Blum on Bridge Mikey's Rules
	Readers of this column are familiar with two of my dearest friends in the bridge world, young Mike Cappelletti and his bride-to-be Shannon Lipscomb. At just 32, Mike has over 12,000 master points and is presently in second place this year. In 1999, Mike and Shannon won the highly regarded national mixed-pairs title (The duo was in first place going into the fourth and final session of this year's mixed-pairs national tournament but could not quite hold on). During the same tournament, Mike's team won the national team title. Shannon, still in her 20s, is the past junior ladies' champion. She has long, gorgeous red hair and also models clothes for my wife Connie, proprietor of Connie's Fashions, during her fall visits. When we are partners, probably nine out of ten pairs coming to our table go gaga, saying "my, your hair is beautiful." I never fail to say "thank you" as I pass my palm over a large bald spot. Mike and Shannon jointly offer their services at many regional and national tournaments, giving free lessons to an audience of mostly intermediates and novices. Their most popular lecture is known as "Mikey's Rules." They were kind enough to send these rules to me along with an explanation for each. I shall now pass them on to you, dear reader: (1) Pitch losers. Keep winners. For example, when declarer is forcing you to make discards and your last three cards are A4 and another good card, throw the four. Sounds easy, right? Then why do so many defenders discard that other good card? (2) Lead partner's suit - he risks his neck to overcall. He overcalled for a reason, so he can't get upset if you lead his suit. Here's a warning to all. Make sure your overcalls are good, K10654 would be the lightest. Only if you have an overwhelming reason should you lead a suit other than partner's. (3) Jumps to slam end the auction - you may not raise. Sometimes partner jumps on speculation or to sacrifice. He could also be counting on a specific opening lead by the defense. (4) Mikey says, "Only God saves - the 5-level belongs to the opponents." To sacrifice you must be sure it is profitable. You also know your opponents, which is helpful. Sacrifices at the 5-level are dangerous. (5) Lead a J or 10 and if it holds, continue. Obviously, the partner holds something in that suit, so keep leading it. (6) ASBF (All strange bids are forcing). It's better to play one level higher than play the wrong contract. (7) Never pass a forcing bid. Mike opens 1 spade and Shannon responds with 2 clubs. Mike can bid 2 spades safely because Shannon's call is a 2-over-1 bid which cannot be passed. Thus, it is not necessary for Mike to use up bidding space and jump in his suit in order to force partner to bid again. (8) Double Trouble. (a)Don't double anything you can't beat. (b) Take out partner's take- out double. (c) Leave in partner's penalty double unless you have a surprise. Don't double because you might beat it. Have a good reason. Team players do not double for a one trick set. Even if you are lucky and the setting trick cashes, the points you receive are not worth the chance you took. You will gain only 1 or 2 IMPs depending upon the vulnerability. The opponents bid 2 hearts and partner doubles. Holding 432-Q6432-53-765 you must take out even if you are forced to bid that three-card suit. Partner asked you to bid, so do so. Leave in partner's penalty double unless you have something you don't have. (9) Lead a singleton (versus suit contracts with no void in trumps) or AK if you have it. Not a singleton trump unless against doubled part score. Aces are meant to take kings or queens. Partner must know that if you don't lead the king or ace (some lead ace from AK), you don't have that combination. Also, if you have led a spot card in a particular suit and later show up with a second card, you have no singletons. (10) Preemptor can only bid once unless answering a question asked by the partner. When opening a weak two-bid and partner raises to three, it is not an invitation to bid four. A preemptive opening two- or three-bid tells your story. You should never have to say, "But I had an extra......" (11) Aces are meant to take kings. Assume you are left of dummy and declarer leads the 4 from Q64. Don't jump up with ace. Though you may get a free trick if declarer holds a stiff king, he later can get a free discard on dummy's queen. If declarer holds K62, that queen may be the only entry he has to dummy. If you refuse to jump up with the ace, you have made a superior defense by denying him his dummy. (12) There are no rules, only guidelines. Always keep in mind that these are guidelines. There are no rules as nothing is right 100 percent of the time. A good declarer or defender must be able to use his imagination. Connie and I are looking forward to traveling to D.C. for Mike and Shannon's June 3 wedding. The night before features dinner on the roof of the Kennedy Center. How do they do that?