Menu Vu-Bridge | Play like a Champion!

 "National Spinach Lovers Month" by Marti Ronemus

When someone claims to love spinach, they always describe all the ways they like to eat it. If you pay attention, you'll see everything requires a heavy disguise... hot bacon dressing (I would eat road tar if you put hot spinach dressing on it!), vinegar and chopped eggs, cream sauce with nutmeg. No one says, "I'll take mine plain and boiled."

We can all agree that spinach can be a metaphor for things that are good for us, but not really liked.

We're going to take it a bit further today, and use it to stand for bidding that we can't live without, but many don't much understand/like.

And that brings us to the Dreaded Reverse. Why do Reverses cause so much trouble? Maybe they can't see through the disguise. A reverse can quickly be identified because a) it is a two-level rebid IN A SUIT RESPONDER BYPASSED, and b) the second named suit is HIGHER RANKING than the first.

A reverse promises a fat intermediate hand or more, and the first named suit MUST BE LONGER than the second named suit. And a Reverse is forcing for one round.

So let's take the disguise off the spinach and see if we would reverse with these hands or not.

Question 1

  Your Hand
 3 2
 A K 10 4
 A 10 9 3 2
 Q J
 
Q: 1 - South?
SouthWestNorthEast
1Pass1Pass
?


 Your choice:
A: 1 No-trump: We have a minimum opener. While we have the right shape for a Reverse, we don't have the points. If we rebid Hearts, Pard will have to go to the three-level to return to our original suit.

Your result so far:
Open Question

Bridge Boot Camps

With Marti Ronemus

2015 Schedule
New locations! EXPANDED Dates!



Spend a week combining a vacation and improving your bridge game. You’ll be playing the best bridge of your life. For details and locations,
mronemus@comcast.net

Question 2

  Your Hand
 3 2
 A K J 4
 A Q 10 9 3
 K 5
 
Q: 2 - South?
SouthWestNorthEast
1Pass1Pass
?


 Your choice:
A: 2: NOW we have what it takes to reverse! We have 17 high card points and our first-named suit is longer than our second. Pard will be wondering why we are bidding a suit he bypassed/denied when he bid 1. He will know where nine of our cards are and that we have 16-plus points.

Your result so far:
Open Question

Question 3

  Your Hand
 K 9 8
 A K J 4 3
 A Q J 4
 8
 
Q: 3 - South:
SouthWestNorthEast
1Pass1Pass
?


 Your choice:
A: 3: With this shape, we make a Jump Shift. Easy Peasy

Your result so far:
Open Question

Question 4

  Your Hand
 A K 4 3
 A 4 3
 8
 A K J 4 2
 
Q: 4 - South:
SouthWestNorthEast
1Pass1 No-trumpPass
?


 Your choice:
A: 2: Another opportunity to Reverse. Pard denied holding Spades when he bid 1 No-trump, so we'll show him that we've got a big hand with more Clubs than Spades.

Your result so far:
Open Question

Question 5

  Your Hand
 A K 4 3
 A 4 3
 8
 J 9 8 4 3
 
Q: 5 - South:
SouthWestNorthEast
1Pass1 No-trumpPass
?


 Your choice:
A: Pass: What, you say? You've only got a singleton Diamond? Well, not to worry. Your Pard doesn't have Hearts or Spades, so he's certainly rated to have some Diamonds. Besides, just where do you think you're going? Be quiet and eat your spinach.

Time for our hand.

Your result so far:
Open Question

Play this Hand

Now that you've bid five hands, let's see how your play goes.

Overall Results

Your results:   out of    Average: 

What next? You may enjoy playing our prepared hands series.
More informations on our website: www.VuBridge.com

Rate yourself:

0 - 40% We applaud your effort.
Review the subject and try again. You'll be surprised how much better you'll do.
We're here for you!!
41 - 50% Buy your mentor a cuppa and ask for clarification on the ones you got wrong.
No mentor? Make finding one a priority!
51 - 60% Nice improvement! One more review and you'll have this down solid!
61 - 80% What a good job! All that's left is some fine tuning
Over 80% Wow! It's time for you to become a mentor. Find someone who needs help and share your knowledge!