Blum on Bridge Tips Part I - Bidding
	Last week I went to our Marco Island library where, as I've often said, there is a plethora of data on the game of bridge. No matter where you reside in Collier County, simply go to the index of your nearest facility and within a day one of these fine books can be in your hands. At any rate my purpose was to do a cursory check of a number of books, most of which I've previously read, and publish some of their more important points in my column. To do this I have consolidated material from authors Klinger, Kantor, Lawrence and Root, even perusing "The Encyclopedia of Bridge." Let me now pass these expert tips to you, dear reader. Kantor states to deduct a point for singleton kings, queens, jacks and doubleton QJ. Add a point to any hand with three tens, each connected to a higher honor or 109 combinations in four-card or longer suits. Examples are AJ10-AJ104-Q104-876 or A10932-A1094-A32-3. Count these as 13 pointers excluding distribution. If, after these deductions or additions you hold 12 points, open the bidding. Another Kantorism is that with distributional suits before opening the auction anticipate your rebid with the clue that partner will probably respond in your singleton or void. Several authors state that when opening the bidding in third or fourth position open a strong four-card major with such as xx-AKJ10-10987-A104. A Ron Klinger tip is that after partner opens 1NT and second player intervenes with a natural suit bid, bid 3NT with a no-trump type hand with enough points for game even though you do not have a stopper in the bid suit. Holding 432-A84-AQJ-Q1082 bid 3NT over an intervening bid of two spades. It is much more likely the opponent's overcall is based on AQxxxx, KQ109xx, KJ10xxx rather than a solid AKQxxx. Don't be afraid to open 1NT with a broken six card minor with all suits stopped such as K4-K4-KJ8-AQ7532. Another sureism is if your lho opens a suit and partner overcalls 1NT bid 3NT with a combined holding of 24 hcps. and a no-trump type hand. The theory is based upon the opener holding almost all of the defender's points and as a result after winning a trick will have to lead away from his strength. Every expert stresses that with a 4-3-3-3-hand pattern after partner's no-trump opener, with enough points to respond, to raise in no-trump. Even if the 4-card suit is a major it is unwise to bid Stayman asking opener to bid his 4-card major should he have one. Klinger even adds that with 5-3-3-2 distribution and all suits stopped opposite a 4-3-3-3 distribution the same number of tricks will be obtained as in the suit contract. Another interesting tip is that when there is a choice of playing in a minor suit or no-trump prefer the minor with 20-21 and 22 hcps with no tens and choose no-trump with 23-24 points. For example the bidding proceeds with no interference 1 diamond-1spade-1NT (12-14 hcps), responder should pass and not bid 2 diamonds holding Q1083-A65-QJ97-J5 (playing Swiss Teams, bid 2 diamonds, the safe contract). Mike Lawrence states in his book on balancing that as a general rule, the only time you should trap-pass is when you have substantial length and strength in the enemy suit. One of my favorites I found in Kantor's "Treasury of Bridge Tips" is to not respond in a suit that has four small cards when you have an opening bid or better. There may be a slam and you could end up in the wrong suit. Holding AKQ10-9832-AJ4-J8 respond one spade over partner's one club or diamond opener. He ends his tip with the words "trust me."