If you hurry, you can still make it to the World Championship Cardboard Boat Races held tomorrow in Heber Springs, Arkansas. Are you picturing little tiny boats, daintily floating down the stream? No! These are monsters, holding as many as 10 oarsmen (oarspeople?). The rules are simple: No materials other than corrugated cardboard, waterproofing and tape (imagine the leap in Duck Tape sales!), and oars only as propellant.
Not only are there prizes for crossing the finish line first, but for best design, best team spirit, and the most waited-for, the Titanic Award for the most spectacular sinking.
My BFF and I went to see a local version, and it was definitely more fun than grownups should have.
And our bridge tie-in? Have you ever won the Titanic award for the most spectacular sinking of a hand? You've been there, and have the T-shirt, right?
Today we're going to look at responses to preempts, a tough subject. The best way to handle it is to keep the following in mind:
1) Bridge is a game of TRICKS, not POINTS. When Pard preempts, he is bringing 5-1/2 tricks to the races. Add YOUR tricks and bid to that level.
2) The worse your hand is opposite Pard's already-known-to-be-bad hand, the more important it is to follow the Law of Total Tricks and bid to the level of trumps in your combined hands.
3) Going down is NOT a Bad Think. The goal of a preempt is to steal the contract, and/or make it very hard for opponents to reach their best contract. Going down -50 or -100 (sometimes higher) is a small price to pay to prevent their 420 or higher.
Pick up your oars, and let's get started.
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