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Quiz: Barrier-Reversing

Quiz: Deal # Sunday
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Basic
strategy
0000). How to use 0001). Bidding Objectives = "8 and 25" 0002). 28 for minor 0003). 33 for NT slam 0004). Suit slam 0005). Importance of length 0006). Convention card 0007). ACOL and American Standard, differences 0008). A-Z Glossary 0690). A-Z Glossary
Hand
evaluation
0010). Balanced-Unbalanced 0011). How strong is your hand, HCP 0012). Distribution points 0013). Losing trick count 0014). Barrier-Reversing 0015). Selection of opening suit 0016). Showing shape 0017). 4441 distribution 0018). The skip over principle 0019). Rule of 20 Opening 1 of a suit 0019a). Rule of 25 Opening 2 of a suit 0019b). Rule of 500 Max penalty risk on preempt if doubled 0019c). Law of total tricks 0019d). Rule of Protective bidding
Opening
bids
0020). Plan of attack 0021). Bal, 12 to 19 HCPs, weak NT 0022). Bal, 20+ points 0023). Bal, 15 to 17 HCPs, strong NT 0025). Unbal, 12 to 19 HCPs, 1 suit 0026). Unbal, Strong 2s 0027). Unbal, Pre-emptive 0028). Unbal, Gambling 3NT 0029). Benji Strong 2s
Responder
1st bids
0030). After 1NT, General principles 0031). After 1NT, Weak 0032). After 1NT, Getting out of trouble 0033). After 1NT, 11+ balanced 0034). After 1NT, 11+ 4-card major 0035). After 1NT, 11+ unbalanced 0036). After 1NT, 19+ 0037). After 2NT 0038). After 1NT, and Enemy has interfered 0039). 1 NT responses 0040). After 1 Suit, With fit 0041). After 1 Suit, No fit, but alternative suit 0042). After 1 Suit, No fit, no new suit, probably balanced 0043). After 1 Suit, 6 points, nothing to bid 0044). After 1 Suit, Very strong 0045). After 1 Suit, Weak freak 0047). After 2 Suit, Strong 2s 0048). After 2 Suit, Weak 2s 0049). After 3 Suit, Responding to preempt
Openers
rebid
0050). Unbalanced, The general idea 0051). Unbalanced, You are weak 0052). Unbalanced, You are strong 0053). Unbalanced, Partner replied with 1NT 0054). Unbalanced, Delayed support 0055). Balanced
Responder
rebids
0060). Responder rebids, The general idea 0061). Choice of two suits 0062). Responders reverse 0063). After 1NT rebid
Basic
Convention
0080). Stayman 0081). Transfer 0082). Transfer after 2NT 0161). Minor suit transfer
Slam
bidding
0090). Slam, Spotting the chance 0091). Blackwood 0092). No-trump slam 0093). Gerber 0094). Extra slam techniques
Interfering
bids
0100). Overcalls, the basic idea 0101). Overcalls, in a suit, over a suit 0102). Overcalls, in a suit, over 1NT 0103). Overcalls, in NT, over a suit 0104). Overcalls, Jump overcall 0105). Overcalls, Double then bid a suit 0106). Overcalls, Bidding opponents suit 0107). Overcalls, Balancing (protective) 0108). Overcalls, Overcall a preempt 0109). Overcalls, Preemptive double jump 0110). Overcalls, To overcall, or to double 0111). Overcalls, Response to 1NT after suit overcall (Lebensohl) 0115). Defence after 1NT 0116). Competitive bidding 0117). Be cautious sometimes 0118). Sacrificing Be bold when non-vulnerable 0119). Sacrificing 0120). Doubles, Double a 1NT 0121). Doubles, Double for takeout 0122). Doubles, Doubling after opponent overcall 0126). Doubles, Protective double
Doubles

0120). Doubles, Double a 1NT 0121). Doubles, Double for takeout 0122). Doubles, Doubling after opponent overcall 0123). Doubles, Negative double 0124). Doubles, Double a 1NT overcall 0125). Doubles, Double a suit over 1NT 0126). Doubles, Protective double 0127). Doubles, Responsive double 0128). Doubles, Double then bid a suit 0129). Doubles, Penalty 0130). Doubles, Support double 0131). Doubles, Lead directing double 0132). Doubles, Maximal double 0133). Doubles, Redoubling - coded meanings 0134). Doubles, Forcing Pass 0135). Doubles, Re-opening double 0139). Doubles, Index of doubles
Advanced
Convention
0150). Majors Jacoby 2NT 0151). Majors Splinters 0152). Majors Weak 2s 0153). Majors Weak 2 defence 0154). Trial bid 0160). NT and minors 4th suit forcing 0161). Minor suit transfer 0162). DONT Bidding When Opponents open 1NT 0163). Game tries 0166). Grand Slam Force 0167). Roman Keycard Blackwood 0168). Cue bidding for controls 0170). 2-suited Overcall Unusual 2NT 0171). 2-suited Overcall Michaels cue bid 0172). 2-suited Overcall Landy over 1NT 0173). Overcall Unassuming cue bid 0179). Very advanced

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Quick summary

4441 - Suit below singleton, & not Spades

You've got a singleton and three 4-card suits...

Make sure you have a 2nd bid if partner replies in the singleton. If you don't - pass, then bid later maybe.

Partnership Choice 1. Open the suit below your singleton, not above (avoiding for example the problem of a 2 reply to your opening 1 bid).

Choice 2. RBBM. Same as method one, but bid if the singleton is in .

When overcalling, you can simply double (even if the enemy's suit is not your singleton).

Print cribsheet

Bridge Venue

« 0017 »

Hand evaluation. 4441 distribution

4441 Distribution. Oh dear

How on earth to bid ?

Let's say you have opening points. But which suit to bid ?

You can't bid 1NT, because you have a singleton, and so your hand isn't balanced. But which suit to bid ? What will you do when your partner responds with your singleton suit, as often happens ?

Somehow you've got to avoid misleading your partner. Bidding one suit, then another, promises a 5-4 distribution, which you don't have. Bidding one suit and then re-bidding it promises 5 or even 6, depending on your partner's agreed preferences. Either way, your goal is to mislead your partner the least.

All a bit of a problem. Here's solution method one, a simple convention to remember.

1. Select the suit below your singleton, unless your singleton is in clubs, in which case choose .

You then hope that your partner has 4 card support, or will identify another 4 card suit that you can support.

The idea of this and other systems is to avoid rebid problems. If you were to open 1 with a singleton Diamond you'd be in a fix if partner responds 2. Better to open 1.

What you must be prepared for is your partner bidding the same suit as your singleton, which of all the responder's suit bids is the most likely. This means: check that you have a descriptive and sound rebid available in case it happens: a bid that leaves you in the best position should this happen. If you don't have this, then just pass on the opening round, and either come in later or opt out of the auction.

2. "RBBM" (Red Below, Black Middle).

The EBU Acol file advises RBBM. With a red suit singleton open the suit below the singleton (i.e. singleton Heart open 1, singleton diamond open 1). With a black suit singleton open the middle of the three suits (i.e. singleton Spade open 1, singleton club open 1). Whichever convention you use, it's obviously a good idea to pre-agree all this with your lovely partner.

How else to remember RBBM ? Either..

It's the same as "1. a simple convention" method, except where the singleton is in Spades. In that case, the RBBM method proposes diamonds, rather than Hearts.

or...

If the singleton is a Major, open diamonds. If it's a minor then open one suit below, or open Hearts if the singleton is in the lowest suit (Clubs).

The system also allows partner to work out that you have a 4441 hand, and not a 54 hand, since rebids of a different suit cannot always otherwise make sense. e.g. 1S, 2x guarantees 5 Spades guarantees a 5-card suit since no 4441 hand can open with Spades. e.g. 1H, 2C guarantees a 5-card Heart suit after a Spade reply since a 4441 hand would support spades on the rebid after a 1H opening, since the singleton must be in Clubs. And so on.
This points to an advantage of the RBBM system: by keeping your bidding to the lowest level in all cases, you allow more flexibility on the rebid.

If you are in the Overcall position:

The best thing is this: if the opposition have already opened the bidding, ideally in the same suit as your singleton, then you can "double for takeout". Your bid ends up being perfectly descriptive, especially if your opening points high cards are spread across the three 4-card suits.

Actually, with a well spread hand as just described, you can still "double for takeout" even if your singleton is not in the suit that the enemy have bid. If partner bids your singleton you can then convert to No Trumps.

Now try the quiz

Can you put all this into action ? Try the quiz for this subject by clicking on the link at the top left of the page, just below the main menu.
(You can try quizzes for any other subjects too while you're there. Look out for the thin red line).

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Quiz: Barrier-Reversing

Quiz: Deal # Sunday