TWiB Lesson #352 (1 of 8)
This week we look at the most fundamental of doubles: the Interferer’s takeout double.
TWiB Lesson #572 (6 of 9)
When responding to partner’s 1-Major opening bid, Responder tries to apply the Law of Total Tricks (LOTT) – getting to the size of the partnership’s fit as quickly as possible. This LOTT bidding is especially effective when our side has a 9+card fit. Bergen Raises are a set of conventional bids Responder can use when responding to a 1-Major opening bid with 4+card support (at least a 9+card fit). Let’s see how this system works.
TWiB Lesson #574 (8 of 9)
Jumping in the auction eats up a lot of bidding space, which is likely to make communicating with partner more difficult. Since our jump bid may make future communication more difficult, it should have a specific meaning. When partner opens the bidding, Responder’s jump shifts can be used to show a variety of different types of hands. We need to decide, as a partnership, which ones we want to use. We will choose different agreements for different situations.
TWiB Lesson #575 (9 of 9)
When partner makes a bid, and we choose to bid a suit of our own, this is called a freebid. In most normal situations freebids show values (called positive freebids) and are often forcing 1-round. We’ve all heard the saying -- a new suit is forcing by an unpassed hand. Unfortunately, this is not always true, but it is often our agreement. Let’s look at freebids made by a passed hand and see how the fact that we are passed changes these situations.
TWiB Lesson #577 (2 of 9)
When Opener makes a jump shift into a new suit with their second bid, it is a strong bid that creates a game forcing auction. This is a good bid because it ensures we reach game, but it is a bad bid because it eats up a lot of bidding space without fully describing our distribution. This is a problem. One of the most difficult opening hands to describe to partner is the unbalanced single-suited (one 6+card suit) hand with 18-19 HCP. This is one of the strongest hands that does not open the bidding 2♣. Let’s look at a system that helps us improve our jump shift methods.
TWiB Lesson #578 (3 of 9)
When partner opens the bidding with a 2-level or 3-level preemptive opening bid then Responder may have a struggle to find the best final contract without getting the auction too high. One of the natural pressures is whether Responder risk going past 3NT to look for a fit or a better fit. Given the variability of modern preempts it can be dangerous to reach the 5-level when partner has taken an aggressive action. Here we look at a tool, called Preempt Keycard, for Responder to ask for Keycards after a preempt, but still keep the auction at a low level.
TWiB Lesson #352 (1 of 8)
This week we look at the most fundamental of doubles: the Interferer’s takeout double.
TWiB Lesson #353 (2 of 8)
This week we look at one of the most important conventions in all of bridge, the negative double.
TWiB Lesson #354 (3 of 8)
This week we move around the table to Advancer and look at their double for competing in the bidding - the responsive double.
TWiB Lesson #355 (4 of 8)
This week we move all the way around the table to the Opener and look at how they use a double - the support double.
TWiB Lesson #356 (5 of 8)
This week we look at when we are the last line of defense and how we choose to double to keep the auction alive — a reopening double.
TWiB Lesson #357 (6 of 8)
This week we look at doubles that are not takeout. These are not just penalty doubles, but the modern card-showing double and much more.
TWiB Lesson #358 (7 of 8)
This week we look at how we use the double card to compete in the bidding later in the auction.
TWiB Lesson #359 (8 of 8)
This week we look at a variety of other doubles that are helpful in allowing us to compete in the bidding or better defend the hand.