"Ask Jerry"
My thanks to Pat Harrington for her work summarizing the Ask Jerry articles.
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Bridge Bulletin (Play Bridge) articles
Jerry Helms is a regular contributor to the
American Contract Bridge League Bridge Bulletin
About Jerry Adobe PDF file
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2012
    January Adobe PDF file

2011
December Adobe PDF file November Adobe PDF file October Adobe PDF file
September Adobe PDF file August Adobe PDF file
Bid more with good shape/A natural bid of an opponent's suit
July Adobe PDF file
opener's rebid with a balanced hand
June Adobe PDF file
opener's rebid with 6-4 distribution/No negative double after partner opens with a preempt
May Adobe PDF file
Responder's rebids
April Adobe PDF file
Not bidding up the line in the majors when answering a takeout double leaves room for a rebid if the opponents compete
March Adobe PDF file
Contracts written on a hand record are double dummy and might not be realistic
February Adobe PDF file
Takeout or Penalty? opener's double after responder bids 1NT and RHO overcalls
January Adobe PDF file
Shortness revisited/a 4-4 fit may play better than a 5-3 fit

2010
December Adobe PDF file
Overcalling a 4-card suit
November Adobe PDF file
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 Adobe PDF file 
Puppet Stayman over 2NT
September Adobe PDF file
opener's jump shift is game forcing
August Adobe PDF file
Puppet Stayman after 1NT
July Adobe PDF file
Team games and IMPs versus pair games and matchpoints
June Adobe PDF file
How new duplicate players can improve their scores
May Adobe PDF file
Off-shape 1NT opening bids
April Adobe PDF file
Differentiating between three and four trumps when making a major suit limit raise
March
No column this month
February Adobe PDF file
Help Suit Game Tries
January Adobe PDF file
Cuebidding for slam

2009
December Adobe PDF file
Responder's old suit bid is forcing after a jump rebid of opener's first suit
November Adobe PDF file
When to add shortness points
October Adobe PDF file
Opening the bidding holding 4 diamonds and 5 clubs
September Adobe PDF file
Meaning of a 3H response to 1D/Correction to July percentages
August Adobe PDF file 
Weak Jump Shift responses
July Adobe PDF file
How often is a minor suit opening bid made on only 3 cards? (correction in September 09 column)
June Adobe PDF file
Double by the 1NT opener after RHO overcalls
May Adobe PDF file
by the 1NT opener after responder's transfer bid is doubled
April Adobe PDF file
Advancer's bid when partner doubles opponent's major suit preempt
March Adobe PDF file
Responder's action when partner's 1NT opening bid is doubled for penalty
February Adobe PDF file
Three-level responses to a 1NT opening bid (15-17)
January Adobe PDF file
The rule of 20, better named The Suggestion of 22

2008
December Adobe PDF file
Opener's rebid with a minimum hand and a singleton spade after a 1S response
November Adobe PDF file
Attitude signals when partner leads versus NT
October Adobe PDF file
Who's to blame problem when an 18-point opening is followed by a takeout double
September Adobe PDF file
Fourth-seat opening bids and the Rule of 15
August Adobe PDF file
New suit responses to a 3-level minor suit preempt - forcing or not?
July Adobe PDF file
What's forcing after responder makes a 2/1 response
June Adobe PDF file
Meaning of opening bids of 2H or 2S in fourth seat
May Adobe PDF file
Some good hands have to pass after the opponents open
April Adobe PDF file
Meaning of a 3S response to a 1D opening bid
March Adobe PDF file
Coping when everything you do seems wrong
February Adobe PDF file
Opening minimum hands with 4 diamonds and 5 clubs
January Adobe PDF file
Advice for an Intermediate player who wants to improve

2007
December Adobe PDF file
Reverses / Overcalls
November Adobe PDF file
Defending weak 2s / Stayman follow ups
October Adobe PDF file
Stolen bids
September Adobe PDF file 
Opening Two suited hands / Michaels or Not?
August Adobe PDF file 
Constructive Raises / Offensive vs defensive values
July Adobe PDF file
Advancing overcalls / Transfers with weak hands
June Adobe PDF file
NT rebids after 2C opening / Interference after 2C opening
May Adobe PDF file
Responding with a major suit fit / Values for T/O doubles
April Adobe PDF file
Defensive guidelines / NT overcalls
March Adobe PDF file
4-4 vs 5-3 fit / 2H response to 1S
February Adobe PDF file
New suits forcing?
January Adobe PDF file
Open NT with 5 card major? / Doubles after NT interference
Click here for past editions

Better Bridge article(s)

2011
November September 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 Adobe PDF file
Takeout double or pass?
July Adobe PDF file
When is 4? Gerber?
May Adobe PDF file
Judgment issues: weak jump overcalls; response with a weak hand and a void in partner's suit
March Adobe PDF file
Judgment issues: light third seat openings; overcall 1H or 1NT;opener's 3NT rebid
January Adobe PDF file
Responding to a 1NT opening after an overcall

2009
November Adobe PDF file
Raising a 1? or 1? opening bid to game.
September Adobe PDF file
Responding with fewer than 6 points and no fit for partner's suit)
July Adobe PDF file
Opening leads from kings, queens, or jacks
May Adobe PDF file
Responding to a 2C opening: Jacoby steps versus 2D waiting
March Adobe PDF file
What is 1NT Forcing?
January Adobe PDF file
Advice on leading aces

2008
November Adobe PDF file
Opening leads versus a slam
September Adobe PDF file
Attitude signals (standard and upside down)
July Adobe PDF file
Bidding a highly distributional hand / Opening in third seat
May Adobe PDF file
Avoid confusion by not using too many conventions; 11 conventions suggested by Jerry
March Adobe PDF file
Looking for slam after a transfer
January Adobe PDF file
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 Adobe PDF file
Responder's action when partner's opening bid is doubled for takeout
September Adobe PDF file
When a new suit by responder is not forcing
July Adobe PDF file
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 Adobe PDF file
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 Adobe PDF file
Overcalling 1S / Minimum responder's rebid after opener raises his hearts
January Adobe PDF file
Plan your rebid; opening 1NT with a semi-balanced hand having a weak 6-card minor
Click here for past editions

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