ChRONicles
of Cardplay

The ACBL masterpoint award scale is skewed dramatically towards team games. This introductory article explains Swiss Teams and Bracketed Knockouts, how IMP scoring works, and the strategies that separate team game winners from the rest of the field.

Many newer players don't really understand how matchpoint pair scoring works — and in order to win, you must. Every hand counts the same. The battleground is partscores. Overtricks are essential. A clear-headed look at what you're actually competing for at the pairs table.

First described by Jean-René Vernes in 1967, rediscovered by Larry Cohen and Marty Bergen in the late 80's, and then winning everything in sight. The simplified version: it's safe to compete to the number of trumps your side holds. A fundamental competitive-bidding tool explained from the ground up.

The director at a bridge game is the umpire. When there's a disagreement or irregularity, call the director — do NOT try to solve it yourself. Practical DOs and DON'Ts covering hesitations, protests, making your own rulings at the table, and why calling the director is never an insult.

Eliminate the word "Why" from your partnership vocabulary. Do not discuss errors at the table. Smile — your partner will play better. Ron draws on Eddie Kantar, Marty Bergen, and hard-won experience to lay out the rules of constructive partnership that every duplicate player should post on their wall.

With a nod to Dr. Strangelove: how many times have you heard "I hate computer dealt hands, they're so weird"? Ron — who wrote a dealing program in the early 70s — debunks the myths, explains why the complaints are statistically unfounded, and makes the case for embracing the random deal.

Every card tells a tale. LHO bid hearts but led a diamond — why didn't he lead a heart? Partner led the ♠2 against your notrump — what does that tell you? Many declarers don't take time to examine the opening lead carefully, but doing so reveals a wealth of information about the entire hand.

Early in your career you play "straight up." But the lack of a positive inference often implies a negative one. Partner bid 1NT after LHO overcalled 1♥ — how many spades does he hold? The bid he didn't make tells you as much as the bid he did. A thoughtful continuation from the inferences series.

Picking up a partner at the partnership desk is exciting — and often produces surprisingly good results. The problem: bidding disasters from not having time to go over the card. Ron distills the handful of conventions that cause most of the disasters and provides a five-minute checklist you can run before the first board.

Most literature discusses good opening leads. This article takes the opposite approach. Terence Reese reportedly said, "Underleading an ace is an excellent idea if you plan to look for a new partner." Ron lists a dozen of what many consider the worst opening leads and explains exactly why each one is dangerous.

Bear Bryant said good offense begins with good defense. On any four random bridge hands you're declarer once, dummy once, and on defense twice. Good defense starts with accurate signaling. The first in a two-part series covering standard attitude signals, count signals, honor leads, and the biggest problems players have with signaling.

Partner opens 1♥, RHO overcalls 1♠, and you hold a limit raise. Bidding only 2♥ is an underbid; 4♥ is a preemptive shutout. The answer is the cue-bid. Ron makes a compelling case for why bidding the opponent's suit — to show a limit raise or better — is the most useful tool in competitive auctions.

The second article in the signaling series. Be warned: you'll have to read it more than once. Building on attitude and count, Ron explains how Hy Lavinthal's 1930s refinement — suit preference — takes signaling a step further and how to integrate it with whatever standard signaling system you're already using.

Every sport has its unwritten niceties — new golfers only learn them when they embarrass themselves. Bridge is no different. North "owns" the table. Don't go get boards yourself. Don't discuss the hand until it's over. A frank rundown of the things everyone at the table seems to know — except the person who just arrived.