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	Excerpts from Marty Sez 2 By Marty Bergen ©2002 Marty Bergen *This is from Marty's second volume of bridge tips he collected from teaching and playing bridge for over 25 years. These come from his chapter "Preempts for Fun and Profit"* Enjoying Going Topless The most attractive suit for an opening three-bid is topless, but nicely filled out. Q J 10 9 8 7 6 is an excellent trump suit. It provides five guaranteed winners even if partner is void. The opponent’s only potential winners are the two top honors. If any other suit becomes trump, your suit is useless. Therefore, if you’re lucky enough to hold a suit like this one, you should bend over backwards to make it the trump suit. Contrast Q J 10 9 8 7 6 with A K 6 5 4 3 2. If you held the suit on the right, and partner had a singleton, you would always lose a trick or two to the opponents’ middle cards. I do not mind seeing the opponents win tricks with aces and kings, but I do hate to see them win tricks with lesser cards. In addition, you can expect o win two tricks with your ace and king even if another suit becomes trump. Therefore you are not as desperate to see this suit become trump as you were when you held the Q J 10 9 8 7 6. ª © ¨ § No Majors? No Problem! When you’re short in both majors, it’s a great time to preempt Everyone agrees that there are three desirable game contracts: 3NT, 4©, and 4ª. When you don’t have either major, the opponents probably have a fit in one or both of them. If they also have most of the HCP, they will do very well if left alone. In fact, it’s fair to say that weak hands with short majors call for desperate measures. Therefore, you should not only be eager to preempt, but whenever possible, look to “up the ante” by bidding “one more.” As dealer, with neither side vulnerable: ª 76 © 4 ¨ Q J 10 9 8 2 § Q 8 5 3 Open 3¨. No majors, no defense, and “solid” trumps. Opening 2¨ is better than nothing, but is being too nice to the enemy. As for “Pass,” for once, I’m speechless. ª 5 © 32 ¨ 8 7 5 3 § K J 19 8 6 4 Open 3§. Some players complain about bad cards and pass a lot. Others prefer to bid (and win). The choice is yours. ª © ¨ § Desperate Measures Needed *Once partner passes, RHO opens, and your hand is weak and shapely, “bid ‘em up!”* If you’re weak and partner couldn’t open, the opponents probably have a game. After two passes, you could try to preempt aggressively or open light. Don’t alter your approach because RHO opened. Partner passes and your RHO opens 1§ The opponents are vulnerable, you are not. ª A K J 9 © 6 ¨ 8 7 5 § 10 8 7 4 3 Bid 1ª. Make it tougher for them to find a heart fit and/or exchange information. Make it easy for partner to find the best lead. ª 6 © Q J 10 8 7 ¨ 9 4 3 2 § 9 6 5 Bid 2©. With 3 HCP opposite a passed hand, you are positive that the opponents can make a game (or slam). You may not be able to stop them. But you can certainly make them work harder to get there. By the way: If vulnerability is less attractive, it’s okay to be discreet. You can order Marty Sez 2 or any of his other book and CD titles from your local bridge supplier, bookstore, or directly from Marty at 1-800-386-7432 for credit cards, by email at mbergen@mindspring.comor by mail to: Marty Bergen, 9 River Chase Terrace, Palm Beach Gardens FL 33418-6817. If you order directly from Marty, ask about his special pricing for teachers.

Excerpts from Marty Sez 2

By Marty Bergen

This is from Marty's second volume of bridge tips he collected from teaching and playing bridge for over 25 years. These come from his chapter "Preempts for Fun and Profit"

Enjoying Going Topless

The most attractive suit for an opening three-bid is topless, but nicely filled out.

Q J 10 9 8 7 6 is an excellent trump suit. It provides five guaranteed winners even if partner is void. The opponent’s only potential winners are the two top honors. If any other suit becomes trump, your suit is useless. Therefore, if you’re lucky enough to hold a suit like this one, you should bend over backwards to make it the trump suit.

Contrast Q J 10 9 8 7 6 with A K 6 5 4 3 2.

If you held the suit on the right, and partner had a singleton, you would always lose a trick or two to the opponents’ middle cards. I do not mind seeing the opponents win tricks with aces and kings, but I do hate to see them win tricks with lesser cards.

In addition, you can expect o win two tricks with your ace and king even if another suit becomes trump. Therefore you are not as desperate to see this suit become trump as you were when you held the Q J 10 9 8 7 6.

ª © ¨ §

No Majors? No Problem!

When you’re short in both majors, it’s a great time to preempt

Everyone agrees that there are three desirable game contracts: 3NT, 4©, and 4ª. When you don’t have either major, the opponents probably have a fit in one or both of them. If they also have most of the HCP, they will do very well if left alone.

In fact, it’s fair to say that weak hands with short majors call for desperate measures. Therefore, you should not only be eager to preempt, but whenever possible, look to “up the ante” by bidding “one more.”

As dealer, with neither side vulnerable:

ª 76 © 4 ¨ Q J 10 9 8 2 § Q 8 5 3

Open 3¨. No majors, no defense, and “solid” trumps. Opening 2¨ is better than nothing, but is being too nice to the enemy. As for “Pass,” for once, I’m speechless.

ª 5 © 32 ¨ 8 7 5 3 § K J 19 8 6 4

Open 3§. Some players complain about bad cards and pass a lot. Others prefer to bid (and win). The choice is yours.

ª © ¨ §

Desperate Measures Needed

Once partner passes, RHO opens, and your hand is weak and shapely, “bid ‘em up!”

If you’re weak and partner couldn’t open, the opponents probably have a game. After two passes, you could try to preempt aggressively or open light. Don’t alter your approach because RHO opened.

Partner passes and your RHO opens 1§

The opponents are vulnerable, you are not.

Bid 1ª. Make it tougher for them to find a heart fit and/or exchange information. Make it easy for partner to find the best lead.

Bid 2©. With 3 HCP opposite a passed hand, you are positive that the opponents can make a game (or slam). You may not be able to stop them. But you can certainly make them work harder to get there.

By the way: If vulnerability is less attractive, it’s okay to be discreet.

You can order Marty Sez 2 or any of his other book and CD titles from your local bridge supplier, bookstore, or directly from Marty at 1-800-386-7432 for credit cards, by email at mbergen@mindspring.comor by mail to: Marty Bergen, 9 River Chase Terrace, Palm Beach Gardens FL 33418-6817. If you order directly from Marty, ask about his special pricing for teachers.