Ron Klinger - Bridge Basics: A Beginners Guide

BRIDGE

BASICS

Other Bridge Materials by Ron Klinger

Published by Modern Bridge Publications

THE MODERN LOSING TRICK COUNT BRIDGE FOR CHILDREN
THE POWER SYSTEM BRIDGE MADE EASY
BRIDGE IN EASY STAGES CUE BIDDING TO SLAMS
GUIDE TO BETTER BRIDGE GUIDE TO BETTER DUPLICATE
GUIDE TO BETTER CARD PLAY
(Winner of 1991 American Bridge Teachers? Bridge Book of the Year Award)
PRACTICAL SLAM BIDDING THE BRIDGE PLAYER WHO LAUGHED
BID BETTER, MUCH BETTER 5-CARD MAJOR STAYMAN
BRIDGE MASTER CLASS BRIDGE CD
FLIPPERS ON STANDARD BRIDGE, THE ACOL SYSTEM PAMPHLETS ON DOUBLES, NEGATIVES
DOUBLES, TRANSFERS OVER 1NT, 10 GREAT CONVENTIONS, 12 MORE GREAT CONVENTIONS,
OPENING LEADS, 1NT: 2 EXTENDED STAYMAN, ROMAN KEY CARD BLACKWOOD, MULTI-2S,
CUE-BIDDING TO SLAMS, BENJAMIN TWOS, COMPETITIVE BIDDING

Published by Victor Gollancz, Orion,
Cassell & Co, Weidenfeld, and Nicolson (all UK)

Basic Bridge: The Guide to Good Acol Bidding and Play
Right Through the Pack Again (Winner 2009 IBPA Book of the Year)
POWER ACOL IMPROVE YOUR DECLARER PLAY AT NO-TRUMPS
ACOL BRIDGE MADE EASY IMPROVE YOUR OPENING LEADS
IMPROVE YOUR BRIDGE MEMORY BETTER BRIDGE WITH A BETTER MEMORY
GUIDE TO BETTER ACOL BRIDGE CUE BIDDING TO SLAMS
BRIDGE CONVENTIONS, DEFENSES & COUNTERMEASURES
100 WINNING BRIDGE TIPS 50 MORE WINNING BRIDGE TIPS
100 WINNING DUPLICATE TIPS PLAYING TO WIN AT BRIDGE
MASTER CLASS RON KLINGER ANSWERS YOUR BRIDGE QUERIES
THE POWER OF SHAPE WHEN TO BID, WHEN TO PASS TO WIN AT BRIDGE
FLIPPERS ON THE LAW OF TOTAL TRICKS, BASIC ACOL, OPENING LEADS
20 GREAT CONVENTIONS FLIPPER MODERN LOSING TRICK COUNT FLIPPER
DUPLICATE BRIDGE FLIPPER MEMORY AIDS & USEFUL RULES FLIPPER

with David Bird: KOSHER BRIDGE KOSHER BRIDGE 2
THE RABBIS MAGIC TRICK: MORE KOSHER BRIDGE
with Andrew Kambites: BRIDGE CONVENTIONS FOR YOU
CARD PLAY MADE EASY 1: SAFETY PLAYS AND ENDPLAYS
CARD PLAY MADE EASY 2: KNOW YOUR SUIT COMBINATIONS
CARD PLAY MADE EASY 3: TRUMP MANAGEMENT
CARD PLAY MADE EASY 4: TIMING AND COMMUNICATION
UNDERSTANDING THE CONTESTED AUCTION
UNDERSTANDING THE UNCONTESTED AUCTION
UNDERSTANDING DUPLICATE PAIRS
UNDERSTANDING SLAM BIDDING
with Hugh Kelsey: NEW INSTANT GUIDE TO BRIDGE
with Mike Lawrence: OPENING LEADS OPENING LEADS FLIPPER
with Derek Rimington: IMPROVE YOUR BIDDING AND PLAY

BRIDGE

BASICS

A Beginners Guide
6th Edition

Ron Klinger

Australian Bridge Federation Grand Master

A.B.F. record Master Point winner 19751980

World Bridge Federation International Master

Winner of State and National Championships 19692010

Represented Australia in winning 1970 Far East Championships

Winner Far East Open Pairs Championship 1985 and 1987

Winner 1993 South Pacific Zone Teams Championship

Winner 2006 Pacific Asia Seniors Teams Championship

Represented Australia in World Championships in

1976, 1978, 1980, 1984, 1986, 1988, 1989, 1993, 2000,

2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010

>

Skyhorse Publishing

To Suzie

Copyright 2011 by Ron Klinger

All Rights Reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced in any manner without the express written consent of the publisher, except in the case of brief excerpts in critical reviews or articles. All inquiries should be addressed to Skyhorse Publishing, 307 West 36th Street, 11th Floor, New York, NY 10018.

Skyhorse Publishing books may be purchased in bulk at special discounts for sales promotion, corporate gifts, fund-raising, or educational purposes. Special editions can also be created to specifications. For details, contact the Special Sales Department, Skyhorse Publishing, 307 West 36th Street, 11th Floor, New York, NY 10018 or .

Skyhorse and Skyhorse Publishing are registered trademarks of Skyhorse Publishing, Inc., a Delaware corporation.

http://www.skyhorsepublishing.com

10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1

Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data

Klinger, Ron.

Bridge basics : a beginner's guide / by Ron Klinger. -- 6th ed.
p. cm.

ISBN 978-1-61608-233-8 (pbk. : alk. paper)
1. Contract bridge. I. Title.
GV1282.3.K6195 2011
795.41'3--dc22

2010039630

Printed in China

Contents

PART 3Additional Materials

Notes

Introduction for the Bridge Beginner

Bridge is fun to play, but the better you play the more fun it is. As you improve, you will be fascinated by how much there is to the game. Despite popular opinion to the contrary, bridge is not difficult to learn.

This book is the product of many classes given to beginners and improving players. It is intended for those who know nothing about bridge and also for those who already know how the game is played but wish to learn Standard American bidding or to improve their game. The book is set up to be used as a self-teacher or in conjunction with bridge classes.

If you are an absolute beginner, play through the games for beginners which are set out in Appendix 1, From Whist to Bridge. After you have become familiar with the mechanics of the game, proceed to Chapter 1.

For the reader who can already play, do not try to memorize everything as you go, but do pay close attention to the examples, the exercises, the partnership bidding practice, and the play hands in each chapter. It is worth rereading the text every six months or so until you are confident you know all of the contents. It is beneficial to test yourself on the exercises as you go. These exercises simulate countless ordinary bidding situations, and by scoring well on the exercises you will build confidence and also score well at the table when everyday problems occur.

This book is not for the expert and will not make you an expert bridge player. It does not deal with expert bidding, expert play, or expert defense, but it does cover the ordinary, standard situationsthe basics that make up over 95 percent of the gamewhere many players often go wrong. Follow the recommendations and you will eliminate fundamental flaws from your game and progress from a novice to a competent, confident bridge player.

To improve, you should try to play as often as possible, for the more you play, the speedier your improvement. It is all very well to take lessons and read books, but a lot of bridge competence is based on experience. The more often you encounter a basic situation, the more readily you will be able to deal with it in future.

Above all, remember that bridge is a game to be enjoyed. It can, and should, be a lot of fun and that is how you must approach it. I hope you derive as much enjoyment and satisfaction from it as I have.

Happy bridging.

Ron Klinger, 1972, 1991, 1993, 2000, 2011

Introduction for the Bridge Teacher

In conducting regular courses for bridge players, you will encounter two distinct groups in classes for beginners: those who have never played bridge (and may never have played cards), and those who have played before and might have learned the game socially, but who either know very little about bidding methods or have not played for quite some time and have forgotten most of what they have learned. It is quite a task to cater to both groups within one class. If you dwell at length on the basic concepts of a trick, trumps, lead, and so onneeded for the absolute beginnersthe more advanced players are wasting their time since they already know these fundamentals. On the other hand, if you cater to the advanced members of your class, you run a far greater risk of leaving the absolute beginners floundering, and they may lose interest and perhaps even give up.