Page 161 - 2 over 1 Game Force

Chapter 9: Defensive Carding and Bridge Rules 161

not to bid three spades when both sides have only sixteen trumps. He calls this “chart logic.”

To see this more clearly, let’s look at the chart, assuming nobody doubles.

Rule of 210

How many times have you heard bridge players say that the five-level belongs to the
opponents? This is not the case in competitive auctions! If you are in a competitive auction

and the opponents have bid to the five-level, do you compete, double, or pass? You may use

the rule of 210. With two cards in the opponents bid suit, you should double for penalty. With
one card in their suit pass, and with zero card in their suit, compete to the five-level.

For example, you are bidding diamonds and they are bidding clubs. Use the rule to determine
whether you should bid five diamonds over five clubs, double, or pass.

This is also the case for hearts over diamonds or spades over hearts. Remember the
rule of 210; simple! The rule comes from negative slam doubles, which are used to decide

whether to sacrifice. Over a slam bid, the second hand doubles to show no defensive tricks

but passes with one or more tricks. If the second hand doubles, then the fourth hand passes
with two or more defensive tricks but sacrifices with zero or one. If the second hand passes,

fourth hand also passes with one or more tricks but doubles with no tricks. Now the second

hand sacrifices if he has only one trick but passes with two or more.

2 over 1 Game Force | 2D Strong Balanced & Gazzilli