are taught to play "second hand low." That is, play a low card if one is led to them, to give the partner a chance to take the trick. This is particularly to avoid situations where ...
29
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8answers
1k views
Why is the strong 1NT so prevalent in Bridge?
Bridge is widely considered to be the queen of card games on both sides of the Atlantic. However, there's one huge difference between the way that (most) Americans and (most) Britons play. In ...
