Staking Your Claim Online

Etiquette for online bridge differs from face-to-face bridge in several ways. Perhaps the most notable difference is this: When playing online, claim when you can.

In face-to-face bridge, a contested claim can become a rather messy affair. Unless all players agree to play the hand out, the Director may need to be summoned, and it will likely take longer than if there had been no claim.

But in online bridge, either opponent may reject a claim by simply clicking the "No" button on the popup. Play resumes from that point: no muss, no fuss, no Director calls.

When is it time to claim? When there is no doubt about the outcome of the hand. If your hand is all good, or all worthless, or all good except for one or two obvious losers: it's time to claim.

How To Claim: Click the blue Claim button at the lower left corner of the table.

A popup window will appear, asking how many more tricks you are claiming, and with space to enter any explanation. [Pro Tip: Type your explanation into the Table Chat instead; it is easier for the opponents to read there.]  Your explanation might include "draw trumps" or "you get a spade" or "crossruff", just as in face-to-face bridge.

Each opponent will see a yellow popup dialog stating your claim and any explanation. If both opponents click Yes, the claim is accepted. If either opponent clicks No, the claim is rejected and play continues.

When Your Opponent Claims: A yellow popup dialog will appear, with the claim statement and any explanation. If you accept the claim, click Yes. You and your partner must both click Yes (no conferring!) for the claim to be accepted. Click No if you reject the claim, or if you don't understand it within 15 seconds or so. Your opponent will not be able to see who rejected the claim.

Defenders Can Claim Too: Either defender may Claim, or Concede (claim no more tricks), as appropriate. Declarer and defender's partner must both accept the claim; either may reject the claim.

We don't need to practice our mouse clicks while declarer plays out all winners one card at a time.  Claim When You Can.

Finally, a reminder from the Laws of Duplicate Bridge

LAW 74. CONDUCT AND ETIQUETTE. ... B. Etiquette. As a matter of courtesy a player should refrain from: ... 4. prolonging play unnecessarily (as in playing on although he knows that all the tricks are surely his) for the purpose of disconcerting an opponent. 

-- Ray 
Better Bridge in 5 Minutes. Guaranteed! (or the next one is free)

Jacoby Transfers 102

Partner opened 1NT, showing 15-17 high card points (HCP). You bid  2♦ or  2♥, a Jacoby Transfer showing at least five cards in the respective major. Partner accepted your transfer at the two level. Now what?

First, some Jacoby Transfer fundamentals:

1. Partner has at least two-card support, because she opened 1NT showing a balanced hand.
2. Partner does not have a maximum 1NT opener with four-card support. If she did, she would have super-accepted the transfer at the three level.
3. If you have 6+ cards in the major, you have less than game-going values. Otherwise, you would have bid a Texas Transfer at the four level. (There is an exception that we'll cover presently.)
4. If we have an eight-card major suit fit we always play in the major, never in notrump. There are situations when a notrump contract might be superior, but they are almost impossible to reliably identify in Jacoby Transfer auctions.
• Therefore when we offer partner a choice between notrump and the major suit, we show only five cards in the major. With six cards in the major, we only offer partner a choice of how high in the major.

With those principles in mind, let's look at what might happen next:

• Transfer, then Pass.  1NT - 2♦ - 2♥ - Pass
  Your hand is not worth a game invitation, typically less than 7 HCP. Recall that partner has denied a maximum opener with four-card support. You might even have four cards in the other major, if your hand is too weak for a Stayman response.
• Transfer, then raise  1NT - 2♥ - 2♠ - 3♠
  Quantitative invitation to the major suit game. You show 7-8 HCP and six cards in the major, for example:
  ♠ K Q 10 5 4 2 ♥ 9 4 ♦ Q 8 7 ♣ 6 3
  If partner has 16+ HCP, she will bid game in the major; otherwise, she will pass.
• Transfer, then rebid 2NT.
  Quantitative invitation to either game, notrump or the major. You show 8-9 HCP and exactly five cards in the major. If partner has 16+ HCP she will bid 3NT with only two-card support, or four of the major with three-card support. With a minimum opener, partner will pass with two-card support, and sign off in three of the major with three-card support.
• Transfer, then bid 3NT
  Offers partner a choice of games: showing 10-14 HCP, only five cards in the major, and denying a singleton or void. If partner has three or more cards in the major, she will bid game in the major.
• Transfer, then bid three of a minor suit
  Natural and forcing to game: at least four cards (usually) in the minor suit, at least five in the major (of course), and 9+ HCP. Partner's first priority is to support the major with three or more by bidding three of the major. With only two-card support in the major, partner will usually sign off in 3NT. With an exceptional hand for the minor suit, partner can raise to four of the minor. Partner will not bid beyond four of the major, because you may have a six-card major suit in this sequence.
• Transfer to hearts, then bid two spades
  Nonforcing: shows a weak hand with least 5-5 in the majors and 0-6 HCP. Partner either passes or corrects to 3♥ if she has a definite preference for hearts.
• Transfer to spades, then bid three hearts
  Invitational to either major suit game, showing at least 5-5 in the majors and about 7-8 HCP. With a minimum NT opener, partner can pass or correct to 3♠. With 16+ HCP, partner chooses the major suit game.
• Transfer to spades, then bid four hearts
  Offers partner a choice of major suit games, showing at least 5-5 in the majors and 9+ HCP; partner can either pass or correct to 4♠.
• Texas Transfer, then pass. 1NT - 4♥ - 4♠ - Pass 
  To play, with no slam interest. At least a six card suit with about 9-12 HCP.
• Transfer, then raise to game  1NT - 2♥ - 2♠ - 4♠ 
  "Slamvitational" A quantitative invitation to six of the major, showing a sound six-card suit with some extra values (about 13-14 HCP). If you had no interest in slam, you would have just done a Texas Transfer at the four-level. Partner can show slam interest by cue-bidding an ace or asking for aces/keycards. Note the difference between this and the previous auction.
• Transfer, then bid 4NT. 1NT - 2♦ - 2♥ - 4NT
  "Slamvitational" A quantitative invitation to either slam, showing only five cards in the major and about 15-16 HCP. This is NOT Blackwood or a keycard-ask. With a minimum opener, partner will pass with two-card support or correct to five of the major with three or more. With 16+ HCP, partner will bid the major suit slam (with three-card support) or 6NT with only two-card support.
• Texas Transfer, then bid 4NT.  1NT - 4♦ - 4♥ - 4NT
  Pushing for slam by checking on aces or keycards, depending on your partnership agreement. Shows at least six cards in the major suit. Note the difference between this auction and the previous one.

-- Ray 

Better Bridge in 5 Minutes. Guaranteed! (or the next one is free)

Third Hand Basics

We are defending. Dummy is on your right, declarer on your left. Partner is on lead. You will be third to play to the trick, so we refer to you as "third hand."  Here are some basic examples and rules for third hand play when we have the option to win the trick. (You are East every time here.)

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	4 3 2
6	N W E S	A J 5

Partner leads the 6, declarer plays low from dummy's three small cards. What to do?
ANSWER: Play the Ace. Partner has led the suit, hoping to find you with some high cards there. Play the highest one you have, trying to win the trick. Unless there is something much more important to do right now, you will lead the Jack next. On a good day, partner will have started with K 10 8 6 and the two of you will trap declarer's queen.
RULE 1: THIRD HAND HIGH

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	K 3 2
7	N W E S	A Q 5

Partner leads the 7, declarer calls for the 2 from dummy. Hmm, third hand high... play the Ace?
ANSWER: Play the Queen. It would be obviously silly to play the Ace and set up dummy's King, when you could simply win the trick with the Queen.  Note that you will not cash the Ace right now unless it is the setting trick; cashing the Ace just sets up the King for declarer.
RULE 1: THIRD HAND HIGH
RULE 2: BUT NO HIGHER THAN NECESSARY Everybody likes a bargain; don't spend more than necessary.

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	Q 3 2
7	N W E S	K J 10

Partner leads the 7, declarer calls for the 2 from dummy. Your play?
ANSWER: Play the 10, not the Jack. No higher than necessary! When declarer wins with the Ace, partner will realize that you must have the Jack (and maybe the King). If declarer had the Jack, she would play it over your 10; since she didn't play the Jack, you must have it. When following suit with touching honors, fol-LOW with the LOWest of touching honors.
RULE 1: THIRD HAND HIGH
RULE 2: BUT NO HIGHER THAN NECESSARY

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	Q J 5 4
8	N W E S	A K 10 9 6 3 2

You preempted at the three-level with this suit; declarer bid four in her own suit. Partner led the 8, declarer played the 4 from dummy. Your play?
ANSWER: Play the 9. No higher than necessary! Yes, partner's 8 will win if declarer has the 7 (the only missing card in the suit). But partner won't be able to continue the suit, so it's necessary for you to take over with the 9, following suit with the lowest of touching honors, the lowest card that will do the job.
RULE 1: THIRD HAND HIGH
RULE 2: BUT NO HIGHER THAN NECESSARY

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	Q 3 2
7	N W E S	A J 10 9 5

You bid this suit and declarer bid notrump, ending the auction. Partner led the 7, declarer low from dummy. Your play?
ANSWER: Play the 9. No higher than necessary, lowest of touching honors, and staying in control of the suit. Declarer obviously has the king. If you play the ace right now, you give declarer two tricks in the suit: the king and queen. If you play the nine now -- no higher than necessary to force the king -- declarer can never cash the queen. Your ace-jack will be good for two tricks over dummy's queen.
So, win one trick now and give declarer two tricks, or give declarer one trick now and get two for yourself later? Do the math, and stay in control of the suit.
RULE 1: THIRD HAND HIGH
RULE 2: BUT NO HIGHER THAN NECESSARY
RULE 3: AND KEEP CONTROL OVER DUMMY'S HONOR

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Okay, last one for now...

	Q 8 5
2	N W E S	A J 9

A notrump contract: partner led the 2 and declarer played the 8 from dummy. What now?
ANSWER: Play the Jack. Stay in control of the suit, no higher than necessary. We expect that partner's two is fourth-best from a king-high suit. When your jack holds, dummy's queen is toast: lead the ace next and continue with the nine to partner's king and another. Four tricks for the taking if you play your cards right! Note the difference between this and the very first example, where dummy did not have any honors in the suit.
RULE 1: THIRD HAND HIGH
RULE 2: BUT NO HIGHER THAN NECESSARY
RULE 3: AND KEEP CONTROL OVER DUMMY'S HONOR

-- Ray 
Better Bridge in 5 Minutes. Guaranteed! (or the next one is free)

Insufficient!

Here's a rules situation that even many experienced players tend to fumble...

West	Partner	East	You
1 ♥	2 ♣	1 ♠	??

It's your call... "Director, Please" of course. The 1 ♠ call is an insufficient bid, because it is not higher than the previous bid of 2 ♣.

The Director says that you may accept the insufficient bid and the auction will proceed from that point. If you do not accept the insufficient bid, it must be replaced by any legal call including Pass but not Double or Redouble. If the replacement call does not have the same or similar meaning or purpose as the insufficient bid, the offender's partner will be required to pass for the remainder of the auction.

Should you accept the insufficient bid?

ANSWER: It depends. If it is to your advantage to accept the call, then do so. The relevant rule (Law 27A) is intended to give the non-offending side -- that is, you -- any potential benefit from the opponent's infraction. If it is not to your advantage, then do not accept the call and make the opponents deal with the consequences.

Note that you are not allowed to have partnership agreements for dealing with irregularities at the table. But the fact that you had a choice to accept or not is Authorized Information to partner for use in the auction and play of the hand. Partner is allowed to use bridge logic to interpret your decision.

Okay, so it depends. Let's look at some examples...

West	Partner	East	You
1 ♥	2 ♣	1 ♠	??

Note that if you do not accept the 1 ♠ call, East can bid two or more spades without penalty. If East makes any other call including Pass, West will be required to Pass for the rest of the auction.

1.  You hold ♠ 6 5 2 ♥ A 8 6 ♦ Q 9 7 4 ♣ 5 4 3
   Accept and bid 2 ♣ With such a bare minimum, you'd rather not have to raise at the three level. Your choice to accept, and then bid at the two-level, will suggest that weakness to partner.
2. You hold ♠ 6 5 2 ♥ J 8 6 2 ♦ J 9 7 4 ♣ 5 3
   Accept and Pass. This should make it clear to partner that you have a truly awful hand.
3. You hold ♠ A 6 5 2 ♥ J 6 2 ♦ Q J 7 ♣  K 5 3
   Accept and bid 2 ♥. Take the inexpensive opportunity to show an invitational club raise without having to worry about East making some higher intervening bid.
4. You hold ♠ A Q 6 5 2 ♥ K 8 6 2 ♦ J 7  ♣ Q 3
   Do not accept. The opponents are in trouble if they continue onward, and partner won't be disappointed to see this dummy in a 2 ♣ contract. If East passes, West must also pass, leaving the contract at 2 ♣ if you pass too. But playing matchpoints, or vulnerable at IMPs, I would bid 2 NT if East passes. Note that if East passes, West will not be able to double the final contract (East can, though), and you might have some useful lead restrictions if West is on lead.
5. If you don't see any advantage, then do not accept. The restrictions that will apply to the opponents' auction might create some problems for them.

THE PRINCIPLE: Given the option to accept an insufficient bid (or a call out of rotation, similarly), consider your choice carefully. Don't automatically refuse to accept. The Laws have given you a potential advantage and you should use it wisely. Your decision to accept or not gives partner some additional authorized information about your hand.

NOTE: Even if the offender immediately changes her call, you still have the option to accept the insufficient bid. Call the Director whenever there is an irregularity at the table.

-- Ray 

Better Bridge In Five Minutes. Guaranteed! (or the next one is free)

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LAW 27

INSUFFICIENT BID

A. Acceptance of Insufficient Bid

1. Any insufficient bid may be accepted (treated as legal) at the option of offender’s LHO. It is accepted if that player calls.
2. If a player makes an insufficient bid out of rotation Law 31 applies.

B. Insufficient Bid Not Accepted
If an insufficient bid in rotation is not accepted (see A) it must be corrected by the substitution of a legal call (but see 3 following. Then:.... (and there's more, of course). 

C. Premature Replacement
If the offender replaces his insufficient bid before the Director has ruled on rectification, the substitution, if legal, stands unless the insufficient bid is accepted as A1 allows (but see B3 above). The Director applies the relevant foregoing section to the substitution.

Two Out Of Three Ain't Bad

When our side opens the bidding, we promise partner a better-than-average hand -- say, 13 points or more -- and promise to continue the conversation if partner has anything worth talking about. More often than not, our side has the majority of the high card strength. Our major suit openings promise a five card suit -- any five cards -- and our minor suit openings show only three or four cards. Our better-than-average strength gives our side a little bit of breathing room to wander about while finding our best fit.

After the opponents have opened the bidding, the situation changes dramatically. We are one step behind in the auction, because the opponents have already struck the first blow. The opponents probably have more strength than we do.  There is a fair chance that we might end up on defense. We are already at a tactical disadvantage, so we have to make our every action count. .

There are three reasons to overcall after the opponents open:

• To suggest a playable contract;
• To ensure a lead, if we defend;
• To take away bidding space from the opponents.

Your overcalls should accomplish at least two of those objectives.

To suggest a playable contract:  You are showing partner at least a good five-card suit.. You want partner to raise with just three small cards and a minimum hand, so don't bid just any five-card suit. Sure, at the one-level, most anything goes. But for a two-level overcall, partner will raise with any three-card fit and a minimum hand and you will be playing a three-level contract with only three small trumps and a couple of side honors in dummy! You don't want to be going down for more than the value of their partscore. So, the suit quality for a two-level overcall should be at least K Q 10 9 x, or A Q 10 8 x.

To ensure a lead:  If we end up on defense, partner will consider it almost mandatory to lead your suit. So you'd best have a quick trick or two in your suit; at least two of the top three honors is ideal. Otherwise, you just wasted partner's time when she might have had a much better lead.

To take away bidding space:  Weak jump overcalls are an obvious example of taking away bidding space. But there are other ways. If the opponents open 1 ♣ you might do well to stretch for a 1 ♠ overcall, taking away the one level from responder. Similarly, if the opponents are playing 1NT Forcing, you might stretch just a little for a two-level overcall after a major suit opening; this takes away the important 1NT step in many of their bidding sequences. But keep in mind that partner will raise with only three small and a minimum hand, so don't stretch very hard; suit quality matters.

THE PRINCIPLE:  Overcalls should satisfy at least two out of three: suggest a playable contract, ensure a lead on defense, and take away bidding space. If your hand doesn't meet those criteria, just Pass. If you do come in later in the auction, partner will know how bad your hand is.

BONUS MINUTE: How many points does it take to overcall?
There is no place on the score sheet to record how many points you have. There is only a place to record how many tricks you take. Overcalls are about tricks, not points. As a practical matter, one-level overcalls will typically have at least eight high card points; two-level overcalls will have at least a good ten-count, more when vulnerable. But don't overcall because you have points; overcall because you can meet the two-out-of-three rule.

-- Ray 
Better Bridge in 5 Minutes. Guaranteed! (or the next one is free)

The First Law Of Holes

Nobody vulnerable, you are the dealer.
♠ K J 8 5 ♥ 8 5 4 ♦ 10 ♣ K J 6 5 2

Of course you pass, and the auction proceeds:

You	West	Partner	East
Pass	2 ♥	3 ♦	Pass
??

Are you going to leave partner hanging with only a singleton diamond for support? What about that spade suit? What about clubs? What now?

ANSWER: Pass. No hesitations, no moaning or groaning, just Pass.

Partner knows you are a passed hand. She won't be wandering into the auction at the three-level without at least a sound opening hand and a decent six-card diamond suit. She probably does not have four spades (or even three really good ones), or she would have made a takeout double instead. And that raggedy club suit: well, certainly not worth speculating on at the four-level.

Partner has at least a sound opening bid. Your kings and jacks will fit well with any black-suit honors that partner has, so she should be able to control the black suits. And without a heart stopper and a fit for partner's diamonds, notrump is out of the question. So, unless partner has made a forcing call, just Pass.

THE PRINCIPLE: The First Law Of Holes: When you're in one, stop digging! When you have a misfit hand, end the auction as soon as possible. Don't search to improve the contract; the best (least-worst) place is probably right where you are right now.

-- Ray 

Better Bridge in 5 Minutes. Guaranteed! (or the next one is free)

Get The Tweezers!

♠ 4 ♥ Q 8 4 3 ♦ A J 10 8 ♣ A 8 7 2
Nobody vulnerable, partner opens 1 ♥. Your call?

ANSWER: Bid 3 ♠, showing at least 4-card heart support, game-going values, and a singleton or void in spades.

THE PRINCIPLE: An unnecessarily high jump to a new suit is called a splinter. It shows game-going values in support of partner's last suit, and a singleton or void (a "splinter") in the suit named. It suggests slam interest, in that your hand can ruff partner's losers in that suit. Note that a splinter bid must be Alerted.

A 1 ♠ bid from your hand would have been natural for spades. A 2 ♠ bid would have shown spades, and the meaning would depend on your partnership agreements. In the old days, the jump shift response promised a very strong (17+ HCP) with a good suit. Many partnerships nowadays play the jump shift as weak; there are other possible conventional treatments.

But the unnecessary jump shift – in this case, a double jump shift – is Standard American bridge-speak for "I am short in this suit, and have at least four-card support for your suit. Does that pique your interest in slam, partner?"

Partner can then consider whether your ability to ruff that suit is good news (covering some losers) or bad news (if she has wasted values in that suit). If partner holds something like
♠ J 8 3 ♥ A K J 10 6 ♦ K Q 6 2 ♣ 4
she will realize that the partnership holds first- or second-round control of every suit. No longer worried about too many spade losers, she can bid 4 NT Blackwood, asking for aces. You would show two aces, and partner can bid the easy 25 HCP slam!

Opener can show a splinter, too; not just responder.
♠ A 6 3 2 ♥ A Q 5 2 ♦ A K 10 8 3 ♣ --
You open 1 ♦, partner responds 1 ♥. Of course you want to be in game at the very least. Bid 4 ♣, showing game-going values with four-card heart support and a singleton or void in clubs. Partner will Alert and can take it from there...

The splinter bid sets the trump suit and commits the partnership to game. Any subsequent bids other than in trump are then cue-bids showing controls in whatever style your partnership uses. And if the opponents wander into our auction, forcing passes are in effect; you will either bid one more or double the opponents.

After a splinter bid, partner is in charge of the auction because you (presumably) have fully described your hand. Consequently, splinters by responder are usually limited to at most 14 HCP or so. If you do have significant extra values, better not to splinter; take charge of the auction yourself such as through a Jacoby 2NT game-forcing raise.

BONUS MINUTE: The splinter bids described above are double jumps, but splinters can be used in other situations that are only a single jump. When playing 2/1 Game Force a two-over-one bid by responder creates a game-forcing auction, so there is no need for opener to make a jump shift rebid to force to game. After a game force has been established, a jump shift into a new suit – an unnecessary jump – is therefore a splinter. For example, 1♠ - 2♥ - 4♦ shows a singleton or void in diamonds, with at least four card support for responder's hearts.

-- Ray 

Better Bridge in 5 Minutes. Guaranteed! (or the next one is free)