Guide 7Z67 Main
About the Bidding Practice
by Richard PavlicekGuide 7Z67 Main |
| by Richard Pavlicek |
Each set (except BBO Bidding Practice) includes three files: (1) Title is in HTML format for online viewing. (2) Hands contains the East-West hands to bid. (3) Awards, Auctions or Scores contains the results.
First bid the East-West hands with your favorite partner. West is always the dealer, except for defensive conventions that require an opposing dealer, then North. Switch directions periodically to balance the experience; e.g., if a topic has Parts I and II, take West for one part and East for the other. It is helpful to write down your bidding for comparison.
Immediately after bidding a set, compare your bidding to the recommended or actual bidding.
Keep score! The first 20 sets (12 deals each) include awards on a 1-10 scale for contracts reached. If the contract you reach is unlisted, score is zero unless a higher contract in that strain with an equivalent bonus (game or partscore) is listed. For example, if you reach 2 
(unlisted) and 3 is awarded 7, you also score 7 since both are partscores and the lower level must be just as good if not better.
These eight sets (50 deals each) are deals played with my son Rich (or other partner on Bidding Challenge II). Bidding Challenges I and II are from OKbridge long ago, and Family Challenges I-VI are from Bridge Base Online more recently. Our actual bidding is shown for comparison, but the final contract we reached is not necessarily best — the story of my life? Please don’t beat us too bad!
These sets (and all following) have a landscape page layout, designed to be cut into strips of five deals each.
Note the hash marks at the top, which are guides to allow easy preparation by a paper cutter. After cutting,
assemble the strips into three packets (West hands, East hands, results) and staple each packet at the top.
These six sets (100 deals each) were randomly generated and bid by Lunatic and Maniac, the infamous partnership of two crazed computers. Expect a laugh or two when comparing results, and if they beat you, consider giving up bridge. Have fun!
These 12 sets (100 deals each) allow you to compare your bidding with the best partnerships in the world. If interested you can click on System for a summary of their methods. For face-to-face practice, print the sheets and cut them in strips (described above). Bid five hands (one strip) then compare. To determine your score:
| If you reach the same strain as the stars or other table, assume you win the same number of tricks. |
| If you reach a different strain, determine your tricks won from the double-dummy analyses.* |
| Add your score to the other table (your teammates) and convert the net plus or minus into IMPs. |
*Five hexadecimal digits show the tricks makable in each strain in ranking order (NSHDC).
If the declaring position matters, two sets of digits are given, first for West then East.
If you happen to beat the star pair on any five boards, it’s party time!
[Update 2016] “Stars” turned out to be an overbid for two of the partnerships: Balicki-Zmudzinski and Fantoni-Nunes have been banned from future events by the World Bridge Federation and American Contract Bridge League for illicit communication (cheating).
These sets were specially prepared for practice on BridgeBase Online. Upload the desired LIN file to your BBO deal archive in a new folder and name it as desired. Start a “Bidding” table, select “Deal Source” and “Use Saved Deals” then select the named folder.
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© 2013 Richard Pavlicek