Julian Foster’s hand commentary provides a good read every week. He reviews the results of our Monday morning session at City and Canada Bay and pick up an interesting hand for commentary. His column starts with the core principle, with key notes as a quick summary and advanced tips if you progress well with this laddered reading.
Julian is a many times NSW representative, he has an impressive bridge career as an individual player and coach!
- Slam after the opponents open!
City and Canada Bay – Thursday Morning 13th February 2025. A few weeks ago I wrote about reaching game after the opponents open. Board 3 last week had a slam available for East West – usually after the opponents had opened! Very few pairs managed to find it though – let’s have a look. Most South’s these days will open 1♦ despite the 10 points. I certainly would with the 64 shape – plus it’s a suit you are happy for partner to lead. Many Wests will then overcall 1♥ (again it’s a suit you are happy for partner to … Continue reading - A long minor suit opposite 1NT
City and Canada Bay – Thursday Morning 6th February 2025. Board 6 last week contained a couple of useful bidding tips which would have enabled North South to reach 3NT, a contract which in practice is likely to make a lot (even though on this particular hand it could have been defeated). Tip number 1 applies to South on this hand. When you have a balanced hand within your no-trump range, open it 1NT even if you have a 5 card major. It tends to make the auction so much simpler. If you don’t do that, then you need to … Continue reading - Traps for an unwary declarer!
City and Canada Bay – Thursday Morning 30th January 2025. Board 7 last week was almost universally played in 4♥ by West. But there were a few traps waiting for inexperienced or careless declarers that meant they made fewer tricks than they might have. Let’s see what they were and how to avoid them. The auction is likely to be uncontested by East West. 1♥-1♠-2♣-4♥ most likely. Once West opens East knows his side want to play in at least game and that they have a heart fit. Some Easts might therefore raise hearts immediately (perhaps with a 2NT game … Continue reading - “Pre-protection” and card reading
City and Canada Bay – Thursday Morning 23rd January 2025. On board 8 North South can make game in hearts but East West had a good sacrifice available in spades that would enable them to score better than conceding -420 or -450. The challenge for them was often to get into the auction in the first place though. Let’s have a look. Most Wests will pass as dealer although if you have an opening bid to show a weak hand with spades and a minor, that would work well on this hand. East should immediately bid to 4♠ opposite that … Continue reading - Getting to game after the opponents open
City and Canada Bay – Thursday Morning 16th January 2025. East West had a combined 25 points on board 14 last week but across the two venues, only two pairs reached game. South will have opened the bidding and it’s sometimes hard to diagnose you have game on if the opponents get into the auction first. Let’s see how they could have done better East will usually pass as dealer and South will open 1♠. West has a problem over that – there isn’t really a suitable bid for his hand. He has the values for a 1NT overcall but … Continue reading
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