RGB bridge tips

[Dave Flower]

Bridge tips seems to be a popular subject, so I am starting this thread to see what happens.

Lets start with:

When defending and faced with a choice between a passive line and an active line, go passive at match-points, active at IMPs

Dave Flower

[Lorne Anderson]

Post by Dave Flower
Bridge tips seems to be a popular subject, so I am starting this thread to see what happens.
When defending and faced with a choice between a passive line and an active line, go passive at match-points, active at IMPs
Dave Flower

A Reasonble starting point IMO but there are times I go active at MP's:

1. If the oppo may be in a different contract to much of the field - for
example after 1m - 1M - 3N showing a long solid suit so some of the
field may be in 5m.

2. After a bad lead when there was a 50:50 choice and the other one
would not have picked up a 2-way finesse.

There are probably others as well.

[Adam Lea]

Post by Lorne Anderson

Post by Dave Flower
Bridge tips seems to be a popular subject, so I am starting this
thread to see what happens.
When defending and faced with a choice between a passive line and an
active line, go passive at match-points, active at IMPs
Dave Flower

1. If the oppo may be in a different contract to much of the field - for
example after 1m - 1M - 3N showing a long solid suit so some of the
field may be in 5m.
2. After a bad lead when there was a 50:50 choice and the other one
would not have picked up a 2-way finesse.
There are probably others as well.

I would add where the auction suggests dummy will hold a running side
suit and declarers plan will be draw trumps, discard losers on the side
suit. Need to set up winners immediately, or wave them goodbye.

[Fred.]

Post by Dave Flower
Bridge tips seems to be a popular subject, so I am starting this thread to see what happens.
When defending and faced with a choice between a passive line and an active line, go passive at match-points, active at IMPs
Dave Flower

I think you need to put your ear to the bidding. I remember
playing West on a hand where the bidding went:

(South) (North)
1S 3H (SJS)
4H 4S

I lead a club and partner, who just about had to have
two aces on the biding, took the two minor suit aces.
All the other NS pairs got passive leads and took 12
tricks. And, no, I didn't have heart length.

Fred.
Fred.

[David Goldfarb]

At matchpoints, do not make aggressive leads into a 15-17 1NT opener.

[Player]

Actually I disagree with all of these rules. Lets say the bidding goes 1nt 3nt and you are on lead holding xxx kx jt8x jxxx the k of h lead stands out like dog's balls I dont care if you are playing mps imps bam or rubber.

You want a tip? You hear the auction (1s) p (something) pass
(Something) and the get to 6s.
You are on lead holding aqx kqx xxxx xxx
Lead the s ace. 6s is off regardless of where the k is

[Adam Lea]

Post by Player
Actually I disagree with all of these rules. Lets say the bidding goes 1nt 3nt and you are on lead holding xxx kx jt8x jxxx the k of h lead stands out like dog's balls I dont care if you are playing mps imps bam or rubber.
You want a tip? You hear the auction (1s) p (something) pass
(Something) and the get to 6s.
You are on lead holding aqx kqx xxxx xxx
Lead the s ace. 6s is off regardless of where the k is

Why does it stand out?

[Player]

Post by Adam Lea

Post by Player
Actually I disagree with all of these rules. Lets say the bidding goes 1nt 3nt and you are on lead holding xxx kx jt8x jxxx the k of h lead stands out like dog's balls I dont care if you are playing mps imps bam or rubber.
You want a tip? You hear the auction (1s) p (something) pass
(Something) and the get to 6s.
You are on lead holding aqx kqx xxxx xxx
Lead the s ace. 6s is off regardless of where the k is

Why does it stand out?

Think about it Adam. Pd of the NT bidder has ostensibly denied a Major. You don't have a suit to set up. Your pd has some points and probably a number of Hearts.

[Adam Lea]

Post by Player

Post by Adam Lea

Post by Player
Actually I disagree with all of these rules. Lets say the bidding goes 1nt 3nt and you are on lead holding xxx kx jt8x jxxx the k of h lead stands out like dog's balls I dont care if you are playing mps imps bam or rubber.
You want a tip? You hear the auction (1s) p (something) pass
(Something) and the get to 6s.
You are on lead holding aqx kqx xxxx xxx
Lead the s ace. 6s is off regardless of where the k is

Why does it stand out?

Think about it Adam. Pd of the NT bidder has ostensibly denied a Major. You don't have a suit to set up. Your pd has some points and probably a number of Hearts.

That is fine for imps where giving overtricks is reasonable if doing so
means taking a line that gives the only chance to get the contract down.
I don't see it is obvious at MPs, it seems to me that chucking a trick
by leading into AQx or Q in dummy, A with declarer is pretty likely. I'd
be inclined to lead the DJ, it works well if it goes Q,K,A and partner
has an entry to push a second one through, if it doesn't work it looks
less likely to give away overtricks than K from Kx.

[p***@gmail.com]

Don't teach your grandmother to suck eggs.

[David Goldfarb]

When an opponent shows a 2-suiter, be wary about doubling her.
You probably need to have both suits bottled up.

If the opponents bid two suits naturally and then agree on a third,
there's a good chance that each of them has shortness in the other's,
and will play the hand as a cross-ruff. Lead a trump.

The "Law of Total Tricks" only gives you full protection when you have
shortness in a side suit. If you have four pieces in the suit partner
overcalls, but you have no singleton or void, consider raising only
to the 2-level rather than the 3-level. Especially vulnerable at MP's.

A good player once told me:

If a good player leads an unsupported ace against a slam, he thinks
he has a trump trick. Play him for Qxx.

Nowadays we have RKC and are less likely to get to slams off a key
card and the trump queen.