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Should we pass: can we pass? The two parts of the title refer to two separate bids, one which we have already made and the other to a situation we helped to create. We did not pass at the first opportunity and are faced by rather a strange couple... read more here

Potentially wonderful. Sometimes, you hear some excellent news when you ask your partner to bid. They bid your best and longest suit and jump the bidding to show they have high-card points as well. Which way forward and how far are the questions... read more here

Part 2. Well, today, unlike yesterday, you really have nothing, not even one jack over which to gloat! Do not let anyone ever tell you that 10’s are wonderful cards. They are when they are the fifth highest card in a suit: otherwise not... read more here

Part 1. Well, it was “much ado” about not much since you were dealt one jack. Partner was silent during the bidding and thus there was no stress involved there. Up and up they went with spades looking like their preferred suit until... read more here

“Silence is golden.” Can “pass” be correct? This is not really the story of the East hand you see below. Yet, without East who faced this problem, there would have been no story! The story concerns a pair of bridge... read more here

Is anyone watching? We should be familiar with the concept of giving one’s partner a ruff. When you do so, you suggest what partner plays next after the ruff. By playing a high card in the suit in which the ruff is given, you suggest... read more here

Onwards and Upwards? You have 18 hcp and a decent 6 card suit and your partner opened the bidding at the 1 level. With opening bids seemingly getting weaker and weaker, should we give up at the Game level? After all, we have no fit established.... read more here

Take advantage of it! Working Finesses. They really do, sometimes, and when they do, you want to take advantage of them. Yet, some finesses are not quite as straightforward as you imagine. South DealsBoth Vul ♠ A... read more here

Hand.. Full of Potential. With many aces, first or second round control of all four suits and a fit established, it would seem the “sky could be the limit”, certainly the 7-level. The opposition have been kind enough to let you... read more here

Jane Lennon has plenty to smile about. She has achieved something quite remarkable this month…….. read on to find out more. Covid-19 smashed a huge hole in our tournament program, and of course all tournaments for March, April, May... read more here

It’s not what they play….. Which way? What to do? It looks like you can beat the contract. Maybe but you have an important decision to make and if you get it wrong, the score is -620. Decision time!   East... read more here

“Bread and Butter” Bidding. 2 Level Overcalls revisited. It really is important to get the basic bidding right. Then, you can concentrate on the harder bidding decisions. There should have been no hard decisions to make on... read more here

Breaking the Rules? Should You? You know the rule, or do you? Let’s just check and see if there is any reason to break the rule. It is one of those “we have got hearts: they have got spades” boards. How high should we go?... read more here

The missing queen. Where is she? You are not allowed to look at your opponents’ cards or even rearrange them to suit your purposes but you can play a board in such a manner that the opponents’ cards are sorted such that would suit... read more here

12 pairs representing five Auckland schools took part in the annual Auckland-Northland Schools Pairs competition held at the Auckland Bridge Club on the morning of Sunday July 26th . There was a very friendly and competitive atmosphere as the... read more here

Rate this bid! Your Kind of Overcall? What constitutes a vulnerable 2 level overcall? How bad can it be? These two questions are lurking behind today’s problem. While the actual deal is a freak, the question one might ask is whether you... read more here

Keeping Options Open. While there are times when playing or defending a hand that you have to go down one path for success, that is not always the case. Let’s look at the following defensive situation: South DealsE-W Vul... read more here

Getting a Plus. It may not be a big plus but to go negative would be an absolute disaster. Your partner had a decision to make when you doubled for a second time. They thought that beating the opponent’s game contract would more easily... read more here