Issue 24 - Standard American

Editorial by Paul Bowyer

Welcome to the twenty-fourth and final edition of V-Blue, Year One, the e-magazine for those fresh to the wonderful game of bridge.

In this final issue before you move on to the exciting world of V-Blue, Year Two there are – as ever – three excellent series for you.

Two series (of six hands each) are on the subject of Defense – third hand giving count. Here you will be defending 3NT contracts (let’s face it – it is the most common contract in the world so this scenario is as common as rain in Maine) from the perspective of both the opening leader and of his partner. How can you tell each other what you have? Well, your options are limited but the information you can convey is vital. Master this area of the game and contracts will fall around you like leaves in the autumn.

Our third series, of eight deals, is our “General Series” where we mix up some hands and ideas from previous editions of Vu-Bridge. Some of these deals are easy... and some of them less so.

You can further test yourself with our quiz. As it’s the last quiz of the year we have mixed everything up so that there is no theme. A pot-pourri of questions just so you can see what you have learnt this year. Enjoy yourselves.

Series #2628 - Defense against NT: 3rd hand giving count - Part I (SA)

This set of six deals is concerned with defensive co-operation against 3NT. There is another set in this edition of V-Blue with a similar theme. Much of this defensive play is concerned with counting. You must be able to count your own suit if you are the opening leader and partner should be there in third seat, ready and willing to help. There are clear conventions in leading back partner's suit when you are the third player.

With two cards remaining lead the higher; with three cards remaining lead the lowest.

This allows (an intelligent) partner to know how his suit is lying and what declarer has left. This may be very important on some deals – we'll see how this works as we go along.

Series #2628 - Defenseagainst NT: 3rd hand giving count - Part I (SA):

End of Year 1 General Quiz

This is edition 24 of V-Blue and is the last of the Year One series.

To mark your graduation into Year Two (!) we are giving you ten unrelated questions, just so that you can see how much you have learned.

Click here to run the Quiz.

Series #2630 - Defense against NT: 3rd hand giving count - Part II (SA) This set of deals (the second of two on this topic) is all about the take-out Double.

Series #2630 - Defense against NT: 3rd hand giving count - Part II (SA):

Series #2830 - General Hands (SA):