Is there any way to bid game in a major suit or NoTrump without the 25 points we constantly hear are necessary?

Actually, several. One way adds points for extra strength. Let’s say your partner bids 1NT with 15-17 high-card points, and you hold:

♠ 10 4

♥ 10 5

♦ A K 9 7 5 3 2

♣ 4 3

Add three points for the fifth, sixth and seventh diamonds and bid 3NT without hesitation. Since partner has at least two diamonds, your hand will probably supply at least six tricks to go with partner’s three or four. You may have only 22 HCP in the partnership. So what?

You may also bid game with convenient shortness. Suppose partner bids 1♥ , and you hold:

♠—

♥ Q J 7 5 4

♦ A J 10

♣ 10 8 7 6 5

That spade void is a godsend. Bridge author Marty Bergen says that when you’re dummy, you should give a void the same number of points as your trump holding. So the spade void (5), plus your heart queen-jack (3) plus your ace-jack in diamonds (5) equals 13 dummy points. You belong in game, even if the partnership holds only half the HCP.

A two-suited fit can produce another game bid with fewer than 25 HCP. Board Six at the Island Bridge Club on September 4 provided an object lesson. East was dealing, with East-West vulnerable:

NORTH

♠ Q 3 2

♥ Q J 10 9 4

♦ K J 7 5

♣ 10

WEST                 EAST

♠ 4                      ♠ J 8 7 5

♥ 7 6                   ♥ K 5

♦ A Q 9 8           ♦ 3 2

♣ K 9 6 4 3 2      ♣ A J 8 7 5

SOUTH

♠ A K 10 9 6

♥ A 8 3 2

♦ 10 6 4

♣ Q

The bidding proceeded as follows:

East         South         West         North

Pass         1♠              Pass        1NT*/2 ♥**

Pass         2♥ /3 ♥      Pass         4 ♥

All Pass

* Forcing in 2-over-1 style

** Standard American style response

Opening lead: club 4

North’s hand didn’t look like much initially. But after South bid both majors, the two-suited fit suggested solid major suits and few losers in the minor suits. Whether North-South bid 4♥ or 4 ♠, five will make. With all of 22 HCP in the partnership.

As Paul Laliberte, one of my column vetters puts it, “Bridge is really a game of tricks, not points.”

The Bridge Club of Martha’s Vineyard will close for the season after its 9:30 a.m. game on Sept. 13. And the 12:30 p.m. Edgartown Bridge Club game will relocate for the winter to the Edgartown Yacht Club on Sept. 15.