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Points Schmoints - Marty Bergen

 
 
   
 

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Index


Table of Contents

© Marty Bergen

CHAPTER 1 -  OPENING BIDS -
YOUR BEST FIRST MOVE                                                                     1

“Points, Schmoints!” — Use the Rule of 20                                              1

The Not-So-Short Club                                                                               5

Bond Knows All the Tricks                                                                         6

Dear Marty: What Suit Should I Open?                                                    8

Always Open 1NT — Even With a Five-Card Major                                9

The Spades Have It — The Rule of 15                                                     11

 

CHAPTER 2 -  PARTNER OPENS 1NT -
NOW WHAT?                                                                                            13

Stayman Without Eight Points? Never Say Never                                   13

Think Twice Before Revealing Your Secrets                                           15

 

CHAPTER 3  - NOT FOR EXPERTS ONLY                                          17

21 Rules of Being a Good Partner                                                            17

He Sure Talks a Good Game                                                                    19

Thou Shalt Obey The Law of Total Tricks                                               21

 

CHAPTER 4 - FITS AND MISFITS                                                        25

Sometimes the Fourth Suit is the Best Bid                                               25

Beware the Misfit                                                                                      28

Don't Be Shy, Tell Me What You Prefer                                                  31

A Unique, Crucial Exception                                                                      32

 

CHAPTER 5 - THE BATTLE OF THE SEXES                                       33

Chivalry is Not Dead                                                                                  34

A Deadly Game of Bridge                                                                          35

 

CHAPTER 6 - CUEBIDS:
“MICHAELS ROW YOUR BOAT ASHORE”                                       37

Seven Bills; I Mean B-I-G Bills                                                                37

Cuebids, No More Dangerous Than Dynamite                                        41

 

CHAPTER 7 - DOUBLES ANYONE?                                                     45

Saved by Marty (A Story by Larry Cohen)                                              45

No Time to Prepare — Order Takeout                                                    48

An Offshape Double is Nothing But Trouble                                           50

Negative Doubles: The Quintessential Convention                                53

 

CHAPTER 8 - AFTER THE DOUBLE                                                    57

Searching For Signs of Life                                                                       57

The Goal After Redouble is to Kick Butt!                                               61

How Do I Support Thee?  Let Me Count the Ways                                64

 

CHAPTER 9 - COMPETITIVE BIDDING -
LIKE FOUR PEOPLE BOXING                                                             67

Overcalls: If the Suit Fits, Bid It                                                              67

Stand Tall After a 1NT Overcall                                                              72

Do You Know Your Balancing Basics?                                                    75

 

CHAPTER 10 - PREEMPTS FOR FUN
AND PROFIT                                                                                           81

Sock It To 'Em With an Opening Three-Bid                                            81

Responding to Preempts is a Cinch                                                          83

The Weakest Weak Two-Bid Ever Made                                                88

Why Not Have a Grand Old Time                                                            90

 

CHAPTER 11 - THE RULE OF 11:
CAN YOU SUBTRACT?                                                                          93

Partner Leads Fourth Best — What Next?                                             93

Declarer Passes the Test                                                                          97

 

CHAPTER 12 - DON'T BE STUMPED
WHEN PLAYING NOTRUMP                                                                99

Not a Good Declarer, But What a Great Dummy                                    99

Are You Guilty of Premature Grabbing?                                                 102

If You Don't Have Entries, You Ain't Got Nothing                                 104

A Record That Will Never Be Broken                                                    106

 

CHAPTER 13 - SOME PLAYERS
DO IT WITH FINESSE                                                                           109

Hold That Finesse                                                                                    109

Take Everything in Sight                                                                         113

I Never Met a Five-Card Suit I Didn't Like                                           114

Finesses Do Have Their Day in the Sun                                                 116

How Low Can You Go?                                                                            119

 

CHAPTER 14 - TRUMPS ARE WILD                                                  121

Charting Your Trump Course                                                                  121

Drawing Trumps: Count on Your Opponents                                          122

Dummy's Ruff Can Be Smooth                                                                124

Drawing Trumps First is Often the Worst                                               126

Maneuvering Trump Entries Like a Virtuoso                                         129

It is Not Illegal to Count Winners in a Suit Contract                              132

 

CHAPTER 15 - DECLARER'S TRICKS AND TRAPS                        133

Help Your Opponents Take the Bait                                                        133

Some Expensive Advice                                                                            136

Life is Pleasing When You Start Squeezing                                             137

Is Bridge a Mathematical Game?                                                            141

 

CHAPTER 16 - DEFENSE:
DO A LOT WITH A LITTLE                                                                  145

Force Declarer to Trump — Absolutely!                                                 145

Hustler's Delight                                                                                       148

An Artist With a Small Canvas                                                                 150

Do You Believe in Magic?                                                                        152

 

CHAPTER 17 - THE DEFENSE NEVER RESTS                                 155

When to Say No to Second Hand Low                                                     155

You Be the Judge                                                                                      158

If Declarer Smart, Defender Not                                                             162

Give Partner the Signal                                                                            164

 

CHAPTER 18 - DISCARDING:
THROW LOSERS, KEEP WINNERS                                                   169

Give to Charity But Keep Parity                                                             169

Accentuate the Negative                                                                          173

Improve Your Discards — Even the Odds                                              176

 

CHAPTER 19 - OPENING LEADS: STOP, LOOK, AND LISTEN    179

Lead Trumps When You Are Not in Doubt                                             179

A Good Lead is All You Need                                                                  182

Watson, I Just Got a Lead                                                                       183

Nervous But Game                                                                                   186

 

 

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