Editorial by Paul Bowyer
Welcome to V-Blue, the e-magazine for those learning the wonderful game of bridge. This brilliant piece of software is devised to help you understand the game better, to reinforce the learning from your classes that you have been attending for a year or so. Well, we assume that you have been attending classes – this edition and those following it are aimed at second year learners (sophomores) so we’ll make the assumption that you know the basics of the game. We have a parallel e-magazine running for those who are just starting out in this game.
Here at Vu-Bridge we appreciate that poring over a bridge-related problem in a book or a newspaper (or on a whiteboard in front of a class) is challenging and interpreting hand diagrams and working your way mentally through the play of the cards is a hard task. In fact, it is a difficult skill that takes ages to acquire. With VuBridge you have the cards appear on the screen in front of you and it is though you are at the table, playing cards in real life. We know that it is practice in playing the cards that you need and VuBridge provides that aplenty. Practice, practice, practice... makes perfect (?)
Here at Vu-Bridge our expert team (bridge experts and teaching experts) have produced hundreds of deals illustrating all the fundamental points of card-play that you need to know to be a good player. We don’t ignore the bidding, either (in fact Vu-Bridge comes in two different versions, one in Standard English – or ACOL – and one in Standard American).
Vu-Bridge is also useful for teachers, enabling them to give plenty of practice to their students. Remember, in a normal classroom setting you may only have time to play, say, four “set” hands and each player will be declarer once. Using this software students can play all the hands as declarer and hence gain far more experience in card-play.
In this first issue there are four series for you. Two series (of six hands each) are on Stayman, illustrating why we would use the convention and the value of a 4-4 major suit fit. We have a guest author (the famous David Bird from England) who has produced six assorted deals and – if that’s not enough for you – we have four more unthemed hands just for fun. That’s 22 hands in this edition. Enjoy.
Series #2036 - Stayman: Starter Kit (SA)
I've heard rumors that there are people who live long and productive lives without the Stayman convention, but I've never met any. It's time for you to learn all about it, and who better than your pals at Vu-Bridge to get you started.
WHY Stayman? Stayman serves two main purposes: Firstly, it enables us to find 8-card major fits over Notrump openings. Secondly, it arranges the bidding so that the Notrump bidder names the suit first, thusly keeping the "big" hand hidden and off the table, which is worth a half-trick.
Like many conventions, Stayman begins with an artificial bid that asks partner a question. Over a 1NT opener, the responder bids 2♣, which says nothing about Clubs. It asks partner, "Do you have a 4-card major?" In order to bid Stayman, the responder needs to have a 4-card major of his own, and (usually) 8+ points. (If responder has a 5-card or longer suit, he uses transfers, which are a story for another day.)
There are only three permissible answers to Stayman. Do you hear me? ONLY THREE!!! They are:
2 Diamonds: No, partner, I have not got a 4-card major. You can remember this by D-d-d-diamonds for D-d-d-denial.
2 Hearts: Yes, partner, I have four Hearts, and maybe four Spades. We bid our 4-card suits UP the line.
2 Spades: Yes, partner, I have four Spades, and do NOT have four Hearts.
Stayman over 1NT Quiz by Paul Bowyer
In this section we are looking again at opening 1NT and also at the Stayman Convention. This is one of the simplest conventions at the bridge table - a response of 2♣ to 1NT asks for a four-card major. Opener bids one if he has one, else denies one by bidding 2♦.
Assume in all cases that 1NT is 15-17.
Stayman Quiz: click here
Series #2039 - Stayman - Part II (SA):
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