WEEK 1 GETTING STARTED
Taking tricks in trump and notrump; following suit; discarding; ruffing; leads: top of a sequence, low from an honor; partner, declarer and dummy;
bidding scale;
game bonus levels |
WEEK 2 OBJECTIVES
Mechanics of Play;
Hand Valuation; Distribution Points; Hand Shapes: Balanced vs Distributional; How High to bid; points required for game contracts; Goldon fit: Suit or no trump? Opening the bidding; no trump range; Responder's decision; Counting winners; Taking tricks; High cards from the short side; Playing in a golden fit; drawing trump |
WEEK 3 RESPONSES TO NO TRUMP
Role of responder – level and suit;
Promoting winners in notrump;
Timing winners and losers;
Promoting winners in a suit contract;
Build a bridge: high cards from the short side;
Patience when promoting |
WEEK 4 RESPONSES TO OPENING BID OF ONE OF A SUIT
Responder classifies strength;
Suit establishment through length;
Giving up the lead;
Distribution of opponents cards;
Responder’s priorities;
Developing tricks through length;
Developing a side suit |
WEEK 5 OPENER'S REBID
Rebid after responder’s Major suit raise / Minor suit raise;
Rebid when responder bid Notrump;
Raising responder’s suit;
Rebid of a new suit at the 2 level;
More rebids over responder’s new suit;
Responder jumps;
Finesse against the ace; the queen;
finessing to draw trump;
The repeated finesse |
WEEK 6 RESPONDER'S REBID
Responder’s rebid over openers Minimum;
Responder’s rebid over opener’s new suit;
Responder’s rebid when opener shows a Medium Hand;
Responder’s rebid when opener shows a Maximum hand;
Trumping loser’s; Developing a trick by ruffing in dummy;
Delaying drawing trumps |
WEEK 7 OVERCALLS AND ADVANCES
Bidding with competition; more on scoring; the overcall; strength and shape for an overcall; whether to overcall; discarding losers; advancing after a 1 level overcall; advancing over a 2 level overcall; advancing to a 1NT overcall;
Another fast discard; the 1 notrump overcall |
WEEK 8 TAKEOUT DOUBLES AND ADVANCES
Doubling for takeout; requirements for takeout; advancing after a takeout double; making a plan; takeout or penalty? Choosing the competitive auction; advancing after takeout double with 8 – 10; 9 – 11; 12 or more; Rebids by takeout doubler; using dummy’s trumps; careful play of side suit; careful play of trump suit; |
WEEK 9 THE STAYMAN CONVENTION
Using the stayman convention; responding to stayman; Responder’s rebid using stayman;
More rebids by responder; finishing the bidding conversation; Handling Interference; showing a 5 card major by responder;
Getting to the right contract; invitational hand; uncovering a golden fit; using stayman with interference; looking for the best contract; more interference;
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