By Valerie Rhead
RULE OF TWENTY
It’s often advantageous to get your bid in early. If your opening bid is borderline—maybe as few as ten high-card points, sometimes you can still bid. The problem is that if you don’t bid at your first opportunity, you may not have a chance later and will lose your chance at a game or part-score contract. As you haven’t bid, if you are playing defense, your partner will have to guess at the best lead to make, and will often get it wrong.
To bid these borderline hands, many players use a convention called “The Rule of Twenty”. According to this convention, you add your total high card points to the sum of the length of your two longest suits. For example, you have ten high-card points and you have five hearts and five spades. Ten plus five plus five equals twenty. You can bid.
Often this weak bid may help find a fit in partner’s hand and you get a good score. As Marty Bergen says in his book “More Points Schmoints” (P9), “when in doubt, open!” As with many conventions, there are a few refinements that can be made to improve its accuracy. For example, subtract one point from a hand with a singleton king, queen or jack, or subtract 1 point from a hand with a king-queen doubleton or a queen-jack doubleton.
For more information about this convention and its refinements, see Marty Bergen’s two books, “Points Schmoints” and “More Points Schmoints.” These books are easy reads and contain lots of handy bridge tips.
When you sit down at the bridge table, always remember, try to find an excuse to bid, not an excuse to pass. Bridge is a bidder’s game. When you can, get your bid in as soon as possible.
If you wish to promote an activity in your bridge group, send the information to [email protected] and I will include it in this column.
Fundraiser for Danny Schamehorn
At the Orillia Legion Dec 4 @ 7:30PM – Two bands will be performing.
More Info on Orillia website http://orilliabridge.com/
HUNTSVILLE DUPLICATE BRIDGE CLUB
Games for the Huntsville Club are Tuesday evening 7:15, Trinity United Church 33 Main Street. Please arrive at least 15 minutes early. Call Betty 705-789-2560 [email protected] or Susan at 705-789-7156 [email protected] for information and partnerships. For the winter, the game is now held downstairs in the warm basement. To avoid the long stairs, enter from the door on Main Street. Circle your calendar for the Christmas Party Dec 8, 4:30 at Tall Trees, game back at Trinity. Sign up for the party Nov 24 and Dec 1.
The following results are for Tuesday, Nov 24 with 7 tables playing a Mitchell movement. North-South 1. Fay MacDonald and Yvonne Cox; 2. Chris Karn and Vern Foell; 3. Helen Pearson and Rolly Landriault; 4. Beryl Clayson and Paul Clayson; East-West 1. Liz Graham and Dorothy Russell; 2. Betty Fagin and Brian Brocklehurst; 3. Liz Barnes and Rod Dixon; 4. Jim Smith and Ralph Mitchell
MUSKOKA DUPLICATE BRIDGE CLUB (Bracebridge)
Games at the Bracebridge Club are at the Knox Presbyterian Church, 120 Taylor Road 7pm Monday evenings. Please arrive at least 15 minutes before game time. For information/partnerships, call Brian at 705-645-5340 [email protected]
Circle your calendar for the Christmas Party Nov 30 5:00 for 5:30 Curling Club, game back at Knox. Sign up for party Nov 16 and 23.
The following results are for Monday, Nov 23 with 7 tables playing a Mitchell movement. North-South 1. Liz Barnes and David Bryce; 2. Betty Fagin and Brian Brocklehurst; 3. Kel Andresen and Jim Smith; 4. Hazel Bowes and Gail Lederer; East-West 1. Fay MacDonald and Yvonne Cox; 2/3. Art Insley and Don Evans; 2/3 Betty Rintoul and Rolly Landriault; 4. Lorna Wagner and Pat Feaver
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