January 2003

****** HAPPY NEW YEAR ******

BIDDING

Make this New Year's bridge resolution: holding a minimum hand and support for partner's opening major, always raise.

For example, partner opens 1 heart and you have:

S)  K x x x
H)  x x x
D)  K x
C)  J x x x

Your response should be 2 hearts, never 1 spade, because you are too weak to support hearts later. Recently I came across a similar situation in the newspaper daily bridge problem, only the responder said 1NT instead of 2 hearts. This is a perverse modern bidding method.

So here is a second New Year's resolution: don't assume published bridge bidding is always good practice. Some times you will be tempted to bid your suit after partner opens 1 heart. For instance:

S)  Q x x x x
H)  x x x
D)  Q x x
C)  K x

Resist the urge to bid 1 spade. Raise hearts immediately, telling partner you have a minimum hand (6 to 9) and heart support.

FOR THE HUMOR

I have a lady in my class who loves voids. Once she had only 12 cards including a void in spades. I come over to the table and find the ace of spades under the table and give it to her. "Now you've gone and ruined my whole hand", she tells me. - told by Eddie Kantar (famous bridge teacher)

NOTRUMP PLAY

Think before you act! Playing in notrump:

You                        Dummy
D)  A K Q 5 3        D)  9 8 7 2

When you start this suit from your hand, playing the ace, don't automatically play low from dummy. If you do, you will have to take the 4th trick in dummy and may be unable to get the 5th diamond trick.

BridgeSnaps newsletter is produced by John S. Thomas, author of Standard American 21.