Bridge Corner: March 14, 2024

Hello and welcome to The Bridge Corner.  Let’s review the bridge information we have covered since January, 2024.  First, two important concepts: 1) EVERY bid asks a question and 2) During the bidding, you ARE NOT playing your hand, you must discipline yourself to ANSWER your partner’s question(s).  in order to “open” the auction for bidding, a player (the opener) must have at least 12 points.  In order for the partner of the opening bidder to respond, this player (the responder) must have at least 5 points.  The point system:  Ace = 4 points;    King = 3 points;    Queen = 2 points;    Jack = 1 point.

Next, the four (4) things EVERY one-level (1) OPENING bid says:

1) Point count.

A. If opening 1 Club ©, 1 Diamond (D), 1 Heart (H), or 1 Spade (S), then opener is showing AT LEAST 12 points..

B.If opening 1 No Trump (N/T), opener is showing exactly 15 to 17 points.

2) The opening bid MUST show whether or not there is AT LEAST a five card Major suit (Spades or Hearts) in the hand.

3) The opener must ask his partner (the responder) for information about responder’s hand:

A. If opener bids 1 Club, 1 Diamond, or 1 No Trump, then opener is asking his partner if he has AT LEAST a four-card Spade or Heart suit (a four-card Major suit).

B.If opener bids 1 Spade or 1 Heart, then opener is asking his partner if partner has at least 3 cards in the opening Major suit

4) If opener bids 1 Club, 1 Diamond, 1 Heart, or 1 Spade, then opener is asking partner if partner has AT LEAST 5 points in order to respond to opener’s bid.  If opener bids 1 No Trump, then opener is asking partner if partner has AT LEAST 8 points in order to respond to opener’s bid.

We then explained that the responder uses his hand to answer opener’s questions.

In today’s session, we will cover the RANKING of the suits, the bid that declares GAME, and the number of POINTS needed for game.

RANKING:   No Trump    >            Spade       >           Heart     >            Diamond      >          Club                                

1 N/T can be bid OVER 1 Spade; 1 Spade can be bid OVER 1 Heart; 1 Heart can be bid OVER 1 Diamond; 1 Diamond can be bid OVER 1 Club.  HOWEVER, a club is lower ranking than a Diamond, a Diamond is lower ranking than a Heart, a Heart is lower ranking than a Spade, and a Spade is lower ranking than No Trump.  In order to bid Clubs over 1 Diamond, you MUST bid 2 Clubs; in order to bid Diamonds over 1 Heart, you MUST bid 2 Diamonds, etc.

GAME: 3 No Trump             4 Spades            4 Hearts           5 Diamonds          5 Clubs                   In order to make GAME, there must be AT LEAST 100 points in the Strain (suit) being bid.  In No Trump, the first trick is worth 40 points and all other tricks in No Trump are worth 30 points;  so, 40 (1st trick)  +  30 (second trick) +  30 (third trick) = 100. It takes three tricks in No Trump to make GAME.  In Spades & Hearts, each trick is worth 30 points; 4 X 30 = 120.  In Diamonds & Clubs, each trick is worth 20 points; 5 X 20 = 100.

PLEASE NOTE:  The partnership that gets the contract (the pair that makes the highest bid) must win six tricks BEFORE they get to count the number of tricks they declared they would make.  Example:  North and South bid 3 Spades (part score because they do not have enough High Card Points for GAME which is 4 Spades); North & South must make 6 tricks ( these 6 tricks are called BOOK) + the 3 tricks they declared in their bid = total of 9 tricks.   

POINTS:       

25 to 26 – 3 No Trump                             

25 to 26 – 4 Spades               

25 to 26 –  4 Hearts         

28 to 29 – 5 Diamonds                   

28 to 29 – 5 Clubs     

TIDEWATER BRIDGE CLUB
The Banks at Berkley
701 South Main Street, Norfolk, VA  23523
WEDNESDAYS
10:45 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.

This is a locked building.  An assigned person will be at the door to let you in until 11 a.m.  Take the elevator up to the second floor Community Room.  The game fee is $4 for 2 ½ or more tables.  Bring your lunch.  Light packaged snacks/water will be provided.

Winning Pairs from the March 6, 2024,

Bridge Game

Lillye Holley – Leon Ragland (1)

Sandra Starkey – Gillis Watson (3)

Elva Taylor – Jennifer Douglas (2)

Barbara Whitfield – Gloria Brown

Rose Ward – Wilma Horne

Any question, concerns, or comments, please feel free to contact Lawrence Owes, President, Tidewater Bridge Club at l.a.owes1@gmail.com.