Intrductin t Duplicate Bridge - Prcedures & Etiquette Revised: June 12, 2016 Etbicke Bridge Centre Arrival Arrange a partner fr a game. Optinal t have, as a partner is guaranteed fr bth ur nvice games) Arrive 15 30 minutes befre game time, s yu have time t settle in, perhaps discuss a few things with yur partner, get the snacks befre they are gne (:- If yu are ging t be late, call the directr r club manager. Register with the directr, r equivalent fee taker. Mst ACBL duplicate games cst between $7 and $11. If neither yu nr yur partner wish the extra burden f scring, ask t play EW. Nte, hwever, that best is t frce yurself t learn hw t scre (essential eventually) by playing N n ccasin Take yur seat n later than 5 minutes befre game time. This allws the directr t verify the ttal table cunt. General Advice We all want t have a little "fun" while playing, ie, a humrus quip here r there. Hwever, yu must be careful nt t impart any unauthrized infrmatin. Fr example, "N ne is ging t call me a wuss after this bid". Perhaps this may get a laugh, but yu have just tld everyne yu are making an aggressive bid, nt cl. Gd players knw what yu can say and what yu can't. New players d nt. My advice; if yu are nt sure if a cmment will be apprpriate, dn't make it. Play Mechanics The directr will put yur bards n the table. Typically yu will play frm 2-4 bards at each table, Open game sessins are 24-28 bards in ttal. Nvice games run frm 15-24 Nwadays, all clubs ffer pre-shuffled hands, via a dealing machine, s yu just have t pull ut yur cards and start playing. The cards are cntained in a bard, which shws the 4 directins. The bard als indicates wh is the dealer, and what the vulnerability is. Vulnerability is shwn by the wrd, r by red clring vs green fr nt vulnerable. If yu are Nrth, yu have extra respnsibilities Be sure the bards are all crrect directinally N ne else is t tuch the bards, that is Nrth s jb If the club des nt have bridgemate electrnic scre pads, take the (paper) traveler ut f the N pcket, and slide it under the bard r table card Yu must scre the result when the hand is cmpleted Intr t Duplicate Bridge Etbicke Bridge Centre Page 1 f 7
A Rund means the 2-4 hands yu play against the same ppnents. After a new rund is called, yu can help the directr by passing yur bards (in the crrect rder) t the next lwer table On the first rund, if using paper travelers, N must start the traveler by entering the bard number at the tp right and n the utside, after a 3-fld. Once all 4 peple are at the table, start the first bard by pulling ut yur cards Srt yur cards int suits Sme peple like t srt suits red,black,red,black Cunt yur cards, especially n the first rund, t make sure yu have 13. D nt re-psitin yur cards during play, ie, nw vid in a suit Time t start the bidding, check wh is the Dealer Bids are made by pulling the desired bid frm yur bidding bx, and placing it n the table, facing yur partner. When making a 2 nd bid, place it t the left f the first bid, s bth bids can be easily seen. Things that yu shuld nt d when making bids D nt hver yur hand ver the bx as yu decide what t bid. Crrect: Make up yur mind, then mve yur hand t the bx and pull the bid D nt make any cmments abut yur bid, such as "well, I am nt sure but here ges" Yu may ask questins abut a bid t the partner f the player wh made the bid. Yu may d s nly when it is yur turn t bid. Adv tip: Hwever, nte that unless yu need the infrmatin during the auctin, meaning yu are cnsidering bidding, yu are best nt t ask. It allws yur ppnents t hear what their partner thinks their bid means. Yu can ask befre yu lead. Hesitatins As new players, yu are given sme leeway re prper etiquette at the table. Hwever, yu need t gradually learn this stuff and behave prperly. When yu hesitate befre making a bid, especially if it is a pass, yu impart unauthrized inf t yur partner. Yu are allwed t think n a bid, but nte that if yu pass, yur partner is nw under pressure t make a bid that des nt take advantage f yur hesitatin. If yu think an ppnent has dne this, yu shuld call the directr. When there are 3 passes in a rw, the auctin ends, and a final cntract has been reached. All players shuld put their bids back in their bxes. Nte, d nt pick up yur bids, implying the auctin is ver, unless yu are the 3 rd pass. Only the 3 rd passer may tap n their cards r pick them up, t indicate a pass. All thers must play the pass card and let g f yur card. If yu start picking up yur cards w the 2nd last pass, yu are "telling" the last player t pass, which is wrng. It is nt yur place t decide this, even when their bid is "bvius". On the back f yur cnventin card is a scring sheet. This is where yu put in the inf abut each hand. Critical inf includes the cntract, number made, and the scre, be it a plus fr yu r a minus. Intr t Duplicate Bridge Etbicke Bridge Centre Page 2 f 7
It is recmmended that everyne fill ut the persnal scre sheet, and ne f each pair MUST d s. This is because the directr may have t lk at yur sheet t fix a mistake n a traveler. Sme peple like t estimate hw they did n each hand, using sme number system like 0 t 5 r -2 t +2 If yu wuld like a plastic flder t put yur cnventin cards in, ask the club wner, they may have sme free nes As sn as the auctin ends, everyne but the leader can fill ut the cntract n their scre sheet. The leader must lead first, then write this. The pening lead is made face-dwn. This helps in tw ways. Partner may ask questins abut the bidding after yu have led. Als, if the wrng player has led, this is easily rectified since the card has nt been seen. Ask yur partner Any questins If n, r after partner asks her questins, turn up yur lead Dummy nw is placed n the table, abut a card away frm the edge f the table. Trump must g n the declarer s left. Other suits can g in any rder, mst prefer alternating red and black suits. Be sure the cards are well-spaced s that everyne can easily see them. Prper etiquette is fr the declarer t thank partner, nce the dummy is n the table (even if yu dn t like what yu see). Frm this pint n, the dummy nly plays cards as directed by declarer, nthing else. N ne but the dummy may play/tuch the dummy's cards A review f the bidding may be asked by each player befre their first play. Declarer can call a card in a number f ways, the safest being number and suit, ie, K f Spades. Hwever ther calls are allwed Play small, play lw, play =lwest, spade, ruff it, ruff with X, play high, up If yu are cntinuing t play the same suit frm dummy, calling nly a number means in that suit After a trick is cmpleted, place the card in frnt f yu, face-dwn, facing the directin f wh wn the trick. Yu may ask t see the trick just played nly if yur card is still face-up. Once a player places their card face- dwn n their trick stack, yu may nly lk at yur wn card, and nly until the next trick is started Yu may cnfirm with partner that he is ut f a suit when he des nt fllw suit. ie, "N clubs partner?" When the hand is cmpleted, d NOT fld yur cards right away. The declarer r defender suggests the final result, ie, Made 4? Once there is agreement n the result, and nt until then, may yu shuffle and fld yur cards tgether and return them t the tray (bard). Nrth nw scres the hand n the paper traveler r the electrnic scre pad. After Nrth is dne, they must shw the result t ne f the ppnents fr verificatin. Yu may quickly lk at ther results t see hw yu cmpared. Sme clubs chse nt t shw ther results as they feel it slws dwn the game. Intr t Duplicate Bridge Etbicke Bridge Centre Page 3 f 7
Scring a Game Yu are cmpeting against the ther pairs in yur directin, wh hld the same cards as yu and yur partner. If yu bid 4S and make 5, while everyne else makes 4, yu get a tp bard. Specifically, yu get a matchpint fr each pair that yu beat, and a half a matchpint fr each pair that yu tied. Yur matchpints fr all X hands are added up, then this ttal is printed as a % scre, 50% being average. During the Game Dummy shuld nt use this lw-level jb t excuse herself frm the table, the defenders shuld nt have t play the dummy. If yu cannt crss yur legs till the end f the rund, call the directr t see if they can play the dummy fr a minute r s. Take snack breaks nly between runds, and nly if yu are ahead f the pace. D nt discuss hands with (r in frnt f) anyne but yur partner, and keep these at lw vlume Yur cnventin card must remain face-dwn, s scres cannt be seen by ppnents Intr t Duplicate Bridge Etbicke Bridge Centre Page 4 f 7
After the game ends One f the biggest excitements in bridge is getting yur result right after the game. The directr will read ut the names f all thse teams that placed, which is the tp 40% f the pairs. Yu can take a hand recrd, which shws all the hands yu just played. The small bx is a matrix f the cntracts that the cmputer, playing seeing all the hands, can make. Be careful, it is nt necessarily best bridge, as the cmputer drps stiff Kings ffside. Yu may als ask fr a paper summary, which shws yur wn cntracts and results and match pints earned fr each hand. Nte that bth f the abve are available nline at mst clubs, usually psted within an hur f the end f the game. Als nline will be the verall results. Cnventin Cards Each player/pair is t have a cnventin card filled ut (exceptin is a nvice game). This shws what systems the pair plays, and als tuches n card play guidelines. In an pen game, bth players must have identical cnventin cards. The sle purpse f a cnventin card is fr the ppnents t lk at, yu are actually nt allwed t lk at yur wn card while playing. There are simpler cnventin cards fr basic Standard American Yellw card players Alerts, Annuncements and Transfers Yu shuld be aware f an Alert even thugh yu likely dn t need t use this yet. If a pair is playing a nn-natural, nn-standardized cnventin, they must Alert the ppnents when it cmes up. Alerting is dne by the partner f the bidder (immediately) saying it ut lud, r (better) als shwing the blue Alert card frm the bidding bx. Nte that standard nn-natural bids, such as Stayman, are nt alertable Annuncements are immediate explanatins f a bid, the nly example fr nw is as sn as partner makes an pening bid f 1NT, partner must immediately say the range, usually 15-17 A transfer bid is ne where a bid instructs partner t bid the next suit. The example yu will cme acrss snest is ver a 1NT pening. All nn-nvice and sme nvice players play that if yu have 5 f a majr, yu bid the suit belw, s 2D is a transfer t 2Hearts. The partner f the 2D bid says transfer as sn as the bid is made (and befre the next player bids). Intr t Duplicate Bridge Etbicke Bridge Centre Page 5 f 7
The Directr The directr s main functin is t ensure the game runs efficiently and fairly. D nt hesitate t call the directr if yu need a ruling r are simply unsure abut smething. The prper way t d this is t say Directr please in a clear, lud, friendly vice and put yur hand up. When the directr arrives at yur table, the persn wh called shuld calmly explain the situatin needing assistance. Allw the directr t elicit the necessary inf, and make his/her decisin. It is paramunt that everyne remain calm and allw the directr t d their jb. If yu dn t understand anything ask, r at the least, ask later. Nte, there is nthing wrng with calling the directr, this des nt make yu a bad persn! Remember it this way. Hw wuld yu feel if yu lst an event by 1 match pint and yu had let an ppnent get away with an infractin that negatively affected yur scre. If smene bjects t yu plitely calling the directr, that is their prblem, nt yurs. Zer-tlerance means that if, fr any reasn, yu are uncmfrtable at the table, yu shuld call the directr, t explain this. Mst players (especially new nes) are nt willing t d this,and it means that smene wh is unpleasant cntinues t be s, as n ne will stand up t the "bridge bully". A gd directr will deal with this and at the very least, nte the ffender, fr future reference. The American Cntract Bridge League (ACBL) The ACBL is the gverning bdy fr duplicate bridge in Nrth America. There are ver 1700 clubs, with ver 200,000 members. Yur main cnnectin with the ACBL is the recrding f master pints and receiving the mnthly bulletin. A Master pint is the basic unit f award ne gets fr success at duplicate bridge. Yu can win Master pints at varius types f games 1. Lcal club games; find the duplicate clubs in yur area and when they ffer duplicate games. Fr example, the Etbicke BC runs an pen game n Mn, Wed and Thur f each week; nvice games Wed and Thur. All clubs are n the web, check them ut. In a regular Mitchell mvement (NS stay in the same seat, EW mve arund the rm), at the pen level, yu get 0.1 MPs fr each table in play. S, if yu cme first EW in a 12-table pen game, yu get 1.2 MPs. If yu play in limited games, ie, 0-200 pts, the awards are lwer. 2. Turnaments; There are turnaments yu can reach by car abut every ther weekend. A sectinal turnament runs Saturday & Sunday, typically running pairs games n Saturday and Swiss teams n Sunday. A reginal is lnger, typically Tuesday t Sunday, gives higher Master Pint awards and is wrth cnsidering as a rad trip. There are 3 Nrth American Bridge Champinships (NABCs), that are rtated arund big cities. Trnt seems t hst ne every 11 years r s, in the summer (next ne is summer 2017). Flying t a NABC, t stay and play fr a week r s is a true bridge player's idea f a fun hliday. Every day a lessn (r tw) is ffered t nvice players by expert players/teachers. The bigger the type f event, the mre the master pint awards. All turnaments ffer games fr nvice/intermediate players, such as the 299er events. 3. Online: This new frum is playing in turnaments n the cmputer. The main site is called Bridge Base Online. Intr t Duplicate Bridge Etbicke Bridge Centre Page 6 f 7
Nw, Master Pints are autmatically recrded n the club s cmputer. Then a reprt is sent by the club wner t the ACBL, s yur pints are updated mnthly. Yu will see yur current MPs n the Bulletin, which is the ACBL s mnthly magazine. Als, there is a nvice sectin in the bulletin, yu shuld read these articles each mnth. Yu can als see yur MPs nline at acbl.rg; My ACBL. There are varius levels ne can achieve as yu amass pints. The mst significant level is becming a Life Master, which nw requires 500 ttal pints, which include certain number f clured pints, ie gld, silver, red. Regular pints are black. Nte that unrecrded pints last fr ne year. S, ideally, if yu wish t jin the ACBL, d s n later than a year after yu win yur first MPs. It csts abut $37Cdn a year t be a member f the ACBL. This gets yu the mnthly bulletin, recrding f yur Master Pints, and reduced fees ($2-$3) at turnaments. Keeping pace The speed f play varies accrding t the type f game. In an pen game, each hand is t be played in 7.5 minutes. In a nvice game, this can be 10 minutes per hand. It is yur respnsibility t keep up. If yu are cnstantly late finishing, the directr will takes steps t speed yu up, ranging frm verbal encuragement t pulling a bard t catch yu up. If yu are behind t much, just play faster, r rush ne hand. Remember, the directr is just ding his jb s thers dn t have t wait t much. A great way t save precius time is t learn hw t claim. A claim is a statement that yu have the rest f the tricks, r have all but a specified trick ( I have the rest except yu get the A f trumps ). Draw trumps befre yu claim, r say Drawing trumps, the rest are mine. A claim saves yur ppnents frm useless thinking, and saves time, allwing mre time n harder hands. If yu are nt sure yu have a claim, keep playing. Mvements There are tw primary bridge mvements. A Mitchell is where the NS pairs remain at the same table, and the EW pairs rtate arund the rm. This mvement is used with 7 tables r mre. With less than 7 tables, a Hwell mvement is mst effective. Here all pairs mve arund the rm, fllwing the directins n the mvement cards. Intr t Duplicate Bridge Etbicke Bridge Centre Page 7 f 7
Duplicate Bridge Etiquette TF Quiz Etbicke Bridge Centre (Answers at page bttm) 1. The rund has been called, but it is kay t have a 30 secnd discussin f the hand just finished 2. It is kay t say (circle) a. Well played partner b. Gd thing they did nt find the club switch c. T Oppnent; Wuld yu be interested in a cmment abut yur play? 3. Dummy shuld play a card nly when instructed t by declarer 4. Once the last card is played, fld up yur cards and return them t the duplicate bard 5. The first lead is made face dwn s yu can change yur mind if the dummy is nt dwn yet 6. If the rund is called and yu have nt started a bard, it is a Late Play r nt played at all 7. A cnventin card is t remind yu what systems yu are playing 8. If there is a vilatin at the table, best t say Directr 9. After the bidding has ended, the bid cards g away, and everyne writes the cntract n their persnal scre sheet 10. Once the dummy hand is put dwn, the dummy shuld play frm 2 small cards in dummy right away, since that is yur bvius play 11. If the rund has nt been called, and yu are finished yur hands, yu may g t the washrm r get a snack 12. If yu have been behind fr 2 r mre runds, yu must intentinally play t catch up 13. It is fine t scld yur partner fr a bad play but never yur ppnents Bnus: Accrding t the wner f the Etbicke BC, what is the mst under-rated card in the deck (2...Ace) Scre / 13 WHAT A GAME!! Bklet created by: Steve Overhlt etbickebridge@gmail.cm Answers: 1. F 2. ac 3. T 4. F 5. F 6. T 7. F 8. F (Please) 9. F 10. F 11. T 12. T 13. F, Bnus. Ten f curse Intr t Duplicate Bridge Etbicke Bridge Centre Page 8 f 7
What GTA Bridge club gives yu the best pssible path fr learning, imprving at and enjying this great game? The ETOBICOKE BRIDGE CENTRE Teaching prgram led by a retired math/cmputer teacher, silver life master, Unit 166 Teacher-f-the-Year 2015 Dynamic lessns, delivered with passin and humur ttally cmmitted t making yu the best bridge player yu can be Cnstant email supprt, answers t all yur questins within 24 hurs bth beginner curses include an Audrey Grant textbk, EBC teaching bklet, free play cupn and unlimited snacks Best sequence f lessns and duplicate games If yu are new t the game, start with the Abslute Beginner curse If yu have played a bit at hme, yu can start this curse after the 2 basic mechanics classes, save sme mney Then take the Level 2 curse Once yu have graduated frm the abve 2 curses, yu nw shuld play in ur 0-20 New-t- Duplicate game. Very gentle, very friendly, supervised with bidding help frm a retired teacher and current Mini-Mckenny Unit 166 race winner. Every Wednesday we ffer a half hur warm-up lessn, fllwed by 18 hands frm 12:00 t 3:00 When yu are ready t mve frward, nw play in ur 0-200 nvice game. Anther very friendly grup that plays 21 bards every Thursday frm 12:00 t 3:15 [Advanced nvice]/intermediate lessns every May&June Onging [advanced nvice]/intermediate single lessns every Wednesday 12:30 Last stage is playing in any f ur 3 pen duplicate games (Mn, Wed, Thur) Hand recrds fr all games Strng staff f directrs, tw f ur fur directrs are turnament-certified All directrs and teachers are delighted t answer yur bridge questins Best snacks in the GTA, ften including hme-made pastry, party sandwiches Extensive library f beginner and intermediate bks, all vetted by the club wner/teacher Hme supplies fr sale: bidding bxes, cards, duplicate bards, cheat sheets large cmfrtable learning and playing areas, free parking, wheel-chair accessible Bridge is a very hard game, that is why we lve it s much, there is s much t it. It is critical that yu start and develp yur game via lessns, at an ACBL-sanctined club, where yu are guaranteed high quality teaching and play services. All f this is available at the Etbicke Bridge Centre. We are nly a 20 minute drive frm dwntwn Trnt, minutes frm the 427 and the 401. www.etbickebridge.cm etbickebridge@gmail.cm 647.897.6179 Intr t Duplicate Bridge Etbicke Bridge Centre Page 9 f 7