Bridge Conventions

What I have tried to do in this book is clarify some of the more popular conventions. I have noticed that many bridge players use a convention after hearing a one or two sentence explanation and then think they can handle it. Hah! Although I have no proof I would be willing to bet that more disasters than successes come from the use of a new convention until both partners understand it rather well. Intervening bids in particular have an annoying way of fouling up a convention unless there has been prior discussion. Also, responding to an artificial or conventional bid can be troublesome.

In any case I have tried to go further than most books in explaining the more popular conventions such as Stayman, Jacoby, Blackwood, Negative Doubles, Limit Raises, etc. Now if you really wish to play these conventions you will have more than the basics at your disposal.

My final bit of advice is to only use conventions that you and your partner understand and to try to get by with as few as possible until you have mastered the ones you play. Then, perhaps you can add one at a time until you know so many and are so thoroughly confused (join the club) that you will wish that you had never even heard of the word.

EDWIN B. KANTAR