Larry Cohen’s bridge articles

Larry Cohen is one of the world’s best-known bridge authors, teachers, and theorists. He is famous for popularizing the Law of Total Tricks and has been ranked among the top players in North America. For decades Larry has written articles for the ACBL Bulletin and the Audrey Grant bridge magazine, and he posts hundreds of free instructional articles on his website larryco.com. We have organized 462 of those articles here, grouped by Larry’s own subject categories. Each link opens the article on his website in a new tab. The list is updated periodically; visit larryco.com/bridge-articles for the complete and most current listing. Articles marked “Video” may require a BridgeLearningCenter membership.

Declarer Play

How to plan and execute the play of the hand as declarer — suit contracts and notrump.

The Real Deal / ACBL Column

Larry's long-running ACBL bridge column and Audrey Grant magazine deals — real competitive hands with instructive lessons.

Bidding: Nuts & Bolts

Bidding systems, conventions, doubles, slam bidding, hand evaluation, competitive auctions, and everything in between.

10 For Sure
12-14 or 18-19
12 For Me, 1 For Both of You
13 or 20?
1C Opening
1D Opening
1H or 1S Opening
1-level Wrap-up (Part 1)
1-level Wrap-up (Part 2)
1-level Wrap-up (Part 3)
1-Of-A-Major Opening
1-Of-A-Major Opposite a Passed Hand
1-Of-A-Major Response — Showing/Ignoring a Major
1-Of-A-Minor Opening
1NT
1NT Forcing
1NT Forcing or Semi-Forcing
1NT Opening
1NT with 5-Card Major?
2C Opening
2D/2H/2S Openings
2NT & 3NT Openings
3-Level Openings
4 + 3 = 7
4-Level and Higher Openings
5th Suit Forcing to Game or PLOB!
6-5 Come Alive
6-5 Come Alive?
Adding Half a Point for 10’s
After 1♠: Two-Level and Higher Responses
After an Opposing 2-Level (or Higher) Overcall
After Partner's 1NT Rebid
After the Opponents Overcall
After the Takeout Doubler Bids Again
Aggressive?
Balancing, Responsive Doubles
Balancing Seat Doubles
Bergen Raises with Length and Strength
Bidding Six-Four Hands
Blackwood
Both Opponents Bid
But, What If They Are 4-1?
Can I Open a 4-Card Major?
Can Opener Reverse If Partner is a Passed Hand?
Common Game Greed
Confidently Incorrect
Control Bidding
Conventional Interference
Conventions
Cuebids
Different Meanings
Direct Cuebids
Does Responder’s Major Show 4 or 5 (or more)?
Double & Bid
Double Error
Doubles
Doubles (Part 1)
Doubles (Part 2)
Doubles (Part 3)
Doubles — continued
Drop Dead Bids
Equal Level Conversion Doubles
Evaluating Shortness
Exclusion Blackwood
Exploring Keycard Blackwood
F or NF (Part 1 of 5)
F or NF (Part 2 of 5)
F or NF (Part 3 of 5)
F or NF (Part 4 of 5)
F or NF (Part 5 of 5)
Fast Arrival
Feature Ask (2NT)
Filling Out a 2/1 Convention Card #1
Filling Out a 2/1 Convention Card #2
Filling Out a 2/1 Convention Card #3
Filling Out a 2/1 Convention Card #4
Filling Out a 2/1 Convention Card #5
Filling Out a 2/1 Convention Card #6
Flannery
Fourth Suit Forcing
Free Bids
Game Try Double Justified
General Approach; 2C Opening (Part 2)
Gerber Revisited
Going Backwards
Hand Evaluation
Help Suit Game Tries
Help Suit Game Tries — Part 2
High Level Balancing Act
In 2/1 GF, if Partner Promises 6 of a Major, Why Raise With 2?
Interference After Our 1-Of-A-Major
Inviting Disaster
Is a Jumpshift by Opener to 2NT Forcing?
Jump Overcalls
Jumping Around
Lebensohl, Stolen Bid Doubles, and Interference Over 1NT
Learning to Love 1NT
Michaels Cue Bid
Missing Ingredient: Suit Quality
Modified Jacoby 2NT
More on Negative Doubles
Moysian Fits
Negative Double
Negative Doubles
Negative Doubles — After Our Notrump Opening
Negative Doubles — Continued (1)
Negative Doubles — Continued (2)
Negative Doubles — Continued (3)
Negative Doubles — Continued (4)
Negative Doubles — Continued (5)
NOTRUMP OPENING BIDS — Part 1 of 3
Notrump Interference — Advanced
Notrump Interference — Intermediate
Notrump Overcalls
Notrump Deep Dive — Stayman
Opening 1NT with 2 Doubletons?
Opening 1NT with a Singleton?
Opening Preempts
Opener's Rebid After 1♣—1♥
Opener's Rebid After 1♣—1NT
Opener's Rebid After 1♣—1♠
Opener's Rebid After 1♣ and a 2-Level or Higher Response
Opener's Rebid After 1♦—1♥
Opener's Rebid After 1♦—1NT
Opener's Rebid After 1♦—1♠
Opener's Rebid After 1♦ and a 2-Level or Higher Response
Opener's Rebid After 1♥—1NT
Opener's Rebid After 1♥—1♠
Opener's Rebid After 1♥—2-Level
Opener's Rebid After 1NT or 2NT
Opener's Rebid After 1♠—1NT
Opener's Rebid After Opening 1NT or 2NT
Opener's Rebid After Opening 2♣
Opener's Rebid After Opening Weak 2
Opener's Rebid After Partner's Response to 2♦ or Higher
Opener's Rebid After Responder's Negative Double
Opener's Rebid After the Opponents Interfere
Opener's Rebid with Long Minor and Support
Other Conventional Calls
Other Takeout Doubles
Our Partner Has Overcalled
Over Opponent's Takeout Double
Puppet Stayman over 2NT
RC Squared
Rebidding a Long Strong Minor
Red Light Green Light
Redouble
Redoubles
Remembering the Auction
Responding After an Opponent Doubles
Responding After an Opposing 1♦ Overcall
Responding After an Opposing 1♥ Overcall
Responding After RHO's Takeout Double
Responding After the Opponents Overcall
Responding by a Passed Hand
Responding to 1♣
Responding to 1♦
Responding to 1♥
Responding to 1NT — Part 1
Responding to 1NT — Part 2
Responding to 1♠
Responding to 1-Of-a-Minor Opening
Responding to 2♣
Responding to 2NT
Responding to 3♣ and Higher
Responding to a Weak Two-Bid
Responding to Blackwood with a Void
Responding to Weak 2-Bids
Responder's Rebid After a 1-of-a-Suit Response
Responder's Rebid After Opener's 1NT or 2NT Rebid
Responder's Rebid After Opener's 2-Level NF Rebid
Responder's Rebid After Opener's Jump
Responder's Rebid After Opener's Reverse
Responder's Rebid After Responding on the 2-Level
Responder's Rebid After Responding to 1NT or 2NT
Responder's Rebid After Responding to a Preempt
Responder's Rebid After Initial Response of 2♣
Responder's Second-Round Two-Level Cuebid
Round-Suit Kings
Rule of 17
Rule of 2,3,4
Should I Transfer (with a Minor)?
Showing a Minor After Partner’s 1NT
Simple Overcalls
Slam Bidding — General
Slam Conventions
Support Doubles
Taking out Doubles of a Preempt
Taking out Doubles to a Suit
Taking out Doubles to Notrump and “the Chart”
Takeout Doubles
Takeout Doubler's Next Action
Texas in Comp
The Better 3-0
The Difference Between a Reverse and a Jumpshift
The First Step
The Opponents Open and Partner Has Doubled
The Opponents Open and We Double
The Opponents Open and We Overcall
The Power (“Big”) Double
Trick One Tricks
Two-Over-One GF (Part 1 — Introduction)
Two-Over-One GF (Part 2 — Forcing 1NT)
Two-Over-One GF (Part 3 — Forcing 1NT continued)
Two-Over-One GF
Two-Two Too Easy
Two-Way New Minor Forcing
Unifying 2/1 GF?
Versus Opponents’ Preempts
Video — 2/1 Game Force
Video — Slam Bidding
Video — Takeout Doubles
Walsh Style
Weak 2-Bids
What Are Your Thoughts on Stolen Bid Doubles?
What Distribution?
What Does it Take to Respond?
When Does a Notrump Bid Promise a Stopper?
When Does a Notrump Bid Show a Balanced Hand?
When is 2NT Not 2NT
When/Why to Open Light in 3rd Seat
XYZ
You've Responded with a 5-Card Major — What Next?