Duplicate Bridge results and tip: Useful conventions worth learning, part thirty-two

By Peter Rhead

Bergen Raises

The Bergen Raise is today’s convention. It provides the most effective way to support your partner’s major opening (One Heart or One Spade) when you have four-card support. You bid with a jump of either Three Clubs showing 6-9 points or Three Diamonds showing 10-12 points. With under six points (even zero) you do a weak jump pre-emptively directly to Three Spades. With five Spades and less than six points, you jump pre-emptively directly to game, Four Spades. With an opening hand yourself, you bid traditionally to reach your known game in Spades or possible slam.

Many players prefer to play Reverse Bergen where Three Clubs shows 10-12 points and Three Diamonds shows 6-9 points. The advantage of this choice is that the opener has more bidding space when responder shows the stronger hand at Three Clubs. For this column, we will play Reverse Bergen.

Your partner opens One Spade. There may or may not be opponent interference. Let’s say they do bid Two Clubs. In this case, Three Clubs Bergen cannot be used because you need to jump. However, your cue bid of Three Clubs shows the same thing as a Bergen jump to Three Clubs (10-12 points and four-card support of Spades).

A jump to Three Diamonds over the Two Clubs interference shows 6-9 points and four-card Spade support. Partner now knows pretty well what your hand looks like and he makes the decision to bid part-score, game or to try for slam. If partner bids Three Spades after your Three Diamond jump, you just pass and there the hand will be played for the part score.

Be careful if you adopt Bergan Raises. You no longer can do Weak Jump Shifts to the minors! One Heart, Two Spades is OK as is One Spade, Three Hearts for Weak Jump Shifts when playing Bergen Raises.

For more information, read Bergen Raises by Barbara Seagram in 25 More Bridge Conventions, page 21.

Next Week: Cappelletti Defense to 1NT

If you wish to promote an activity in your Bridge group or ask a Bridge question, send the information to vrhead23@gmail.com and I will try to include it in this column.

SOCIAL BRIDGE GAME IN HUNTSVILLE

AT THE SUMMIT CENTRE FOR ACTIVE LIVING, THURSDAYS 7PM

In the multi-purpose room 2^nd floor (elevator) (back entrance of Summit Centre)

Just come – with or without a partner. Please arrive 10 minutes before game time. For information, contact Donna or Peter Tikuisis at 647 471 1774 or [email protected].

This game will be played following Chicago Rules (allowing both fast and slow games). You will keep your same partner for the entire evening. Cost is $1.50 per person. Parking is outside the North Entrance opposite Heritage Village Railway Station.

PORT CARLING SOCIAL BRIDGE CLUB

Games for the Port Carling Social Bridge Club for the Winter are Monday afternoon 1pm at the Port Carling Community Centre, 3 Bailey Street. Please arrive with your partner at least 10 minutes before game time.

For information, contact Andree or Scott 705-764-3827 [email protected]

Results for Monday, Jan 13, 2020 1. Els Vandenberg & Peter Rhead 4790 points; 2. Susan & Ted Daglish 4310 points; 3. Louise Kirbyson & Mavis Hall 3870 points

HUNTSVILLE DUPLICATE BRIDGE CLUB

Games are Tuesday 1pm Trinity United Church 33 Main Street. Please arrive with your partner at least 10 minutes before game time. For partnerships and information call Jan Roberts 705 635-2522 or email [email protected]

Note: The game has changed to 1pm Tuesday for the Winter.

The following winners are for Tuesday, Jan 14, 2020 with 8 pairs playing a Howell Movement 1. Helen Pearson and Jim Smith; 2. Vern Foell and Rod Dixon; 3. Heather Hockin and Yvonne Cox; 4/5. Liz Graham and Dorothy Russell; 4/5. Susan Marshall and Jan Roberts

MUSKOKA DUPLICATE BRIDGE CLUB (Bracebridge)

Games for the Bracebridge Club are Mondays 7pm, Knox Presbyterian Church, 120 Taylor Road. Please arrive with your partner 10 minutes before game time. For information contact Brian at 705-645-5340 [email protected]

The following winners are from Monday, Jan 13, 2020 with 10 pairs playing a Mitchell movement. North-South 1. Mary Luke and Donna McIntosh; 2. Joanne Garvey and Jim Smith; 3. Betty Fagin and Brian Brocklehurst; East-West 1. Mary Mitchell and Isabel Hellberg; 2. Lyn Walisser and Don Evans; 3. Frank Vagnoni and Gerry Lawrence

Looking for more bridge tips? You’ll find them here.

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