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 "More Danger!!" Over Opponent's Pre-empt by Marti Ronemus

And we thought trying a new, complicated convention was dangerous life-on-the-edge? How about this! Mushroom hunting is even more dangerous. The differences between deadly and delicious mushrooms can be subtle and hard to spot, and it's not a verdict that should be left up to guessing. Earlier this year, 14 people in Northern California became sick after eating foraged "death cap" mushrooms, and three had to have liver transplants.

There are computer apps designed to help the amateur separate yum from death, but getting a guidebook is most experts' recommended method for safely foraging for mushrooms. So please, if you want to become a mushroom hunter, ditch the apps, hire a guide, take a class, or, at the very least, buy a good book. We need every bridge player alive!

Another dangerous area is bidding over the opponent's pre-empts. First, when They pre-empt, you should hear the sound of a car alarm going off in your head. They are trying to rob you. How dare they.

Second, when one hand is very distributional, others are likely to be also.

Third, we are going to try hard to enter the fray. Eddie Kantar says to use ESP... Expect Seven Points ... from your Pard. That will help you decide what to do. We have three choices: Pass, Overcall or Double.

Fourth, forgive yourself for bad decisions. Pre-empts are designed to kick you in the knees, and they work. They, like poison mushrooms, are designed to take us down. We are going to stand up to them.

Question 1

  Your Hand
 A 4
 K J 9 7 6 5
 6
 A 9 8 4
 
Q: 1 - South:
SouthWestNorthEast
---3
?


 Your choice:
A: 3: We like our chances on this one. We are indeed forced to the three-level, but with our wonderful shape and fairly nice suit, we are not going to lie (lay?) down and cry "uncle." With East showing weakness, we're even more likely to catch Pard with some goodies.

Your result so far:
Open Question

Question 2

  Your Hand
 A 10 9
 Q 8 5 4
 K Q 9 6
 J 4
 
Q: 2 - South:
SouthWestNorthEast
---3
?


 Your choice:
A: Pass: This hand is just too ratty to bid. We can't overcall a four-card suit at the three-level (really, we shouldn't!). We cannot double because we just don't have enough to offer Pard, especially if he were to bid Spades. We have to let this one go, and hope Pard finds a way to enter the auction.

Your result so far:
Open Question

Question 3

  Your Hand
 J 8 6 5 4
 Q 2
 A J 9
 A Q 9
 
Q: 3 - South:
SouthWestNorthEast
---2
?


 Your choice:
A: Pass: We're on the fence with this one. We hate to be robbed and we do after all have 14 points. Or do we? West is rated to have points, which is bad news for our minor suit tenaces. Rats. Add to that the wretched quality of our Spades, and we teeter on the edge. What pushes into a pass is a brief look at the vulnerability.

Your result so far:
Open Question

Question 4

  Your Hand
 A K 10 8 4
 Q J 8
 A 10 9
 8 3
 
Q: 4 - South:
SouthWestNorthEast
---2
?


 Your choice:
A: 2: If we pass this one, the whole table will be wondering what kind of mushrooms we've been eating! Notice we have 14 points in this hand also, but our suit is something to be proud of. Also we like the location of our Heart honors, behind the Heart bidder.

Your result so far:
Open Question

Question 5

  Your Hand
 Q J 9 4
 A J 8 5
 K J 10
 A J
 
Q: 5 - South:
SouthWestNorthEast
---2
?


 Your choice:
A: 2 No-trump. This bid, over a two-level pre-empt says, "I would have opened 1 No-trump but am forced to the two-level." It also promises stopper(s) in the pre-emptor's suit. Could you double with this hand? Sure. We like 2 No-trump though because it shows the Diamond stopper(s). Over this bid, by the way, Stayman and Transfers are still on. Another plus for the bid.

And now it's 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.

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Overall Results

Your results:   out of    Average: 

What next? You may enjoy playing our prepared hands series.
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