Index of Videos – HOTW

Index: BridgeHands  Hands Of The Week ! 

See how a variety of Bridge players bid and play interesting hands!
Episodes include animated card play with video commentary.

ORDER VIDEO SUBSCRIPTION NOW (see Terms of Service)

Advanced Lesson 22, Balancing Seat Bidding – Let’s Compete in the Bidding!

When the opponent stop bidding short at the 2 level and you are in the passout seat, what’s a Bridge player to do?  Pass?  Bid in an unbid suit? Double?  Or just flip a coin?   First off, generally when Opponents have made an “OBAR” (Opponents Bid And Raised) in the same suit with a fit and are below 2S, we are “entitled” to borrow a virtual King from partner in an effort to push opponents too high or win the auction at the 2 level in a higher-ranking suit.  Of course, there’s much more so please tune in for more tips, tricks and traps to avoid in our three part video.

http://www.patreon.com/bridgehands

Advanced Lesson 21, Playing against 65 cunning BBO bots and humans!

We continue with another popular hand commentary and narration with animated videos playing 12 hands against the pesky and often misunderstood (ro)bots – ditto with us and many of our partners 😉   It’s fascinating to study the programming of the bots and humans, too!

See http://www.patreon.com/bridgehands

Advanced Lesson 20, Playing against Bridge Base (BBO) Robots/Humans

Now that we are doing livestreaming webinars, we will include some HOTW lessons as well.  In today’s three-part video, 2 hour show with 13 bridge hands, we start the discussion with strategies to use when playing with/against “bots” as consider what humans are doing at other virtual tables with their bots.

See http://www.patreon.com/bridgehands

Advanced Lesson 19 Part 1, January 13, 2020 (38 minutes – All audiences)

C.I.A. Counting, Inferences, Analysis – We continue our lesson on how better Bridge players think, continuing our discussion on Losing Trick Count (after all, Bridge is a tricky game), especially in the face of competitive bidding by the opponents.  After learning a few basics, it’s easy peasy so let’s take a peek at Hand 1-3 in Part 1. If you’ve signed up for our Free Membership, we welcome you to sit back and watch another 28 minutes.  And for our PREMIUM and ULTRA members, in Part 3 and 4 you will be treated for another hour of BridgeHands bidding, animated play, commentary and on-screen annotations as we work our way through the remaining 6 hands and see what it takes to be a winning pair among the 29 tables in play!

http://www.patreon.com/bridgehands

Social 16, October 22, 2017 – Day 1, Part 1 (26 minutes – All audiences)
C.I.A. Counting, Inferences, Analysis – In this multi-day series of lessons, we will learn how better Bridge players think.  While counting High Card Points is a good start, we can certainly go far beyond that to enjoy our best score.  By analyzing the bidding around the table, we can quickly deduce the inferences on everyone’s strength and hand shape.  After all, there’s 40 HCP in the deck so by adding the points of both your and the dummy hand, you’re already half way there. But that’s just a start – we may learn more by observing the opponents’ emotional behavior, the opening lead and subsequent card play as everyone contributes to each trick.  Now the number 13 also becomes our friend and not unlucky at all.  Again, once we look at our hand and the dummy, based on the bidding and opening lead, we begin to “see through the deck,” making even more inferences on everyone’s hand shape and likely honors.  Easy peasy so let’s take a peek at Hand 1. If you’ve signed up for our Free Membership see another 21 minutes and for our ULTRA members, sit down and tune in for 2 hours and 51 minutes of BridgeHands bidding, animated play, commentary and on-screen annotations as we work our way through 9 hand variations!

http://www.patreon.com/bridgehands

Advanced 18, STaC Tourney – April 17, 2017 – Day 3 Part 1 (16 minutes, hand 1)
We’re at it again with the last 8 hands (boards) at the West Coast ACBL Sectional Tournaments at Clubs (STaC).  We will be looking over the proverbial shoulder of the third place pair among 550+ tables as well as checking out the bidding and play of other players as well.

http://www.patreon.com/bridgehands

Advanced 18, STaC Tourney – November 11, 2016 – Day 2 Part 1 (14 minutes, hand 1)

We’re back with 9 more hands (boards) at our recent Sectional Tournaments at Clubs and we’ve added a new feature just for you!  Before actually seeing the entire hands in their glory, now we will begin by asking you a few key questions about bidding and play that relate to the upcoming hand.  So now you can test yourself and compare your responses to other players in our 2+ hour lesson.

http://www.patreon.com/bridgehands

Advanced 18, STaC Tourney – October 29, 2016 – Part 1 (23 minutes)
Duplicate Club players love Sectional Tournaments at (their local) Bridge Clubs!  While players enjoy their typical weekly club game Matchpoint format, during STaC tourneys the 50 or so local club players are also simultaneously competing against thousand of players at other locations in various States.   We begin by explaining the format, scoring and analysis bidding and play using animation as well as reviewing results across the tables.

http://www.patreon.com/bridgehands

Yes indeed, we’re back with another session on “The Defense Never Rests,” part deux!  In this jam-packed 2 hour lesson, we start off innocent enough observing 6 hands dealt to “special players” among 40 tables of duplicate Bridge.  Some bidding and play hopefully will make you nod with approval, some will make you take notice in wonderment, while others will make you wonder if the players are giving special form of holiday gifts to their opponents!  So over the 20+ hand bidding and play variations the play is the thing, with us paying special attention to being good defenders.

1.  P – (1C) – 1N – (2H)     Partner leads trump, to your Heart King behind the dummy Heart Ace.
What do you return with:    Qxx  Kx  Q10xx  AQJ10

2. P – (P) – 1C – (1N)        Your lead from:
10xx  J10xx  KQxx  xx

3.  (1D) – 1S – (P) – (P);
(3C) – 3S – (P) – (P);
(4C) –  P  – (5C) – AP
You lead SA from:     AKQJ54  QJ8x  J97  —
Dummy reveals:        10983  Kx  xxx  10xxx
Dummy plays 3, partner 7 and declarer RHO the 6.
Hmm, 12 Spades accounted for – who has the S2 and what to play next?

4.  (P) – P – (1S) – P;

(2S) – AP
Now you wish you had bid earlier, but oh well.
So you lead the DA and on your DK 2nd play, partner pitches.
The dummy shows four Diamonds so what’s your play on trick 3 with:
Q92  A62  AK96  Q93

5.  (P)    – (1N);
(2H) – (2S);
(4S)  –  AP;

Your lead from:       Qxx  xxxx  Jxxx  QJ

6.  (1S) – (2D);
(2S) – (3N);

Your lead from:      Q  J843  92  A109542

See: http://www.patreon.com/bridgehands

Will the declarer prevail or the defense “NEVER REST?”  Either way, the fun has just begun so be sure to put on your thinking cap when it becomes PLAY TIME for each hand – for both the declarer and the defenders.  Now that’s where the proof of the pudding is in the eating…

Advanced Number 16 – November 20, 2015 – Part 1

Hand evaluation and effective communication when bidding is great, yet the real proof of the eating happens as the play begins… and proceeds.  In this episode it’s time to play the spots off the cards… or NOT for some players who fall victim of their own demise!

1.  P – (P) – 1H – (2D);
2H-(3D)- ?…     What is your call with    AKx  AKJxx  x  109x
Pushed to 4H pard has  Jxxxx  xxx  Qxx  Ax
Can the defenders avoid the endplay?

2. 1C – (1D) – 1H – (P);
1S – (P)    – ?      What is your response with    Kxx  AJ9xx  Kxx  xx
Opener has a fair 4432 hand  AJxx  10x  J9x  KQJx
So who’s the better player here, you to declarer or the defender?

3.  1N – ?                Care to bid when holding        Qxx  K98x  xxx  Kxx
If 2C Stayman, pard bids 2S
and if you rebid 2N inviting…
What now when partner has   A9xx  Ax  A109x  A10x
If in 3N, the play is the thing – will your luck hold out
or can those pesky opponents find a way to set you?

4. P – 1S;
1N – ?;                This time you hold a sweet hand    AKQxx  Axx  J10  KJx
But dummy is disappointing with  J9  J109x  A9xx  9xx
Will the declarer prevail or the defense “NEVER REST?”

Yet the fun has just begun so be sure to put on your thinking cap when it becomes PLAY TIME for each hand.  Now that’s where the proof of the pudding is in the eating…

See  http://www.patreon.com/bridgehands

Social Number 15 – October 23, 2015

More than anything else, Bridge is about being a good partner! In this session we will witness both player goodness and … well, opportunities for improvement as we compete against players with the same hands at 40+ tables.

1.  All NV, (1D) – ? Overcall 2S in 2nd seat with:
K1098xxx  xx  Qx Jxx
If so, now what with:
Qx  AKQxx  AK1098  x

1.b.  Avoiding opponent trump uppercut
1.c.  Transportation problem? Use psychology for a better line of play.

2.  Do you Double with less than 10 points?  What could go wrong?
(1S) – ?  — Qxxx  AJ8xxxx  108x

3.  1N – ?  Find slam with   K10xxxx  AQJ109  x  x
1N – (2D) – 3D – ? with  AQx  Kxx  AQxxxx  Jx
3.b. Or find slam bidding: 1N – 2H; 2S – 3H – ?

4. 1H – ? Do you bid with
KQ10xx  x  10xxx  xxx

4.b. More psychology needed to make 4H game with
x  AKQ9xx  KJ98  AQ

2nd Game, 1.  Double Phantom Sacrifice:
1S – (2N) – 3S – (4C); 4H – (5C) – ?
And it’s your bid with
AK10x  xxx xxx xxx

2nd Game, 2.   3C – ?  with
AKxx  K  AJxxx  Kxx

2nd Game, 3. (1S) – ? Finding game with
A  J98x  KJx  AKJ9x
KJ8xx  xx  xxx  QJx

See  http://www.patreon.com/bridgehands

Yet the fun has just begun so be sure to put on your thinking cap when it becomes PLAY TIME for each hand.  Now that’s where the proof of the pudding is in the eating…

Advanced Number 15 – July 19, 2015

This time we are playing in a Matchpoint Duplicate game where EVERY TRICK counts – big time!  While we will be playing 7 pivotal hands against over 40 opponents at as many tables, there’s a twist!  At every table, South will be the only human player with 3 robot players at their table.  And while everyone will be dealt the same cards at each table, to make the game more interesting for the human South players, their hand will have more High Card Points than any one of the robots.  Ready – Set – GO!

1. P-1S; 1N-? KJxxx KJx AJx Jx
In 1N, opps lead S2 to dummy KJ654 – your play?

2: 1C-(1H)-2D-(P); ? A9x 108xx Qx AQxx
Trump A108xxx and Qx, how do you play suit?

3: 1H-2H; ? A10xx QJxxx Kx Ax
With xx Axxx Axxx 98x, rebid?

4: (1D)-? 108xx Kx AJx AJxx
(1D)-P-(1S)-X; (2D)-?

5: 1D-(P)-1H-(X); ? AJxx KQ AJxxxx x
1D-(P)-1H-(X); 1S-(2C)-2H-(P); ?

6: P-(1C)-? QJ9x QJ AJ10xx KQ
P-(1C)-2D-? K876x 1097xx xx A

7: (1D)-(1S); (2D)-P-(P)-? Axx AJxx Kx KJxx
(1D)-(1S); (2D)-P-(P)-X; (P)-? J97xx 10xx 10x Qxx

But wait, there’s more!  Oh yeah don’t ya’ know… the fun has just begun after the bidding.  So be sure to put on your thinking cap when it becomes PLAY TIME for each hand.  Now that’s where the proof of the pudding is in the eating…

Social Number 14b – June 26, 2015

Once again we go beyond High Card Point hand evaluation to use Cover Card valuation methods. In our concluding lesson we bid and play a 4 hands with many variations and 42 minutes of bidding and narration during play.

#4. 1C-1H; ? Your rebid with AKxx  AQxx  x  KQxx

#4b. Bidding up to 4H, opp leads DK to your Axxx and QJxx. Now what?

#4c. If you initially passed and partner doubled, now what to bid?

#5. 1S – ? With AQxxx  xx  10xx  Kxx

#6. 1C-1S; ? Rebid with: AKxx  KJx  Axx  Kxx

#6b. Opponent leads 10 to your J9762 and dummy K54

#7. Bid 1D or 2C with: AQ  KJxx  AKQJ10x  x

#7b. 1D-1H; 4N-5H; 7H What do you think?

#8. 1S-? Jxx  Q10xx  QJx  Axx
If 1S-2S, rebid: AQ9xx  AJx  xx  K98

Yes, the proof of the pudding is in the eating and at the Bridge table the proof of the bidding is in the playing! So responders, it’s time to use Cover Card hand evaluation to bid games, slams, grandslams or maybe even settle for a partscore contract. So step right up to the table and let the cards fly!

Social Number 14 – June 16, 2015  It’s time to go beyond High Card Point hand evaluation and use Cover Cards.  In our first of a two-part lesson we bid and play a 3 hands with many variations. On June 26 we will continue with another 5 hands and 40 more minutes.
#1. 1C-1H; ?   Your bid with AKxx  AQxx  x  KQxx

#2. In first seat, what do you bid when holding:  Q109xx  A  9  KQJ10xx

#3. Vulnerable versus Non-Vulnerable, what is your bid with:  Qx  KQJ108xx  x  xxx

But wait, that’s just the beginning!  After your bid, NOW we have an opportunity for responder to use Cover Card hand evaluation to bid games and slams (or not).  And better yet, the play is the thing so step right up to the table and let the cards fly!

Advanced Number 14 – May 25, 2015  Ready to bid and attempt to make some slam hands?  Great, in this 56 minute lesson we bid and play a 7 hands with many variations.
#1. AKQ AQx  KJ98xxx —  With 19 HCP and a 7330 shape, what do you open?
And after this hand shows the real Diamond suit and will become dummy, if the opponents Double a 6 Heart contract, what’s the correct lead (TEDDY)?
2.  KQ  Ax  J108xx  AJ10x  opposite J109xxxx  KJ  AK  Kx   Should lefty open 1 Notrump with two doubletons?  And how should right be bidding afterwards?
3. Three tables have three different bids here!  AKxxx  AK9xx  10xx  —    opposite   x  108xx  Ax  AK876x   Bidding 1S – 2C; 2H – 4H.  Now what with your Club void?
4. KJxx  AQx  xxxx  Qx   opposite  AQ109x  —  KQJxx  Axx  Here we go again with a void.  Bidding begins:  1D – 1S/ 2S – ?  (please cuebid when you have voids…)
5. xxx  A  KQx  KJ98xx   opposite   AJ9xxx  K10x  xx  AQ   Bidding starts 1C – 1S; ?   With 13 HCP, 3 Spades and a moth-eaten 6 bagger in Clubs, what’s your rebid?
6. Jx  10xx  AK10  AJxxxx  opposite   AKQ9xx  A  Q9xxx  x   Beginning 1S – 2C*; 2S – 2N; ?   Playing 2/1 with robot partner the 2C shows 12+ and is game forcing.  So what’s your next bid?
7.  Kxx  K10xx  AQxxx  x   opposite   A  Axx  Kxx  AKQ9xx   Open 1C or 2C strong with 20 HCP and a great Club suit? If righty begins with a strong 2C opener, should lefty jump to 3D with 12 HCP?

Social Number 13b – May 1, 2015  In this 42 minute lesson we bid and play a 6 hands with 3 robots at the table!
This is the second half of a 12 board online Matchpoint Bridge tourney, where every trick is important to your score.
Playing against 35 other solo human players and their robots, we will highlight some of the top lines of play for those in the first three position as well as various slip-ups. Taking only 25 minutes to bid and play all 12 hands, how well would you score?
#7 – (1D) – ?  With AKxx  xx  AK10xx  Kx
#8.  Whopper AJx  AKQxx   Ax  A98
#9. (1D) – ? With KJx   Qxxx KQx  Axx
#10 – (1H) – ? With Ax  AJ10x  QJx  AKQx
#11. In 2S, find an overtrick when holding:  AKQxx  xxx  QJ9x  x
#12. In 1N, capitalize when Robots misdefend and you hold:  AQ10  109xx  A9xx  K10

Social Number 13 – April 19, 2015  In this 45 minute lesson we bid and play a 6 hands with 3 robots at the table!
This is the first half of a 12 board online Matchpoint Bridge tourney, where every trick is important to your score.
Playing against 35 other solo human players and their robots, we will highlight some of the top lines of play for those in the first three position as well as various slip-ups. Given only 25 minutes to bid and play the hands, how well would you score?
#1 – #1.  2S – ?  And you hold:  Q109x  AK  Q98xxx  Q – do you use “THE LAW?”
#2.  (1S) – ?   Holding:  Axx  A10x   Ax  KQxxx – this is a tough one to bid
#3. In 3NT, maybe a “flat board” but opponents lead is D9 to the dummy’s AKJx
#4 – 1S – 2S; 4S is easy with:  AKJxx  AK109  x  Axx… if you play well
#5. In 3NT with a misfit, try your best:  Ax  AQxxxx  Kxxx  10  and  xxxx  —  AQJ10x  K98x
#6. In 3NT with 16 + 11 HCP, avoid leading to split honors in this suit:  Qxx  and  Kx

Advanced Number 13 – March 24, 2015  In this 77 minute lesson we bid and play a 6 hands, most with 3 variations!
#1 – Bergen Raises?  1S – ? with: xxxx  AJ9xx  J10x  x
#2 – (1H) – ? with: AQxx  KJ9  A10xx  Jx
#3 – Opps: P – 1N; 2C – 2S; 3N – P  Your lead with: 10xx  Ax  AJxx  Jxxx
#4 – P – 1C; 1H – 2H; ? with:  x  Q109xx  Q8xxx  Ax
#5 – 1S – 2S; ? with AQ10xxx  AJx  xx  Ax
#6 – 1D – 1S; 2C – ? with:  AKQ109x  A10  A10x  xx
Use the Barry Crane “COMMANDMENT #6” in a Match Point game?

Social Number 12 – March 9, 2015  In this 65 minute lesson we will bid and play a whopping 8 hands, most with several variations!
#1 – Overbid at your own peril – phantom sacrifice at 5 level with
two outside Aces after partner’s preempt?
#2 – How strong/weak to preempt – THE LAW Of Total Tricks?
#3 – BEWARE of the dreaded FROZEN suit!
#4 – HEAR partners bid and avoid phantom sacrifice!
#5 – Avoid confusing partner when leading from J10xx…
#6 – LISTEN to the auction after three calls, show your length!
#7 – count, Count, COUNT: 5-4-3-1 is different than 5332!
#8 – Once again, avoid pulling partners DOUBLE at the 5 level

Advanced Number 12 – February 22, 2015  In this 62 minute lesson we will bid and play a whopping 8 hands, most with several variations!
#1 – With a fit and 6 LTC, are you ready to make a Help Suit Game Try?
#2 – Should you downgrade with “Quackers” (Queens and Jacks)?
#3 – Know your forcing bids after opponent’s overcall!
#4 – After RHO opens do you preempt with 6421 shape and 2 outside primary honors?
#5 – Even if you can’t use the Rule of 7, do you hold back as best you can?
#6 – Beware of phantom sacrifices – don’t always believe opponents bidding!
#7 – Be sure to use your Losing Trick Count and Cover Cards after partner doubles!
#8 – Double double-fits are special trick getters, yes if you are outgunned – score your ruffs!

Social Number 11 – February 8, 2015  In this 43 minute lesson with 10 bidding and play variations, we are dealt two hands.  On the first hand its a 3 level preempt decision and partner’s ability to find game making forcing bids, or double if the opponents get too frisky.  On the second hand, the bidding gets crazy when 3 players have two suited hands, 1 with a long suit, all with misfits and all about the name strength.  Laugh or cry watching both sides attempt to play in 2+ Notrump contracts!

Advanced Number 11 – January 31, 2015  Bidding slams are fun… making ’em is another story.  When do you compete… or penalize the opponents – know the Rule of 10.  With 20 HCP and a Spade void but pard making a weak jump shift… now what?  Finally with wild shape… just how wildly should the players bid?  Come on down for 60 minutes of exciting bidding, play and commentary along the way!  And don’t forget to consider Losing Trick Count hand evaluation, keep a close eye on your spot cards on a very close 3 Notrump contract, and for sure – respect your partner’s bidding!

Advanced Number 10 – January 17, 2015  Competitive auctions can be challenging, especially when hands become more distributional and players are even more emboldened by the vulnerability.  For our advanced members, you’ll definitely get your money’s worth on these five hands with lots of bidding and play variations over a variety of tables and associated players.  Try your luck dealing with preempts by the opponents and your partner as you probe for slam with over 50 minutes chock full of commentary along the way!  And if you need to brush-up on your Losing Trick Count hand evaluation, this is the lesson for you…

Social Number 10 – January 10, 2015  Let’s start off the new year right, brushing up on solid bidding and play.  #1) RHO opens 1C & its your bid with an impressive 15 HCP and a 5=1=5=2 shape, #2) With 17 HCP including AKxxx in Hearts how do you bid/rebid?  #3) Surprisingly in the same round another balanced 17 HCP came up with KQJ9x in Hearts – what this time?  #4) LHO preempts 3D and after two passes what do you and pard bid with your 17 HCP and pard’s 7 points and a nice Club suit?  Okay, let’s play the spots off the cards… and learn what can go wrong!

Social/Advanced Number 9 – December 22, 2014  To carry you over the winter holidays, we have 6 hands with 29 bidding and play variations and 63 minutes of showtime!   1) Partner preempts and you have a full opener, 2) You have 20 points and LHO preempts, 3) A competitive auction up to a major suit game, 4) Find your slam after LHOs takeout double, 5) Opponents open – find your major suit game, 6) Bid and make a challenging slam.

Social/Advanced Number 8 – November 30, 2014  Overbidders Are Us?  You opening 19 HCP, partner makes a Weak Jump Shift and RHO overcalls – with great support in pard’s suit, how high will you push?  Next you and pard have a double-fit in the majors but a worthless 3 card side suit, so should you probe for slam?  On the 3rd hand you have a nasty 1=4=5=3 shape with 16 HCP and a stiff Spade Queen; naturally after 1D partner bids 1S so now what? Worse, opponents find their minor suit fit and if you wind up in 3 Notrump, you better know how to unblock!  Lastly, with 6=1=2=4 will you preempt with A98xxx? RHO bids at the 3 level and as partner you again you have a dreaded stiff Spade Queen singleton but 13 HCP so now what will you do?  Whatever, let’s have fun viewing 48 minutes with a myriad of overbid hands and swear off doing so ourselves… at least over the holidays!

Social Number 7 – November 20, 2014 Partner opens and you hold a glorious 19 HCP holding – what next and might the Quantitative 4 Notrump call be your friend?  If you defend, what should you NOT lead?  Next, you have KQJ10xxx and Kxx on the side yet regardless of your bidding dance with the opponents, the declarer and defender play is where the real excitement happens.  On the third hand, your 7 bagger has a meager 4 HCP yet you hold Ax on the side. And when your partner has 13 HCP but a 5521 shape with the singleton in your suit, again the bidding and play will amuse you at the different tables.
Advanced Number 7 – November 20, 2014 Good news/bad news – you and pard have 25 HCP, but they include Jxx and Jxxx so how high do you bid?  Next we learn how Jacks love touching honors (Queen or 10) with partner preempting, opponent competing and you hold three Aces and a side suit Queen – now what?  As a wrap-up, we will enjoy the bidding and play at 5 tables when bidding with 2 Queens and KQJ10xxxx in Spades! Regardless of the opening bid, sometimes the opponents can’t help but shoot in bids of their own!

Social Number 6 – November 15, 2014  With preempts we have love-hate relationship, depending on WHO makes them!  Will you make one with Heart KJ10xxx?  The other, how about QJ10xxx?  And if so, in one instance as pard you have a supporting honor and only AQxx on the side, while on the other you not only have a supporting honor but 15 whopping HCP, so decisions, decisions – especially during play!  On the third hand you have the dreaded 4=5=x=x shape with a minimum opener and partner has 7 HCP with x=4=x=x, but you might be surprised how some advanced bidders navigate this one.  And as always we see lots of bidding and play variations across the tables.
Advanced Number 6 – November 15, 2014   Opponents quickly arrive in a 6S slam contract and you have a pathetic holding with xx  xxx  xxxxx  Jxx – hardly anyone finds the killing lead, can you?  But wait, on play as declarer you have a side suit with Kxx opposite Jxx and other side suit with A10 opposite KQ9x so now what?  On another hand, yes you pickup another 4=5=1=3 with pard taking you to game with x=Q10x=AKQxxx=xxx so play carefully.  On all of these hands it’s all about watching those precious spot cards so take a deep breath, stretch and keep your eyes on those 10s and 9s!

Social Number 5 – November 7, 2014  Jacks beware – do you value Jxx and Jxxx as 2 HCP?  If so, you better carefully plan entries and take desperate measure (with 4-3, play opps for 3-3 on side suit).  And do you value K-Q doubleton as 5 HCP when pard opens 1 Notrump?  Well today it seems opponents are 4-1 in your trump suit so be on the lookout (28% chance).  We love 100 honors with a 7 card suit and outside King.  And if pard already opened are you going to play in slam?  If so, hopefully you know how to play a Bath coup!
Advanced Number 5 – November 7, 2014   With LHO and RHO bidding at the 1 level, with 6-5 in majors are you up to making a call to show your shape despite pathetic honors?  And if so, will your partner PUNISH you?  Or how about pard opens, RHO bids 1 Notrump and you have 11 HCP – now what (Balance Of Power X)?  On another hand pard opens 1S and you hold AKQx  xxxx  Kxxx  x, so what do you bid here?  So pard ends up in 6S holding J98xx  KQx  —  Kxxxx.  Now what should pard do?   But wait – with more opponent “tricks” (4-1 trump splits), this time as an opponent holding K109x in their trump suit you have over 1,000 riding on you making the correct play!  In true Halloween style, its time for Trick Or Treat!

Social Number 4 – October 31, 2014  Does your partner tend to overbid?  How about you – are you often overly optimistic?  Well, on these 6 hands plus some more permutations at the other tables, hide the kids because most of these hands have exuberant bidding by both sides!  Not to worry, we will finger the errant bids and give a handful of tips on declarer play as well.
Advanced Number 4 – October 31, 2014   For a change of pace, in this session we will explore the anatomy of a 74 percent game over a 12 board match.  And while the players do many things right, it always helps to capitalize on the opponents mistakes.

Social Number 3 – October 15, 2014  You hold AKJ10xxxx with 16 HCP and after LHO bids 2H you eventually wind up in 4S. Do you finesse for the Spade Queen or play for the drop to make game?  With a 1=3=4=5 shape (1 Spade, 5 Clubs), do you open 1C, 1D, or “it depends…”?  As pard with Spade AQxxxx and game values, how should the auction go and end up?  On another hand the bidding goes 1N – (X) – XX, what’s up with the redouble?
Advanced Number 3 – October 15, 2014   Do you value a King-Queen doubleton to be worth 5 points.  Righty opens 1N and you hold AJ9xxxx K xxx Q10 – all VUL, what’s your call?  With —  KQxx  AK9xx  A8xx you open 1D and as expected, pard bids 1S, so what is your rebid and after pard rebids 3D, now what?

Social Number 2 – October 8, 2014   Bid 1N with 6332?  Open 1N with 5 Hearts and still find Heart slam?
Pard makes 1S-3C Strong Jump Shift and you have KQJ10xx in Hearts – now what?
Advanced Number 2 – October 8, 2014   Avoid double game swings and use LTC and Cover Cards to make slams on 3 hands!

Social Number 1 – October 1, 2014
Advanced Number 1 – October 1, 2014