TaigaBridge

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Bridge articles

by Gordon Bower

My articles can be broken down into 3 main categories:

Hand of the Week posts:
In years past, I wrote a weekly online "bridge column" for club-level players. The archived hands are still available here.

When I write up new hands, they won't be placed in the old HOTW archive, but in a new collection of columns. Stay tuned.

Double dummy analysis articles:
These are articles about refining one's bidding system with the help of computer simulation: identifying hands that are worth game tries, deciding whether it's better to just raise to 3NT or look for a major-suit game on the way, and so on.
Bidding conventions and systems articles:
This is a collection of bidding methods that my regular partners and I have developed. These fall into four sub-categories:
  • Standalone conventions that I encourage you to add to your Standard American or 2/1-based system;
  • Packages of tools that my regular partners and I have used, but which may not be quite so easy to graft onto your system one by one;
  • Complete system frameworks, mostly build around a Polish 1 (forcing but not strong) opening; and
  • Some teaching articles about bidding philosophy that I wrote mostly between 2002 and 2005. I don't promise I still agree with every word I wrote more than 10 years ago, but the archived articles are still available here.
"Someday" I have some articles in preparation about opening leads and signaling methods, but I don't seem to have much time to write these days.

What's the most memorable system accident you've ever had?

One of my first partners insisted on playing a Roman 2 opening (showing 4-4-4-1 pattern and 16-20 HCP). He opened 2, I had a strong balanced hand, and got to play 6 in a 3-1 fit. Partner had a weak two-bid in diamonds. I went on to execute my first successful simple squeeze -- to hold it to down three for a zero.

If you're going to insist that your partner learn a new convention for you, the least you can do is remember it yourself!

This page last edited 22.04.17.