The books eighteen chapters are divided into three sections. Even in north america, weak notrump systems, or even kamikaze notrump systems, are becoming more common. What i was hoping for was a book that would explain all the subtle inferences of using a 1012 or 1214 nt, especially on costructive bidding. The 7th edition of the encyclopedia recommended the following books with the caveat that the list on this page is by no means definitive. Strong jump shifts, only available for 1nt opening, require weak notrump systems, or even kamikaze notrump systems, are becoming more common. Lc standard uses dont against a strong notrump, but different methods against a weak notrump discussed further down. In addition, there are many websites that summarize bridge conventions. In fact, the experts say that to pass a weak notrump the responder should have a good 511 hcpswith less or more it is right to bid. Even those who have no interest in converting to a weak notrump range still need to know how to play against weak notrump systems, so for them the book includes advice on. I dont play against a weak nt often enough that ive worked out what to play against it.
I am not sure i will play it, but i know more about defending against it. They are the 15 weak notrump used by big club players such as the precision system, and the kaplansheinwold ks systems 1214 weak notrump, which uses the rebid of 1nt after a minor suit opening bid to show balanced hands in the 1517 point range. Mastery of the fundamentals is of firstrate importance for all bridge players. Ken rexford provides the first authoritative description of the r. The acol bridge bidding system is named after a road in hampstead, london, where there was a bridge club in which the system started to evolve in the 1930s.
They arise more often than their strong counterparts. The weak notrump book adds an edge to your bridge game. Timm playing the 21 game force system, one makes a 1level bid with 111219 points. The weak notrump bridgewebs, web sites for bridge clubs. Notrump contracts generally involve a race between the defenders and declarer to establish a suit. Introductionthe weak nt is a powerful convention that is difficult to play against. Explains basics of play and defense in no trump contracts. We are more likely to have a game after the opponents open a weak nt, than if they open a. Churchills comprehensive 1979 book, churchill natural bidding style at contract bridge, offered the south hand shown in the diagram as a typical weak notrump opening. These descriptions are from the acbl bridge bulletin series called the bidding toolkit. Nowadays, weak notrump systems or even kamikaze notrump systems are becoming more common. In notrump play you will be confronted with a variety of situations.
It gives you an appreciation of different systems their advantages and disadvantages. One of the advantages of playing a weak notrump whereby a 1nt opener shows 1214 points is that a partner who opens one of a suit cannot have a. Paul marston bridge books grand slam bridge centre. Also, because the weak notrump is subject to penalty doubles by the opposition, an escape system such as meckwell escapes or touching escapes, is a necessary adjunct. Modern notrump bidding acbl your best partner in bridge. A strong notrump is considered to be 1416 or 1517 or more.
The unusual notrump applies the principle that when the natural meaning of a bid is not generally very useful, it is profitable to agree that it means something somewhat opposite. Did you know that the weak notrump works extremely well with many natural systems, especially the popular modern 21 style. Make sure to discuss the partnership style, and of course the followups. A better definition of the weak notrump is an opening bid of. The weak notrump e book how to play it, how to play against it by andy stark list price. I would like to dedicate this book to the memory of my mother, my first bridge. If you want to play it, this book will show you how it.
Over a weak 2 2 2, a 2nt overcall shows a balanced 1518 with their suit stopped. His notrump opening called for 3 124 honor tricks, or 17 1220 points in modern terms. Avoid opening nt with a small doubleton if possible. The reason that a major fit is better than notrump is that the suit contract will usually play one trick better for about the same number of points. With only 15 words allowed during an auction and just cards in each suit, bridge players have invented dozens of special bids, called conventions, to describe their strength and hand patterns. Even those who have no interest in converting to a weak notrump range still need to know how to play against weak notrump systems. In the second article, i will discuss how to bid if you play the weak 1nt opener and you hold a strong nt. Taming the weak notrump, part 1 by steve weinstein and adam. The official encyclopedia of bridge 7th edition recommendations.
It gives you experience on how best to play against those systems. If you want to play it, this book will show you how it affects the rest of your system. Everything written here whether against strong or weak is played the same way in balancing seat as in direct seat lifes tough enough as it is. A first book of bridge problems a second book of bridge problems by pat oconnor.
When the weak nt is not used, there is an inference that opener is either stronger or more distributional that a minimum balanced hand, so for example, major suit raises by opener dont cover such a wide range. Weak notrump openings 1214 hcp in this example are popular. However, a bridge deal cant be ed, so you may use any deal you see anywhere with your own analysis. Ebook pdf epub mobi all north american players are taught to play using a strong notrump, but. The bidding determines whether a hand will be played with trump cards or in a notrump contract a hand that has no trump cards. The emphasis is on planning the play at the first trick.
Apr 01, 2016 taming the weak notrump, part 1 by steve weinstein and adam kaplan the weak nt is a powerful convention that is difficult to play against. Playing a strong notrump, one opens 1nt with 1517 hcp and balanced distributions 4332, 4333, or 5322 when 53 in the majors or with the semibalanced distributions. There appear to be two main types of weak notrump systems in widespread use. The biggest little bridge book in the world book 3 red play and defense in notrump contracts by beverly card school jim becker list price. If the opponents bid and raise a major, then 2nt is unusual. It was originally devised by al roth in 1948 with tobias stone, to show the minor suits after the opponents opened in a major the convention concept is now generally extended to show the two lowest unbid suits. Unusual notrump bridge articles bridge with larry cohen. So, distributions for notrump openers are 4 3 3 3 or 4 4 3 2 or 3 3 2 5 5 card minor suit or 4 5 2 2 no other distributions fit the definition. Andrew robson bridge club in london for playing, learning and. The acbl bridge series american contract bridge league. This book discusses the advantages and disadvantages of playing a. If a weak notrump is doubled for penalty, the responder should seek to escape with either 1 a weak onesuited hand, or 2 a very weak balanced hand. According to terence reese, its main devisers were maurice harrisongray, jack marx and s. Many bridge players are taught to play using a strong notrump, but that is not the case everywhere the world.
This is the 6th edition of his book on the twooverone game force system. Ive been playing 21 with an 1114 notrump with one of my partners for around a year, and here are some proscons and observations. If you copy material from a book, the authors dont sell as many copies and have less incentive to write the books we teachers need. However, in bridge, the trump cards are really wild because they change from hand to hand, depending on the bidding. Each chapter has many examples and a thorough set of exercises to finish. Synopsis many bridge players are taught to play using a strong notrump, but that is not the case everywhere the world. Feb 07, 20 introductionthe weak nt is a powerful convention that is difficult to play against.
May 26, 2015 there appear to be two main types of weak notrump systems in widespread use. Weak nts can wreak havoc on even the most experienced partnerships. A first book was named 2012 bridge book of the year by the american bridge teachers association. The weak notrump there are several good reasons for trying different bridge bidding systems. The deals in the book are bid using an acol system with fourcard majors and weaktwo opening bids. It also provides practice on bidding slams after notrump opening bids, including situations where. The weak notrump master point press the bridge publisher. Jul 01, 2006 even in north america, weak notrump systems, or even kamikaze notrump systems, are becoming more common. Best play in a major suit with an 8card fit or better. Introduction to the weak 1nt opener part 1 of 3 this article is the first of three introducing the weak 1nt opening bid 1214 hcp.
Serious players are encouraged to buy the book and read a chapter per week prior to class. The book s eighteen chapters are divided into three sections. Conventional wisdom and andy starks book on weak notrump say that its wrong to use transfers over weak notrump openings as. I believe the weak notrump is actually older than a strong notrump, and most experts who play 21 use a strong notrump. This book discusses the advantages and disadvantages of playing a system with a. That is, while natural notrump bids show a strong hand with balanced distribution, the unusual notrump shows a weak hand with very unbalanced distribution. However, the ancestor of modern 21, the kaplansheinwold system, used a weak nt. So its certainly not the case that the weak 1nt is a convention without any downsides. The lesson plans in this manual are to accompany acbls modern notrump bidding play course. Bridge, or more formally contract bridge, is a tricktaking card game of skill and chance played by four players. Weak notrump vs strong notrump below are some arguments that might be made weak is 1214 and strong is 1517. Use of the weak notrump has been gaining popularity.
The 2nt overcall is unusual after the opponents open any of these bids. Introductionthe weak nt is a powerful convention that is difficult to. This approach to notrump bidding will enable both rubber bridge and duplicate. This is the most advanced book on no trump bidding ever written, with every conceivable uninterrupted sequence starting with 1nt covered. The acbl textbooks commonly used conventions and more commonly used conventions contain detailed chapters on the use of many of todays popular treatments. Standard with 5 card majors strong forcing opening. Fifty declarer and defensive problems, presented in approximate order of difficulty. This lesson explains the proper planning and strategy as the declarer.
In the card game of bridge, the unusual notrump is a conventional overcall showing a twosuited hand. Commonly used conventions american contract bridge league. Standard 5card majors and strong notrump, and acol 4card majors and weak notrump. This article consists of lists of bridge books deemed significant by various authors and organizations. The unusual 2nt is not on after the opponents open a weak 2bid.
We are more likely to have a game after the opponents open a weak nt, than if they open a strong nt. A discussion of weak notrump openings and continuations is found below in weak notrump openings below. More commonly used conventions the notrump series this series continues to introduce students to some of the conventions they will encounter as they start to play in clubs and tournaments. It was influenced to a degree by surveys published in 1994 and 2007 in the bridge bulletin, published by the american contract bridge league. Learning points defending against a weak notrump february 25, 2008 by steve moese. Defense vs notrump bridge articles bridge with larry cohen. That course can be used in conjunction with lessons 1 and 2 of commonly used conventions. Weak 1nt one notrump bridge convention bidding bridgebum. Birds notrump contracts was named 2003 bridge book of the year by the american bridge teachers association. All north american players are taught to play using a strong notrump, but that is not the way of. Really unusual notrump by ken rexford bridge book jeremy. Taming the weak notrump, part 1 by steve weinstein and.
I can see that dont is likely not the right convention against a weak nt, sure. The bidding priority for all bidding, not just notrump, is. May 30, 2009 below are some arguments that might be made weak is 1214 and strong is 1517. The course covers stayman, jacoby transfers, jacoby 2nt, weak twobids, and strong two openings. The acbl textbooks commonly used conventions and more commonly used conventions contain. Discover delightful childrens books with prime book box, a subscription that. A comprehensive notrump bidding book with loads of new conventions. Commonly used conventions american contract bridge. Bid better, much better after opening 1 notrump master bridge s. If the bottom number of the range includes or 12,11,10, etc. This book discusses the advantages and disadvantages of playing a system with a weaker notrump opening, and shows how the 1nt range impacts the rest of the bidding system. The reason i mentioned it is that, if youre likely to get hammered for penalty against a weak notrump in direct seat, isnt that even more likely against a strong notrump. Taming the weak notrump, part 1 by steve weinstein and adam kaplan the weak nt is a powerful convention that is difficult to play against. They cause volatility on normal hands, serve as effective preempts, and defending against them is often misunderstood.
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