CLUB CHAMPIONSHIPS winter 2025
Thursday January 16th - 12:30pm, open game
Friday January 24th - 12:30pm, open game
Saturday February 1st - 1:00pm, Individual game fundraiser
Wednesday February 5th - 10am, open game
Tuesday February 11th - 12:30pm, open game
Sunday February 16th - 1:00pm, TEAMGAME
Monday February 24th - 12:30pm , open game
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What is a club championship? Extra masterpoints for no extra cost!
Everyone is welcome, no partner required!
BRIDGE in a NUTSHELL Workshop:
- Wednesday January 15th! 1:15 til 4:15pm...
- this workshop is intended to introduce brand new players to bridge, to see if it's the game for you...
- $20 per player, which covers the presentation, coffee/tea & refreshments, notes to take home, and hopefully a wonderful time!
If interested, you can register by clicking on any of the email addresses on this website, or by calling/texting 902-452-8286.
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BEGINNER COURSE:
- begins Wednesday January 22nd to run for 8 weeks, 1:30-3:30pm each week;
- great for true beginners, anyone returning to bridge after a hiatus, and anyone simply wanting to review the basics and cement a strong foundation.
- $120 for the 8 weeks... $100 if you attended the above workshop (Bridge in a Nutshell.)
- If interested, you can register by clicking on any of the email addresses on this website, or by calling/texting 902-452-8286.
Monday afternoons 12:30pm - Friendly open game for everyone! $10 per player, or your handy dandy paycard.
Tuesday afternoons 12:30pm, also a growing concern... doing well as an ACBL sanctioned game - all welcome - fee is $10 or your paycard..
Wednesday mornings, 10:00am-1pm - RISE & SHINE open game! But not too early... lets us leave home for bridge after the heavy morning traffic settles down... join a great bunch of players for a pleasant bridge game, open to everyone! $10 or your paycard.
Wednesday evenings, 6:30-8:30pm - SAFE ZONE duplicate bridge game for newer players, or those looking for a nice soft gentle slow pace of bridge - where questions can occasionally be asked and answered. All are welcome, for the purpose of supporting the newer and advancing players. Just $10 or your paycard... come by 6:10 for a Q&A opportunity if you wish!
Thursday afternoons - 12:30pm - open sanctioned game - ALL ARE WELCOME. a bridge tip will be presented at 12:10 every Thursday afternoon, just before the game... bring your lunch and relax while the instructor does all the work!
Friday afternoons 12:30pm... Game - $10 or your paycard... come for an awesome relaxing way to end your week! Everyone welcome!
PARTNERS GUARANTEED AT ALL WEEKLY GAMES! Send me a note, or just drop by 10 minutes (or more) before gametime 🌺
🏌️ ⛹🏻♀️ 🤼♂️ ⛷️🤾♂️ 🤸♀️ 🏂 🤽♀️ 🪂
Do you know your 'forcing bids'??
All bids in an auction carry one of three messages:
- sign-off - 'please don't bid anymore Partner, we may already be too high...'
- forcing - 'I may need another chance to bid Partner, so please don't leave me hanging...'
- invitational - 'up to you Partner. I can be finished, but you know better than I.' Invitational is the default when a bid is neither sign-off nor forcing.
Specifically, test your skills on the following of opener's rebids. Some answers will surprise you - and if so, highly consioder the logic, rather than 'a cliche' of which you are familiar.
A - Opener Responder
1❤️ 1♠️
2❤️...
B - Opener Responder
1♠️ 1NT
3❤️...
C - Opener Responder
1♦️ 1❤️
1♠️...
D - Opener Responder
1♦️ 1♠️
2♣️...
E - Opener Responder
1♠️ 2♦️
2♠️...
F - Opener Responder
1❤️ 2♣️
3♣️...
💡💡💡💡💡💡💡💡💡💡💡💡💡💡💡💡💡💡💡💡💡💡💡💡💡💡💡💡
A - Opener Responder
1❤️ 1♠️
2❤️... - not forcing. Indicates 12-16 total points, 6+ hearts. responder can pass if 6-10 points, but should keep the auction alive with 11+ points.
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B - Opener Responder
1♠️ 1NT
3❤️... - FORCING, and GAME-FORCING. Opener is indicating 19-21 total points, with at least 5 spades and 4+ hearts. If opener is not strong enough to jump shift, she should rebid 2❤️ (12-18).
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C - Opener Responder
1♦️ 1❤️
1♠️... - NOT forcing, but invitational. Opener is indicating 12-18 points. Responder may pass with a very weak hand, and at least 3 spades - confident that this is the best final contract.
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D - Opener Responder
1♦️ 1♠️
2♣️... - NOT forcing, but invitational. Opener is indicating 12-18 points, usually 5+ diamonds and 4+ clubs.. Responder may pass with a very weak hand, or correct to one of the other two suggested suits - diamonds or spades.
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E - Opener Responder
1♠️ 2♦️
2♠️... - 100% FORCING. If uncertain, revisit question A. Opener's range is likely 12-16 points. Responder's range is 11+. 11 + 15 or 16 (that opener may have) = game. Because responder was able to respond at the 2-level, the partnership must reach at least 2NT or the 3-level in a suit.
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F - Opener Responder
1❤️ 2♣️
3♣️... - 100% FORCING. The problem is opener's point-count is not easily identifiable in this auction. Opener may have enough points to jump to 4♣️ (or more) but doesn't want to bypass 3NT, in case it turns out to be the best golden game. Opener's hand may be: ♠️AK532 ❤️Q2 ♦️J3 ♣️KQ52. It would be illogical to let the partnership sit in 3♣️, so the partnership must get to at least 3NT or 4♣️ before ending the auction.
⛵️ ⛵️ ⛵️ ⛵️ ⛵️ ⛵️ ⛵️ ⛵️ ⛵️ ⛵️ ⛵️ ⛵️ ⛵️ ⛵️ ⛵️ ⛵️ ⛵️
A difficult auction for responder in the second round of bidding is one where partner (opener) has rebid a new suit at the 2-level... this can get uncomfortablke when responder's hand is weak (6-10 points) and there is no apparent 8-card fit. What should my thinking be?
A few simple prinaciples will help you determine the best rebid in the follwing quiz:
- if opener rebids a new suit at the 2-level that is lower ranking than her first suit, she may have a minimum opening hand (12-16) or medium (17-18) but not maximum (19-21).
- if your hand (as responder) is 6-10 points, it's usually not right to rebid 2NT (as the opponents may have as many or more high card points than your side)
- so usually best to go with the most likely fit known (possibly 7 card fit).
So if the auction goes: Partner You
1♥️ 1♠️
2♦️...
What should be your next bid with the following hands?
a - ♠️A9542 ♥️103 ♦️1092 ♣️K104
b - ♠️KQ743 ♥️8 ♦️863 ♣️K972
c - ♠️Q97642 ♥️102 ♦️863 ♣️A4
d - ♠️KQ42 ♥️102 ♦️KJ42 ♣️852
e - ♠️QJ932 ♥️3 ♦️J2 ♣️K10862
f - ♠️QJ92 ♥️Q2 ♦️J102 ♣️KQ92
🪅 🪅 🪅 🪅 🪅 🪅 🪅 🪅 🪅 🪅 🪅 🪅 🪅 🪅 🪅 🪅
So if the auction goes: Partner You
1♥️ 1♠️
2♦️...
What should be your next bid with the following hands?
a - ♠️A9542 ♥️103 ♦️1092 ♣️K104
* correct to 2♥️, preferring to play in the 7-card major suit fit rather than the possible 7-card minor suit fit. Prefer NOT to rebid 2♠️, as partner may not have a spade in her hand. Partner will know you have only 2 hearts since you did not raise hearts in the first place.
b - ♠️K10743 ♥️8 ♦️863 ♣️KQ72
* pass 2♦️. Resist the urge to try 2NT, which suggests 11/12 points, and could be a segue to 3NT.
c - ♠️Q97642 ♥️102 ♦️863 ♣️A4
* you can rebid your spdes (and hope to catch partner with one or two spades), or choose to make a preference bid of 2♥️. There is no way to know which option will be the winner, but both are reasonable.
d - ♠️KQ42 ♥️102 ♦️KJ42 ♣️852
* you can pass or raise to 3♦️... the raise keeps the auction alive, just on the off chance that opener's hand is in the high end of his range (17/18'ish). They call this a 'courtesy raise'.
e - ♠️QJ932 ♥️3 ♦️J2 ♣️K10862
* whatever you do, do not choose 2NT (nor 3♣️!), which is invitational to 3NT (11/12 points). Rebidding your 5-card spade suit looks like the least of the evils, but be prepared for the worst. The main thing is you're not encouraging the auction to a higher level, and out of control.
f - ♠️QJ92 ♥️Q2 ♦️J102 ♣️KQ92
* 2NT! Now you finally have enough strength to move the auction higher, but not committing to game... 2NT is invitational (11/12), and partner will make the final decision.
Did you ever notice that when partner opens 2♣️ (hand too strong to open at the 1-level) that odds have it that your hand is very weak? Luckily it won't take much in your hand for the partnership to make a game contract... and some auctions are a bit easier than others to handle. This one isn't too difficult, I'll save the tough ones for December!
The auction begins:
Partner You
2♣️ 2♦️ (negative or waiting - no specified point count)
Your hand is: ♠️1032 ❤️K10872 ♦️J974 ♣️2
What is your 2nd bid if partner's 2nd bid (after opening 2♣️) is:
A - 2NT
B - 2♠️
C - 2❤️
D - 3♦️
E - 3NT
🏄♀️🏄♀️🏄♀️🏄♀️🏄♀️🏄♀️🏄♀️🏄♀️🏄♀️🏄♀️🏄♀️🏄♀️🏄♀️🏄♀️🏄♀️🏄♀️🏄♀️🏄♀️🏄♀️🏄♀️🏄♀️🏄♀️🏄♀️🏄♀️🏄♀️
Did you say...
Partner You
2♣️ 2♦️ (negative or waiting - no specified point count)
Your hand is: ♠️1032 ❤️K10872 ♦️J974 ♣️2
What is your 2nd bid if partner's 2nd bid (after opening 2♣️) is:
A - 2NT
B - 2♠️
C - 2❤️
D - 3♦️
E - 3NT
Suggestions:
A - bid 3♦️ as a transfer to hearts. After partner obeys the command and bids 3❤️, now return to 3NT to let her know that you have ONLY 5 hearts, leaving her to decide which is the best game contract (3NT or 4❤️).
B - jump to 4♠️, to let her know that you hold 3-card support and just enough for a game contract. If she proceeds further (towards slam) she is going at her own risk.
C - raise to 3❤️ - "3 is stronger than 4" is an expression to indicate that now your hand could possibly be suitable for slam (great trumps, huge fit), so you want to take the auction slower. This 3❤️ is forcing.
D - bid 3❤️, which shows 4+ hearts, and is forcing to at least game. Depending how things go, you may return to diamonds, your partner's 5+ card suit.
E - pass. You might consider transferring to hearts (4♦️ is a transfer to hearts), but with your partner's 25-27 points, she should be safe in 3NT... and 4❤️ could turn out to be a 7-card fit. Why go there?
🐒 🙉 🙈 🐵 🙊 🐒 🙉 🙈 🐵 🐒
Good bridge advice...
"Always watch where you are going. Otherwise you may step on a piece of the forest that was left out by mistake."
- Winnie the Pooh 😊
Marital Bliss
On their wedding night a couple arrives at their hotel room and the phone rings. The husband answers and talks with his friend about a bridge hand. The conversation continues for hours as the friend tells how he went down in 6♠️.
When it finally ends, the distraught wife is in tears and says "How can he be so inconsiderate, that was terrible!"
"You're right Honey. All he had to do was take a finesse!" 🤹♀️
🤾 🤾 🤾 🤾 🤾 🤾 🤾 🤾
I frequently wonder about my wisdom of opening this bridge club... I mentioned that to my daughter during the summer, and she said "I ALWAYS wonder the wisdom of your opening the bridge club!" But today, one of my new Dartmouth friends was walking by me during a fundraiser individual game, and she said "I am SO glad you opened this club, thank you. Ever since I lost my husband... and I'm not the only one, that lady over there said the same thing..." THANK YOU! Makes everything worth while...