THE RULE OF FORTY

So simple, so easy

There are 40 high cards points HCPS) in the deck !

– 4 aces -16points

– 4 kings – 12 points

– 4 queens 8

– 4 jacks 4

TOTAL 40 POINTS

AS THE BIDDING EVOLVES:

ADD YOUR HCP’S POINTS TO THE NUMBER OF POINTS INDICATED DURING THE BIDDING , FOR EXAMPLE

NORTH (N) OPENS 1 N0 TRUMP – 15-17 POINTS

EAST (E) – PARTNER PASSES

S (SOUTH) – BIDS 3 NO TRUMP – SHOWING 10+ POINTS

W (WEST) – YOU! – PASS – HAVE 6 POINTS

YOUR PARTNER (P) IS EAST – HOW MANY APPROXIMATE POINTS DOES EAST (P) HAVE?

THE ANSWER WOULD BE APPROXIMATELY 8 POINTS –

HOW DOES THAT HELP ON DEFENSE? – WHEN DUMMY COMES DOWN YOU WILL SEE EXACTLY HOW MANY POINTS SOUTH HAD – IF 12 POINTS IN DUMMY – DEDUCT 2 PTS FROM YOUR ESTIMATE OF EAST’S HAND! THIS HELPS DEFENSE TO DETERMINE HOW TO DEFEND. IF YOU SET UP YOUR SUIT YOU MAY NEED PARTNER TO WIN AT LEAST ONE TRICK TO LEAD BACK TO YOUR HAND.

THIS EXAMPLE WOULD NOT HELP DECLARER HAS BOTH E AND W PASSED.

ANOTHER EXAMPLE:

N OPENS 1 SPADE (12-21 PTS)

E(P) BIDS 2 DIAMONDS (12= OVERCALLED AT THE TWO LEVEL AND A GOOD 5 CARD+ SUIT WITH 2 OF THE TOP 3 HONOURS)

S BIDS 2 SPADES (6-10)* COUNTING DUMMY POINTS, ( POINTS -VOIDS/SINGLETONS/DOUBLETONS) – SHOWS A “SIMPLE RAISE”

*W – YOU -PASS – HAVE 3 DIAMONDS BUT LESS THAN 10 POINTS SO CANNOT BID AT THE 3 LEVEL

ALL PASS

—————————————————————

2ND RND OF BIDDING:

N – PASSES – NOW SHOWING A MINIMUM OPENER 12-15 POINTS

E – BIDS A NEW SUIT OF 3 CLUBS

S PASSES

W?????

? EAST(P) IS SHOWING A TWO-SUITED HAND – MOST LIKLY 5 /6 DIAMONDS AND 5 CLUBS – AND IS ASKING YOU – TO PICK EITHER SUIT – WITH THE 3 CARD DIAMOND SUIT AND 6-10 POINTS I WOULD CHOOSE NOW TO BID 3 DIAMONDS!

TWO-SUITED HANDS ARE VALUABLE WHEN YOU GET TO PLAY THERE AND SHOW SHORTNESS IN THE TWO REMAINING SUITS. IF P HAS 6 DIAMONDS AND 5 CLUBS THAT IS 11 CARDS – ONLY TWO LEFT BETWEEN THE MAJORS!

 

ANOTHER EXAMPLE

N 1 HEART (12+

E 1 SPADE – OVERCALL AT 1 LEVEL – (8+ UP TO MAX 16 POINTS)

S 2 HEARTS – 6-10 PTS

W 2 SPADES – 6-10)

WONDERFUL, A BIDDING WAR? MAYBE

IF NORTH IS A MINIMUM HAND, NORTH SHOULD PASS. IF NORTH IS 15+, RAISE TO 3 HEARTS

IF NORTH BIDS 3 HEARTS , WEST SHOULD PASS WITH A HAND THAT DOES NOT HAVE OPENING POINTS!

REMEMBER – THESE BIDDING WARS ARE ALL ABOUT VULNERABILITY! IF NOT “VUL” AND OPP’S ARE “VUL ” – YOU CAN RISK IT! BE CAREFUL IF YOU PUSH THEM TO GAME VULNERABLE ——-YOU BETTER MAKE SURE YOU DEFEAT THEIR CONTRACT!

 

ENJOY OUTDOOR BRIDGE THIS SUMMER!