Bridge Corner: June 22, 2017

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

When your partner opens the bidding with 1No Trump (NT), you as responder know that opener has 15, 16, or 17 HCP (high card points). By adding your strength to that of opener’s you can usually tell whether the partnership has at least 25 combined points, enough for a game contract, or fewer than 25 combined points, enough for only a partscore contract.

In addition to deciding the level of the contract, responder decides where (which suit or NT) to place the final contract. To do this, responder must first determine whether there is a Golden Fit (an eight-card major suit fit) in a major suit.

After your partner opens the bidding with 1NT, put your hand in one of three categories based on your total points:

0 to 7 Bid 2♦, 2♥ or 2♠with a five-card or longer suit. (2♣ is reserved for the Stayman convention.)Otherwise, pass.
8 or 9 Bid 2NT (the 2♣ Stayman convention can uncover an eight-card major- suit fit)
10- to 15 Bid 4♥ or 4♠ with a six-card or longer suit. Bid 3♥ or 3♠ with a five-card suit. Otherwise, bid 3NT (2♣ Stayman convention can uncover an eight-card major-suit fit)
The bidding messages in response to a 1NT opening bid:

Sign-off | Invitationa | Forcing
Pass 2NT 3♥, 3♠
2♦, 2♥, 2♠ 2♣
(Stayman convention)
3NT, 4♥, 4♠
5♣, 5♦ (rarely)

Rebids by opener after a 1NT opening bid:
After responder’s sign-off:
*Pass.
After responder’s invitational bid of 2NT:
*Pass with 15 HCP.
*With 16 HCP, opener should use judgment to decide whether to bid 3NT or to pass responder’s invitational bid.
*Bid 3NT with 17 HCP.
After responder’s forcing bid of 3♥ or 3♠:
*Bid four of the major with three or more cards in the major.
*Bid 3NT with two cards in the major.

Sometimes you need to develop additional tricks in order to make your No Trump contract. One technique for doing this is promotion: playing high cards to drive out the opponents’ higher-ranking cards until your lower-ranking cards become sure tricks. Promotion involves giving up the lead to the opponents. Just make sure you have enough sure tricks in other suits to regain the lead before the opponents can take enough tricks to defeat the contract.

Winning Pairs
June 13, 2017
Section A Game

Aldis Raymond – Lillye Holley
Gloria Maddux – Adrienne Ivory
Olethia Everett – Elva Taylor
Delores J Burney – Rosemarie
Oneida Lacey – Helen Lake

Winning Pairs
June 14, 2017
Section A Game

Aldis Raymond – Leon C Ragland
Lillye Holley – Harold M Kiefer
Shirley Nottingham – Elva N Taylor
Delores J Burney – Gloria Maddux
Adrienne Ivory – La Francis Rodgers
Rosemary Whitehurst – Oneida Lacey

All activities, unless otherwise noted, 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.