Principles of bidding: Competitive bidding I

Spring 2011 - Wednesday daytimes 1.30pm

1.         This new 6 week course deals with handling competitive auctions where your side has opened the bidding
and the opponents intervene.  A later course will deal the reverse where opponents have opened the
bidding and you want to intervene.

2.         Each lesson will take the form of a theory discussion of one or more areas of bidding, with examples. 

            This will be followed by practice in the form of hands for people to bid in partnership and then play:
the results will then be discussed in class to see where people may have gone wrong and to correct
any misunderstandings.

Principles of bidding: Competitive bidding II

Spring 2011 - Thursday evenings 7pm

Summer 2011 - Wednesday afternoons 1.30pm

1.         This new 6 week course deals with handling competitive auctions where opponents have opened the bidding

            and your side wants to intervene. 

2.         Each lesson will take the form of a theory discussion of one or more areas of bidding, with examples.

            This will be followed by practice in the form of hands for people to bid in partnership and then play:

            the results will then be discussed in class to see where people may have gone wrong and to correct any misunderstandings.

Lesson 1

Sets the scene for subsequent lessons, discussing the reasons why you should or should not  intervene and how to do it to best effect.

1.         Brief résumé of the ‘Law of Total Tricks’ and importance of fit.

2.         How does the opposition bidding affect competitive bidding? 

3.         Why are we competing?

4.         What principles still apply when competing?

Lesson 2

1.         Opponents open the bidding and we compete.  Constructive bidding or barrage?

2.         The simple suit overcall.

3.         Responding to an overcall.  Different ways to raise.

4.         Bidding over an opposing 1NT opening.

Lesson 3

1.         The take-out double.  Meaning and when to use it

2.         Responding to partner's take-out double: how to find a fit and show the strength of your hand.

3.             Other doubles: penalty and lead directing/suit showing.

Lesson 4

1.         The 1NT overcall and responses.

2.         Stronger balanced hands.

3.         Jump overcalls: weak or strong?  How to fit them into your system.

Lesson 5

1.         Coping with pre-emption.

2.         Distributional overcalls: most misused bids of all.

3.         How to bid over partner's distributional overcall.

Lesson 6

1.         Protective bidding.

2.         Recap and discussion of any issues students want to raise.

1.         This 10 week course will deal with the basic principles of bidding, followed by considering common situations that arise in constructive     auctions.

2.         Each lesson will take the form of a theory discussion of one or more areas of bidding, with examples.  This will be followed by practice in the form         of hands for people to bid.  The results will then be discussed in class to             see where people may have gone wrong and to correct any   misunderstandings.

Lesson 1

Lesson 1 will set the scene for subsequent lessons.

1.         We will start by considering what the purpose of bidding is, and how simple          natural bidding systems operate as akin to a language.  This will include         considering issues such as:

•             Imprecision of bidding systems
•             How to make life easier for partner
•             Partnership agreements
•             Conventions – the costs and benefits
•             Making the maximum use of the limited number of bids available
•             Remember what partner has not bid

2.         We will then look at types of auctions:

• Competitive & non-competitive auctions – competition takes up space
• Part score, game & slam
• Power auctions for NT – know your arithmetic
• Fit auctions
• Non-fit auctions

3.         Bidding “rules”

• Why necessary – aid to learning
• How to apply them sensibly
• When to break them

Lesson 2

1.         Types of bid:

• Opening bids - requirements
• Limit bids:  subsequent bidding, not bidding hand twice
• Unlimited bids
• Forcing & non-forcing bids
• Jump shifts as show of strength
• “Proposal” bids, & giving or requesting information

2.         Majors, minors & no trumps

• NT is easiest
• Suit contracts more flexible
• Minors as poor relations, but don’t ignore

Lesson 3

1.         Opening bids

• Evaluating your hand – choice of opening
• Planning the auction – being prepared for all responses
• 5 card majors in opening 1NT

2.         Strong hands

• System: Acol or Benji (or strong club)?
• Which opening bid – how far is it forcing
• Don’t bid your hand twice
• Game forcing sequences – principle of fast arrival
• Solid suits

Lesson 4

1.         Responding to the opening

• Planning the auction – choice of response, are you going to bid more than once
• Importance of showing fit:  primary & secondary fit
• Limit bids make life easier for partner

2.         Change of suit

• Virtually unlimited
• What does a bid deny by implication?

Lesson 5

1.         Ways of raising partner

• Limit raises:  losing trick count
• Distributional raises
• Strong raises
• Raises with secondary support

2.         Responding to forcing opening bids

• The negative response
• The positive response
• Showing a “bust” or a few values

Lesson 6

1.         Responding to 1NT opening

• Make the simple bid if possible – don’t give unnecessary information away
• Use of major suit transfers – double your money
• How to bid after making a transfer
• Other issues eg change of suit after Stayman

Lesson 7

1.         Opener’s rebid

• Describing your hand – the “barrier”: its porous
• After a limit bid by partner
• After an unlimited change of suit by partner
• Making a limit rebid
• Making an unlimited rebid – forcing or not?
• The reverse: shows shape as well as strength

Lesson 8

1.         Responders rebid

• Keep it simple
• Preference & false preference
• Offering choice of game
• Showing a strong hand with primary support for partner’s 1^st suit
• Raising 2^nd suit: limit bids again
• Showing doubt or strength – 4^th suit

Lesson 9

1.         Pre-empts

• Why do we pre-empt?
• Position at the table
• The arithmetic
• Raising a pre-empt – 2 way bid
• Responding to a pre-empt

2.         Passed hand bidding

• Protection provided by initial pass
• Exploit differences with un-passed hands

Lesson 10

1.         Room for issues pupils want to discuss

2.         Recap & consolidation

3.         Bidding practice for whole course

Part 2 of the Principles of Bidding will be run at a later date and will deal with other constructive auction issues and then with handling competitive auctions.