Bridge Tips
Each week the E-mail messages to players will contain two or more tips on how they can improve their bridge. Those tips are then also published here:
General:
Concentrate especially hard on the first and last boards.
If one side has an eight card suit fit, then there is a high probability the other side does too.
Sherlock Holmes and the case of the dog that didn’t bark: take as much notice of what doesn’t happen as what does, both in the bidding and the play. For instance, if your partner doesn’t double an artificial bid such as 2C Stayman, 2H transfer or 5D RKCB response to indicate a lead, then don’t lead those suits. If declarer plays an A in dummy instead of playing the Q for a losing finesse then there’s a good chance they have a singleton. And if player responds 1D or 1NT to partner's 1C, then they don't have 4 card major.
Bidding:
Don’t let opponents play in a one level contract. If opponents only have an eight card fit, never let them play at the 2 level.
Do not use Blackwood or Gerber unless you know your reaction to each possible response by partner.
An opening bid of 1C could be made with only two clubs. This must be announced. However, note that the 4432 distribution does not happen very often so if all pass, most times you will have some clubs.
With five hearts and five spades, when responding to 1C or 1D show spades first; with four hearts and four spades show hearts first.
The only times opener can pass after a response from partner are: if responder raises opener’s suit; if responder bids NT; if there is an intervening bid by opponents; if responder has previously passed.
Where there is a misfit, stop bidding ASAP. Do not play a misfit in NT.
Vulnerability is important, especially when considering whether to sacrifice. Bid more aggressively when non-vulnerable, especially against vulnerable.
After an opening bid of weak 2, 1NT, 2NT or pre-empt, opener should not bid again as partner is fully informed. Obviously, this does not apply if partner uses Stayman, Puppet Stayman, transfers or any other bids asking for more information.
3NT is often a better contract than 5C or 5D. With a 4-4 major fit, prefer 4 of major to 3NT unless partnership has a surfeit of points or there are no ruffing opportunities.
Never use Blackwood or Gerber if you have a void. If responding to Blackwood, only show keycards; do not treat a void as an ace.
Don’t be scared to bid over opponents opening 2C.
In response to partner’s takeout double, jump with 8+ points, else bid your suit at lowest level.
If partner bids 5C or 5D and you realise you should be in 3NT, bid 6 in order to try to beat the field.
After two passes be prepared to open any hand which would be a sound overcall at one level; this makes it difficult for fourth bidder. Of course, a bid of 1C does not achieve this. Partner should be aware that you might have borrowed a king for your bid. (Some pairs alert this).
Double artificial bids and overcall to direct partner’s lead but beware of doubling for lead of a frozen suit and be sure to note when partner does not double as that means they don’t want that suit led.
With support for partner’s overcall and less than 10 points, bid to the level of the fit. With 10+ points and support, cue bid the opponent’s suit.
Count on partner for three tricks non vulnerable or two tricks vulnerable when pre-empting. Now partner knows they can raise you with more tricks than that.
Bid 4S over 4H as a sacrifice if you can.
With 6-5, 6-6 and 7-6 hands and less than 20 points prefer to open one of the suits at the one level rather than 2C.
If partner has responded to Blackwood / RKCB showing too few aces for 6, bidding 5 of a previously unbid suit tells partner to sign off in 5NT.
Don’t use Stayman unless you have a precisely four card major. With 4 and 5 in the majors, use transfer and then bid the other major.
Law of total tricks (LOTT): bid to the level of the number of trumps between you and partner. It is important to remember the law during competitive auctions.
If opening bid is doubled, then redouble shows 8+ points and no support for opener’s suit and should be alerted; free bid shows either support for opener, including Bergen raises, or five card suit. Object should be to disrupt partner of doubler.
Declarer Play:
In a suit contract, count how many tricks you can make outside the trump suit; you now know how many ruffs are required to make the contract.
Trump in the hand with the short trump suit (usually dummy) as the trumps in the long hand are tricks anyway. However, bearing this in mind, if you are playing a trump contract after taking a transfer, consider ruffing in hand and doing a dummy reversal.
When there is just one high trump out, don’t draw it.
Facing taking a two way finesse as declarer, always delay taking it till the last possible moment when you have maximum information.
Lead an honour for a finesse only when you would like to see it covered.
As declarer, when you have two or more touching cards and have to follow suit, play the highest card in the sequence so as to give minimal information to defenders; as defender play the lowest of touching cards in a sequence.
As a very general guide, assume with two honours missing they are split between the opponents’ hands.
When you are missing two non-touching honours, finesse for the lower one first.
As declarer in a suit contract, beware of taking a finesse in dummy after the opening lead which might well be a singleton.
Be suspicious of opponent who doesn’t lead partner’s suit.
As declarer play a weak suit where you are going to lose tricks anyway to gather information. Maybe the opponents will win and lead the wrong thing giving you an unexpected trick.
As defender, when you have two or more touching cards and have to follow suit, play the lowest card in the sequence (i.e. if you have QJT then play T); when you are declarer play the highest so as not to give away information.
Defence:
Don’t lead aces unless singleton or partner’s suit or against a slam.
Don’t lead a singleton if you have a natural trump trick that vanishes if you ruff.
Don’t lead singletons if partner is unlikely to have entry to return suit and give you a ruff.
If K led from AK and Qxx appears on table do not follow with A unless partner encourages continuation; you don’t want to establish the Q or have declarer ruff your A.
As a defender, as soon as the dummy comes down plan what card you will play smoothly when declarer leads any card from dummy. That way there will be no hesitation or fumbling to give information to declarer.
When leading for partner to ruff, low asks for return of lower suit, high for higher suit in order to try to get a second ruff (all too often the ruffer goes into a trance trying to think what to lead back when partner has already told them)
Cover an honour with an honour only when there is a chance of promoting a card in your hand or partner’s. Cover the last honour in a sequence. Don’t cover an honour when trumps are being played as there’s probably nothing to promote.
Don’t win your honour first time declarer makes a finesse he / she is likely to repeat.
Double of an artificial bid, such as a response to Stayman, Gerber or Blackwood, asks partner to lead that suit. Note if response to Stayman, Gerber or Blackwood is not doubled, partner is not interested in the lead of that suit.
Don’t underlead aces against suit contracts
The worst lead against a NT contract is fourth highest of a suit headed by J, unless your partner has bid the suit.
As defender with four trumps, keep leading your side’s longest suit aiming to make declarer trump in hand and shorten their trump holding – but don’t give declarer a ruff and discard.
As defender, when you have two or more touching cards and have to follow suit, play the lowest card in the sequence (i.e. if you have QJT then play T); when you are declarer play the highest so as not to give away information.
Just because you have a void, don't trump. Partner might be able to win; declarer might be able to ruff behind you; you might be baring a definite trump trick. Don’t ruff small cards.