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:
- Vulnerability is important, especially when considering whether to sacrifice. Bid more aggressively when non-vulnerable, especially against vulnerable.
- 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.
- 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.
- As declarer in a suit contract, beware of taking a finesse in dummy after the opening lead which might well be a singleton.
- If one side has an eight card suit fit, then there is a high probability the other side does too.
- Don’t underlead aces against suit contracts
- 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.
- The worst lead against a NT contract is fourth highest of a suit headed by J, unless your partner has bid the suit.