Lesh18

Hi, I know Bridge is the best trick-taking card game and possibly the ultimate card game there is, but I have recently become curious about other trick-taking games. Let's face it, Bridge is difficult. Difficult and exhausting. First you have to count your points, then bid using a complicated bidding system, then you need to count your winners, count your losers, count trumps as you draw them, maybe count for the rule of 11, and when the game is over and you deserve a rest, you need to count how many tricks you won and count the points. Is Whist still a good trick-taking game compared to Bridge? Or it's not worth wasting the time? My guess would be that Whist is less demanding and much more relaxing than Bridge, and relies heavily on partner communication. Do you play Whist?

Hi all Is Bridge addictive? I started playing in a Bridge club and the players were ok but they looked over-enthusiastic about the game and many of them told me: It's great you joined, you'll love it it's really addictive! Ok then, I played in the club for a couple of times, and I found it exhausting: we were playing for 3 hours and did about 22 boards per evening. After the session I was completely exhausted, my energy was drained and I felt no fulfilment at all! (Let's face, once I left the club all my bridge skills and abilities were pretty useless in everyday life). Then I was ok for a couple of days until the next session was about to take place. The only thing I could think about was Bridge and how I'm gonna play in the club. Honestly, it's really adrenaline rushing (especially to play a declarer) especially when you're a novice and want to play as well as possible. I went to bed and I couldn't fall asleep until like 5am - my mind was only thinking about my play at the table next day. The game is endless, the more you play it the more stupid you feel, the more bidding conventions you learn the more incompetent you feel, as new and new problems arise and you try to learn more and you end up knowing less. There is a video on Youtube on a bridge tournament (with Warren Buffet taking part) and there is a lady, whose daughter says she (the lady) plays 11 hours straight and can't stop! I have played many other board games, like chess, backgammon and it all got boring after a while, but Bridge just seems to keep you hooked up. Do you have the same experience? Do you find Bridge addictive? How to you manage? Is it a good or a bad thing to be addicted to Bridge?

Hi I've been playing a declarer, succeeded in a contract and both my partner and opponents go 'Oh, well done, well played'. What should I say not to conceited, especially because I honestly don't think I played that well, since I guessed both finesses. Should I just say thank you, or: nah, I was just lucky, or return the compliment to partner for good bidding? I know this question may sound trivial to you, but I've just started playing in a bridge club and don't know much about the etiquette. Thanks

Could someone, please, pass me a link for a website where the SAYC system (the current one as of 2013) is thoroughly summarised (inluding the point ranges) and explained (not just the card but the some kind of a sayc guideline/summary)? Thank would be great, thank you Lesh

Hi all! In which countries is Bridge most popular? Why is it so? I've heard that Bridge is quite popular in Poland and on BBO there are many Italians and Turkish people too. Are there any historic reasons for this? If you know a website which discusses bridge popularity around the world (or at least Europe) that would be highly appreciated. Thanks

Hi, I was just wondering if there are any Bridge Chatrooms on the internet, where I could chat with players and find partners to play online. This Forum is ok but sometimes it's better to talk in real time. So is there any BBO Chatroom? Thanks

Hi all I have come across this problem (Sayc, ACBL): An opponent opens the bidding, let's say 1♠. I am next to bid, however, I have 5-spade suit and opening values (13-21) so I would like to open in spades myself! But if I bid 2♠, that is Michael's cuebid. What should I do? Thanks

Hi all Today I (well, rather we, me and my partner) bid a small slam 6♥(first for me ever!) and made it with an overtrick. It was on bridgebase and the funny thing is that 6 other pairs also bid 6♥ and made it with one overtrick (13 tricks). The hands did not have 37 points required for a grand slam, but could have bid 7♥ and easily make it. I was sitting south. And responded to my partner opening 1♥. My question is: Was it possible for us, given the information we had (about our own hands) to come to a conclusion that 7♥ could be successful? If so, what went wrong and who made a mistake? Should have I bid 7♥ after partner's 6♥? [hv=pc=n&s=sakq75hqj7dt63cj3&n=shakt965dakq74c74&d=n&v=0&b=1&a=1hp4hp4np5dp5np6dp6hppp]266|200[/hv]

[hv=pc=n&s=sak432ha432dq2c32]133|100|Counting losers[/hv] Let's consider this example in counting losers. According to wikipedia, this hand has 1+1+2+2=7 losers. I don't get that. I see 3+3+2+2=10 losers. So how many losers are in this hand? I guess it would be different for a NT and Trump contract. I see 10 losers if it played a NT contract. How many losers would there be if it played spade as trump? Also, wikipedia refers to something as Basic Method when counting losers. Do you know any useful sources that explain counting losers? (The Learn to play bridge software does not really cover counting losers well, I believe it is straight forward but I'm still struggling with it) Thanks

Hi Having played Bridge for a while now, I have realised I am still very hesitant at counting losers. I have a set of questions about this: 1) Do I have to count them in the first place? Can't I just count winners only (even in a trump contract)? 2) How do I know whether my hand or the dummy's should be deemed the master hand? 3) Should I ever count losers in my trump suit? and most importantly 4) How should I actually count losers? If you know a good website, article or some software explaining counting losers, that would be highly appreciated as well. I don't think it's too difficult it just wasn't explained to be well yet. Thanks a lot!

Thanks. There is one thing I wanted to ask, but I don't want to make a new thread: In rubber bridge, where is the point in bidding high contracts, when equal points are given for overtricks? Let's say mine and my partner's hand can do 4♠, but we bid 1♠ and win 10 tricks, so we get 30*3 = 90 points for over tricks and 30*1 = 30 for a completed contract. If we bid 4♠ and made 4♠, we could have 4*30 = 120 points anyway. I know that those points for over tricks and under tricks are added above the line and not into the played game, but in the end, that team with most points wins, not the one with most won games. I think it would only make sense to get only points for the succeeded contract. If you bid 1♠ and make 10 tricks, you should get only 30 points (because you bid only 1♠) Am I getting something wrong? Or is this the disadvantage of rubber bridge and that's why duplicate is more preferred?

Hi. Is the ACBL software (How to play Bridge 1, 2) any good? If I cover both programs thoroughly, can I be deemed an intermediate player (at least theoretical knowledge-wise, since practice is important too)? If those teaching programs are not good, are there any better out there? Thanks

Hi. When playing defence, I know the basic rules, 'second low', 'third high' or 'always cover an honour with an honour' or 'play the lowest of equals' (when not leading). Are there any more? And I know the opening leads rules for both no-trump and trump contract. However, I was struggling with leads (not the first lead, the opening one, but any lead when a defender gets to lead). Can I use the same rules for any leads as for opening leads? (I guess when leading with equals I am supposed to play the highest one? Thanks

Hi, I am a 22 years old uni student doing economics and I am looking for some friends to regularly play bridge on BBO. I've played bridge for 2 years now (using SAYC) and would consider myself an intermediate player. So if you are a similar player with similar experience than I am, let me know and we can practice together Thanks!

I have a similar question so I'll post it here: South and North are dealt these hands (west and east just pass all the way along): [hv=pc=n&s=sakjt5hj43dajca92&n=s2haq752dt765ct53]133|200[/hv] South opens the bidding with 1♠ (with 18 pts. he is too strong for a 1NT I guess), North bids a negative 1NT (6-9 pts., no support and/or cannot make another bid), now what does South rebid? Will he keep bidding low and bid 2♣ or go directly for majors and bid 2♥? Can he do it only with a 3-card support? Is not 4-card support pre-requisite here? Thanks

I have a relating question so I'll post it here: Let's say West opens 1♣ (natural, sayc), North passes and East has: 2 HCP pts. and one club. 1) The sayc rule says I can propose a new suit or bid a negative 1NT with 6 or more points. So what do I do here? Will I pass, even though it is very likely that we won't be able to make those 7 tricks? 2) Will the contract of 1♣ ultmately be the best option for west-east, considering the fact that in this situation, north-south do carry quite strong hands, so failing to make 1♣ by one undertrick scores better than having opponents bid their own play (maybe game)? Is thinking like this legitimate? That opponents are 'supposed' to bid a higher contract, and if they do not, it is just our advantage?

Hi, let's say the dummy sits north and declarer sits south: [hv=pc=n&s=sq75ha4daj83cjt42&n=sakjt2hj763d5ca53]133|200[/hv] And let's say that the declarer is the one who bid 4♠ thus spades are trump suit. 1) How many losers can a declarer count? 2) Will he count from his prespective? Or will change prospectives between the dummy to come to a lowest number possible? The problem is that I am not very confident in counting losers; could you, please, show me on this exaple how to properly do it? 3) Do you always assume, as long as there is a 8-card trump fit, that there are no losers in the trump suit? Thanks

Right, but if Attitude signals and Suit signals both can be played on 1) Following suit or 2) Discarding, and both suggest a preference for a suit, then where is the point in playing suit signals in the first place, when attitude signals offer the very same information? Or are Suit signals better for more advanced players and attitude for beginners-intermediates, but both deal with the very same information sending?

Right, but does suit preferencing method work: 1) When I follow suit 2) WHen I discard (play another suit as I have run out of the suit led) 3) Both? And also, to 'discard' means to play another suit, right? Or does it mean to play a low card of the same suit as well?

Ok, but suit preference signals work: 1) When following suit 2) When discarding (playing another suit since I have run out of the suit led) 3) Or both????

Hey I have been heavily struggling with suit preference lately, I think I had got it all wrong: 1) Do I give a suit preference when I discard? (When I have run out of the suit led, so I discard a card giving a suit preference. 10 of ♠ or 10♦ essentially meaning the same thing. 'Lead the high ranking suit, normally spades). Is it like this? Do I give suit preferences only when a declarer or dummy leads, or also when my partner leads? 2) Do I give attitude signals only when my partner leads? Never when a declarer leads? And only on the first or second trick? PS) I know most of you are really experienced and will tend to answer like 'some people do... depends on your playing style' but note that I am most interested in basics, thus in what really the norm is. I do SAYC (and I do not play count signals at all, so far) Thanks

But won't playing those tables with numbers/letters confuse me when I switch to playing real cards with real people?

Hi When I play online (on BBO let's say) which way of viewing hands do you recommend? Regular viewing where you see cards in a classical fashion, or viewing where you only see four tables and numbers/letters representing the cards? You know what I mean. I am not really used to either one of them, so which one should I make a habit of? Does it have any advantes to use those bridge-tables? What do advanced players use? Tables or cards? Thanks

Hey What kind of a bidding system do Bill Gates and Warren Buffet use when they play? Thanks Lesh

RIght, I see now This one is rather Off-topic here, but anyway: When playing casually (just 4 players, playing rubber or a duplicate scoring, but that does not really matter), is it important that we include the vulnurablity factor in? I mean, we used to play all games just as if all pairs were non-vulnurable, because my co-players are even less experienced than I am. Does the vulnurability - non-vulnurability really play in important role in bridge game? Or can it be avoided for the same experience from the game? Thanks