... the lights went out in New York for 13 hours.
... bridge players all over the worldOn 09 November 2003....
will go without the Blackwood Convention for 13 days.
Easley Blackwood himself claimed that his own convention was intended only to help people stay out of bad slams, and that Blackwood should only be used in perhaps one slam auction in four.
The real keys to powerful slam bidding are
* Establishing a trump fit and a game forcing auction below game level
* Recognizing the power of distributional hands
* Knowing which controls the partnership has, not just how many.
The American Cancer Society sponsors the Great American Smokeout the third Thursday of November. But the point is not just to quit smoking for a day -- the hope is that people will wake up on November 21st determined to break their bad habits and live longer, healthier lives.
The Great Bridge Blackout isn't just about giving up Blackwood, either. The hope is that after November 21st you will be determined to break bad bridge habits and earn more tops for the rest of your life! In fact, we don't even mind if you use Blackwood again after the Blackout -- just choose more wisely when to use it.
It's simple .... just pledge not to ask for aces from the 9th to the 21st, then get together with your friends and play bridge!
Games: a number of bridge clubs are holding special games or awarding special prizes to the Blackout participants with the best scores or tournament records. See below for a list of participating clubs.
Lessons: There is no better time to learn about other, more effective, tools for bidding your way to good slams and staying out of bad slams. Check to see if a bridge teacher in your area is going to be part of the Blackout and offer a special lesson.
Read, listen and practice online: A series of articles on better slam bidding will be posted on this page through the month of November:
Swan Games Company, the World's Friendliest Internet Bridge Club, will host a series of free internet lectures during the Blackout covering these topics. If you aren't currently a member of Swan, you can sign up for a full month of free play. Dates and times of the Blackout lessons TBA.
Club managers and bridge teachers: Send an email and get your name, number, and address added to the list below! Let's trade ideas for how to get more of our players and students involved.
Bridge players: Print this page out, show it to your friends, take it to your local club. Ask your club for the names and numbers of bridge teachers near you, and let them know you're interested in seeing a class on slam bidding.
Bookmark this page, and check back through the month of November for the free tips. Try coming to one of the online lessons and meet some new friends from all over the world. And, most important of all....
Every hand you play is a chance to play better than ever before.