💡Weekly Wisdom Archive
- 15th May 2025 – Protective auctions and the point ranges!
- 8th May 2025 – No trump play and defence
- 1st May 2025 – No trump bidding and play
- 24th April 2025 – Getting into the auction first
- 17th April 2025 – The impact of a subtle false card!
- 10th April 2025 – Bidding to slam with a long suit over 2NT
- 3rd April 2025 – Trial bids and how imps/matchpoints scoring differs
- 27th March 2025 – Different routes to 10 tricks (or maybe even 11)
- 20th March 2025 – Two different hands – two different types of slam!
- 13th March 2025 – Raising minors and the power of a 1 level overcall
- 6th March 2025 – Active or Passive Lead?
- 27th Feburary 2025 – Two big hands against each other. The Bath Coup.
- 20th Feburary 2025 – Bidding after a Weak Two – Lebansohl.
- 13th Feburary 2025 – Slam after the opponents open!
- 6th Feburary 2025 – A long minor suit opposit 1NT.
- 30th January 2025 – Traps for an unwary declarer!
- 23rd January 2025 – “Pre-protection” and card reading.
- 16th January 2025 – Getting to game after opponents open.
- 9th January 2025 – When they can’t overruff?
- 2nd January 2025 – 3rd seat openings and re-openings.
- 19th December 2024 – A slightly different finesse.
- 12th December 2024 – No trump defence.
- 5th December 2024 – Transferring out of 1NT.
- 28th November 2024 – No good rebid?
- 21st November 2024 – Compete for the part score!
- 14th November 2024 – The difference a free bid makes.
- 28th October 2024 – Get the side suit going.
- 21st October 2024 – The power of splinters.
- 14th October 2024 Monday Duplicate – Partscore Competitive Bidding
- Congress Special on SBC Spring Swiss Teams on 28th September 2024
- 30th September 2024 Monday Duplicate – The power of redouble!
- 23rd September 2024 Monday Duplicate – Slams and Sacrifices
- 16th September 2024 Monday Duplicate – Raising with 3 card support
- 9th September 2024 Monday Duplicate – Missing game!
- 2nd September 2024 Monday Duplicate – Tough defence to 3NT!
- 26th August 2024 Monday Duplicate – A total misfit!
- 19th August 2024 Monday Duplicate – Variations of Stayman and the difference between a 6 and a 5!
- 12th August 2024 Monday Duplicate – The art of not opening up suits
- 29th July 2024 Monday Duplicate – Upgrading hands and 4th Suit Forcing
- 22nd July 2024 Monday Duplicate – Protection and trump control
- 15th July 2024 Monday Duplicate – Overcalling and suit blockages
- 8th July 2024 Monday Duplicate – IMPs v Matchpoints
- 1st July 2024 Monday Duplicate – Off shape 1NT and stopper bidding
- 24th June 2024 Monday Duplicate – Don’t panic in the defence!
- 17th June 2024 Monday Duplicate – Weak twos and Lebensohl
- 10th June 2024 Monday Duplicate – 4th seat bidding and forcing an entry
- 3rd June 2024 Monday Duplicate – Defensive cross ruff and signals
- 27th May 2024 Monday Duplicate – Two passed hands can make slam!
- 20th May 2024 Monday Duplicate – The power of shape and double fits
- 13th May 2024 Monday Duplicate – Still cold for game even though they open 1NT
- 6th May 2024 Monday Duplicate – Minor suit slam
- 29th April 2024 Monday Duplicate – A rare 8410 shape
- 22nd April 2024 Monday Duplicate – Michaels cue bids and thereafter
- 8th April 2024 Monday Duplicate – Competing and accurate defence
- 25th March 2024 Monday Duplicate – Support doubles and subsequent card play
- 18th March 2024 Monday Duplicate – Takeout doubles and free bids
- 11th March 2024 Monday Duplicate – Misfits!
- 4th March 2024 Monday Duplicate – Lebensohl and point counting
- 26th February 2024 Monday Duplicate – Protection
- 19th February 2024 Monday Duplicate – Inferences from the lead
- 12th February 2024 Monday Duplicate – Not such a boring 3NT!
- 5th February 2024 Monday Duplicate – A second go in the auction
- 29th January 2024 Monday Duplicate – Big balanced hand
- 22nd January 2024 Monday Duplicate – What a difference the lead makes!
- 15th January 2024 Monday Duplicate – Minimising the damage!
- 8th January 2024 Monday Duplicate – Handling long running minors
- 18th December 2023 Monday Duplicate – Big Fits
- 11th December 2023 Monday Duplicate – Competitive bidding and managing trumps
- 4th December 2023 Monday Duplicate – When to go quietly in the auction.
- 27th November 2023 Monday Duplicate – The art of leading trumps!
- 20th November 2023 Monday Duplicate – Bidding and play after a Strong 2NT opening
- 13th November 2023 Monday Duplicate – Bidding over pre-empts
- 6th November 2023 Monday Duplicate – A 24 point 3NT and how to finesse properly!
- 30th October 2023 Monday Duplicate – Bidding big hands opposite a Weak Two
- 23rd October 2023 Monday Duplicate – The value of leading through Ax
- 16th October 2023 Monday Duplicate – Cover an honour or not?
- 9th October 2023 Monday Duplicate – Counting losers to help evaluate your hand.
- 2nd October 2023 Monday Duplicate – Checkback after 1NT and playing weak trump suits.
- 25th September 2023 Monday Duplicate – “Super accepts” over Major suit transfers.
- 18th September 2023 Monday Duplicate – Competing for partscore.
- 11th September 2023 Monday Duplicate – More passive leads and opening light in 3rd set.
- 28th August 2023 Monday Duplicate – Disciplined bidding and the importance of safe leads.
- 21st August 2023 Monday Duplicate – Competitive bidding. What to do when every bid choice has flaws.
- 14th August 2023 Monday Duplicate – Mini splinters and double fits
- 7th August 2023 Monday Duplicate – The difference between Matchpoints and IMPs
- 31st July 2023 Monday Duplicate – Inverted minors and the importance of matchpoint scoring on your contract
- 24th July 2023 Monday Duplicate – How weak jumps make it hard for your opponents. Law of Total Tricks.
- 17th July 2023 Monday Duplicate – Why 4th highest leads at no trumps
- 10th July 2023 Monday Duplicate – Defensive signals sacrifices and deciding whether to double or bid on
- 3rd July 2023 Monday Duplicate – What makes hands fit well
- 26th June 2023 Monday Duplicate – Fourth Suit Forcing and No-Trump play
- 19th June 2023 Monday Duplicate – Declaring to maximise your tricks
- 12th June 2023 Monday Duplicate – Opening leads and defence.
- 5th June 2023 Monday Duplicate – Bidding after partner’s 1NT opening
- 29th May 2023 Monday Duplicate – Bidding with 4441 shapes and responding to takeout doubles.
- 22nd May 2023 Monday Duplicate – Defenders ruffs are right this time! But sacrificing is not.
- 15th May 2023 Monday Duplicate – When NOT to give partner a ruff!
- 8th May 2023 Monday Duplicate – Deciding how to defend at trick two. Ducking one trick to gain two more!
- 1st May 2023 Monday Duplicate – Taking your ruffs – as Declarer or as Defender
- 24th April 2023 Monday Duplicate – Counting declarer’s tricks in defence
- 17th April 2023 Monday Duplicate – Competitive Bidding and the art of passive defence
- 10th April 2023 Monday Duplicate – Bidding after 1M-1NT. No trump defence and play
- 4th April 2023 Monday Duplicate – Trial Bids, Declarer Play and a Backwards Finesse
- 27th March 2023 Monday Duplicate – Bidding Unusual No-Trumps and Suit Preference signals
- 20th March 2023 Monday Duplicate – Responding to takeout doubles (normal and protective)
- 13th March 2023 Monday Duplicate – Part score play and (not) covering honours
- 6th March 2023 Monday Duplicate – High level competition and differences when bidding as a passed hand.
- 27th February 2023 Monday Duplicate – Competitive Bidding and Defending from Different Viewpoints.
- 20th February 2023 Monday Duplicate – Don’t bid your hand twice!
- 13th February 2023 Monday Duplicate – Cross Ruffing.
- 6th February 2023 Monday Duplicate – Combining chances in the play, evaluating your contract in pairs and playing accordingly.
- 30th January 2023 Monday Duplicate – Bidding over 1NT. Positional stoppers.
- 23rd January 2023 Monday Duplicate – Defence: when to go passive and what card to switch to
- 16th January 2023 Monday Duplicate – Competitive bidding (and how it might vary if partner’s a passed hand)
- 9th January 2023 Monday Duplicate – Trying to take the maximum number of tricks at pairs
- 2nd January 2023 Monday Duplicate – A partscore hand where everybody bids
- 19th December 2022 Monday Duplicate – Christmas tip – bid 4S over 4H!
- 12th December 2022 Monday Duplicate – Bid on when hands fit well, and on freak hands!
- 5th December 2022 Monday Duplicate – The Michaels cue bid again, and how “Restricted choice” changes the odds in a suit.
- 28th November 2022 Monday Duplicate – What to do when the opponents bid your best suit?
- 21st November 2022 Monday Duplicate – The power of the 4-4 fit!
- 14th November 2022 Monday Duplicate – What’s double of a strong 1N? Using your entries effectively.
- 7th November 2022 Monday Duplicate – Running your long suit in 3NT!
- 31st October 2022 Monday Duplicate – Invite to game or not? How it’s different when playing pairs and teams.
- 24th October 2022 Monday Duplicate – Freak hands and some slam bidding tips
- 17th October 2022 Monday Duplicate – Bidding very large balanced hands; and Lightner Double against slams
- 10th October 2022 Monday Duplicate – Overcalling with big hands and Card reading as declarer
- 3rd October 2022 Monday Duplicate – Minor Slam
- 24th September 2022 #65256 BBO – Multi 2D v Weak twos and responding to them.
- 17th September 2022 #34489 BBO – Bidding and play after a 1NT overcall.
- 10th September 2022 #2858 BBO – The value of splinters and of pre-empts. Counting a hand.
- 3rd September 2022 #71962 BBO – Bidding over a strong NT. When doubles go wrong!
- 27th August 2022 #40534 BBO – Michaels cue bids, the power of double fits and how to endplay someone.
- 20th August 2022 #9364 BBO – Defending against a sacrifice to get the maximum number of tricks.
- 13th August 2022 #77122 BBO – 1NT with a 5 card major. Some general principles in defence.
- 6th August 2022 #45345 BBO – Pre-empting styles. Discovery play by declarer.
- 30th July 2022 #13333 BBO – Variations of stayman over 1NT (Simple v Extended, 4 card v 5 card major asks).
- 23rd July 2022 #80586 BBO – Singleton leads and suit preference signals in defence. False cards by declarer.
- 16th July 2022 #47574 BBO – Bidding over Michaels. Showing extras to aid slam bidding.
- 9th July 2022 #10860 BBO – Ways to raise majors. The importance of leading towards honours.
- 2nd July 2022 #5439 BBO – Bidding (and doubling) over 1NT
- 25th June 2022 #10832 BBO – No trump leads. Is the 10 an honour? Should you lead a suit they’ve bid?
- 18th June 2022 #39043 BBO – Doubles (and redoubles) in competitive auctions. The law of total tricks.
- 11th June 2022 #6067 BBO – Minor suit transfers over 1NT and defence to high level contracts
- 4th June 2022 #72106 BBO – Should you double or overcall? Endplayed at trick 1!
- 28th May 2022 #36634 BBO – Valuing your hand, stopper bidding, and suit combination play.
- 21st May 2022 #1914 BBO – A 1NT response to an opening bid, and subsequent bidding.
- 14th May 2022 #67360 BBO – Should you respond light? Should you protect?
- 7th May 2022 #31397 BBO – Competing and doubling at pairs. How the experts know when to underlead and duck aces!
- 30th April 2022 #95076 BBO – Michaels over 1C?
- 23rd April 2022 #58582 BBO – All about 4NT: Quantitative or Blackwood?
- 16th April 2022 #26995 BBO – Advantages of bidding first. When (and when not) to leave the best trump out.
- 9th April 2022 #46480 BBO – Responding to takeout doubles and handling 4-4 fits when trumps split 4-1
- 2nd April 2022 #8788 BBO – Blackwood and continuations
- 26th March 2022 #71407 BBO – Shape showing rebids and managing no-trump play
- 19th March 2022 #32667 BBO – The warning signs for misfits. Matchpoint v IMP scoring – understanding the difference.
- 12th March 2022 #93011 BBO – Declarer play – working out where your tricks are coming from and listening to the opponents’ bidding.
- 5th March 2022 #53283 BBO – Responding to takeout doubles. Declarar play – ruff losers or discard them?
- 26th February 2022 #13760 BBO – “Protection” in the auction
- 19th February 2022 #13756 BBO – Responding to 1NT and No-Trump play
- 12th February 2022 #30763 BBO – Michaels again and an example of counting shape.
- 5th February 2022 #88570 BBO – The Michaels cue-bid; subsequent bidding and play.
- 29th January 2022 #46143 BBO – Handling misfitting hands, planning your rebids and reverses (again!)
- 22nd January 2022 #3800 BBO – How many hearts to bid? Do we bid our game or try for a penalty?
- 15th January 2022 #64930 BBO – Handling 4441 hands and defence against 4 major.
- 8th January 2022 #55667 BBO – Discarding
- 1st January 2022 #18749 BBO – Overcall or double first? How to safely try for an overtrick.
- 25th December 2021 #81256 BBO – Trial bids and considering the defenders’ shape when declaring
- 18th December 2021 #70118 BBO – No Trump play and defence. What do “4th and 2nd leads” really mean?
- 11th December 2021 #5274 BBO – 8 Card Suits in the Bidding, Play and Defence
- 10th December 2021 F2F at City – Christmas Party Special
- 4th December 2021 #67651 BBO – Bidding after a 1NT overcall, including running when it’s doubled.
- 27th November 2021 #28738 BBO – Part score bidding and the importance of vulnerability
- 20th November 2021 #90281 BBO – Ducking aces in defence
- 13th Novmeber 2021 #51277 BBO – High level bidding with a freak hand. What does “par contract” mean?
- 6th November 2021 #10524 BBO – “Frozen” suits and when you DON’T cover an honour with an honour!
- 30th October 2021 #50639 BBO – Bidding with weak hands over 1NT; defending against 1NT.
- 23rd October 2021 #10515 BBO – Bidding and Defending after pre-empts
- 16th October 2021 #73217 BBO – Accurate part-score bidding and defence. What losers can be discarded?
- 9th October 2021 #32463 BBO – Bidding after transfers. Performing an endplay.
- 2nd October 2021 #90948 BBO – Double or overcall and what’s a “backwards” finesse?
- 25th September 2021 #49037 BBO – Singleton leads and imagining a layout in defence
- 18th September 2021 #8749 BBO – Why 2nd hand plays low!
- 11th September 2021 #67974 BBO – 1 minor or 1NT opening? Super-accepting over transfers
- 4th September 2021 #26596 BBO – The 1NT response to 1 Major and a wide variety of contracts on a partscore hand
- 28th August 2021 #85889 BBO – Defending against weak twos and the multi 2D
- 21st August 2021 #45775 BBO – Bidding big balanced hands after an opening and managing entries in no-trump play
- 14th August 2021 #5613 BBO – More on bidding big hands, and responding to takeout doubles
- 7th August 2021 #66658 BBO – Trial bids and suit contract play
- 31st July 2021 #95942 BBO – Bidding after game force openings and a grand slam on a squeeze!
- 24th July 2021 #54048 BBO – Bidding when the opponents open our suit. Advanced card play.
- 17th July 2021 #12979 BBO – Competitive bidding and watching losers
- 10th July 2021 #66662 BBO – Weak twos and responding to them
- 3rd July 2021 #17429 BBO – Slam bidding after the opponents open
- 26th June 2021 #66865 BBO – 1NT response to 1M and bids thereafter
- 19th June 2021 #12424 BBO – Unusual 2NT and 5 level decisions
- 12th June 2021 #57486 BBO – McKenny suit preference signals and deceptive plays by declarer!
- 5th June 2021 #98279 BBO – Doubles (support and penalty). Partscore play.
- 29th May 2021 #38386 BBO – The Bath Coup and how signals help avoid falling into it
- 22nd May 2021 #2575 BBO – Lebensohl after partner opens 1NT
- 15th May 2021 #15321 BBO – “Blackout” and how to play a suit
- 8th May 2021 #96921 BBO – Pre-emptive raises and a forcing defence
- 1st May 2021 #84417 BBO – Declaring – basic and advanced
- 24th April 2021 #15851 BBO – The power of Splinter
- 17th April 2021 #52016 BBO – Which game to bid?
- 31st March 2021 #85154 BBO – Lebensohl and another reason to hold up the Ace of trumps
- 24th March 2021 #54056 BBO – 9 card suits!
- 17th March 2021 #13119 BBO – The art of going quietly…
- 10th March 2021 #43461 BBO – Defence – cling onto 4 card holdings!
- 3rd March 2021 #73045 BBO – No Trump bidding in “protective” seat
- 24th February 2021 #2284 BBO – Competitive bidding and stronger defence
- 17th February 2021 #29662 BBO – 1NT rebids and Checkback
- 10th February 2021 #57683 BBO – Bidding: explore further or give away less information?
- 3rd February 2021 #81885 BBO – Play 3NT or 4M? Passive or active lead?
- 27th January 2021 #8362 BBO – Competitive Bidding
- 20th January 2021 #32871 BBO – Big hands opposite little hands
- 13th January 2021 #60198 BBO – Finding slam in the suit partner pre-empts
- 6th January 2021 #97325 BBO – How 2nd & 4th leads can help you defend more accurately?
- 30th December 2020 #40093 BBO – How to reach the right game?
- 23rd December 2020 #72222 BBO – should I pass partner’s takeout double?
- 16th December 2020 #42902 BBO – Competitive bidding tips
- 9th December 2020 – Christmas Special
- 9th December 2020 #22457 BBO – Defensive Signals
- 2nd December 2020 #40189 BBO – Hands fit well
- 25th November 2020 #60587 BBO – Having a good hand opposite a weak one
- 18th November 2020 #81403 BBO – The Rule of 15
- 11th November 2020 #17113 BBO – To play or to defence over opponents’ 1NT?
- 4th November 2020 #33936 BBO – Grand Slam with two Kings missing?
- 28th October 2020 #94075 BBO – Sacrifice
- 21st October 2020 #97380 BBO – Handling Misfits
- 14th October 2020 #29534 BBO – Find the slam even when partner opens weak
- 7th October 2020 #885 BBO – Declarer Play and Defence
- 30th September 2020 #1330 BBO – Double the “kiss of death”
- 23rd September 2020 #42417 BBO – The powerful preempt
- 16th September 2020 #76609 BBO – Make the contract by Ruffing Finese
- 9th September 2020 #22833 BBO – Master Fourth Suit Forcing
- 2nd September 2020 #9967 BBO – When high card points become irrelevant
- 26th August 2020 #2696 BBO – Simpler declarer play: unblocking
- 19th August 2020 #5087 BBO – How come we will miss game with such a good hand?
- 12th August 2020 #2980 BBO – Hold-up play in NT
- 5th August 2020 #1980 BBO – Using Reverse to show extra value
- 29th July 2020 #9972 BBO – How can I find this grand slam?
