Welcome to Jennbridge!

NEW!! BRIDGE TOURNAMENT HANDBOOK

Tips for Astonishing Success at  Bridge Tournaments

BRIDGE TOURNAMENT HANDBOOK:  A CHECKLIST and GUIDEBOOK FOR TOURNAMENT SUCCESS

Would you like to have more fun and greater success at bridge tournaments? Then this book is for you. The Bridge Tournament Handbook is for busy advancing players who want some great tips to tune up their game before heading off to a tournament - or even their local bridge club. It presents valuable information that you can refer to again and again, so can be used as a reference book.

Written for intermediate/advanced players -- with a dash of information for newer players.

Did you know that there are steps you can actually take to prepare for a bridge tournament? Just like professional athletes prepare for competition, we, as bridge players can prepare for competition. There are steps we can take to gain more confidence, more focus and the right mindset. We want to be confident, alert and bold. The Bridge Tournament Handbook will help you hone your skills and get you into the winning mindset. Hundreds of insightful tips from teachers and experts illustrated with great hands from actual tournaments. 

Bridge is the most entertaining and intelligent card game the wit of man has so far devised.           Somerset Maugham

 

BRIDGE TOURNAMENT HANDBOOK CONTENTS

• Playing at the Nationals and Other Tournaments (For Newer Players)
•  Focus, Concentration and Improving Memory (Memory is everything!) 
•  Convention Card Review, Plus Larry Cohen's Classic Tips to Simplify 
• Strategy and Tips for Pair Games 
• Strategy and Tips for Team Games
• Probability of Suit-Divisions Table (A great reference source)
• Bidding Tip: Losing Trick Count (Contains my NABC handout)
• Declarer Play Tip: Counting (For serious players: Improve your counting for excellent play!)
• Defensive Tip: Carding, Discarding and Signals & Opening leads
• Expert Bidding Secrets (Not taught in bridge lessons!)
• Card Play Principles: Restricted Choice, Rule of 11
• Great tips from Teachers and Other Experts: Gerry Fox, Jo Ginsberg, Peggy Tatro, Bruce Blakely, Sara Rothmuller, Bob Klein, Kathy Venton, Kate Hill 

APPENDICES: NABC INFORMATION (For Newer Players)

A. Types of Pair Games                                                                  

B. Types of Team Games                                                                

C. Types of Masterpoints

This handbook is filled with hundreds of great (previously unpublished) tips for tournament success and presents a valuable roadmap to navigate the rough waters of competitive bridge and get you on the winning path! 

One copy: $14.95. Bridge Bulletin Special: 2 copies for $24.95! 
 
Order from the PayPal button on the top right. **Discounts for bridge teachers.
Questions: Contact me at Jennife574@aol.com. 

Guaranteed to elevate your game or your money back! See book reviews on top right. 

Thanks - See you in San Francisco! I will be a "celebrity speaker". Come say hello!

Losint Trick Count Q & A

Here's an email I received this week about using Losing Trick Count.

Hi Jennifer,

Question on how the bidding should have gone with a 1,5,6,1 distribution please.

N: S K84, H QJ3, D J2, C J976         7LTC, 12 pts

S: S 97652, H K5, D K53, C 643      9LTC, 6 pts

E: S AQJ3, H 862, D AJ, C AT98      7LTC, 16 pts

W: S T, H AT974, D QT9842, C 7   6LTC, 6pts

I was West and with a 6 losing trick count opened 1H. Right, Wrong?

Bidding: P – 1H – P – 1S; P - 2D – P – 3NT we went down 1

Bridge printout says we make 2NT, 4H, 4D.

So with my 5-6 west hand, should I have opened or passed?

Or how should this board have been bid? Maybe to get to 4H or 4D?

At this time, we are playing Standard American. Any thoughts on how to evaluate and bid this board etc. would be greatly appreciated?

Thank you.

------------------------------------------------

Dear 6-5 friend,

Although you only have six losers, you don't have enough HCP to open the bidding. You should be "in the range" – probably at least 10 HCP. Also remember this: losing trick count does not really apply until you find a fit.

 

That being said – once you open, your partner has heart support and should always take you to game in hearts, not NT!

 

Now let's look at how the auction should have gone. Your partner would open 1NT and you would transfer to hearts. Now you might consider taking another call, say, 3D, at which point he would jump to four hearts with his maximum. His hand will play great in hearts with his aces, three trumps and ruffing value.

Good luck!

* These topics are covered in my articles in the Bridge Bulletin; the most recent series published in May, 2018 through Oct., 2018.

*For more info, grab a copy of one or both of my LTC books, available on this site.

See you at the table!

A One (1) Loser Hand!

Playing pairs at the Santa Rosa Sectional yesterday, I was stunned to pick up this hand.

♠ AKQ1092
♥ A
♦ A4
♣ AKQ4

I didn't bother counting the points...I don't think I've ever seen a hand like this!

After RHO passed, I duly opened 2♣. Partner, Bob Klein, bid 2♦, waiting, and I bid 2♠.

As he considered his rebid, I considered mine. "If he shows a 'double negative', I will still bid a slam", I thought. Or...he may hold one of the other kings which would be great.

4♠ was his rebid.  Wow!  Not a strong bid, but showing a little something.

I couldn't resist. From the bidding box I pulled out the 7♠ card!

Everyone at the table was quite surprised.

Now let's see what he's got.  The J♣ was led.

♠ J75
♥ K10752
♦ 92
♣982

♠ AKQ1092
♥ A
♦ A4
♣ AKQ4

There it was--the ♥K!  Now I needed to be able to get to the board, and that could be accomplished in a couple of different ways.  If spades broke 2-2 it would be easy.

I played the A♠ and K♠ and all followed!  Now I cashed the ♥A and the top clubs (which broke 4-2) and ruffed the 4th club with the J♠. My diamond loser was discarded on the ♥K and I scored up my grand.

At the end of the round, Bob asked me what my hand was and pointed out that it was a ONE LOSER HAND! (Bd. 13, second session.)

I could have bid RKC and then asked for kings to arrive at the same contract.  I kind of liked to just leap there, however, due to a bit of fun bridge superstition I have. I refer occasionally to the "Bridge Gods" and believe that if you don't pay maximum respect to great hands, that the Bridge Gods will not bless you with others in the future!

Plus 2210 was worth 15 out of 19 matchpoints and helped us to a high overall finish.

See you at the table!