Bridge Corner: February 23, 2017

Hello and welcome to the Tidewater Bridge Unit (TBU).

Come out and play bridge! YOU are invited to play in the American Bridge Association’s Nationwide Game on March 1, 2017. Every participant wins points!!!

In bridge, the pair that opens the bidding tends to win the auction most of the time. There are several reasons to overcall: 1) overcalling allows your side to get in on the auction when the opponents have opened first, 2) the overcaller can let partner know what to lead if partner has the opening lead, and 3) overcalling can obstruct your opponents’ bidding, making it a little more difficult for them to find their correct contract. The overcaller’s partner needs to exercise some judgment. If your partner overcalls, do NOT expect him to have an opening hand (12+ high card points/hcp). You should usually pass without a fit (at least 8 cards in the same suit between the two hands)unless you have 10 or so points of your own. If you have a fit, you can give partner a raise with a minimum type hand.

How to respond. Your left hand opponent (opp) opens 1 club (C) and your partner (part) overcalls 1 spade (S). His 1 spade bid shows at least a 5-card spade suit and 8- 16 hcp. What does your bid mean, when you respond:

OPP: 1 Club
PART: 1 Spade
OPP: Pass
YOU RESPOND
(a) 1 No Trump
(b) 2 Clubs
(c) 2 Diamonds
(d) 2 Hearts
(e) 2 Spades
(f) 2 No Trump
(g) 3 Diamonds
(h) 3 Hearts
(i) 3 Spades
(j) 3 No Trump

Answers:
(a) you have 8- 11 hcp, club stopper, and your bid is not forcing;
(b) your bid is forcing (partner is forced to bid again), your que-bid (bidding opponent’s suit) is asking about the point count of your partner’s overcall and you have support for partner’s spades with 10+ points;
(c) your bid is not forcing;
(d) your bid is not forcing;
(e) your bid is a simple raise showing 3+ spades with 6- 10 points;
(f) you have 12- 14 HCP, clubs stopped, and you are inviting (invitational) partner to game if he has 12+ HCP;
(g) you have a good Diamond suit, a good hand, and your hand is highly invitational;
(h) you have a good Heart suit, a good hand, and your hand is highly invitational;
(i) you have a preemptive hand – 4 spades with 6- 9 points, including distributional points;
(j) you want to play this hand in a 3 No Trump contract – you have 14+ hcp with clubs stopped.

Winning Pairs
February 15, 2017
Section A Game

Olethia Everett – Jennifer Douglas
Lawrence Owes – Barbara Whitfield
Oneida Lacey – Rosemary Whitehurst
Elva N. Taylor – Gloria Maddux
Cindy Burrell-Jones – Harold M. Kiefer

TIDEWATER
BRIDGE UNIT
UPCOMING ACTIVITIES

Tuesday, Feb. 28
Cooke-Suburban Bridge game
10:45 a.m. – 3 p.m.
$4 – $5

Wednesday, Mar. 1
Bon-Ton bridge game
10:45 a.m. – 3 p.m.
$4 – $5

All activities are located at the Berkley Senior Center, 925 S. Main Street, Norfolk, Va.

For additional information on classes, games, or tournaments, please call Delores Burney at (757) 321-0825 or Lawrence Owes at (757) 553-2601.