Bridge: Oddz and Endz

By Joe Blatnick

Bridge books on all aspects of the game are plentiful. However many times reference is made to a specific technique, a rule, a law, different terms and their definitions. This book tries to explain those guidelines of the game which many players have not heard of, dont understand or ignore to their own detriment. Its not really meant as a complete treatment of any aspect of bridge. It simply tries to touch on some Oddz and Endz of the game which may need clarification to some and learning to others. Basically, the book tries to clarify some of those points which youve heard only fleetingly or have left you puzzled when reading something about the game.

• Language: English
• Publisher: AuthorHouse
• Release date: Mar 29, 2013
• ISBN: 9781481712729

Joe Blatnick

As mentioned in an earlier book, Joe’s total immersion in the game came late in life. Nevertheless, his contributions to the game have still been numerous. Who knows where an earlier start might have led.

Book preview

Bridge:

Oddz & Endz

Joe Blatnick

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AuthorHouse™

1663 Liberty Drive

Bloomington, IN 47403

www.authorhouse.com

Phone: [phone]

© 2013 by Joe Blatnick. All rights reserved.

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No part of this book may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted by any means without the written permission of the author.

Published by AuthorHouse 3/26/2013

ISBN: 978-1-4817-1271-2 (sc)

ISBN: 978-1-4817-1272-9 (e)

Library of Congress Control Number: 2013901892

Cover and Interior Design and Layout by

Katherine Widziak, www.widziak.com

Because of the dynamic nature of the Internet, any web addresses or links contained in this book may have changed since publication and may no longer be valid.

The views expressed in this work are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of the publisher, and the publisher hereby disclaims any responsibility for them.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

INTRODUCTION

DEDICATION

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

ABOUT THE BOOK

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

GENERAL GUIDELINES

General Guidelines

1. Guideline Principles

2. Rubber Vs. Duplicate

3. Be Flexible

4. Murphy’s Law

5. Worth The Trouble?

6. Why Read On?

7. Spousal Partnerships

8. Try to Remember

BIDDING

Bidding

1. Overcalls And Advances

2. Six / Five Or Five / Five Come Alive

3. Is There A Fit?

4. Beware Of Misfits

5. Let Go

6. Where?

7. The Best Place To Be

8. Mum’s The Word

9. Aces & Spaces

10. Sing Me A Tune

11. Captain Of The Ship

12. No Shortage / No Stayman

13. Losing Trick Count

14. Sacrificing

15. Low Level Penalty Doubles

16. Other Doubles

17. Rules

18. A Different ‘Eight Ever’

19. Try to Remember

DECLARER PLAY

Declarer Play

1. Counting

2. Mind Reading

3. Don’t Give Up

4. What An Imagination

5. Divine Intervention

6. What Are The Odds

7. More Useful Rules

8. Call The Cops

9. Good Cop / Bad Cop

10. To Err Is Human

11. Timing

12. Take A Bath

13. Scissors Coup-Loser On Loser

14. Safety Plays

15. Dummy Reversal

16. End Play

17. More Trump Tricks

18. The Long And Short Of It

19. Ah, Those Spots

20. Try to Remember

DEFENDER PLAY

Defender Play

1. Rule Of Fourteen

2. Logical Leads

3. Another Leading Philosophy

4. Play Me A Tune

5. When In Doubt

6. Trump Length / Lead Length

7. Comprehensive Signals

8. Jack Denies / Ten Implies

9. Ace For Attitude / King For Kount

10. Touching Honours

11. Partner’s Suit

12. Zig / Zag

13. Discarding

14. Try to Remember

BOTH SIDES NOW

Declarer And / Or Defender

1. Rule Of Eleven

2. Changing Horses

3. When All Else Fails

4. Deception Or Swindle

A FUNNY THING HAPPENED ON THE WAY TO THE LAST TRICK

1. Deceptive Debbie

2. Seldom Sam

3. Falsecarding Fred

4. Befuddled Betty

5. Disarming Donna

6. Befuddled Betty Again

7. Befuddled Betty One More Time

8. Cathy Coup

10. Idaho Transfer

11. Famous Quotes

Summary

INTRODUCTION

It’s been said that the one factor which separates the expert from the average bridge player is mistakes. The expert makes very few while the average player consistently makes too many. Although the expert has knowledge of such exotic sounding techniques as end plays, squeezes, safety plays, coups, etc. and how to employ them, it is steady and error free play which has produced that reputation. Therefore to become a better bridge player, one needs only to know the basics and stop making those mistakes, over and over again. For example, the average defender will carelessly give away a trick or two on each hand by a thoughtless lead, not watching the cards and so on. The average Declarer will give away tricks by handling card combinations poorly, not having a plan or playing too quickly. On offence or defense, the better players will simply not make these mistakes.

DEDICATION

This book is dedicated to my favourite bridge partner!

-My wife, my lover, my best friend.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Joe has been involved in this superior of all card games, whether teaching, directing, writing or playing for 50 years. During that time he has never been satisfied with the status quo, instead choosing to research all areas of the game tirelessly. Since retiring from teaching and the newspaper business, he and Tanya, his sidekick, have continued their immersion in the game by cruising the seas while teaching on board. As well, Joe has had published, a series of learning aids, about different aspects of the game and 3 full length books which entered the market place between July of 2011 and the end of 2012.

ABOUT THE BOOK

Bridge books on all aspects of the game are plentiful. However many times reference is made to a specific technique, a rule, a law, different terms and their definitions. This book tries to explain those guidelines of the game which many players have not heard of, don’t understand or ignore to their own detriment. It’s not really meant as a complete treatment of any aspect of bridge. It simply tries to touch on some Oddz and Endz of the game which may need clarification to some and learning to others. Basically, the book tries to clarify some of those points which you’ve heard only fleetingly or have left you puzzled when reading something about the game.

Following is a bridge problem. If you can solve it, reading this book shouldn’t be difficult for you and if you can’t, you definitely need to read on.

DOUBLE DUMMY

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Contract: 7♥ Opening Lead: K♣

No, this is not an angry bridge player describing his partner. ‘Double Dummy’ is solving a play problem with the added advantage of seeing all 4 hands. If you need a hint, think dummy reversal.

DOUBLE DUMMY SOLUTION

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1. Win the opening lead in your hand, pitching a Diamond from dummy.

2. Lead a Heart to dummy.

3. Ruff a Spade in hand.

4. Lead a Heart to dummy.

5. Ruff a Spade in hand.

6. Lead a Heart to dummy. You now have no more trump in your hand, dummy and West have one each.

7. Lead dummy’s last trump, followed by the Ace of Spades. On these tricks, discard your high Diamonds.

8. You are now in dummy with nothing to stop you from cashing 5 Diamond tricks.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

To my many bridge playing friends; Helen & Dave Binch, Nora & Finn Hovland, Rose & Glenn McCurdy, Thelma & Jack Oakes, Barb & Don Ruskin, Elaine & Ron Smith, whose many questions about this wonderful game were the impetus for all my books and various learning aids.

GENERAL GUIDELINES

GENERAL GUIDELINES

1. GUIDELINE PRINCIPLES

As was mentioned in the introduction to this book, the major difference between the expert and average player is frequency of errors. This statement lends itself more to the play of the hand. However, there are guiding principles which most players apply to their bidding as well.

1. They get their bids in as quickly as possible, even if this necessitates opening or overcalling lightly. Opening lightly gives them a head start on the exchange of information. With such bids there is a pre-emptive value as well as lead direction.

2. They apply such apparently confusing thoughts as the Law of Total Tricks, to gauge when to compete, pass, or double in part score skirmishes.

3. They will also use favourable vulnerability to help make the above determination as well as the feasibility of a sacrifice.

4. In team games, they will strive to reach games and slams while being more conservative in pair’s contests.

5. They will lean heavily towards major suit and N.T. games turning up their noses at 5 of a minor.

6. They will go for the overtrick at pairs while playing safe at rubber and teams.

7. They will use the Losing Trick Count to judge the viability of slams.

8. Teddy Roosevelt was quoted as saying, Walk softly but carry a big stick. There is an interesting parallel in bridge, Bid boldly, play fast. If you bid boldly and with little hesitation, even to a shaky contract, you have less chance of being doubled than if you had bid hesitantly. By playing fast, you give the impression that all is well, many times causing the defence to