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Bridge Bulletin articles Jerry Helms is a regular contributor to the American Contract Bridge League Bridge Bulletin About Jerry
2012
December Support with Support?	November Notrump honor leads	October Odd Even Discards
September Preempts	August Shapely hands & Natural or Michaels?	July Leading partner's suit
June Sandwich Notrump?	May Forcing bids	April Redoubles
March Responding to reopening doubles	February Re-raises in competition - The Law	January Suggestion of 22
2011
December Overcall 2NT: Natural or Unusual	November Control bids or Blackwood?	October Partnership agreements
September Coloring outside the lines----an offbeat 1NT overcall?	August Bid more with good shape/A natural bid of an opponent's suit	July Opener's rebid with a balanced hand
June Opener's rebid with 6-4 distribution/No negative double after partner opens with a preempt	May Responder's rebids	April Not bidding up the line in the majors when answering a takeout double leaves room for a rebid if the opponents compete
March Contracts written on a hand record are double dummy and might not be realistic	February Takeout or Penalty? opener's double after responder bids 1NT and RHO overcalls	January Shortness revisited/a 4-4 fit may play better than a 5-3 fit
2010
December Overcalling a 4-card suit	November Stayman with a weak hand and singleton or void in clubs/It's okay to be wrong, but not okay to be wrong loud	October   Puppet Stayman over 2NT
September Opener's jump shift is game forcing	August Puppet Stayman after 1NT	July Team games and IMPs versus pair games and matchpoints
June How new duplicate players can improve their scores	May Off-shape 1NT opening bids	April Differentiating between three and four trumps when making a major suit limit raise
March No column this month	February Help Suit Game Tries	January Cuebidding for slam
2009
December Responder's old suit bid is forcing after a jump rebid of opener's first suit	November When to add shortness points	October Opening the bidding holding 4 diamonds and 5 clubs
September Meaning of a 3H response to 1D/Correction to July percentages	August   Weak Jump Shift responses	July How often is a minor suit opening bid made on only 3 cards? (correction in September 09 column)
June Double by the 1NT opener after RHO overcalls	May by the 1NT opener after responder's transfer bid is doubled	April Advancer's bid when partner doubles opponent's major suit preempt
March Responder's action when partner's 1NT opening bid is doubled for penalty	February Three-level responses to a 1NT opening bid (15-17)	January The rule of 20, better named The Suggestion of 22
2008
December Opener's rebid with a minimum hand and a singleton spade after a 1S response	November Attitude signals when partner leads versus NT	October Who's to blame problem when an 18-point opening is followed by a takeout double
September Fourth-seat opening bids and the Rule of 15	August New suit responses to a 3-level minor suit preempt - forcing or not?	July What's forcing after responder makes a 2/1 response
June Meaning of opening bids of 2H or 2S in fourth seat	May Some good hands have to pass after the opponents open	April Meaning of a 3S response to a 1D opening bid
March Coping when everything you do seems wrong	February Opening minimum hands with 4 diamonds and 5 clubs	January Advice for an Intermediate player who wants to improve
2007
December Reverses / Overcalls	November Defending weak 2s / Stayman follow ups	October Stolen bids
September   Opening Two suited hands / Michaels or Not?	August   Constructive Raises / Offensive vs defensive values	July Advancing overcalls / Transfers with weak hands
June NT rebids after 2C opening / Interference after 2C opening	May Responding with a major suit fit / Values for T/O doubles	April Defensive guidelines / NT overcalls
March 4-4 vs 5-3 fit / 2H response to 1S	February New suits forcing?	January Open NT with 5 card major? / Doubles after NT interference
2006
December Takeout doubler rebids 1NT Opener's 1NT rebid	November Game tries in Competition	October Reverse by responder after opener's 1NT rebid
September Leading ace from ace-king Responder's rebid of his suit on the two level	August Two-suited hands and preempts	July Gerber in notrump auctions
June 4NT as quantitative in notrump auctions	May Responding to a suit opening bid with only an ace Suggestion: A 2/1 response is forcing to at least 2NT	April Garbage Stayman Responding when partner's 2C opening is overcalled
March When not to lead your long suit in notrump Leading partner's overcalled suit	February Opening 2NT with a 5-card major When to open 1NT holding two doubletons	January Bidding after partner's Drury raise (when to accept a 4-card limit raise)
2005
December When opener bids both majors - taking a preference  Opener's rebid with a strong hand after a 2/1 response	November ESP and bidding over preempts	October Playing in a 4-4 fit versus a 5-3 fit Four-level opening bid is preemptive, not strong
September Weak jump overcalls	August Suggested conventions	July Responding to a 1C opening - when to bid up the line with 4 hearts and 4 diamonds
June Reverses	May Alternatives to Stolen Bids after your 1NT opening bid is overcalled	April Fourth suit forcing
March Responding to a 2C opening bid - why point count steps don't help	February Opening 1NT with a 5-card major or off-shape distribution (plan your rebid to decide)	January Fast arrival after a 2C opening Leading an ace versus a small slam
2004
December Weak jump overcalls	November Splinter bids	October Balance of power
September Preempting with fewer than the recommended number of cards	August Is a 2C opening bid game forcing?	July Penalty double of a 1NT opening bid
June Responder's forcing raise after a 2/1 response	May Opening a weak two with a four card major on the side	April 2C response to a 1NT overcall
March Responding to partner's overcall with a weak hand and a void in partner's suit	February Leading from three small in an unbid suit	January Opening with a 6-5 minor-major hand
2003
December Fourth Suit Forcing to invite slam	November Help suit game try	October Responding to an overcall without a fit
September Fourth Seat Openings	August Light opening bids in fourth seat (Rule of 15)	July When is a new suit by responder forcing?
June Matchpoints versus IMPS	May Ranges for opening and overcalling 1NT in all seats	April Offensive versus defensive values
March Opening a 4-card major in third seat	February Making a strong raise of opener's major	January Don't preempt in direct seat over an opponent's preempt

Better Bridge article(s)
2012
November Who can preempt?	September Offensive or defensive values?	July When RHO opens in your 6-card minor
May After RHO opens in your longest suit; Opening with a 1-4-4-4 maximum hand; Leading from A K 7 5 vs 3NT	March Responding to a minor suit opening bid with a good hand and fit	January How High? Where?— Advancing a takeout double
2011
November Improving Your Game; Responding to a Preempt—Rule of 17 vs judgment	September Raise on 3 card support?/Support doubles	July 2-level new suit response/opener’s jump raise of responder’s suit/1NT by a passed hand
May 1NT by a passed hand	March Can you ever open a 4-card major?/Rule of 15	January Leading partner’s suit – high or low?
2010
November BOP for the defenders	September Takeout double or pass?	July When is 4C Gerber?
May Judgment issues: weak jump overcalls; response with a weak hand and a void in partner's suit	March Judgment issues: light third seat openings; overcall 1H or 1NT;opener's 3NT rebid	January Responding to a 1NT opening after an overcall
2009
November Raising a 1H or 1S opening bid to game.	September Responding with fewer than 6 points and no fit for partner's suit)	July Opening leads from kings, queens, or jacks
May Responding to a 2C opening: Jacoby steps versus 2D waiting	March What is 1NT Forcing?	January Advice on leading aces
2008
November Opening leads versus a slam	September Attitude signals (standard and upside down)	July Bidding a highly distributional hand / Opening in third seat
May Avoid confusion by not using too many conventions; 11 conventions suggested by Jerry	March Looking for slam after a transfer	January How high are we forced when responder's second bid is a new suit on the two level / When is a new suit by responder non-forcing?
2007
November Responder's action when partner's opening bid is doubled for takeout	September When a new suit by responder is not forcing	July Rebid by the 1NT opener after responder transfers; Balancing over 1NT / Meaning of a jump raise of opener's major over a takeout double
May Point range for a minimum raise of opener's major / Point range for a 2NT first response; Responding to 1NT with 0-7 points and 5-4 in the majors; When is 4C Gerber?	March Overcalling 1S / Minimum responder's rebid after opener raises his hearts	January Plan your rebid; opening 1NT with a semi-balanced hand having a weak 6-card minor
2006
November Responding 1NT in competition Negative doubles Opener rebids a 5-card suit as the least of evils	September Competing after your opponent opens 1NT	July Bidding after opener's 1NT rebid (new minor forcing)
May Bidding when the opponents make a takeout double Preemptive jump raise after an overcall	March Hand evaluation Game try in competition	January Leading versus 3NT
2005
November Leading versus 3NT	September Leading versus 3NT	July Responding with a forcing raise of opener's minor (inverted minors)
May The Unusual Notrump	March Leading from AK x x x x in notrump Opening with a 6-5 minor-major hand	January When not to bid aggressively
2004
November Differentiating between three and four trumps when making a limit raise of opener's major	September Hand valuation

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