Bridge for Beginners

Contents

Foreword by Omar Sharif

PART ONE: BIDDING

SECTION 1 THE FIRST STEPS

2 Hand Valuation

3 One-level Opening Bids

• Opening One No-trump

• Opening One of a Suit

4 Developing the Auction

SECTION 2 RESPONDING TO OPENING BIDS OF ONE

5 Responding to an Opening Bid of One No-trump

6 Responding to an Opening Bid of One Heart or One Spade

7 Responding to an Opening Bid of One Club or One Diamond

SECTION 3 REBIDS

8 Rebids by the Opener

9 Rebids by the Responder

SECTION 4 OPENING BIDS OF MORE THAN ONE

10 Strong Two Opening Bids

11 Pre-emptive Opening Bids

SECTION 5 ADVANCED BIDDING CONCEPTS

12 Slam Bidding

13 Conventional Bids

SECTION 6 THE COMPETITIVE AUCTION

14 Overcalls and Responses

• The Penalty Double

• The Takeout Double

PART TWO: DECLARER PLAY

SECTION 7 THE FIRST STEPS

16 General Principles

SECTION 8 TAKING TRICKS WITHOUT TRUMPS

17 Promoting High Cards

18 Establishing Small Cards

20 The Power of High Cards

SECTION 9 TAKING TRICKS WITH TRUMPS

21 Principles of the Trump Suit

22 Trumping Losers

23 Discarding Losers

24 Managing Trumps

25 The Plan’s the Thing

PART THREE: DEFENCE

SECTION 10 THE FIRST STEPS

26 General Principles

27 Sure Tricks in Defence

SECTION 11 DEFENDING AGAINST NO-TRUMP CONTRACTS

28 Promoting High Cards

29 Establishing Small Cards

30 The Finesse in Defence

31 The Opening Lead against No-trumps

SECTION 12 DEFENDING AGAINST TRUMP CONTRACTS

32 The Use of Trumps in Defence

33 The Opening Lead Against a Trump Contract

SECTION 13 TEAMWORK IN DEFENCE

34 After Partner Leads

35 Signals in Defence

36 Thwarting the Declarer’s Plan

Rubber Bridge Scoring Table