BRIDGE GLOSSARY
Valet
In modern day terms: the Jack. A noun still used in France to refer to the Knave
or Valet, in other words a male servant, which the Jack is to the King.
Validation
A term used in duplicate bridge:
1. the certifying by the director of the correctness of an auction play;
2. the approval of the opponents to a correction of the scoring of the results of a board of duplicate play;
3. the initialing of a pair score in team play by the opponents of this pair on a set of boards.The sponsoring organization for a bridge tournament may also require that a player validate his or her residency in order that the player may play in a certain group or at a certain level, etc. A Credentials Committee of the ACBL Board has been established to review residency challenges and approve requests for residency verification.
Valuation
The valuation of a holding is first considered under the aspects of the values given
to the honor cards. Secondly, after a fit with one’s partner has been established,
the values increase according to length, singletons, doubletons, voids and general
distribution.
Value Of Game
Playing matchpoint, it must be realized that a game bonus of 300 points is added
to a fulfilled game contract when non-vulnerable, and a game bonus of 500 when vulnerable.
These bonuses must be kept in mind when deciding to sacrifice against a game contract
of the opponents. Regarding the score, it could be more advantageous for the opponents
to sacrifice.
Value
Swiss Raises
This is a modification of the Swiss convention
used in the Aces Scientific System used by the responder after a major suit opening,
which informs partner a range of forcing balanced raises. These raises do not indicate
a singleton nor a 5-card suit, but promise a 4-card suit or a 3-card suit with two
of the top honors.
Vancouver
This was a bridge tournament, conducted over six days, and held annually since 1949 in Alaska, British Columbia, or in the state of Washington, United States. Also prior to the year 1967 the tournament was conducted also in Oregon. From the beginning the tournament was conducted at a time that it coincided with the birthday of George Washington, the first President of the United States, but only until 1958. Starting in 1959 the tournament was conducted in the early fall, and starting in 1968 the tournament was conducted either in late May or early April.
During the years from 1963 and 1967 the tournament was conducted twice annually, once in the spring and once in the fall. The designation for the tournament conducted in the spring was not always identical or regular since it was also known as the Pacific Northwest Regional Championships, or Polar, Polar-Canadian Regional, Canadian, and also as British Columbia Centennial, but the tournament was designated in 1968 as the Pacific Northwest Regional when the tournament, which was conducted in the fall, was replaced by the Canadian and Puget Sound Regionals.
Vanderbilt Club System
During the evolving years of contract bridge, it was Mr. Harold S. Vanderbilt
who codified the game, and to some extent the laws, of contract bridge in 1925. He
was the first bridge player who strongly suggested using the bid of 1 Club to indicate
a strong hand. The system proved quite popular, but interest in the bridge community
declined over the years. Several features of his system built the basis of the Blue
Team Club of Italy, but it was not until 1964, when Mr. Harold S. Vanderbilt published
a revised version of his system, that interest in this system was reborn.
Vanderbilt Club Opening Bids
These opening bids were devised, revised and developed by Mr. Harold S. Vanderbilt in the early pioneer days of the game of bridge. The principles of the Schenken Club were based upon these opening bids. Following a 1 Club opening, showing any shape and 17 high card points plus, a first reponse of 1 Diamond is considered to be an artificial negative response, but all other first responses, especially on the one level, are natural. Any first response after a 2 Diamond opening bid promises an Ace or first round control in that suit.
1 :
17+ HCPs Any shape 1 :
12-16 HCPs 4+ Diamond suit 1 :
12-16 HCPs 4+ Heart suit 1 :
12-16 HCPs 4+ Spade suit 1 NT: 15-17 HCPs Balanced shape 2 12-16 HCPs 5+ Club suit 2 22 HCPs Balanced shape and/or game-forcing bid 2 6-12 HCPs 6 Hearts 2 6-12 HCPs 6 Spades 2NT: 22-23 HCPs Balanced shape
Vanderbilt Cup
This trophy was donated and presented by Mr. Harold Vanderbilt to the winners of the National Knockout Team Championships which were founded in 1928. The Cup is also referred to as The Vandy colloquially. The managing organization heading the oversight of the championships and the presentation of the trophy was the Vanderbilt Cup Committee. The championship games became a part of the Spring North American Championships in 1958, but the trophy itself remains one of the most prized trophies of bridge. The Vanderbilt Cup was also donated and presented by Mr. Harold Vanderbilt for the first World Olympiad Team Championship held in Italy in 1960.
Variable Cuebids
See Denial Cuebids. Denial Cuebids form a method of showing the location
of honors. The bidding sequence was first developed by Mr. Roy Kerr in association with other bridge players in New Zealand, and which was used as part of the Symmetric Relays. The concept has also been attributed to Mr. David Cliff. This concept has achieved several interpretations over the years and has been designated by different authors with different names such as Spiral Scan Cuebids (or Spiral), designated by Mr. George Rosenkranz of Mexico, and the book The Ultimate Club, written by Mr. Mike Becker, Mr. Matthew L. Ginsberg, Mr. Matt Granovetter and Mr. Ronnie Rubin, uses the designation Variable Cuebids. The method is based on the assumption that one partner has in some manner informed his partner of his holding, his distribution, his strength, and possibly certain Key Cards.
Variable No Trump
A term for opening a weak 1 No Trump when the partnership is non-vulnerable, and a stronger No Trump when the partnership is vulnerable.
Vasilevsky Convention - This competitive conventional method was described in the book Competitive Bidding in the 21st Century by Mr. Marshall Miles. The concept is that the opponents can enter the competitive auction after a Major opening, a pass by one's partner, and a first response by the partner of the opening bid of 1 No Trump. The following competitive bids are suggested by Mr. Marshall Miles. The name of this conventional method is unknown, but it could be possible that it has been named after the bridge professional Mr. George Vasilevsky.
North East South West Meaning 1 Pass 1 NT Double A transfer to Clubs. 2 A transfer to Diamonds. 2 of bid Major Promises a good to strong Takeout 2 other Major Shows a weak Takeout and shows at least 4 cards in the other Major suit. 2 NT Promises both Minor suits. Length can be 4-4, 4-5. 3 Promises a 6-card Club suit and a 4-card suit in the unbid Major suit. 3 Promises a 6-card Diamond suit and a 4-card suit in the unbid Major suit.
Variation: the definition of this word follows. It is under this definition that a method of specific bidding in order to communicate information to either partner or opponent is to be understood.
1.
a. The act, process, or result of varying.
b. The state or fact of being varied. See Synonyms at difference.2. The extent or degree to which something varies: a variation of ten pounds in weight.
3. Magnetic declination.
4. Something slightly different from another of the same type.
5. Biology
a. Marked difference or deviation from the normal or recognized form, function, or structure.
b. An organism or plant exhibiting such difference or deviation.6. Mathematics: A function that relates the values of one variable to those of other variables.
7. Music
a. A form that is an altered version of a given theme, diverging from it by melodic ornamentation and by changes in harmony, rhythm, or key.
b. One of a series of forms based on a single theme.8. A solo dance, especially one forming part of a larger work.
Variant, Definition of - Definition of Variant
Noun:
Something that differs in form only slightly from something else, as a different spelling or pronunciation of the same word.
Adjective:
1. Having or exhibiting variation; differing.
2. Tending or liable to vary; variable.
3. Deviating from a standard, usually by only a slight difference.
Vaupillon Club System
This is the designation given to the partnership agreement between Mr. Mark Horton and Mr. Ron Tacchi, who together form a respected partnership in the bridge community. The designation is the name of the small village or hamlet in France, where Mr. Ron Tacchi resides. The partnership agreement adheres to the general French standard of opening 5-card Major suits, a No Trump range of 15-17 points, and other treatments.
VeeJay System Opening Bids
These opening bids were developed and devised by Mr. A.D.J. Victor of New Delhi, India, apparently around 1983. The principle behind these opening bids is the Precision system, but with the application of transfer first and following responses after a 1 Club opening bid and the application of relay bids following any other opening bid.
1 16+ HCPs Any shape 1 12-15 HCPs 4+ Diamonds; unbalanced shape 1 12-15 HCPs 5 plus Heart suit 1 12-15 HCPs 5 plus Spade suit 1 NT: 12-15 HCPs Balanced shape 2 12-15 HCPs 5 plus Club suit 2 12-15 HCPs Distribution: 5-4-4-0 or 4-4-4-1 with 4-4 in both Major suits or: 7-11 HCPs Distribution: 6-4 or possible 5-5 in both Major suits or: 12-15 HCPs Same distribution but required by non-favorable vulnerability 2 6-11 HCPs 6 plus Heart suit 2 6-11 HCPs 6 plus Spade suit 2NT: 12-15 HCPs Distribution: 6-4 or possible 5-5 in both Minor suits or: 12-15 HCPs Same distribution but required by non-favorable vulnerability
Venezuela: Federacion Venezolana de Bridge - Contacts
Venice Cup
A trophy presented to the winners of the Women's World Team Championship, which began in Venice, Italy, in 1974. The format of this championship has been changed over the years.
Venice Cup Trophy
A picture and short summary of the trophy.
Verdi
See: Transfer Opening Three Bids
Verify
To agree upon the score on a deal, session or match. All players must agree as to the correct amount of tricks won by each partnership and upon the correct score before entering the score for evaluation.
Vice Squeeze
This is a secondary squeeze that leads to a suit establishment play. This form of squeeze was named by Mr. Terence Reese. It describes a squeeze in which pressure is applied to a holding of two or more cards that rank between cards held by opponents, who lack the master card of the suit.
Victoria Conventional Method
See: Two Hearts Negative Response
Victor Mitchell Trophy
This trophy honors one of the most colorful characters of the game of bridge, a champion player, philosopher and mentor to the stars. Mr. Victor Mitchell, a Grand Life Master with more than 10,000 masterpoints, won five North American championships including the Spingold in 1956 and 1959, the Life Master Men’s Pairs in 1962 and the Men’s Teams in 1962 and 1963. He was inducted into the Bridge Hall of Fame in 1996.
Victory Points
Just as IMP scoring is enacted according to a mathematical conversion, so also are victory points the result of a scoring conversion system for multiple team contests in which the actual score of each match is converted according to a standard scale.
Victory Points in Swiss Teams
In these events the scoring is done first in IMPs which are then converted to Victory Points. To receive credit for a full win, a team must win by three or more IMPs. A win by 1 or 2 IMPs constitutes a 3/4 win, with the losing team getting the other quarter of a point. However, the team winning the match receives the entire match masterpoint award.
Vienna Coup
This is the cashing of one or more winners to avoid blockage in a squeeze position. It is an unblocking play made in preparation for an Automatic Squeeze.
Vienna Relay Mini (Weak) No Trump
The Vienna Relay is a bidding system based on a weak No Trump and a forcing, but not necessarily strong 1 Club opening combined with a 1 Diamond waiting response. This version is in .pdf file format and, depending on your browser, will be automatically opened with your browser or otherwise downloaded to your computer and opened with Adobe Acrobat. Summary by Mr. Kerry Kappell.
Vienna Relay System
The Vienna Relay is a hybrid of the Vienna System and the Montreal Relay. It features a forcing but not necessarily strong 1 Club opening with a 1 Diamond waiting response. The 1 Club opening makes room for a weak 1 No Trump opening and eliminates all short Diamond openings. This version is in .pdf file format and, depending on your browser, will be automatically opened with your browser or otherwise downloaded to your computer and opened with Adobe Acrobat. Summary by Mr. Kerry Kappell.
Vienna System
Developed and promoted by Dr. Paul Stern in 1935, and which was perhaps the first conventional system to win acclaim among bridge players in the bridge international community. The foundation of the system is based on an artificial 1 Club bid for holdings of normal strength and on a 1 No Trump bid for stronger holdings. Dr. Paul Stern used the Bamberger Point Count of an Ace counting 7 points, a King counting 5 point, a Queen counting 3 points, and a Jack counting 1 point, but those adherents to this system have now revised this to the standard of the 4-3-2-1 point count.
View
Slang: to take a view is to make a decision regarding the bidding or play of a board.
Viking Club Opening Bids
These opening bids constitute a strong 1 Club relay system and was developed and devised by Mr. Glenn Groetheim of Norway, and published in his book: Viking Club, and excerpts of which may be found by clicking on the picture. Mr. Glenn Groetheim has been Norwegian champion many times and he has played in the Bermuda Bowl three times, earning a silver medal in 1993 and 2001, and a bronze medal in 1997. Mr. Glenn Groetheim has represented Norway in the Olympiad and European Championships frequently. He is also a frequent contributor to Scandinavian bridge magazines. Mr. Glenn Groetheim has played with Mr. Ulf Tundal and Mr. Geir Helgemo, his current partner is Terje Aa, with whom he has played with since 1993. He lives just outside Trondheim, Norway.
1 16 HCPs Any shape 1 11-15 HCPs Various shapes:
1. 5+ Diamonds or
2. both Minor Suits or
3. balanced holding, not 1 NT interval1 11-15 HCPs 5-card plus Heart suit 1 11-15 HCPs 5-card plus Spade suit 1 NT: 10-12 HCPs Balanced shape:
1. between 10-12 hcps in 1st and 2nd Seat - not vulnerable
2. between 13-15 hcps in 3rd and 4th Seat - not vulnerable
3. between 14-16 hcps by unfavorable vulnerability2 11-15 HCPs 5-card plus Club suit 2 11-15 HCPs Distribution: 4-4-4-1 - any suit 2 6-10 HCPs Distribution: 6-card Heart suit 2 6-10 HCPs Distribution: 6-card Spade suit 2NT: 6-10 HCPs Distribution: 5-5 plus in both Minor suits
Vinje Signals
These are defensive signals devised by Helge Vinje to assist in locating certain distributions and describing situations, which in standard signaling may prove to be misunderstood or even ambiguous.
Violation
1. the act of disregarding a Law of Propriety. It is understood that the penalty for such an act is to indemnify the non-offending side and not to punish the offender;
2. the act of deliberately breaking the established partnership understanding or system agreement.
Virgin Islands Bridge Federation - Contacts
Vise Squeeze
This is a secondary squeeze that leads to a suit establishment play. This form of squeeze was named by Mr. Terence Reese. It describes a squeeze in which pressure is applied to a holding of two or more cards that rank between cards held by opponents, who lack the master card of the suit.
Visualization
To recall the number and denomination of cards played during the play and forming a mental image from the auction is an important feature in determining how to play the hand as declarer and as an opponent.
Void
A holding of zero cards in any particular suit. The French word is chicane, and the word blank refers to the same situation.
Void-Showing Bids
Although Mr. Ely Culbertson originally conceived the idea, but never followed up on it, it was E.M.L. Beale of Cambridge University, England, about 1948, who took the concept to its fruition. It is the use of a jump bid, which has no natural meaning in the partnership agreement, to show a holding containing a void.
Voidwood Blackwood
A form of Roman Key Card Blackwood in which partner is asked to show Aces and/or Key Cards except in a particular suit, which has been determined to be a void. This convention is also known as Exclusion Keycard Blackwood.
Volmac Precision
This strong club system was developed by Mr. Benito Garozzo to train the Dutch Volmac group and was first used during the 1980 Olympiad in Valkenburg, The Netherlands. Thereafter this competition began formally in 1987 and was first called the Staten Bank Invitational, then the Cap Volmac World Top Tournament, and finally the Cap Gemini Pandata World Top Tournament.
Volmac Precision Opening Bids
These opening bids were devised and developed by Mr. Benito Garozzo in the year 1978. See above. Several of the bridge players, who used this system of opening bids, which eventually became known as the Volmac Precision bidding system, are Mr. Anton Maas, Elly Schippers and Marijke van der Pas.
1 16+ HCPs Any shape 1 11-15 HCPs Various shapes 1 11-15 HCPs 5-card plus Heart suit 1 11-15 HCPs 5-card plus Spade suit 1 NT: 13-15 HCPs Balanced shape 2 11-15 HCPs 6-card plus Club suit 2 11-15 HCPs 6-card plus Diamond suit 2 7-11 HCPs 6 Hearts 2 7-11 HCPs 6 Spades 2NT: 7-11 HCPs Distribution: 5-5 plus in both Major suits
Volmac Precision Summary
A Summary of the Volmac Precision System as presented by Mr. Daniel Neill. This is a .pdf file and is only archived on this site.
Von Zedtwitz Award
The von Zedtwitz Award is given annually by ACBL to a living or deceased player who made outstanding contributions to bridge either as a player or in some area outside of playing expertise. The first winner and recipient of this Award was Mr. P. Hals Sims.
Von Zedtwitz Gold Cup or Trophy
This trophy was donated by Mr. Waldemar von Zedtwitz in 1930 for one of the most highly regarded pair events, and is presented to the winner of the Life Master Open Pairs Championship. The trophy was initially contested by master players, who had qualified by winning a national championship. It was a four-session event, and the field was limited to 64 players so that a complete movement could be played. The trophy was originally presented on the basis that three wins by one player would secure him outright possession of the trophy.
This feat was achieved by Mr. Howard Schenken in 1934, who won in 1931 and 1933 with Mr. David Burnstine and in 1934 with Mr. Richard Frey. He also won in 1941 with Mr. Merwyn Maier and in 1943 with Mr. John Crawford.
The trophy, put back into competition by the donor, was stolen in 1954In 1954 , when it was held by Mr. John Hubbel, but the trophy was stolen. The theft followed a television appearance during which Mr. John Hubbel had exhibited the trophy and given the address of his bridge club, where the cup was normally displayed. The trophy was never recovered and the present cup is an exact replica.
VoSS'N Principle - This is a .pdf file format. This principle called VoSS’N is an acronym for Void/Single/Single/None. It is mainly used when the responder has shown at least 8 cards in two specific suits and we have a known fit (one of the two suits is partner’s suit). It is also used when we open a Minor on the 1-level and partner preempts. This is mainly a feature in the Ekrens bidding system.
VP
An abbreviation for Victory Points.
VROOM Defense to 1 No Trump Openings
Mr. Mohamed Abdel Bari summarized and Mr. Scott Bennett Graham contributed this defense to 1 No Trump openings by the opponents.
Vu-graph or Vugraph
This is a method of displaying the bridge boards and play to the spectators or to an audience. This device promoted the interest in the game of bridge. In 1991, the ACBL commissioned Mr. Fred Gitelman, a computer programmer, to create such a device. The necessary funds were donated in the form of a grant from the estate of Mr. Peter Pender, and the final result was eventually named the PeterGraph, and which was first used in Las Vegas, Nevada, in 1991.
Vulnerability
The state of being vulnerable, meaning that the scores obtained by fulfilling game contracts are adjusted to 500 points as opposed to non-vulnerable being only 300 points. The scores for the undertricks and doubled contracts are also adjusted. The state of vulnerability affects the bidding strategy to the point that the vulnerable partnership does not readily take unnecessary risks in the auction. The option of sacrificing on the side of the opponents is also much greater.
This particular designation has a history, which is not commonly known. On the fateful cruise of Mr. Sterling Vanderbilt through the Panama Canal in 1925 four gentlemen were sitting in the main cabin discussing a new scoring method for the increasingly popular game of bridge whist, auction whist, auction bridge, and they were attempting to decide the terminology after dividing the degree of daring for placing a bet, or a bid. During their discussion a young lady walked into the room, caught the gist of the conversation and the problem, and promptly offered the suggestion, "Why not call it vulnerable?" The name of this young lady remains a mystery to this day as reported by Mr. Alan Truscott on October 10, 1982.
BRIDGE; SIX HEARTS FROM A TO Z |
Vulnerability Conditions
Slang: amber = both sides vulnerable - United Kingdom.
Slang: equal = neither side vulnerable or both sides vulnerable.
Slang: favorable = non-vulnerable against vulnerable opponents.
Slang: green = non-vulnerable against vulnerable opponents - United Kingdom.
Slang: horse and horse = both sides vulnerable.
Slang: red = vulnerable against nonvulnerable opponents - United Kingdom.
Slang: red = vulnerable - in U.S.
Slang: red against red = both sides vulnerable - in U.S.
Slang: red against white = vulnerable against non-vulnerable opponents - in U.S.
Slang: unfavorable = vulnerable against non-vulnerable opponents.
Slang: white = non-vulnerable - in U.S.
Slang: white = neither side vulnerable - United Kingdom.
Slang: white against red = non-vulnerable against vulnerable opponents - in U.S.
Slang: white against white = neither side vulnerable - in U.S.
Vulnerable
Referring in rubber bridge as having scored one game. In duplicate, the vulnerability has been predetermined by the display on the particular boards to be played.
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