Tips contractbridge

Bidding Strategy

Evaluate Your Hand

High Cards

The most popular way to evaluate one's hand is to use High Card Points (HCP). Ace = 4 King = 3 Queen = 2 Jack = 1 Once you have added up your points, you may choose to make a bid or pass. If you are the first person to open the bidding, then it generally agreed that you should have at least 12 HCP (exceptions include shapely hands - see next section).

If on the other hand, the opponents have already opened the bidding, then you want a 5card suit and about 10 HCP to overcall at the 1 level, and a 6card suit (sometimes a good 5) and about 12 HCP to overcall at the 2level (when the 1 level is not available for that suit).

If partner has opened the bidding, then you want to respond on a lot of hands (5+ HCP) to keep the auction going in case partner has 20 points, but also to help find the right strain (Suit) to play in.

Bidding NoTrumps: Opening 1NT tends to show a balanced (no 6card suit, at least 2cards in each suit) hand with 15-17 HCP (in most parts of the world anyway). Opening 2NT tends to show a balanced hand with 20-21 HCP. If the opposition has bid a suit, then we should have a stopper (A/Kx/Qxx/Jxxx) in their suit (to avoid losing the first 5 tricks in a potential 3NT contract).

Shape

The more you play, the more you will learn that (4333) shape hands play much worse than (5431) shape hands. Following this, a hand with only 9 HCP, but a very nice suit (eg. AQJ10832) may decide to open the bidding. If you are interested in further strategy, search up Pre-emptive Bidding and, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Law_of_total_tricks.

Choosing the Right Contract

Team work is the key here. If you have worked out that your side has an 8 card fit, then that suit should be strongly considered for the final contract. If both of you have an opening hand (12+ HCP), then game level should be very strongly considered for the final contract.

Generally speaking, the game bonus is very important to reach when there is a decent chance of making: 3NT, 4S, 4H, 5C, 5D. It should also be noted that it is even more important to reach when Vulnerable. Grand Slam (7 level) on the other hand, is not as important to reach, as Small Slam (6 level) provides a large enough bonus, so you should be super certain of 13 tricks when bidding 7.

Systems & Conventions

I am writing this on the principle that 99% of BGA players do not use common conventions, but simply to note that Bridge, in particular Duplicate Bridge, can be played at an international level of competition, namely: World Championships. And so, many conventions can be learned, but these must be agreed with your partner, and disclosed to your opponents. https://www.bridgebum.com/bridge_bidding_conventions.php#category

Very Advanced Concepts

See attached: bidding system file.

Card Play Strategy

Declarer Play

As declarer, you get to see both of your hands, therefore you get a lot of control on how the hand will play out. ALWAYS, ALWAYS try to make your contract. That should be the number one priority at both forms of scoring currently on BGA (Chicago and Rubber Bridge). As there is very little gain to making more tricks than you set-out to in the bidding.

COUNT YOUR TRICKS - PLAN THE PLAY. (a good way to do it is to count your tricks in NT, and count your losers in a suit contract, think about what contract you're in, and go about setting up suits. Cash-out (win your aces and stuff) only when you know you will make your contract. It is often right to draw the opposition's trumps when in a suit contract, such that your Aces and Kings will be intact, however, taking ruffs (trump tricks by throwing a trump on another suit) is a powerful way of getting more tricks or getting rid of losers. In NT, think about establishing your longest combined suit, and keep stoppers in the other suits! "A bad player wins the first 6 tricks. A good player loses the first 6 tricks and makes 1NT= " Think about the bidding (has lefty shown HCP ? has righty bid a suit that they will have cards in ? If you want further strategy, learn Suit Combinations: https://www.bridge.dk/2131/Klub1/SuitCombinations.pdf or https://www.bridgehands.com/S/Suit_Combinations.htm.

Defence

On lead, try to find a safe card to play (unless you think the contract will need an aggressive lead to beat). eg. Try to lead Ace from AK... or King from KQ... as these do not risk handing a trick to declarer. Remember the auction! Partner may have bid a suit? Consider leading that!

Defence is (in my opinion) a more difficult part of the game (but you will defend 50% of all hands!) In NT, play on your side's longest suit. In suits, think about taking trump tricks by leading short suits.

Scoring

Chicago and Rubber scoring have similarities. Whilst I am not super familiar with Rubber scoring, I am aware that making game is Very Rewarding.

Learn the scoring https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bridge_scoring.

Notation

An x denotes any small card that is not relevant. Suits are given in the order: Spades, Hearts, Diamonds, Clubs eg. AKxxx QJxx x Kxx