|
|
|
1.
|
Updated 30th November 2025 |
|||||
|
|||||
BOLS EXPERT TIPS
from 1974 - 1994 the world's experts submitted expert tips
to BOLS the Dutch Distillers and each year a panel of eminent IBPA
members voted on the very best of these tips. They can now be viewed courtesy of the IBPA
| AUTHOR |
TIP
|
| Jean Besse |
Beware of your trump tricks. When you see a chance for an early overruff,
don’t be in too much of a hurry to take it. |
| Against no-trumps, defender’s first spot card, unless it is essential to give the count, should indicate attitude the opening leader's suit. |
|
|
When you have to develop a shaky suit,
consider whether you can prepare for an intra-finesse by ducking with an 8
or a 9 on the first round. |
|
|
Games may be quietly defended but slams must be attacked |
|
| If you aren’t sure how to continue after you win a trick, you should consider ducking it |
|
| If you ever to amount to anything at this game, you must build up a picture of the unseen hands. The idea is to know what the problem is before you try to solve it |
|
| With eight winners and five losers in three no-trumps ,play off your long suit early |
|
| Ecstasy anytime you feel yourself succumbing to an emotion, whether sadness, depression, irritation, comfort, elation, or ecstasy, you should fight it off. stop and pay attention. |
| Ed Manfield | Over 5 ? Think twice before you bid over five: the five level belongs to the opponents |
|
| Per-Olov Sundelin | If you can’t see yourself beating the contract by winning the trick, duck it – even at the cost of a trick. |
|
| Pietro Forquet | Count the opponents’ hands – but when you have counted them, play intelligently. |
|
| Harold Schogger | Don't open another suit |
|
| Schmuel Lev | When you have a holding such as a-q or a-j in the suit led by partner, do not automatically play third hand high |
|
| Zia Mahmood | Roll over Houdini, when they don't cover they don't have it |
|
| Always be Ready to Change your Plan | ||
| Avoiding the Gong |
||
| Eight never - nine ever | ||
| Dirk Schroeder | Use the space | |
| Anna Valenti | Don’t rush to draw trumps. On some hands you may be able to draw them successfully; on others, even if you can draw them, you will be left with too few tricks. | |
| Howard Schenken | When on defence in third position, cultivate the habit of playing slowly to the first trick | |
|
|
Let the opponents tell the story |
|
| Don't be Afraid to respond | ||
| Don't be a pleasant opponent, Bid | ||
| The Panther Double | ||
| Take the Hint | ||
| Play the Hand Yourself | ||
| Bep Vriend | Bid More with a Clean hand, Don't get busy if you have Minus Points | |
| Jeremy Flint | Don't Cry Before you are hurt - When you are outgunned don't let your opponents know | |
| George Havas | Falsies | |
|
Make the ‘one for the road |
||
| Consider the Discard | ||
| Careless Talk Costs Lives | ||
| Keep It Simple | ||
| Search for the Eggs of Columbus | ||
| Reversed splinter bids | ||
| The discard tells the story | ||
| Direct the Opening Lead during the Auction | ||
| Trump Leads | ||
| When leading a trump always choose the lowest card | ||
| Give Declarer Enough Rope | ||
| Play a Pre-emptor who leads his suit for a singleton trump | ||
| Conceal the Queen of Trumps | ||
| Discovering Distribution | ||
| Consider Whether to Lead an Honour | ||
| Suit Preference on Opening Lead | ||
| Not Obliged to Say Anything | ||
| Guard Your Honour | ||
| The King Lives, Long Live the King | ||
| Consider leading Low from a Doubleton Honour | ||
| Extend Your Distributional Signals | ||
| Tip for the Pip | ||
| Don't Follow partner's signals blindly | ||
| Picture the Original Shape | ||
| Don't Play an Idle Card Thoughtlessly | ||
| Defenselectivity | ||
| Hide and Seek | ||
| Unfriendly Play | ||
| Practice the Art of Camouflage | ||
| Danger Hand High | ||
| Don't Think ! | ||
| Play your honour early if its of no use | ||
| Duck when you don't have the Ace | ||
| Hold Up the Ace of Trumps | ||
| Honour Thy Partner | ||
| Don't relax when Dummy is Strong | ||
| Never Play your lowest card first | ||
| Play Low from Dummy | ||
| The high cards will be with the Length | ||
| Fear The Worst | ||
| The Power of the Closed Hand | ||
| The Simplest Gifts are often the Best | ||
| Play Trumps Fluently | ||
| Second Hand Problems | ||
| Do Their Thinking | ||
| Play with all 52 cards | ||
| Remember what they didn't bid | ||
| Don't be impulsive consider the Alternatives | ||
| The Value of the small cards | ||
| Save the Deuce | ||
| See round corners | ||
| Your Tempo is showing | ||
| Build your own algorithm | ||
| Move an Important card | ||
| Shuffle your cards | ||
| Don't spoil your partner's brilliancy | ||
| Keep your guesses to yourself | ||
| The Kill Point | ||
| Beware bridge players bearing gifts | ||
| Imagine and capitalize | ||
| When in Rome | ||
| Bridge is only a Game - have fun playing it | ||
| The Trappist Rule | ||
| Don't walk the plank |
