Learn Bridge: The Bridge Centre Podcast

“Helen, I have a confession. Last Tuesday I opened a hand with thirteen points, partner raised me to game, and we went down three.”

Rules to remember. One: honours are worth most in long suits and least in short ones. Two: the Rule of Twenty for opening borderline hands. Three: re-value your hand after every bid. Four: add dummy points only once you have a fit. And five: once you have a fit, count your losers.

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Next Steps in Bridge is a free course from The Bridge Centre.

“Helen, on Tuesday I was defending, and my partner played the nine of spades on my ace. And then she looked at me.”

Rules to remember. One: against no-trump, lead the top of a sequence, or the fourth highest of your longest suit. Two: against a suit contract, lead partner's suit, the top of a sequence, or a singleton, and don't lead away from an ace. Three: from three cards headed by an honour in partner's suit, lead low. Four: a high card encourages, a low card discourages. And five: game is worth three hundred not vulnerable, five hundred vulnerable, and a part-score is worth fifty.

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Bridge Homework is a free course from The Bridge Centre.

“Helen, I picked up a hand on Tuesday with twenty-two points.”

Rules to remember. One: open two clubs with twenty-two or more, or about nine playing tricks, and partner's two diamonds is a waiting bid. Two: open two no-trump with twenty to twenty-one balanced. Three: a small slam needs about thirty-three points, a grand slam about thirty-seven. Four: four no-trump is Blackwood, and don't use it when you hold a void. And five: before trick one, count your winners or your losers, and make a plan.

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Bridge Homework is a free course from The Bridge Centre.

“Helen, I need to complain about the opponents.”

Rules to remember. One: an overcall shows a good five-card suit, eight to sixteen at the one level, eleven to sixteen at the two level. Two: a one no-trump overcall is fifteen to eighteen, balanced, with a stopper. Three: a takeout double shows twelve-plus, shortness in their suit and support for the others, and partner must bid. Four: a weak two is five to eleven points with a good six-card suit. And five: with a weak hand and seven cards, preempt at the three level.

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Bridge Homework is a free course from The Bridge Centre.

“Helen, something terrible happened at class. The teacher told us that if partner opens one no-trump and I have hearts, I should bid diamonds.”

Rules to remember. One: opener's rebid shows strength: twelve to fifteen minimum, sixteen to eighteen medium, nineteen to twenty-one maximum. Two: balanced twelve to fourteen, open a suit and rebid one no-trump; balanced eighteen to nineteen, open a suit and jump to two no-trump. Three: over one no-trump, two clubs is Stayman, with about eight points and a four-card major. Four: two diamonds is a transfer to hearts, and two hearts is a transfer to spades. And five: replies to Stayman are two diamonds for no major, two hearts for four hearts, and two spades for four spades.

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Bridge Homework is a free course from The Bridge Centre.

“Helen, my wife and I tried bidding last night.”

Rules to remember. One: open with twelve or more, or use the Rule of Twenty. Two: balanced fifteen to seventeen, open one no-trump; twenty to twenty-one, open two no-trump. Three: five-card majors, and with two five-card suits open the higher. Four: no five-card major, open your longer minor. And five: as responder, a new suit at the one level shows six-plus, a raise shows support and six to ten, and a new suit at the two level shows ten-plus.

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Bridge Homework is a free course from The Bridge Centre.

“Helen, I went to my first class. I played a whole hand of bridge.”

Rules to remember. One: follow suit if you can, and the highest card of the suit led wins, unless someone trumps. Two: ace four, king three, queen two, jack one, forty in the pack. Three: you need six tricks of book plus the number you bid. Four: the games are three no-trump, four hearts, four spades, five clubs and five diamonds. And five: play the high card from the shorter hand first.

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Bridge Homework is a free course from The Bridge Centre.

“Helen, I need to tell you something before we record.”

Rules to remember. One: take the jokers out, and don't ask. Two: deal face down, clockwise, one at a time, and don't touch your hand until the deal is done. Three: sort your cards by suit, alternating red and black. Four: the suits rank clubs, diamonds, hearts, spades, alphabetical for once. And five: write your answers down before you check them.

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Bridge Homework is a free course from The Bridge Centre.