Blum on Bridge "Avast ye swabs. I'm captain & dun ye furget it"
	As long as ships have sailed the high seas, all knew the captain was as much in command of his vessel as a ruler was of his country or territory. To defy him could cost your head or being forced to walk the plank. It is this very premise that underlies the structure of bidding in the game of bridge. Every hand during the course of the auction needs one member of the partnership to chart the course of the bidding sequence. It really is quite simple. There are only two classes of bids, limit and non-limit. Limit bids are defined as calls that have a point range of five points or less. A classic example is an opening no-trump bid; 1NT has a limited point range of 15-17 or 16-18 points, depending upon partnership agreement. 2NT's limited point range is 20-21 or 22-24 points, also depending upon the partnership. The range of points is three when opening 1NT, and either two or three when opening 2NT. Weak two bids showing a long suit and between 6-10 points are other examples of limit bids. The responder also has limit bids available to him. Simple or double raises in opener's suit fall into this class. 1-spade-2 spades or 1-heart-3-hearts are limited in their scope of points. The spade raise of 6-10 points has a five point range while the heart bid shows a good 10-12 points or 13-15 if using the call to be forcing. 1,2 or 3NT in response to a one suit-opening bid are examples of other limited responses. Non-limit bids are just that. The upper limit is almost an unknown. Opening one of a suit has a lower limit of about 12 points. However, the upper limit is just under an opening strong two bid, maybe as high as 22 points. Strong two bids also have almost no upper limit. When the responder replies in a new suit his call is unlimited. 2/1 bids as well as jump raises in a new suit are classified as non-limit. 1 spade-2 clubs and 1-heart-1-or 2-spades are all non-limit bids. Neither opener nor responder has made a limit bid in any of those sequences. Now I want you to read the following very carefully. It is inherent within the partnership that one of the partners make a limit bid as soon as possible. Once he has made a limit bid his partner becomes captain of the auction. The reasoning is that once the limit bid has been made his partner can more easily visualize the limit bidder's holding. For example if I open 1NT you, as my partner, visualize my balanced hand with no singletons or voids and between 15-17 hcps. You are captain because only you know where we are going. I don't have the faintest idea of your holding, but you now know mine. You, the captain, have three choices. First, you can end the auction by either passing or bidding game. Second, you may invite me to bid further by bidding 2NT. "Bob, if you are at the upper end of your no-trump range, bid game; otherwise pass." Third, you may demand I bid again. If you bid 2-clubs, Stayman, you are demanding I bid my four-card major if I have one or bid 2-diamonds denying a four-card major. I cannot refuse you. You are captain and will "have my head" should I not obey you. Please understand that last paragraph. It is imperative that you do, for it is the foundation of all bidding systems. Let's put our newfound knowledge to work. I open 1-spade and you reply 2-spades. I now bid 3-clubs. What is going on? How about this one? I open 1-club you respond 1-diamond I bid 1-heart and you bid 1- spade. Can I pass? Suppose I bid 1NT over your 1-spade. Can you pass? Another sequence. I open 1-heart and you respond 1-spade. I rebid 2-hearts. Can you pass? Why? Suppose my second bid is 2-diamonds instead of rebidding hearts. Can you pass? Your reply of 2-spades in the first example limits your hand to 6-10 points and three spades. I am captain and did not sign-off. Knowing the final contract will be spades I am cue bidding a first round stopper and am demanding you do the same if you have one, otherwise return to our agreed upon suit. I cannot pass your 1-spade bid in the second example. No limit bid has been made plus a new suit by responder is forcing. You may pass my 1NT because the limit bid made you captain. You may pass either my 2-heart rebid or my 2-diamonds in the final example as both calls imply an upper limit of, at the most, 16 points. Either bid shows about 12-16 points, within our limit bid range.