2/5/23 (60 min)
In the balancing seat we usually “borrow a king” from our partner. Since NT bids are precisely defined this point change to our hand dramatically affects our bidding. Here we look at our balancing NT bids and the followup bidding that partner makes.
12/5/22 (65 min)
The modern system for bidding when we have a fit for partner's minor, called inverted minors, works on improving our ability to look for game or slam in a minor suit -- which is the most common time we want to support a minor suit. Make sure you and partner have a good grasp of these methods, both for playing them and playing against them.
12/12/22 (66 min)
One of the most powerful tools we have in competitive bidding is the preemptive raise. When we have a minor suit fit the opponents will often have a major suit fit. We want to make it as difficult as possible for them to find that fit and using preemptive raises is one the best ways to make their life difficult.
12/19/22 (69 min)
There are certain minor suit hands that can play extremely well in NT contracts. If evaluated correctly these hands can be bid in a way that makes the auction relatively simple. Let's make sure that you do not torture your partner with these hands when you could keep it simple and get to the right contract.
12/27/22 (63 min)
When we have a good hand and a minor suit fit then we may want to explore a minor suit slam. Part of the art form of minor suit slam bidding is using tools to explore slam while keeping a NT contract in the picture. Here we look at how to use these tools and better judge our minor suit slam.
9/2024 (62 min)
Here we review some fundamentals of opening bids and look more deeply into your thought process before we open the bidding. Then we pivot to the responder’s actions and make sure that we are prepared to construct a good auction with some problem situations.
11/20/23 (61 min)
When we win the contract in a part-score and do not have an 8-card fit it is usually because we either have more HCP than the opponents or there was an auction that kept the opponents from getting into the bidding. Let's make sure that we know how to play these hands.
12/4/23 (61 min)
When we play a part-score deal and we have a trump fit it usually means that we have more trump the opponent's do. Making use of our trump suit is a key part of good declarer play, especially in a part-score deal.
12/11/23 (61 min)
When we have enough points to bid game and we are playing in a trump suit then we need to make sure that we make use of our trump in the best ways we possibly can. Here we look at some examples and see how we can then best play the hand.
12/18/23 (61 min)
When we have enough points to bid game and we are playing in a trump suit then we need to make sure that we make use of our trump in the best ways we possibly can. Here we look at some examples and see how we can then best play the hand.
10/23/23 (61 min)
After we open the bidding, if our LHO makes an Overcall this makes Responder's bidding more difficult. Here we look at Responder's freebid options and what they new to hold in order to freely bid a new suit.
10/29/23 (63 min)
When we think we are going to win the contract, but suddenly one of the opponents balances back into the auction this can lead to some strange bidding situations. Here we look at the meaning of our subsequent bids in these auctions.
11/6/23 (61 min)
A double eary in the bidding is usual has a meaning that we have discuss with partner. But later doubles can be a bit confusing. And this is even more true with they are our second double of the auction. Here we look at the meaning of these second doubles.
11/13/23 (62 min)
Early in our bridge career we learn that new suits are forcing. But later we learn that this is not always true, especially in competition. Here we look at a veracity of auctions where new suits are forcing and where new suits are non-forcing. This is an important topic to discuss with partner -- when is a new suit forcing in competition.
9/11/23 (61 min)
Robert is back with a variation on his popular Play These Hands with Me series, but this time he focuses on defense. In this new series, Defend These Hands with Me, Robert analyzes actual hands he has defended and shares his thinking at critical points throughout the hand. A great way to learn how to think on Defense…the most difficult part of the game!
9/17/23 (60 min)
Robert is back with a variation on his popular Play These Hands with Me series, but this time he focuses on defense. In this new series, Defend These Hands with Me, Robert analyzes actual hands he has defended and shares his thinking at critical points throughout the hand. A great way to learn how to think on Defense…the most difficult part of the game!
9/25/23 (60 min)
Robert is back with a variation on his popular Play These Hands with Me series, but this time he focuses on defense. In this new series, Defend These Hands with Me, Robert analyzes actual hands he has defended and shares his thinking at critical points throughout the hand. A great way to learn how to think on Defense…the most difficult part of the game!
10/8/23 (61 min)
Robert is back with a variation on his popular Play These Hands with Me series, but this time he focuses on defense. In this new series, Defend These Hands with Me, Robert analyzes actual hands he has defended and shares his thinking at critical points throughout the hand. A great way to learn how to think on Defense…the most difficult part of the game!
8/14/23 (58 min)
When we are playing in a suit contract it usually makes us excited to see a long suit in the dummy -- especially a long, strong one. We can often use it to help us discard our losers in other suits. Here we look at establishing this suit and how to balance timing and transportation.
When dummy has shortness in a suit outside the trump suit, we normally make use of it by trumping our losers in that suit. But there is an art form to when you do this -- before or after we draw trump. Here we look at the timing of ruffing our losers and how we combine some of our techniques.
8/28/23 (56 min)
When dummy has a side suit that is equal length to one in our hand then we can try to create some shortness by discarding some of them. But if we can not do this then we are going to be stuck tackling the suit based on the card combinations. That means finesse, double finesses, end-plays, and more.
9/5/23 (58 min)
All of these play situations require us to manage our transferportation carefully. Entries to each hand are important to spend carefully. Here we look at how to use of this, especially in the trump suit.
7/3/23 (56 min)
A takeout double is one of the ways that we can compete in the bidding. But in many situations, we have choices — a takeout double or another call. Here we look at these situations and discuss what to think about when making our decisions.
7/10/23 (58 min)
Negative Doubles are more complicated than you think. Here we look at some of the more interesting shapes that you can have for making a Negative Double — and the important followup bidding that lets us survive the auction.
7/24/23 (62 min)
As the 4th player to bid the auction often gets high before we can get a work in edgewise. Double is going to be favorite bid in many auctions. We look at how we might need to use a double here in some unusual ways.
7/30/23 (63 min)
Opener does not want to be left out of the double game. We look at times when the Opener should make a double and some modern agreements about what these doubles show..
8/6/23 (62 min)
The further the auction goes on the less clear we are on what a double means. Here we look at doubles later in the bidding and make sure we know if they are takeout, penalty, card showing, or something else.
5/22/23 (62 min)
Whener Opener starts the auction with a suit, Responder often bids their own suit to look for a fit (or a better fit). When they do, it is with the hope that Opener will have a fit and be able to raise Responder's suit. Here we look at the many ways that Opener can raise Responder's suit.
5/29/23 (62 min)
When Opener does not have a fit for Responder's suit then they strive to describe their hand the best they can. We review some fundamentals and look at the complexities that occur when our Opponents compete in the bidding.
6/6/23 (61 min)
As Opener we are excited when we have a fit for Responder's suit. Sometimes, just as we are about to find a way to show that fit, our RHO finds a way to make our life more difficult by coming into the auction. Here we look at how Opener's options for raising Responder' suit change in competitive auctions.
6/12/23 (61 min)
When we reach the second round of the bidding things get more complicated. When Opener rebids NT and Responder uses New Minor Forcing to ask for more information then Opener needs to describe their hand. Here we look at Opener's options in detail!
6/19/23 (62 min)
When Opener bids two different suits then with a strong hand Responder frequently uses 4th Suit Forcing to continue the bidding and get more information about Opener's hand. Here we look at how Opener rebids in these auctions.
6/26/23 (62 min)
When Opener rebids the suit they started the auction with, then Responder's tool for continuing the bidding is called Extended New Minor Forcing. This is a less commonly used gadget than NMF or 4th Suit Forcing, but is still a valuable one. Here we look at how Opener rebids in these auctions.
4/24/23 (61 min)
1NT is my favorite contract to declare! When we play the hand in 1NT there is space and time for creativity. We will look at how you play this contract to give you technical chances but, more importantly, we look at how to give your opponents chances to help you make 1NT.
4/30/23 (62 min)
2NT is one of the worst contracts in all of bridge. When the hand is over we will often wish we were in 1NT or 3NT (depending on how many tricks we take). We look at how to navigate this contract and look at some examples of the kind of decisions you are faced with in this annoying contract.
5/7/23 (61 min)
In 3NT you must determine if the hand is a race or a grind. When it is a race you must go get your tricks ASAP. When it is a grind, you want to give yourself every little extra chance to make the contract -- play as carefully as possible.
5/15/23 (62 min)
In a Notrump slam you cannot give up the lead often. Here we look at how we give ourselves as many chances as possible to make 6NT and see how “combining your chances” and “giving the opponents opportunities to make mistakes” lead to great results.
3/6/23 (62 min)
There is an artform to open the bidding 2NT, just as there is for 1NT Openings. Here we look at "normal" 2NT opening bids as well as some of the more difficult hands where we may choose to make a slightly flawed opening of 2NT to avoid a rebid problem.
3/20/23 (65 min)
When our balanced hand is too strong to open the bidding 2NT we start with a 2C bid and later rebid NT. Here we look at how to show different strength balanced hands after a 2C opening bid. We also look at how we respond to a 2C opening bid -- what our options are for our partnership agreements.
3/27/23 (50 min)
Any time partner opens the bidding with NT then Responder's primary goal is to search for Major suit fits. Responder has many tools for searching for these Major suit fits - Stayman, Puppet, Smolen, Transfers, Texas Transfers, etc. We look at these auctions and the follow-up bidding.
4/3/23 (60 min)
A 2NT opening bid is often called a "slam killer" because it eats up a lot of bidding space without locating a fit. Finding a fit and exploring slam, while trying to keep the auction from getting too high (not going beyond 3NT) is often one of the most difficult decisions. Here we look at our options for how to do so, including the valuable 3S responder to search for minor suit slams.
4/9/23 (60 min)
Extremely powerful distributional hands are hard to describe (after we open the bidding 2C). Here we look at how to describe these hands and what difficult decisions we are likely to face in these types of auctions.
When we have a strong 2-suited hand that is not quite strong enough to open 2C we bid them naturally. Reverses and Jump Shifts can make for difficult auctions. Here we look at some of our important agreements and Responder's tools for continuing the bidding -- like Lebensohl over Reverses!
1/30/23 (62 min)
When we are considering making a bid in the balancing seat we must determining if we should bid and if we do, how well our hand is likely to play. We evaluate our hand differently in this balancing seat because we often know where most of the opponent’s values are located. Here we discuss how to decide when to bid in these balancing situations!
2/5/23 (60 min)
In the balancing seat we usually “borrow a king” from our partner. Since NT bids are precisely defined this point change to our hand dramatically affects our bidding. Here we look at our balancing NT bids and the followup bidding that partner makes.
2/13/23 (62 min)
When we come back into the bidding, in the balancing seat, our most common actions are an overcall or takeout double. Here we look at how to use these bidding tools and most importantly, how these change in the balancing seat.
n the balancing seat we do not make weak bids — if we have a weak hand we just pass the hand out. Given this, we can use jump overcalls differently in the balancing seat. Here we look at how we vary our bidding in the balancing seat. We also take a look at how Advancer uses their followup bidding tools.
1/2/23 (65 min)
When we win the contract in a part-score and do not have an 8-card fit it is usually because we either have more HCP than the opponents or there was an auction that kept the opponents from getting into the bidding. Let's make sure that we know how to play these hands.
1/9/23 (62 min)
When we play a part-score deal and we have a trump fit it usually means that we have more trump the opponent's do. Making use of our trump suit is a key part of good declarer play, especially in a part-score deal.
1/16/23 (61 min)
When we have enough points to bid game and we are playing in a trump suit then we need to make sure that we make use of our trump in the best ways we possibly can. Here we look at some examples and see how we play then hand best.
1/23/23 (61 min)
Slam contract in suit contracts are more common than in notrump. Let's look at how we can best play then hand to take all the tricks that we are entitled to. It's extremely important to make your contracts when you bid to a slam!
12/5/22 (65 min)
The modern system for bidding when we have a fit for partner's minor, called inverted minors, works on improving our ability to look for game or slam in a minor suit -- which is the most common time we want to support a minor suit. Make sure you and partner have a good grasp of these methods, both for playing them and playing against them.
12/12/22 (66 min)
One of the most powerful tools we have in competitive bidding is the preemptive raise. When we have a minor suit fit the opponents will often have a major suit fit. We want to make it as difficult as possible for them to find that fit and using preemptive raises is one the best ways to make their life difficult.
12/19/22 (69 min)
There are certain minor suit hands that can play extremely well in NT contracts. If evaluated correctly these hands can be bid in a way that makes the auction relatively simple. Let's make sure that you do not torture your partner with these hands when you could keep it simple and get to the right contract.
12/27/22 (63 min)
When we have a good hand and a minor suit fit then we may want to explore a minor suit slam. Part of the art form of minor suit slam bidding is using tools to explore slam while keeping a NT contract in the picture. Here we look at how to use these tools and better judge our minor suit slam.
10/24/22 (65 min)
A 1NT response to a 1-minor open bidding has a very specific meaning. After this bid Opener needs a way to describe a variety of hands -- 1-suited and 2-suited, minimum, medium, and strong in values! It is an important auction for us to know all our options.
10/31/22 (61 min)
When we respond 2NT to a 1-minor opening bid we have described our hand extremely well. Partner knows a lot about our shape and values, but they do not know about the location of our honors. We need ways to make corrective bids, stopping in the best part-score, as well as GF bids that help us find the best game to play.
11/7/22 (60 min)
When we jump to 3NT we are offering a game to play. But we also describe our hand extremely well. After this descriptive bid Opener can make a move towards slam or work to improve the game we want to play.
11/15/22 (61 min)
The most common responses to a Major suit opening is a raise or a 1NT bid. This 1NT bid (Semi-Forcing) has lots of possible shapes and strengths. Opener needs to describe their hand after this 1NT response so that Responder can finally make a good description of their hand.
11/21/22 (61 min)
Over 1-Major opening then a 3NT response shows our shape and strength entirely. We have some follow-up auctions that choose to play different games, but we also need ways to explore slam auctions in NT, Majors, or even Minors. Here we look at the meaning of 3NT and the follow-up bidding.
9/12/22 (62 min)
When we follow to a trick with an honor card, either as a Declarer or Defender, we communicate information to the opponents. This information is not only in the card we played, but we also give them information about cards we have not played — both explicitly and implicitly. Here we look at which cards we should play in a variety of different situations and how we can draw information from partner and opponent's cards.
9/19/22 (61 min)
When the opponent's lead a suit you know a good amount about their holding in that particular suit. You can infer things about their length based on the spot card they lead as well as their honor holds. But you can infer a lot of information about their hand from what they don't lead. Like we didn't they lead the suit they bid? Why didn't they lead their partner's suit? Here we look at how to make use of all of this information.
10/3/22 (65 min)
In a trump contract, ruffing your losers in one of the post power declarer play tools. Here we look at times when we ruff in partner's hand -- normally the short trump side. We also look at other times when we may choose to ruff in our hand, setting up the dummy. Finally, we look at the all out ruffing effort of the crossruff!
10/10/22 (62 min)
Getting stuck in one hand when you have winners in your partner's hand is extremely frustrating. Whether we are the Declarer or a Defender learning to unblock a suit is an important skill. But when it comes to blocking and unblocking a suit there is also a skill / art form to getting the opponent's to block the suit. Here we look at how to work on both of these situations.
10/17/22 (65 min)
We make a lot of decisions on each hand of bridge. Judgement is most often talked about in the bidding, but you also need to judge wisely how to proceed in the card play -- both as Declarer or as a Defender. Here we look at how to use your experience and judgment to make better choices about which suit and/or card to play.
8/15/22 (68 min)
Signaling your partner is an important part of defense. Letting them know if we like a suit or not is called giving an attitude signal. Here we look at how to do this and even more importantly when you are giving an attitude signal. We will also discuss the skill of card reading and what you need to work on in order to better understand what your partner is trying to tell you.
8/22/22 (53 min)
Another kind of signal that we use with partner are count signals. These signals are valuable for letting partner know the distribution of a suit and/or hands. Even more important than the mechanics of given the signal is making sure you and partner are on the same page about when a signal is attitude, count, or something else — we will focus on this here as well.
8/29/22 (63 min)
There are more than just Attitude and Count Signals. Here we look at some of these other useful kinds of signals. We will then continue on to discuss discards, their meaning and how to use them to work together with partner!
9/6/22 (62 min)
The modern expert standard for carding is to use Upside-Down signals. Here we will look at how to switch to this type of carding and look at some of the challenges (things you need to discuss with your partner). Even if you do not play these signals, it is a good thing to understand as many of players you play against may be using them.
6/27/22 (61 min)
One of the most common uses of conventional bids is to show a raise of partner's Major suit --- Jacoby 2NT, Splinter Bids, Bergen Raises, Drury. If we choose to play these, it is important for us to have good agreements about how they change when the opponents come into our auction. Here we look at how to make sure we have good agreements with partner for these often disturbed conventions.
7/4/22 (65 min)
The opponents often compete in the bidding when we have a fit. That means auctions where we plan to use Inverted Minors, Feature Ask, or Help Suit Game Tries often get disrupted. When this happens we need to have good agreements with our partner about when and how our systems change. Make sure you watch and discuss with with your partners.
7/11/22 (60+ min)
When we ask for Aces or Keycards we are interested in bidding slam. It is extremely frustrating to have the opponents get in the way and force us to guess about bidding slam. We need to be able to communicate with partner about our holdings even after the opponents get in the way. Here we look at the standard methods for doing so.
7/25/22 (63 min)
When partner opens the bidding 1NT we have lots of conventions that we use, primarily to search for a Major suit fit, like Stayman, Jacoby Transfer, and Texas Transfer. When there is competition some of these conventions change and others do not. Here we look at what changes and against what level of interference these bids change.
7/31/22 (63 min)
Some of the most useful conventions for Responder are used on the 2nd round of the bidding - New Minor Forcing, 4th Suit Forcing, etc. Here we look at how these conventions change when there is interference, both just before we bid or earlier in the auction. Having a mix up in these auctions can be very painful!
5/23/22 (70 min)
When we find a fit and are interested in exploring game we should do more than just guess how many to bid. We use game tries to work together with partner to make a cooperative decision and determine if they have the right cards. Here we look at how to make use of these methods.
5/31/22 (64 min)
Though Help Suit Game Tries are the "standard" method of exploring slam there are sometimes that we wish we could show shortness, not just ask for help. Here we look at how to make use of showing shortness and the complete method of Kokish Game Tries (shortness or help).
6/6/22 (61 min)
When partner opens the bidding in the 3rd seat they could have a lot of different hand types. Here we look at what partner could have and our options for responding to it. It's important not to punish partner for being creative in the 3rd seat.
6/13/22 (62 min)
Some hands are all about who "gets there first". That means the hand is a race. Here we look at both how to recognize these hands and how to win the race -- both in the bidding and the play.
6/20/22 (62 min)
Some hands are about being patient and not acting too quickly. These hands are delicate and require effectively making use of our bidding space and/or tempos in the card play. Here we look at how to recognize and handle them.
4/26/22 (66 min)
1NT is my favorite contract to declare! When we play the hand in 1NT there is space and time for creativity. We will look at how you play this contract to give you technical chances but, more importantly, we look at how to give your opponents chances to help you make 1NT.
5/2/22 (65 min)
2NT is one of the worst contracts in all of bridge. When the hand is over we will often wish we were in 1NT or 3NT (depending on how many tricks we take). We look at how to navigate this contract and look at some examples of the kind of decisions you are faced with in this annoying contract.
5/9/22 (65 min)
In 3NT you must determine if the hand is a race or a grind. When it is a race you must go get your tricks ASAP. When it is a grind, you want to give yourself every little extra chance to make the contract -- play as carefully as possible.
5/16/22 (66 min)
In a Notrump slam you cannot give up the lead often. Here we look at how we give ourselves as many chances as possible to make 6NT and see how “combining your chances” and “giving the opponents opportunities to make mistakes” lead to great results.
Saturday 4/4/22 (87 min)
Webinar for Palo Alto Bridge Club: Is it Forcing? How Forcing Is It?
3/21/22 (65 min)
When we have a good fit for partner we want to let them know it as soon as we possibly can. We also need to communicate our values. All of this must be done while keeping the auction at a reasonable level. Here we look at how to compete and describe our hands.
3/28/22 (65 min)
The Law of Total Tricks is one of our most important competitive bidding guidelines. Join us as we look at how to make use of it. There are some conventional bids that do this, but it is even more important to understand how to make use of this tool to help you better compete.
4/4/22 (65 min)
The Double is our most valuable competitive bidding tool. Most players feel comfortable using Takeout, Negative, Responsive, and Support Doubles. But one of the keys to good competitive bidding is to become better at using the double later in the bidding. Here we look at these more sophisticated uses of double!
4/11/22 (64 min)
We frequently use a Takeout Double to compete in the bidding. But this often does not end the auction. There is often more bidding by the opponent's or by partner. Here we look at how to continue the bidding in these auctions to allow us to best make a cooperative decision with partner.
4/18/22 (65 min)
People open the bidding and compete in the bidding more and more aggressively these days. We actually can sometimes make a slam even when the opponent's bid. But we also have to be careful not to get the auction too high, the 5-Level down 1 is a bad result. Here we look at our tools for trying for Slam in competitive bidding auctions.
2/7/22 (66 min)
When partner leads a suit, whether on opening lead or in the middle of the play, we become the 3rd player to the trick. There is a tip "3rd hand high", but that is not always right. Here we look at which card we should play and how partner makes use of this information.
2/14/22 (65 min)
When we win a trick in the middle of defending a hand we must lead to the next trick. It is important, whether we are playing the same suit or shifting to a new suit, that we have good agreements with partner about what the card we lead means.
2/21/22 (65 min)
When our RHO leads a suit and we have to play 2nd to a trick, then we have some decision to make. We have a classic guideline of 2nd hand low! We will look at when this is good advice and when it is not.
3/1/22 (67 min)
When we are the final players to play to a trick life is much easier for us. In this case, we want to play the card that will most help partner while making life difficult on the opponent's. We look at a variety of situations where you want to make sure to help partner and others where "fooling declarer" is more important.
3/7/22 (70 min)
A large part of trying to defense a hand well is making a plan on defense. Doing this is similar to what you do as Declarer. You take a look at the dummy, combine that information with your hand and the auction, and try to understand what is going on. You then make a plan for how to start Declarer from accomplishing their goals.
1/10/22 (69 min)
When our partner preempts the bidding we have a variety of options for how we continue the bidding, both constructive and destructive. This week we look at how to respond when our partner preempts the bidding -- raise, new suit, and our partnership options for how to use 2NT.
1/17/22 (63 min)
Opening the bidding in the 1st or 2nd seat is relatively straightforward, follow some rules and use your judgment. Opening the bidding in the 3rd seat is a balance of constructive bidding (doing normal things) and tactical bidding -- opening light or even with a 4-card suit.
1/24/22 (63 min)
When the auction passes around to us in the 4th seat we have the option of passing the hand out and ending the auction. Here we look at when we should Pass the hand out and when we should open the bidding. When we do open in the 4th seat we also have some interesting options that differ from opening bids in other seats.
1/31/22 (65 min)
When we are non-vulnerable and the opponents are vulnerable then we should be ready to attack! Here we look at a variety of situations where we may choose to "mis-behave" in an effort to take advantage of this vulnerability. This is our chance to make the opponent's life difficult and to have some fun in the auction!
11/16/21 (67 min)
As a defender you can "duck" a trick to try and help your side keep communication. You can also do so to create complexity and a guess for the Declarer.
11/23/21 (62 min)
Here we look at the technique where the Declarer refuses to take a winner to try to cut communication and see when they should use it and when they should not.
There are a variety of situations where, as Declarer, we are comfortable having one Defender gain the lead and not the other. Here we look at how to recognize and make use of this situation.
12/7/21 (72 min)
One of the most important things you can do as Declarer is to make a plan at Trick 1. Here we look at how to do breakdown and effectively analyze what the dummy has to offer.
12/27/21 (70 min)
Interpreting the cards that are led on opening lead, and in the middle of the hand, is one of the art forms of bridge. Here we work on placing and visualizing the location of the opponent's cards.
10/5/21 (72 min)
Here we look at simple overcalls in depth. We focus on the differences in what is needed to make a 1-Level vs. a 2-Level Overcall -- from suit quality differences to overall playing strength. We look at why there is such a difference in the requirements for these two actions.
10/12/21 (72 min)
When our RHO opens the bidding and we have a hand that qualifies for a couple of different actions then we need to make the best choice, not just the first one that comes to our mind. Here we look at how the location of our honors helps us make these decisions.
10/19/21 (64 min)
When we have a balanced opening hand but before we can open the bidding RHO bids in front of us, then we have to change our plan. Here we look at our options for how we do so, with a focus on an option that many players overlook -- overcalling a 4-card suit.
10/26/21 (72 min)
Here we look at our tools for showing 2-suited hands when the opponent's open the bidding with 1-suit -- Michaels & Unusual NT. We also discuss the equally important times when we should not use these tools and our other options.
When the opponent's have bid and it has gone two passes to us ,then we are in the balancing seat - the last line of defense for our side. Here we look at how to approach the bidding in this situation and in what other situations we take a similar approach to competing in the bidding.
When we are battling the opponent's for the contract we are often faced with difficult choices in the bidding. Here we look at how we use each of our options (Bid, X, or Pass) in the direct seat and in the balancing seat.
8/24/21 (81 min)
Here we look at our Ace asking tools - Keycard Blackwood (1430) and Gerber. We will make sure we understand the basic and problems that we may face with these tools. But then we will get into the details of how to "upgrade these tools" using Specific Kings and other "special" bids that can help us solve some tricky slam bidding problems.
8/31/21 (81 min)
Jacoby 2NT and Splinters of many kinds help us to explore slam. Here we look at how to use them to describe our shortness below game, allowing partner to re-evaluate their hand. This is the key for us to bid slam with fewer than the traditional 33 HCP.
9/6/21 (76 min)
The shape of your hand is extremely valuable information for reaching slam. Here we look at bids that allow us to "pattern out" our shape and give partner information about the value of the "fitting honors". Here we look at how to explore slam.
9/14/21 (70+ min)
Here we look at control showing bids as a tool for exploring slam. We'll consider a variety of different types of cuebids (American, Italian, and Modern Styles) and look at how to make use of this slam bidding tool to explore slam.
9/21/21 (72 min)
This week we look at some useful tools to accompany our cuebidding auctions that allow us to explore slam - 5NT Grand Slam Force, Non-Serious 3NT, and the 5-Major obvious question.
9/28/21 (76 min)
Minor suit slams can be some of the most difficult in all of bridge. Here we look at the different tools we have for exploring things - Quantitative Bids, Minorwood, 5NT Choice of Slam, and more.
7/27/21 (70 min)
When we win the contract in a part-score and do not have an 8-card fit it is usually because we either have more HCP than the opponents or there was an auction that kept the opponents from getting into the bidding. Let's make sure that we know how to play these hands.
8/2/21 (70 min)
When we play a part-score deal and we have a trump fit it usually means that we have more trump the opponent's do. Making use of our trump suit is a key part of good declarer play, especially in a part-score deal.
8/10/21 (72 min)
When we have enough points to bid game and we are playing in a trump suit then we need to make sure that we make use of our trump in the best ways we possibly can. Here we look at some examples and see how we play then hand best.
8/17/21 (79 min)
Slam contract in suit contracts are more common than in notrump. Let's look at how we can best play then hand to take all the tricks that we are entitled to. It's extremely important to make your contracts when you bid to a slam!
Monday 7/19/21 (112 min)
Ft. Lauderdale Bridge Club Event: Competitive Bidding - Overcalls, Jump Overcalls, & Doubles
6/1/21 (75 min)
When partner opens the bidding with 1-Major we are off to a good start in finding our Major suit fit. Here we look at Responder's tools for continuing the auction with a focus on raising partner's suit...
6/8/21 (81 min)
When partner opens the bidding 1-minor Responder must often bid their own suit, to search for a Major suit fit. But if we don't have a Major, then we need to know our other options. Here we look at these options in detail, with a focus on our options when we have a fit for partner.
6/15/21 (70 min)
In order to effectively respond to partner's preemptive opening you first must know your partner's style, to know what the range of hands you can expect. Then you must use your tools to search for a fit (or better fit) and determine if your side has the strength for a game.
6/22/21 (68 min)
Here we look at Responder's tools on the second round of the bidding, after Opener has rebid 1NT. It is important to have good agreements about corrective, invitational, and forcing bids later in the auction. Also, tools like New Minor Forcing are vital.
6/29/21 (67 min)
Here we look at Responder's tools for constructive, invitational, and forcing bidding after Opener rebids the suit they opened. We look at some tools similar to New Minor Forcing as well.
7/6/21 (71 min)
When Opener rebids a second suit, this leaves Responder with some of the most difficult bidding challenges. Here we look at how Responder can find the best partscore, invite game, or use tools like 4th suit forcing to determine the best game.
5/4/21 (68 min)
Here we look at opening lead options vs. suit contracts. It's important that you get your card combinations correct as well as your agreements. Know which holdings are risky to attack from.
5/11/21 (70+ min)
In notrump contracts we often lead 4th from our longest and strongest. Here we will look at card combinations and other holdings where we may choose not to do so.
5/18/21, (70+m)
Leading partner's suit is something you are going to do often. It is important to have good agreements about the meaning of your leads, both in suit contracts and NT. We will also discuss when not to lead partner's suit!
5/25/21 (70+ min)
Your hand is overrated in helping you make a good opening lead. The auction contains so much information that can help you. Here we look at how to make use of the auction to help you make better opening leads!
3/23/21 (73 min)
Highly distributional hands that have a lot of HCPs often have a large amount of playing strength! We need to make sure and communicate both our values and distribution to partner in order for them to understand how high to drive the auction.
3/30/21 (74 min)
Certain distributions can cause us a problem with our opening bid and/or rebid. We will look at these problem hands and discuss how important it is to make a plan for your second bid before you make your first one.
4/6/21, (72 min)
When we open the bidding, partner responds, and right-hand opponent overcalls – we then have some interesting rebid options as opener. We look at these with a particular focus on the Support Double and see how it helps us describe our hand.
4/13/21 (68 min)
The Negative Double is one of Responder's most valuable bidding tools. Here we look at what Opener does after their partner makes a Negative Double -- how they describe their shape and strength as well as what bids are forcing.
4/20/21 (70+ min)
Just as the negative double is a valuable bidding tool for Responder, the responsive double is equally advantageous for the Advancer (the 4th player to bid). We look at how we use this tool to effectively compete in the bidding.
4/27/21 (70+ min)
When partner makes a simple overcall we have lots of ways that we can continue the bidding. Here we look at those options and how we can further compete in the bidding.
Saturday 3/6/21 (159 min)
Webinar for Palo Alto Bridge Club: Competitive Bidding - Overcalls, Doubles, and More.
2/23/21 (77 min)
1NT is my favorite contract to declare! When we play the hand in 1NT there is space and time for creativity. We will look at how you play this contract to give you technical chances but, more importantly, we look at how to give your opponents chances to help you make 1NT.
3/2/21 (74 min)
2NT is one of the worst contracts in all of bridge. When the hand is over we will often wish we were in 1NT or 3NT (depending on how many tricks we take). We look at how to navigate this contract and look at some examples of the kind of decisions you are faced with in this annoying contract.
3/2/21 (74 min)
In 3NT you must determine if the hand is a race or a grind. When it is a race you must go get your tricks ASAP. When it is a grind, you want to give yourself every little extra chance to make the contract -- play as carefully as possible.
3/16/21 (70+ min)
In a Notrump slam you cannot give up the lead often. Here we look at how we give ourselves as many chances as possible to make 6NT and see how “combining your chances” and “giving the opponents opportunities to make mistakes” lead to great results.
1/12/21 (69 min)
When Responder does not have enough values to make a 2/1 GF bid, they must strive to show both their strength and shape, while keeping the auction at a reasonable level.
1/19/21 (73 min)
We discuss the type of hands that want to compete over the opponent's notrump. We also look at how conventional systems like DONT help us to do so.
1/26/21 (77 min)
This week we discuss bidding again after we open 1NT. We'll review what we do when partner bids, but also focus on how we can further compete in the bidding if the opponents come in to our auction.
2/2/21 (74 min)
After partner opens the bidding 1NT, our primary objective is to look for a major suit fit. Here we look at our looks for doing so and how we use them with a large variety of different major suit shapes and strengths.
2/9/21 (90 min)
Some of the most difficult hands to describe, when responder to 1NT, are shapely hands. Here we look at how it will be a struggle to show our shapely hands when we are weak and how we will need some conventional bids/agreements to describe these hands and keep the auction below 3NT.
2/16/21 (76 min)
We look at how to deal with the opponents competitive bids after partner opens 1NT. We'll focus on the meaning of Double and also look at how we use 2NT as a conventional bid (Simple-sohl).
12/15/20 (77 min)
Make sure you and partner have good agreements about your 2-over-1 Game-Forcing responses and the rebids that Opener has available to them. This lays the foundation for all the subsequent bidding in the auction.
12/22/20 (77 min)
In 2/1 Game-Forcing, there are some special rebids that the Opener can use to describe their hand. These bids allow the partnership to explore slam, below game, even without significant extra values.
12/29/20 (80 min)
Starting with Responder’s Rebid we must determine how the hands fit together. This means finding a fit, determining if 3NT has a chance, and exploring slam. All before the auction gets too high.
1/5/21 (80 min)
When Responder does not have enough values to make a 2/1 GF bid, they must strive to show both their strength and shape, while keeping the auction at a reasonable level.
Tuesday 11/3/20 (70 min)
It's important to know how to take finesses of many kinds, but even more important to know how to make choices at the table.
Tuesday 11/10/20 (78 min)
We develop tricks through Promotion, Length, or Finesse. But how do we choose which one to try first? And how do we combine our chances.
Tuesday 11/17/20 (72 min)
The trump suit is the one suit we can not avoid. That means that we really need to make the most of our trump. Here we look at a variety of ways we can use our trump suit to help us take tricks.
Tuesday, 11/24/20 (80 min)
Making a hand often comes down to a guess. But these are rarely blind guesses. Here we look at different guesses we make and what we can use to help us get them right more than 50% of the time.
12/1/20 (82 min)
There are a variety of ways to count a suit. Evolve to the best way -- Patterns. We will also look at a variety of other things we can count -- an opponent's hand, HCP, and more..
12/8/20 (74 min)
As Declarer there are many ways you can make the defender's life difficult. Here we look at how we attack the opponents and produce tricks either forcing the opponents to make mistakes.
Tuesday 10/6/20 (73 min)
Everyone loves to bid. But sometimes bidding gets you into trouble. Make sure that you have what partner expects by tailoring your overcalls to different situations. Have your bid!
Tuesday 10/13/20 (68 min)
Double is your best friend when it comes to competitive bidding. Learn to use the Double (as both Interferer and Responder) to compete with a variety of different distributions and strengths.
Tuesday 10/20/20 (73 min)
When the opponent’s preempt they take away some of your valuable bidding space. It is important to make good use of the remaining space.
Tuesday 10/27/20 (76 min)
An important part of dealing with the opponent’s interference is knowing which bids are forcing. Understanding the meaning of Double is core to avoid mixups with partner.
Tuesday 9/22/20 (84 min)
Modern Preemptive Opening bids take away the opponent's bidding space and force them into difficult decisions. Here we look at which hands are best for attacking and which hands can get us into trouble.
Tuesday 9/29/20 (86 min)
Everyone loves to bid their long suits. But sometimes bidding gets you into trouble. Make sure that you have what partner expects by tailoring your overcalls to different situations. Have your bid!
September 2020 (95 min)
Opener’s Rebid is one of the most important actions in the auction. Here we look at how to hope uses this call to define our hand in terms of by shape and strength.
