Biographical Summary

Mr. Marty A. Bergen is a bridge personality, bridge author, a World Bridge Federation International Master, and a 10-time American Bridge League Grand Life Master. He retired from active competition in the year 1993 and has devoted most of his time to promoting the game of bridge by authoring bridge-related publications. He is also a monthly contributor of a bridge column for The Bridge Bulletin, the official publication of the American Contract Bridge League for its members and subscribers.

He has written two books on the game of bridge, namely Points Schmoints!: Bergen's Winning Bridge Secrets in the year 1996, which won the coveted Bridge Book of the Year Award, and also Declarer Play the Bergen Way in the year 2005, which also won the coveted Bridge Book of the Year Award. This award is presented by his peers, who are members of the American Bridge Teacher's Association.

He has also been instrumental in incorporating the modern, digital cyberspace as his teaching platform. He is a subscriber of twitter, where the student can tweet bridge tidbits. He is also a subscriber to facebook, where the student can also interact with him. The student also has the opportunity to cruise with Mr. Marty A. Bergen since he conducts bridge courses at sea. He also conducts online audio-visual lessons.

An autobiographical account can be found on his website. A schedule of his activities are posted and continuously updated on his site, where the bridge student can also purchase directly his publications, and, upon wish, personally signed by the author.

Bergen Drury
Mr. Marty Bergen concluded that a 2 Club response by his partner, who is already a passed hand, could show a 3-card support for the opening Major suit with 10-12 points, and that a 2 Diamond response by his partner, who is already a passed hand, could show a 4-card support for the opening Major suit with 10-12 points.

Bergen Major Suit Raises or Bergen Raises
This conventional method was originally called Bergen Major Suit Raises, because they were only used after one partner opened a Major suit. This is a conventional method devised by Mr. Marty Bergen, and was first published in the ACBL Bridge Bulletin in April 1982. Using the responses of this method, the partner could show his overall strength and his actual trump length with one bid.

Bergen Over Doubles of 1 No Trump
Mr. Marty Bergen developed a method of dealing with an opponent's overcall of a double after a 1 No Trump opening. This method, when applied, allows the partnership to reach the correct contract even after the opponents have decided to enter the auction. This method also allows the partnership to finalize the contract even after a penalty double.

Bergen Over No Trump - DONT - D.O.N.T.
This conventional method was devised and developed by Mr. Marty Bergen. This conventional method is more commonly designated as DONT (Disturbing Opponent's No Trump), and is sometimes written as: D.O.N.T. It is a defense method against 1 No Trump openings: double shows one minor or both Majors; two of a Minor shows that Minor suit and a higher-ranking suit.

Modified DONT
A variation on the original concept conceived by Mr. Marty Bergen and published by Mr. Larry Cohen.

Revised DONT
The origin of this variation is unknown. The original concept was devised by Mr. Marty Bergen and published by Mr. Larry Cohen. The original convention is sometimes referred to as Bergen Over No Trump, but has been accepted into the language of the bridge community as simply D.O.N.T. As with all defense methods, this concept has also been altered, varied, modified, and revised to meet the needs of individual partnerships.

Bergen Over Weak No Trump
Mr. Marty Bergen, an experienced and expert bridge player and bridge author, devised this method to interfere with and enter the bidding auction after opponents opened a Weak No Trump, consisting of a range between 10 to 13 high card points, otherwise known as a mini-Notrump.

Variant of Bergen Over Weak No Trump
The origin of this variation is unknown. The reasoning behind the development of such a variant is the fact that the original version was unable to show the Club suit and a second suit.

BROMAD - Bergen Raise Of Major After Double
As soon as the auction sequence begins it becomes inevitable that the opponents attempt to compete, often with a takeout double. The auction has been disturbed, and the relay of information has developed some speed-bumps. In order to overcome this situation, the concept of BROMAD was developed to indicate certain holdings. This concept was developed by Mr. Marty Bergen, bridge personality, bridge theorist, bridge author.

Impossible 3 No Trump
Mr. Marty Bergen has suggested using a bid of 3 No Trump during the auction in order to perform a sacrifice against the opponents, when it appears that the opponents have a game contract in a suit. The concept is the expectation of not making a contract of 3 No Trump, and therefore the name of this convention or method.

Jump Cuebids As Transfers
Mr. Marty Bergen developed this conventional method to cover a certain situation which arises after an intervening overcall on the one level, which is an important element to consider before implementing the jump cuebid as a transfer to 3 No Trump. The concept behind the conventional method is that the overcalling opponent will find himself on lead, leaving him at a distinguished disadvantage.

Two Under Transfer Preempt
This method was devised by Mr. Marty Bergen together with Mr. Larry Cohen and the convention uses a preemptive opening as an artificial Preempt at the two level and also at the three level and higher to indicate a specific suit two ranks higher than the bid suit. This convention allows the responder to use the intermediate suit for an attempt at game.

Thrump Doubles
Instead of describing the Thrump Double independently the author contributed this informative description.. The following description is by Mr. Marty Bergen, who invented and devised the Thrump Double and its application. In case the visitor or bridge student would like to contact Mr. Marty Bergen, he/she can do so by visiting the (website) of Mr. Marty Bergen.