Everything I Learned at Friday Afternoon Bridge

CONVENTIONS

Weak jump shift: After partner opens the bidding, the use of a jump bid in a new suit, with the
intention to preempt opponents. Ex: 1C – (P) – 2S

Transfer Bid: “ one player makes an artificial bid to tell his partner to open a suit. This has the
advantage that the stronger hand will be declarer and therefore the high cards will be concealed.
They apply after any natural 1NT, 2NT, or 3NT opening. In short, the responder bids the lowest
level of ♦ or ♥ as a request for the opener to bid ♥ or ♠, respectively.”

Weak 2: “…a jump bid of two of a suit signifies a weak hand with a long suit. It is a form of
preemptive bid. Most often, the term refers to an opening bid; there is also a "weak jump
overcall", which denotes a similar type of hand, but bid over an opponent's opening bid.

The requirements for a weak two bid vary…the most common treatment is that it requires:

• an exactly six-card good suit (the definition of "good" being subject to interpretation)
• no more than one Ace or King in other suits
• no side 5-card suit or 4-card major
• about 6-11 high card points total.”

TACTICS

Finesse: “the attempt to gain power for lower-ranking cards by taking advantage of the
favorable position of higher-ranking cards held by the opposition”. One example: dummy has
an A-Q. Dealer leads and after 2nd hand plays, plays the Q from the dummy hoping the 4th hand
doesn’t hold the K.

TRUISMS … which aren’t always true

Lead: away from your K (hoping the A will take the trick)

4th card down from your longest & strongest suit (to set up your high cards to take tricks)

back to the suit that your partner led (assuming your partner is sending a message)

Play: 2nd hand low and 3rd hand high (to avoid giving 4th hand a cheap trick)

cover an honor with an honor