Issue 13 - Standard American

Editorial by Paul Bowyer

Welcome to the thirteenth edition of V-Blue, the interactive magazine for those learning the wonderful game of bridge.

In this issue there are three important series for you to enjoy. Two series (of six hands each) are on Opening bids and No-Trump rebids. The issue here is: how do you show balanced hands that are outside the range to open 1NT? Right – you open one of a suit and rebid No-trumps – but how many do you bid? And what strength are you showing your partner? We attempt to lead you through the tangled undergrowth so that you won’t trip up. We haven’t neglected the play part, which has something of a focus on suit establishment and entries. Old ground, maybe, but it is a good idea to revisit these areas as the problems we encounter here occur often at the table. Some of the hands may be easy enough and some just a little tougher.

When you have absorbed the lessons here you may care to try out our “General Series” of eight assorted deals. These are designed for you to see what you have gained from previous editions of VuBridge. You can’t improve at this game without lots of practice and these deals give you plenty of opportunity for that.

Finally, you might like to try out the quiz. This reinforces the main topic of this edition – rebidding balanced hands outside the 1NT range. Maybe you’d like to try that first? It’s up to you. Whatever you choose, make sure you enjoy yourself.

Series #2362 - Balanced hands outside the 1NT range - Part I (SA)

This series (and another elsewhere in this edition) is all about rebidding balanced hands unsuitable to be opened with 1NT.

There is a perfect No-trump bid for every balanced hand, even when you can't open 1NT to show 15-17 points.

Series #2362 - Balanced hands outside the 1NT range - Part I (SA):

Vu-Bridge Quiz: Rebids with a balanced hand

We know that opening 1NT shows 15-17 points. How, then, do we deal with hands that are balanced but either too weak or too strong to open 1NT?

The answer is simple enough. We open with a suit bid and then rebid in No-trumps. We bid them at a minimum level with a minimum hand to show 12-14 points and we jump a round of bidding to show a hand too strong (that is: 18-19 points). Click here to run the Quiz

Series #2363 - Balanced hands outside the 1NT range - Part II (SA version)

This series (following on from another elsewhere in this edition) is all about rebidding balanced hands unsuitable to be opened with 1NT.

It will give you further practice in bidding those balanced hands that are the wrong strength to be opened with 1NT.

Series #2363 - Balanced hands outside the 1NT range - Part II (SA):

Here are eight general practice hands on the themes that we have been looking at in VuBridge. They are in no particular order, just enjoy them as they come...

Series #2810 - General Hands: