Make Bridge more enjoyable for all!

Why not make a New Year’s Resolution!

How about?

Always thank partner for Dummy and never point out about partner’s wrong bid or play at the time – you never know, you might even make a mistake one day!

or

Always make sure that your partner knows that you are playing and turn up early – make a Director’s day!

or

Help less experienced players understand the rules and procedures without telling them off - we all had to start somewhere and everyone needs to feel welcome if they are to keep on coming.

Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year to all members!!

When should you ask what an opponent’s bid means? [Blue Book 2E, 2A and 2B]

You can ask what any bid means whether it is alerted/announced or not but only when it is your turn to call or play a card.  Unless you have a reason for asking at the time, it is often better to wait until the end of the auction. Sometimes you help the opposition by revealing information about your own hand or even worse, reminding the opposition of their own system!

The best tactic if you have no interest in bidding is to just pass ‘in tempo’ – about 3 to 5 seconds. You can think for longer if you need to, but if you then pass, partner must not make any assumptions about your hand.  As bad, is to pass instantly showing everyone that you have a very weak hand!  Remember – never reach out for the bidding box until you have decided what to bid.

You should never ask questions solely for your partner’s benefit and questions should be phrased neutrally – i.e. ‘What does 1C mean?’ Not ‘does that show clubs?’!  You can ask for the meaning of the whole auction or a specific call.

If you are asked about the meaning of a bid – you must give a full explanation of what your agreement is – try to avoid just using names like ‘Astro’ or ‘Michaels’ and give a concise explanation – e.g. ‘Shows Hearts and a Minor’.  You should not try and expand on the explanation based on what you know from your own hand e.g. if partner bids Astro showing Hearts and a Minor and you have 7 Diamonds – don’t say Hearts and Clubs just because you know that he  does not have Diamonds!

If you don’t understand an explanation you can ask for clarification but avoid ‘harassing’ opponents, especially inexperienced players – you will probably help their partner more!

Except for announcements, don’t give any explanations unless they are asked for. At the end of the auction you can offer to explain the bidding if you feel that some un-alerted bids may have meanings of which the opposition may be unaware.

What to do if partner alerts or announces your bid that you think should have not be alerted or announced. [Blue Book 2D]

The first question to ask your self is; have I mis-bid and that the alert is consequently correct?

If you have mis-bid (i.e. forgotten the system, missed an opponent’s bid or pulled out the wrong card) there are different actions you can take.

If it is just a mechanical error and you have pulled out the wrong card then you can correct it immediately, even if the next hand has bid, but you may need to call the Director if the opponent wishes to change their bid.

If you have forgotten your system, or missed an intervening bid which changes the agree meaning of your bid, then you must not do anything immediately and if partner is asked for the meaning of the bid, keep quiet!  If partner later makes a bid that should be alerted under your agreed system then you should alert it.

If partner’s alert or announcement was incorrect then do nothing immediately. Bid on in line with your agreed system.

What you must do is to try to rectify the situation at the appropriate time.  If your partner becomes declarer or dummy, you should call the Director before the opening lead is selected. If your partner becomes a defender then you should not call the Director until the end of the hand.

According to the Laws, if partner suddenly realises that they have made a mistake themselves by alerting or announcing incorrectly then they should call the Director immediately.  (In practice if the realisation is immediate and corrected before the next bid, play could continue) However, these can also be very difficult problems if further bids have been made after the mistake so don’t try to sort it out yourselves – let the Director do it!

What to do if Partner fails to alert or announce a bid that you think should have been alerted or announced. [Blue Book 2D]

Do nothing immediately – no glaring or even looking questionably at partner!  If you get the chance you should just bid on in line with your system.  Remember that the opponents are entitled to assume that your bid was natural as partner failed to alert or announce. What you must do is to try to rectify the situation at the appropriate time.  If your partner becomes declarer or dummy, you should call the Director before the opening lead is selected. If your partner becomes a defender then you should not call the Director until the end of the hand.

For example: Partner opens 1NT which is doubled and you have agreed to still play transfers over a double so you bid 2H asking for a transfer to spades. Partner does not alert.  The next hand assumes that you have hearts and bids 3C and it goes pass, pass to you. If you choose to bid 3S now partner must assume that you have a strong hand with 5 hearts and 4 spades and they should bid on, possibly 4H! 

The key point is that you do not know whether partner has simply forgotten to alert or actually believes that you do not play transfers after the double. 

What you cannot do is to indicate to partner that they have made a mistake as an attempt to get out of trouble.  However, if partner suddenly realises that they have made a mistake themselves by failing to alert or announce then they should call the Director immediately.  These can be very difficult problems so don’t try to sort it out yourselves – let the Director do it!

How is the strength of hands evaluated? [Blue Book 5B, 5C, 7B]

High Card Points – 4 for an Ace, 3 for a King, 2 for a Queen and 1 for a Jack is the main basis of how hands are evaluated throughout the Laws even if players use other systems for assessing hands.

The Rule of 19 (and Rule of 18 and the Rule of 25) ) is also used within the Laws to define the agreed strength (usually minimum) which is permitted for certain bids.

The Rule of 19 is defined by adding the High Card Points (HCP) to the length of the 2 longest suits.  So for example a hand which is 5,4,3,1 with 10 HCP meets the Rule of 19 – being 10 +5 + 4 = 19. A hand which is 6,4,2,1 with 12 points has a Rule of 22 – being 12 + 6 + 4 = 22 etc.

How is the ‘Rule of ? method used in the Laws?  In Systems at Level 2 there is a restriction that all one level opening bids must contain 8+ HCP and meet the Rule of 19. In Systems at Level 4 (generally permitted at Northampton) there is a restriction that all one level opening bids must contain 8+ HCP and in first and second position  meet the Rule of 18.

The Extended Rule of 25 is used to define Strong opening 2 bids. For a opening 2 bid to be ‘Announced’ as ‘Strong’ it must either meet the Rule of 25 or contain at least 16 points or contain HCP required for a normal one level opening and have 8 clear tricks. (You should assume a void in partner’s hand and the second best suit break when counting your trumps tricks).

Opening 2 Bids – Announcements and Alerts [Blue Book 4F and 4G]

Artificial Strong Opening 2 bids are alerted e.g. Acol 2C and Benji 2C and 2D. Natural 2 bids are generally announced unless they guarantee another suit e.g.Lucas 2 bids.

In Strong 1 Club systems 2C is usually announced as ‘Intermediate’.

Natural 2 Bids are announced and can be: Strong Forcing, Strong Not Forcing, Intermediate, or Weak. Wide range bids are permitted but should be announced as: ‘Intermediate to Strong, Forcing’ or ‘Intermediate to Weak’, etc. etc.

Natural opening 2NT bids should be announced with their range and are assumed to be balanced. Any unusual features e.g. may contain a singleton or 6 card suit should be shown on your system card and explained if you are asked.

Artificial 2NT bids should be alerted. If an opening 2 bid is not alerted or announced it is better to enquire immediately as the responses (and your bids!) may have different meanings and it is easy to be misled if you or your partner makes an assumption.

Many members are still learning the rules - and I doubt that any member knows them all!  Please don't use these tips to try to penalise opponents - just explain quietly at the end of the round what members should have done - if you are sure! Avoid commenting during the play unless you feel that you have been damaged - if so CALL THE DIRECTOR!!

Note - These 'Tip's are a summary of the relevant sections of the EBU's Blue Book - 'Handbook of EBU Permitted Understandings - Revised 2013' - See next item in Menu.

Announcing and Alerting after No Trump openings [Blue Book 4E and 4G]

The alerting rules for 1NT and 2NT openings are very similar. The range should be ‘announced’ e.g. ‘12 to 14’ etc. or ‘20 to 22’ etc. 

If 1NT can include a singleton you should add ‘may contain a singleton’ but this is not required for 2NT.

If partner’s response of 2C (or 3C over 2NT when it asks for a 4 card major) is ‘Stayman’ then it should be announced and opener’s response of 2D (3D) is not alerted.

If you play ‘Transfers’ then the red suit transfers of 2D/2H (or 3D/3H over 2NT) should be ‘announced’ by saying ‘hearts’, or ‘spades’.  Other transfer bids should be ‘alerted’.

Important – these rules on ‘announcing’ only apply if the NT bids have not been doubled or there has been intervention..  If there has been a double or intervention then all non-natural bids should be ‘alerted’.

Many members are still learning the rules - and I doubt that any member knows them all!  Please don't use these tips to try to penalise opponents - just explain quietly at the end of the round what members should have done - if you are sure! Avoid commenting during the play unless you feel that you have been damaged - if so CALL THE DIRECTOR!!