BRIDGE

Number Ninety-one October 2008

 FEATURES

BRIDGE 1 Bubble Caption

Competition
53 Declarer Play Answers
by David Huggett
BIDDING QUIZ
by Bernard Magee
3 Bidding Quiz 55 Bidding Quiz Answers

4
by Bernard Magee by Bernard Magee
56 Justin Corfield says Y ou are West in the auc-
tions below, playing
'Standard Acol' with a weak
Cut-out Form Keep Control of
the Trump Suit no-trump (12-14 points) and
9 Dear Mr Bridge four-card majors.
57 Stephen Cashmore says
from Peter Stocken (Answers on page 55)
Ryden Grange Don’t Put the Strong
10 The Basics to Heroics Hand on the Table
Knaphill, Surrey by Bernard Magee
58 Defence Quiz Answers 1. Dealer West. Love All.
GU21 2TH 12 David Stevenson by Julian Pottage ♠ 76
( 01483 489961 Answers Your Questions ♥ AQJ3
59 Derek Rimington says
Fax 01483 797302 18 Julian Pottage ♦ KQ43
Don’t Double the
Answers Your Questions ♣ 432
Opponents into Game
e-mail:
21 The Least of All Evils West North East South
[email protected]
by Freddie North ADVERTISEMENTS ?
website: 22 No Thank You, Mr 2 Cape to Cape Cruise
www.mrbridge.co.uk Blackwood by Ned Paul on board Discovery 2. Dealer East. Game All.
24 Declarer Play Quiz 5 Christmas 2009 ♠ 42
All correspondence should
by Dave Huggett ♥ A94
be addressed to Mr Bridge. 6 Tunisia 2009
♦ AQ32
Please make sure that all 25 The Green Baize Cup Tutorial Software & ♣ A 10 9 2
letters, e-mails and faxes by Michael Scarrott Mail Order Form
carry full postal addresses 28 Memories of West North East South
and telephone numbers. 7 QPlus 9.1
John Armstrong 1♠ Pass
by David Stevenson 8 Charity Bridge Events
?
Managing Editor 13 Beach Hotel
29 Heather Dhondy says
Mr Bridge Bridge Weekends
Test Your Options 3. Dealer West. N/S Vul.
Associate Editor in the Right Order 14 Theobalds Park ♠ AK432
32 Bernard Magee says Bridge Weekends ♥ Q43
Julian Pottage ♦ K76
Beware of 15 The New Yellow Book
Blocking Suits ♣ K2
Technical Consultant 16 2009 Summer Cruises
Tony Gordon 33 A Walk in the Autumn On Board Discovery West North East South
by Countryman 19 Blunsdon House Hotel 1♠ Pass 2♠ Pass
Bridge Consultant 34 Defence Quiz Bridge Events ?
Bernard Magee by Julian Pottage 20 Marsham Court
35 Dave Huggett says Bridge Weekends 4. Dealer West. Love All.
Proof Readers ♠ A2
Don’t Overuff with a 23 The Olde Barn Hotel
Danny Roth Natural trump Trick ♥ 43
Bridge Events
Hugh Williams ♦ A32
36 Andrew Kambites says 24 Staverton Park
Freddie North ♣ AQJ764
Grand Slams are Bridge Weekends
for the Birds West North East South
Software Support 30 Holiday Diary
37 Julian Pottage says Keep 1♣ 1♥ 2♣ 2♥
( 01483 485340 34 2009 Diaries
What Partner Can’t ?

Events & Cruises 38 Born to Blush Unseen 39 Better Hand Evaluation

5. Dealer East. Love All.
( 01483 489961 by Dick Atkinson 41 Stamps
♠ A32
Leanora Adds 40 August Bubble Captions 54 Global Travel Insurance
♥ 42
Jessica Galt 41 Readers’ Letters Club Directory Form ♦ AK7652
Holly Cobbett 47 Readers’ Letters 60 North Africa Cruise ♣ 54
Rachel Everett on the EBU P2P on board Discovery
West North East South
Address Changes 1NT Pass
The views expressed in this publication are not ?
( 01483 485342 necessarily those of the publisher or its Managing Editor.

Page 3
 RENEWED OFFER USED STAMPS BUBBLE CAPTIONS CHRISTMAS
Following the Guide Dogs
for the Blind organisation
giving up on the
accumulation of used
stamps, I am sending them
one last cheque.
I have chosen in future to Our Christmas event this
raise funds for a small year is hosted by Sandy Bell.
charity which has an She is supported by the usual
orphanage and school in strong team.
Ethiopia, called Little Voice.
The small sums of money It will be held at Denham
Any version of Duplicate we will raise will seem vast Grove, Uxbridge. A
Bridge Rules Simplified that Our wonderful cartoonist, comfortable De Vere
to them and I urge you all to
does not have 2008 on the Marguerite Lihou, has conference centre set in 40
save your used stamps and
front cover is obsolete. Any chosen the following six Buckinghamshire acres.
send them to me.
use of an out of date rule captions as winners in the
In turn, I have a sponsored bubble caption competition. All bedrooms are within the
book should be discouraged
FREEPOST service to my main building and half are
to say the least. Touching suits!
address until 31st October on the ground floor. There is
Please take up my offer to Mr D J Fishley, Bucks. easy access to all the bridge
but please, only collections
exchange your old yellow of stamps, no other A couple of cards on rooms, leisure pool and other
book for just seven first class correspondence or orders. holiday. facilities, making this an
stamps and half a cover from Please respect this. Mrs Julia Farmer, Cornwall. ideal Christmas venue.
any previous edition.
I will keep you informed of In addition to the adjacent
Mixed pairs play away!
This offer is extended until what is raised. The used programme, hosted rubber or
Mrs B. Povey, Herts.
31 October. Please tell your stamps from this office alone Chicago bridge will be
friends. Everyone should Minor Deception. organised for all those who
for June and July has already
have their own yellow book. Mr S J Connor, Herts. want it.
produced a cheque for £27.
Jack the Lad’s latest
DIRECTORY POSTAGE SAVINGS squeeze! TWIXMAS
Mrs Jill Clark, Herts. Chris Barrable and Ann
Partnership understanding. Pearson host Twixmas,
Mr P A Bell, Hexham. 27-29 December. This will
follow the established
Congratulations. pattern of a weekend event.
Each winner has been sent a See the adjacent programme.
Clive Goff is a loyal bubble caption competition,
advertiser. He supports this bone china mug. NEW YEAR
free publication by providing
Chris and Ann will also
an unusual service. COVER STORY host the New Year Event,
He supplies readers with a 29 December to 1 January,
discount of at least 10% off see adjacent advert. As
The compilation of the British postage stamps. Ring always, Mrs Bridge and I
Bridge Club Directory is him on ( 0208 422 4906. will be along to meet
making slow but sure everyone at the Gala Dinner
progress but there are still Do say you heard it from
on the evening of 31st.
many clubs who have not as Mr Bridge.
yet responded. See you there.
LIMITED EDITION
I believe that a directory
should be complete, kept up- I have been waiting a long DAY GUESTS
to-date and re-issued time to publish the cartoon Do give the office a ring if
annually. on page 9 by Marguerite you would like to attend any
Lihou. I like it so much, I of our weekend events
I have included the form for have put it on 180 bone- Please send in your bubble without staying for bed and
your club details on the cut- china mugs, £14.35 each. captions. These must be breakfast. This can also be
out page opposite page 55.
bridge related and not be arranged for any part of the
If your club has not yet
PROMISE
more than seven words long. Christmas and New Year
responded please do so as Bernard Magee’s crib sheet Entries must arrive by 20 programme, subject to
soon as possible. will be in the next issue. October at the latest. availability.

Page 4
 cHRISTMAS AT DENHAM GRovE
Tilehouse Lane, Denham, Uxbridge, Buckinghamshire. UB9 5DU.

Eight executive rooms: £50 supplement

cHRISTMAS  per event. Half the bedrooms are on
the ground floor. Please advise if you
24-27 DEcEMbER require a ground-floor room.
£395 – Duplicate with Sandy Bell
Rubber is also an available option _ _ _ BOOKING FORM _ _
Example Programme

ChRiStMAS EVE Mr/Mrs/Miss ................................................

1500 Welcome Desk open. Mulled
wine and mince pies. Address..........................................................
1745 Welcome Reception (Black Tie
optional) followed by DINNER then .......................................................................
BRIDgE (duplicate pairs)
NEW YEAR  ......................................................................
ChRiStMAS DAY 29 DEc-1 JAN
1030 SEMINAR or other games Postcode....................(................................
£355 – Duplicate with Chris Barrable
(Trivial Pursuit, Scrabble etc)
Please book me for ........... places,
1230 CHRISTMAS LUNCH Example Programme
1500 BRIDgE (duplicate pairs)
Single ..... Twin ..... Double .....
or Queen’s speech 29 DECEMBER
1830 Festive Buffet DINNER followed by 1500 Welcome Desk open.
Executive (twin or double) .....
BRIDgE (duplicate pairs) Mulled wine and mince pies.
1745 Welcome Reception followed by 24-27 Dec ...... 27-29 Dec ......
BOXiNG DAY DINNER then BRIDgE (duplicate pairs)
1000 SEMINAR followed by
29 Dec-1 Jan ...... All ......
Supervised Play 30 DECEMBER
1230 LUNCH then further Supervised Play 1000 SEMINAR then by Supervised Play Please give the name(s) of all those covered
or (“novelty” bridge, duplicate pairs) 1230 LUNCH then further Supervised Play by this booking
1830 DINNER then BRIDgE (duplicate pairs) or duplicate pairs
1830 DINNER then BRIDgE (duplicate pairs) .......................................................................
27 DECEMBER
SPECIAL REQUESTS
1000 Informal Prize-giving NEW YEAR’S EVE These cannot be guaranteed,
for Duplicate Section 1000 SEMINAR followed by Supervised Play but we will do our best to oblige.
SEMINAR followed by Supervised Play
1230 LUNCH then further Supervised Play
1230 Buffet LUNCH followed by or “novelty” bridge or duplicate pairs
BRIDgE (duplicate pairs)
.......................................................................
1745 gALA RECEPTION (Black Tie optional)
followed by a gALA DINNER then EXTRA NIGHT
27-29 DEcEMbER BRIDgE (duplicate pairs) Dinner, bed & breakfast
£199 – Duplicate with Chris Barrable Single £55pp, Double £35pp,
2345 See in the New Year
payable to the hotel on departure.
Example Programme
NEW YEAR’S DAY
23 Dec ...... 1 Jan ......
27 DECEMBER 1000 SEMINAR followed by Supervised Play
1500 Welcome Desk open. Mulled 1230 LUNCH then further Supervised Play Please send a non-returnable deposit of £50
wine and mince pies. or duplicate pairs per person per event by cheque payable to
Mr Bridge. An invoice will be sent with your
1745 Welcome Reception followed by
booking confirmation. On receipt of your
DINNER then BRIDgE (duplicate pairs)
final payment, 28 days before the event, a pro-
gramme and full details will be sent together
28 DECEMBER with a map. Cancellations are not refundable.
1000 SEMINAR followed by Supervised Play Should you require insurance you should con-
1230 LUNCH then further Supervised Play tact your own insurance broker.
or duplicate pairs
1830 DINNER then BRIDgE (duplicate pairs)
, Ryden Gr ange, Knaphill,
29 DECEMBER Sur r ey GU21 2TH
1000 SEMINAR followed by Supervised Play ( 01483 489961
1230 LUNCH then further Supervised Play Fax 01483 797302
or duplicate pairs
[email protected]
 INSURANCE SORRY TO NAG
Club Committees these days Please tell those of your
have a duty to insure both friends whose copy of
club and members for public BRIDGE has failed to arrive,
AT THE ROYAL KENZ liability. The most that they are expected to
competitive brokers I have re-register every two or three
TUNISIA so far found are: years. BRIDGE is a free
publication and helps me
Moore Stephens Brokers,
campaign for the reforms to
6 Raleigh House,
the organisation and
Admirals Way,
administration of the game
London, E14 9SN.
that are desperately needed.
( 0207 5374992.
Contact: Sylvia Donovan. Just providing a forum for
Please mention Mr Bridge. debate among bridge players
seems to be what is required,
TUNISIA 2009 so I am reluctant to reduce
The party hosted by Bernard the number of households to
Magee at The Royal Kenz is which it is delivered. But
now fully booked. In times are hard and are likely
consequence, I have added a to get harder. Unless I
further fortnight towards the receive the re-registration
end of next year. 15-29 form cut-out from the page
November. £749 per person opposite, your data will be
inclusive, see adjacent deleted from my database.
advertisement. However, complete issues
from 87 onwards can now be
Holidays outside the euro- found on my website: www.
currency area are proving to mrbridge.co.uk/library.
be really good value, so I
have added another extra The first real yelp has come
fortnight for later this year, from overseas recipients – I
Two-week half-board but not hosted by Bernard. am truly sorry but the
airmail costs are prohibitive.
duplicate holidays £699 per person.
This is why I have put the
It is lovely and warm in full magazine on the web.
2008 November. Recharge your It’s not the same, but it has
batteries before the onset of to be better than nothing.
2 Nov – 16 Nov £699* winter. Bookings for one
week can also be arranged. E-MAIL ADDRESSES
2009 Both Julian Pottage and
BERNARD’S CRUISE
FULL 22 Feb – 8 March £699* David Stevenson have been
allocated email addresses as
8 March – 22 March £699* has the EBU strategy debate.
julianpottage
22 March – 5 April £699* @mrbridge.co.uk
davidstevenson
15 Nov – 29 Nov £749* @mrbridge.co.uk
*per person half-board sharing a twin-bedded room and is inclusive
ebustrategydebate
of bridge fees. Single supplement £5 per night. These prices are @mrbridge.co.uk
based on air travel from Gatwick to Monastir. Flights from other The 2009 cruise from
UK airports are available at a supplement. All prices are firm until Harwich to Nice is Bernard’s Further e-mail addresses will
31 October 2008. Prices for seven-night stays are available on only cruise next year. He be added as the scope of my
application. bridge services is extended.
will host a large party of
Pay £70 per fortnight per person extra and have a pool-facing bridge players and their non-
room, tea & coffee making facilities, bath robe and a bowl of playing friends and family.
SINGLES
seasonal fruit.
I try, with some success, to
During the eight-day cruise
These holidays have been organised for by Tunisia First Limited, ATOL 5933, match singles to share
working in association with Thomas Cook Tour Operations Limited, ATOL 1179. there are several days at sea,
cabins, to make cruising an
with lots of time to listen to
affordable option for those
DETAILS & BOOKINGS seminars and play bridge.
There will be other tutors on
on limited budgets.
( 01483 489961 board to teach those wishing Call ( 01483 489961 if
to learn to play. you are interested.

Page 6
 If you have not contacted us in the last two years, please
✄
enter your details in the box below to re-register:

Name (Dr Mr, Mrs, Miss).............................................................................................................................

Address ......................................................................................................................................................

....................................................................................................................................................................

Postcode .............................................................Telephone.......................................................................

Old Postcode (if you have changed your address) ....................................................................................

My suggestion for the cover cartoon bridge bubble (no more than seven words per caption, please):

....................................................................................................................................................................

My entry in the QPlus bidding quiz is: .......................................................................................................

If you have any comments, queries or points of interest, please use this panel and post them in: ...........

....................................................................................................................................................................

....................................................................................................................................................................

....................................................................................................................................................................

Please send BRIDGE to the following enthusiasts:

Mr/Mrs/Miss............................................ Mr/Mrs/Miss............................................ Mr/Mrs/Miss............................................

Address .................................................. Address .................................................. Address ..................................................

............................................................... ............................................................... ...............................................................

..........................Postcode ..................... ..........................Postcode ..................... ..........................Postcode .....................

Mr/Mrs/Miss............................................ Mr/Mrs/Miss............................................ Mr/Mrs/Miss............................................

Address .................................................. Address .................................................. Address ..................................................

............................................................... ............................................................... ...............................................................

..........................Postcode ..................... ..........................Postcode ..................... ..........................Postcode .....................

Please complete all or part this form and return to

, Ryden Grange, Knaphill, Surrey, GU21 2TH.
✄

BR91
 TUTORIAL SOFTWARE
( 01483489961 with Bernard Magee
PLAYSOFTWARE
QPlus 9.1 £82.00 ....... ACOL BIDDING DECLARER PLAY
Trade-in any previous l Opening Bids and Responses l Suit Establishment
QPlus Book & Disk
l Slams and Strong Openings in No-trumps
and just send ONLY £32.00 .......
QPlus 8.8 £52.00 ....... l Support for Partner l Suit Establishment in Suits
l Pre-empting l Hold-ups
TUTORIALSOFTWARE
l Overcalls
£62 l Ruffing for Extra Tricks
Acol Bidding £62.00 .......
l No-trump Openings l Entries in No-trumps
More Acol Bidding £92.00 .......
Declarer Play £70.00 ....... and Responses l Delaying
Advanced £75.00 ....... l Opener’s and Drawing Trumps
£70
Declarer Play Responder’s Rebids l Using the Lead
l Minors and Misfits l Trump Control
BOOKS
Duplicate Bridge l Doubles l Endplays & Avoidance
Rules Simplified £5.95 ....... l Competitive Auctions l Using the Building
Bernard Magee
First Quiz Book £12.00 .......
Bernard Magee
Second Quiz Book £12.00 .......
Hand Evaluation £14.00 .......
Tips for Better Bridge £12.00 .......

2009DIARIES
Standard
Pillar Box Red £5.95 .......
Navy Blue £5.95 .......
Maroon £5.95 .......
Ivory £5.95 .......
Cambridge Blue £5.95 .......
LuxurywithKidrellCover
&BallPointPen
Bottle Green £12.95 .......
Ruby Red £12.95 ....... MORE ACOL ADVANCED
All prices are fully inclusive.
BIDDING DECLARER PLAY
l Basics l Making Overtricks
I enclose a cheque for £.............
l Advanced Basics in No-trumps
l Weak Twos l Making Overtricks
Mr/Mrs/Miss ..................................................
in Suit Contracts
l Strong hands
£75
Address ........................................................... l Endplays
l Defence to Weak Twos
......................................................................... l Avoidance
l Defence to 1NT
......................................................................... l Wrong Contract
l Doubles
l Simple Squeezes
Postcode .......................................................... l Two-suited Overcalls
l Counting the Hand
l Defences to
£92
( ............................................................
Other Systems l Trump Reductions & Coups
, Ryden Grange, l Playing Doubled Contracts
l Misfits and
Knaphill, Surrey GU21 2TH.
Distributional Hands l Safety Plays
www.mrbridge.co.uk
System Requirements: Windows XP or Vista, 8mb RAM, CD-ROM
 Q PLUS 9.1
Ready
October

The very best Acol-playing Software available

FEATURES SYSTEM HANS LEBER

l The Usual Friendly Interface (see above) l 8mb RAM
l Hint and Help Buttons – always at hand l CD-ROM
l Easy Windows Installation l Pentium or
l Comprehensive Manual equivalent
l Rubber, Duplicate and Teams Scoring l Windows XP or Vista
l Instant results playing in teams mode
l 2,500 pre-played hands for teams
l 2,000 pre-played hands for match-pointed TRADE-IN
pairs including 1,000 new hands
Trade-in any previous version of
W Check your pairs percentage and ranking
NE Q Plus. Just post in the booklet and
W Systems include: several versions of Acol,
NE
including Bernard Magee’s system, Standard disk and a cheque for £32.
American or create your own.
l £79.95 including postage
Make your cheque payable to and send to: Ryden Grange, Knaphill, Surrey GU21 2TH

( 01483 489961 www.mrbridge.co.uk/mrbridge-shop Fax 01483 797302

 BRIDGE PLUS Q PLUS QUIZ GIFT HORSE
cHARITY  In the last issue, I asked you
Sadly, Bridge Plus, the If you are a charity or a club,
bRIDGE EvENTS monthly bridge magazine, to assume QPlus was the do send in your dates well in
OCTOBER 2008 that I launched all of dealer, playing rubber bridge advance, to be included in
nineteen years ago, has been with: the Charity Events strip.
4 ST ANNE’S CHURCH, KEW
closed down by its current
1.30 for 2pm-5pm. £12.50. Tea. Always be sure to ask for
Ian Lewty ( 0208 876 3681 owners, Finésse Bridge
♠ Q72 prizes when telling me about
Books. It is to be absorbed
10 ORPHANS OF HIV AID SUFFERERS ♥ K43 your work. No bona-fide
Hemingford Abbots Hall. £13.00
into Bridge Magazine and its
♦ AJ74 fundraisers are ever refused.
Paula Burghope inc. lunch. mail order business integrated
♣ KJ6 Readers, where you can,
( 01480 461152 with that of Chess and
Bridge of Euston Road. They please support these events.
11 HERTS BREAST CANCER UNIT
Age Concern Hall, Ware. plan to keep the Baker Street They can really be great fun.
£16 includes meal. 6:30-11pm. shop open – brave them. What would it bid?
Ann Clare ( 01920 463299 PETER STOCKEN
SILVER LINING I received (relatively) very
18 RNLI. Cheltenham Bridge Club few answers. I gave prominence to Sandra
11am-4pm. £12 includes lunch. Except for my exclusive
Margaret Beverley.
Landy’s letter in the last
bridge products, all other Q Plus bid 1NT. The names
( 01242 510193 issue of BRIDGE. The
merchandise sold by Mr and addresses of all the
Chairman of the EBU has
24 CHESHIRE HOMES Bridge Mail Order is now entries were pinged through
Hartford Village Hall. £13.00.
sent me this letter, which he
available from Simon the computer to re-register
Malcom Howarth has also sent to all counties
Lucas Bridge Supplies. the entrants. The forms were
( 01480 212910 and affiliated clubs. As
( 01672 519219. not thought to be wanted, so
25 ST MARYS CHURCH. £8.00.
Sandra says, ‘it’s not too late.’
all were put out with the
Primary School Hall, High St, I am sorry that some of you rubbish sacks. The lucky
Swaffham Bulbeck. Includes tea. are disappointed that I could winners, pulled out just in
SECRET AGENDA?
Anne Datson:
[email protected]
not sustain this full service. the nick of time are: For over twenty years, I have
John Roebuck ( 01223 811722 However, the economies put forward any ideas I
have enabled me to increase Mr G Addison
30 IAIN RENNIE HOSPICE AT HOME might have for the future
the number of pages of of Dorchester
Naphill Village Hall. 9.30-4.30. course of the EBU, privately
£18. Coffee, lunch & tea. BRIDGE I can send you Mr E C Foster and in confidence, to their
M McConnell ( 01494 863084 with each issue. of Wallasey general manager of the day.
30 ST MARYS CHURCH, MANATON. Mrs T C Chowles
LEAVING THE However, there are currently
gunthorpe Hall, Rutland. 6 for
6.30-10.30pm £17 supper.
of Bradford-on-Avon some people out there who
ANTARCTIC claim to have a master plan.
Caroline Barnaby-Atkins Mr A R Morgan
( 01572 737269 Could they please share it
Sandra Lee ( 01572 737306
of Attleborough
with all of us, especially the
31 MARLOW COMMUNITY Mr S C Moore EBU board.
ASSOCIATION. Liston Hall, Marlow of Lisburn, Northern Ireland.
7-10.30pm. £48 per table. Supper. What are they waiting for or
Keith Brown ( 01628 486138 Congratulations. Each will is it so much hot air?
receive the 9.1 version of
31 MACMILLAN CANCER SUPPORT
Knutsford golf Club. 7pm.
QPlus Bridge. YELLOW BOOK
£23 includes a two-course meal
Hanne Fenby ( 01565 830453 NEW QUIZ
This coming season is
NOVEMBER 2008 Playing Acol (12-14 no-
Discovery’s last in the trump) not vulnerable, what
3 FRIENDS OF EAST SUSSEX Antarctic and my seventieth
HOSPICES. Rubber. 5.30-10pm. would QPlus 9.1 open with
birthday cruise, the Cape to on the following hand?
£40pp inc supper. glyndebourne.
Kathy gore ( 01825 890494
Cape, the very last one out.
The bridge is hosted by Tony
6 SOMERSET HOSPICE
and Jan Richards and as ♠ J
Barrington Village Hall,
Ilminster 2pm. £10 inc good tea. there are still some cabins ♥ AK8
Nichola grove ( 01935 822116 available. Those interested ♦ AQ75
should see the advert on the ♣ AQJ93
14 DISPLACED PEOPLE IN BOSNIA
Parish Centre, St John’s Road, inside front cover. It really is
Do take up the new for old
Boxmoor, Hemel Hempstead. the chance of a lifetime.
exchange offer – just seven
9.30am-2.30pm. Includes lunch.
Pat Henry ( 01442 391087 Discovery’s future winter Answers on the cut-out form first class stamps. Nobody
cruises will be in and around opposite page 6 to reach me should be without their own
21 AIR AMBULANCE. £13.00.
the Far East, opening up all by 20 October 2008. The yellow book.
Village Hall, Hemingford Abbotts.
Sheila Poval ( 01480 395394 sorts of possibilities for a first five answers agreeing
new range of destinations. with QPlus receive a copy.

Page 8
 DearMrBridge
AreplytoSandraLandy’sarticlefromPeterStocken,theChairmanoftheEBU.

andra Landy’s article ‘It is not proceed. Masterpoint income and admit readily, the EBU of the past has

S too late!’ appears to fly in the

face of a democratic process that
has taken place over the last year.
membership income are inextricably
linked – hence our simplification of the
process by making it one payment,
not met the needs of its clubs and their
players fully. Perhaps Mrs Landy wants
to continue with the ‘old EBU’ focusing
The Board of the EBU has had which not only simplifies our own on an elite group of players and
meetings with representatives of each accounting process, which, in turn neglecting the rest, resulting in a smaller
and every one of its 39 counties. It has modernises, streamlines and reduces and smaller group of members and a
done its best to contact every one of its costs, but also lessens the administrative game that has no national representation
affiliated clubs and its Membership burden on our affiliated clubs. or co-ordination – with all that that
Development Action Group has had entails. She states that there are no
over 1,000 emails that it has responded services that clubs get from the EBU
to. The Board has published its that they cannot get elsewhere and later
proposals, in all their forms, in English on in her article states that she is still
Bridge and has provided contact awarding Masterpoints at her club – we
information for those who wished to are not aware of any other organisation
make a contribution to the consultation that awards these points, that trains
process. It has chosen a route of being tournament directors, bridge teachers
completely proactive in its consultation and students or that regulates the game.
process, by taking it to its affiliated What is truly astonishing is how Mrs
clubs and their members. It is sad that Landy can suggest that a significant
anyone should suggest that we have not number of EBU members would defraud
done otherwise. their fellow members. We have based
The EBU has also held an EGM our proposals on the belief that our
where every county was asked to members are honest and will not devise
consult with its clubs and deliver their ways of getting round the new system.
verdict on 4 June 2008. The vote was All possible alternatives have been However, we will ensure that our
carried by a nearly 2 to 1 majority for published and discounted, for very good members’ interests are protected at all
universal membership via the Pay to reasons. Nothing has been hidden; all times – our volunteers on the new Club
Play system. these alternatives are there for all Committee and its representatives on the
The Board has approached the duplicate bridge players to read about. Universal Membership Project
development of bridge in England in a The Board of the EBU has taken a Committee will be addressing these
business-like manner, ensuring that its route to develop the game and make it potential scams to protect those interests.
membership know that it has provision more accessible to more people by A truly democratic process has taken
for any potential problems that may putting the organisation on a stable place. The time has come to move
occur within the process of the change footing through universal membership. forward together with a new style EBU,
over to universal membership – the We continue the process of addressing with its focus firmly on the clubs and
only way for our organisation to our organisation and its operations – we the development of the game. ■

Available on a bone-china mug, £14.35 each from Mr Bridge, Ryden Grange, Knaphill, Surrey GU21 2TH. ( 01483 489961

Page 9
 Improve Your Declarer Play with Bernard Magee

From the Basics

to heroics

I
n this publication, Mr Bridge aims to be unlucky to lose more than three
deal with all types of bridge players ♠ A54 hearts and a spade.
and at all levels. Accordingly, I have ♥ A8753
tried to design my software to cater for ♦ K93
all levels too. ♣ 10 4 ♠ A54
Declarer Play starts with the very N
♥ A8753
basics and builds up the armoury of the W E ♦ K93
S
player so as to develop a strong playing ♣ 10 4
technique as well as introducing some ♠ KQ3 ♠ J972 ♠ 10 8 6
difficult plays at the same time. With ♥ 42 ♥ KJ96 N ♥ Q 10
W E
Advanced Declarer Play, I aim to take ♦ A752 ♦ J6 S ♦ Q 10 8 4
the declarer to some of the more ♣ AK65 ♣ Q83 ♣ J972
difficult aspects of play – starting with ♠ KQ3
tactics for making extra overtricks and ♥ 42
moving on to difficult plays that require You have eight top tricks, so require just ♦ A752
more advanced technique. one more for your contract; this could ♣ AK65
The products offer play-through come from hearts or diamonds.
examples of each topic, where I offer Diamonds do not offer good odds since
you over-the-shoulder advice. a 3-3 break is not as likely as a 4-2 Win the spade with the king and play a
Then you can move on to the rest of break. How are your prospects in the small heart from both hands. Win the
the chapter, in which you get the heart suit? next spade with the queen (still keeping
chance to play the hands and hear my the ace for later), continuing with ace
response later! The Entry Rule and another heart.
I hope that my advice and
encouragement help you to learn new The entry rule suggests that if you have Ninth Trick Developed
techniques and improve your standard to lose the lead three times then you
of play. Furthermore, the product is would need four entries to the North West wins and plays a third spade, but
supposed to be good fun too! hand, but you can save entries by you win this in dummy and play a
The feedback from Declarer Play has ducking early in the suit. Here, the fourth heart, drawing West’s king. He
been very encouraging – users have felt North hand has three high-card entries cashes a long spade and tries leading a
that their game has certainly improved and, if you duck the first heart, you will diamond, but your ninth trick is
but, above all, they all seem to have save an entry; this gives you the means developed: you hop up with the king of
enjoyed themselves. to establish the heart suit, even if it diamonds and cash dummy’s eight of
Here is an example, which would fit breaks 4-2. hearts.
in to the early chapters of my first
Declarer Play Software: Finalise Your Plan Developing Extra Tricks
West North East South Before you finalise your plan, you do Developing extra tricks from long suits
1♣ have to make sure your opponents will is one of the most powerful tactics in
Pass 1♥ Pass 1NT not make too many tricks. The two lead, bridge and is something that you must
Pass 3NT End being the lowest spade, will be from try to develop – tactics like this will
four cards only and you have two come up in every other hand that you
Lead: ♠2. stoppers in both the other suits. It would play.

Page 10
 winning clubs if the defenders can
Improve Your Declarer Play continued trump them.

Extra Tricks in a Trump Contract diamonds. Then ruff a club, cross to the ♠ 10 2
king of diamonds and ruff another club, ♥ A76
Here is a similar idea explored in the establishing the suit. Dummy’s ace of ♦ 643
context of a trump contract: hearts acts as the final entry to reach ♣ K9763
dummy’s winning club. ♠ 84 ♠ 965
Advanced Declarer Play takes the user ♥ KQ93 N ♥ 10 8 5 4
W E
♠ 10 2 to another level of play: demonstrating ♦ AKQ S ♦ J 10 7 5
♥ A87 techniques for developing overtricks in ♣ J854 ♣ Q 10
♦ AK4 the first two chapters and then goes on to ♠ AKQJ73
♣ J9763 explore the more advanced techniques ♥ J2
♠ 984 ♠ 65 including: endplays, squeezes, coups ♦ 982
♥ KJ93 N ♥ Q 10 5 4 and safety plays. ♣ A2
W E
♦ J2 S ♦ Q 10 9 6
♣ AQ54 ♣ K 10 8 A Squeeze
♠ AKQJ73 With no chance of developing the club
♥ 62 Here is a deal that would fit in a later suit, your only other option is to aim for
♦ 8753 chapter in Advanced Declarer Play: a squeeze. You hope that one player has
♣ 2 to look after two suits: here, West has to
keep his clubs as well as his queen of
♠ 10 2 hearts. By playing your long suit out,
West North East South ♥ A76 you might be able to put pressure on
1NT Pass 4♠ ♦ 643 West. You take the ace of hearts and
End ♣ K9763 play off all your spades. The position
N when you lead your last spade is as
Lead: ♠9. W
S
E below:

Nine top tricks, with a chance of a 3-3 ♠ AKQJ73

break in diamonds for a tenth trick, but, ♥ J2 ♠ Void
as suggested previously, this does not ♦ 982 ♥ Void
offer great odds and you should look for ♣ A2 ♦ Void
something better. ♣ K976
The initial trump lead makes it ♠ Void ♠ Void
unlikely that you can ruff a diamond in West North East South ♥ Q N ♥ 10 8
W E
dummy; setting up a long suit (in this 1♠ ♦ Void S ♦ Void
case clubs) is so often the solution. The Dbl 1NT Pass 3♠ ♣ J85 ♣ Q 10
entry rule requires that you have one Pass 4♠ End ♠ 3
more entry than ruffs you need to take: ♥ J
if the clubs break 4-3, you need three Lead: ♦A. ♦ Void
ruffs, so you require four entries: the ♣ A2
♦A-K, the ace of hearts and the ten of West takes the ♦A-K-Q and then
spades. As you have the entries you switches to the king of hearts.
should pursue the suit straight away, Once again, you have a long suit that What is West to do? If he throws the
being careful to preserve your entries to could be useful, but dummy does not queen of hearts, then your jack is a
dummy. have many entries and, at trick four, the winner; if, instead, he throws a club,
Win the spade with the ace and delay heart switch knocks out the ace of then you win the last three tricks with
drawing further trumps since you hearts. Even if clubs break 3-3, clubs because the nine of clubs will be
require the ten of spades as an entry: although you can ruff the suit good, the high on the third round. West is
play a club right away. Win the trump only entry you have to get back to squeezed out of one winner. Although
return with dummy’s ten, ruff a club, dummy would be on the second round the type of play is difficult, the actual
draw trumps and cross to the ace of of trumps: it is no good playing manner of play was simple: all you did
was play out all your trumps to execute
a ‘simple squeeze’ on West.
Bridge is a wonderful game and one
Declarer Play (£70) and Advanced Declarer Play (£75) are available can play it at so many different levels.
My declarer play software is aimed at
from Mr Bridge, Ryden grange, Knaphill, Surrey gU21 2TH. all sorts of players: learning, improving,
( 01483 489961. www.mrbridge.co.uk. confidence building, exploring, testing
and expanding. ■

Page 11
 DAVID STEVENSON answers questions on Bridge Laws

Are Negative
Doubles
Alertable?

Q
Partner and I play dummy’s cards before was wrong of me to have other situations. Judgement
negative doubles. declarer has indicated sacrificed. I will apologise is allowable: one might open
Recently, during what to play? if I was out of order, but I a 12-14 1NT with an
the sequence 1♦-(1♠)- William Loughlin, think the bid was 11-point hand with good
double – etc (the double Llandudno. permissible. The other intermediates (9s and 10s)
showing 8+ points and a tables made 6♠ for 980. or a nice five-card suit, or

A
heart suit), I alerted my There are no Mrs S Smith, with a 15-point hand with
partner’s double. Later, specified trick Crawley, Sussex. poor intermediates, espec-
my LHO asked me for an penalties for ially if it is ‘flat’ (4-3-3-3).

A
explanation. He grumbled anything except revoking: I am flabbergasted! It is different if they
that I should not have everything else is down to East has acted regularly open 1NT with 15.
alerted since it was not for the Director’s judgement. disgracefully. You Then it is an agreement,
penalties. Was the alert Just call the Director and let have a right to bid what you requiring disclosure: it is
correct? him deal with it. like and he is just annoyed time they put 12-15 (or 12-
Herbert Potts, Stockport. I expect he will tell the because he ended with a bad poor 15) on their card and
opponent to behave board. I would have called announce accordingly.

A
A negative or properly, perhaps warning the Director, who should
Sputnik double is declarer to take no notice of give East a Disciplinary ♣♦♥♠
just an ordinary any suggested play. Of Penalty for rudeness. You

Q
take-out double and requires course, if you call him three made a great bid and should What is Butler
no alert. It is quite normal to or four times, both dummy not let sulky opponents Scoring? After
play it to guarantee an unbid and the Director will tire of deter you. fifty years of
major though not universal: it and the Director will start playing, I still do not know.
if an opponent needs to issuing Procedural Penalties. ♣♦♥♠ Mr C P J Entwistle,
know, he has to ask or look Sometimes dummy’s Gravesend, Kent.

Q
at the convention card. actions might affect It seems common

A
However, your opponent declarer’s play: the Director now, on a weak You take all the
was wrong to suggest an should adjust the score if he no-trump (12–14) scores on any
alerted double is for thinks this has happened. hand, to open 1NT on 15 board, delete the
penalties: It might be points. Is this acceptable? top and bottom ones
artificial; it might be ♣♦♥♠ Mrs Annette Minton, (sometimes the two top and
optional; it might be Leamington Spa (similar two bottom ones if you have

Q
competitive; it might be As South, I dealt from Ken Davies, Purley). a large number of scores)
many things. Alerts, in this at love all and and find the average of the

A
situation, divide doubles passed; West also Players might stray rest. This is the datum score
into take-out doubles (not passed; North opened 4♣, outside their actual for the board, and you IMP
alerted) and other doubles a pre-empt; East bid 6♠. point-count when each pair’s score against
(alerted). He had a good hand with a making a bid for a number the datum.
ten-card spade suit. With of reasons. For example,
♣♦♥♠ my 11 pts – three clubs some bid more aggressively
and a void in spades, I bid if they scored badly on the E-mail your questions
on bridge laws to:

Q
What are the 7♣. East doubled and we previous board, or against
penalties for a lost two tricks, minus 300 certain opponents: they may davidstevenson@
dummy who plays points. East argued that it bid less aggressively in mrbridge.co.uk.

Page 12
 David Stevenson on Bridge Laws continued

AT THE BEACH HOTEL

Q
Should we leave In an individual, the scoring
the card for the is the same as for Duplicate Worthing, West Sussex, BN11 3QJ
final contract on Pairs, but each individual has
the table during the play? their own score, and they Duplicate Weekends 2009
Mrs O Collins, Cambridge. move differently from their with Bernard Magee
partner. As with Pairs, it is
30 Jan-1 Feb (£209) Leads & Defence

A
I would prefer that possible to play a Swiss
the contract is not movement, or an ordinary
6-8 Feb (£209) Declarer Play
displayed since that movement.
teaches players to remember 5-7 Jun (£235) Splinters & Cue Bids
the bidding. ®♦™´ 12-14 Jun (£235) Overcalls
That is just my view. It is
2-4 Oct (£235) Stayman & Transfers

Q
a matter for the club whether 1. Before the first
they allow, or even mandate, card played, my with Improver section
this practice. partner asks ‘Any 16-18 Oct (£235) Hand Evaluation
questions?’ What questions
®♦™´ should I ask? 4-6 Dec (£235) Signals & Discards
2. After three passes I am

Q
1. Kindly explain sitting with four aces (the ♦ Full-board ♦ All rooms with
the difference rest 2, 3 and 4s); can I still Friday to Sunday en-suite facilities
between ‘Duplicate pass even though I hold 16
♦ No single supplement ♦ Venue non-smoking
Pairs’ and ‘Teams of Four’. points?
2. How do you score Mrs Elizabeth Pringle, ♦ Tuition with Supervised Play, bidding quiz and two seminars
Individual Events? Wendover, Bucks.
Dr C S Bhaysar, _ _ _ _ _ _ _ BOOKING FORM _ _ _ _ _ _ _

A
Croydon, Surrey. 1. You can ask the
meaning of any Please book me for ..... places,

A
In Duplicate Pairs, calls you do not
you and your understand. If the bidding Single ..... Double ..... Twin ..... Sea View* .....
partner are a team goes 1NT on your left, pass
of two. You compare your from partner, 3´ on your at the Beach Hotel weekend(s) of ......................................
scores on each board to right, alerted, and you have
everyone else in the same no intention of bidding, it is Mr/Mrs/Miss .....................................................................
direction, scoring two points usually best not to ask at that
for every pair you beat and stage. Normally, you should Address...............................................................................
one point for every pair you find out before the play
tie with on the board. starts, so ask if you are on ............................................................................................
In Teams of Four, you, lead: ask after your partner
your partner and another pair has led face down if she is Postcode ............................................................................
make up a team of four on lead. 3´ might turn out to
people. The other pair sit in be a shortage! People often ( ......................................................................................
the opposite direction to you, ask at inappropriate times,
Special requirements (these cannot be guaranteed)
playing the same boards for example, before the final
against the same teams, and pass if they will not be on ..........................................................................................
you compare your score with lead: far better is to wait
them, usually using a system until partner has led face Please send a non-returnable deposit of £50 per person per
place by cheque, payable to Mr Bridge. An invoice will be sent
known as ‘International down.
with your booking confirmation. On receipt of your final pay-
Match Points’ or ‘IMPs’ for 2. Certainly, you may pass: ment, 28 days before the event, a programme and full details
short. nobody can force you to will be sent together with a map. Cancellations are not refund-
make any call you do not able. Should you require insurance, you should contact your
David Stevenson answers all
want to. Mind you, I do not own insurance broker. *£30 supplement per room.
queries based on the facts advise it: aces combine well
supplied by the letter writer. with honour cards in , Ryden Grange, Knaphill, Surrey GU21 2TH
Neither Mr Bridge nor partner’s hand, and hands
David Stevenson has any full of aces tend to play ( 01483 489961 Fax 01483 797302
way of knowing whether better than you expect from e-mail: [email protected]
those facts are correct or the point-count, rather than website: www.holidaybridge.com
complete. worse.

Page 13
 David Stevenson on Bridge Laws continued

AT THEOBALDS PARK
Q
My partner and I because this gives the
Bulls Cross Ride, Cheshunt, Hertfordshire, EN7 5HW
play a raise of 1NT opponents information. A
to 2NT as exactly defender should not do so
Duplicate Weekends 2008 12 points. Are we right not before it is clear to all that
to alert? she holds them because this
17-19 Oct Sacrificing - Ned Paul £199 David Wilkes, Shoreham-by- would be unauthorised
Sea, West Sussex. information for partner.
Once it is clear that she has
14-16 Nov Signals and Discards - Alan Lamb £199

A
You are right. It is a honours, it is normal to
natural bid and declare them immediately.
♦ Full-board ♦ All rooms with needs no alert.
Friday to Sunday en-suite facilities Over the years, some have ®♦™´
said that such-and-such an
♦ No single supplement ♦ Venue non-smoking

Q
agreement needs an alert Should we call the
because you know director when
♦ Use of jacuzzi, sauna ♦ Bidding quiz
something the opponents do declarer (an
and fitness suite and two seminars
not. The alerting regulations opponent) looks back at
♦ The bridge room, the guest accommodation and contain no such rule. Only if the cards already played?
the restaurant are all located in a modern annexe the meaning is very I did say when it happened
surprising (for example, if that she should not do it.
2NT is a slam try) or Mrs C Harper,
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ BOOKING FORM _ _ _ _ _ _ _ artificial (for example, 2NT Cheadle Hulme, Cheshire,
is a transfer to diamonds)
Please book me for ..... places,

A
should you alert it. Of course: whenever
anyone does
Single ..... Double ..... Twin ..... ®♦™´ anything wrong, call
the Director. You should not
for the Theobalds Park weekend(s) of ...............................

Q
In Rubber Bridge: be telling opponents they
1) If declarer should not do things: that is
............................................................................................ touches a card, is the Director’s job.
that a played card?
Mr/Mrs/Miss ..................................................................... 2) May one declare ®♦™´
‘honours’ while playing the
Address...............................................................................

Q
hand? If you have
Mrs Denise Winton, opening points,
............................................................................................ Poole, Dorset. must you open?
Mrs I Cramond, Stranraer.
Postcode ............................................................................

A
Declarer may re-

A
arrange the dummy. There is no rule that
( ...................................................................................... Careful declarers use you have to open if
Special requirements (these cannot be guaranteed, the chess term j’adoube you have opening
but we will do our best to oblige) before doing so to avoid points. What you call on any
misunderstandings. Also, hand is what you judge best.
........................................................................................... when reaching for a card, If you think the hand is too
declarer may move a card poor, pass and do not worry!
Please send a non-returnable deposit of £50 per person per place
by cheque, payable to Mr Bridge. An invoice will be sent with above or below the card that Different players often take
your booking confirmation. On receipt of your final payment, she is reaching for to make it different views of hands, so a
28 days before the event, a programme and full details will be easier to get at the card she passed-out board at one table
sent together with a map. Cancellations are not refundable. wants. In neither case need can be played in game at
Should you require insurance, you should contact your own she play a card she touches. another! You scored a zero.
insurance broker. Other than these situations, a Playing match-points, you
touched card is a played card. beat all the players sitting
, Ryden Grange, Knaphill, Surrey GU21 2TH A player may declare your way who go minus, and
honours from the end of the tie with any others who
( 01483 489961 Fax 01483 797302 auction up until the rubber is passed it out. Whether to pass
e-mail: [email protected] agreed. However, it is or open light in third or fourth
website: www.holidaybridge.com unwise to do so before it is hand is one of the judgements
clear that she has them of the game.

Page 14
 David Stevenson on Bridge Laws continued in diamonds. playing the illegal agreement
The 3♦ contract made get average minus, their
but our teammates played opponents average plus,
the board in 1NT and made unless their opponents did

Q Q
I was South and My wife and I play only five tricks with a better than this, in which
due to bid (using a rubber bridge with swing of 7 IMPs against us. case the score stands.
bidding box). I two friends; we I believe the 2♦/3♦ bids Finally, since the
held six diamonds and discussed the use of the are illegal but cannot find description of 2♦ as a
intended to open 1♦. West word ‘stop’ before making chapter and verse. I would transfer was misinformation,
then bid 2♦. I then saw that a bid. appreciate your comments. the Director could award an
I had displayed 1™ by I said that you should use Also, if there was an illegal adjusted score if the
mistake. North and East it only in duplicate to give bid and it was possible to misinformation damaged
passed. I said that I had got time for the next bidder to have called the director, your side.
myself into trouble and did think. what penalty, if any, should
not know how to rectify it. They have never played have followed? ®♦™´
I decided to bid 2NT, duplicate and said that in Paul Starling, Cheshire.

Q
thinking this would end the rubber bridge you use it to At the end of a

A
bidding. In fact, West bid tell your partner that you All responses are rubber, do you
3♦, North and East passed have at least sixteen points! permitted to 1NT, so round 50 up or
and I doubled. Mr Richard Routledge, this is a legal way down to get to the nearest
West went down heavily. I Solihull, West Midlands. for responding. Even so, 100?
then said what I had done. players must let opponents B Becker, Wimbledon.

A
West felt cheated and I had You are quite right. know what they are doing. If

A
to agree, but nobody knew It is a duplicate they play a 2♦ response as There is no general
what to do about it. device to give hearts or a weak take-out in rule. Your club or
Tony Baker, players a chance to think diamonds, they must do the circle should have
Woodbridge, Suffolk. without creating following: its own rule. We always
unauthorised information 1. They must alert it: they used to round upwards at

A
Bridge is a game of over jump bids. No doubt, do not announce it. University!
mistakes, and some rubber circles have 2. In answer to a question,
players are always taken it up – the rubber laws they must describe it as ®♦™´
making them. Your mistakes under Appendix 2 mentioned ‘hearts or a weak take-out in

Q
mostly cost, but sometimes it as an option – and it is just diamonds’: it is not a 1NT vulnerable
luck is with you and a the same as in duplicate. transfer nor must they doubled, made,
mistake gains. What has happened is that a describe it as a transfer. +180 points, 1 off
That is what happened group of rubber players have 3. They must describe it -200 points; is this fair?
here. You pulled out the misunderstood its use and correctly on the convention Mr Michael Bowler,
wrong card. Actually, you have changed it to a very card, not calling it a transfer. Bentley, Hampshire.
could have changed it so unfortunate and quite illegal A transfer promises one

A
long as you did so as soon as signal, contrary to the rubber particular suit, so it is not Yes – why not? It is
you realized your mistake. laws. fair to call this response a a level playing field:
This is because it was a transfer. the scoring is the
mechanical error, partner had ®♦™´ Since it is legal, no penalty same for everyone.
not yet called and you had is suitable. However, if Nobody forces you to bid

Q
changed it without pause for At a recent teams’ someone does play an illegal as everyone else does: if you
thought. In that case, West event, the agreement – for example, a do not like going one off
could retract her 2♦ bid. opponents bid: 1NT opening with a point doubled in 1NT when
Once you had not changed range of 6-8 – then the board vulnerable, why not try a
it, you have every right to try 1NT 2♦ is played out. The pair strong no-trump? n
to gain from the situation. 2™ 3♦
The one thing you really did Pass
wrong was to comment
during the auction. That They announced the DUPLICAT EBRIDGE only
gives partner unauthorised
information, which might
opening as 12 – 14 HCPs
and the response as a
RULESSIMPLIFIED £595
make life difficult for him. transfer to hearts. Being on (otherwiseknownastheYellowBook)
As for West, she has not lead, I asked whether
by John Rumbelow and revised by David Stevenson
been cheated: it was just bad responder had five hearts
luck. If you err every time and four or five diamonds; NewEdition.Includes2008LawRevisions.
you play her, she will gain far the opener informed me
more often than she loses, but that responder was from ( 01483 489961
she will not gain every time. showing a weak take-out

Page 15
 Ask Julian Pottage

Best Acol
Sequences
Q
What is the best perfect cards! In any case, opener will rebid 2™ or 3™ suit response at the two
Acol sequence on West would bid 3NT over and the response will not level. However, with eight
the following hand 3♦, counting 9-8-x-x as a have improved the contract. points, passing is overly
with no opposition partial stopper. The other snag with super- cautious. Particularly when
bidding? light responses is that partner’s suit is spades,
®♦™´ opener needs an absolute having three-card support
monster to make a jump- and a ruffing value (the

Q
Dealer East. N/S Game. In a recent club shift rebid. I think you were doubleton heart) is fine for
Teams. duplicate, our just unlucky. raising partner to the two
West East hands were: level. After passing over
´ K3 ´ AJ54 ®♦™´ 2®, you might have tried
™ A Q 10 2 ™ 5 to catch up by giving jump

Q
♦ 9873 ♦ A 10 4 West East I held this hand as preference to 3´ on the
® Q75 ® A K 10 9 3 ´ AK93 ´ 10 8 6 5 2 West: next round.
™ A965 ™ Void
♦ K4 ♦ J 10 8 6 ®♦™´
Patrick Dunham, ® Q98 ® J 10 5 3

Q
Coleorton, Leics. ´ Q85 I would like to
™ 10 2 N know the current
W E
®♦™´ As happened at many ♦ KQ732 S thinking
tables, I opened 1™ as ® J86 regarding the best

A
My sequence is: West and was left to defensive bidding
struggle there, going three system after a 2♦ multi
off. Minus 150 was poor West North East South opening (6-card major or
West East as the opponents could 1´ 2® strong no-trump).
1® make only 140 in hearts Pass Pass 2™ Pass Ruth Mackinlay by e-mail.
1™ 1´ and 120 in no-trumps. 2´ End

A
3® 3NT Someone commented I suggest the
that my partner should East made 12 tricks. following in second
On the second round, West have tried to improve the Without the overcall, I seat: Double, 12-14
bids 3® as I do not fancy contract by bidding 1´, would have bid 2♦, which or 18+. Partner initially
2NT with these diamonds which would have worked is probably not right with assumes you have a weak
(partner might have a here, with nine tricks eight points. Do you agree no-trump hand. 2™, 2´, 3®,
singleton) and I normally available in spades. Do with my pass over 2®? 3♦, natural non-forcing.
play fourth suit (2♦) as you agree? Pamela Ford by e-mail. 2NT, 15-18 balanced. Pass
game-forcing. Alan Cooke, by e-mail. then Double – take-out.

A
East might bid 3♦ over I would have bid In fourth seat, a simple

A
3® since there could be a Some players 2´ on the first method is to play the same
slam if partner has just the respond on next to round, with or after 2♦-pass-2™ as you
right cards (e.g. K-x of nothing but I think without the overcall. would after 2™(weak)-pass-
spades, A-x-x-x-x of hearts this is unsound. The 1´ I agree with you that eight pass and the same after 2♦-
and Q-J-x-x of clubs). My response would have points and a five-card suit is pass-2´ as you would after
partners never have the worked this time but often not enough for a change-of- 2´(weak)-pass-pass. 

Page 18
 Ask Julian Pottage continued

Q
My partner and I level opening. As you say,
had always assuming you play weak
understood that twos, a weak two normally
we could only use Gerber does the job nicely with such Duplicate Weekends 2009
(4® to ask for aces) if we a hand. Weak bids (like a with Bernard Magee (£235 per person)
had not bid clubs weak two or a three level
previously. Is this a rule pre-empt) do not need to
or just an agreement satisfy the rule of 20. I do 19-21 June
between partners? not use the rule of 20
Ian Hudspith, myself, preferring the more
Suit
Lubenham, Leics. accurate (though more Establishment
complicated) rule of 22; this
6-8 November
A
An agreement that takes account of defensive
4® cannot be tricks as well. Watch out for
Gerber if your side the rule of 22 coming soon in Game
has bid clubs naturally the maxims series of articles. Tries
sounds a good idea if you
play Gerber. ®♦™´ ♦ Full-board ♦ All rooms with
Another way to reduce the Friday to Sunday en-suite facilities

Q
risk of confusion is to use My partner opened
♦ No single supplement ♦ Venue non-smoking
4NT for ace asking (though 1NT (12-14). The
even this is not 100% opponents passed ♦ Tuition with Supervised Play, bidding quiz and two seminars
guaranteed!). Many pairs no throughout. My hand was:
longer play Gerber at all; if
they do use it, they do so BOOKING FORM
only in a set sequence such ´ AKQ63
as 1NT-4®. In general, a bid ™ A7 Please book me for ..... places at Blunsdon House Hotel,
of 4® is too useful to give ♦ Void The Ridge, Blunsdon, Swindon, SN26 7AS.
up for Gerber. ® KJ9654
weekend(s) .........................................................................
®♦™´
Single ..... Double ..... Twin .....
I bid 3®. Is this correct?

Q
In BRIDGE 90, If not, what should I have Mr/Mrs/Miss .....................................................................
there is much responded?
about the rule of My partner did not Address...............................................................................
20. I have only ever come a understand the bid. We
cropper on it. The ended in 4´, but 6® is the ............................................................................................
wonderful weak two saves correct contract, as she has
all the hassle: 6-3 hands club support and the slam Postcode ............................................................................
with 9 points pre-empt is virtually lay-down.
beautifully, or 6-4, or 6-5, Gloria Stuart, Edinburgh. ( ......................................................................................
though you are not meant
Special requirements (these cannot be guaranteed)

A
to do it with a concealed Playing natural
major. 6-3 (or 6-4 and 6-5) responses, 3®
..........................................................................................
with ten points and you seems fine. It is
are back with your forcing to at least game and, Please send a non-returnable deposit of £50 per person per
selection of alternatives since you will often not place by cheque, payable to Mr Bridge. An invoice will be sent
including pass and the bother to show a minor if with your booking confirmation. On receipt of your final pay-
ment, 28 days before the event, a programme and full details
weak two. Am I alone in you see no hope of a slam,
will be sent together with a map. Cancellations are not refund-
detesting the rule of 20? suggests slam interest. able. Should you require insurance, you should contact your
Robert Hobhouse, Langport, Another idea, as the spades own insurance broker.
Somerset by e-mail. are so good (and score more,
if you make the same , Ryden Grange, Knaphill, Surrey GU21 2TH

A
In a hand with 9 number of tricks), is to treat
points and 6-3 in the suits as equal length. You ( 01483 489961 Fax 01483 797302
the longest suits might start with 2™ (transfer e-mail: [email protected]
you have a total of 18 to spades) and then bid clubs website: www.holidaybridge.com
and not enough for a one- twice.

Page 19
 Ask Julian Pottage continued

AT MARSHAM COURT
Q Q
Please can you My RHO opened
East Cliff, Bournemouth, BH1 3AB help with this 1NT (12-14), LHO
bidding problem? raised to 3NT.
Mid-Week Duplicates 2008/09 I led the jack of hearts
£199 per person full-board from A-J-10-5. Dummy had
West East the bare 9. Partner
´ AJ64 ´ Q contributed the 6 and
26-28 Oct (Sun-Tue) – Leads & Defence ™ A 10 9 2 ™ KQ74 declarer the 7. Playing
with Chris Barrable ♦ 642 ♦ AKQJ8 pairs, I feared that declarer
® K9 ® 862 had held up from
9-11 Nov (Sun-Tue) – Signals & Discards ™K-Q-x-x and switched.
with Sandy Bell The first trick was the only
West East trick we made. Partner
3-5 Feb (Tue-Thu) – Slam Bidding 1NT 2® (Stayman) held ™K-Q-6-4-3-2!
2™ ? Had partner overtaken
1-3 Mar (Sun-Tue) – Declarer Play Alan Solomon, Wimbledon. with the ™Q and returned
the ™4 (original fourth
3-5 Mar (Tue-Thu) – Further into the Auction

A
Assuming I thought best) I might have read the
partner would position correctly: win
♦ Full-board ♦ All rooms with
understand the bid, I with the ™10, cash the ™A
♦ No single en-suite facilities
would bid 3´. This is a and led my ™5 to partner’s
supplement ♦ Venue non-smoking splinter, agreeing hearts and ™K for him to take two
♦ Tuition with Supervised Play, bidding quiz and two seminars showing a singleton or void further hearts.
in spades. Logic says you Should I have continued
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ BOOKING FORM _ _ _ _ _ _ _ cannot mean the bid to show the suit in any event?
spades, since if you had a Which card would I play?
Please book me for ..... places, Day Guests (£115pp) ...... long spade suit, you would Geoff Maskall, Cumbria.
have started either with 2™
Single ..... Double ..... Twin ..... Sea View* .....

A
(playing transfers) or 3´ Your suggestion that
rather than with Stayman. partner should
at the Marsham Court date(s) of .......................................
The full sequence could be overtake the jack of
Mr/Mrs/Miss ..................................................................... as follows: hearts with the queen sounds
a good one. Overtaking
Address............................................................................... West East would indicate possession of
1NT 2® the king as well. Even on the
............................................................................................ 2™ 3´ actual play of the six, you
4® 4NT should probably have worked
Postcode ............................................................................ 5™ 6™ out the position. With the
two, three and four of hearts
( ...................................................................................... West’s 4® cue-bid with a all missing, the six was
second-round control may surely encouraging. Without
Special requirements (these cannot be guaranteed, look unusual, but the king of knowing the full deal, it is
but we will do our best to oblige) clubs must be useful when hard to say for sure which
.......................................................................................... East is not short in the suit. heart to lead at trick two. The
Splinters are very useful five works best if partner
Please send a non-returnable deposit of £50 per person per for finding slams. Almost all started with 9-6-x-x and has
place by cheque, payable to Mr Bridge. An invoice will be sent the best players use them. a side entry. The ten or ace
with your booking confirmation. On receipt of your final pay-
Having a single bid that works better if partner started
ment, 28 days before the event, a programme and full details
will be sent together with a map. Cancellations are not refund- shows three things at once – with Q-8-6-x-x but no entry
able. Should you require insurance, you should contact your strength, support and – though then partner might
own insurance broker. *£30 supplement per room. shortage – simplifies so well have played the eight
many auctions. rather than the six. Facing
, Ryden Grange, Knaphill, Surrey GU21 2TH Without splinters, this is K-Q-6-4-3-2, it would not
not an easy hand to bid. matter which one you led! n
( 01483 489961 Fax 01483 797302
e-mail: [email protected]
E-mail your questions for Julian to:
website: www.holidaybridge.com [email protected].

Page 20
 It Happened That Way by Freddie North

The Least of All Evils

ost hands that find their way Partner leads the six of hearts and this is the two of spades on the jack of clubs

M into bridge columns are

games, slams or sacrifices.
Understandably, they are easier to write
what you see. and he surely would not have done that
with four spades and six diamonds. So
you assume partner to be five-five in
up than lowly part scores and, of course, ´ KJ75 those two suits, which means that
invariably more sensational. Never- ™ J 10 declarer has no more spades. Since you
theless, every now and then an ♦ AQ843 know he holds six clubs and five hearts,
instructive little gem emerges and ® 52 he must hold a singleton diamond. Oh
positively begs for an airing, even if just ´ AQ3 dear! East cannot lead a spade, cannot
for once it pushes big brother out of the N ™ KQ852 lead hearts (the pips are too
W E
limelight. S ♦ 75 unfavourable) and certainly will not
® J86 want to play right into the ace, queen of
Part-Score Hand diamonds. So what is he to do?

You might like to put yourselves in You cover dummy’s heart with your Action at Trick Seven
East’s shoes with this hand: queen and declarer wins with the ace.
Declarer plays the ace and another club, If you have decided on your action at
your partner following with the queen trick seven, let us look at this full deal.
Dealer East. and then winning the second round with
East-West Game. the king. At trick four, West switches to
´ AQ3 the eight of spades, five from dummy ´ KJ75
N ™ KQ852 and you win with the queen, declarer ™ J 10
W E
S ♦ 75 contributing the ten. When you cash the ♦ AQ843
® J86 jack of clubs, West discards the two of ® 52
spades and dummy discards the three of ´ 98642 ´ AQ3
diamonds. Then you cash the king of ™ 6 N ™ KQ852
W E
Not a great hand but of course, you are hearts, on which West discards the two ♦ K 10 9 6 2 S ♦ 75
going to open. There is something to be of diamonds. This is the position from ® KQ ® J86
said for 1NT; right shape, right point your point of view. ´ 10
count and solves the rebid problem. ™ A9743
Against that – almost all the points are in ♦ J
two suits and at least there is a ´ KJ7 ® A 10 9 7 4 3
respectable five-card major. So you ™ Void
settle for 1™. The next hand passes and ♦ AQ84
partner responds 1´. RHO sticks his oar ® Void Unpalatable though it may seem, a
in with 2♦ and you find yourself faced ´ A3 diamond from East is the only way to
with another close decision. Should you N ™ 852 avert a North-South plus score (Well
W E
rebid your hearts, support partner’s S ♦ 75 done if you found it and I am sure you
spades or Pass? I think it is a close thing ® Void did as it really is the least of all evils).
between 2´ and Pass but you have a Yes, on the second round, declarer is
very minimum opening and have the able to discard a heart loser – the four –
opportunity to bale out, so perhaps it is but then, when he returns to hand to play
right to take it. No matter whether you One More Trick Needed off his trumps and cash the nine of
bid 2´ or Pass, South bids 3® and hearts, he has to concede the seven of
everybody passes. You have four tricks in the bag and need hearts to East’s eight at trick thirteen. n
This has been the bidding: only one more to defeat the contract, but
you seem to be endplayed unless the ace
West North East South of spades stands up. Partner has shown a
1™ Pass singleton heart and a doubleton club so Freddie North is one of Britain’s
1´ 2♦ Pass 3® must have ten cards between spades and most popular bridge writers.
End diamonds, but remember, he discarded

Page 21
 Conventions and Conventioners with Ned Paul

No Thank You,
Mr Blackwood

O
n May 24, 1935, Albert business acumen and out-and-out West East
Morehead the editor of the showmanship, most of America 1´
American bridge magazine followed Culbertson’s published 3™ 3´
The Bridge World, wrote a rejection bidding ideas. 4´ 6´
letter for a proposed article sent in by a
reader. The writer of the article was Culbertson’s Slam Try East-West were using the Culbertson
Easley Blackwood from Indianapolis. In 4-5 no-trump convention. As the
his article, Blackwood was suggesting Culbertson’s own idea to solve the slam- Culbertson bid of 4NT guaranteed either
the use of 4NT in slam auctions as a bidding challenge was a complicated two aces and the king of a bid suit or
simple ace-asking enquiry. The partner method called the 4-5 no-trump three aces, East could not use it. Instead,
of the 4NT bidder would show the convention. If you sensed a slam was in he just gambled that West had the right
number of aces held. the air, you could continue past game by cards and bid the slam directly. The
In rejecting the article, The Bridge bidding 4NT. The bid, described by defenders had no difficulty in cashing
World was following the line dictated by Culbertson as a ‘slam inference’, told their two aces. In his defence, East
the magazine’s publisher, Ely your partner that you had either three pointed out that West could easily have
Culbertson. Culbertson had his own aces or two aces and the king of a suit held A-Q-x-x-x in hearts, in which case
more complicated gadget, the genuinely bid by the partnership, and the slam would be cold.
Culbertson 4-5 no-trump convention – expressed interest in continuing towards In the post-mortem, Blackwood
see below – and had no desire for slam. Partner absorbed the information questioned the Culbertson methods. He
anybody else’s idea to usurp this. given and responded with – depending thought that it was too much for the 4NT
Interestingly, had The Bridge World on aces and kings held – a sign-off or a bid to be both an asking bid and a telling
accepted Blackwood’s original article, variety of forward-going bids. A bid. Instead, said Blackwood, why not
we would be playing ‘Wormwood‘ to response of 5NT, for example, shows let this bid be just a simple question:
ask for aces. He was fearful of publicity that responder holds two aces or ‘Partner, how many aces do you have?’
as he did not wish his employers, the alternatively one ace and all the kings of Blackwood’s idea was that the responses
giant Metropolitan Life Insurance genuinely bid suits. With what the 4NT could be steps:
Company, to know that their youngest bidder has guaranteed so far, a 5NT
branch manager, in any of their offices response means that the partnership has 5® = 0 ace
throughout America, was keen on all the key cards and that the slam is 5♦ = 1 ace
bridge. Blackwood therefore asked that, going to be a good one. 5™ = 2 aces
if they accepted the article, they would 5´ = 3 aces
publish it under the nom de plume of Simpler Method Needed
Ernest Wormwood. Finally, with all four aces, thought
The method has genuine merit, but it is Blackwood, the responder could bid 5®,
Slam Missing Two Aces far from easy to use. There are also cases the zero response. The fact that 5®
where a slam is possible but neither shows either no ace of all four should
Bidding a slam, missing two aces, is not player’s hand meets the initial not be a cause for concern as it is always
usually a good idea. The opponents cash requirements for a 4NT bid. Here is the possible to distinguish which. This
their two winners and the slam goes deal from 1933 that prompted Easley double use of 5® allows the 4NT bidder
down before you are able to get going. Blackwood to propose a simpler method: to follow with a 5NT bid. 5NT
In the first few years of Contract Bridge, guarantees that the partnership holds all
there was no easy bidding method to the aces and asks about kings on the
counter this all-too-familiar problem. ´ KQ62 ´ A J 10 8 7 4 same scale.
At that time – the early 1930s – top ™ KQJ83 N ™ 92 Local experts quickly took up
W E
dog in the bidding system stakes was the ♦ KQJ S ♦ A7 Blackwood’s simple ace-asking ideas
brash American Ely Culbertson. Thanks ® 6 ® KQ5 and the following year, a good
to a combination of his bridge prowess, Indianapolis team used it successfully

Page 22
 Conventions continued
2008
24-26 Oct (£199) AT THE OLDE BARN
in a regional tournament in Cincinnati. Further into Toll Bar Road, Marston, Lincolnshire, NG32 2HT
This drew the attention of players from the Auction
as far away as New York, making Ray Hutchinson
Blackwood worried that an expert from ♦ Full-board ♦ All rooms with
another locality would publish his 4NT Friday to Sunday en-suite facilities
7-9 Nov (£199)
bid and claim the credit. He had been
Improvers* ♦ No single supplement ♦ Venue non-smoking
reluctant to publish himself, but fear of
Take-out Doubles
losing the credit crystallised his mind.
So, at the end of 1934, he wrote a clear Ray Hutchinson ♦ Use of swimming ♦ Bidding quiz & two seminars
description of his convention and sent it pool and fitness suite (on duplicate weekends only)
to The Bridge World together with a 28-30 Nov (£199)
Signals & Discards _ _ _ _ _ _ _ BOOKING FORM _ _ _ _ _ _ _
request to use the Wormwood nom-de-
plume. Ray Hutchinson
Please book me for ..... places,
Blackwood’s 4NT is Popular 2009 Single ..... Double ..... Twin .....
A good idea is a good idea. Despite
Culbertson’s rebuttal, Blackwood’s 4NT 20-22 Feb (£199) for the Olde Barn weekend(s) of .......................................
bid spread quickly by word of mouth. Slam Bidding
By 1938, Culbertson had to ............................................................................................
acknowledge the bid and presented it in 13-15 Mar (£199)
his own publications, under Black- Improvers*
Stayman Mr/Mrs/Miss .....................................................................
wood’s real name, as an alternative to
the Culbertson 4-5 no-trump con- & Transfers
Address...............................................................................
vention. ‘There is little to recommend
the Blackwood convention except its 3-5 Apr (£199)
simplicity,’ sniffed Culbertson in his End Play & ............................................................................................
Official Book of Contract Bridge, Avoidance
published in 1942. Postcode ..................................( ....................................
9-11 Oct (£235)
Ironically, the ‘Culbertson 4-5’
Leads & Defence Special requirements (these cannot be guaranteed,
remained the recommended slam tool of
Bernard Magee but we will do our best to oblige)
the Acol system well into the 1960s,
although many Acol players used ...........................................................................................
16-18 Oct (£199)
Blackwood.
Doubles Please give the name(s) of all those covered by this booking
Over the years, there have been many
suggestions for improving Blackwood –
30 Oct - 1 Nov ...........................................................................................
a convention called Byzantine
(£199) Please send a non-returnable deposit of £50 per person per place
Blackwood had a vogue in the 1970s –
Declarer Play by cheque, payable to Mr Bridge. An invoice will be sent with
but in the last few years Roman
your booking confirmation. On receipt of your final payment,
Key-Card Blackwood, which designates 13-15 Nov (£199) 28 days before the event, a programme and full details will be
the king of the agreed trump suit as a fifth Hand Evaluation sent together with a map. Cancellations are not refundable.
‘ace’, has swept the tournament world. Should you require insurance, you should contact your own
Blackwood, the man, was a tireless 27-29 Nov (£199) insurance broker.
worker for bridge. He wrote several Signals & Discards
books and many magazine and
newspaper articles. He established a
bridge club in Indianapolis and after No Single
retiring, taught bridge on cruise liners.
Supplement
He took on the role of Executive
Secretary of the American Contract Expiry: ............................ CVV.................... Issue No. ...............
Room upgrades and
Bridge League in 1968, after a period of special B&B rates (CVV is the last 3 numbers on the signature strip)

disarray in the organisation, and in three for Sunday nights

years, turned the ACBL round and left it are available. , Ryden Grange, Knaphill, Surrey GU21 2TH
on a firm financial footing. He died at
his Indianapolis home 1992, aged 89. *Improvers’ Weekends are ( 01483 489961 Fax 01483 797302
His son, also Easley, survived him, aimed at the novice player e-mail: [email protected]
and/or those picking up the
achieving his own fame as a prominent game after a long break. website: www.holidaybridge.com
composer and conductor. n

Page 23
 AT STAVERTON PARK DECLARER
Staverton, Daventry, Northants, NN11 6JT
PLAY
Duplicate Weekends 2008/09
QUIZ
31 Oct – 2 Nov (£199) Hand Evaluation
Ned Paul
by David Huggett
14-16 Nov (£209) Endplay & Avoidance (Answers on page 53)
Bernard Magee
23-25 Jan (£209) Suit Establishment
ou are South as declarer playing teams or rubber bridge.

30 Jan - 1 Feb (£199)

Bernard Magee
Signals & Discards
Y In each case, what is your play strategy?

27 Feb - 1 Mar (£199) Leads & Defence

1. 3.
13-15 Mar (£199) Slam Bidding ´ 752 ´ 65
™ Q63 ™ K62
27-29 Mar (£209) Sacrificing ♦ AK62 ♦ AK7
Bernard Magee ® J62 ® K7643

3-5 Apr (£199) Further into the Auction W

N
E W
N
E
S S

_ _ _ _ _ _ _ BOOKING FORM _ _ _ _ _ _ _ ´ AQ4 ´ A K J 10 7 2

™ J72 ™ 743
♦ Q5 ♦ Q3
Please book me for ..... places,
® AK953 ® A8
Single ..... Double ..... Twin ..... .

at the Staverton Park weekend(s) of .................................. You are declarer in 3NT You are declarer in 4´ and
and West leads the ´J. West leads the ™Q. How
Mr/Mrs/Miss ..................................................................... East plays the ´K, which do you plan the play?
you win with the ´A. How
Address............................................................................... do you plan the play?

............................................................................................ 4.
´ AKQ
Postcode ............................................................................ 2. ™ Q765
´ A73 ♦ 875
( ...................................................................................... ™ J9862 ® QJ7
♦ 873
Special requirements (these cannot be guaranteed) N
® A2 W E
S
.......................................................................................... N
W E ´ 43
Please send a non-returnable deposit of £50 per person per S
™ AK943
place by cheque, payable to Mr Bridge. An invoice will be sent
´ KQ64 ♦ A6
with your booking confirmation. On receipt of your final pay-
™ AQ543 ® K 10 9 3
ment, 28 days before the event, a programme and full details
will be sent together with a map. Cancellations are not refund- ♦ 5
able. Should you require insurance, you should contact your ® KQ6
own insurance broker. You are declarer in 6™ and
West leads the ♦K, which
You are declarer in 6™ you win with the ♦A. How
, Ryden Grange, Knaphill, Surrey GU21 2TH
and West leads the ♦K fol- do you plan the play?
( 01483 489961 Fax 01483 797302 lowed by the ♦A. How do
e-mail: [email protected] you plan the play?
website: www.holidaybridge.com

Page 24
 The Green
Baize Cup
by Michael Scarrott

‘M
y skill on the golf course The competition will involve team play pick up your ball without having to
and your luck on the bridge for both bridge and golf. While make the putt? It is a sporting gesture
table – that sounds like a everyone accepts that bridge always for when your ball is very close to the
winning combination to me.’ James involves full partnership co-operation, hole. The best-remembered example is
Vane looked across at his friend and team golf can be quite nerve wracking. probably when Jack Nicklaus conceded
golf partner, Eddie Bell and gave a wry Take the great Tiger Woods for Tony Jacklin’s final putt on the 18th
chuckle. ‘Don’t you mean my skill at example. Just imagine him as your green in the 1969 Ryder Cup. That
bridge and your luck at golf? Your tee playing partner when you miss a crucial resulted in a tied match. Just try to
shot on the 12th went into the trees, putt. You would soon realise they don’t imagine if your opponents at the end of
bounced around a bit and then, what do call him Tiger for nothing!’ an evening’s club duplicate pick up
you know, came back out onto the dummy’s last card from the table and
fairway!’ The Mental Approach say that they will give you that one!’
‘Now compare that with my skill in
that 6´ contract yesterday evening. The ‘The mental approach to both games is Handicaps for the Golf
two red aces were out against me and I very important these days,’ added
still made it.’ ‘So you did,’ replied Eddie Eddie, ‘club golfers can now take ‘We both get full handicap allowance
in a tone of mock respect, ‘your void in advantage of performance coaching for the morning golf and tee off in
the heart suit probably helped just a involving psychology and sports threesomes. Do not take it for granted…
little bit I suppose.’ They both laughed hypnosis sessions. It is all about having some of the ladies can play quite a good
and looked closely at the golf club positive thoughts and not worrying game… and as for the bridge. You may
notice board. about the bunkers or water hazards. remember we got completely done over
Perhaps we can organise some sessions by Liz and Brenda at last week’s
New Competition for the bridge section. What do you duplicate?’ James looked puzzled and
think?’ commented ‘that he simply refused to
‘Yes, there it is,’ said Eddie in an James grinned before replying. ‘I dwell in the past where bridge was
enthusiastic tone, ‘a competition will rather like the idea of a hypnosis concerned, although he could recall a
take place next Saturday for the Green session. Anything to cure no-trump few hands on which he did particularly
Baize Cup. Eighteen holes of golf in the phobia would be welcome.’ well!’
morning followed by lunch and 18 deals
of bridge in the afternoon. It is a Pair’s Golf and Bridge Jargon A Poor Effort
event for men and women, with
combined Stableford points for the golf ‘Some of the jargon can have similar Eddie took an out-of-date notice off the
added to match points scored in the meanings; a par at golf and contract board and started scribbling. ‘This was
afternoon duplicate bridge event. A made are the same. A birdie is the same not one of your better efforts. It was so
maximum of 18 teams can enter.’ as one overtrick and an eagle equivalent awful for us; I can remember every
to two overtricks. A bogey would be the card.’ James looked across and winced
Team Play in Bridge and Golf same as going one off in your contract. as he remembered how carelessly he
It would raise an eyebrow or two, I’m had played. The fact that he had been on
‘Sounds like it could be fun,’ said sure, if you commented in a casual the golf course all afternoon and felt
James. ‘If you’ve got your pen handy, manner to an opponent who had gone tired was really no excuse.
we’ll put our names down right away. If two tricks off that they had scored a James opened 1NT and went on to
you think about it, quite a few golf clubs double-bogey.’ game over Eddie’s 2NT response. Liz
have active bridge sections. It is a great ‘Yes,’ continued Eddie quick to join led the king of hearts and down went the
combination. Physical and mental in the fun. ‘What about when your dummy.
exercise both demand lots of stamina. opponent on the golf course tells you to This was the full deal:

Page 25
The Green Baize Cup contin ued dismay?’
Bridge players are incredibly reserved
in comparison with participants at other
pastimes. All that pent up emotion. It
time for the morning golf. ‘Would you can hardly be a good thing.’ Dave
Eddie look at that,’ said a somewhat laughed and joined in the fun, ‘some of
´ K85 exasperated Eddie, ‘I’m off in the first those tennis players are quite
™ 82 group with Dave Jones and old Tim something. Many of the best players
♦ J 10 5 Collins. Dave’s a bit of a bandit and shout and grunt throughout matches to
® AQJ32 should have a much lower handicap, vent their frustration at losing points.
Liz Brenda while poor old Tim rarely remembers What about our chap, Andy Murray,
´ 974 ´ J 10 3 2 how many shots he’s had. Not that I’m when he came back from the dead
N
™ KQJ95 W E ™ 10 6 4 saying he does it deliberately, but the against that highly ranked French player
♦ K93 S ♦ Q84 truth is we have to have an inquest on in the Wimbledon quarterfinals. His
® 74 ® K85 just about every hole.’ ‘Well, I’m off ultimate gesture after winning was to
James second to last,’ commented James, ‘just flex his powerful biceps for the nation
´ AQ6 relax, keep out of the rough and don’t to see!’
™ A73 take too many putts. We need to get a ‘Not quite my style,’ remarked Eddie,
♦ A762 reasonable score to carry forward into ‘but what a great match! Now let us
® 10 9 6 the afternoon bridge session. You had imagine a hard-fought evening at the
better go and get ready – you’re off in local duplicate club, after which the
20 minutes.’ victors give an almighty roar of triumph
The five-card club suit came as a and punch the air with clenched fists.
pleasant surprise as he took a moment The First Hole What a spectacle that would be! The
to count his winners. Six top tricks with nearest thing to that I’ve seen is a
the near solid clubs good for at least The first hole was a tricky par 4 with chastened handshake across the table.’
another three tricks. First, what did he bunkers guarding a slightly raised
make of that ominous looking king of green. Following a somewhat indifferent Lost Ball
hearts sitting malevolently on the table tee shot, Eddie managed to land his
in front of Liz? third shot on the back of the green, ‘I think I’ve lost my ball,’ said Dave
about 15 feet from the flag. Dave was from the heavy rough at the side of the
Careless Declarer Play slightly closer having played two shots eighth green. ‘I was sure it went in
while Tim was just off the putting about here.’ Eddie and Tim came over to
Dutifully, James held up playing the ace surface having played four. Tim putted join in the search. ‘This might be it,’
until the third round and then tried the first and managed to get down for six. shouted Eddie from a clump of tufty
club finesse. When this failed, he was Eddie played next and holed the putt grass. Dave came over and confirmed
relieved to find East unable to return a miraculously. This seemed to upset positive identification very carefully.
heart. He won the diamond return and Dave’s concentration and he was far ‘Seeing you do that reminds me of an
prepared to take his winners. Suddenly, from pleased when he missed an eight- amusing article concerning the late
with a sinking feeling, he realised his inch putt for a score of five. ‘Four for President Eisenhower,’ continued
fatal error. Without thinking, he had Eddie, five for you, Dave and five for Eddie, ‘he was a competent bridge
discarded a winning club from dummy me announced Tim in a confident tone. player and a golfing enthusiast.
on the third round of hearts. The ‘Now just run that backwards, Tim,’ Apparently, he had a very novel method
contract finished one down. He looked said Eddie in a conciliatory voice! of checking his ball. He used a club and
up in despair only to see one glum and rolled his ball over until his mark
two far from sympathetic faces. ‘Bad The Next Six Holes became visible. If the ball moved into a
luck, partner,’ said a far from better lie, well, he was the President.
convincing Eddie. The game continued in a good One afternoon, his ball settled in the
Almost in unison, Liz and Brenda humoured and orderly fashion for the rough. When he tried to roll it over, it
commenced to hum a well-known tune next six holes. ‘What do you think lodged against a rock. He immediately
ever so softly. ‘That sounds familiar,’ would happen if we engaged in this type asked his caddie what had happened.
remarked Eddie. ‘It should do,’ said a of repartee at the bridge table?’ joked The caddie replied, ‘Mr President, I am
bemused Liz, ‘it’s James’s theme song, Eddie. ‘You can almost feel the tension afraid you have over-identified your
Bridge over Troubled Water!’ Muted at some duplicate clubs. It is hardly ball!’
laughter from other tables receded as surprising that most play bridge in a
they heard a call to order. social game at home; there you can let Golf Scores Ready
off steam occasionally! You know what
The Competition Starts I mean. You need to make a three-foot Eddie finished his match with 29
putt on the golf course to halve the hole Stableford points and was soon
The event was fully subscribed in next and it misses by a whisker. Do you say congratulating James on his very
to no time with each pair allocated a oh, bother in a quiet tone or something commendable 34. With all the results in,
team number and an individual starting more colourful to describe your the golf scores were soon up in

Page 26
The Green Baize Cup continued cashed three rounds of spades, but the
contract was now safe with the ace of
hearts as an entry to the winning clubs.
‘Well played,’ said Brenda. ‘I thought
the clubhouse. ‘Not too bad,’ said a we might have defeated you on that
relieved Eddie, ‘fourth place keeps us in Brenda one.’ ‘Looks like a good score for you,’
with a chance.’ Liz and Brenda had ´ AQ5 continued Liz, ‘you had to commit to
scored a joint 61 points to put them in ™ J 10 9 4 the possible bad break right away.’ ‘It
fifth place. ♦ 10 2 must be something to do with his X-ray
Following a very welcome buffet ® J852 vision,’ joked a very pleased James.
lunch, the afternoon bridge was soon Eddie James
underway. Liz looked up as James and ´ 10 9 6 3
N
´ J4 Ladies’ Golf Club Captain
Eddie took their places for the second ™ KQ5 W E ™ A62
S
round. ‘Hello, you two. It is funny we ♦ A963 ♦ Q5 The next move saw James and Eddie
were only just talking about ways to get ® KQ ® A 10 9 7 6 3 facing the ladies’ golf club captain,
rid of losers!’ ‘That’s right,’ continued Liz Linda Jones. A deceptively demur
Brenda with an innocent smile, ‘Liz had ´ K872 appearance and friendly smile masked a
a couple of losing jacks on the last ™ 873 determination to win, especially if there
board, but managed to ditch them both ♦ KJ874 were men in the firing line!
without bloodshed.’ ® 4 The first board saw Eddie open a pre-
Eddie looked across at his wife and emptive 3♦ vulnerable. Linda promptly
wondered where this quite doubled and that remained the final
uncharacteristic banter could come ‘Home and dry,’ thought Eddie. ‘Three contract. Crucially, James held the ace
from. It must be something to do with hearts, one diamond and an entry to run of spades and three diamonds to the
the cards. Perhaps they have a coating the club winners after the king and queen queen. The contract just made, much to
that absorbs into the skin to make some have been played.’ He marked time by Linda’s chagrin. Quick to savour the
people merry or something. He giving Brenda a sideways glance. She moment, James plucked the traveller
contemplated this thought. Maybe I can was peering intently at dummy. ‘Oh, from the board. ‘Clear top for us partner
market the idea. I can just see the slogan dear,’ reflected Eddie. ‘I’ve seen that – looks like 4™ makes their way.’
‘play bridge and get high’ all at the look before and it can mean only one
same time. No more temper tantrums thing – trouble – usually for me!’ Take-out Double
when the contract goes down – just a He remembered fondly that
shrug and a friendly smile. interesting story by the late Roald Dahl Linda glared across at her partner,
‘Wake up, Eddie; you look like called ‘The Wonderful Story of Henry Emily. ‘Didn’t you realise my double
you’ve gone into a trance. You are both Sugar’. Over a long period of years, was for take-out?’ Emily looked across
going to need your wits about you to Henry Sugar had honed his the table and thought about her quickly
stand any chance against us. If you’re concentration to such an amazing level diminishing place in the ladies’ A-team.
still thinking about that 10-foot putt you that he was eventually able to see ‘Sorry partner, I thought we might have
sank on the eighth green this morning, through the backs of playing cards. He got them down,’ was all she could say.
then that’s not going to help you much.’ used this skill to take millions from Open disagreements between partners
‘Don’t knock it,’ said James coming to casinos around the world. ‘What at the bridge table brings nothing but
the aid of his friend, ‘that putt gained us wouldn’t I give for that ability right negative results and the final two boards
a couple of valuable points’. now?’ pondered Eddie. resulted in one missed game call for
Linda and an easy spade game for
The Bridge Gets Underway Bad Breaks? James.

The first deal saw Liz make an overtrick ‘Take particular care if it looks too easy. The Final Round
in a pretty-much routine 3NT contract. What if the club break is unkind? If one
‘Good one for us, partner,’ said Brenda opponent has all the missing clubs, I am The boards for the final round arrived at
as she entered the score. ‘Don’t forget probably going down, but what about a the table along with club secretary, Paul
now: overbid for show, overtricks for 4-1 break? I might be making a big Ling and his partner Mick Wade. ‘Hi
dough!’ ‘Where did that come from?’ mistake as I know most people will be guys,’ said Mick in a friendly manner,
quipped an amused Eddie, thinking trying for the overtrick, but I need only ‘the lovely Linda doesn’t look too
about his notorious reputation for five club tricks for the contact, so I shall pleased. Now what have you two been
making risky bids. ‘Just made it up,’ play safe. He duly won the first trick in up to?’ ‘Entirely self-inflicted with the
said Brenda with more than a knowing hand with the queen and followed this aid of her partner,’ replied James
look. with the king of clubs. His next move adopting a mock-serious tone, ‘we’re
The next board saw Eddie (West) as was to overtake his queen of clubs with both pillars of propriety!’
declarer in 3NT. Brenda led the jack of dummy’s ace. South showed out Everyone chuckled and Paul decided
hearts and Eddie was soon thanking revealing the 4-1 break. Eddie the atmosphere was right to tell a quick
James for such an impressive dummy. continued with the club ten taken by story. ‘It’s about this chap who goes to
This was the full deal: Brenda’s jack. The defenders next the doctor for a check-up.

Page 27
The Green Baize Cup continu ed Memories of John Armstrong
I had arranged to play with John Armstrong
in Peebles recently. I was very shocked to
receive two phone calls from friends telling
Everything goes fine until the doctor diamond to his ace. He followed this me he had died. I was very lucky to have
spots some rather bad bruising on his with another diamond taken by Paul’s played with him two or three times a year.
ankles. When asked whether the wounds king. When Mick followed suit, James Once, in a Crockford’s (England’s
came through a competitive sporting breathed a sigh of relief. Dummy’s five national knock-out, with an 8-team round-
activity, the chap in question replied that remaining diamonds were now all good, robin final), John as declarer, hesitated: his
this was indeed the case. He went on to but careful play was still required. Paul left-hand opponent took the wrong
inference and misdefended. He called the
explain that he played bridge at club led another club forcing James to ruff
director who considered the matter, and
level and every time he made a mistake, again in dummy. He paused to take ruled that incompetent defence was the
his wife kicked him under the table!’ stock. The play of the ace and king of cause of the lost trick, not the hesitation. So
‘That’s a good one,’ said Eddie. ‘I know spades would still leave the opponents no adjustment. However, he fined John 0.5
plenty of golf jokes, but hardly any with a high trump. Whoever held it VP for hesitating when he had no reason to
about bridge. I wonder why that is?’ could thwart the run of the diamonds; do so. No argument from John. Some of the
Play proceeded smoothly over the the ace and king of clubs would then players got together and discussed it. They
did not know why John had hesitated, but
first two boards, with just part-score defeat the contract.
they were all certain that it was not to
deals. mislead. The director received a deputation,
Duck a Trump including the player who had asked for the
The Last Board ruling, asking him to withdraw the penalty,
The solution was really quite simple. He which he did. I know of no other English
This was the final board of the competi- led a low spade and allowed the player where other players would be so
tion with North-South vulnerable: opponents to win the trick. He trumped mindful of his reputation that they would
take the trouble to try and preserve it.
the club return in dummy and played a
Once, when I was directing a match
low heart to the king in hand. He then between England and Wales, John called me
Eddie pulled the remaining trumps with the and said he had received unauthorized
´ 8753 ace and king. After that, it was plain information from his partner, and was
™ A6 sailing all the way with a heart to the ace calling me to protect his opponents’ rights.
♦ Q976432 in dummy and the rest were diamond He said he was going to try to avoid gaining
® Void winners. any advantage from the information during
the rest of the hand. At the end he asked the
Paul Mick ‘Looks like a good board for you,’ said
opponents if they thought they might have
´ Q 10 ´ J42 Paul, ‘only one other pair made the
N been damaged. I have rarely seen a pair less
™ Q973 W E ™ 10 8 4 2 contract, let alone the overtrick.’ ‘Number interested in pursuing a matter. They were
S
♦ K5 ♦ J8 seven, I bet,’ said Eddie, thinking of how not interested in the unauthorised inform-
® Q 10 6 3 2 ® AK95 well Liz and Brenda were doing. ation nor how it affected the hand: knowing
James that John was trying to avoid using the
information was good enough for them.
´ AK96 The Winners are Announced John was always careful not to give
™ KJ5
offence in anything he said. But he had
♦ A 10 With the bridge session over, everyone discovered my approach over the years, and
® J874 adjourned to the club conservatory for a I was proud of the fact that, on rare
surprise cream tea. With all the results occasions, he took the mickey out of me, as
soon in, the club president, Tom Kite, it meant he was sure I would not take
James opened 1´ and Eddie raised stood to announce the winning pair. offence. Once, on putting down a dummy
straight to game based on four-card ‘First place with a clear majority of containing 13 points, his top-class opponent
asked why he had not raised opposite my
support and a club void. ‘Shape matters points goes to Brenda and Liz.’ ‘Very
mini no-trump. ‘David’s playing it,’ he
most’ was Eddie’s motto at the bridge well done,’ said Eddie. ‘Yes,’ continued replied with a grin.
table! Paul led the three of clubs and James, ‘we thought we might be in with John was extraordinarily successful, but
James took stock of dummy. ‘Thank a chance until near the end when Eddie he was not embarrassed when things went
you very much indeed,’ said James in a decided to bid off the radar.’ They took wrong. He once went into the last eight
far from convincing tone as he surveyed this in good spirits and there was even a boards of a Spring Foursomes match level
the meagre-looking assortment. ‘I suggestion that they could have a return with Boris Schapiro – and lost 86 imps!
While others would go into hiding, John
thought you’d like it,’ replied Eddie in a bridge and golf day just between
showed his score card to everyone he could
cheerful manner, ‘you always say you themselves with the victors to pick up find, telling them how hilarious it was.
like a challenge’. James looked up: the tab for lunch. When a hand was over and I was certain
‘Yes, but preferably on the golf course.’ Tom rounded off the proceedings by I had misdefended, it was quite common for
thanking everyone for contributing to John to say, something like, ‘Perhaps I
Will the Diamonds Behave? such an enjoyable day. ‘As someone could have returned a club’. He never
famous once said: ‘the pleasure is in the sought to criticise, even when I deserved it.
I have lost a great friend: bridge has lost a
Providing diamonds behave, I may just taking part and not always about
great man.
have a chance. Consequently he ruffed winning.’ ‘Don’t you believe it,’ said an David Stevenson
the opening lead in dummy and played a unknown voice from the floor! n

Page 28
 Heather Dhondy Says

Test Your Options

in the Right Order
ow do you plan the play in 7♠ other options to which to return.

H
West North East South
on the deal below, to test all What are you going to discard from Pass 3♠
your options? West leads the dummy on the second top club? Pass 4♠ End
queen of clubs. Remember all your options. You may
wish to ruff three diamonds or ruff the suit You are West and lead the ace of hearts
good. To retain these options, you must against South’s contract of 4♠. Partner
1 ♠ J 10 9 5 2 throw a heart from dummy. Now ruff the follows with the six and declarer the
♥ AQ4 third club – and you discover that they three. How do you plan the defence?
♦ AQ97 split 5-2. It’s time to try another option. Let’s start with partner’s signal. We
♣ 7 Let’s consider the diamond suit. In would like it to be suit a preference signal,
♠ 4 ♠ 86 isolation, the finesse is the best option telling us whether he has the king of
♥ J5 N ♥ K 10 9 8 6 3 for two tricks in the suit but, if it loses, diamonds or the ace of clubs. However,
W E
♦ J8643 S ♦ K 10 2 you won’t be able to finesse in hearts. in practice, it is very likely merely to be
♣ Q J 10 9 3 ♣ 86 The best combination of chances in the encouraging since he will not know that
♠ AKQ73 two suits is to try to ruff down the king of you have led a singleton. Against a pre-
♥ 72 diamonds and, if that fails, take the heart empt, it is quite common to lead an
♦ 5 finesse. While that diamond play is not unsupported ace to get a look at dummy.
♣ AK542 best for the suit itself, it increases your What it does do is confirm that he has
overall chance from 50% – if you finesse only five hearts as he would signalled
in one red suit – to 50% for the heart with the eight or seven if he could. So
West North East South finesse plus half of the chance that the South is likely to be 7-3-2-1 or 7-3-1-2.
1♠ king of diamonds ruffs down. We can work out that if partner holds
Pass 4♣ Pass 4♦ Of course, you should try to set up the either the diamond king or the club ace
Pass 4♥ Pass 4NT diamonds next, since this leaves you and we guess correctly, we can defeat
Pass 5♥ Pass 7♠ with a final option of the heart finesse. the contract. So let’s approach it from
End Play the ace of diamonds and ruff a the other angle. What’s the worst that
diamond. Ruff a club to dummy and ruff can happen if you guess wrong?
Let’s assume trumps divide 2-1. This a third diamond. When the king appears If you play partner for the ace of
gives you twelve tricks – five spades, you are home. Note that if, at any stage, clubs, but declarer holds it, he will have
four top tricks in the side suits and three you decided to take either finesse, you several fast tricks in dummy on which to
ruffs. What are your options for a would have failed. dispose of losers. By contrast, if you
thirteenth? Firstly, if the clubs break 4-3, Testing your options in the right order play partner for the king of diamonds
you can establish your fifth club. There can be just as important when defending. and declarer has it, you can see that
is also either red-suit finesse, or ruffing partner will be short enough in the suit
down the king of diamonds. How are we to ruff in before declarer can take many
going to maximise our chance of 2 ♠ K 10 discards. You should thus have time to
success? The answer is to combine as ♥ J 10 9 2 switch tack and play him for the club ace
many of these chances as possible by ♦ AQ42 when you are in with your trump.
testing them in the correct order. Since ♣ KQJ Finally, if dummy’s ace wins and
there is no way you will want four ruffs ♠ A9 ♠ 54 declarer plays a trump to your ace, you
in either hand, you start by drawing ♥ A N ♥ KQ654 will have to find East’s entry. Fortunately,
W E
trumps. All follow once. West discards a ♦ 98765 S ♦ K 10 by this time, you will have seen the all-
diamond on the second round. Which ♣ 98654 ♣ 10 7 3 2 important signal on the first diamond.
option do you go for first? ♠ QJ87632 Even if East has K-3, declarer’s refusal
Don’t start with a finesse. If it fails, ♥ 873 to finesse may guide you.
you are down and it will be too late to try ♦ J3 Therefore, you should lead the nine of
any other options. Try ruffing out the ♣ A on diamonds at trick two because that
clubs. If that fails, you will still have leaves you both options open. ■

Page 29
 Bridge H
Cruises and
Looking for a holiday, short break or a cruise? Why not choose one from our exte

OCTOBER 2008 OCTOBER cont NOVEMBER 2008 NOVEMBER cont

1– 3 Marsham Court 17 – 19 Staverton Park 4 – 16 North African 14 – 16 Theobalds Park

Gentle Duplicate Treasures
16 –7/12 Voyage to
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24 – 26 The Olde Barn 21 – 23 Staverton Park

Gentle Duplicate
24 – 26 Barony Castle
28 – 30 Milton Hill House
The Olde Barn, Marston

28 – 30 Theobalds Park
2 – 13 Black Sea Marsham Court, Bournemouth Gentle Duplicate
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28 – 30 The Olde Barn
3– 5 Theobalds Park 7– 9 Harben House
Gentle Duplicate
10 – 12 Milton Hill
House 7– 9 Milton Hill House
MV Discovery

10 – 12 Staverton Park 7– 9 The Olde Barn

Improvers 24 – 26 Harben House Improvers
Gentle Duplicate
13 – 24 Black Sea
Discovery II 24 – 26 Wychwood Park
Staverton Park, Daventry
24 –4/11 Aegean Odyssey
DECEMBER 2008
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3 – 21 Antarctica & the
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Improvers
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5– 7 The Beach Hotel
31 –2/11 Staverton Park
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Holidays,
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ensive list. Cruises are in blue, overseas holidays in green and UK breaks in black.

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7 – 1/3 Cape to Cape

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27 – 1/3 Staverton Park

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27-29 December
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MARCH 2009 & Greek Isles Signals & Discards
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24 –13/2 Antarctica & the
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13 – 15 Staverton Park
29 Dec – 1 Jan 2009
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13 – 15 The Olde Barn
& Ann Pearson
30 – 1/2 Staverton Park 13 – 29 Jewels of £355
the Indian The Beach Hotel, Worthing
30 – 1/2 The Beach Hotel Ocean
 Bernard Magee Says

Beware of
Blocking Suits
enerally, the correct method of Some blockages are not so easy to spot:

G playing a suit is to play the high

cards from the shorter holding
first so that the suit runs smoothly:
♠ A7632

W
N

S
E ♠ Q6
♥ AK8
♠ Q4 ♦ A432
♣ KQ4 ♣ 9872
N N
W E You can make your queen and ace if W E
S S
East holds the king. You lead small from
♣ AJ32 dummy towards the queen. If East has ♠ A8
the king, he may well play it; this sets up ♥ 654
your queen but blocks the suit with the ♦ J87
You start with the king and queen from queen left facing A-7-6-3. ♣ AK543
North’s shorter holding (three cards) and You must be wary if a long suit starts
then play the four to South’s ace and blocked or may become so – your plan
jack – four easy tricks. If you play the must cater for the necessary entries. South is in 3NT and West leads the
ace or jack first, you block the suit. spade jack. When you cover the jack
A blockage means that to run the suit with the queen, East covers with his king
you need a side entry. If you began with ♠ A43 and the suit is going to be wide open.
the ace, you could take the king and ♥ AK4 You duck once, but have to take the
queen, but then would have to use ♦ A876 second round. You now need to run nine
another suit to get over to the jack. ♣ A43 tricks without losing the lead, which
Sometimes a suit starts blocked or a ♠ Q 10 7 6 5 ♠ J8 means clubs must split 2-2. However, if
finesse or similar play blocks the suit: ♥ 982 N ♥ Q J 10 5 3 you mistakenly play the ace-king
W E
♦ Q9 S ♦ KJ54 without considering dummy’s holding,
♣ K76 ♣ 52 you will come unstuck. While the luck is
♦ KQ ♥ A76 ♠ K92 with you (clubs are 2-2), you can make
N N ♥ 76 only four club tricks, as there is no way
W E W E ♦ 10 3 2 to reach your fifth club. You would have
S S
♣ Q J 10 9 8 to settle for eight tricks in this case. Of
♦ A7654 ♥ Q J 10 9 8 course, the way to solve the problem is
to keep the club two in dummy. You play
South is in 3NT and West leads a low the seven and eight underneath the ace-
You cannot run the diamonds without spade. You have six top tricks with extra king. Then, with the clubs falling, you
crossing to hand in another suit. tricks available in clubs and possibly can win the third round with the nine of
You could play the hearts for one diamonds. A finesse might bring in the clubs and finally cross to your two
loser: take the ace and knock out the whole club suit, but when the long suit is remaining clubs by leading the two to
king. To avoid a loser, you want to in the weak hand you need to be careful. the five.
finesse. You lead the queen and run it: it If you use up South’s spade entry to take
wins the trick; you lead the jack, which two successful club finesses, the suit Conclusion
also wins, but now the suit is blocked will be blocked and you will make only
with the bare ace left in hand. After all three club tricks. When you consider the play of a suit,
follow twice, the other hearts are good Instead, you should win the initial you should check for any blockages –
as West’s king will fall under your ace, spade lead with dummy’s ace and knock those there already and those that your
but you need a side entry to the South out the king of clubs. Your king of play will create. As always, try to do this
hand to run the rest of the suit. spades will be the entry to reach your at trick one as, very often, a crucial entry
Another common blockage arises here: long clubs. will go on the very first trick. ■

Page 32
 Seasonal Walks with Countryman

A Walk in the
Autumn

T
his little piece of England its way; but she took scant notice of the The lead is the king of hearts. What are
where the birds are singing, the several magpies that graced the field your plans? We will come back to this
sun shining and the air with their presence. hand later on.
seriously intoxicating – it is all too easy Magpies are attractive-looking birds, When we reached our destination
to fall under its magic spell and dream cunning and intelligent with terrific eventually, the initial prospects did not
on, contentedly... appetites. It seems they will eat almost look too good. Not a mushroom in
There can be little doubt that early anything, ranging from seeds and berries sight, but I did notice the odd toadstool,
autumn is scenically one of the most to worms, slugs and small rodents. which perhaps augured well – and then,
beautiful times of the year. When the However, they are not everyone’s friend sure enough, we came across a few real
mists disperse gradually and the sun and that includes gamekeepers! beauties. Cindy watched, clearly
fights its way through, there are few Superstition and the magpie go hand- intrigued, as I removed them to my
more magnificent country scenes than in-hand in English folklore and there are basket and I think she sensed my
the contrasting colours of the trees. many exotic tales on record. Even today, delight, perhaps taking a modicum of
From the deep bronze of the oaks to the plenty of people think it unlucky to see a credit for our success!
scarlet of the sycamores and all the single magpie and they will search Time to look at the full bridge deal and
shades of gold and yellow in between, I desperately to try to spot a second – two we can see whether Bill was justified in
defy anyone not to feel moved and more being the symbol of good luck. claiming that he had been unlucky.
likely, totally captivated. Talking of luck, a friend of mine, let
These were my thoughts as Cindy – us call him Bill, complained vehemently
she is my gorgeous golden retriever – that he had been most unlucky on the ♠ Q976
and I made our way through the fields following hand from the pairs’ event at ♥ A8
that run alongside a large wooded area the club. See what you think. ♦ 874
to our left. ♣ K832
Our objective, apart from fulfilling the ♠ 2 ♠ 83
daily walkies routine, was to reach a Dealer West. Love All. ♥ K Q J 10 7 4 N ♥ 9652
W E
meadow where horses are frequently ♠ Q976 ♦ A Q 10 S ♦ J953
seen grazing. As I explained to Cindy, ♥ A8 ♣ J 10 6 ♣ Q97
we should be able to find some ♦ 874 ♠ A K J 10 5 4
mushrooms because they usually thrive ♣ K832 ♥ 3
where horse manure has fallen and this N
♦ K62
is the ideal time before the hard frosts W E ♣ A54
S
cause their inevitable demise.
I am not sure how impressed Cindy ♠ A K J 10 5 4
was with the idea, but for her, walkies ♥ 3 This is what Bill told me.
are always exciting and today was no ♦ K62 ‘I won the first trick with the ace of
exception. She bounded backwards and ♣ A54 hearts, drew trumps, ending in dummy
forwards, covering an enormous amount and ruffed the eight of hearts, just like
of ground and never looking in the least the good book says!
bit tired. She seemed thoroughly pleased West North East South Then I played the ace of clubs in-
with herself as she put a cock pheasant 1♥ Pass Pass 2♠ tending to throw West on lead on the third
to flight, grumbling loudly as it sped on Pass 4♠ End round if the suit broke three-three.

Page 33
 Autumn continued

2009
But on the second round,
DEFENCE
Bridge
QUIZ
West followed with the jack
of clubs, leaving me
Players’ uncertain whether to let him
hold the trick or play on and

Diaries hope he had the queen as

well. by Julian Pottage
West had not had any sort (Answers on page 58)
of think before following to
the second club, so I ou are East in the defensive positions below. It is your turn
continued with my original
plan, cashing dummy’s king
Y to play.

of clubs and then playing a

third round. It was at this 1. ♠ AKQ9 3. ♠ AKQ9
point that disaster struck! ♥ AJ4 ♥ AKQ9
♦ 984 ♦ 84
East produced the queen of
♣ 932 ♣ J93
♦ Acol Summary clubs and switched to the
♠ 76 ♠ 10 7 6 5
by Ron Klinger. jack of diamonds, so the N ♥ Q 10 9 2 N ♥ 10 7 3 2
defenders took the next three W E W E
♦ Updated Laws and S ♦ J 10 6 2 S ♦ K 10
Ethics by Mike tricks for one down. ♣ A84 ♣ AK4
Swanson. Now surely that was most
unlucky, although I did
♦ Scoring Tables for West North East South West North East South
congratulate East on his
Duplicate and Rubber. 1NT 1♥ Pass 1NT
switch.
Pass 2♣ Pass 2♥ Pass 3NT End
♦ Choice of red, navy, Perhaps you have noticed Pass 3NT Pass 4♠
ivory, plae blue or one slight flaw in Bill’s plan. End Partner leads the ♣5.
maroon covers.
I am not sure which ‘good Again, your side wins the
♦ All covers printed in book’ Bill reads but I am Partner leads the ♣K, on first four tricks in clubs and
gold-coloured ink. quite certain it would not which you play the ♣8. dummy discards a dia-
have condoned his play at You win the next club with mond on the long club.
♦ Individual diaries
trick one. That is where he the ♣A (South drops the What do you discard?
£5.95 each inc p&p.
made his big mistake as he ♣J) and play a third round.
♦ Special concession to Declarer ruffs and draws
should have ducked the king
bridge clubs. 10 or trumps in three rounds. 4. ♠ QJ
of hearts!
more copies £3.50 What do you discard? ♥ AQ
each including p&p, Subsequently he can
♦ A8765 2
subject to availability. discard a club on the ace of
♣ 962
hearts and then establish 2. ♠ AKQ9 ♠ 10 9 6 4
dummy’s fourth club for a ♥ AKQ9 N ♥ J 10 5 4
diamond discard in complete ♦ 84 W E
♦ Q4
S
safety, ruffing the third round, ♣ J93 ♣ K85
regardless of who holds the ♠ J 10 7 6
N
queen and jack. Thus, he W E
♥ J 10 7 2
♦ K 10 West North East South
makes his game losing just S
♣ AK4 1♦ Pass 1♥
one heart and two diamonds. Pass 2♦ Pass 3NT
Luxury version with super-soft Back home again with our End
kidrell cover, gilded page nice basket of mushrooms West North East South
edges and a ball-point and now enjoying a welcome Partner leads the ♣Q,
1♥ Pass 1NT
pen attached.
drink, I say to Cindy, who is Pass 3NT End which wins as you encour-
Two colour covers: bottle
snuggling up beside me, age with the ♣8. Your ♣K
green or ruby red. £12.95
‘You see; Bill got his ducks Partner leads the ♣5. You wins the second trick and
each including postage
mixed up. The first one was win with the king, cash the you play a third round.
and packing.
ace and continue with a Declarer wins with the ♣A
the right one.’ She looked up
third round. Partner wins and leads a spade. Partner
Exclusively available at me and wagged her tail as
with the queen and cashes takes the ♠A and cashes
from much to say, ‘You did the thirteenth club, on the thirteenth club, on
( 01483 489961. mention ducks, didn’t you? which dummy discards a which dummy discards a
www.mrbridge.co.uk No, I’ve never mixed mine diamond. Your discard? diamond. Your discard?
up.’ What a dog! ■

Page 34
 Dave Huggett Says

Don’t Overuff with

a Natural trump Trick

ften in the heat of battle, one gets The chance of a second trump trick is in an attempt to attain trump control.

O carried away. We all do things we

shouldn’t. Take this deal:
only one reason not to overruff. The
reason may be more subtle.
This type of opportunity happens quite
often when you have more trumps than a
defender usually has.

♠ KJ75 ♠ 642
♥ 8642 ♥ AQ5 ♠ 10 9 5
♦ Q95 ♦ Q63 ♥ Q542
♣ K6 ♣ 9763 ♦ 975
♠ 10 8 3 2 ♠ 96 ♠ K73 ♠ 95 ♣ KQ3
♥ K 10 3 N ♥ 9 ♥ 10 7 6 4 2 N ♥ 83 ♠ A642 ♠ 3
W E W E
♦ 73 S ♦ A K J 10 4 2 ♦ 82 S ♦ A K J 10 7 5 ♥ 83 N ♥ A K J 10 7
W E
♣ 10 8 7 3 ♣ QJ54 ♣ 852 ♣ Q 10 4 ♦ 10 6 4 S ♦ A832
♠ AQ4 ♠ A Q J 10 8 ♣ J982 ♣ 10 7 6
♥ AQJ75 ♥ KJ9 ♠ KQJ87
♦ 86 ♦ 94 ♥ 96
♣ A92 ♣ AKJ ♦ KQJ
♣ A54

West North East South West North East South

1♥ 1♠ West North East South
Pass 2♥ 3♦ Dbl1 Pass 1NT 2♦ Dbl1 1♠
Pass 4♥ End Pass 2♠ Pass 4♠ Pass 1NT 2♥ Dbl1
1
try for game in hearts End Pass 2♠ Pass 3♠
1
take-out End
You lead the seven of diamonds, which 1
take-out
partner wins with the ten. He then plays You lead the diamond eight, which East
the ace followed by the king of wins with the ten. Then he cashes the ace The bidding might not be to your liking,
diamonds and declarer ruffs with the and leads the king, which South ruffs but that is not your concern. Naturally,
queen of hearts. What do you do? with the queen. I hope you are ready. you lead the eight of hearts. Partner wins
It looks jolly tempting to overruff with What happens if you overruff and say with the ten, cashes the ace and
the king of hearts. However, if you do, return a heart? Declarer wins, draws continues with the jack. Declarer ruffs
this will be the last trick your side trumps, enters dummy with a heart and this with the jack of spades. You must
makes. Whatever you do next, declarer finesses the jack of clubs. He makes four think what to do.
wins and draws trumps, making four spade tricks, three hearts and three clubs. What happens if you overruff and lead
spade tricks, four hearts and two clubs. Now, suppose you don’t overruff even a diamond? Partner wins and plays the
Now try not overruffing. You will find, though you have no real hope of a second king of hearts. Declarer ruffs, draws
miraculously, that you come to two trump trick. Declarer may start to think trumps and makes the contract with four
trump tricks. It is as though the queen of that East has the spade king. He may spades, two diamonds and three clubs.
hearts never existed and, as a result, your enter dummy with a heart and play a Now, instead of overruffing, discard a
ten has been promoted. Maybe this is not spade to the jack, which you again refuse diamond. Declarer will try to draw
so difficult to see because the ten is in to win. Declarer may well then use his trumps but you can win and play a
your hand. Now give yourself the nine of last entry to dummy – another heart – to diamond to partner’s ace. When he plays
hearts instead of the ten and it would be repeat the finesse. This time, you win and the king of hearts, you will find that if
correct still to refuse to overruff. Why is play back your last trump. Stuck in hand, declarer ruffs you will have one more
this? Your partner might have the ten, in declarer has to concede a club trick to trump than he has. In all, you will make
which case your nine would be promoted your partner in the end-game. two trump tricks and three red-suit tricks
into the setting trick. On some deals, you refuse to overruff for a one-trick set of the contract. ■

Page 35
 Andrew Kambites Says

Grand Slams are

for the Birds
ome hands become ingrained on to mention. One of the two Warwick- agreed to bid grand slams only if we

S the memory in indelible ink. Let

me tell you a painful story from a
few years ago.
shire pairs (our opponents) failed to bid
any sort of slam! They gained match
points for staying in game. Now here is
could count thirteen tricks. Let us be
honest, you can rarely count thirteen
tricks before the bidding has finished.
My county, Gloucestershire, is a small a thought – if strong county players can Our unfortunate South thought he could,
rural county but we have our hopes and miss a laydown 6♠, isn’t it inevitable but wishful thinking doesn’t create tricks.
ambitions. Five years ago, we qualified that many lesser lights can do the same? This sort of hand gives rise to today’s
for the final of the Tollemache Cup: the Was our South player just unlucky? maxim: Grand Slams are for the Birds.
inter-counties teams-of-eight champion- He knew that if North had five hearts Suppose you pick up this:
ship. We had never won the Tolly, third then he could virtually count thirteen
being our best position. This deal came tricks (provided hearts broke 3-2, as they
up when we were doing quite well. will about two thirds of the time). Look ♠ AJ76
at the layout in the next diagram. ♥ AQ6
♦ KQ4
♠ A876 ♣ AJ5
♥ A943 ♠ A876
♦ Q65 ♥ A9432
♣ AQ ♦ Q6 You are vulnerable. Your partner opens
♠ 93 ♠ 10 5 4 ♣ A7 1♣. You are surely thinking, ‘Slam!’
♥ 86 N ♥ J 10 7 2 ♠ 93 ♠ 10 5 4 Suppose you respond 1♠. Partner rebids
W E
♦ J 10 8 4 ♦ K97 ♥ 86 N ♥ J 10 7 1NT, showing an old-fashioned 15-16
S
W E
♣ J 10 9 8 5 ♣ 732 ♦ J 10 8 4 S ♦ K975 points. Are you thinking: ‘Grand Slam?’
♠ KQJ2 ♣ J 10 9 8 5 ♣ Q32 Although you have 36-37 points, do you
♥ KQ5 ♠ KQJ2 really believe that you can find out
♦ A32 ♥ KQ5 enough to count thirteen tricks? A grand
♣ K64 ♦ A32 slam is likely to be on a finesse (partner
♣ K64 can’t have the K-Q in two black suits, the
king of hearts and the diamond ace
West North East South because that is 17 points). Do you want to
1♥ Pass 1♠ On normal breaks, declarer can easily be in a grand slam that figures to depend
Pass 3♠ Pass 4NT draw trumps, ruff a club in dummy, and on a finesse or should you settle for 6NT?
Pass 5♣ Pass 7♠ discard diamonds on dummy’s fourth Suppose you are using total points
End and fifth hearts. scoring. Do you want to risk turning
There is, of course, one flaw in that your score of +1440 into –100 just for an
4NT was a modern version of argument. Why must North hold five extra 750? You need to succeed two
Blackwood, called Roman Key-Card hearts? With the hand North had – four times in three to make the risk worth it.
Blackwood. 5♣ showed 0 or 3 aces (the cards in each major and a hand too Suppose you are playing teams-of-
king of trumps counting as an ace). 7♠ strong to open 1NT – it is natural to four. Assume your opponents are in
was hopeless: barring a singleton king of open 1♥, giving partner space to 6NT. Are you going to chase the extra 13
diamonds, there is simply no way of introduce spades cheaply. North bid his IMPs for bidding a grand slam while
avoiding a diamond loser. hand quite normally, South just indulged risking losing 17 IMPs if it fails? You
It would be unfair to say that this hand in a little wishful thinking. need odds of better than evens!
cost us the silver medal. There were too Now here comes the rub! Before the Suppose you are playing duplicate
many other hands where we could have event, we had discussed tactics. We had pairs. Do you want a score of –100, only
done better. All the same, if our South previously experienced the frustration of to open up the traveller and find you
player had stopped in 6♠, we would bidding a good grand slam and failing on have lost out to any pairs in silly
have achieved the silver medal – our an unlucky layout, only to find our contracts? Again, you need odds of
best ever result. There is one other fact opponents had stopped in game. We had better than 50% to bid a grand slam. ■

Page 36
 Julian Pottage Says

Keep What
Partner Can’t
aving to make a discard can be

H hard. Throwing the wrong thing

may give declarer an extra
winner. If you have J-x-x-x and see
♠
♥
♦
AK873
J5
AQ2
♠
♥
♦
8532
5
A J 10 8
A-K-Q-x in dummy, you must surely ♣ 762 ♣ AK52
keep the suit. In real life, things are ♠ Q94 ♠ 10 5 2 ♠ A K Q 10 4 ♠ 97
rarely so simple. Either you must contend ♥ 98 N ♥ 10 7 6 3 2 ♥ 10 N ♥ J98732
W E W E
with length in the closed hand or rely on ♦ K 10 8 6 S ♦ 94 ♦ K764 S ♦ Q952
help from partner. In the latter case, you ♣ Q 10 5 3 ♣ AK8 ♣ J76 ♣ 10
often need to protect one suit each. ♠ J6 ♠ J6
♥ AKQ4 ♥ AKQ64
♦ J753 ♦ 3
♠ 10 7 3 2 ♣ J94 ♣ Q9843
♥ K95
♦ 72
♣ AKJ7 West North East South West North East South
♠ K94 ♠ QJ5 1♠ Pass 2♦ 1♥
♥ Q8 N ♥ J732 Pass 2♠ Pass 2NT 1♠ Double Pass 2♣
W E
♦ KJ865 S ♦ A94 Pass 3NT End Pass 2♠ Pass 3♣
♣ 953 ♣ 862 Pass 5♣ End
♠ A86 You, West, lead the three of clubs and
♥ A 10 6 4 run four tricks when East holds A-K-x. Partner takes two top spades and plays a
♦ Q 10 3 On the last club, North throws a spade, third round. You, East, ruff and South
♣ Q 10 4 East a heart and South a diamond. overruffs with the queen. Then comes a
You switch to a heart, won by the jack. club to the ace (you throw a heart) and a
Declarer continues with the A-K-Q of heart to the ace (West plays the ten).
West North East South hearts. You must find two discards. Now comes the nine of clubs, covered
1NT (12-14) You have three options: two spades, by the jack (a slight mistake) and king,
Pass 2♣ Pass 2♥ two diamonds or one of each. The clue followed by a club to the eight. You must
Pass 2NT End here is the bidding. South responded 2♦, discard twice more.
showing at least four diamonds. This In a suit contract, you still keep what
You are East. West leads the six of means that partner holds at most two partner can’t. The added thing to think
diamonds. You win with the ace and diamonds and thus that discarding two about is that declarer might ruff a suit
return the nine. Partner runs the suit. diamonds would be fatal. Since South good. The bidding and play to date tell
Dummy discards two spades and a heart, might hold J-x of spades, partner will be you that South started with A-K-Q-x-x
you two clubs and South one spade and able to help protect the third round of of hearts. If you throw another heart,
one heart. On a club switch, declarer spades but not necessarily the second you can no longer protect the fifth round
runs four rounds of the suit. You must round – so you do not want to discard and your opponent can ruff a heart in
find three discards. You put South with two spades either. Correct is to throw dummy to set up a long card.
the major-suit aces (or West could have one spade and one diamond. You must keep what partner can’t – in
cashed out). Those, plus four clubs and Had the bidding been different, giving this case, the heart suit – and throw a
the spade king would give eight tricks. you reason to place South with three diamond on the second and third rounds
This tells you to put West with the spade spades and three diamonds, you would of trumps. Although this leaves your
king. A count of South’s points says the again have followed the principle that queen unguarded, this does not matter
same. A-K of spades, the heart ace and you keep what partner can’t. In that case, since you place partner with the king.
both minor queens would be 15. You can as only you could guard the third round You must assume this or declarer has
throw all your spades! You must keep of spades, you would keep your spades eleven tricks: five trumps, three hearts,
hearts because partner can’t. and rely on partner to guard diamonds. two diamonds and a heart ruff. ■

Page 37
 Born to Blush
Unseen
by Dick Atkinson

M
y ancient but formidable Blackwood bid functioned as a transfer, He might duck in case his partner had
uncle, Baron Leopold von ensuring that the big hand became the singleton king...’
Münchaussen, was perusing dummy, and so that there would be ‘You forget that, thanks to the choice
some bridge magazine or other which perfect defence! You see the point – only of response, the strong hand has
had arrived in the morning mail. ‘Gray perfect technical play by declarer will performed the dance of the seven veils:
got it right, you know.’ do. The lead is a spade. Over to you.’ all is revealed –’
‘Harrison Gray?’ I asked. That great ‘6♥ is a much better contract. Even
English international had been a near 7♥ is perhaps better, though not good, The Full Monty
contemporary of Uncle Leo, being born of course. Or –’
at the turn of the century. The harrumph was deafening. ‘The Full Monty,’ I interrupted.
‘No, no! The poet: Full many a rose is ‘You’re waffling, boy! What do you ‘Quite so. The defender can see the
born to blush unseen, And waste its play?’ ♣K-Q. If the ace is doubleton, he’ll
sweetness on the desert air. That Gray.’ ‘I suppose there is a finite chance of a return the other trump to table and
‘I’m sorry?’ doubleton ♣J and a singleton ♦K...’ you’re down anyway. Therefore, since
‘Gray’s Elegy. Look at this refreshing ‘You’ve just gone down. Listen to you need a singleton ♣A to throw the
little publication. ‘Bridge’ – what this.’ He peered watery-eyed through player in, you should lead –’
simplicity. And it’s free too. Did you the blue haze of a Double Corona, and ‘A small trump!’ I interrupted.
know you could buy bridge mugs, read from the printed article: Not only ‘You’re right Uncle Leo! Take the ♠A,
bridge T-shirts – whatever they are – did the small slam have no play, East cash the ♥A, lead the ♣3 to the ♣A and
and even bridge Christmas cards? lost two trump tricks when South turned South must give you a discard or a free
Fascinating. But this deal... dear oh up with the singleton Ace of clubs to finesse in diamonds; then you can draw
dear. Why don’t people learn to expect finish two down!’ trumps with the ♣K-Q. Masterly.
the unexpected?’ ‘Well, there you are. It can’t be The old man had fixed me with a
helped.’ baleful glare. ‘Imbecile! Have you
Expect the Unexpected ‘And what did South return to put this learned nothing? You are no better than
contract two down?’ I tried to read the the perpetrator of this article.’
The hands and auction were as follows: page upside down, but the print was too ‘But I make the contract,’ I protested.
small. ‘He doesn’t tell you. He doesn’t ‘And if North has ♣A-J-4-2 and South
have to tell you!’ has the guarded ♦K? What then? You
West East Ah, I see it now. It couldn’t be a will be three down! There were only
♠ K 10 5 4 ♠ A spade, or declarer would ditch the three wrong clubs and six right ones
♥ K Q 10 9 7 6 ♥ A losing diamond on the king. And it and, with odds like that and three
♦ QJ8 ♦ A9 couldn’t be a diamond through the chances, you couldn’t find one of them!’
♣ Void ♣ K Q 10 9 8 7 6 5 3 queen-jack, killing the King. And it ‘That’s not very fair. I was hardly
couldn’t be a trump, because he hadn’t awake. I’m sure I’d have got it right at
got one. ‘A heart. Yes! So even though the table,’ I lied.
West North East South the contract doesn’t make, he could save ‘And are you awake now?’
1♥ Pass 4NT Pass the extra undertrick by cashing the ♥A I nodded, my heart sinking.
5♣ Pass 6♣ Pass before playing the king of trumps.’
End ‘Numbskull! Of course, the heart first. Aristocrats v Plutocrats
But the trump king can never secure
‘The auction, of course, is a thing of your contract, as an opponent with ‘This deal from the 1959 Aristocrats v
real beauty –’ ♣A-x-(x) will take the ace immediately Plutocrats final has certain similarities to
‘But, Uncle Leo, why rush into –’ and exit safely with a small trump.’ that other. Let’s see whether you have
‘Don’t interrupt. That ridiculous ‘You mean I should lead the queen? learned anything.’

Page 38
 Born to Blush Unseen just as good.’
cont inued ‘Or as bad. In the other room, I played
the ♠A at trick two, then came back to Better Hand
Evaluation
hand with a heart to play the ♠7.’

♠ J 10 8 7 4 2 ♠ A Lucky Guess?
♥ A Q 10 N ♥ KJ7 Bernard Magee
W E
♦ A 10 8 S
♦ J97 ‘That’s a lucky guess. Why play the
♣ A ♣ Q 10 8 7 5 4 weaker suit?’
Introduction
‘Cretin! Firstly, since you can’t lead
up to the ♣Q-10 yourself, the two suits Better Hand Evaluation is aimed at
‘The auction was standard: are exactly equivalent in attack. Your helping reader s to add greater accur acy
losers are restricted to two about 72% to their bidding. It deals with auctions
West North East South of the time. But you ignored the key in which you and your par tner, against
1♠ Pass 2♣ Pass similarity to that previous hand. You silent opponents, can fully descr ibe
2♠ Pass 3♣ Pass have shown up with a singleton ♣A, your hands to each other and, by
3NT Pass End and were unable to rebid in a four-card evaluating them accur ately, find the
red suit. You must have six spades, best final contr act. The emphasis of all
‘Surely the 3♣ sign-off is –’ which, since you have gone for the good, accur ate bidding is on hand
‘Not. East’s weak call is Pass; 3♣ is clubs instead, must be weaker than evaluation.
constructive, as every good player knows. Q-10-8-7-x-x. Everybody can see exactly
There are two gener al types of auction:
Both players have bid quite strongly how the diamonds lie. You have done a) A fit is found and b) No fit is found.
enough on a patent misfit. North leads the the Full Monty, as you so inelegantly
♦2, to the ♦7, ♦Q, ♦A. Plan the play!’ phrased it and the small spade switch When you do not have a fit, you are
After a moment’s furious thought and will be inevitable, even from, say, Q-x!’ aiming to descr ibe the strength of your
the clues of the previous tongue-lashing, ‘But in your line they can switch to a hand as soon as possible, most often
I replied, ‘It’s pretty straightforward. You club... Damn!’ using no-tr ump bids. This book begins
have six tricks on top, so you need three ‘Exactly so: usually you will be able by discussing balanced hand bidding in
more. You can afford to lose two clubs. to restrict your club losers to one if they Acol, as it is very important that both
Cash the ♣A, cross to the ♥J, lead the are played for you. Never mind. Have a members of a par tner ship have an
club seven,’ I purred. ‘They clear the look at page two of that BRIDGE thing. accur ate knowledge of how to show
diamonds, hopefully I force out the There’s a clever little machine which hands of different strengths.
remaining high club, they cash a... No?’ Allows you to take back any bid or play, When a fit is found, there is much re-
or to view all hands... Or perhaps evaluation of the hand to be done; point
Only 72% Chance of Making something requiring less skill would count, though still important, needs to
suit your – er – talents better. I suggest be evaluated along with distribution.
‘You were hoping to make on a 3-3 you take up Beggar-My-Neighbour. The best way of reaching an accurate
break, or 4-2 with a doubleton honour, You’ll still have all the fun of counting assessment is to use the Losing Tr ick
or 5-1 with a singleton honour or nine.’ up your points – four for an ace, three Count; this is an impor tant method of
Well, OK, if he said so. ‘That’s about a for a king and so on.’ hand evaluation and takes up a number
72% bet.’ of chapter s.
‘Abso-lutely!’ I gloated. 100% Skill
Finally, we move on to different for ms
‘In fact South has:
of evaluation including game tries and
I was cut to the quick. ‘I’m surprised
splinter bids. You can never know
♠K63♥8642♦Q53♣K92 you think I could master its intricacies,’
enough methods of hand evaluation;
I shot back. ‘Why not go the whole hog,
the more you learn, the better you get at
In with the ♣9, he simply plays his ♠3 and suggest Snap?’
judging your hand.
and the contract becomes unmakeable. His lip curled ominously. (He had
The Billionaire holding your cards informed me previously that, on more Although the Losing Tr ick Count is
played a little better. He led the ♣Q than one historical occasion, the more easily used in tandem with your
rather than the ♣7. The odds are the Münchaussen Sneer had been worth at partner, a large propor tion of the ideas
same, since he hopes for a doubleton ♣J least an extra squadron of uhlans in the in this book can be used by an
or ♣9; but since he gives the opponents Prussian cause.) ‘I knew there was bad individual. For example, evaluating
no choice of who wins the trick, he blood in my brother-in-law’s family... your hand to be worth an extra point is
might hope that the spade switch might Snap, my dear idiot, is perhaps the only going to help anyone you par tner – as
be less obvious to the holder of the ♣K. card game which is 100% pure long as you get it r ight!
But the spade was led back anyway.’ skill...’ ■
That infuriating old man! He had £14.20 including postage
virtually tricked me into playing a from , Ryden Grange,
middle club with his misleading clue. Previously published in BRIDGE 38. Knaphill, Surrey GU21 2TH
‘Nevertheless,’ I said, ‘it made no Reprinted to satisfy popular demand. ( 01483 489961
difference, so my line was, in practice,

Page 39
 BRIDGE COVER CARTOON
BUBBLE CAPTION COMPETITION
I said vulnerable not available. Michael Brecknell, London. Take Behan, Surrey. Minors on the make? Mrs J Llewellyn, Swansea.
out double for minor royalty. Richard Moore, Herefordshire. Having Misfit. Mr Thomas Thompson, Isle of Islay. Looking for a ‘minor’
no spades. Michael Tudor-Craig, Hampshire. Weak two or strong miracle. Dr H. Lacey, Suffolk. A right pair of cards. Mr D Gage,
two? Mr J Adie, Fife. That’s no minor attraction. Andrew Heaver, Norfolk. Did you bring the spades? Mrs B J Ide, Kent. No reply
Northampton. Time to try the clubs. Mr F. D. Fallon, Dorchester. with only five points. Mr Victor Groom, Bristol. We would never
Have you an announcement to make? Esther Peach, Swindon. miss the Brighton Congress. John Tennant, Bedfordshire. A
....Oh look! A pair of Queens. Mrs L Bacchus, Farnham. Honours perfect doubleton. Mrs Wendy Reed, Hampshire. They adore
pair squeeze at weekend duplicate break. Mr R Hill, Hampshire. unassuming cue bids. Mr and Mrs C. S. Goldsmith, Middlesex. I
Minor royals honour the summer meeting. Mr & Mrs J G would like to jump bid. Mrs Ann Riddleston, Witham. Having none
Burbridge, Cambridge. Jack leads diamond and wins Queen’s partner? Major General M Clarke, Hampshire. Tides in – not a
heart. Reuben Chambers, Kenilworth. It’s a bit like a mini bridge spade in sight. Mr Anthony Mann, Warwickshire. Well defended,
– goes nowhere! Ronald Carlisle, Dundee. Holiday romance? partner. They’ve sunk without trace. Miss Rachel Edwards,
'Club, diamond, two hearts? End'. Ben Chambers, Inverness. My Nottinghamshire. In her hand, a short suit. Mr J P Allen, Aberdeen.
hand is not what it appears. Philip Carvel, Leicestershire. I always Great place for a bridge weekend. Mr Brain Tapp, Bramhall.
said sitting West was unlucky. Beryl Pitman, West Sussex. Honours Touching singletons on a minor package deal. Mr Ronald Holton,
are us!! Mr B L Mason, London. I thought you said Brighton Staffordshire. A minor seaside romance. Mr J D Collins, Merseyside.
pairs. Mrs P M Sledger, Kenilworth. Jack bags diamond; Queen ‘Royals’ in minor suits win pier tournament. Mrs Sylvia Chernick,
discards King. A Chambers, Inverness. King away. Mrs K. Kirby, West Whitefield. Probably two spades would be useful here! Mrs Jan
Yorkshire. I’ll cover your honour Bailey, Surrey. P2P. Oh, what a
'Mrs Smith'. Claude E Fielding, lovely war. George Hudd, Surrey.
Cobham. Summer rained out, South leads Queen of
so more bridge. Mrs E Molander, Diamonds. Mr and Mrs J A
Norwich. The Misfits. Miss Una Goodchild, Sidmouth. Sorry! No
McCann, Cardiff. Two minors out congress for minors! Mrs
for the day. Mrs Joyce Knight, Brenda Frisby, Rutland. The
Hertfordshire. Come along, we’ll minors have a holiday. Mrs P D
try my forcing pass. John Baker, Hertfordshire. Lead me on.
Rankin, Perth. We’ll sink or Mrs B. Munro, West Sussex. Did
swim on that bidding. Mr Derek you bring the spades? Mrs T M
Shafar, Glasgow. Not the deck I Wright, Queensferry. Oh dear!
had in mind.... Mr Jim Andrews, Only one spade between us.
London. Our partners think Mr A George, Wokingham. Are you
we’re playing bridge! Mrs Ann game for an afternoon
Beaney, Corfe Mullen. A choice session? Mr K Payne, Hertfordshire.
of throw-in options. Mr Bob Announcing a minor engage-
McMahon, Surrey. What to lead ment. Fred and Carol Berglund,
initially? Mr John Dobbin, Surrey. A double is on the
Berkshire. Did the knave see a cards. Mrs Barbara Mitchell,
bare Queen? Mrs Sylvia Cotgrave, Letchworth Garden City. Off
West Midlands. I’m short-suited. clubbing with a minor. Roger
Mrs Isabel Sandland, Sheffield. Did Robinson, Wareham. Time to test
you bring the spades? Mrs Irene my squeeze play. Mrs Lydia
Button, Poole. Relaxed royal Stanford, East Sussex. Jack the
takeout incognito at Brighton. lad’s latest squeeze! Mrs Jill
Miss Maureen Bergin, Northern Clark, Hertfordshire. Any major
Ireland. It would appear we’re attractions? Mrs Elsie Forrest,
short-suited. Mr Brian Pinner, Lanarkshire. Trust your partner.
London. Missing the Queen. Mrs E A Neal, Cheltenham. A
Sheila Johnson, Surrey. Your jump minor break by south. Mr D
bid was badly timed. Mrs Nan Mason, Leicester. Practicing
Bell, Tyne and Wear. The majors takeouts for the Sussex pairs.
play bridge on the pier. Mr D H Linton, London. With only
Hannah Dircze, London. Touching suits! Mr D J Fishley, five points it’s blind support. Mr Roy Stock, Northampton. Led
Buckinghamshire. No shortage of Queens in Brighton. Mr D M astray by Clubs! Mrs Eileen Worstenholme, Hope Valley. Can we
Reed, Brighton. I’m alright, I’ve brought my spade. Mrs P play now please? Mrs B Le Fleming, Kent. Plan your play! Mrs
Schurmann, Highgate. We don’t have to play bridge. Mr John Pauline Bell, Cheshire. A favourable break. Mr David Evenson,
Metson, Reading. What a lovely hand I’m holding. Mrs Penny Oke, Wolverhampton. A sacrificial jump my dear! Mrs Fiona Wilkins,
Essex. Play my cards right, she is biddable. Mrs Anna Milner, Kingston. Two minors out on a spree. Mr V Parry, Twickenham. Our
Surrey. They’re only here for the EBU Congress. Mrs Else Baker, performance requires good support. Mr L E Freeman, Berkshire.
Hertfordshire. King and Queen in hand. Mr M Hall, Wales. Now The Diamond Queen clubbing at the seaside. Howard Jones,
where do we embark for Discovery? Mr D A Southward, West Sussex. Do you like his club suit? Mrs Page, Surrey. When
Lancashire. There are too many Queens down south. Mr Colin in trouble, why not double. Mrs S Bellamy, Lincolnshire. A
Thomas, Wales. Age admission strictly by Rule of Twenty. Mrs princely pass. Frazer Shaw, Warwickshire. Minor Deception. Mr S J
Caroline Gamlin, Bristol. Not the diamond I expected. Mrs Ethna Connor, Hertfordshire. Double squeeze, Clubs and Hearts! Mr and
Pilkington, London. We pay to play the fruit machines. Mrs Diana Mrs J Cook, Cardiff. I heart, doubled. Mr John Gillum, East Sussex.
Parish, Perthshire. Jack says ‘We’re playing away’. Mrs Juli Mittaz, Played my cards right; exited with Queen! Mrs K M Chambers,
Gloucestershire. A couple of cards on holiday. Mrs Julia Farmer, Warwickshire. Two honours in the south hand. Mr B Honey, West
Cornwall. A take out double. Mr S. Mawdsley, Lancashire. Sorry, we Sussex. The diamond Queen clubbing at the seaside. Mr Howard
don’t serve minors! Mr David Noble, Northumberland. We’ve just Jones, West Sussex. We’ve discarded our spades. Mr C R Ruff, East
won the mixed pairs. Mrs Joy Rowe, Swindon. Just another Finchley. Weather’s turned up trumps again. Mrs M E Muntus,
mixed pair playing away. Mrs Y Mills, York. We’ll both discard Norfolk. Fancy dress at the Brighton Congress. Mrs S Gwyer,
our suits. Dr M Box, Reading. Voyage of Discovery partner? Mr Stonehouse. Turned away for being minors! Mr Wilfred Parry,
Julian Foster, Devon. I can’t respond – we’re not suited. Mrs Zena Oswestry. The squeeze is our game! Mrs Diane James, West Sussex.
Learner, Hertfordshire. No better place for a knave (or a Queen). Missing Ace and King. Mrs Anne Daly, London. Where’s the rest
Mr Paul Goddard, Bedford. Watch out for those bridge sharks. Mrs of the pack? Mr David Stemp, Surrey. Let’s see if the pavilion’s
P Bailey, Nottinghamshire. Minor royals on holiday. Mrs Maurine got vacancies. Mrs Judith Collins, Teddington. Two’s company, we’ll
Kilpatrick, Kilmacolm. Mixed pairs play away! Mrs B Povey, do without the queen. Mrs A L Browning, Bristol. Partnership
Hertfordshire. Only majors are welcome in the Pavilion. Mr T understanding. Mr P A Bell, Hexham.
 depriving anyone of playing ‘bubbles’ are eight and nine

READERS’ a hand.
Mr Hugh Williams,
Daventry, Northants.
words?
Mr R Hill, Fleet, Hampshire.

THREE-HANDED
BOY DONE WELL I refer to the letter from Jean

LETTERS We enjoy the letters and

everything else. How do you
find enough editorial
material? It must be tough.
I see our Julian has come
Holford, Prenton, Wirral in
BRIDGE 89.
I have found a satisfactory
way to play proper bridge
three handed. The single
on well from a lad from person simply bids the N/S or
Portsmouth. Well done him. E/W hands by looking at
JUDGEMENT Jeremy Dhondy’s article in Chris & Sylvia West, both. The other players must
With reference to Mr the August magazine about Sutton, Surrey. trust her to play by the bidding
Calviou’s letter in BRIDGE 90 the rule of 15, might decide rules so the advantage she
regarding re-dealing passed to open with the West hand. USED STAMPS gains is minimal. Once the
out hands. The main reason Deciding whether or not to I am pleased to have details contract is established,
why this is forbidden is to open with hands like these is of your chosen charity. Now dummy is either already with
prevent players from forcing an essential part of a player’s we know, I expect stamps to the single person, otherwise
their bidding systems onto judgement. However, if the come pouring in as before. dummy moves into the
other players. Suppose the board is re-dealt at the first Mr Colin Bamberger, vacant seat and plays the
following deal is the first you table because it is passed Ipswich, Suffolk. fourth hand. The scoring is
see at a session. out, the re-deal prevents done on the normal Chicago
anybody who plays even LIBRARY method. Like any other game
small variations to ‘standard’ Many years ago, you this would be no fun if
Dealer North. Love All. Acol from using their bidding produced a series of booklets anyone cheated!
North judgement. This is obviously on particular aspects of James Campbell,
♠ 72 to their disadvantage. bidding and play. These were West Kilbride.
♥ J63 Furthermore, suppose sold off at bargain prices. I
♦ AK98 North has been dealt 15 have borrowed some from a HELP PLEASE
♣ K752 points but makes a mistake friend and found them a I have been trying to learn
West East when counting his high-card good reference source. Any bridge for the last year or so
♠ AQ63 ♠ 984 points. Finding only 11 points chance of re-introducing or and find difficulty in
♥ 87 ♥ A K 10 9 4 2 because he has omitted the re-printing them? remembering the bidding,
♦ J754 ♦ 32 points for an ace, he passes. Mr Brian Gibson, although I really enjoy
♣ A94 ♣ J3 If the hand is passed out and Frinton-on-Sea, Essex. playing the cards. We have a
South re-dealt, he gets away with I have no plans for such friendly, small group with an
♠ K J 10 5 his mistake! a project at present. expert teacher and they all
♥ Q5 The final point to make is try and help me – but to no
♦ Q 10 6 that the hand shown will be OVER THE LIMIT avail, any ideas?
♣ Q 10 8 6 opened at some tables. On page 40 of BRIDGE 89 Mrs H Jennings,
Assuming this has happened your answer to the number Leatherhead, Surrey.
before it gets to Mr Calvious’s of words for the bubble
If you and your opponents table, he will sit and ‘twiddle competition is ‘seven words WANTED
play a weak no-trump his thumbs’ if the hand is only’, why therefore have two Bridge partner for 82 year-
(12-14 HCP) and strong twos, passed out, though he will entries on page six been old lady. ( 01225 464546.
this board will probably be be doing so knowing that awarded prizes when their Mrs D Allan, Bath.
passed out. North has 11 someone has opened the
points, East 8, South 10 and bidding at another table.
West 11. Lots of partnerships Knowing that none of the REDUCE THE COST OF YOUR POSTAGE
play slight variations on hands is passed out can Postage stamps for sale at 90% of face-value,
standard Acol. For instance, influence the bidding at other all mint with full gum. Quotations for
anybody who plays 1NT as tables. Law 17.E states, ‘The commercial quantities available on request.
11-14 will probably open the auction period ends when all Values supplied in 100s, higher values
North hand. Partnerships four players pass or when, available as well as 1st and 2nd class
playing weak twos in the after three passes in rotation (eg 1st class: 100 x 35p + 100 x 1p)
majors will open the East have followed any call, the (/Fax 020 8422 4906
hand with 2♥. Readers of opening lead is faced.’ This is e-mail: [email protected]
BRIDGE who have read right and proper and is not

Page 41
 much as the usual game. If JUST MADE IT
READERS’ LETTERS continued there is any interest I would This letter concerns the
be happy to give the details problems and pleasures of
by e-mail, letter or phone. taking up bridge in later life
FOR COLLECTORS It is an excellent mental Mr J Herman, Elstree, and the sense of déjà vu I
Following an article a little exercise. Analysing the Herts. ( 0208 3866038. experienced as I struggled to
while ago, you may be captions sent from all over learn the game; which
interested to let your readers the UK is most interesting RUBBER LAWS reminded me of similar
know that my illustrated book and perhaps the most I play mostly rubber bridge difficulties I had experienced
of Scoring and Tally Cards striking thing is the amount and have a book entitled The with Latin as a schoolboy at
has been published. of captions that are almost International Laws of Whitehaven Grammar some
Those interested should identical. I wonder if people Contract Bridge 1993. Please fifty odd years before! The
send £10 to include postage. whose captions fall into this can you tell me if there is a poem, which accompanied
Mr J G Thorpe, 10 Brook Way, category would make good more recent book for rubber the letter was entitled
Romsey, Hampshire SO51 7JZ. bridge partners? This could bridge players? ‘Language Difficulties’.
be a whole new field of Mrs T Gillett, I thought that you might
SOME HOPE research in telepathy, which Lymington, Hampshire. like to know that, unlike
Looking around for an interest we all expect our partners to You have the current law Latin, I have not given up
a little more sedentary than be able to exhibit when the book for rubber bridge. bridge and, though, I am not
showing my Persian cats up occasion demands. Then very good, I am thoroughly
and down the country and again, there is the aspect of NEW CLUB enjoying playing. I suppose
gardening, I thought bridge humour which seems to be We are arranging a friendly, that, although one doesn’t
might be a good idea, though similar for the whole of the social bridge club, which will have as many ‘little grey
I have never played any cards UK. You see Mrs Iley, you meet at 7pm Wednesdays at cells’ as one had at school,
before. have to look a little deeper to Tydd St Giles Golf Centre, with age comes a bit more
I began in January and find the enjoyment of these Kirkgate, Tydd St Giles, tenacity and perseverance!
after a couple of months captions. Wisbech, Cambs. Jim Dixon, Merseyside.
nearly fell by the wayside, I’m sure the artist of these Contact Bill ( 01945 870447.
along with a few others, but brilliant cartoons is gratified
then thanks to a superb that so many people take the HELP LANGUAGE DIFFICULTIES
teacher, started to make time and trouble to study her Some years ago, I ordered a
To steer clear of our hospitals
progress. work and I, for one, would folding director’s chair from And their geriatric wards,
I’m finally beginning to get miss them. your magazine. I now need Discerning senior citizens
my head around the basics Mr F Conlan, another and they are no Are urged to take up cards.

and have decided to press Maghull, Merseyside. longer available. Does It helps to keep the mind alert-
on. The major shock was the anyone have a spare one for Or that's what one is told;
sale? 01253 733753. Just learning the game of
discovery that far from the NEW BID contract bridge,
leisurely social pastime I The cards were dealt very Mrs Phillips, Lancashire. Can stop you growing old.
enjoyed, it seems to move quickly and the second pack
So I too have joined a bridge club
with lightening speed – it’s had only just been placed BROWNIE POINTS And the members there are kind,
kill or be killed! I’ve certainly back on the table, after Thank you very much for But they talk some funny
had to change my attitude shuffling, when the first two having informed us about language
Global Travel Insurance. After And I've so much on my mind.
and get my brain in gear. Not bids – ‘one heart,’ ‘one
a bad idea! I’ve enjoyed my spade,’ were made. The next years of tedious (and hugely There's one called Easley
expensive) dealings with Blackwood,
first copy of BRIDGE and hope bid, ‘too soon,’ caused much
And Stayman is another,
to receive others in the laughter. other travel insurance And whose this bloke called Peter?
future. Richard Lockyer, Bournemouth. companies, we were 'Cos I can't tell one from t'other!
Mrs Wright, delighted to find this one. It
And why is a ruff not on a shirt,
Northwich, Cheshire. THREE HANDS not only accepts clients in Or a dummy in a baby's mouth,
I have just been re-reading their eighties without lots of A suit not in a wardrobe
questions, but does so at a And west can move to south?
WELL I NEVER your April Magazine and
Further to Mrs Gillian Iley regarding the letter from very reasonable price and And this Acol bidding system,
Jean Holford, Prenton, Wirral. then allows a discount to Is just driving me insane,
from Epsom and her
And now they're trying to tell me,
comments in BRIDGE 90 that We have a regular rubber Mr Bridge applicants.
That tenace is not a game!
the bubble captions are silly bridge game and when there We don’t play a lot of
So I declare it isn't cricket,
nonsense. To study a scene are only three of us we play bridge any more, but your
And am feeling such a fool,
and make a relevant the three-handed version magazine continues to give 'Cos it's dropping me like Latin did,
observation in seven words that I used in ‘Stefans’ Club great pleasure. When I used to go to school!
requires a certain amount of many years ago. As far as I Mr D Lumley, Jim Dixon
discipline and clear thought. am concerned, I enjoy it as Melksham, Wiltshire.

Page 42
READERS’ LETTERS continued
the holiday.
l Don’t hide your disability.
two people finish up doing
all that is necessary to run
Always wear a badge the club. One area
obtainable from Hearing somewhat neglected is any
PRIMER WANTED could have been achieved Concern ( 0845 0744600. form of director. This often
Can you recommend a only with the support and l Reserve a seat nearest leads to members with
booklet which outlines encouragement of every club the teacher. widely differing ideas of the
‘Simple Bridge for Beginners’? member present. I trust the above suggestions rules causing acrimony and
I have played bridge, but I would like to record, on will be both helpful and ill feeling in the club. The
reading the magazine has behalf of our club, our encouraging. person organising the club
shown me I don’t really know sincere thanks for the use of Cherry Turley, has no standing and, when
all that I should. this article. You will see the Gerrards Cross, Bucks. reluctantly called upon to
Mrs N Morgan, acknowledgement of this is make a decision, always
Bicester, Oxon. on the front page. Copies of GUERNSEY loses out.
the booklet and score card EXAMPLE To become a director at
GOOD TO ASK were sent to Mr Capal, My wife and I celebrated my present, one must first be an
I was under the impression General Manager of the EBU sixty-fifth birthday with a EBU member, then attend
bubble captions should be – perhaps it could be used to holiday to Guernsey during the EBU courses which is not
bridge-related, so what was help other clubs encourage the first week in August. necessarily the route people
the connection with ‘Hideous new members. Following enquires, we wish to take. Based on the
Hog’ and ‘Nice Goulash’? Mrs Audrey Baldwin, Club established that bridge was yellow book, might you
Mrs M Taylor, Stockport. Secretary, Hampton Duplicate played at the Beau Sejours consider bridge weekends to
Hideous Hog was a Bridge Club, Herne Bay, Kent. Leisure Centre and visitors train non-EBU directors? I
character out of Victor Mollo’s were welcome. can see no objection to
Bridge in the Menagerie. A CHRISTMAS LIFT We were made extremely some form of certification
Goulash is a re-deal at I’m going to spend Christmas welcome and everyone was declaring the person to have
Rubber Bridge, the cards at the Mr Bridge event at so friendly throughout the an understanding of the
being dealt in threes with a Denham Grove, near evening. Some members laws of duplicate bridge.
last round of four. Freak Uxbridge and would be also informed us bridge was R N D Houghton,
hands often result from this happy to share costs with played the following evening Ruislip, Middlesex.
type of deal. anyone driving down from at the Castel Cricket Club I will speak to David
the Northants area. If and, as it was a fair distance Stevenson about this.
GENTLE DUPLICATE interested, please ring. from our hotel, offered
I am writing on behalf of Mrs Delafons. transport there and back. BIN THEM
Hampton Bridge Club to ( 01280 705800. We enjoyed another night of As well as club bridge, I play
show how useful your recent keenly contested bridge in a a great deal at home with
article in your magazine has WITH DIFFICULTY convivial atmosphere that friends and we all have
proved to our club. I am 75 years young, was compounded the numerous packs of cards,
We are a club of about 70 severely to profoundly deaf. following evening with which are perfectly clean
members, meeting once a With the help of a powerful another session at the Beau and usable, just looking a bit
week on a Monday with, on digital hearing aid and lip Sejours. We are avid readers tired! We get tired of them,
average, nine tables. reading, I have at last found of your magazine and often too, and long to use a new
Your excellent article gave something that is both read about petty behaviour pack!
us the idea of a ‘Welcome to possible and enjoyable – during bridge evenings. Rather than throw them
Duplicate’ evening to bridge. Therefore, we thought it away, I would like to give
encourage new members I have managed a Gentle appropriate to record how them away for use in clubs
and also students from the Duplicate weekend this wonderful game can be for the elderly, children’s
classes of two local bridge successfully, having found the made even better if homes, or any other
teachers, Cyril Parker and bridge play easier than the everyone embraces the charitable organisation. I
Andrew Birchell. socialising at meal times and spirit of the game in the used to give them to service
We held the event on the have now booked two weeks manner of the players in men’s clubs or schools but
16th June with a total of 15 in Tunisia with Mr Bridge. Guernsey. cannot find anyone who
tables. Each guest was given I wish to raise the following Mr J Dyer, Mold, Clwyd. would like them these days.
a copy of our Introduction to three helpful points, Can you help?
Duplicate leaflet (based on remembering that the boxes NEW WEEKENDS Pamela Littlejohns,
your article) together with were originally designed for Could I submit a suggestion Fleet, Hampshire.
their own special score us deaf people: for your consideration? Many Throw them away. The
cards. l Make the organiser / small clubs are not involved sensual pleasure of using
The event proved director aware of your with the EBU and do not new cards should be part
extremely successful. This deafness from the start of wish to be. Usually one or of the enjoyment.

Page 43
 more than 11 points is about churlish and curmugdeonly;
READERS’ LETTERS continued 3 in ten to the power of 36. he should confine his reading
However, one such deal is to more erudite journals.
not unlikely (36%) and two or Thank you, Bernard, for your
MIXED ABILITY bridge teaching and clubs in more (19%) is possible. In this articles which are a help and
Could you not arrange bridge the Godstone and latter case, assuming there joy to many thousands who
weekends for mixed ability? Warlingham area of Surrey, are 12 tables, 48 players read BRIDGE.
I’m fairly accomplished, my please ring me. might each spend 15 (or Derek Hambidge, by email.
husband a near beginner Bob McMahon. more) minutes exercising
and we would love to go on ( 01883 622149. their thumbs! NICKNAMES
something that we’d both I would hope and expect As in other leisure activities,
learn from. SPECIAL AGENT that in due course, this rule would it not be good to have
Mrs Mette Breminer, As a volunteer in the book (22A is it?) will be modified to nicknames for some of our
Oxted, Surrey. section of the local hospice ‘allow’ clubs to do what best known players. Here are
distribution centre, I recently many of them have done for a few suggestions;
CUT BACK found a copy of Contract years. All as sent in anonymously by
May I also take this Bridge. The Barton Variation Ron Mathams, someone calling themselves
opportunity of thanking you The only certain method of Norwich, Norfolk. The Hum Drum Bulldog.
for your free magazine, Slam Bidding. 1934. Price
which I enjoy immensely, one shilling. I have never MORE RE-DEALING
although I do agree with one heard of this system. Can Mr Calviou is in error if he NICKNAMES
other reader who finds two you throw any light on it? believes that passed-out Bob Rowlands – The Caretaker
hands should be re-dealt. Bill Townsend – The Tornado
whole pages of captions Would it interest any
Gordon Rainsford – The Reverend
rather tedious! collector in return for a Just because the first pairs to Dom Goodwin – Bambi
Why not limit this to your donation? play that particular deal Andrew Kambites – The Politician
three favourite ones? Mrs Margaret Eddeston, decide to pass does not Paul Lamford – The Detective
David Burn – The Warden
Andrew Mountain, Hitchin, Herts. mean that others will do the
Tony Forrester – The Architect
Rhosrobin, Wrexham. ( 01462 623447. same. I have been scoring Michelle Brunner – The Artist
I have reduced the captions our club’s duplicate sessions Tony Priday – The Tourist
to just one page in this issue DON’T GIVE UP for a number of years and I Brian Maguire – The Marshall
Dave Huggett – The Smiler
to squeeze in some more Having become have seen on many
Freddie North – The Locksmith
bridge, but I can already feel disenchanted with EBU occasions where some pairs Jeremy Dhondy – The Doctor
the onslaught from the duplicate clubs, a group of pass and others bid two or Paul Hackett – The Hitman
disappointed. Back to two us now play in each other’s three of a suit. Martin Hoffman – The Rabbi
Malcolm Harris – The Romeo
pages next time – promise. homes. However, we would If you pass-out a deal you
Daivid Bakshi – The Choir Boy
like to increase our numbers. score zero. However, you Andrew McIntosh – The Jockey
GOOD FOR YOU Could you advise the best beat all those pairs who play Tom Townsend – The Scientist
As I am housebound, I do way to achieve this? your cards and go down. You David Gold – The Headmaster
Ross Harper – The Angler
look forward to playing on A Baker, Charvil, Reading. also score well against those
Gunner Halberg – The Bombardier
line at the BBO Acol club, Why not contact Mr Baker on pairs that play your Nick Sandqvist – The Viking
which you featured in your ( 07984 626118, if interested. opponents’ cards and make Nicola Smith – The Drama Queen
their contract. I have yet to Anne Rosen – The Matron
magazine. They are such a
Ian Panto – The Illusionist
friendly club and make me RE-DEALING see a deal where every pair Andrew Robson – The Magician
feel so welcome. It is the Don’t go there, Mr Calviou! passes! A deal where the Janet De Botton – The Bank
highlight of my day now! (BRIDGE 90 letters) You may partnership point counts are Manager
feel you are stating the roughly equal is just as valid David Dickson – The Surgeon
Mrs Issacharoff, London.
Rob Cliffe – The Sailor
obvious but you are stirring as a deal where one Jon Williams – The Traveller
DIRECTORY up a hornets’ nest. You will partnership has say thirty Christine Duckworth – The Super
I have updated the shortly be accused of points, or so. Indeed, after Nanny
arrogance, conceit and these part-score auctions, a Brian Callaghan – The Publican
information over three
Mark Horton – The Editor
separate forms to include a worse, cheating. Better just to tussle often develops Arthur Malinowski – The Riddler
new group and a venue attend a club which does the between declarer and John Matheson – The Bonny Price
alteration. I hope you can sensible thing. defenders, where skilled play M. Garvex – The Shamrock
Ed Scerri – The Thinker
include it all. Like a lot of The probability that any on both sides is needed.
Liz McGowan – Miss Marple
clubs, we could do with a one deal will comprise four Mr L Miles, Bernard Teltscher – The Pensioner
few more members. hands none of which Cuddington, Cheshire. Tony Gordon – The Special One
Thank you for the service; contains more than 11 points John Pain – The Director
Mike Swanson – The Surveyor
we bridge organisers and is (very nearly) 1/30. Thus, the THANK YOU
Colin Simpson – The Butcher
teachers need all the odds against 24 deals none I agree with Mr Harkavy Alexander Allfrey – The Merchant.
publicity we can get, so for of which has a hand with (BRIDGE 88) that he is

Page 44
READERS’ LETTERS continued
information about Auto-
bridge and whether it is still
below) may be what he is
looking for.
possible to buy one here? John Gardener, by e-mail.
Jack Duckworth, by e-mail.
VALUE FOR MONEY! different aspects of bridge BUBBLE CAPTIONS
I have never come across play. It was a very good YARBOROUGH With almost 200 enthusiasts
anything which has such system, which I think is of Reading a letter from submitting bubble captions
value for no money including French origin. I now play a Mr J A Barrett, of Ipswich, to BRIDGE 89 edition, it
postage and packing. variation of Goren and Acol Suffolk in shorties (BRIDGE seems to me light-hearted
P E Johnson, Tring. and I tried to get Autobridge 89). He was looking for a reading is part of the
using the Acol system. My verse in connection with the success of this excellent
CURE FOR CANCER? search was all in vain. Have Earl of Yarborough, and I magazine.
In February 2006 I had an any of your readers any wondered if this (shown Mr Goodfellow, Edinburgh.
emergency operation to
de-bulk a brain tumour. On
analysis, it was found to be a
Grade 4 cancer and I was
given 6 months to live.
However, I was promised
and received the best
possible treatment, although
it was made clear to me that
they would never be able to
get rid of the tumour. I
received the maximum
amount of radiotherapy that
an individual can withstand. I
was told that this could affect
my memory, but I was
determined it should not. I
therefore started learning
Bridge in June 2007. I
became obsessed with the
game and studied or
practised every day.
Five months later, an MRI
scan revealed that my brain
tumour had reduced by 75%.
My oncologist was amazed
at this – it was so unusual. I
had received no further
treatment in this five-month
period. The only thing that
had changed was bridge
being part of my life, so it
seems that bridge can fight
brain cancer! I think I might
now have time to become a
decent bridge player – at
least that’s my hope.
Thea Atkinson, Knutsford.

AUTO BRIDGE
Many years ago, I learned,
studied and played bridge in
Singapore using the
Autobridge System. It used
the Goren / American
bidding systems and had
various learning packs for

Page 45
READERS’ LETTERS continued
handheld-bridge computers.
They may be dated, but I
quickly, sometimes with a bit
of a flourish and that more
don’t see the point of of each card was exposed to
advising a technophobe to view and it seemed to me to
buy a laptop. I have had a help and to be quick. When
GIFT VOUCHERS those of us who continue to couple, the latest a Saitek. It my wife learnt from me,
Why not sell gift vouchers. I use ‘Snail Mail’. plays Acol and pretty good some 40 years ago, she
run bridge lunches and I Mrs A Gittins, bridge and it fits in my developed the same habit.
think a gift voucher as a prize Somerton, Somerset. pocket, which a laptop However, we find
would be great. won’t. nowadays that some players
Mrs M Mitchell, OPENING IDEAS Steve Cornell, find this practise unfamiliar
Farnham, Surrey. Regarding ‘Any Free Lessons’ Stourport, Worcs. and off-putting. Of course it
(BRIDGE 88). To Harry Healey: would be bad manners and
94 YEARS YOUNG If you go to a chess APRIL FOOL? poor etiquette to continue
I am in my 94th year, I play tournament there will be a I really enjoyed BRIDGE 88, this way when someone at
four times each week and bookstall and most of the the mag gets better by the the table does not like it. So
am taking a party of bridge books will be on opening issue. This week, I showed it we don’t, though I, for my
players to Cornwall. (Our 14th theory, some better than to all my bridge classes and part, find it off-putting and
visit). others. I have only ever found recommended it to any of time consuming when
Miss Margaret Stock, Bath. one book on the Ideas my 150 students who don’t people meticulously lay their
Behind the Openings yet get it. I also cards down slowly in the
IRRITATING HABITS although I believe a second recommended your bridge upright position, leaving very
Two suggestions for items we has been written. A similar holidays and weekends. little of each card showing
would like to see in future situation exists in bridge. I just worry that you might so that someone has to
issues of BRIDGE. There are thousands of send out so many adjust them to see if there
Firstly (a serious suggestion books on bridge bidding magazines that you end up are five or six cards in a suit
from my husband), the article systems profiting the authors going bankrupt and that and whether what’s there is
called ‘Third Hand Play’ on and booksellers and would be a huge loss to the headed Q, 9, 6, 3 or J, 10, 9,
p.31 of issue 88 is one of the ‘teachers’ but only one bridge scene in the UK. 8 or whatever.
best articles we have seen addresses how to create a As a bridge teacher, I It would be interesting to
on defence. Please may we bidding system. Namely; S J wanted to write a letter in learn whether professionals
have more articles on the Simon’s Design for Bidding. response to Antony or expert club players ever
inferences that can be drawn He explains the ideas that Harkavy’s letter, Bridge for adopt the sideways practice
from the card partner plays. developed into Acol as Idiots, BRIDGE 88. However, I these days, or whether it is
Secondly (my own opposed to English Acol and then thought this letter was now regarded as poor
suggestion) in a lighter vein, why, if you insert a new bid so bizarre, I wondered if it etiquette.
you have listed a number of into your system, you have to was an April Fool? John Hinde. Esher, Surrey.
issues around ‘Best consider the effect on all the Ian Dalziel. Troon, Ayrshire.
Behaviour at Bridge’ and other bids in the system. Get YOU NEVER KNOW
every time I have quoted a copy and read it regularly. I SIDEWAYS DUMMY We are saving cruising until
Gilbert and Sullivan’s ‘I have will be happy to supply my Your Bridge Etiquette column we are very old.
a little list...’ Why not have a index to it by email. Also S J enjoins speed in the interests Name and address supplied.
brief compilation of what Simon’s Cut for Partners and of other players. When I
irritates players most? If you Why You Lose at Bridge are learnt to play bridge from SCOTLAND, PLEASE
asked for suggestions, I am very entertaining and my father some 60 years Bridge holidays of 4-5 days
sure you would be readable, compact and ago, I picked up his habit of in Scotland or North England,
inundated. My own concentrated; as is Ian always laying dummy’s please. Thoroughly enjoy
contribution, for a start, Mcleod’s Bridge is an Easy cards down sideways to your magazine. Good Luck.
would be the elderly man Game. Simon really himself and to declarer. I Mrs A Crawford,
who sucks his teeth noisily originated KISS – Keep It noticed he could do this very Belfast, N. Ireland. ■
while his opponents are Simple Stupid. Read and
thinking (whether during Enjoy.
bidding or play), but stops Jerry Hathorn. Sawston. Write to Mr Bridge at:
when he or his partner need Ryden Grange, Knaphill, Surrey GU21 2TH
to think. POCKET-SIZED or e-mail [email protected].
Virginia Jones, by e-mail. Firstly, I hope this little burst E-mail correspondents are asked to include their
of activity will keep me on name, full postal address and telephone number,
and to send no attachments.
TRAVEL INSURANCE your mailing list. Secondly,
Please continue to advertise I think that you were a little Letters may be edited for length and clarity.
Global Travel Insurance for hard in your latest issue on

Page 46
 All club players benefit in the light of the points

READERS’ passively from a well

regulated game and the new
P2P initiative will enable
made in the article.
Mr F A Bailey, Birmingham.

LETTERS ON
everyone to contribute actively LETTER SENT TO
at club and county level. PETER STOCKEN
My interest in the game (As copied to me)
has always been at the grass I will, as you request,

THE EBU P2P roots level, in recruiting,

teaching and evolving
students into beginners’
clubs. In enfranchising a
display a copy of your letter
of 25th July on our club
notice board, together with a
copy of Mrs Landy’s article.
much broader EBU You refer to the ‘democratic
MAD HATTER’S their feet if the P2P fee membership through P2P, the process’ which has taken
TEA PARTY possibly trebles. emphasis on the governance place over the last year. This
The EBU Proposals, a All the facts are in ‘An of the organised game will would be more accurate if
contentious major policy Open Letter’ on www. shift from a predominately individual members had
change, were passed on a gosportbridge.hampshire. tournament orientated been given a vote. In fact, the
simple majority decision at org.uk. The EBU was sent a executive to a more process has more
the EGM. Now we are in an draft of that letter and the democratic and relevant characteristics of an
‘Alice in Wonderland’ financial projections and was organisation. oligarchy than of a
situation where, if you want asked to point out any Universal membership of democracy.
the EBU to die, you need do inaccuracies. Peter Stocken, the governing body for all You say in your letter that
nothing. But, if you want the our EBU Chairman, read both club players is long overdue. the new system will reduce
EBU to survive, you will have but, significantly, made no The EBU is in the business of costs. This may be so for the
to fight very hard to get comment on the financial investing in the future of EBU, but you surely cannot
enough Shareholders to vote projections. Therefore, you organised bridge through be unaware that, for a club
against the essential Bye- can safely assume that they educational programmes, such as ours, the reverse is
Law changes needed to are accurate. many of which, especially in true. Although we are happy
implement P2P! If you want the EBU to die, schools, require long-term to support the regulatory and
Simple mathematics show do nothing. If, like Sandra planning and funding. It training work of the EBU, our
the EBU is heading for at Landy, myself and many shouldn’t have to rely on the main reason for membership
least a £200,000 loss in its others, you want the EBU to voluntary subscriptions of is masterpoints and the new
first year of P2P. Only a very survive, mandate your some club members or system raises the cost to our
large bank loan and a very County Shareholder/s to vote tournament players. We are club by a factor of three. This
substantial increase in the against the changes to the all responsible for the future is even using your somewhat
initial 29p, P2P fee, for the Bye-Laws needed for P2P. of our game, including dubious assumption that the
second year will stop the EBU It is late but not too late to students on courses, and we third of clubs who did not
from going bankrupt. Use the save the EBU from itself. should all contribute. respond to your survey
EBU’s own figures to work Keith Palmer, Gosport. Sue Maxwell, Aylesbury. would nonetheless go along
this out for yourself, and with the new proposals in the
don’t forget the £36,500 IN SUPPORT OF EBU NEED TO same proportion as those
additional VAT bill that P2P UNIVERSAL CLUB RECONSIDER who did respond. The final
will almost certainly attract, MEMBERSHIP Three cheers for Sandra cost to the clubs will probably
but the EBU has decided not As a bridge teacher and Landy’s article ‘It is not too be higher still.
to tell us about. proprietor of a beginner’s late!’ and thank you for Mrs Landy does not say
Sandra Landy referred to bridge club, I have always giving a whole page to that members will defraud
other potential losses of joined my students and new express the views of a anyone. Those doing as she
revenue in her excellent members to the EBU as a stalwart of the game. suggests, however, will earn
article in the last issue of condition of membership. Every organisation needs a very few masterpoints in a
Bridge and they will make I have never had any real national body to monitor the year unless they enter a lot of
the financial situation even resistance to this. If game – bridge is no competitions. Your use of the
worse. So you may wonder prospective members have exception. words ‘defraud’ and ‘scams’
how the EBU will be able to ever asked ‘what’s in it for Many, many people give a is unfortunate as Mrs Landy
deliver any of the improve- me’ to join the EBU, I have great deal of their time and does not suggest anything
ments it has promised with always responded that it’s effort to the running of their that is not within your own
no liquid assets at all. Then not a matter of what is ‘in it local bridge club. It is clear rules as currently defined.
ask yourself how many clubs for them’ more what is that they would be badly let A G W Hodge, Chairman
will unaffiliate and how many important for the future of down if the EBU did not Cranleigh Bridge Club,
club members will vote with organised bridge as a whole. reconsider its P2P proposal, Loxwood, West Sussex.

Page 47
THE EBU P2P continued
dismayed that the clubs at
which I play are likely to
clubs that they had counted
those club’s ‘decisions’ as to
disaffiliate as many do not whether they were ‘likely’ to
have their own premises or re-affiliate under the EBU
VOTES FOR ALL last 20 years, ignored it’s computers and do not issue proposals or not. Without
Sandra Landy’s appeal rank and file members to master points. Therefore, the even giving the result of the
should not go unheeded. The such an extent that is has ‘benefits’ referred to by the count, they then invited clubs
recent county vote showed brought the current situation EBU of P2P are ephemeral. to advise them if they
60% of clubs to be in favour upon itself. Will the EBU I feel it is essential that we changed their minds!
of the proposals. Is this an change it’s attitudes? One have a national body that Presumably they call a halt
accurate figure? My own club local club voted to disaffiliate represents the bridge when they get the right set
voted in favour with no and the secretary did the community, but let us please of figures. Didn’t the EU do
consultation at all of its decent thing and wrote to the have one that is all-inclusive this with a Dutch referendum
members. The decision was EBU back in April this year to rather than divisive, as P2P a few years ago?
taken by the club committee, advise them. To date, the will certainly prove to be. Thank you, Sandra Landy,
comprising over 60% of EBU EBU has not even had the Janet Sheppard, for clear, honest and fervent
members, and this I now courtesy to acknowledge that Cockermouth, Cumbria. words that were not,
understand, to be heavily letter. Not even a ‘Sorry to incidentally, answered by the
influenced by the existing hear that you are leaving ANY ALTERNATIVES EBU in their letter to you
EBU members threatening to us...’ It appears that the EBU I was delighted to read dated 25 July.
leave the club if it is not changing its attitude Sandra Landy’s message on As a final comment on
disaffiliated. and still has no regard page 5 of your recent issue. that letter, I am still trying to
How undemocratic is that? whatsoever for the smaller It was so reassuring to have work out why they think that
Just like the EBU is adopting bridge clubs. further confirmation that the Sandra suggested that any
a dictatorial attitude, so too The EBU would be wise to multitude of ‘little’ clubs EBU members would resort
are the club committees, consider Sandra Landy’s which, week after week, to fraud in this, or any other,
whom, I suspect, like my own appeal seriously and re-think enjoy their Social Bridge matter. I can’t find it. Perhaps
club have unilaterally its current dictatorial, non- session, are still receiving the if they were to start using
indicated allegiance to the optional, strategy. Let those thoughts and attention of clear and honest words....
EBU proposals. who want Masterpoints, its others ‘in high places’. but then we can’t have
As I ask around our inherent ranking, magazine Sandra put her message everything in this world, can
members, I still get ‘what and diary, pay for them with clearly and succinctly and in we?
does it all mean’ questions. economic membership and doing so, reflected the We all hope that the EBU
We must insist on a one club affiliation fees. The feelings of so many in the will come to their senses
member one vote situation ‘loopholes’ that Sandra, Bridge community. soon, but if the alternative is
for such radical changes, in mentions needlessly are real What worries me – apart the EMBU, it will certainly get
order to have the true and will be used by clubs to from the way the EBU my support.
feelings of duplicate bridge appease members. This will proposals are designed Eric H Jones,
players. The ‘social’ bridge be no more ‘fraudulent’ than blatantly to extract a Great Baddow, Essex.
players in the majority of the EBU plans to attract substantial increase in
bridge clubs provide the advertisers with an increased contributions from these DISGUSTED FROM
foundation and financial magazine circulation, up to ‘little’ clubs in return for LANCASHIRE
stability of the clubs and, 50% of which will be many dubious benefits that, I am disgusted by the article
without these members, consigned to the re-cycle bin genuinely, offer so little to you published by Sandra
many clubs would cease to without being opened. Don’t them – is their suspected Landy. Please remove my
exist. In the Swindon area let this be the only benefit of preference for using carefully name from your data base
there are at least five non- P2P... lobby your committees chosen words in their biased and send no more
affiliated clubs within a seven to reconsider. sounding statements that magazines.
mile radius which those D Fenn, are designed to produce the David Burrows,
players will migrate to when Swindon, Wiltshire. right response rather than St Helens, Lancashire.
they realise that their extra the truth. Ever heard of
costs are subsidising the elite SMALL CLUB Option Selling techniques? DEMOCRATIC
few (EBU members playing May I say how much I enjoy ‘Would you prefer the red or DECISION
once a week at a club will your publication, particularly the blue one, sir?’ Answer Please Mr Bridge, and
pay substantially less than as English Bridge does not that question and you have Sandra Landy, respect the
they do at present). Are the print any other views than placed an order! Now look democratic decision of the
Scottish and Welsh bridge their own somewhat tunnel again at their club EBU to adopt P2P with
unions in the same position? vision on P2P. questionnaire. good grace!
Or is it just the English Bridge Having been a member of Recently, one County Mr K Woolf,
Union which has, over the the EBU since 1967, I am Association advised member Penzance, Cornwall.

Page 48
THE EBU P2P continued
mistaken belief that
insurance for the premises
Should they not get their
positive vote, perhaps they
will cover all eventualities. If should look at a suggestion I
the roof caves in and injures made to the Chairman of the
UNIVERSAL someone like Anne a club member, then the EBU last September: that at
MEMBERSHIP = Glendenning allowed herself liability is obviously with the affiliated clubs the table
UNIVERSAL to be influenced by the bully owner of the premises, but if money for non-members of
SUFFRAGE boys. As a club secretary, one of the club’s tables the EBU should be increased
I entirely agree with the she should have stood up to collapse causing injury, then by 50p per person and that
comments of Mike Rogerson them and encouraged her the liability is with the club. money to be sent direct to
regarding the EBU’s flawed members to do the same. I’m not a lawyer, but my the EBU. In my view it would
voting system. Apart from the The only vote that would understanding is that every not be long before the non-
examples he gives, consider give a true picture of the member of the club would members joined the EBU.
the case of three counties views of players is one share in that liability. For that Unlike the Officers of the
each with a membership of conducted on a one reason, our club will not EBU, I do not believe that the
300. In two of them, 160 are member, one vote system. consider running without shareholder’s vote is truly
in favour of a motion and 140 Why are the EBU so scared of insurance. representative of the views
against and in the third, 50 this? Mr Bridge seems to fill a lot of members within the
are in favour and 250 Perhaps one of your of gaps for the sort of players Counties.
against. When the vote is contributors or readers could that play in our sort of clubs. The EBU was accused of
taken, two counties will give answer the following Could you help in any way? being primarily for the
their votes in favour and one questions which I have been F Vas Nunes by e-mail. tournament players. Under
against, whereas overall 370 asking for many months No problem. P2P it will be even more so
people are in favour and 530 without getting a satisfactory Ring ( 01483 489961. as the club players will be
against! reply: the main contributors to EBU
I have no idea how Essex Under the new system how VOTING SLIPS finances. For many members
voted, but there was no will the EBU know when Hooray for Sandra Landy! As of the EBU the opportunities
consultation whatsoever with someone gives up the game a long term committed to play in major EBU
the members. Originally, we or dies? member of the EBU, I am sponsored events are
were asked to convey our If two players have the very disappointed that I am somewhat restricted
views to our club committee same name what guarantee to be penalised for because of travelling
(which meant that someone is there that any master supporting the EBU as the distances and overnight
who is a member of, say, five points will be allocated to the new P2P system will more accommodation costs. These
clubs has five times the input right person? than double my membership same people will play more
of someone who only belongs Also, as one of those payment. I am even more local club bridge and
to one) and were then invited obnoxious, awkward, non- disappointed by the letter therefore contribute more to
to attend the County AGM, competitive types who has no sent by the EBU Chairman to EBU funds.
which would be followed by interest in master points, can clubs following the Jill Newton, Newquay.
‘a meeting to discuss the final I have my name removed publication of Sandra’s
proposals for future from the National Ranking list article in Bridge. WHY CHANGE?
membership of the EBU’. that the EBU is always going If the EBU are so certain Well done Sandra Landy. I
Your magazine was the on about? that they have a mandate agree with all she says re
first I heard of EBU members, Mr C Simpson, from the membership at P2P. The EBU accounts for
claiming that they are Billericay, Essex. large, then they should their trading year ending
subsidising non-members prove it conclusively by 31.03.07 show £601,000 as
which is nothing short of INSURANCE enclosing a voting slip in the income received for master
blackmail and anybody COVER NEEDED? next edition of English Bridge points and subscription. I fail
making that claim should be The main reason that our with a simple Yes/No to see why this is being
thoroughly ashamed of club is affiliated to the EBU is question ‘Do you support the discontinued and relying on
themselves. The only to obtain insurance cover. EBU Strategy on P2P?’ – no clubs who affiliate to add
‘benefits’ anyone gets from Like so many of the smaller further explanation. Every money on to table money
EBU membership are a bi- clubs, we are indifferent to member has been given instead. There will be more
monthly magazine, a master master points and we won’t enough information to form work involved all round, just
point rank and the right to subscribe to any pay-to-play an opinion. If, as the EBU because the EBU wish to
take part in EBU system. officers believe, they have increase membership
competitions. Since non- So come 2010, what are we the support of the majority, numbers. There are some
members receive none of going to do for insurance? I then they will get the vote departments who make a
these ‘benefits’, what are know of several local and we can set about giving consistent loss, such as
they being subsidised for? It unaffiliated clubs that do not them the support needed to education and English Bridge.
is very disappointing that bother with insurance, on the make it work. Drene Brown by e-mail.

Page 49
THE EBU P2P continued
choose not to affiliate, when
faced with P2P bills which
this would not work, as
these so called ’rude players’
are sure to be in excess of cannot help it as their mind
£1,000 a year! A mass is so concentrated on the
DEMOCRACY? have kept everyone withdrawal of at least 25% cards, percentage play and
Peter Stocken was very quick informed during the of Clubs was indicated in the what their opponents have
to circulate his development period when EBU survey carried out in their hands that their brain
condemnation of Sandra he wrote: 'The Board has earlier this year. It is likely to does not have the ability to
Landy’s warning letter, 'It is published its proposals in all be even higher in our county, think about being courteous.
not too late!', which their forms in English Bridge based on those recording If some of these people were
appeared in the previous and has provided contact their intention to disaffiliate asked whom they played
issue of BRIDGE. He claims: information for those who in the survey returns and against at an event, they
'Her contribution appears to wished to make a they were the clubs with the would more than likely not
fly in the face of a contribution to the high attendances. be able to remember.
democratic process that has consultation process.' I read the article by Sandra It is obvious from the
taken place over the last However, it must be noted Landy in the August edition numbers attending ‘friendly
year.' that general publicity of any of your magazine and have clubs’ in Norfolk like
HIWCBA did have a view which did not support to say that I applaud her Bawburgh, Hoveton and
democratic process on this the EBU’s strategy has been courage in speaking out for Horning and Cringleford that
issue. All our affiliated clubs totally suppressed in the something she obviously there are a considerable
were asked by the County’s Union’s publication. feels so passionately about. number of players who
Executive Committee to vote He goes on to say: 'All Everything she has written is enjoy bridge. It is these
on whether to support or possible alternatives have perfectly true and I only players the EBU should be
reject the proposed Final been published and hope it will encourage those concentrating on. I would
Strategy. This resulted in a discounted, for very good who feel the same way to let suggest the percentage of
Rejection by 32 clubs and reasons.' I must say that I their counties and clubs members in these clubs who
Acceptance by 3 clubs with don’t remember reading know what their wishes truly are members of the EBU, is
3 clubs abstaining. 10 of the about any of these are. much lower than for, say, the
less active clubs did not alternatives in English Bridge Mike Rogerson ‘elite clubs’.
record a vote. I was able to or of the reservations which by e-mail. The last thing I would want
obtain a count of the accompanied some of the to see is the ‘friendly clubs’
individual club member county votes at the EGM. In EBU SUPPORTER dropping out of the EBU.
votes For and Against in her article, Sandra Landy I share the concerns Therefore, surely, there is a
most of the clubs and this noted that: 'No discussion expressed by Sandra Landy need to have two divisions,
resulted in 1078 Against and was allowed in English in BRIDGE 90. As a supporter one for the ‘elite’ and one for
120 For. This did include a Bridge.' of the EBU, I live in a county those, with ‘lesser bridge
few non-EBU members We have three thriving where the majority of our brain ability’ who wish to
voting in some clubs, but clubs in the Eastleigh area clubs appear to be enjoy themselves playing
these would also be affected with regular weekly considering disaffiliation bridge. The ‘elite’ having
by the change and deserved attendance of 13-15 tables. from the English Bridge masterpoints with the full
a vote as club members. The majority of players in Union if the P2P is regalia and the ‘friendly’
That was an example of true these clubs are not implemented. having a reduced service
democracy! members of the Union. I believe that the EBU with a lower charge.
It has been suggested that Sandra makes a very should make every effort to The EBU has got to be very
there was an orchestrated important point when she retain the support of all careful or they will shoot
campaign in our county states that: 'There are no existing affiliated bridge themselves in the foot as I
against the strategy but I services that clubs get from clubs, regardless of size. have heard of four bridge
must point out that only one the EBU that they cannot get Mrs G Walker, clubs in Nottinghamshire
district, Gosport, arranged a elsewhere'. No one has yet Pinner, Middx. and one in Kent that are
meeting of their six clubs to given me any satisfactory leaving the EBU umbrella.
discuss the issue. Our answers to this point. NO BENEFITS The person who told me
County Chairman, an MDAG Finally, Peter Stocken Having read the full EBU about the Nottinghamshire
member, attended that states in his reply that: 'The strategy proposal, I cannot clubs said they felt they did
meeting so 'orchestrated Board of the EBU has taken see anything that will not get any benefit from the
campaign' is hardy an a route to develop the game encourage the ‘rude players’ EBU as the majority of their
appropriate epithet as in all and make it more accessible to become friendlier, as I members were not point
other districts, clubs and to more people.' Quite the presume they felt this was hunters and wanted to enjoy
members made their opposite is true, as many hindering the players playing bridge.
decisions in isolation. clubs like the ones I have attending the ‘elevated Mr Thomas Beven,
Peter Stocken claims to already mentioned will events’. I was of the opinion Attleborough, Norfolk.

Page 50
THE EBU P2P continued
own admission has
neglected them for so many
contract the wording of
which has not yet been
years. Perhaps there are provided. They want us to
others who tend to ‘fear the turn a blind eye to the
VALUE FOR MONEY? publishing articles both for Greeks when they bring spending of enormous sums
I play most of my bridge in and against the proposed gifts’. of money before permission
Suffolk and Essex. I drive on new strategy, I am quite sure The majority of the EBU’s has been given to make the
average 25 miles and pay Mr Stocken is confident that bread and butter members necessary changes to the
about £2 per evening. At 40p his reply to you will be are decent and honest bye laws. I am sorry but I
per mile the evening costs published. people but does Mr Stocken find this unbelievable.
me £12. I think this is With regard to Mr Stocken’s sincerely believe that all Whilst I am against the
excellent value for money letter and his somewhat paper masterpoints were proposed new strategy I am
(especially when my partner adverse comments on Mrs issued in every club when not anti EBU nor am I
drives, when it costs only £2). Landy, I would make the some club members said opposed to change. I would
P2P will take about 30p of following comments: they were not wanted? also add that never have I
that total. The figure is What democratic process However, I do think the contacted the staff at the EBU
designed to be about the took place in my county of comment ‘we will ensure and received anything but a
same as clubs currently pay; allegiance when we were that our members’ interests willingness to help whenever
so there is no reason why asked to accept one of the are protected at all times- possible and a courtesy that
table money should rise. If three following options? our volunteers on the new our organisation should be
P2P increased to 40p or was a) Please vote to accept the Club Committee and its proud of.
lowered to 20p, it would be April 2008 Strategy in its representatives on the Jean Whitlam, Exeter.
unlikely to change my entirety Universal Membership
decision to play. Nor would it b) Please vote to reject the Project Committee will be DOWNFALL OF EBU?
be likely to affect other following aspects whilst addressing these potential I applaud Sandra Landy’s
peoples’ decision to play. The retaining the overall scams to protect those article on P2P bridge.
big rise in petrol prices is strategy interests,’ smacks a little of This will be the downfall of
much more likely to make c) We have reservations the Big Brother syndrome. the EBU.
me stay at home. about the following There is another thing I Mrs Patricia Southan,
The changes merely mean aspects without strong cannot understand – what Chingford, London.
that those who play several enough views to vote advantage is gained by
times a week pay slightly against them. having universal MORE PUBLICITY
more to the EBU than before I did ask my county to include membership when it is There has been a letter
and those who play less d) we reject the strategy in its totally free? If our Board of distributed to EBU clubs
often (possibly deciding the entirety, but this request was Directors feel that trying to refute the points
EBU membership was not refused. 20 out of 29 membership of the EBU is made by Sandra Landy in
worthwhile) will become affiliated clubs apparently not worth anything why the latest edition of BRIDGE.
members, get a free responded giving our should anyone else feel As this is addressed to you,
magazine and pay a small shareholder a majority vote in differently? could you publish Sandra’s
amount towards the EBU favour of the strategy! I The Pay to Play, I can article on your website so I
expenses. Whether the EBU cannot understand in view of understand particularly so can give my fellow club
provides good value for the options given why it was when the minutes state an members the full story and
money is a different question. not considered a unanimous increase of just 1p will bring not just one side.
I will mention only my visit to decision. in £25,000 a year. Again Peter Oliver, Redditch.
a non-EBU club. I received As the EBU is currently the referring to minutes, it was
two incorrect rulings and was organisation that oversees decided to increase the DON’T GIVE UP
told that one level 3 duplicate bridge in this affiliation fees by only 50p, Many thanks for BRIDGE over
convention we played was Country why should Mr as it was felt members the years. There have been
not allowed at the club. I Stocken be surprised that it is would not accept anything many interesting articles and
have not visited that club the only one at the moment higher. Much easier to get 1p columns. I have posted the
again. dealing in masterpoints, across. I do apologise, I ‘Case against P2P’ article on
David Haig-Thomas tuition and regulation of our forgot the New Strategy was Derby Bridge Club’s notice
by e-mail. game? What surprises me is financially neutral. board but nobody seems to
that he does not seem to One final point, the notice. I think the EBU will
FREE MEMBERSHIP realise the possibility of membership is being asked get its own way.
In my capacity as Secretary of another organisation picking to agree to something in Whether I give up bridge
Exeter Bridge Club, I was sent up the flag for those clubs advance, the cost of which is or find a non EBU club
a copy of our Chairman’s and players who do not wish totally unknown and remains to be seen.
(EBU) reply to you. As your to be forcibly enrolled into an incalculable at this stage, to T. Woodward,
magazine is the only one organisation which, on its agree to sign an annual Breadsall, Derby.

Page 51
THE EBU P2P continued
bar prices down, table
money down and
consequences of any action
you might take. Peter will be
refurbishment. It will be up well advised to take note of
to them to vote on what they what Sandra has said.
THINK AHEAD the vast majority of bridge want the club to do. Bridge Mr W Crook, Nottingham
I, too, have read Sandra drives are run by individual clubs all over the county will Bridge Club President.
Landy’s article ‘It’s not too bridge clubs. It is they who face the same dilemma and
late’, but where I think Peter now have to decide whether I suspect that there will be a RE-THINK
Stocken has replied in a fit of the pay to play scheme is in roughly 50/50 split in the The EBU appears to be
pique, I think Sandra should the best interests of their country between the two banking on only 20% of
be congratulated on her members. options. On that basis, by the Bridge Clubs refusing to sign
input to the debate. The very My own local bridge club time a finalised pay to play up to the changed
important point Peter has also believes in democracy, fee is determined, I suspect constitution. They should be
failed to comprehend is that, and we will be asking our the fee will be nearer £1 than looking at a much worse
though the county membership shortly whether the quoted 35p. scenario. Sandra Landy’s
associations have voted for a they want to be part of the The concern I have, which advice (BRIDGE August 2008),
pay to play system, individual pay to play scheme. Sandra reflected, is that the reminds me of the words of
bridge clubs have not. However, the management EBU finances will be put in Wellington, which they would
I am fairly sure the county committee will rightly point dire straits and the do well to heed: ‘The test of
associations will all fall into out that the scheme will cost organisation will be in a good general is to know
line and any events held by our club £2,500.00 a year, danger of collapse. Bridge is when to retreat – and to
them will come under the which will go to the EBU a game which teaches you dare to do it!’
umbrella of pay to play, but rather that spent on keeping to think ahead of the likely Ted Gibbins, Cheshire. ■

S T O PS
PRES
THANKS TO ALL
! JUST IN TIME
of not publishing letters in English Bridge about the
I attach the e-mail I have just received from Peter Stocken. proposals. She took that decision because she felt that
It is why I was grateful that you published my article in there were several forums for our members and the
your magazine, no-one else was going to allow the members of affiliated clubs to express their views directly to
dissenters a voice. their counties and to us nationally. I know you are aware
No doubt you have received a good many comments that Barry, Sally and I and all the other members of the
and I don't expect they all agreed with me. I have had lots Membership Development Action Group, have answered
of people speak to me about my article; they were glad over 1,000 emails and letters dealing with our members
there was another side to the story than that being told by directly. We have also undertaken face-to-face meetings
the EBU Board. So many expressed doubts that I hope with representatives from all our counties, all over the
some action may be taken. country, and dealt with our clubs directly – we are grateful
Please can you thank people for their personal replies, for your assistance with that project.
too numerous to mention. It made me glad that I had The time for debate about the principles is now over, as
faced up to a difficult challenge and written the article. they have been approved and implementation is underway.
Sandra Landy, Sussex. Now is the time when everyone, who says they have the
interests of bridge in England at heart and means it, should
DEAR SANDRA be directing their efforts to helping the implementation
Elena has informed me of your request to have a letter process, whether or not they supported the idea before the
published in English Bridge. In the October issue Elena’s decision was made.
editorial will address her policy – which we supported – Peter Stocken to Sandra Landy.

Page 52
 ANSWERS TO THE DECLARER PLAY QUIZ
ON PAGE 24 by DAVID HUGGETT
You are in 6♥ and West leads the ♦K followed four times more likely to have started with a
1. ♠ 752 by the ♦A. How do you plan the play? singleton low spade. Therefore, the correct
♥ Q63 play is to win the diamond switch in dummy
This is a borderline slam, to say the least, but
♦ AK62 and take an immediate finesse against the
the hands fit together quite well and the fate of
♣ J62 trump queen. When that works, you go back
the contract seems to lie in not losing a trick to
♠ J 10 9 8 3 ♠ K6 to dummy with a club and repeat the finesse.
N the king of hearts. That is indeed quite right,
♥ A 10 8 4 W E ♥ K95 This line of attack succeeds whenever East has
but somehow in the heat of battle – and
♦ 974 S ♦ J 10 8 3 the queen and no more than four trumps in all.
especially when the stakes are high – things
♣ 4 ♣ Q 10 8 7
sometimes do not seem as clear as they What would you do if hearts were 5-2 and
♠ AQ4
should. It would be too easy to ruff the second ducking twice had set up dummy’s king? In
♥ J72
diamond, play a club to the ace in dummy and this case, you could afford to lose a trump
♦ Q5
lead a low heart to the queen. While it is trick but you would not want West to get in
♣ AK953
certainly true that taking a trump finesse offers and give East a heart ruff. So you would play
much better odds of success than hoping for a trumps from the top, rejecting all finesses.
singleton king, you have also to consider the
You are in 3NT and West leads the ♠J. East
possibility that East might hold all three missing
plays the ♠K. How do you plan the play?
trumps. So instead of leading a low heart from 4. ♠ AKQ
A quick count of the tricks immediately dummy, you should lead the jack. If East covers ♥ Q765
available shows that you have seven: two from an original holding of K-10-7 then you can ♦ 875
spades, three diamonds and two clubs. win in hand, re-enter dummy with a spade ♣ QJ7
Obviously, the five-card club suit offers the and lead the nine of hearts. Whatever East ♠ 10 8 7 6 5 2 ♠ J9
best prospect of making more tricks, but you does, he will not make a trump trick. ♥ Void N ♥ J 10 8 2
W E
have to be careful how you go about it. ♦ KQJ9 S ♦ 10 4 3 2
♣ 864 ♣ A52
Suppose, for example, that you cash the top
3. ♠ 65 ♠ 43
two clubs hoping for the queen to fall in either
♥ K62 ♥ AK943
one or two rounds. Then you will be
♦ AK7 ♦ A6
disappointed if either defender started with
♣ K7643 ♣ K 10 9 3
an original holding of Q-10-x-x. (If you cannot
♠ 3 ♠ Q984
make four club tricks, surely the opponents
♥ Q J 10 8 N ♥ A95
can stop you from making your contract.) W E
♦ 9862 S ♦ J 10 5 4 You are declarer in 6♥ and West leads the ♦K.
In fact, you can guarantee making four club ♣ QJ92 ♣ 10 5 How do you plan the play?
tricks if the suit breaks 4-1, simply by cashing ♠ A K J 10 7 2
Another time to be extra vigilant arises when
one top honour and then leading low towards ♥ 743
the contract appears easy or when resolving
the jack. If West started with a four-card ♦ Q3
the main problem blinkers you from other
holding, then the jack will provide a trick, while ♣ A8
issues. Here declarer might think easily, ‘I can
if East originally held four, then, although the
throw my losing diamond on a long spade
jack will fall to the queen, you will have a
from dummy after I have drawn trumps. Then
marked finesse against the ten later. You cash You are declarer in 4♠ and West leads the
all I will lose is the ace of clubs.’ That is all true
one top honour first, of course, in case there is ♥Q. How do you plan the play?
of course, but there is a hidden snag. Trumps
a singleton queen in either hand.
The contract is a sound one, but the chances might break 4-0! If West holds all four trumps
of making a heart trick diminish when West then you will go down, but if it is East, then
leads the queen. As it would be inconceivable careful play will prevail.
2. ♠ A73
for West to lead away from the ace, the correct
♥ J9862 Start by playing a low heart to the queen. If
play is to duck in dummy, hoping that East
♦ 873 West shows out, continue by leading a low
started with a singleton or doubleton ace of
♣ A2 heart from dummy. East will probably play the
hearts. That wish is unfulfilled however when
♠ J982 ♠ 10 5 ten but now you win, re-enter dummy with a
N East wins the third heart and leads a low
♥ Void W E
♥ K 10 7 spade and take a marked finesse against
diamond. Now success or failure depends
♦ AKJ92 S ♦ Q 10 6 4 East’s jack of trumps. Only then is it right to
upon not losing a trump and many people
♣ 10 8 5 4 ♣ J973 discard the losing diamond on a spade and
have a blind spot in this situation. Superficially,
♠ KQ64 knock out the ace of clubs.
it might appear right to cash a top trump
♥ AQ543
before entering dummy to finesse against the All the deals this month involve playing the
♦ 5
queen. This would be in case West began with critical suit in the most efficient manner and
♣ KQ6
a singleton queen. Well, so he might, but he is being aware of the possibility of bad breaks. ■

Page 53
 GLOBAL TRAVEL INSURANCE
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If you have to cancel or cut short your trip due to illness, injury, redundancy, jury service, the police Insurers will not pay for claims arising
requiring you to remain at or return to your home due to serious damage to your home, you are 1. Where you or any person upon whose health the trip depends are undergoing tests for the
covered against loss of travel and accommodation costs. presence of a medical condition receiving or on a waiting list for or have knowledge of the need
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Standard Policy Excess £50. 2. From any terminal illness suffered by you or any person upon whose health the trip depends.
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For persons aged 71 to 90 years the excess is increased to £150. you or any person upon whose health the trip depends.
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MEDICAL AND OTHER EXPENSES up to £5,000,000
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additional accommodation and repatriation expenses. Limit £250 for emergency dental treatment 2. Self-inflicted injury or illness, suicide, alcoholism or drug abuse, sexual disease.
and £5,000 burial/cremation/transfer of remains. Limit £1,000 for transfer of remains to your home if 3. War, invasion, acts of foreign enemies, hostilities or warlike operations, civil war, rebellion,
you die in the UK. Terrorism, revolution, insurrection, civil commotion, military or usurped power but this
Policy Excess £75 unless travelling within North or Central America or the Caribbean when exclusion shall not apply to losses under Section 3 – Medical Expenses unless such losses
increased to £150. are caused by nuclear, chemical or biological attack, or the disturbances were already taking
For persons aged 61 to 70 years the excess is increased to £150 unless travelling within place at the beginning of any Trip.
North or Central America or the Caribbean when increased to £500. 4. Failure or fear of failure or inability of any equipment or any computer program.
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No Policy Excess.
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 ✄
BRIDGE CLUB DIRECTORY 2008
Information Form

THE CLUB THE CONTACT

Club Name .............................................................................. Name (Mr/Mrs/Dr) ......................................................................

Club Address ........................................................................... Address ....................................................................................

...............................................Town ......................................... ...............................................Town .........................................

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THE BRIDGE

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T=teams

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I=improvers
In=Intermediate
A=All levels

Table
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✄

Please return this form to Mr Bridge, Ryden Grange, Knaphill, Surrey GU21 2TH
 ANSWERS TO THE BIDDING QUIZ ON
PAGE 3 by BERNARD MAGEE

response, your partner will bid his diamonds king of clubs, which is highly likely, you have
1. Dealer West. Love All. and, after a lengthy discussion, you might eight tricks on top. Surely all you need to make
♠ 76 ♠ QJ2 manage to reach the optimum contract of 6♦. 3NT is a stopper in hearts – you certainly do
♥ AQJ3 N ♥ 74 Even 5♦ is better than 3NT, for after a heart not have one, but perhaps your partner has?
W E
♦ KQ43 S ♦ A9862 lead in 3NT, you will be lucky to make nine You need to ask your partner if he has and, to
♣ 432 ♣ Q 10 5 tricks. Had you responded 3NT, East might do this, you bid the opponents’ suit: 3♥. A bid
pass, especially at pairs, when, even if 5♦ is of the opponents’ suit shows strength and
on, you might score better in 3NT. asks partner to describe his hand further.
West North East South When your agreed suit is a minor, the main
? reason for using the bid is to find out whether
3. Dealer West. N/S Vul. 3NT is an option. On this hand, your partner
1NT. There is not much to this hand really – ♠ AK432 ♠ QJ65 would bid 3NT; you would get your 300 bonus
you have 12 points and a balanced hand. ♥ Q43 N ♥ 987 for game because there are nine tricks on top.
W E
Your system says that, with 12-14 points and a ♦ K76 S ♦ J4 Had he not held a heart stopper he would
balanced hand, you open 1NT – it says ♣ K2 ♣ Q654 have rebid 4♣ – this might go off, but 3♥
nothing about having stoppers in all the suits. might well make so it could still work out well.
You are non-vulnerable, so there is not even It is interesting to note that you make the same
the risk of going down in hundreds to put you West North East South number of tricks in clubs as you do in no-
off. Remember that the weak no-trump is in 1♠ Pass 2♠ Pass trumps, but no-trumps scores a lot more.
part a pre-emptive bid – getting in the way of ?
the opponents rather than just aiming to
make the contract. It might work brilliantly Pass. You have fifteen points and a five-card 5. Dealer East. Love All.
here: it is quite likely that one opponent would suit, so you might consider trying for ♠ A32 ♠ KJ4
want to overcall in spades, but by bidding 1NT, something better, but with no tens or nines ♥ 42 N ♥ QJ76
W E
you make it very difficult for them. If you have and most of your honours isolated you should ♦ AK7652 S ♦ 93
agreed to play the weak no-trump, you must think again – your partner should have a ♣ 54 ♣ A J 10 2
get used to opening it on hands like this: maximum of nine points including
otherwise, the system does not work. distribution. A queen on its own is rather
weak, worth closer to one and half points West North East South
than two; in the losing trick count, it counts as 1NT Pass
2. Dealer East. Game All. an extra half loser too – so both systems ?
♠ 42 ♠ KQ753 should dampen your enthusiasm and lead
♥ A94 N ♥ J you to Pass. On this particular hand, you will 3NT. This hand has the same theme as the
W E
♦ AQ32 S ♦ KJ854 be lucky to make 2♠ let alone more. It would previous one – with a long, strong diamond
♣ A 10 9 2 ♣ K3 take something spectacular opposite to make suit you should be keener to play in no-
a game likely; with such a hand, your partner trumps than in the minor. A 3♦ response
should bid more than 2♠ at his first turn. would be wrong, as that is normally for slam-
West North East South strength hands rather than game-going
1♠ Pass hands. Your hand has huge potential – just
? 4. Dealer West. Love All. give partner the queen of diamonds and your
♠ A2 ♠ 764 hand will bring in seven tricks – bearing this in
2♣. 14 points is enough for game and, with ♥ 43 N ♥ A7 mind, you should go straight for game. This is
W E
no support for spades and a balanced hand, ♦ A32 S ♦ 8765 certainly a gamble but, so often with minors,
it is perhaps tempting to bid 3NT, but such a ♣ AQJ764 ♣ K832 it is worthwhile. If the gamble pays off, you
large leap is bad bidding – it is like shouting get the big game bonus. Here, even with poor
rather than talking. The most fundamental diamonds in the East hand, and a minimum
aspect of almost any bidding system is that, if West North East South 12-point hand, game is a good prospect: as
you respond to your partner’s opening suit bid 1♣ 1♥ 2♣ 2♥ long as the diamonds break 3-2, you will
by changing the suit, he must bid again. This ? make five diamond tricks and four more tricks
allows you to take your time on game-going from the other suits. Strong and long minor
hands and therefore allows you to have a 3♥. Whenever I pick up a hand with a long suits are very powerful in no-trump contracts
good discussion. By responding in your lower strong minor, I think about no-trumps from – the added attraction of needing nine tricks
minor, you give your partnership the chance the start. This hand is no different – your for game rather than eleven makes the
to find its best contract. Over your 2♣ partner has shown support, so, if he has the gamble well worth it. ■

Page 55
 Justin Corfield Says

Keep Control of
the Trump Suit
f a situation develops in which a Instead of playing a second round of

I defender has more trumps than

declarer or is able to draw declarer’s
trumps, the latter is said to have ‘lost
spades, just play minor-suit winners.
Somebody will ruff, it is true, but the
defenders can no longer draw your
♠
♥
♦
98
Q9642
987
control’ of the trump suit. This is likely trumps. They can force you to ruff a ♣ 10 8 6
to be bad for declarer and good for the heart, but you accept the force and just N
W E
defending side. keep playing on the minors. All the S
opponents can get is their three trump
tricks – five tricks difference. ♠ A K Q J 10
♠ 543 The fewer trumps you begin with, the ♥ A3
♥ Q85 greater the danger of losing control: ♦ A K Q J 10
♦ K Q J 10 7 ♣ 5
♣ A2
N ♠ 10 4 2
W E ♥ AQ76 When West leads two rounds of clubs, it
S
♦ 732 would be easy to say that you have
♠ A9876 ♣ K83 eleven top winners – five spades, five
♥ Void N
diamonds and a heart. So you ruff, and
♦ A964 W E play the ace-king of spades. East shows
S
♣ KQJ5 out on the second round – what now?
♠ AKQJ Sadly, ‘what now’ is that you have just
♥ KJ4 gone off in a stone-cold contract. If you
West leads a heart against your 4♠ ♦ 65 draw all the trumps you can, West will
contract. What is the plan? ♣ A642 have the only remaining trump and a
The original declarer noticed that 6♦ handful of club winners. If you prefer to
would have been a better contract. After start on diamonds, West will ruff one of
a few choice words about her partner’s You manage to avoid 3NT, landing them, and play another club, once again
bidding, she ruffed the opening lead. instead in 4♠. The defenders play three reducing you to fewer trumps than he
Then she played out the ace of spades rounds of diamonds. Your go. has… you get the idea.
quickly (all following) and another If the spades are 3-3, you have no When the contract looks easy, it is
spade, with the confidence of a player problems. What will happen, though, on important to ask yourself what could go
expecting to claim. a (more likely) 4-2 spade break? If you wrong. Here, the only risk is that the
East showed out on the second round ruff and try to draw trumps, you will find spades might break 5-1. If they do, and
of spades, which brought declarer back yourself unable to do so. Unless you are you make the careless play of ruffing the
to earth with a jolt. West pretended to lucky enough to find the opponent who second club, you will lose control.
consider his play and then settled on has four spades with four hearts and two At teams or rubber bridge (where
drawing trumps and playing a heart. clubs as well, someone will surely ruff overtricks are not important), a more
After this, East cashed heart, after heart, one of your winners to leave you a trick careful declarer refuses to ruff the
after heart… five off. short. You can prevent this by refusing to second round of clubs, discarding the
Declarer ‘lost control’ of this hand, in weaken your trump holding. Instead of heart loser. When West persists with a
that she allowed West to draw trumps. ruffing the third round of diamonds, you third round, he throws a winning
How could declarer have done better? should just discard a club loser. If the diamond. Barring a defensive void
After ruffing the heart lead and cashing opponents persist with diamonds, you somewhere, the contract is now safe.
the ace of spades, the defenders possess can ruff the fourth round in dummy with Dummy can take care of any further
the winning ♠K-Q-J. I admit this is a the ten of spades. club leads and, if West switches, you can
little scary, but what other tricks can Even the most robust looking trump simply win and draw trumps.
they make? None is the answer, unless suits can blow up in their owner’s face. Playing a trump contract safely means
you let them in to draw your trumps. On our final example, you are in 4♠. keeping your powder dry. ■

Page 56
 Stephen Cashmore Says

Don’t Put the Strong

Hand on the Table

on’t put the strong hand on If West is 4-4-1-4, he could have opened

‘D the table.’ By this, we mean

you want the stronger hand
as declarer and the weaker as dummy.
♠
♥
♦
J 10 9 5 3 2
Q
642
1♥, but that would not have helped if
East had spades instead of hearts and
may cause other problems.
The logic is simple. If declarer can ♣ 642 In sequence 2, 2NT shows a balanced
conceal his assets, the opponents will ♠ 7 ♠ A smattering of points, and it is this
N
find it hard to defend accurately. They ♥ J 10 9 8 2 W E ♥ K76543 smattering that stays concealed rather
S
have to guess and may guess incorrectly. ♦ AQ853 ♦ 10 9 7 than West’s monster. For this reason,
In addition, the stronger hand is more ♣ 85 ♣ 10 9 7 many players never respond 2NT, but
likely to contain tenaces that you want to ♠ KQ864 prefer to use 2♦ as a waiting bid rather
protect from immediate attack. ♥ A than just as a negative response.
♦ KJ In sequence 3, opener has 17-18
♣ AKQJ3 points. If you open a 4-card major and
♠ J 10 9 5 3 2 partner can raise with three trumps, you
♥ Q get two chances to be declarer. You play
♦ 642 It would be different if you could see a 4-4 fit in the major if there is one or, if
♣ 642 South’s hand. It would then be clear that (as here) the fit is 4-3, in a no-trump
♠ A only a diamond switch might beat the contract. As responder, avoid bidding
N ♥ K76543 contract. There would be no guess. 1NT if you have a choice: your hand
W E
S ♦ 10 9 7 So the point of the maxim is clear. will always be weaker than opener’s.
♣ 10 9 7 How do you translate its message into
actual bidding practice? 4 West North East South
Acol is a natural system. If a player 1NT Pass 2♠ End
West North East South opens 1♣ or 1♠, then he has clubs or
2♣ spades. If opener ends up as declarer, the In sequence 4,º East has made a weak
Pass 2♦ Pass 2♠ closed hand will have opening values. If take-out into spades. Many players
Pass 4♠ Pass 4NT responder has them also, it matters little nowadays use transfers to reach 2♠ (East
Pass 5♣ Pass 5♠ which hand hits the table. So, according bids a transfer 2♥, West bids 2♠, and
End to the maxim, problems arise if there the bidding rests).
responder is weak but becomes declarer. When transfers over 1NT (and 2NT)
West, your partner, leads the jack of Auctions like 1 and 2 below fit the bill: first came along, people cited ‘keeping
hearts. You play the king on dummy’s the strong hand off the table’ as a big
queen, and declarer wins with the ace. 1 West North East South advantage. It is not their only benefit,
Declarer now leads the queen of spades 1♣ Pass 1♥ Pass but it is certainly one of them.
and you win with the ace. How do you 2♥ End Nowadays, some top players use
continue the defence? transfer bids after one side or the other
There seems no future in continuing 2 West North East South has overcalled. While the purpose is not
hearts, so you have to choose between 2♣ Pass 2NT Pass merely to keep the strong hand off the
the minors. As you can see, this deal 3NT End table, they do have that effect. Only time
presents you cunningly with identical will tell if this new theory will find its
holdings in clubs and diamonds, both in 3 West North East South way into the mainstream, as transfers
your hand and in dummy’s. There is 1♥ Pass 2♥ Pass over 1NT and 2NT have done.
nothing to guide you. Even the bidding 2NT Pass 3NT End To sum up, keeping the strong hand
is uninformative. On a good day, you off the table makes it harder for the other
will pick the right suit – assuming there Sequence 1 may be unavoidable. If West side to find your weak spots. Acol helps
is one to pick – and on another day, you has more clubs than hearts, he has no with this, but you might wish to look at
will choose the wrong one. reason to open 1♥. East then gets to bid your responses to 1NT and 2NT to see
The full deal is as follows: the major, hearts, first. whether they fit in with the maxim. ■

Page 57
 ANSWERS TO THE DEFENCE QUIZ ON
PAGE 34 by JULIAN POTTAGE
West North East South You therefore discard a diamond again. With
1. ♠ AKQ9 1♥ Pass 1NT two diamonds and three tricks in each major,
♥ AJ4 Pass 3NT End your opponent goes one down as before.
♦ 984
♣ 932 Partner leads the ♣5. You win with the ♣K,
♠ 542 ♠ 76 cash the ♣A and continue with a third round. 4. ♠ QJ
N
♥ 63 W E ♥ Q 10 9 2 Partner wins with the ♣Q and cashes the ♥ AQ
♦ Q73 S ♦ J 10 6 2 thirteenth club, on which dummy discards a ♦ A87652
♣ K Q 10 6 5 ♣ A84 diamond. What do you discard? ♣ 962
♠ J 10 8 3 ♠ A52 ♠ 10 9 6 4
A look at dummy should tell you the answer.
♥ K875 ♥ 632 N ♥ J 10 5 4
There are four fine spades in dummy and only W E
♦ AK5 ♦ J93 S ♦ Q4
you can guard the fourth round. There are
♣ J7 ♣ Q J 10 4 ♣ K85
four equally fine hearts there and, again, only
♠ K873
you can stop the fourth round. Since a heart
♥ K987
or a spade discard will, without doubt, cost a
West North East South ♦ K 10
trick, you know what to do. Let go a diamond.
1NT ♣ A73
Saving length with dummy often works well.
Pass 2♣ Pass 2♥
Pass 3NT Pass 4♠
End West North East South
3. ♠ AKQ9
1♦ Pass 1♥
♥ AKQ9
Partner leads the ♣K; you play the ♣8. You win Pass 2♦ Pass 3NT
♦ 84
the next club with the ♣A (South drops the ♣J) End
♣ J93
and play a third round. Declarer ruffs and
♠ J4 ♠ 10 7 6 5
draws trumps in three rounds. Your discard? Partner leads the ♣Q, which wins. Your ♣K
♥ J64 N ♥ 10 7 3 2
W E wins the next trick and you play a third round.
If you discard a heart, your queen will still be ♦ J732 S ♦ K 10
Declarer wins with the ♣A and leads a spade.
sure to win. If you discard a diamond, your jack ♣ Q 10 8 5 ♣ AK4
Partner takes the ♠A and cashes the long
will not have enough guards to win a trick. ♠ 832
club.
Does this mean you should discard a heart? A ♥ 85
heart discard would be a poor idea. For one ♦ AQ965 Dummy discards a diamond. What do you
thing, you need two more tricks to defeat the ♣ 762 discard?
contract, so you cannot defend solo. You will
A heart discard is the easiest to exclude. The
need some help from partner. For another, the
bidding and play to date marks South with
bidding marks South with four hearts and not Partner leads the ♣5 after the same bidding
four (or more) hearts headed by the king.
four diamonds. (Four spades, four hearts, four as on 2. Again, your side wins the first four
diamonds and two clubs would be fourteen tricks in clubs and dummy discards a You know about the heart king (and the
cards). This makes a diamond discard safe. diamond on the long club. What do you spade king) as partner has shown up with 7
discard? points already and cannot have more than a
A heart is not safe at all. If you allow South’s
jack more if South is to have around 13 points.
fourth heart to become a winner, away will go Yes, dummy is the same as on 2. This time,
one of the diamonds from dummy. If that you cannot see any jacks. Should this affect While you cannot be so sure of the spade
happens, your side will make two clubs and a your choice of discard? position, a spade discard is also risky. Any
heart but no diamonds. You do not want that. time declarer started with four, releasing a
If partner has the jack of spades, you surely
spade would concede an extra spade winner.
cannot spare a spade. If partner has the jack
of hearts, you surely cannot spare a heart. It looks like partner has J-10-x or J-9-x of dia-
2. ♠ AKQ9
You can, though, throw safely a major in monds and can cover the suit. In any case, if
♥ AKQ9
which South holds the jack. Also, you can South has three diamonds, you and your
♦ 84
afford to weaken a major if partner has four partner will have two each, which makes your
♣ J93
cards with you (when declarer has a single- holding almost certainly worthless whatever
♠ 54 ♠ J 10 7 6
ton.) Thus, you need to see how safe a dia- you do. Your holding is also no use if South
♥ 643 N ♥ J 10 7 2
W E mond discard is. has K-J doubleton – a simple finesse will pick
♦ J732 S ♦ K 10
up the suit.
♣ Q 10 8 5 ♣ AK4 A moment’s reflection should tell you that a
♠ 832 diamond discard is safe. If the ace-queen is The only time that you might need to keep
♥ 85 over you, the king is always a dead duck – a your Q-x is if declarer holds precisely K-J-10
♦ AQ965 simple finesse will give declarer two tricks. If and for some reason is thinking of playing
♣ 762 instead partner has the queen, the queen will you for a singleton diamond. So you discard a
protect the second round if you bare the king. diamond. ■

Page 58
 Derek Rimington Says

Don’t Double
the Opponents
into Game
recent survey found that 15% of

A doubled contracts made. I believe

that the percentage would be
higher if you counted only part-scores.
Dealer West. Game All.
♠ AK864
♥ 10 8 2
Dealer East. Game All.
♠ J864
♥ 6
Doubling into game (i.e. the double turns ♦ 62 ♦ A93
a part-score into game) is the most ♣ J93 ♣ 98653
calamitous of these. Here is a disastrous ♠ 93 ♠ Q J 10 5 2 ♠ 9752 ♠ AQ
N N
deal from a World Teams Championship: ♥ KQ95 W E ♥ J ♥ J 10 8 2 W E ♥ AQ
S S
♦ Q 10 9 8 3 ♦ J5 ♦ 7652 ♦ K 10 8 4
♣ AQ ♣ K8542 ♣ 7 ♣ A K J 10 2
Dealer East. Game All. ♠ 7 ♠ K 10 3
♠ J854 ♥ A7643 ♥ K97543
♥ Q4 ♦ AK74 ♦ QJ
♦ K J 10 ♣ 10 7 6 ♣ Q4
♣ A 10 9 4
♠ K76 ♠ 10 9 2
N
♥ A J 10 8 6 W E ♥ Void West North East South West North East South
S
♦ 962 ♦ A87543 1♦ Pass 1♠ Pass 2♣1 2♥
♣ K8 ♣ 7532 1NT Pass 2♣ 2♥ Dbl End
♠ AQ3 Dbl End Game force or 23-24 balanced
1

♥ K97532
♦ Q Playing a strong no-trump, West’s 1NT South’s 2♥ overcall was injudicious with
♣ QJ6 rebid was weak, as was East’s 2♣. This a poor suit, many defensive values and
gave South the green light to enter the modest shape. West doubled – a brilliant
bidding at a late stage. call. He knew his side had the balance of
West North East South Declarer won the spade lead in dummy power, that game prospects were
Pass 1♥ and placed West with four trumps for his moderate and that East would not have to
Pass 1♠ Pass 2♥ double. He saw that he had much work to pass with an unsuitable hand.
Pass 2NT Pass 3♥ do before trying a second top spade. After a club lead and early switch to
Dbl End Accordingly, he cashed the ace of hearts spades, the defenders made eight tricks:
and two top diamonds before ruffing a a spade, a spade ruff, three trumps, a
West led the jack of hearts and the queen diamond. After taking a spade ruff and a diamond and two clubs. This was much
won. Declarer tried the jack of diamonds second diamond ruff, he led the second better, Cotter wrote, than 70 below the
off dummy but East was alert, going in top spade. Although West could ruff this, line (2NT bid and made).
with the ace and shifting to a spade. South had to make his long trump for Finally, I must say a bit about pairs’
South won with the ace and led a low game and rubber. doubles. If you double and the opponents
club to the ten. Then two top diamonds Despite the well-meaning advice set make the contract, you score a bottom –
allowed South to discard two spades. out in the title of this article, in my but it may be no bigger a bottom than if
After this came a spade ruff, a club to experience bridge players often miss the you give them an overtrick.
the ace and a second spade ruff. This opportunity for a lucrative penalty The time you need to double is when
gave declarer eight tricks with the king double. For a good double, you usually your side owns the deal and the double
of hearts for a ninth and +730. need three things: first, length and rates to turn a bad score into a good one.
Where were West’s five tricks? Even if strength in the opposing trump suit; If you can make 3♠ for +140, there is a
he knew that his partner held the ace of second, a misfit for any suits shown by big difference between +100 (4♦ down
diamonds, it was not worth the risk. partner and third, for your side to have one vulnerable or down two non-
Next is a well-played deal from rubber the balance of power. Here is a deal vulnerable) and +200 or +300 for the
bridge at London’s TGR club. featuring the late Pat Cotter. same undertricks if you double. ■

Page 59