BIDDING at PAIRS

Duplicate Pairs Scoring - Every point counts! So an extra ten points can make all the difference: this means that judging whether to play in 3NT is very important but it also makes competing aggressively imperative: two off non-vulnerable for -100 will be better than most partscores.

Game bidding

Play in 3NT or 4 of a major

If you make the same number of tricks in notrumps than in the major suit game then you score better, but usually when you have an eight-card trump fit you will be able to develop an extra trick by ruffing. This means that you should generally favour a major fit against 3NT.

Play in 3NT or 5 of a minor

The argument for bidding majors is not the same as minors, for their value is lower; you need eleven tricks for game and 9 for no trumps Whenever you find a minor-suit fit both players should be trying to see if they can play in 3NT.

Long strong minor think 3NT

If you have a  long and strong minor or  have support for partner’s minor you should be thinking notrumps and if you have a stop in the opponents’ suit then you could risk bidding 3NT: your long suit makes the same number of tricks in notrumps as it does in the minor, but notrumps are worth so much more.

Competitive auctions

The aim of bridge might appear to be to bid to the best contract and make it, but when the points are divided, it is sometimes better for you to go down rather than let your opponents make their contract, giving away 50 or 100 points to get a better score than for the opponents’ partscore.

You can afford to bid more aggressively when non-vulnerable, you will often find you wont be doubled and so two off non-vulnerable will beat any partscore your opponents can make.

Law of total tricks

The total number of tricks available to both sides is equal to the total number of trumps each side have in their best fit. If both sides have 8-card fits then 16 tricks are available on the deal: 8 each or 9/7 or 10/6, etc. Knowing the ‘law’ is not important, but two rules that spring from it are very important indeed: i) bid to the level of your fit. When you have support for partner and no particular strength then consider supporting to the level of your fit: add your trump length to his and bid to the level which would make that number of tricks. It works especially well when non-vulnerable. ii)If both sides have an 8-card fit then it is generally correct to bid to the 3-level over the 2-level. Bid to the three-level, either to make your contract or to get a better score by going down. To do this you want to be overcalling more. You should not bid 3-over-3 when both sides have eight trumps and if both sides have a nine-card fit then it is usually correct to bid to the 4-level over the three-level.

Re-open the bidding if you can. If you are the last player to bid before the auction ends, then borrow a king from your partner and see if you can manage a call especially when you are short in their suit.

Penalty doubling

To become a real expert at Pairs bridge you need to learn to double more – turning +100 into +200 or +300 – turning a bottom or middle in to a complete top When you feel your partscore is being stolen at the 3-level and above try to double to get a better score.