Mathewson Bridge Center

125 W. Plumb Lane

Reno, NV 89509

775-827-3867

Don Rogers’ Lessons

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Don Rogers on Getting Better at Bridge

Two Types of Auctions

Opening NT and Responses (Compiled Handouts)

Why Overcall? (Compiled Handouts)

Defense (Compiled Handouts)

Good defense is probably the hardest part of bridge! Having good basic agreements will help enormously if you and partner follow them. (Having an agreement and not following it is almost worse than having none at all. To paraphrase Will Rogers – “It’s not what you don’t know that kills you, it’s what you do know that isn’t so!”.) On average you will be on defense on half the hands in a session – improvements in basic defense will do more to improve your results than any fancy new bidding gadget.

Balancing: Bidding in the Pass Out Seat (Compiled Handouts)

If the previous two players in the auction have passed, you are in the “pass-out” seat. That is, if you also pass, the auction is over. Balancing refers to making a bid in the pass-out seat that keeps the auction going. You will probably find yourself in the pass out seat several times a session. This series of lessons describes the various balancing situations, and how to approach them.

Doubles (Compiled Handouts)