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  "Hairball Awareness" by Marti Ronemus

Just when we think we've heard it all, we hear a real stunner. There is actually a symposium on -- cat hairballs! Yup. Cat owners and other interested people (really?!) gather yearly at the National Museum of Health and Medicine in Silver Spring MD to learn about hairballs.

Those of us who own cats already know about hairballs. To my way of thinking, hairballs are the only negative about these wonderful, loving, schizophrenic animals. Cats practically take care of themselves, never need to be walked on a snowy day, adore you on THEIR terms. An occasional hairball is a very small price to pay for so much joy.

Unless you step on it in your bare feet in the middle of the night.

And now let's talk about our bridge hairballs... bad bidding. Let's see if we can rid ourselves.

Question 1

  Your Hand
 6 5 4 3
 K Q 9 6 5 4
 6
 K 8
 
Q: 1 - South:
SouthWestNorthEast
--1p
1p3**p
?

**Splinter bid: "I have a singleton or void in the double-jumped suit, a fit with you, and I have some interest in slam (usually 18-plus-ish pts) if you like my singleton."

 Your choice:
A: 4 No-trump: We LOVE Pard's singleton or void in Spades shown by his Splinter bid. We need to know about aces before going forward though. Normally we don't like using Blackwood without first- or second-round control, BUT! Pard's got second-round control of Spades in his hand. Let's give it a try.

Your result so far:
Open Question

Bridge Boot Camps

With Marti Ronemus

New! 2018 Boot Camp Schedule
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Spend a week combining a vacation and improving your bridge game. You’ll be playing the best bridge of your life. For details and locations,
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Question 2

  Your Hand
 K
 K 9
 A K Q 10 9 4 3
 A 8 4
 
Q: 2 - South:
SouthWestNorthEast
---1
?


 Your choice:
A: 3 No-trump: Are we a mouse or a Kool Kool Kitty? Eddie Kantar suggests tucking one of our Clubs in with our Spades if it makes us feel more secure. We don't really want to play this in Diamonds, do we? If we go down, there will be a hairball on the floor, but think what a hero we're going to look like if we get anything advantageous on the lead.

Your result so far:
Open Question

Question 3

  Your Hand
 Q J
 A K J 8
 K Q 8 4
 K Q J
 
Q: 3 - South:
SouthWestNorthEast
?--


 Your choice:
A: 2 No-trump: The points are correct for a 2 opener, followed by a 2 No-trump rebid. BUT!! This hand is flawed. The Spades should cause us to downgrade the hand to a 2 No-trump opener. Common sense. Sorry.

Your result so far:
Open Question

Question 4

  Your Hand
 8 7
 K Q J 10 6
 K 8 7
 4 3 2
 
Q: 4 - South:
SouthWestNorthEast
-pp?


 Your choice:
A: 2: Yes, we've only got a five-card suit, but we're in third suit, and the dam is going to open if we only bid 1 (which in third seat is acceptable by many). We've got a super suit. The other important point is that a passed hand should not advance a pre-empt. After all, third hand is bidding for BOTH partners already. And following Eddie K's advice from last hand, just tuck a Diamond in with those Hearts. (By the way, my husband and favorite Pard is on to me using THAT little trick! "Oops, that's a Diamond, isn't it?" doesn't work anymore.)

Your result so far:
Open Question

Question 5

  Your Hand
 
 K 9 8 7
 Q 10 8 5 4
 Q 9 8 7
 
Q: 5 - South:
SouthWestNorthEast
--1p
?


 Your choice:
A: 1 No-trump: What a hairball of a bid. We have no choice, though, as we don't have enough cash to buy the two-level. We make the bid of desperate responders everywhere.

We did GREAT on our quiz! Let's try a hand.

Your result so far:
Open Question

Play this Hand

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

Overall Results

Your results:   out of    Average: 

What next? You may enjoy playing our prepared hands series.
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