CASH

or

CREDIT CARD

  
   

Bidding

 

    

   

Many players seem to make bids especially overcalls without thinking what the overcall entails, just in the same way they might spend money, without thinking, if they can put it on their credit card rather than having to pay for the goods straight away.

 

To overcall at the 1 level one can take liberties and certainly overcall 1♠ on the following hand after a 1♣ opener

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♠

 A Q 7 6 5

♥

K 8 3

♦

9 5 4

♣

 3 2

However if the bidding goes 1♥  and you have the same hand now i.e. same number of points and your longest suit is now Hearts it is very bad now to overcall  with 2♣  - that would be credit card bidding making the bid without thinking that you would now have to make 8 tricks - but if you thought you would have to make 8 tricks  you would then think twice and just Pass.

     

♠

9 5 4

♥

3 2

♦

K 8 3

♣

 A Q 7 6 5

Another occasion that players bid recklessly with their good hands is opposite a passed partner and not listening to the other bids being made at the table.

♠

A Q J 7 5                                N          E          S       W

♥

K 6                                          1♠       DBL    NO     2♥

♦

K Q 10 7                                ??       coming in with 3♦  is now credit card bidding

♣

 9   3                                                    coming in with No Bid is saying I would have to make 9 tricks by myself - I better  Pass and wait and see if partner can muster anything now
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So next time you are about to make a possible reckless bid, say to yourself  "IF I MAKE THIS BID can I contribute to making 8 or 9 tricks?" and then you might think again - CASH BIDDING

or merely make the bid anyway without any forethought - CREDIT CARD BIDDING