Questions tagged [bridge]
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. When asking questions on bidding or play, please specify scoring system (Rubber, Matchpoints, IMPS, ec.), Dealer, vulnerability for both sides, full auction to the point of inquiry, and as complete a description of the visible hands as you can, including spot cards instead of x's.
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Why did we get a higher score for making a lower (doubled) contract?
This could apply to doubled contracts generally, but here is an example of what I mean.
At the top two tables on a particular board, the two pairs (mine and another) made the same number of tricks in ...
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Bridge: Feedback on questionable convention card [closed]
Sorry in advance if such questions are not allowed. I specifically want feedback on whether there are any inconsistencies / misinterpretations in my approach, and whether I need to add anything else ...
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How to bid a very strong hand with values in only 2 suits?
This hand happened to me in online play. I had:
♠AKQ109 ♥AKQ75 ♦3 ♣QJ
That is 21 high card points, mostly in hearts and spades, both as 5 card suits. So game in either hearts or spades looks good, No ...
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Should bidders take "controls"into account when trying to bid a no trump slam?
By "controls," I mean the situation whereby an ace is worth two controls, and a king one. Given four aces and four kings, there are 12 controls in all.
If two partners have 31 (random) high ...
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Where would modern bridge players draw the line in the following paradigm?
Take a hand like ♠ AK ♡ K ♢Txxxx ♣ Txxxx. In the old days (about 100 years ago), some experts might have evaluated the hand at 2.5 quick tricks and two five card suits and opened it 1 diamond (or 1 ...
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Do good bridge players open one diamond and rebid two clubs when they are "weak?"
With no one vulnerable, partner opened 1 diamond after one pass. I bid one heart with the following:
♠ J985 ♡ AT852 ♢95 ♣ A9. Partner rebid 2 clubs. I tried 2NT, thinking that partner had the minor ...
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What does it mean when the laws say that a forcing 1NT response cannot guarantee invitational values?
"Invitational" usually means 10-12 high card points. A forcing 1NT response typically has a range of 6-12 points.
I consider it unwise to bid a forcing 1NT with only 6-7 points unless I have ...
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Partner opens the auction with a Weak Two bid and then your RHO intervenes
Can the Ogust convention still be used?
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Why might an auction go 1NT-3NT?
Sort of a follow up question to this question.
In that question, the auction goes 1NT - pass - 3NT - all pass. The answers to the question point out that, by opening 1NT, declarer is saying they have ~...
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Has there ever been a time or place where high-level bridge was played with no convention cards? If so, what did it look like?
I’ve been digging through the internet, working through curiosity about bridge’s requirement that all partnerships have a convention card. I’ve learned a few things:
The intuition that open ...
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Should there be different standards for a strong two club bid depending on the expected rebid?
A strong two club bid indicates the ability to take something like eight and a half tricks, with a meaningful portion of that being tricks outside the main suit. The test that I use is something like, ...
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Should the responder to a strong two club bid have been given a "double negative" option?
At matchpoints, with only them vulnerable, I was defending against a strong two club sequence bid by a husband and wife team.
Wife opened 2 clubs (strong) on my right with ♠ AK64 ♡AQ ♢AQ ♣ KJ742. ...
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How strong a suit do you need to impose a (minor) suit on a partner bidding Michaels?
Not vulnerable versus vulnerable at matchpoints, I opened with a pass, LHO bid one spade, and partner bid two spades (Michaels), showing 5-5 in hearts and a minor.
I bid three diamonds with the ...
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Recommended Acol bidding after strong NT rebid
The bidding has proceeded as follows:
1S - 2D
2NT(*) - ?
(*) 15-17 HCP balanced, denies 4H. With both majors, 1H would have been opened.
Holding
S: 6 5
H: 9 3
D: A K J 5 4
C: K 10 8 6
What is ...
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At what point (if at all) does the "captaincy" revert to a 1NT opener?
Suppose I open 1NT. This defines my hand within narrow limits (typically 15-17 high card points and "balanced" distribution), causing my partner, who now knows a lot about my hand, to become ...
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Theoretically Optimal Bridge System (In the mathematical sense)
I'm wondering from a mathematical perspective, what the best theoretically possible bridge system is.
I know this is a bit of a muddy question, such as what systems are allowed, and what criteria best ...
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When should someone make a minimum bid over a takeout double with 8 or more high card points?
There was this example cited by an expert (Frank Stewart}. On the hand ♠ 943 ♡A52 ♢AQJ ♣ 8732.the SE consensus was that "11" high card points were really more like seven because of the 4-3-3-...
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1 Spade Interference over Precision 1 Club
I have heard that at some point in the past, a common defence against a strong 1 club opener is:
1S: I have 13 cards.
What's the reason this defence has fallen out of favour?
Could it be that it's ...
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Why is the rationale for requiring a minimum 5-4 distribution for an "unusual" 2NT overcall?
At least, that's the understanding I got from this source on conventions (clause 4 of the "overcalls" section).
My preference is for 5-5 in the minors or the two lowest relevant suits, and a ...
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How dominant is the rubber bonus compared to typical scores?
I've been learning the rules and just playing solitaire with bots so far. The scores I'm typically seeing are dominated by the rubber bonus (combined with the implied extra contract points for making ...
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Partner opens 1NT (15-17 HCP) and then your RHO intervenes
My question is about whether or not you play "systems off" if there is an interfering bid by your RHO (right-hand opponent)? I guess that how you will respond to your partner's opening 1NT ...
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Ethical issue about duplicate bridge
I am returning to bridge after playing online for a few years (covid). I am an intermediate beginner. I play with a robot (bridge solitaire). I tried to find a pro bridge player to sit with me while ...
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Opening light in the 3rd position
What requirements do you have for opening the auction light in the third position when you are light ?
vulnerability?
strength?
4-card major?
etcetera?
All responses will be welcome.
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Under what circumstances might some modern experts bid no trump with "offshape" hands?
This question arises from the modern practice of sometimes bidding say, 1 NT with only a singleton ace (or even king).
I would never do this with a singleton king, but might do with a singleton ace. I'...
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Is a 4-3-3-3 shape as negative in a no trump as in a suit contract?
With a "12 point" hand like ♠ QJ2 ♡K64 ♢A42 ♣ Q852, I might pass, rather than open in first or second seat because of its "flat" shape, for which I would deduct a point. It also ...
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Is it OK to refrain from exploring further at matchpoints when you are in a satisfactory contract?
With no one vulnerable, I opened one club in fourth position at matchpoints after three passes with the following:♠ J752 ♡AJ6 ♢A4 ♣ QT52. I did so because people at our club who pass with 12 high card ...
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How should I have dealt with the Capelleti interference to my partner's 1NT bid
With no one vulnerable, partner opened 1NT (15-17) after three passes. The intervening opponent bid 2 clubs (Capelletti, a system I don't understand), except that it could indicate length in any suit.....
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Can you use Stayman (or other means) to rescue an inadequately protected 2NT bid?
This is a followup to a previous question.
Neither vulnerable, I opened 2NT after two passes with the following: ♠ AKQ ♡ Q72 ♢AK872 ♣ Q8. This is a "conventional" holding with the a weak ...
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What is the advantage of bidding to game in Rubber Bridge?
Suppose North-South ("N-S") has a combined hand that can make a contract of 4 Hearts. If they win 10 tricks and make 4 Hearts, then they get 120 points whether they bid 4 Hearts and made ...
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Is it more important for a responder to bid their suit or raise partner under the following circumstances?
With only us vulnerable at matchpoints, I oponed one heart after dealer passed. The second opponent passed and partner had the following for a response: ♠ AQJ74 ♡ 742 ♢K754 ♣ 7.
I would have expected ...
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What does a double mean when made by a partner who has already passed?
The bidding was North : Pass, East : Pass, South (me) : 1D, West : 2C, North : Double.
North had a balanced 10 points including three clubs to the king, four hearts, three spades, and three ...
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Does it make sense to set up a "reverse" bid to advertise extra strength?
At any game type, position or vulnerability, if I had something like ♠ AK642 ♡ AQ973 ♢ 75 ♣ 2, and no one had opened in front of me, I would bid 1 Spade, planning to rebid the heart suit of equal ...
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Could it be right to "convert" a takeout double with a weaker trump holding when it is made from the "balancing" rather than "direct" seat?
In the usual situation, South opens one spade, West doubles for takeout, and North passes. If East wants to "convert" the double, they need a very strong trump holding, in fact one that is ...
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Why is it forbidden to open hands with fewer than 8 high card points?
Source
2.6 Random Openings
It is forbidden to open hands which, by agreement, may contain fewer than 8 high card
points and for which no further definition is provided.
If you open bidding for a ...
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Does it make better sense to open "light" in matchpoints than in rubber?
By "light" I mean with something like 11 high card points and a five card major suit or 10 high card points and a six card major headed by at least two honors. My (limited) experience has ...
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How do good partnerships adjust their systems when overcalling, instead of opening, 1NT?
Over an opening bid of 1NT, responders will use a variety of systems, such as Stayman, (Jacoby) transfers,etc.
But suppose the sequence was South: 1 diamond, West 1NT, North, Pass, and you are East. ...
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Are Moyesian fits more playable at matchpoints than rubber or IMP, bridge?
A 4-3 trump fit is known as a "Moyesian" fit after an expert who liked to play such hands, even with fewer trumps than the standard eight card fits.
Their main downside is that with six ...
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Was I right to pass my partner's two level overcall?
Both sides vulnerable at matchpoints, South opened one spade. West, my partner, overcalled with two clubs. North passed, and I was sitting East with ♠ J854 ♡ AT97 ♢ A843 ♣ 4.
I had no obvious bid, so ...
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In passing opposite a takeout double, is it merely enough to probably be stronger than declarer in his trump suit?
With the other side vulnerable, your LHO (South) opens one of a suit, your partner (West) doubles (takeout), RHO (North) passes. You (East) have KQJ97 of the bid suit and a bunch of small side suit ...
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Are reminders spoken before looking at the cards bad bridge etiquette or ethics?
After the board had been assigned, but before we looked at our cards at matchpoints, my partner announced, "We're vulnerable and they're not." This was a call to bid cautiously because of ...
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Are there times when it is right to underlead an ace against a suit contract?
First, my own example.
With only N-S vulnerable, I was sitting West at matchpoints when South dealt and opened 1NT (15-17). I passed, North bid 2 hearts, and South transferred to two spades, all pass.
...
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Would most modern experts decline to raise one of a major with the following hand?
Vulnerable versus not at rubber, South opened 1 spade. West passed, and North passed with the following: ♠ KJ9 ♡ 63 ♢ 9762 ♣ 8743.
One raises with "six" points. In the old days (50 years or ...
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Does my "six or eight" rule for "raising one" make sense?
I was taught to raise partner's "one of a major" bid to two with six high card points.
A variation of the rule that I learned recently was eight "points" counting distribution.
So ...
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How, and how much do bidders downgrade their hands for weak spots?
Suppose you are the first to speak and have a hand like the following (with all x's being 7 or lower).
♠ Kxxx
♡ Ax
♢ Axxx
♣ AJx
That's 16 high card points, and normally one would bid 1NT (15-17) with ...
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Does a 1st round takeout double always require 3 cards in all the opposition unbid suits?
Does a takeout double in the first round always require 3 or more cards in opposition unbid suits or can a strong hand (18+ points) do a takeout even without the requirement?
After the partner bids in ...
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When is it appropriate to raise opener's one of a major with only a king and four of their suit?
The first example was that of Zia Mahmood, as recorded in Larry Cohen's "To Bid or Not to Bid." Hearing his partner bid one spade, Zia raised, with both sides vulnerable, holding
♠ K974
♡ 82
...
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Is pass correct with 14pts, KQ9H, after 1C,-,1H,-,1S,-,2S,-?
Only us vulnerable at matchpoints, partner opened one club, with the following. I responded one heart, partner bid one spade I bid two spades. (Opponents passed throughout).
♠ AT72
♡ KQ9
♢ 54
♣ AJ95
...
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Would you lead "fourth best from longest and strongest" from the following hands?
With neither side vulnerable at rubber, you are on lead against 3NT (1NT, 3NT bid).
I would refrain from doing the above with a Yarborough like
♠ 983
♡ 872
♢ 76432
♣ 85
Instead, I would lead one of ...
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Is it ok to open a "weak two" with a decent six of a suit and a "weak" four card side major?
With equal vulnerability, and a holding like (s) KQ9753 (h) K432 (d)xx (c) x, I would pass in first or second position, so that others can bid and I can respond or overcall. I don't mind doing this ...
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Would you overcall, double, or do something else with the following strong but "offshape" hand?
You are vulnerable versus not, when your right hand opponent opens one heart. You are sitting on the following "powerhouse," but one that is "offshape" for the calls you want to ...
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