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Start Learning Bridge!

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Robert's Bidding Basics

Upgrade Your Bidding System

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Robert's Bridge Quotes

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Events

Seminar Materials

Event Registration

Bridge at Millpond

About Bridge

Why Learn Bridge?

Videos About Bridge

Start Learning Bridge!

Info

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The Common Game

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Learning
Why Learn Bridge?
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Upgrade Your Bidding System
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This Week in Bridge (TWiB) By Level & Category

This page is designed to help you develop your bridge in a systematic fashion. We have categorized bridge topics by level and taken our weekly email lessons, This Week in Bridge (TWiB), and given recommendations of what to read for each subject area and level. The idea is to provide you with a group of topics to learn together that are of approximately the same difficulty and that relate to each other. This should allow for students to have some control over their bridge development and progress. We have also given a recommended reading order for the TWiB documents within each group and level, taking into consideration difficulty and importance of topic.

Please feel free to contact us with questions if something is unclear, to report typos or errors, to suggest missing topics, or to get further information about becoming a bridge student with AiB. Detailed system descriptions and digital copies of ACBL convention cards for each Bridge Level are available on the Upgrade Your Bidding System page.

Background Material and Robert's Bidding Lessons Books

Some background knowledge is assumed in before the Basic 2/1 Game Forcing in the AiB curriculum.

Many of these background topics are covered in the Robert's Bidding Basics Document (for learning bridge from scratch). For reference, this document is referred to as TWiB 0.

The Collections of TWiB for each level are available as Robert's Bidding Lessons.

TWiB Bidding 1.png — Robert's bidding lessons (2nd Edition) Books are now Available!

Robert's Bidding Lessons are now available for purchase. These are collections of TWiBs for each level organized by topic and in a recommended reading order. They are available in published in large size (8.5" x 11"). See the Books page if you wish to place an order.

Level 1 - Basic 2/1 Game Forcing and Other Agreements

See above images for suggested order for reading Level 1 TWiB documents.
Detailed list of Level 1 TWiB readings by category:

Bidding Concepts

Featured

(219) Partnership Discussions - Understanding Partner's Style

(182) Bridge Philosophy: Play the Hand During the Auction

(181) Bridge Philosophy: Visualizing Responder's Hand as a Defender

(180) Bridge Philosophy: Visualizing Opener's Hand as a Defender

(179) Bridge Philosophy: Listening to the Opponents' Auction

(45) Around the Table: Advancer

(44) Around the Table: Responder

(43) Around the Table: Interferer

(42) Around the Table: Opener

(41) Around the Table: Vulnerability and Position

(4) Bidding Basics: Bridge Philosophy - The Cardinal Sins of Bridge

(3) Bidding Basics: Defining Hand Strength - Buckets

(2) Bidding Basics: Which Suit to Open

(1) Bidding Basics: Hand Type - Balanced and Unbalanced Hands

Notrump Fundamentals

Featured

(167) Notrump Fundamentals: Responding to 2NT with Majors

(24) More Notrump: Responding with Unbalanced Hands

2/1 Game Forcing

Featured

(9) 2/1 Game Forcing: Modern Bridge Standard

Fits & Hand Evaluation

Featured

(336) Losers and Covers - Losing Trick Count

(335) Fitting Cards and Wasted Values

(334) Double Fits and Misfits

(333) Size of Trump Fit - Law of Total Tricks

(332) Evaluate and Keep Re-Evaluating

(331) Counting Points - When the Opponents Bid

(330) Counting Points - After Partner Bids

(329) Counting Points - Before the Auction Begins

(60) Hand Evaluation II: Fitting Cards and Wasted Values

(58) Hand Evaluation II: Size of Trump Fits

(56) Hand Evaluation I: Counting Points 3 - When the Opponents Bid

Constructive Bidding

Featured

(112) More Competitive Bidding: Dealing with 4M Interference

Competitive Bidding

Featured

(551) Competitive Auctions: Bidding over 3-Level and 4-Level Preempts

(352) Takeout Doubles

(327) Higher Level Jump Overcalls

(326) Notrump Overcalls

(325) Balancing Seat Overcalls

(324) Sandwich Seat Overcalls

(323) 2-Suited Overcalls

(322) 2-Level Jump Overcalls

(321) 2-Level Simple Overcalls

(280) Negative Doubles

(238) High Level Jump Overcalls

(237) Notrump Overcalls

(236) Balancing Seat Overcalls

(235) Sandwich Seat Overcalls

(233) Jump Overcalls at the 2-Level

(232) Simple Overcalls at the 2-Level

(231) Simple Overcalls at the 1-Level

(222) Negative Doubles Overview

(172) Competitive Bidding: Weak Jump Overcalls

(110) More Competitive Bidding: Overcalls by Level

(51) More Doubles: Double After Notrump

(50) More Doubles: Competitive Doubles

(29) Overcalls: Interferer's Options

(15) Doubles: Advancing Partner's Takeout Double

Other Bidding Topics

Featured

(152) Balancing: Balancing with Distributional Hands

Play of the Hand

Featured

(303) Developing Winners - Promotion, Length, and Finesse

(243) Trump Suit Management - Transportation

(239) Hold Up Plays

(205) Suit Play: Establishing Length in Dummy

(204) Suit Play: Using Dummy's Shortness

(203) Suit Play: Using Suits in Dummy Equal in Length to Declarer

(124) Declarer Play - Suits: Ruffing Values

(123) Declarer Play - Suits: Trump Fits

(122) Declarer Play - Suits: Counting Losers

(120) Declarer Play - Notrump: Finesses and Double Finesses

(119) Declarer Play - Notrump: Unblocking - Taking Our Winners

(118) Declarer Play - Notrump: Winners - Making a Plan

Defense

Featured

(275) Leading a New Suit in the Middle of the Defense

(250) Splitting Honors on Defense

(66) Defensive Concepts: Partnership Defense Philosophies

(65) Defensive Concepts: Middle of the Hand Defense

Level 2 - Intermediate 2/1 Game Forcing

See above images for suggested order for reading Level 2 TWiB documents.
Detailed list of Level 2 TWiB readings by category:

Bidding Concepts

Featured

(221) Corrective vs. Forward-Going Bids

(220) Offensively- vs. Defensively-Oriented Hands

(179) Bridge Philosophy: Listening to the Opponents' Auction

(140) Bidding Philosophy: Lead Directing Doubles

(139) Bidding Philosophy: Cuebidding the Opponent's Suit

(97) Slam Bidding Philosophy: Optimistic Minimum

(78) What to Expect: When Responder is a Passed Hand

(77) What to Expect: Planning as Responder

(76) What to Expect: Planning Rebids - What to Expect from Responder

(75) What to Expect: Captaincy

Notrump Fundamentals

2/1 Game Forcing

Fits & Hand Evaluation

Featured

(301) Hand Evaluation Opposite Preemptive Openings

(227) New Minor Forcing Fundamentals

(105) More on Fits: 4th Suit Forcing in Depth

(104) More on Fits: New Minor Forcing in Depth

(103) More on Fits: Responder's Rebid

(102) More on Fits: Raising Responder in Competition

(101) More on Fits: Raising Responder's Suit

(19) Fits: Finding Fits in Competition

(18) Fits: Finding Fits

Constructive Bidding

Featured

(365) Responder's Rebids After Making a Negative Double

(302) Responding to 3-Level Preempts

(287) Bidding Slam with a Void

(267) Responding to 1-minor with Both Majors

(262) Making Use of the 3-Level

(145) Constructive Low-Level Bidding: Bidding After Partner's Redouble

(143) Constructive Low-Level Bidding: 1C - 1D - 1H - 1S*

(16) Doubles: Dealing with the Opponent's Takeout Double

Competitive Bidding

Featured

(551) Competitive Auctions: Bidding over 3-Level and 4-Level Preempts

(324) Sandwich Seat Overcalls

(300) Positive Freebid vs. Negative Double

(299) Passing with Good Hands

(285) Second-Round Doubles

(280) Negative Doubles

(265) They Double Our Control-Showing Cuebid

(264) They Overcall After Partner's Transfer

(263) They Overcall After Partner's Stayman

(261) Supporting Partner's Suit - Bid Early!

(235) Sandwich Seat Overcalls

(148) More Competitive Bidding: After Partner's Responsive Double

(147) More Competitive Bidding: After Partner's Negative Double

(146) More Competitive Bidding: What is a Stopper?

(116) Constructive Bidding Opposite 3rd Hand Openings: Cuebid as Limit Raise+ by a Passed Hand

(113) More Competitive Bidding: Balancing by Responder

(90) Competitive Bidding: Responding to 3- and 4-level Preempts

(52) More Doubles: Support Doubles in Depth

Other Bidding Topics

Featured

(154) Balancing: More Balancing

Play Of The Hand

Featured

(304) The Two-Way Finesse

(272) Threat Cards

(260) Counting and Putting It All Together

(259) Counting a Suit Effectively

(245) Trump Suit Management - Ruffing Finesse

(244) Trump Suit Management - Dummy Reversal

(242) Trump Suit Management

(241) Combine Your Chances

(240) Optimistic and Pessimistic Play

(239) Hold Up Plays

(206) Suit Play: Using Powerful Length in Dummy

(199) NT Play: Danger Hand

(121) Declarer Play - Notrump: Length vs. Strength

Defense

Featured

(499) Middle of the Hand Defense: Getting Our Ruffs

(498) Middle of the Hand Defense: Which Honor to Cover or Capture

(471) Defensive Carding: Attitude Signals

(337) Opening Leads into Minimum Openers

(328) Opening Leads into Preemptive Opening Bids

(252) Opening Leads from AQTx+

(249) Giving Declarer an Ace-Queen Guess

(248) Which Suit to Attack on Defense?

(247) Recognizing Danger on Defense

(214) Defense: Always Return Partner's Lead?

(211) Defense: Getting Your Ruffs

(209) Defense: Assumptions on Defense

(207) Defense: Planning the Defense

(69) Opening Leads: Leads in Partner's Suit

Level 3 - Modern 2/1 Game Forcing

See above images for suggested order for reading Level 3 TWiB documents.
Detailed list of Level 3 TWiB readings by category:

Bidding Concepts

Featured

(100) Slam Bidding Philosophy: Fast Arrival vs. Picture Bids

Notrump Fundamentals

2/1 Game Forcing

Featured

(87) More 2/1: Pattern Out Auctions

(85) More 2/1: Solid Suits

(84) More 2/1: Bidding the 4th Suit

Fits & Hand Evaluation

Featured

(185) Finding Fits: Bergen Raises

(104) More on Fits: New Minor Forcing in Depth

Constructive Bidding

Featured

(415) 2C Opening Bids

(403) Slam Bidding: 1430 Keycard Blackwood

(291) Passed Hand Bidding Concepts

(290) 5NT Grand Slam Tries

(269) The Impossible Spade Bid

(267) Responding to 1-minor with Both Majors

(164) Constructive Bidding: 1M - 3NT

(115) Constructive Bidding Opposite 3rd Hand Openings: Pass - 1 Major - 2 Notrump

Competitive Bidding

Featured

(326) Notrump Overcalls

(325) Balancing Seat Overcalls

(324) Sandwich Seat Overcalls

(266) Dealing with Interference over a Conventional 2NT Response

(237) Notrump Overcalls

(236) Balancing Seat Overcalls

(235) Sandwich Seat Overcalls

(194) Competitive Bidding: Sandwich NT

(191) Competitive Bidding: Bidding Over Strong 2C (and 1C) Openings - Mathe

Other Bidding Topics

Play Of The Hand

Featured

(274) End Plays in Notrump Contracts

(273) Squeezes - The Basics

(199) NT Play: Danger Hand

Defense

Featured

(473) Defensive Carding: Discards

(309) UDCA - Shift Count

(251) Opening Leads - Jack Denies, Coded 10s and 9s

(211) Defense: Getting Your Ruffs

(208) Defense: Figuring Out Declarer's Hand - Asking Questions

(131) Defensive Details: Ace or Queen for Attitude; King for Count (Unblock)

Level 4 - Advanced 2/1 Game Forcing

See above images for suggested order for reading Level 4 TWiB documents.
Detailed list of Level 4 TWiB readings by category:

Bidding Concepts

Featured

(141) Bidding Philosophy: Transfers in Competition

(138) Bidding Philosophy: Steps vs. Specific Bids

(135) More Advanced Bidding: Internal Reverses

Notrump Fundamentals

Featured

(189) Notrump Interference: Bidding Over Weak Notrump

2/1 Game Forcing

Fits & Hand Evaluation

Constructive Bidding

Featured

(402) Slam Bidding: Gerber and 1430 Gerber

(370) 2 over 1 Game Forcing: 1D - 2C Auctions

(287) Bidding Slam with a Void

(94) Advanced Bidding Topics - 2-way NMF and Modified Wolff

(70) Constructive Bidding Tools: Kokish Over 2C Opening

Competitive Bidding

Featured

(562) NT and Balancing Auctions: Other Balancing Actions

(559) NT and Balancing Auctions: Balancing Notrump Bids

(344) Opener's Rebids After RHO Overcalls

(343) Opener's Rebids After a Negative Double

(326) Notrump Overcalls

(192) Competitive Bidding: Dealing with Inference after a 2C Opening

Other Bidding Topics

Play Of The Hand

Featured

(271) Smother Plays

(246) Trump Suit Management - Strip and Endplay

Defense

Featured

(502) Middle of the Hand Defense: Splitting Honors on Defense

(472) Defensive Carding: Count Signals

(446) Defense Basics: Types of Defense - Active vs. Passive

(401) Opening Leads: Interpreting Partner's Lead

(395) Opening Leads: Rule of 11

(394) Opening Leads: Card Combinations

(249) Giving Declarer an Ace-Queen Guess

(247) Recognizing Danger on Defense

(214) Defense: Always Return Partner's Lead?

(211) Defense: Getting Your Ruffs

Level 5 - Complex 2/1 Game Forcing

See above images for suggested order for reading Level 5 TWiB documents.
Detailed list of Level 5 TWiB readings by category:

Bidding Concepts

Featured

(138) Bidding Philosophy: Steps vs. Specific Bids

Notrump Fundamentals

2/1 Game Forcing

Fits & Hand Evaluation

Constructive Bidding

Featured

(418) Off-Shape 1NT Opening Bids

(414) Responding to Higher-Level Preempts

(406) Slam Bidding: Control-Showing Bids

(404) Slam Bidding: Specific Kings

(384) Raising Advancer's Suit

(377) 2 over 1 Game Forcing: Slam Tries

(257) Reverse Flannery

(228) Preempt Keycard

(136) More Advanced Bidding: 1M - 3N as a Good 1M - 4M Raise

(108) More Constructive Bidding: Kokish Game Tries

Competitive Bidding

Featured

(560) NT and Balancing Auctions: Range Stayman

(545) NT Bidding: Responding to 1NT in Competition - Lebensohl

(541) NT Bidding: DONT and Meckwell

(524) Fits and More: Raising Partner in Competition

(382) Raising Partner's Suit: Balancing Overcalls

(368) Responder's Rebids After LHO's Overcall

(342) Opener's Rebids After Responder's Freebid

(270) Responder's Systems After a 1NT Overcall

(193) Competitive Bidding: Bidding over Short Opening Bids

(96) Advanced Bidding Topics - Fit Showing Jumps

Other Bidding Topics

Play Of The Hand

Featured

(566) Improve Your Card Play: Passive Opening Leads in Depth

(565) Improve Your Card Play: Guarding a Suit

(564) Improve Your Card Play: Establishing Length

(563) Improve Your Card Play: Making Use of an Ace

(496) Advanced Card Play: Threat Cards

(493) Advanced Card Play: The Idle Fifth

(492) Advanced Card Play: Misfits and Moysians

(491) Advanced Card Play: The King-Jack Guess

(490) Advanced Card Play: Optimistic and Pessimistic Declarer Play

(489) Advanced Card Play: Combining Chances

Defense

Featured

(501) Middle of the Hand Defense: Return Partner's Lead? If Shift, Then How?

(479) Defensive Carding: Partnership Defense Philosophy

(478) Defensive Carding: Dummy has Qxx+

(476) Defensive Carding: Suit Preference Signals

(453) Defense Basics: Leads - Visualizing Suits

(447) Defense Basics: When to Get Active

(400) Opening Leads: Rule of 10/12

(397) Opening Leads: Always Lead Partner's Suit?

(396) Opening Leads: Leading Partner's Suit

(308) UDCA - Return Count

(307) UDCA - Remainder Count

(275) Leading a New Suit in the Middle of the Defense

(251) Opening Leads - Jack Denies, Coded 10s and 9s

Level 6 - Expert 2/1 Game Forcing

See above images for suggested order for reading Level 6 TWiB documents.
Detailed list of Level 6 TWiB reading by category.

Bidding Concepts

Notrump Fundamentals

Featured

(226) Modern System Vs. Weak 1NT Opening Bids

(189) Notrump Interference: Bidding Over Weak Notrump

2/1 Game Forcing

Featured

(427) 2/1: In Competition

Fits & Hand Evaluation

Constructive Bidding

Featured

(297) Jump Shift Structure

(256) Inverted Minors and 1D - 2C Auctions with Structure

(255) Responder's Unusual 2M Jump Shifts and NT Bids

(216) Advanced Bidding: Transfer Rebids After 1H - 1S

(215) Advanced Bidding: Transfer Wolff Over 2NT Rebids

(144) Constructive Low-Level Bidding: XYZ

(134) More Advanced Bidding: Upgrade to Jacoby 2NT

Competitive Bidding

Featured

(532) Slam Bidding: Forcing Pass Auctions

(381) Raising Partner's Suit: Sandwich Seat Overcalls

(380) Raising Partner's Suit: DIrect Overcalls

(295) Transfers over Transfers

(157) Advanced Competitive Bidding: 1-minor (X) Transfers

(156) Advanced Competitive Bidding: 1-Major (X) Transfers

(150) More Competitive Bidding: Two Places to Play NT Bid

Other Bidding Topics

Play Of The Hand

Defense

Featured

(500) Middle of the Hand Defense

(452) Defense Basics: The Forcing Defense

(451) Defense Basics: Recognizing Danger

(449) Defense Basics: Assumptions on Defense

(398) Opening Leads: Power Leads

(351) Opening Leads vs. Partscore Contracts

(350) Opening Leads vs. Slam Contracts

(349) Opening Leads vs. 5-minor Contracts

(348) Opening Leads vs. 4M Contracts

(347) Opening Leads vs. 3NT Contracts

(346) Opening Leads vs. NT Opening Bids

(276) Rusinow Opening Leads

(250) Splitting Honors on Defense

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