Advanced Bridge Information

Introduction

This page is an index to topics that will interest only advanced and expert bridge players. Please bookmark this page if that includes you! If you are looking for other information, or more basic information, then please go to our main index page.

Conventions

These conventions are part of many, even most, of the world's bidding systems. They are widely played by many players and you will do well to familiarise yourself with them.

Agreements

The bridge experts have some very good ideas on various ways to improve your bidding methods. Here is one I particularly like, and have found works well.

Danny Kleinman's Dissertation on the 2 Opening Bid

Kleinman very sensibly suggests that the responder to a 2 opening bid should never (well, almost never) make any positive response other than 2, even if having a good suit to bid. The issue is that the bidding can easily become cramped when responder bids 2 or higher, since it is highly likely that responder's bid will have pre-empted opener out of his planned rebid. Kleinman suggests that all positive hands (other than those able to bid 2) should make a 2 waiting bid. Opener can then make his planned rebid, following which if responder's rebid is 2NT or 3 then he shows a negative hand, but if responder's rebid is anything else then it is natural, and he shows a positive hand.

The above summarises the essential features of Kleinman's method. For full details please read his "Responding to an Omnibus Two Clubs" document, which is found on his own web site.

One key issue which Kleinman identifies is that if you play the Kokish Relay responder should only complete the relay if he has a negative hand without a long spade suit. He breaks the relay with a natural positive hand, or bids 2NT to show a 6-card or longer spade suit. This is explained at the end of Kleinman's document, and seems an excellent idea to me.

Author: Chris Burton
bridgeinfo.net