TWiB Lesson #572 (6 of 9)
When responding to partner’s 1-Major opening bid, Responder tries to apply the Law of Total Tricks (LOTT) – getting to the size of the partnership’s fit as quickly as possible. This LOTT bidding is especially effective when our side has a 9+card fit. Bergen Raises are a set of conventional bids Responder can use when responding to a 1-Major opening bid with 4+card support (at least a 9+card fit). Let’s see how this system works.
TWiB Lesson #544 (4 of 9)
When constructing a system to allow us to bid over these weak 1NT openings we need to take a different approach than bidding over a strong 1NT opening. Thus, we construct our bidding system to allow us to explore game and make constructive bids, not just be destructive.
TWiB Lesson #545 (5 of 9)
After partner opens 1NT, we have a good structure for using our bids efficiently to describe our hand to partner. But when the opponents interfere in our auction, we lose some of this valuable bidding space and need to change our approach in order to deal with their interference.
TWiB Lesson #546 (6 of 9)
There are many systems the opponents play in order to interfere over our 1NT opening bid, but almost all of these systems use the 3-level (actually 2NT+) for the same meanings – 2NT as a weak bid showing both minors and 3-level bids as weak with a long suit, preemptive. It is important that you and partner are on the same page for how to deal with this higher-level interference.
TWiB Lesson #547 (7 of 9)
When we open the bidding with 1NT if an opponent makes a penalty double, we are less likely to be we are usually looking to escape from a 1NT contract and attempt to find some safer place to play. This safe place will hopefully be our largest fit or a long suit in the weak hand (in Responder’s hand). In order to find this place to play we need to look at how Responder’s bidding options change after a penalty double.
TWiB Lesson #428 (1 of 9)
When partner opens the bidding and RHO competes the Responder often wants to compete further in the bidding. Responder has a set of tools for competing — one of the most important agreements to have “Is Responder’s Bid Forcing?”
TWiB Lesson #429 (2 of 9)
When LHO opens the bidding and partner competes in the bidding the auctions can get very complicated. As the Advancer we often have many difficult decision about how to compete in the bidding. Here we look at these options and agreements about which bids are forcing!
TWiB Lesson #430 (3 of 9)
This week we look at the power of fit and see how the size of that fit affects our hand’s ability to take tricks. We focus on the Law of Total Tricks - when it works and when it needs adjusting!
TWiB Lesson #431 (4 of 9)
When the opponent’s bid a suit they give us the opportunity to bid their suit as a special communication tool with partner. This is called cuebidding the opponent’s suit. Here we look at the meaning of these cuebids early in the auction.
TWiB Lesson #432 (5 of 9)
Bidding the opponent’s suit is a is useful on the 1st round of the bidding and later. Here we look at how we use this cuebid later in the bidding.
TWiB Lesson #433 (6 of 9)
This week we look at Balancing in more detail. Our focus this week is on Balancing by the Responder — how they fight their way back into the auction.
TWiB Lesson #434 (7 of 9)
When we are in the balancing seat we need many ways to compete in the bidding. We can use NT bids to compete in the bidding to describe the appropriate hands.
TWiB Lesson #435 (8 of 9)
For our TWIB lesson this week we continue our discussion on balancing with a focus on our options for doing so with distributional hands.
TWiB Lesson #436 (9 of 9)
This week we focus on balancing back into the bidding in a variety of different auctions — this is a key part of modern competitive bidding.
