The Bridge Shop for all Your Bridge Needs – Partners Not Included

Shopping in this day and age is more and more an online occurrence.  If you haven’t quite mastered this new way of getting what you want without leaving your home, The Bridge Shop is a good place to start.  It has a friendly user face, is easily navigable and you simply can’t go wrong in your search for bridge stuff, be it a new bridge table, bridge books, bridge art or bridge games.  And navigating your way through payments and delivery or returns is as easy as calling and making a 1 Club contract against Dilly the Duck!

Talking of the game of bridge – know the difference between contract bridge and duplicate bridge?

In contract bridge, the cards are shuffled, dealt, and played, then shuffled again for the next hand.

In duplicate bridge, which is a just derivative of contract bridge, competitors compete by playing the same hands (half using one set and the other one another set). The hands are stored in what are called “boards” and passed from table to table.

In duplicate, it is “regular” contract bridge play, but the match point scoring will affect your strategy in some situations. The goal is to better the results from other tables.  It does not matter if the margin is 10 or 1 000 points. Small differences can win a board.

These are some ways that an adaption of style in the bidding at the bridge table can affect your duplicate score:

• Bid aggressively. Duplicate pairs tend to bid “close” games and slams, so do not settle for a safe part score if you think there’s a reasonable chance, i.e. 60% + that you can make game.

• When in doubt, however, try for a plus score. Sometimes it is right to take the sure thing. If you’ve found a reasonable contract you need to weigh up the risk of bidding on to try finding a better one, especially if success depends on partner holding a perfect hand.

• Choose the highest-scoring game – in game contracts, you should try to play in 4 or the majors when there is a fit and 3NT when you don’t. Be reluctant to play 5 in the minors. If you have game values and a club or diamond fit, always consider playing 3NT.

• Go for the safest part score. When you have minimum high-card strength, choose the safety of a trump suit and a major-suit is still preferable, but if you’re deciding between a notrump and a minor-suit part score, play the suit contract rather if you have a fit, but not many high-card points.

• Overcall freely –at a 1 level don’t be shy to make a light, lead-directing overcall i.e. as few as 8/9 points if you have a good suit. Be cautious on the 2 level especially vulnerable.

• Raise partner’s suit even if you’re light in high-card points, especially in competitive auctions.

• Sacrifice more often especially when not vulnerable.

• Don’t sell out too low.

At the Bridge Table – Bridge Products that Include Nuts

Even if you are playing bridge online these days there is always a group of nuts somewhere playing and that is particularly prevalent today when all and sundry in the “mix” can play duplicate bridge. And, thank heavens we nutters can.

But you don’t have to be nutty if you want some good bridge products to improve your game.

A great bridge product to purchase these days is Vu-Bridge

The hands you play with Vu-Bridge are carefully designed by bridge playing gurus and you are guided along the path by these famous authors; if you make a wrong bid or a wrong play it will not be accepted and you will then see “Wrong bid” or “Wrong play” – so it is a great way of learning. What makes this bridge product so addictive is the interaction between the author and you – the Player. During your bidding or play, the unseen author may suspect that you are about to go wrong and a comment box may appear which will steer you in the right direction and providing helpful tips.

Before trick one, commonly, a comment box will appear requiring some thought from you –  the Think & Click feature where a question will be posed and the answer is provided after you have thought it through.  So, if you think your bridge is not up to scratch and you are going nutty sometimes, this form of learning bridge helps.

This is a great way to start – the Vu-Bridge 7-in-1 Bundle:  The complete Vu-Bridge newsletter and lesson pack. (available at https://www.bridgeshop.com.au/vu-bridge/v-bundle-newsletter-and-lesson-subscription.html)

Another great bridge product to have up your sleeve is:  Five-Card Majors Strong NoTrump Cheat Sheet [Marston]

What is great about this is that you and your partner – even online playing a duplicate bridge game can refer to this Cheat Sheet as it is ideal for on-the-spot guidance. It is based on 5-card Majors and a strong notrump.  The point is that your partner and you are on the same page with this.

Topics covered in this flipper include:

• Opening the bidding
• Responder’s first bid
• Opener’s second bid
• Responder’s second bid
• Opening 2C, 2NT and responses
• Responses to weak 2 twos and pre-empts
• Slam bidding
• Overcalls
• Takeout doubles
• Opening leads

Play your cards right

Look no further than the fabulous collection of cards you can find at The Bridge Shop under Club supplies/playing cards section for a pick-me-up at the bridge table.   

These are called Squares and will make your table look de rigueur. These beautifully designed cards make a perfect gift and are suitable for Bridge, Whist and many other traditional card games. They come in bridge playing size of 58mmx89mm.

Treat yourself to these as well – the monogrammed playing cards.  They are so “Selfie”. 

And at this difficult time – we all need a bit of self-indulgence.  Surely?