Our Halloween table decorated by the Committee. A raffle was held for the Fruit baskets expertly made by Vyvian and the bracks and biscuits.

In bridge, bidding is considered the most important aspect of the game. It’s a given that good bidding equals winning at bridge.

• Before opening, consider your points (HCP): Ace = 4, King = 3, Queen = 2, Jack = 1.  Open the bidding with 12 + points.

• With two five-card suits, open in the higher-ranking suit first.

• With two four-card suits, open the lower-raning suit first.

• Open 1NT with 12 to 14 points and a balanced hand.

• If your partner opens, pass with fewer than 6 HCP. With 6 or more HCP, bid your longest suit at the one level, if possible.

• Responding at the two level in a new suit requires 11 or more HCP. A response of 1NT shows 6 to 9 HCP and denies a four-card major.

• Supporting your partner’s first bid major suit requires three or more cards in the suit; supporting any second bid suit requires four or more cards in the suit.

• A primary objective in bidding is to locate an eight-card or longer major suit fit between your hand and your partner’s.

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Bridge Etiquette: Bidding Do's and Don'ts

Fair play

In bridge, bidding is an exchange of information. During bidding, you're trying to telegraph details about your cards to your partner. Your first impulse may be to develop some special bidding conventions that only you and your partner know. According to the rules of the game, however, you can't have any bidding secrets with your partner; the same goes for your opponents. So even though the opponents may be bidding their heads off, you at least will know what their bids mean.

Here are some tips to help you keep your bidding on the straight and narrow:

• Once you’ve decided on your bid take the appropriate bidding card out of little box and place on table in front of you. No fumbling required.
• Don’t be tempted to “huff and puff” because yet again you’ve little or no points. Treat it all like poker and let your bidding cards give information.
• Don't use body language. If partner makes a bid you don't like, don't throw any looks across the table. If partner makes a bid that you do like, you must refrain from any signs of glee, high 5’s etc.
• Don't give in to emotional reactions or breakdowns, no matter what happens during the bidding. Keep an even keel. It’s just a game that we all love!

Bridge Etiquette: Dummy

Fair play

If you are fortunate to be dummy (you get a little rest), AND remember you are not playing the cards. Sit back and enjoy the game.

On no account should Dummy point to any card on the table unless instructed by the person playing.

Let your partner playing the cards know if “on the table” or “in your hand” as appropriate. Or you may say “not holding” if your partner doesn’t follow suit.

Do not start counting out loud the tricks as they are being drawn from the opposition.

Trust your partner.

Your only job as Dummy is to place your cards on the table for all to view and sit back and let your partner play. No comments required, until the end “Well Done”.

ALWAYS REMEMBR WHILE BIDDING YOU CANNOT EXPLAIN YOUR BID TO YOUR PARTNER!!

ALSO WHEN THE FIRST CARD IS PLAYED THERE SHOULD BE NO COMMENT.

IF YOU PASS AND THEN FIND YOU HAVE AN OPENING BID ONCE BIDDING BEGINS YOU ARE NOT ALLOWED TO BID AGAIN UNTIL THE BIDDING COMES AROUND TO YOU.

PLEASE KEEP CONVERSATION TO A MINIMUM WHILE PLAY IS IN PROGRESS.

FAIR PLAY AT BRIDGE

REMINDER: As you win or lose a trick the card must be placed face down in front of each player.

These tricks must be left face down untiil the game ends.

You cannot look back at these tricks while playing.

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Please wait your turn to play a card - holding a card mid air prematurely while waiting your turn is not fair play.

Law 74 in the Rule book covers Conduct and Etiquette, CBAI regulationshttp://cbai.ie/education/tournament-direction/ must be observed.

Law 74 B 3 forbids a player to detach a card from his hand until it is his turn to play.

This action is viewed as giving partner information to cards held as in expecting a finesse

which would have been beaten and a subsequent change giving partner unauthorised information. (Law 16 B 1). 

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Botanic Bridge Club is affiliated to CBAI

and abides by the rules.

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A few reminders when playing bridge:

• The bidding boxes must be used.

• After 3 passes the bidding stops and the contract is decided

• On no account should any of the bids be changed once a bidding card has been placed on the table.

Please do not say "I made a mistake" after making a bid.

• Leave bidding cards on the table until first card has been played.

REMEMBER you can call the Tournament Director if anyone is not happy with the bidding and the game will be AVERAGED.

• When the game commences please let declarer concentrate.

• On no account should declarer touch cards in dummy unless that card is being played.

• Once a card has been played by any player it cannot be changed.

There are 4 players at the table, each should be able to see bids made and cards played.