Hand of the Week Archive

In addition to our ‘Hand of the Day’, each week we now email out a new ‘Hand of the Week’.
You can subscribe here to receive the ‘Hand of the Week’ in your inbox.

While the Hand of the Week games are available to non-members, it also includes links to relevant lessons only available to members. Members can access previous Hands of the Week in the archive below. 


Slam Tricks but Only Game Points
See if you can make 13 tricks
Standard American or Acol


Play In Spades Or NoTrump
Rebid clubs so you don’t make a Reverse Bid
Standard American or Acol


Bid and Play a Slam Contract
Respond to partners Stayman Bid
Standard American or Acol


Get to Game after Partners Pre-Emptive Bid
How to find ‘game’ after partners 3 level opening bid
Standard American or Acol


Have you forgotten what to do when partner makes a pre-empt?
Are you thinking about bidding slam?
Standard American or Acol


Try responding to Partners strong NoTrump opening bid
Do you Stayman at the 3 Level and is Slam ‘on?’
Standard American or Acol


Do you know when it’s better to be in NoTrumps than in a Suit Game?
Partner ‘Saves’ You
Standard American or Acol


Choose whether to Make a Penalty Double or to Bid and Play your Game
Do you know it is often better to take the opposition light than it is to play your own game
Standard American or Acol


Play in a Suit Contract after Partners 1NT opening
Make a forcing Jacoby Transfer and an Invitational bid
Standard American or Acol


Decide about bidding to ‘Game’ level in an Auction
Practice adding your’s and partner’s points to see if you can bid ‘Game’ in a Major Suit
Standard American or Acol


Learn and Practise Jump Shift Bids
Practice making a Jump Shift bid so that Partner Bids the best  ‘Game’.
Standard American or Acol 


Enhance Your No Trump Game: Strategic Decisions in Bridge
Often Responder’s Role is Deciding To Bid ‘Game’.
Standard American or Acol 


The Acol Bidding System

*If you live in the UK, Ireland, Australia or New Zealand Acol is the most widespread system Acol has the following characteristics:
  • It is a natural system: most opening bids, responses and rebids are made with at least 4 cards in the suit bid, and most no trump bids are made with balanced hands.
  • It is a four-card major system: only four-card suits are required to open 1 or 1, unlike Standard American and many other systems where five-card suits are typically required.
  • It makes extensive use of limit bids: limit bids describe the hand so closely, in terms of high card points (HCP) and shape, that the one who makes the limit bid is expected to pass on the next round, unless partner makes a forcing bid.
  • Understanding and correct use of limit bids and forcing bids is fundamental to applying the system: all no trump bids below the level of 4NT are limit bids, as are all suit bids that merely repeat a suit already bid by the partnership; changes of suit may be forcing or not depending on the approach bids.
  • The level of the 1NT opening bid influences other bids: the normal choice is between a “weak no trump” (12–14 HCP) and a “strong no trump” (15–17 HCP).
  • All 1 of a suit opening bids then promise at least 4 cards in the bid suit
  • Notrump follow-up conventions include Stayman, Jacoby transfers Blackwood and Gerber Convention.