By Val Rhead
An important part of the game of Contract Bridge is defense. After all, in approximately half of all hands that you play in Bridge, you play as defenders. So it is necessary that you work to improve your defensive skills. An important part of this defense begins in the bidding of the hands.
Today, we continue our conversation about the convention called DONT which is an acronym for Disturb Opponents’ No Trump. It allows you to insert bids into the bidding process that interfere with your opponents’ ability to reach their best contract. It also gives you and your partner information that will assist you in finding the best defense against the opponents’ contract, such as what suits to attack and what leads to make. Also, it sometimes allows you to find a good part-score contract for your side, a good sacrifice contract, or even occasionally an attainable game contract.
The following are the features of the DONT convention, bid by you, after a One No Trump opening by an opponent. In each of the following cases, your partner must alert and explain the meaning of your bid because your opponents are entitled to know that your bid is not natural.
DOUBLE – You have a LONG SUIT (six or more). Unless opponent bids, partner must bid Two Clubs to find out your long suit. If your long suit is Clubs, you just PASS. Otherwise you correct to your long suit (unless opponent bids – then you or partner are off the hook).
TWO CLUBS – You have a TWO-SUITED hand (five – five or occasionally five and strong four) Clubs and a higher ranking suit. Unless opponent bids, partner must PASS if he has at least two Clubs, or bid Two Diamonds to find out your other suit. If your other suit is Diamonds, you just PASS. Otherwise you correct to your second suit (unless opponent bids – then you or partner are off the hook).
TWO DIAMONDS – You have a TWO-SUITED hand – Diamonds and a higher ranking suit. Unless opponent bids, partner must PASS if he has at least two Diamonds, or bid Two Hearts to find out your other suit. If your other suit is Hearts, you just PASS. Otherwise you correct, in this case to Spades, (unless opponent bids – then you or partner are off the hook).
TWO HEARTS – You have a TWO-SUITED hand in the majors – Hearts and Spades. Unless opponent bids, partner must PASS Two Hearts if he has at least two Hearts, or bid Two Spades if Spades is his better suit (unless opponent bids – then you or partner are off the hook).
TWO SPADES – You have a good Spade suit. The bid is lead directing telling partner to lead Spades when on lead. Partner must PASS.
The DONT bid is not designed to get you to a game contract. After all, if the opener has a 15-point hand and the responder has some points, there aren’t usually enough points left over to get your side to game. However on occasion, miracles can happen. The primary purpose of this convention is to disturb the accuracy of your opponents’ bidding so that they might go down, or to get your side to a competitive part-score contract.
If you wish to promote an activity in your bridge group or ask a bridge question, send the information to [email protected] and I will include it in this column.
HUNTSVILLE DUPLICATE BRIDGE CLUB
Games for the Huntsville Club are Tuesday evening 7:00, Trinity United Church 33 Main Street. Please arrive at least 15 minutes early. Contact Jan Roberts 705-635-2522 or [email protected] for information and partnerships.
The following winners are for Tuesday, Jul 10 with 19 pairs playing a Mitchell movement. North-South 1. Fay MacDonald and Yvonne Cox; 2. Linda Planeta and Andrea Killackey; 3. Diane Taylor and Martin Taylor; 4. Vern Foell and Rod Dixon; 5. Joanne Garvey and Barb Green; 6. Mary Simonett and Kel Andresen; East-West 1. Ann Cassie and Bruce Cassie; 2. Gail Titus and Paula Coleman; 3. Donna Tikuisis and Peter Tikuisis; 4. Art Insley and Don Evans; 5. Jim Smith and Ralph Mitchell; 6. Jennifer Thompson and Gordon Duncan
MUSKOKA DUPLICATE BRIDGE CLUB (Bracebridge)
Games for the Bracebridge Club are Mondays 7pm, Knox Presbyterian Church, 120 Taylor Road. Please arrive 15 minutes before game time. For information or partnerships, call Brian at 705-645-5340 [email protected]
The following winners are from Monday, Jul 9 with 30 pairs playing a Mitchell movement. North-South 1. Mary Mitchell and Susan Maddocks; 2. Betty Fagin and Brian Brocklehurst; 3. Mary Luke and Donna McIntosh; 4. Lyn Walisser and Bev Howard; 5. Diane Taylor and Martin Taylor; 6. Betty Rintoul and Hazel Bowes; 7. Jane Froese and Hank Froese; East-West 1. Fay MacDonald and Mary Whitehead; 2. Art Insley and Don Evans; 3. Jennifer Thompson and Sheila Robinson; 4. Val Rhead and Joanne Garvey; 5. Liz Barnes and David Bryce; 6. Joan Joel and Peter Joel; 7. Kathy Kent and David Kent
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