Bridge Flashcards
when can you double 1NT
If the opposition on your right have opened a weak 1NT, promising 12-14 HCP balanced hand, and you have 16+ points, then the chances are they are in trouble. At the most the other two players have 12 HCP between them. On average then, you have more than the enemy, and your strength is going to be played right after declarer at the table.
This is the only time you double at the one level and really mean it. It’s “doubling for penalty points”, because you reckon the enemy has a good chance of going down. And if you can get a suit established, they could go down a lot.
This is a very useful double, especially if the enemy is vulnerable, where the losses can soon add up to more points that you’d get even if you got to game. A score of 500 to 1100 is often yours !
Just say “double”.
You can double with 15HCP too, if they are a good 15, with some inner strength, e.g. QJ109.
Partner’s normal response - easy
Say nothing ! Let the enemy stew. Get them down and count the money at the end, admitting of course how lucky you were.
The exception to this is if you can see that game could be on. The double showed 16+ HCP, so if you have 9+HCP you might want to think twice. If you are vulnerable and the enemy is not, perhaps you’d do better with the 600 points from getting game. You’d need to get them down by four to better this. On the other hand, if the enemy is vulnerable and you are not, it’s hard to see how you could do better than watch them suffer.
If you can see that game is on and the vulnerability is favourable, you can bid as if your partner who doubled had in fact opened a strong NT.
By the way, if the tables are reversed, and you find yourself in the position of having bid 1NT which was then immediately doubled, there is a way out of this nasty little hole.
Carry on for penalties
After a penalty double of a NT bid, any subsequent doubles are also for penalties.
Opening lead
A consideration in deciding whether or not to double should be the possibility of enemy actually making the contract, redoubled, with you being the vulnerable party. To avoid this unpleasantness, 15/16 HCP might not be enough. You should think about your opening lead. If you have a long strong suit with outside entries into your hand, you are usually safe. Lead a high card from your long suit to force out the enemy big gun, and then use your entry back into your hand to play out your long strong suit.
What are the conditions for weak 2s
6 card suit
6 - 10 points
2 of top 3 honours
10 pts open at 1 level
Don’t open weak 2 with a 4 card major but 4 card minor is fine.
Responder needs good 5 card suit and openning points to change suits.
Any raise is to play. Partner should not bid again. Play the hand.
Responder with a weak hand can raise defensively. With 3 card support bid 3. With 4 card support bid 4. A good hand raises to game.
A 2NT response is a convention asking opener to show an ace or king in a side suit.
Transfers
1) Partner opens 1NT.
You have a 5 (or more) card major.
It does not matter how weak your hand is.
You bid 2D to indicate you have 5H
and 2H to indicate you have 5S
2) Normally opener just does the transfer to 2H or 2S.
3) If opener has 14pts, and 4 cards in the chosen major, and a doubleton then he jumps to 3 in the chosen suit.
4) Opener bids 1 NY.
Responder bids a transfer.
Opener accepts the transfer.
If responder has 5 card major and 11+ points do the transfer to the major and then bid NT as follows:
11-12 2NT
13 -18 3NT
19 - 20 4NT
21+ 5NT
Opener must go back to the major if he has 3 cards in the chosen suit.
With 14 points opener should go for game or slam.
5) Opener bids 1NT
Responder bids a transfer.
Opener does the transfer.
If responder now bids a new suit it usually shows 5 cards in the second suit as well (with a really good hand could be 4 and interested in a slam).
Opener should raise this second suit with 4 cards in it.
6) Opener bids 1NT.
Responder has 6-card major so bids for the transfer.
Opener makes the transfer.
Responder raises his major suit and this invites opener to bid game.
7) Opener bids 1NT
Responder has 6-card major but not enough points for a slam. He should decide who would be better as dummy.
If responder would be better as dummy bid the transfer and then raise to game. If responder would be better playing the hand he should raise directly to game.
8) Opener bids 1NT.
Responder has 18+ points and a 6-card or longer major then bid 3 directly in the major so partner knows that this is the suit. Responder can now use Blackwood on the next round.
Stayman
1) Opener bids 1N.
Responder has 11,+ points bids 2C. Which is asking opener if he has a 4-card major.
Opener replies:
2D meaning I do not have a 4-card major.
2H, I have 4 hearts but I may have 4 spades.
2S, I have 4 spades but not 4 hearts.
2) Responder can use staymen with less than 11 pts if he has 2 good suits with singletons or voids or long clubs.
3) Opener must respond to staymen.
4) Opener has 4H and 4S. Bids H first and S on next round (unless responder bids 3C).
5) Opener bids 1NT.
Responder has weak hand but 6 or more clubs so bids 2C.
Opener makes his reply.
Responder bids 3C.
Opener must pass.
6) Opener 1NT
Responder 2C
Opener 2H (2S)
Responder 4H (4S) game.
Or Responder 3H (3S) invitational
7) Opener 1NT.
Responder 2C
Opener rebids
Responder 4NT asks opener to bid a slam with 14 pts. It is not asking for aces.
8) Opener 1 NT.
Responder 2 C.
Opener 2D.
Responder 2H or 2S is to be passed out and played.
Responder 3H or 3S is game forcing and asks opener to choose either the major or no trumps.
Overcalls
Also called competitive bidding.
8-15 pts and 5 card suit to overbid at one level 10-15 points at two level, depending on suit quality.
Suit quality = count cards in suit you want to bid, then add the number of honours cards (J and 10 only if supported by a higher honour card). If total = 7 you can bid at 1 level, = 8 up to 2 level, and = 9 up to 3 level
Objective is only a part score or to tell partner what to lead.
Even with a strong hand you may pass if you think that getting them down is easier than your making a contract. E.g if they are in 3C you need only 5 tricks to get them down whilst you need 9 tricks to outbid them. So assess your playing strength against your defensive strength.
E.g a balanced hand with no 5 card suit is probably better in defence.
Open 1NT on a balanced hand with 16-18 pts and at least 1 stopper in their suit. Partner with 6-8 pts invites game, with 9+ insists on game. On less than 16 pts do not make an overcall of 1NT as you will likely be doubled!
It is ok to no-bid on 13-17 pts especially if you have a balanced hand (13-16 pts) or are long in opponent’s suit.
Responder < 8 pts pass. At 8 only if have something worthwhile. 9+ should be able to bid something.
If responder has 3 trumps and 8-11 pts raise partner. With 12-15 jump raise. With 16 raise from 1 to game.
Responder with a stop in opponent’s suit 1NT (9-12pts), 2NT (13-14), 3NT (15 or more).
Responder changes suit at 1 level => 8-15pts and a respectable 5 card suit. At 2 level => 10-15pts and a good 5 or longer card suit.
None of this is forcing.
To force needs a jump shift or bid the opponent’s suit (cue bid)
Initial card lead
Against a No Trump contract, lead the fourth highest of your longest and strongest suit.
Lead the top of touching honours.
Don’t underlead an Ace.
Lead partner’s bid suit.
Playing rules
Cover an honour with an honour.
Eight ever, nine never (when considering whether to finesse or play for the drop of an opponent’s Queen). IE if you have 8 of a suit finesse if you have 9 play for the drop
Lead through strength up to weakness.
Never finesse against your partner.
Don’t finesse towards the danger hand.
Declarer shouldn’t draw the highest outstanding trump.
Order of lead
Highest in partner’s bid suit
A singleton
Top of honours sequence eg AKQ or KQJ
Top of a doubleton
MUD middle/up/down
Any card that may help you win a trick or support your partner for later on in the game.
What differences are there when responding to an opening bid of 1 in a suit and 1 NT
0-10 pass 1NT. Bid
12-19 points how do you bid a 4441 distribution?
Bid the suit below the singleton unless it is singleton club in which case bid hearts.
How many points for a small/grand slam?
Small slam 31-33
Grand slam 35-37
In no trump, usually the higher point range is needed. However a slam can be made with a lower point count and a long running suit.
A good agreed upon trump suit.
At least 4 of the 5 key cards (4 aces and the K of trumps).
Do not have 2 losers in one of the suits.
What do you open with a balanced hand
0-11 Pass
12-14 1NT
15-19 1 of a suit
20-22 2NT
23+ 2C
What is a balanced hand?
A hand which contains no singleton or void and at most one doubleton. Three hand patterns are classified as truly balanced: 4-3-3-3, 4-4-3-2 and 5-3-3-2.
So 4-4-4-1, 5-4-2-2 and 5-4-3-1are not balanced.
How would you bid a 4-4-4-1 hand?
If the singleton is red bid 1 club.
If the singleton is a spade bid 1 diamond
If the singleton is a club bid 1heart.
Which suit to open
longest first
higher of two 5 card suits
touching 4 card suits (lower suit)
non-touching 4 card suits
if three 4 card suits then the middle of touching suits otherwise the lower suit.
What openings with an unbalanced hand?
0-11 no bid normally (except 6/7 card suit).
12-20 one of a suit.
21-23 two D,H,S
23+ two C.
Responses to 1NT
Balanced
0-10 pass
11-12 2NT
13-15 3NT
Unbalanced
0+ two clubs (see conditions for Staymen)
0-10 Two D,H,S need 5 card suit or longer.
13+ Three C,D,H,S if 5 card suit.
13+ Four H, S if 6 card suit or longer.
Responses to 1 C,D,H,S
Balanced
0-5 Pass
6-9 major suit raise otherwise 1NT
11-12 major suit raise otherwise 2NT
13-15 major suit raise otherwise 3NT
Unbalanced
0-5 Pass
6-9 single raise or 1NT
6+ New suit at the one level.
9+ New suit at two level.
10-12 Jump raise eg. 1H-3H
16+ Jump raise in a new suit eg. 1C-2H
