When you first start learning to play bridge you need to learn the bridge terminology. It can be confusing, but like all jargon with a little perseverence and practice you will soon be comfortable with all the terms. This is not a definitive guide to all bridge terms. It would be too long and too […]
What is Slam Bidding? There are two kinds of slam in a game of bridge: a grand slam and a small slam. What is a grand slam in bridge? Achieving a grand slam means that your partnership has bid for and won all 13 tricks in a game. What is a small slam in bridge? […]
Anyone who enjoys playing a game of bridge at home should own a set of bridge bidding boxes. Why use bridge bidding boxes? They make bidding easier Everyone can see your bid There is no chance of your bid being misheard They make it easier to remember each player’s bid if a player takes their […]
Where possible, you are aiming to play the game in a major suit contract, as more tricks are required to make game in a minor suit. Bid A 4 Card Major, if you have one. When partner has opened with a bid of a minor suit we should bid a 4 card major at the […]
Valuing Your Hand At the start of each game of bridge, each players counts up the points in their hand before the bidding begins. There are two types of points that you will count. High Card Points (HCPs) and Long/Short Suit Points. HIGH CARD POINTS (HCP) To work out the number of HCPs in your […]
A change of suit response to a minor suit at the two level only requires you to hold 4 cards in the minor suit. For a change of suit response to a major suit at the two level you should hold 5 cards in the suit. Your partner has opened with a bid of 1 […]
As the defender in a game of bridge, sometimes you might find that it is difficult to work out which cards the declarer’s partner holds. Have you ever found this? If you have, it’s because the partnership have worked out how to conceal their best cards from you. It’s a useful skill to have and […]
In the previous post we looked at when opener should rebid No Trumps. What difference does it make if the fourth player overcalls? As opener, you hold a balanced hand with 12-14 points. If partner responds at the one level you would be planning a rebid of 1NT. What should you do if the fourth […]
The Rule of twenty is only used during the opening round of bidding. If your had contains fewer than 13 total points you can use the rule to help you decide whether your hand is suitable for opening the bidding, or whether you should just pass. Using the Rule of 20 It’s a simple rule […]