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 "Cardboard Boat Races" Responding Preempts by Marti Ronemus

If you hurry, you can still make it to the World Championship Cardboard Boat Races held tomorrow in Heber Springs, Arkansas. Are you picturing little tiny boats, daintily floating down the stream? No! These are monsters, holding as many as 10 oarsmen (oarspeople?). The rules are simple: No materials other than corrugated cardboard, waterproofing and tape (imagine the leap in Duck Tape sales!), and oars only as propellant.

Not only are there prizes for crossing the finish line first, but for best design, best team spirit, and the most waited-for, the Titanic Award for the most spectacular sinking.

My BFF and I went to see a local version, and it was definitely more fun than grownups should have.

And our bridge tie-in? Have you ever won the Titanic award for the most spectacular sinking of a hand? You've been there, and have the T-shirt, right?

Today we're going to look at responses to preempts, a tough subject. The best way to handle it is to keep the following in mind:
1) Bridge is a game of TRICKS, not POINTS. When Pard preempts, he is bringing 5-1/2 tricks to the races. Add YOUR tricks and bid to that level.
2) The worse your hand is opposite Pard's already-known-to-be-bad hand, the more important it is to follow the Law of Total Tricks and bid to the level of trumps in your combined hands.
3) Going down is NOT a Bad Think. The goal of a preempt is to steal the contract, and/or make it very hard for opponents to reach their best contract. Going down -50 or -100 (sometimes higher) is a small price to pay to prevent their 420 or higher.
Pick up your oars, and let's get started.

Question 1

  Your Hand
 10 9 3
 A K 4
 A Q 3 2
 4 3 2
 
Q: 1 - South:
SouthWestNorthEast
--2p
?


 Your choice:
A: 4: We only have 13 HCP, but let's count tricks. Remember, Pard has 5-1/2. We've got two quick tricks in Hearts, 1-1/2 in Diamonds. That's 3-1/2. Plus, we count a trick for the ninth trump. We've got 4-1/2 tricks, added to Pard's 5-1/2, and that spells game. Bridge is a game of TRICKS!!

Your result so far:
Open Question

Question 2

  Your Hand
 10 9 3 2
 K 4
 Q 7 3 2
 4 3 2
 
Q: 2 - South:
SouthWestNorthEast
--2dbl
?


 Your choice:
A: 4: This is an example of extending the preempt. Pard has about 7 pts. We've got 5. Can you visualize the opponents with at least game (maybe slam?) in probably Hearts? We have ten Spades between us, so we are going to bid to that level, one trick for every trump, and bid 4. Are we going down? Sure, but not far enough to win the Titanic Award. Even doubled, we won't go down for as big a score as the opponents rate to have.

It's interesting that we go to game last hand with hopes of actually making it, and going to game with THIS hand, knowing we won't.

Your result so far:
Open Question

Question 3

  Your Hand
 A Q 10 9 3 2
 4
 A 8 4
 A J 2
 
Q: 3 - South:
SouthWestNorthEast
--2p
?


 Your choice:
A: 2: THIS IS FORCING FOR ONE ROUND. This is SO important! Any new suit by us, responder, is forcing for one round. Pard should know we hate his Hearts and have a fantastic suit of our own. He will support us with even a doubleton, or maybe rebid his suit. But he will bid. Or we'll smack him with an oar.

Your result so far:
Open Question

Question 4

  Your Hand
 A Q 10 9
 7 4
 A Q 8 4
 A 10 2
 
Q: 4 - South:
SouthWestNorthEast
--2p
?


 Your choice:
A: 2 No-trump: We have 1-1/2 tricks in each Spades and Diamonds, and one in Clubs. We could Pass, but by bidding 2 No-trump, we're forcing Pard to let us know if he's got an outside feature, an Ace or King outside his Big Suit. If he does, he'll bid that suit. If he doesn't, he'll rebid his Hearts, 3. And then we'll pass. If he bids either Spades or Diamonds, we've got our game. He'll have plugged the hole in our boat with Duck Tape.

Your result so far:
Open Question

Question 5

  Your Hand
 A 10 9 7
 7 4
 A 8 4 2
 A 10 2
 
Q: 5 - South:
SouthWestNorthEast
--2dbl
?


 Your choice:
A: Pass: We only have three tricks and no extra trump. We will however have a dandy hand on defense, don't you think?

And now we get to row our boat in a race against opponents.

Your result so far:
Open Question

Play this Hand

Now that you've bid five hands, let's see how your play goes.

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What next? You may enjoy playing our prepared hands series.
More informations on our website: www.VuBridge.com

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