66 Bidding Treatments You Need To Know Jim Berglund’s Bridge Lesson 36 By Eddie Kantar – Bridge Bulletin1/1/2013
1. When partner bids two suits and you have an equal number of cards in each suit, take partner back to the first suit even if it means increasing the level. Just do it! You hold: ♠ A765 ♥ KT4 ♦ J82 ♣ 943 PartnerYou 1♦1♦ 1♠1♠ 2♥2♥ ? Bid 3 ♦ Raising hearts (see next tip) or passing partner's reverse, a one- round force, is not to be discussed in mixed company.
2. A direct raise of a second suit promises (in blood) four-card support. You hold: ♠ 54 ♥ A T 6 ♦ A T ♣ A K T PartnerYou 1♠1♠ 2♣2♣ 2♥2♥ ? Rebid 2NT with high-card points. Don't even think of raising hearts with only three pieces. Since this hand is too good to bid 3NT or jump to game, bid 3 ♦, which is artificial and 4 th suit forcing and won’t allow the bidding to stop until game is reached.
3. With two five-card suits, open the higher-ranking suit, respond in the higher-ranking suit and overcall in the higher- ranking suit. Do not worry about which suit is stronger. You hold: ♠ 6 ♥ JT632 ♦ AKQ76 ♣ A5 * Covered in detail in a future lesson Open 1 ♥, not 1 ♦ Respond 1 ♥ to partner’s opening bid of 1 ♣ and overcall 1 ♥ if the opening bid to your right is 1 ♣. When you bid diamonds at your next turn, it lets you tell your partner that you have two suits without reversing* or bidding at an unnecessarily higher level.
4. When the call to your right is strong, a jump by you is weak. When the call to your right is weak, a jump by you is strong. You are South. Your 3 ♠ is strong because 2 ♥ is weak. Your 2 ♥ is weak because Double is strong. WestNorthEastSouth 2♥2♥ 3♠3♠ WestNorthEastSouth 1♦1♦ DBL2♥2♥
5. After you open 1 ♥ or 1 ♠ and partner responds 1NT denying support for your major, don't repeat your major unless you have a six-card suit. You hold: ♠ J854 ♥ AKQJT ♦ J76 ♣ J WestNorthEastSouth 1♥1♥ P1NTP? Bid 2 ♥. Every Rule has an exception… This is it!
6. When holding three four-card suits and a singleton, open the bidding 1 ♦. When your singleton is a diamond, open 1 ♣. You need 12+ HCP to open with this distribution. You hold: AK86 ♥ KJ73 ♦ JT87 ♣ 4 Open 1 ♦
7. A takeout double by a passed hand shows 9-11 HCP with shortness in the opener's suit. If the opponents have bid two suits, the double promises at least four-card support in the other two suits. You are South and hold: ♠ AJ75 ♥ 43 ♦ KJT76 ♣ 8 WestNorthEastSouth 1♣1♣ P1♥1♥ DBL Your double shows diamonds and spades. A 2 ♦ bid might lose a spade fit.
8. After a major-suit opening bid, a takeout double and a raise of opener's major, a double by fourth hand is also a takeout double! It is called a responsive double. At the two level it shows at least 8 working HCP with 4-4, possibly 5-4 or 4-5 in the minors. After a minor-suit opening bid, a takeout double, a raise of opener's minor, a double by fourth hand, also responsive, shows 4-4, possibly 5-4 or 4-5 in the majors. You, South, hold: ♠ A 8 ♥ ♦ Q ♣ Q J 4 3 WestNorthEastSouth 1 ♥ DBL2 ♥2 ♥ Your double promises support for both minors. Why guess?
You, South, hold: ♠ AJ72 ♥ KT75 ♦ J92 ♣ 86 Your double promises support for both majors. Why guess? Now for the inevitable exception. You hold: ♠ A65 ♥ A92 ♦ 7432 ♣ Q95 Responsive Doubles (cont) WestNorthEastSouth 1 ♣ DBL3♣3♣ WestNorthEastSouth 1 ♦ DBL2♦2♦ You can't sit there and pass with 10 HCP, but you have no suit to bid. The responsive double will save you.
9. When responding to a takeout double in a suit, jump with 9-11 "revalued" points. A five-card suit is worth one extra, a six-card suit three extra. A side, unbid four-card suit is worth one extra. Jacks and queens in suits the opponents are bidding are not counted. You hold: ♠ AQT2 ♥ K97 ♦ 43 ♣ T763 WestNorthEastSouth 1 ♦ DBLP? If partner doubles a 1 ♦ opening bid and the next hand passes, jump to 2 ♠. You have 10 points, including 1 point for the four- card club suit. Your jump is not forcing. A 1 ♠ response shows 0-8 revalued points and is a decided underbid. Partner usually plays you for 4-5 points and a game could easily be missed.
10. When responding to a takeout double with 12 or more high-card points, cuebid the opponent's suit to show a strong hand, and bid your suit(s) later. After the cuebid, any new suit bid by you is forcing. Your cuebid is forcing to suit agreement or to game, whichever comes first. You, South, hold: ♠ KQ85 ♥ AJ87 ♦ Q42 ♣ 85 WestNorthEastSouth 1 ♣ DBLP? Respond 2 ♣ to show a big hand (12+ HCP). You and partner can now bid four-card suits up the line hoping to connect in a 4-4 major suit fit. If partner bids 2 ♦, bid 2 ♥. If partner bids 2 ♥ or 2 ♠ raise to game. “The one who knows goes!”
Bid 2NT. If partner wants to see if you have a 4-card major, he can bid 3 ♣ (check-back Stayman). If you bid 3 ♥, and he bids 3NT (indicating he doesn’t have four Hearts), bid 4 ♠ 11. A 1NT response to a takeout double shows 6-10 HCP, a stopper, and a flat hand. A 2NT response to a takeout double shows Some 10-point hands are better than others because of strong intermediates. You cannot be a slave to point count. Intermediates count! You, South, hold: ♠ QT85 ♥ AJ87 ♦ Q42 ♣ K5 *Announced - “could be short” WestNorthEastSouth 1 ♣ *DBLP? What’s the best bid – 2NT, 2 ♣, 1 ♥ / ♠, 2 ♥ / ♠, or 3 ♣ ?
Respond 1NT. Change your clubs to A-J-9-4 and you should respond 2NT. You don't need stoppers in the unbid suits to bid notrump. (A good partner is assumed to have them.) 12. Notrump responses to a takeout double guarantees at least one stopper (two is better) in the opponent's suit. You, South hold ♠ KJ9 ♥ 83 ♦ QT5 ♣ J943 WestNorthEastSouth 1♠1♠ DBLP?
Double. You have them outgunned. You should be able to defeat 1NT easily. If you bid 2 ♦, you are showing fewer than 9 HCP, typically with six diamonds. It is very misleading to bid your suit directly with a strong hand in this sequence. Double first 13. After partner opens and second hand overcalls 1NT (natural), double for penalty with 9+ high-card points. Bidding a new suit is not forcing, and a jump is weak. With 9+ HCP, double first. You, South hold ♠ T5 ♥ KJ62 ♦ AJ865 ♣ JT WestNorthEastSouth 1 ♠ 1NT?
If partner opens 1 ♥, it is a poor 6-point hand. If partner opens 1 ♠, it has blossomed to a 9-point hand (3 points for the singleton with four-card support). If LHO opens 1 ♣ and partner overcalls 1 ♥, the ♦ Q has lost its value, not to mention the fifth diamond, or the singleton heart! You are now looking at a poor 4-point hand! When there is a known fit of eight cards or more, add extra distributional points. Until a fit has been uncovered, distributional points should not be added. It doesn't make sense. Misfit hands should be subtracting points, not adding them! 14. It is dangerous to count extra points for short suits or long suits before the bidding starts. (Don't stop reading!) If partner bids your short suit, that reduces, not increases the value of your hand. If one of your opponents bids your long suit. that also decreases the value of your hand. If you let the bidding develop. you will see whether your long or short suits are working for or against you. You hold ♠ A865 ♥ 4 ♦ Q7432 ♣ 542 What is this hand worth?
15a. When responding to Blackwood with a void, do not count the void as an ace. With one or three aces, jump to the six level of the void suit. If the void suit is higher ranking than the trump suit, jump to six of the trump suit. With two aces and a void, respond 5NT. Disregard the void if you do not have an ace. 15. It is dangerous to use Blackwood holding two aces and a void. If partner shows one ace, you won't know which it is. Better to start with a cuebid after agreement. 15b. An alternative to 15a: When responding to Blackwood with a void, With an odd number of aces, bid 5NT. With an even number of aces and a void, respond 6 ♣. Disregard the void if you do not have an ace. Responding to Blackwood (any kind) with a Void
Bid 2NT and limit your hand to HCP. Do not bid 2 ♠. Partner does not have four spades and bidding the "fourth suit" has a special meaning. It is frequently used as an artificial force when no other rebid describes the hand. 16. When responding to an opening bid with two four-card majors, respond 1 ♥, giving partner a chance to bid 1 ♠. If partner doesn't bid 1 ♠, assume partner does not have four spades and bid accordingly. You, South, hold: ♠ AJ74 ♥ KQ82 ♦ J5 ♣ 932 WestNorthEastSouth 1♦1♦ P1♥1♥ P2♣2♣ P?
Although you would like to bid, may have the best hand at the table, and likely have a fit in spades, dial this hand back to 11 points and smoothly Pass. Partner didn’t overcall and you’re asking for trouble if you get into the auction. 17. When the opponents bid and support each other, and you have the jack or queen of their suit and are considering bidding, don't count points for those honors. They are usually worthless. You, South, hold: ♠ AJ74 ♥ Q2 ♦ Q5 ♣ KJ932 WestNorthEastSouth 1♥1♥ P2♥2♥ ?
Bid 4 ♥. Partner has invited, and you have full values. All of your honor cards are in your two long suits, so give yourself an extra point. Think of having 14 points. If partner supports either suit, your hand increases in value. If partner does not support either suit, your hand stays at 14 points. 18. When all your honor cards are in your two long suits, add one extra "purity" point. Concentrated honor strength is more valuable than divided honor strength. You, South, hold: ♠ AKJ76 ♥ KQ84 ♦ 64 ♣ 32 WestNorthEastSouth PP1♠1♠ P1NTP2♥2♥ P3♥3♥ P?
Double. Caution! Do not double with club length only (e.g., Q6543). You need honor strength, too. Note that this is a penalty-oriented double of clubs. East has bid Stayman, asking for the majors, so your partner should never confuse this with a takeout double 19. When RHO uses Stayman and you have five or six clubs headed by three of the top five honors, double to alert partner you want a club lead against any eventual contract. Think of a double of an artificial bid as a length- and strength-showing, lead-directing penalty double. You, South, hold: ♠ 876 ♥ 62 ♦ 9864 ♣ AKJ84 WestNorthEastSouth 1NTP2♣2♣ ?
Double 5 ♦ to ask partner for a diamond lead against an eventual spade contract. 20. You can also use a lead-directing double when the opponents use Blackwood. If the response to 4NT (or 5NT) is in a suit you want led, double! These doubles can be made with a strong three- or four-card suit. If you don't double, partner will think you want another lead. You, South, hold: ♠ 543 ♥ 852 ♦ KQT ♣ 7643 WestNorthEastSouth 1♠1♠ P2♥2♥ P 3♠3♠ P4♠4♠ P 4NTP5♦5♦ ?
When leading partner's unsupported suit, lead high from a doubleton but low from any three or four cards not headed by a sequence. With the ace, if you lead the suit, lead the ace. 21. When leading partner's supported suit, lead your highest card with three or four cards headed by the 9 or lower. The lead of a low card in a supported suit shows an honor.
♠ The lead of the ace is a trick one convention only. After trick one, the king is led. ♠ In a supported suit or in any suit partner has bid, the king is led from the A-K. Leading the ace in either of these situations denies the king. ♠ From A-K doubleton, everything is reversed. 22. If you lead the ace from A-K-x-(x) against suit contracts:
23.To lead top of a sequence at notrump, the suit should be headed by two or three adjacent honors. Examples: K-Q-J, Q-J-T, J-T-9, T-9-8. (Important: the third card can be missing by one place: K-Q-T, Q- J-9, J-T-8, T-9-7.) Suits headed by two touching honors (K-Q-9, Q-J- 8, J-T-7 and T-9-6), are not considered sequences and with four or more cards, lead fourth best against notrump. With exactly three cards, lead the highest.
24. To lead an honor card against a suit contract, two adjacent honors, not three, are necessary. The higher honor is led. ♠ Lead the ace from A-K-x-(x), ♠ Lead the king from K-Q-x--(x), ♠ Lead the queen from Q-J-x-(x), ♠ Lead the jack from J-T-x-(x) and the 10 from T-9-x-(x).
25. In general, the lead of a low card shows strength (low from something) and the lead of a relatively high spot card shows weakness (top of nothing).
26. When partner leads low from length and dummy has low cards, third hand plays high. ♠ If third hand has equal high cards, third hand plays the lower or lowest equal. With K-10-x, play the king; from K-Q-x, the queen; from K-Q-J-(x), the jack.
27. Showing Count on Defense. ♠ When returning a suit partner has led, return the higher with two cards remaining; the lowest with three cards remaining. ♠ With A-T-5 win the ace and return the 10. With A-T-6-5, win the ace and return the 5.
28. When partner leads low and dummy has an honor, if you have a higher and a lower honor, insert your lower honor if dummy plays low. ♠ If dummy has the Q-5-4 or J-5-4 and you have K-T-6-(x), play the 10. Similarly, when dummy has Q-x-x or K-x-x, play the jack from A-J-x-(x) and the 10 from A-J-10-(x).
29. There will be times when partner leads a low card in one suit, gets the lead in another suit and leads a second suit. You take the trick. There's a way to tell which suit to return. ♠ If partner leads a high card (weakness) in the second suit, partner wants the first suit returned. If partner leads a low card (strength) in the second suit, partner wants the second suit returned. Bridge is actually a fun game. It really is.
30. You don't lead the same against 3NT as against 6NT. ♠ Against 6NT, avoid leading from an honor unless you have a sequence. For example, with: ♠ ♠ KT763 ♥ J T8 ♦ J 5 ♣ Q92, lead the ♠ 6 against 3NT, but lead the ♥ J against 6NT. ♠ If they have high-card points, guess how many HCP partner has!
31. At notrump, one key is to keep communications with partner's hand. ♠ If partner's lead looks like the top of a doubleton and you have A-K-x-x-x-(x) with no sure outside entry, simply encourage. Let partner keep that second card so he can return the suit if he gets in. Instead of two tricks, you might wind up taking four or five!
32. When declarer ignores a strong suit in dummy lacking one honor —such as K-Q-J-T--(x) or A-Q-J-T-(x) — assume declarer has the honor. If he doesn't, why isn't he setting up that suit? Wouldn't you?
33. When there is a short side suit in dummy and declarer draws all of dummy's trumps, the inference is that declarer doesn't have any losers to ruff in that suit. ♠ Translation: It is safe to discard that suit.
34. When discarding, keep four- card length parity with dummy. ♠ Say dummy has a four-card suit (A-K-Q-8), and you have the Your highest card is higher than dummy's lowest card; This signals to you to hang on to that suit for dear life.
35. It is important to count declarer's tricks as the play progresses. If you can see that declarer has enough tricks in three suits to make the contract, shift to the fourth suit. Some Chance is Better than No Chance
36. When dummy hits the table, add declarer's likely point count to dummy's known count. Now add that total to your point count and subtract from 40 to determine how many points partner has. It works! ♠ The bidding has gone 1NT (15-17)- Pass-3NT-All Pass. Partner leads and dummy has 10 HCP. Assume declarer has the middle count, 16, so they have 26 HCP, give or take one point, leaving you and partner with 14. You know how many points you have, so it is easy enough to figure out how many partner has. ♠ You can do the same to figure out declarer's point count if you know partner's. It's easiest to figure out declarer's or partner's point count if either one has made a bid that limits his hand. For example, if declarer opened a minor and rebid INT over a major-suit response, he will usually have 12-14, never more (with 15, he would have opened 1NT)
37. When defending a suit contract, understand that there are two main techniques declarer uses to garner extra tricks: (1) setting up a long suit in dummy, (2) ruffing losers in the shorter trump hand (usually the dummy). ♠ If dummy hits with a long suit and a short suit and you have the long suit bottled up, lead trump because the long suit is not usable. If the long suit looks scary, play an attacking defense going for outside tricks quickly. If dummy comes down balanced, declarer has no place to get rid of losers and will eventually lose them. ♠ Your best defense is to play passively by leading "safe" suits, possibly including trumps and waiting for your tricks. Of course, it may take years to be able to recognize a "safe" suit. Patience.
38. The best time to lead short suit is with trump control. A-x-(x) and K-x-x are great trump holdings to lead from shortness. However, if ruffing will cost you trump trick, leads from shortness with trump holdings such as J-T-x-x, Q-J-9-x or K-T-x-x are counterproductive.
39. When signaling encouragement with equal spot cards, using standard signaling, signal with the higher or highest equal. i.e. with A-9-8-7, signal encouragement with the 9, denying the 10. If you lazily signal with the 8, you deny the 9. Strong partners watch stuff like that and defend accordingly. However, if you’re using upside-down signaling, signal encouragement with your lowest card, the 7.
40. When giving partner a ruff, the card you lead is suit preference telling partner which suit you want returned. ♠ The return of a relatively high spot card asks for a return in the higher ranking of the two remaining side suits. ♠ A return of your lowest card asks for a return in the lower-ranking side suit. ♠ A return of a middle card is designed to torture partner! Just kidding. It actually means you have no preference and asks partner to use her impeccable judgment.
41. Before playing to the first trick, review the bidding and make sure you remember the opening lead. ♠ The opening lead may be a low card, after which that player may play a second low card. It is often critical to know whether the second card was higher or lower than the first! Don't fall asleep at the switch! It can be embarrassing, and we've all been there
42. If one (or both) of your opponents is a passed hand, assume that player has fewer than 12 HCP. If that player turns up with 10 HCP early on, play the partner for any missing queen, king or ace. If that player turns up with 9 HCP, play the partner for any missing ace or king.
43. At notrump, count your sure tricks outside of the suit you plan to establish. This tells you how many tricks you need in your key suit so you can play that suit accordingly.
44. As declarer, when you can take a trick with one of two equal honors, say the king or the queen, the queen or the jack, the 10 or a 9, take the trick with the higher equal. That is far more deceptive. As declarer, if you take tricks with the lower or lowest equal, you might as well be playing with your cards face up. See tip No. 46. A major exception to this rule is holding A K x (x) at notrump. In that case, it is better (much better) to take the first trick with the king. If you take the trick with the ace. the opponents are sure to wonder why you didn't hold up. It's too much of a giveaway.
45. As declarer, when possible, withhold any spot card lower than the one that has been led or lower than the one played to your right. ♥ A K 4 ♥ 3 ♥ 5 ♥ Q 6 2 At notrump, West leads the ♥ 3 (fourth best), you play the king from dummy and East plays the 5. You know, looking at the 2, that West has led from a four-card suit. You also know that East, playing standard attitude, has played his lowest heart, the 5, discouraging. If you follow woodenly with the 2, East will know that West started with four hearts, and West will know that East has played his lowest heart. However, if you play the 6, East, not seeing the 2, won't know if West started with four or five hearts and West won't know whether East might be signaling encouragement with the ♥ Q 5 2. Look how easy it is to screw them up! Deuces and treys are to be treasured!
46.When leading low from dummy toward a number of equal honors in the closed hand, play your higher or highest equal if second hand plays low. ♥ 32 ♥ AQJT When you lead a heart from dummy, play the queen, not the 10. Say East has the king. If you play the 10 and it wins, East will know you remain with the ♥ A Q J. However, if you play the queen and it wins, East won't know who has the 10 or jack. This is a five- star tip.
47. When you have all the tricks but one, take all your winners in the other suits (including trumps at a suit contract), keeping the suit in which you have your loser until the bitter end. Opponents hate to discard. Make them suffer! The most you can lose is the last trick.
48. At a suit contract with A-x-x facing x-x-x or A-x-x-x facing x-x in the suit that has been led, it is usually right to win the second round of the suit. If one opponent has a doubleton, you cut the communications between the two hands. It also allows you to keep control of the suit. If you have reason to suspect from the bidding that one opponent has a singleton, grab the ace, (an exception.)
49. Play the cards you are known to hold from the opponent's leads and third hand's play. This tip assumes you have an equal in your hand or in the dummy so you won't be giving away a trick. Read this one slowly. ♥ 8632 ♥ Q ♥ A T ♥ K J Say East has opened ♥ 2, weak, and you wind up in 4 ♠. West leads the ♥ Q and East plays the ace. West knows you have the king from East's play of the ace. East knows you have the king from East's lead of the queen. Everybody knows you have the king! The king and jack are now equals. Think of the king as an albatross around your neck and get rid of it! It gives them something to think about.
50. When fortunate enough to have a powerful trump suit and being forced to ruff, avoid ruffing with your lowest trump. That tiny trump might be a needed entry to dummy. Say you have the A-K-Q-J-T-2 of trumps and dummy has the If forced to ruff in your hand, don't even think of ruffing with the 2!
51. When drawing trumps, try to keep a flexible entry position. ♠ Q 3 2 ♠ AKJ8 6 4 This is your trump suit and you want to draw two rounds of trumps, ending in your hand. If you start with the ace and king, you remain with a dummy entry, but later if you are in the dummy, you can't get back to your hand with a trump. The queen blocks the suit. But if you start with the ace and then the jack, you remain with a trump entry to dummy and if in the dummy later, you can overtake the queen to get back to your hand. Flexibility!
52. If you have a number of equal honors in the closed hand and you want second hand to cover, lead the highest. If you want second hand to duck, lead the second highest. It works like charm! Say you have the ♠ Q J 10 9 (trumps) and dummy has the ♠ K If there is a danger of a ruff, lead the jack. If second hand has the ace, he often ducks, thinking partner has the queen. If fourth hand started with only two trumps, the ruff may be lost. Say dummy has ♣ A K x x with no side entry and you have ♣ J 10 doubleton. If you lead the jack, second hand is apt to cover, blocking the suit and limiting you to two tricks. Try the 10. West is likely to play low with the queen, giving you three tricks.
53. When dummy is expected to come down with a long, strong side suit at a trump contract and there are two unbid suits, lead your stronger suit. However, if one suit is headed by an ace, lead the other. With K-J-x-x and K-x-x-x, lead from the K-J-x-x. With A-J- x-x and Q-x-x-x, lead from the Q-x-x-x.
54. If you are sure that there are zero possible defensive tricks coming from the side suits, give declarer a ruff and a sluff! You read correctly. A ruff and a sluff often promotes a defensive trump trick. Go for it! !
55. Counting is where it's at! Say declarer has bid two suits, starting with a higher-ranking major suit, indicating a likely 5-4 pattern, and winds up in notrump. If the opening lead is "count revealing" — perhaps a fourth-best 2 in another suit — suddenly you have a complete count on the hand at trick one! Nobody will want to play against you. Do you see how that works? If declarer is, say, 5-4 in hearts and diamonds, and partner leads the ♣ 2, indicating a four-card suit, all you have to do is look at your clubs and dummy's to tell how many clubs declarer has. It's magic!
56. Counting is where it's at! Defenders take tricks with the lower or lowest equal. Taking a trick with a higher equal in theory denies the lower equal. Dummy ♦ A J T 5 You ♦ K Q 7 Say declarer leads low to the jack. Take the trick with the queen. If you take it with the king, you deny the queen and partner will think declarer has it. Taking the trick with the king is a falsecard and works best when partner is not involved in the defense.
57. After partner has limited his hand and you know what the final contract should be, bid it! The one who knows goes! Say partner opens 1NT (15-17) and you have a balanced hand with 18 high-card points. With at least 33 combined HCP, bid 6NT. If this scares you, find a mirror and practice saying 6NT aloud.
58. At a suit contract, when an opponent leads the queen of an unbid suit, dummy has K-x-x(x) and you have low cards, duck the first two or three rounds of the suit. The ace is marked on your right. If RHO has shortness, the ace will pop up and — presto — the king is a winner.
59. After partner's preempts, a subsequent double by you is for penalty. Two Examples : You are South. 2 ♥ is weak. Both Doubles are for Penalty WestNorthEastSouth 2♥2♥ 3♦3♦ DBL WestNorthEastSouth 3♥3♥ PP 4♣4♣ PPDBL
60. Once a player limits his hand, the partner is the captain and is supposed to make the final decision. Captaincy can be reversed, however, if the captain turns the tables and makes an invitational bid. There is no captain until someone is limited. WestNorthEastSouth PP1♥1♥ P 1NTP3♥3♥ WestNorthEastSouth 1NTP4NT WestNorthEastSouth 1♥1♥ P1♠1♠ P2♦2♦ P3♣3♣ West is a limited hand, so East is the captain. When East jumps to 3 ♥, invitational, West becomes the captain West's hand is limited (15-17), so East is captain. When East raises to 4NT, invitational, West becomes the captain Both hands are still unlimited, so no captain... yet. Bidding is much easier once someone is limited.
BONUS TIPS ♠ It might kill you, but keep a poker face. ♠ Compliment partner's good bids and plays (sooner or later he'll make one). ♠ Play only conventions you are both comfortable with. ♠ Put your short suits in the middle of your hand, not on the end. Some watch where you pull your cards from. ♠ Reread these tips! Again!