ACBL25 – Bidding: Finger Bidding Ward Trumbull
May 10, 2004
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Reference
ACBL03 - Weak 2s and the OGUST Convention
ACBL05 - Strong 2s and Jacoby Step Response
ACBL08 - Gerber and Blackwood....Ace Asking Conventions
ACBL09 - Roman Key Card....Gerber and Blackwood
Commonality
All of these asking bidding conventions have sequential suit/notrump responses that tend to be difficult to learn and remember.
Convention Asking Bid Response Options
--------------------- -------------- --------------------------------------------------------
Strong 2/Jacoby 2 Clubs 2 diamonds thru 3 Clubs (or more)
Ogust 2 Notrump 3 clubs thru 3 notrump
Gerber 4 Clubs 4 diamonds thru 4 notrump
Roman Key Gerber 4 Clubs 4 diamonds thru 4 notrump
Blackwood 4 Notrump 5 clubs thru 5 spades
R. K. Blackwood 4 Notrump 5 clubs thru 5 spades
Common Thought Process
1. What do you want to tell your partner?
Strong 2/Jacoby High card points
Ogust High card points (minimum/maximum) and whether or
not you have 2 of the top 3 honors in your bid suit
Gerber The number of aces
Roman Key Gerber The number of controls and maybe your suit queen
Blackwood The number of aces
Roman Key Blackwood The number of controls and maybe your suit queen
ACBL25 – Bidding: Finger Bidding May 10, 2004
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Common Thought Process (continued)
2. What are the convention options?
Strong 2/Jacoby HCP in increments of three
Ogust Miny-1, Miny-2, Maxy-1, Maxy-2 and BINGO
Gerber Zero-or-four, one, two or three
Roman Key Gerber Zero-or-three, one-or-four, two-no, two yes
Blackwood Zero-or-four, one, two or three
Roman Key Blackwood Zero-or-three, one-or-four, two-no, two-yes
3. Which option corresponds to my holding?
Is it the first, second, third.........?
4. Which suit/notrump bid corresponds to that option?
It depends on which convention is being used, of course.
Let’s Make It a Little Easier - Finger Bidding
Put your cards down. Put your hands below the table. Figure it out on your fingers.
That’s the way I learned and most every other good bridge
player did too.
Finger Bidding
1. What do you want to tell your partner........HCP, Honors, Aces, Controls?
ACBL25 – Bidding: Finger Bidding May 10, 2004
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Finger Bidding (continued)
2. Use the following table on your fingers and stop at the correct option.
Convention 1st Finger 2nd Finger 3rd Finger 4th Finger 5th Finger
--------------- ------------- -------------- -------------- ------------- --------------
Jacoby Step 0 to 3 4 to 6 7 to 9 10 to 12 and so on
Ogust Miny-1 Miny-2 Maxy-1 Maxy-2 Bingo
Gerber 0 or 4 1 2 3
RK Gerber 0 or 3 1 or 4 Two no Two yes
Blackwood 0 or 4 1 2 3
RK Blackwood 0 or 3 1 or 4 Two no Two yes
3. Squeeze the last finger touched (it helps).
4. Use that finger to determine the correct bid
Convention 1st Finger 2nd Finger 3rd Finger 4th Finger 5th Finger
--------------- --------------- -------------- -------------- ------------- --------------
Jacoby Step 2 diamonds 2 hearts 2 spades 2 notrump and so on
Ogust 3 clubs 3 diamonds 3 hearts 3 spades 3 notrump
Gerber (either) 4 diamonds 4 hearts 4 spades 4 notrump
Blckwd (either) 5 clubs 5 diamonds 5 hearts 5 spades
5. Pick up your cards and make the correct bid.
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