Bergen's Bidding Essentials

Author: Matti Bergin (USA)
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2006-01-01
Features: Matti Bergin is a world-class bridge master and writer very familiar to Chinese readers. In the early 1990s, his seminal work "Bergin's Encyclopedia of Bidding" revolutionized the bidding concepts of a generation of players, and its influence remains undiminished to this day. In recent years, Bergin has stepped back from competitive play and devoted himself to bridge writing, shifting the focus of his works from competitive bridge to the fundamental knowledge and basic principles of popular bridge. This book is a compilation of his four foundational readers, which are "Deep Understanding of 1NT Forcing Bids," "Bergin Teaches Better Re-bidding," "20 Rules for Guiding Opening Bids," and "Bergin's Best Bridge Tests." The 1NT forcing response to a first-nature high-card opening bid is one of the core conventions in many bidding systems. However, due to the lack of systematic literature on this convention in China, many players still struggle to use it fluently. "Deep Understanding of 1NT Forcing Bids" clearly explains the basic concepts and application techniques, providing readers with a more comprehensive understanding of this response. For players using natural bidding systems, where the ranges for opening and responding are relatively broad, re-bidding often presents multiple choices, making it difficult to decide on the next bid. "Bergin Teaches Better Re-bidding" addresses this issue directly. Through various typical examples, the author teaches readers how to anticipate the development of the bidding process, thereby selecting more descriptive and easier-to-build bids. In modern bridge, competitive bidding has become increasingly fierce, and gaining an early advantage through opening bids has become a consensus among players. As a result, light opening bids are now common on the tournament scene. However, light opening bids are a double-edged sword—improper use can lead to significant losses for your side. "The 20 Rules" is a pioneering opening principle by Bergin, which quantifies opening bids by adding the number of cards in your two longest suits to your high-card points to see if the total reaches 20. This principle has been widely accepted by many players and validated in practice. To understand its essence, reading the original discussions by the inventor is undoubtedly the best way. Targeting common issues faced by intermediate players, Bergin designed "Bergin's Best Bridge Tests." The topics covered in the tests are frequently encountered in actual play. Some questions may seem easy to you, while others will inspire your thinking and broaden your perspective. If you can understand all the questions in the book, it is no exaggeration to say that your bridge skills have reached a new level.