Getting Started

Bridge must be one of the hardest games in the world. It takes years to become mediocre. When you begin, it feels a bit like swimming in goo. Nothing makes any sense. They give you a thousand rules and then much like learning a langague, you find lots of places where there are exceptions. Dialogue at the table goes like this:
P: Why did you____?
You: I dom't know.

Then there's this epiphany and suddenly you're playing bridge. You feel smart! It doesn't last. As soon as you figure one piece out, you realize how many are still missing.

This week I feel on the verge of a break-through. Maybe just wishful thinking.

With so much to learn, and since I seem to be learning something new every day, this seemed like a good idea to record some of the lessons.

What I've learned this week:
Evaluate your hand.
As the bidding progresses, keep reevaluating your hand.
When missing the jxxx in your trump suit, Win first in the hand with two honors
When missing JTxx win first in the hand with one honor.
The problem with capp is that it has very little preemptive value in most of the bids.
Don't x 1nt with a hand that can be opened 1nt, x with a hand that can beat it.
Don't throw away good cards, signaling for a lead.

What I didn't learn this week:
That pass isn't overrated.
That passing is fun
That passing is not a cop out.