Class No. 4 – Wednesday, Jan 27, 2010

The Reverse
The reverse plays a key role in bidding to show fits, shapes and values. With a minimal opening hand you are allowed to bid a new suit at the 2 level lower ranking than your first bid suit, thus, allowing partner to make a suit preference bid at the 2 level. When you reverse the two bids, however, bidding the higher ranking suit second, you are forcing partner to the 3 level to show a preference, thus, you need extra values to use up bidding space. This is the reverse and requires solid invitational values.

This workshop is focused on the reverse with a section on the jump reverse and high reverse. I see so many people that say “we don’t play reverses” … this is like saying we don’t play 3-level invitational bids … how can you play bridge and not play 3-level invitational bids or reverses? If your bid forces partner to a higher level to show suit preference then you need the values to make a free bid at that level. At the conclusion of this class participants should understand:

1. What is the reverse and how does it relate to bidding shapes, values.
2. How to plan for a rebid.
3. When is a reverse not a reverse?
4. The forcing nature of the reverse.
5. How to respond to the reverse and show values?

Class No. 3 – Wednesday, Jan 20, 2010

Reevaluation and Opener Rebids
As opener, the goal is to describe your hand in an attempt to reach the best contract for your side. When you open the bidding, using a structured opening, partner should have confidence in an initial value (trick taking potential) of your hand, but will be less certain of shape (balanced or unbalanced) and size (minimal, invitational or forcing). Opener’s goal on rebidding is to further describe his hand; subsequent rebids will describe hands of specific shape and of specific size.

This class begins the all important process of bidding fits, shapes and values.  At the conclusion of this class participants should understand:

1. How to reevaluate your hand based on fits, shapes, values and the bidding.
2. How to rebid to show shape (balanced or unbalanced).
3. How to rebid to show values (minimal, invitational and forcing).
4. Bidding Priorities. Guidelines for opening 1Nt or 1M.

Quiz 2 - Hand Evaluation and Opneing Bids

The following bidding quiz is based on the first two classes of the 2010 Bidding Academy:

1. Hand Evaluation and Opening Bids
2. Opening Bids - Exception Rules

click on the link ↓
Quiz 2 - Hand Evaluation and Opening Bids

Class No. 2 – Wednesday, Jan 13, 2010

Opening Bids – Exception Rules
Not all opening hands can be measured the same. Many opening hands have features e.g., shape that requires special rules to evaluate opening hands and still maintain the structure and discipline of 2/1 GF bidding. We will look at three specific types of hands: one-suited hands, two-suited hands and balanced hands. How do we apply these exception rules? How do we apply these rules in 1st and 2nd seats vs. 3rd and 4th seat?

This class focuses on hands at the margin “should I open or should I pass?” At the conclusion of this class participants should understand:

1. How to use evaluation tools such as long suits, Rule of 20/22 and Losing Trick Count.
2. Rules for hands at the margin in 1st or 2nd seat.
3. How to evaluate and treat special hands 1 suited or 2 suited hands.
4. The difference between 3rd seat and 4th seat opening bids.

Quiz 1 - Hand Evaluation

On Tuesday, Jan 5 I emailed out a quiz on Hand Evaluation ... for the answer to the quiz, click on the following link.
 
Quiz 1 - Hand Evaluation

See below for information on Class 1 - Hand Evaluation and Opening Bids.

Class No. 1 – Wednesday, Jan 6, 2010

Hand Evaluation and Opening Bids
Bridge bidding is not an exact science, but with 2/1 GF bidding we will come one step closer. When the bidding is opened in one of a major (1M) and partner makes a 2/1 bid of 2 of a lower ranking suit (such as 1H - 2D) the partnership is now in a game forcing auction and cannot stop short of game. If you made an unstructured opening bid in 1st or 2nd seat and partner makes a 2/1 game forcing bid, you cannot now pass or call partner off of game. There has to be more structure and discipline when opening and responding in the 2/1 GF bidding system.

This class teaches initial hand evaluation and opening bids in 1st, 2nd, 3rd and 4th seats. At the conclusion of this class participants should understand:

1. How to evaluate initial hand values.
2. How to quantify/qualify opening hands.
3. Rules for making structured opening bids in 1st or 2nd seat.
4. The difference between 3rd seat and 4th seat opening bids.