"Good Vibrations" - Third Hand Openers by Marti Ronemus

What could be more summery than the Beach Boys singing "Good Vibrations?" Remember? We bridge players get good (or bad) vibrations when we look at a hand. How many times has a player fallen in love with a hand based on the vibrations... either in the air or their heads. (Alright. Alright. I'm guilty!)

Let's stop using vibrations and quantify things a little. Today we're going to look at third hand openers. Things lighten up quite a bit in third seat. We want to find an excuse to open the bidding. Part is point count, part is shape, part is that elusive quality "texture." Here are some guidelines.

Open light, but not so light it floats (as my husband tells me repeatedly). Some will open with as low as 9 HCP if the shape is good. Another thought, many will preempt in third seat with a Darn Good Five-Card Suit, knowing that Pard, as a previously-passed hand, must pass again.

Let's see what happens. Ready to listen to the vibrations?

Question 1

Your Hand
♠ K 9 4 3
♥ Q 9 8
♦ K Q J 8
♣ 4 3

Q: 1 - South:

South	West	North	East
-	-	Pass	Pass
?

A: 1♦: We've got 11 HCP and we're not crazy about the acelessness (is there such a word?). If Pard, who can't have more than 11 pts, responds, we plan on passing whatever he says. What if he says Clubs? He'll have five. If nothing else, we've given Pard a lead should he need one.

Your result so far:

Open Question

Question 2

Your Hand
♠ 8
♥ Q 9 8 7 2
♦ K 8 2
♣ A 9 5 2

Q: 2 - South:

South	West	North	East
-	-	Pass	Pass
?

A: Pass: Our least favorite word, but this hand has no vibrations at all. Dead.

Your result so far:

Open Question

Question 3

Your Hand
♠ 2
♥ K Q J 9 2
♦ K 8 5 2
♣ 6 5 4

Q: 3 - South:

South	West	North	East
-	-	Pass	Pass
?

A: 2♥: Perfect example of a third-hand preempt with a five-card suit. Tuck a Diamond in with those spectacular Hearts and listen to the beat.

Your result so far:

Open Question

Question 4

Your Hand
♠ K 4 3
♥ 3 2
♦ A Q J 9 4
♣ 5 4 3

Q: 4 - South:

South	West	North	East
-	-	Pass	Pass
?

A: 2♦: Another five-card preempt. Another great suit. The opponents may well walk all over us, but the good news is at least we're forcing them into a tough spot, opening at the two-level.

Your result so far:

Open Question

Question 5

Your Hand
♠ K 9
♥ 9
♦ A Q J 8 5 2
♣ Q 8 7 6

Q: 5 - South:

South	West	North	East
-	-	Pass	Pass
?

A: 3♦: Why 3♦ with this hand and 2♦ with the last? We actually WANT this contract and if we let the opponents in, they'll find their major. They may still do it, but it will be a much harder struggle. Considering Pard is a passed hand, we have very little chance of game, so let's just bid what we think we can make.

And now it's time to play 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.

Play on ANY Device

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!