December 2007 - 49

INTERMEDIATE PLAYERS

Claim with
Colchamiro
mor(e)on mel's rule
of 8 - part 1
Mel's Rule of 8 is used to decide
whether to bid after a 15-17 1NT
opener on your right. It was previously discussed in the Oct. 2000 Bridge
Bulletin. The rule doesn't advocate
any particular convention. Rather it
answers a different, more fundamental question: Should I bid at all?
To review, Mel's Rule of 8 suggests
when you can compete over a strong
1NT opening on your right, but first:
1. Add the number of cards in your
two longest suits.
2. Determine your loser count. To do
this, in each three-card or longer
suit, count one loser for each ace,
king or queen you are missing. In
a doubleton, only count the ace or
king you are missing. In a singleton, only count the ace. There are
other methods, but this is the one I
use.
3. Subtract your loser count from
the number of cards in your two
longest suits.
4. If the number is one or less, then
pass. If the number is two or more,
usually bid.
You have to be sensible, though.
You should have at least 6 high-card
points.
The formula is: 2 + 6 = 8, and,
therefore, it's called The Rule of 8.
For example, with:
Q 9 8 6 3 Q 7 4 3 2 4 8 2,
you should pass. You have the "2"
part (you have 10 cards in your two
longest suits, you have seven losers,
so subtracting seven from 10, you get
three which is greater than the magic
number two), but you have only 4 HCP.
This hand is an example of the
minimum you should bid with:
December 2007

K 8 5 4 2 K 9 7 6 5 4 7 6.
Some people will say to you, "only
a moron" would enter the auction
after a strong 1NT opening with six
points. They may be right, but only if
you take it too far.
Don't be a moron
Here's my suggestion: When you
have minimum HCPs, before you bid,
consider these questions. Are your
honor cards in your long suits (good),
or in your short suits (bad)? Are your
honor cards connected to each other
(good), or are they isolated in separate suits (bad)?
Compare these two hands:
K 9 7 4 3 Q J 8 4 3 7 3 3
versus
Q 9 7 4 3 9 8 4 3 2 K 3 J.
They both have 6 HCP, and they
both satisfy Mel's Rule of 8. You
should bid with the first hand, however, and not the second. Why? In
the second, your K is in your short
suit, your J is worthless, and all
your honors are isolated. At least in
the first hand, the Q J support each
other and your K is in your long
suit where it can help the lower cards
develop into tricks.
Mel's Rule of 8 quiz.
The person on your right opens
1NT (15-17) with none vulnerable.
Should you bid?
1. A 9 8 4 3 K 8 4 2 K 2 7 6.
2. A Q 3 K J 8 7 K J 4 Q 7 3.
3. A 9 8 6 4 3 Q 8 7 4 3 5 3.
4. 4 A K 6 5 3 K 7 6 3 2 3 2.

Mel Colchamiro
www.melbridge.com

5. J 8 7 3 Q 9 8 6 3 A K 6 4.
6. A J 8 3 K Q 8 5 3 8 4 8 3.
7. 8 Q 8 7 4 3 K 9 7 3 Q 7 4.
Answers to Quiz
1. Yes. Show the majors.
2. No. Despite holding 16 HCP, pass.
Even if your system allows you to
make a penalty double, don't do it.
You need tricks, not points.
3. No. With very minimal points,
have a good minimum. This is a
bad minimum.
4. Yes. This is a solid hand.
5. Yes, but I wouldn't be so surprised
if it were wrong. You have too
much stuff in your short suits, but
your overall values are okay.
6. Yes. Show the majors
7. No! It satisfies the Rule of 8, but
puh-leaze!
Next month, I'll discuss how vulnerability affects the Rule of 8.
r
My first book, How You Can Play
Like An Expert (Without Having
To Be One), has great winning tips,
Zia, Catherine Zeta-Jones and much
more! It's available at my website:
www.melbridge.com (lots of free
stuff, too) or e-mail me at mcolch@
optonline.net.
49
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Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of December 2007
