105.pdf

BRIDGE .

Number One Hundred and Five

February 2011

Bernard Magee at Haslemere Hall Haslemere, Surrey

17-19 May 2011 Tuesday 17 May

Wednesday 18 May

Morning Session: 11.00 – 12.30 Ruffing for extra tricks

Morning Session: 11.00 – 12.30 Making the most of your high cards in play and defence

Afternoon Session: 15.30 – 17.00 Competitive auctions

Thursday 19 May Morning Session: 11.00 – 12.30 Play and defence of 1NT Afternoon Session: 15.30 – 17.00 Doubling and defence against doubled contracts

Afternoon Session: 15.30 – 17.00 Finding and bidding slams

£10 per session. For advanced booking, please call Haslemere Hall Box Office

( 01428 642161 Please note that all sessions will be filmed.

5%

Ephesus Theatre, Turkey

DISCOUNT OFF CURRENT FARES

Canals of Venice

La Sagrada Familia, Barcelona

Monument to the Discoveries, Lisbon

St Emilion, Bordeaux

Exceptional value for Swan Hellenic’s Summer 2011 cruises Swan Hellenic goes further and digs deeper. Renowned Guest Speakers’ talks are dovetailed perfectly with each itinerary and inclusive tailor-made excursion programme. Travel in country-house style aboard Minerva with around 320 like-minded passengers and dine in the restaurant of your choice. Be assured of excellent value for money, including all tips on board and ashore. For an experience that lives with you forever, trust a great British company, established in 1954. This summer, visit Italy’s great cities of art, Venice and Rome, the Renaissance city of Pisa, the French Riviera of Picasso and Gaudi’s surreal works of art in Barcelona. Or cruise around the Iberian peninsula, taking in the port houses of Oporto, Rioja region of Northern Spain and the wine-growing region of Bordeaux. All passengers who have booked and registered through Mr Bridge will be eligible to partake in the late afternoon duplicate sessions, held on days when the ship is at sea. There is no Bridge supplement as, like most of the excursions, it is included in the price. Mr Bridge actively encourages singles to join the party and they will always be found a partner for a game. SPECIAL FARES INCLUSIVE OF 5% DISCOUNT Departs

Cruise

May 11 2011

AN ITALIAN SERENADE

May 25

A MEDITERRANEAN PALETTE

Venice, Ravenna, Kotor, Crotone, Palermo, Cagliari, Naples, Gaeta, Bonifacio, Civitavecchia

Civitavecchia, Portovenere, Livorno, Nice, Sete, Barcelona, Alicante, Tangier, Seville, Lisbon June 8

RIVERS AND VINEYARDS Lisbon, Oporto, Gijon, Bilbao, Bordeaux, St Peter Port, St Malo, Rouen, Portsmouth

No. of days

Inside from

Outside from

15

£1,867pp†

£2,940pp

15

£1,686pp†

£2,708pp

15

£1,610pp†

£2,556pp

†Guarantee fares – cabin number will be allocated approximately 3 weeks prior to departure. For passengers wishing to book higher grade or single cabins, please contact our reservations team who will gladly assist with current availability and fares.

To book or request a brochure call

01483 489 961 www.bridgecruises.co.uk

Fares shown are per person based on two people sharing lowest inside/outside category cabins available as shown above, apply to new bookings only, are subject to availability, are capacity controlled and may be withdrawn at any time. Booking terms and conditions apply. Travel insurance not included. Swan Hellenic is a trading name of All Leisure Holidays Limited ABTA W0392 ATOL 3897. Only bookings made directly with Mr Bridge guarantee participation in the onboard Mr Bridge programme, subject to availability.

FEATURES

BRIDGE Publisher and Managing Editor Mr Bridge Ryden Grange Knaphill, Surrey GU21 2TH

( 01483 489961 e-mail: [email protected]

43 Catching Up by Sally Brock

3 Bidding Quiz by Bernard Magee

47 Defence Quiz Answers by Julian Pottage

4

ADVERTISEMENTS

4 Lead Quiz by Andrew Kambites

2 Summer 2011 on board mv Minerva

7 Declarer Play Quiz by Dave Huggett

5 Cut-out Form Mail Order Form

8 Double Dummy Quiz by Richard Wheen

2011 Bridge Breaks

8 Defence Quiz by Julian Pottage

6 QPlus

11 Bidding Quiz Answers by Bernard Magee

Associate Editor Julian Pottage

12 Declarer Play Answers by David Huggett

9 Tunisia

Proof Readers Tony Richards Danny Roth Hugh Williams Richard Wheen Office Manager Catrina Shackleton Events & Cruises ( 01483 489961 Jessica Galt Rachel Everett Megan Riccio Zoe Wright Clubs & Charities Maggie Axtell [email protected]

Address Changes Elizabeth Bryan ( 01483 485342 All correspondence should be addressed to Mr Bridge. Please make sure that all letters, e-mails and faxes carry full postal addresses and telephone numbers.

13 Singleton Rover at Denham Grove

1. Dealer East. Love All. ´ K5 ™ J943 N W E © K2 S ® AQ976

10 Bridge Weekends with Bernard Magee West

11

Bridge Consultant Bernard Magee

You are West in the auctions below, playing ‘Standard Acol’ with a weak no-trump (12-14 points) and four-card majors. (Answers on page 11)

6

website: www.mrbridge.co.uk

Technical Consultant Tony Gordon

Bernard Magee’s Bidding Quiz

North

Playing Cards

East

South

1©

Pass

?

15 Bernard Magee Tips for Better Bridge

14 Christmas Quiz 16 Wendy Wensum

15 Rubber/Chicago Bridge Events

17 Lead Quiz Answers by Andrew Kambites

16 Bridge Event Booking Form

18 David Stevenson Answers Your Questions

19 Duplicate Bridge Rules Simplified

22 Double Dummy Answer by Richard Wheen

21 Bernard Magee’s Begin Bridge – Acol Version

23 Judge’s Tribute to Betty Ellson by Julie Magee

22 Stamps 22 Charity Bridge Events

23 Christmas Quiz Answers 26 Julian Pottage Answers Your Questions 31 Doubled And Vulnerable reviewed by David Huggett

24 Voyages of Discovery 2011 Summer Cruises

2. Dealer East. Game All. ´ A975 N ™ 42 E W © 10 9 5 S ® K J 10 4

West

1´ ?

North

East

South

Pass

1™ 1NT

Pass Pass

3. Dealer East. Love All. ´ 876 N ™ Q84 W E © 98 S ® A9875

32 Voyages of Discovery Winter 2012 Cruises West

North

42 Just Bridge

East

South

3™

Pass

?

33 Readers’ Letters

44 Global Travel Insurance

35 Job Club – Making it Work by Jane Gould

46 Bernard Magee’s Interactive Tutorial Software

36 Your Questions and Suggestions

48 Spanish Sojourn

37 The ABC of Bridge A by Julian Pottage

4. Dealer North. Love All. ´ A964 N ™ 975 W E © A8753 S ® 7

48 QPlus Offers West

The views expressed in this publication are not necessarily those of the publisher or its Managing Editor.

Page 3

?

North

East

South

1©

Dbl

Pass

HAPPY NEW YEAR

NEW fEATURES

LUXURY TABLES

This year BRIDGE will feature new columns, new writers and new quizzes, with the Lead Quiz making its debut on this page.

I am so pleased with my luxury bridge tables. I am sure those who bought them as Christmas gifts or for themselves are pleased too.

COVER STORY

Once again the season of resolutions is upon us and resolutions are something I have always been quite keen to make... and try to keep. BRIDGE 104 was an extra issue – a surprise. Too much of one, it would seem, for some readers. So the first of my resolutions is to assure you that BRIDGE is secure for the coming two years as a bi-monthly publication. Always include your postal address and phone number. I try to ring at least six readers every day. Sometimes to answer a burning question but more often than not, just to say hello.

BETTY ELLSON

Do not be put off by the proposed filming during the Bernard Magee tutorials at Haslemere Hall, Haslemere, Surrey this coming May, see the front page for full details of the subjects covered. Tickets £10 per session. Contact the booking office on ( 01428 642161. This event is part of the 2011 Haslemere Festival. Book now to avoid dissapointment.

Made from stained and polished wood, be assured it is both stylish and solid. The playing surface is covered with a very hard wearing mock-baize fabric. They are still in stock at £142, sent anywhere in the UK. However, I will not be having a new supply made until summer.

I am just as pleased with my club tables which are also made to my particular specification. Principally designed for club use, they are also suitable at home as utility tables, as they have a padded black vinyl surface and a sturdy metal frame.

NEW PRIZE QUIZ

On page 23, I have reprinted a report of the trial of the driver whose wanton selfishness brought an untimely death to this much loved local bridge teacher. I know from my postbag that her death nine months ago is still a shock to her family and those who knew her. Perhaps this conviction will help to bring some closure. Let’s hope so.

You are West playing rubber bridge. It is your lead. (Answers on page 17.)

1 ´ ™ © ®

762 974 J 10 9 A952

West

North

East

South

1™ 3™ 4´ 5™

Pass Pass Pass Pass

2´ 3´ 4NT 6´

Pass Pass Pass End

N W

E S

2 ´ ™ © ®

A8643 A 952 J 10 9 7

West

North

East

South

Pass End

3™

Pass

1™ 6™

3 ´ ™ © ®

76 974 J972 K952

West

North

East

South

1™ 3™ 4´ 5™

Pass Pass Pass Pass

2´ 3´ 4NT 6´

N E

W S

CLUB TABLES

£60 each including delivery anywhere in mainland UK.

£99 fOR fOUR

Andrew Kambites’ Lead Quiz

N W

E S

With both sides vulnerable, playing Acol with 12-14 no-trump. What would you open as dealer? Please use the adjacent entry form.

Pass Pass Pass End

´ ™ © ®

Hand 1 A 10 9 KJ43 95 Q J 10 6

4 ´ ™ © ®

76 974 J972 K952

W

´ ™ © ®

Hand 2 87 6 95 KQJ87543

West

North

East

South

Pass End

4NT

Pass

1NT 6NT

I took delivery of folding chairs made to suit bridge players – a one inch higher seat than is standard and a back which is more upright, making for more comfort at the table. These are of the same quality and black vinyl finish as the club tables. Page 4

N E S

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

MAIL ORDER PLAY SOFTWARE QPlus 9.1 QPlus 8.8 (second hand) QPlus 9.1 upgrade (trade-in your old QPlus version) (upgrade any old bridge software)

£86.00 ....... £56.00 .......

Name

£35.00 ....... £55.00 .......

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

TUTORIAL SOFTWARE Begin Bridge Acol Version NEW Acol Bidding More Acol Bidding Declarer Play Advanced Declarer Play Defence

(Mr, Mrs, Miss) .................................................

Postcode ............................................................ £66.00 ....... £66.00 ....... £96.00 ....... £76.00 ....... £81.00 ....... £76.00 .......

Telephone ........................................................... E-mail .................................................................

Answers to the Bidding Quiz on page 4:

BOOKS Duplicate Bridge Rules Simplified Better Hand Evaluation – Bernard Magee Bernard Magee’s Bridge Quiz Book Bernard Magee’s Quiz and Puzzle Book Bernard Magee’s Tips for Better Bridge

£5.95 ....... £14.00 ....... £14.00 ....... £14.00 ....... £14.00 .......

Opening bids 1........................2 ........................

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

2011 DIARIES Standard: Red ..... Navy ..... Luxury: Bottle Green .... Ruby Red ....

£6.95 ....... £14.95 .......

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

£60.00 ....... £142.00 ....... £99.00 .......

Please send BRIDGE to the following enthusiasts:

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

TABLES AND CHAIRS Mr Bridge standard bridge table Mr Bridge luxury bridge table Mr Bridge folding chairs. Boxed set of 4

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

Prices are inclusive of VAT and postage. I enclose a cheque for £..........

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

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

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

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Postcode ..............................................( ............................................. Mr/Mrs/Miss .............................................................................. Address .................................................................................... .................................................................................................. Postcode..................................... (.........................................

Expiry: ............................ CVV.................... Issue No. ............... (CVV is the last 3 numbers on the signature strip)

Email.........................................................................................

, Ryden Grange, Knaphill, Surrey GU21 2TH. www.mrbridge.co.uk/mrbridge-shop

Please complete all or part this form and return to , Ryden Grange, Knaphill, Surrey, GU21 2TH.

✄

( 01483 489961 Page 5

Q PLUS 9.1

2011 Tutorial Bridge Breaks

The very best Acol-playing Software available

MAY

Ardington Hotel Worthing BN11 3DZ

JANUARY 14-16 £215

Ardington Hotel Signals & Discards Ned Paul

21-23 £215

Ardington Hotel Suit Establishment Alex Davoud

6-8 £199

The Olde Barn Splinters & Cue Bids Ray Hutchinson

13-15 £215

Ardington Hotel Better Defence Ned Paul

13-15 £199

Staverton Park Suit Establishment Sandy Bell

JUNE 10-12 £199

The Olde Barn Hand Evaluation Ray Hutchinson

FEATURES

FEBRUARY 25-27 £215

Ardington Hotel Doubles Ned Paul

MARCH 25-27 £215

Ardington Hotel Pre-emptive Bidding Crombie McNeil

Ardington Hotel Hand Evaluation Alex Davoud

14-16 £199

The Olde Barn Sacrificing Gary Conrad

28-30 £199

Staverton Park Better Defence Alex Davoud

18-20 £199 The Olde Barn Hotel Marston, Lincs NG32 2HT

l

Hint and Help Buttons – always at hand

l

Easy Windows Installation

l

Comprehensive Manual

l

Rubber, Duplicate and Teams Scoring

l

Instant results playing in teams mode

l

2,500 pre-played hands for teams

l

2,000 pre-played hands for match-pointed pairs including 1,000 new hands

W

W NE

Check your pairs percentage and ranking Systems include: several versions of Acol, including Bernard Magee’s system, Standard American or create your own.

SYSTEM

NOVEMBER 18-20 £199

The Usual Friendly Interface (see above)

NE

OCTOBER

APRIL 15-17 £215

Staverton Park Nr Daventry NN11 6JT

l

The Olde Barn Endplay & Avoidance Crombie McNeil

l

8mb RAM

l

CD-ROM

l

Pentium or equivalent

l

Windows XP, Vista or 7

£86 including postage

Staverton Park Improvers Stayman & Transfers Stan Powell

Make your cheque payable to and send to: Ryden Grange, Knaphill, Surrey GU21 2TH

( 01483 489961

See booking form on page 16.

www.mrbridge.co.uk/mrbridge-shop

Page 6

PRIZE QUIZ The answers to the prize quiz in BRIDGE 104 were:

MY LOVELY CARDS

DECLARER PLAY QUIZ

Hand 1 – 1NT ´ AQ65 ™ J75 © KQ4 ® J 10 5 Hand 2 – 2® ´ A K Q 10 7 6 ™ KQ7 © AQ6 ® A

My Premium Quality playing cards are priced to promote my brand. 60 packs only £60, 30 red/30 blue, unboxed. See page 11.

SHETLAND SILVER

by David Huggett (Answers on page 12) ou are South as declarer playing teams or rubber bridge. In each case, what is your play strategy?

Y

All winners have already been notified.

CLUB HELP Whether for a new club or just re-equipping, don’t wait for a lottery grant to get started. Provided members put £10 each into the inaugural kitty, it should be enough to provide tables, boards, cards, bidding boxes, score-cards and travellers. Electronic dealing and scoring can wait. I have a budget to help all groups who will help themselves. Let’s be hearing from you.

QPLUS On the back cover I feature two special offers – an upgrade to the very latest version of QPlus, it really is time for all the 4’s, 5’s, 6’s and 2000’s, the early editions of this great software, to be replaced. Do so with confidence.

INTERESTING QPLUS Here are some really interesting hands for you to try. 8724 – 04 7370 – 08 8827 – 05

9355 – 10 8288 – 01 9162 – 04

These have all been dealt to me in the course of playing QPlus.

1.

´ ™ © ®

10 4 2 A74 984 KJ97

3.

´ ™ © ®

75 KQ3 K964 A432

N W

N E

W

E

S

e earrings, dangly or otherwise, or the pendant and chain, as illustrated above, make super birthday gis and ideal presents at any time. ( 01595 830275. www.shetlandjewellery.com

MY LOVELY CARD

´ ™ © ®

S

You are declarer in 4™ and West leads the ´K. How do you plan the play?

2.

´ ™ © ®

3 A 10 7 6 4 A74 9863 N

W

ose members who have taken up the Mr Bridge card have all had notification of their 2% credit-back for the first six months of this year.

´ ™ © ®

A9 Q J 10 9 8 3 2 A3 Q3

E

A62 A95 AJ52 K65

You are declarer in 3NT and West leads the ´4. East plays the ´Q and continues with the ´10 when you duck. How do you plan the play?

4.

´ ™ © ®

AQ3 975 AK754 75

S N

´ ™ © ®

As this offer is funded from my own promotional budget and not by the MBNA, the card providers, my terms and conditions have to be separately stated to comply with the FSA. Please ring for these. Page 7

K Q 10 KQJ952 J82 A

You are declarer in 6™ and West leads the ®Q. How do you plan the play?

W

E S

´ ™ © ®

K J 10 8 6 5 A42 93 Q8

You are declarer in 4´ and West leads the ™Q. How do you plan the play?

DOUBLE DUMMY by Richard Wheen

DEFENCE QUIZ

´ ™ © ® ´ ™ © ®

by Julian Pottage (Answers on page 47) ou are East in the defensive positions below. It is your turn to play. Both sides are using Acol with a 12-14 1NT.

Y

1. ´ ™ © ®

W

10 7 4 K 10 AK7 QJ832 ´ N ™ E © S ®

3. ´ ™ © ® KJ8 Q843 J962 97

A J 10 K 10 2 Q73 Q J 10 8 N E

W S

´ ™ © ®

K74 J863 J 10 5 2 A7

West North East South 1NT Pass 3NT End

West North East South 1NT Pass 3NT End

West leads the ´3: ´4, ´K, ´9. What do you return?

West leads the ´5. You capture the ´10 with the ´K and collect the ´2 on your left. How do you defend?

2. ´ ™ © ®

J 10 8 4 KQ2 AK7 10 8 2 N

W

E S

´ ™ © ®

KQ7 J843 982 973

West North East South 1NT Pass 3NT End

West leads the ´3. You win with the ´Q, collecting declarer’s ´9. What do you return?

4. ´ ™ © ®

W

J K 10 KQ753 K 10 8 6 4 ´ N ™ E © S ®

A843 J863 A82 J5

West North East South Pass 1™ 1© Pass 2® Pass 3NT End

West leads the ´2. You win with the ´A, collecting the ´5 on your left. What do you return?

Q5 void 10 9 2 54 ´ ™ © ®

4 K AJ5 K3 N W

E S

JUST BRIDGE

£165 per person

´ ™ © ®

K Q Q43 A2

A32 843 K Void

North is to lead, and North/South need to make all seven tricks with hearts as trumps. How can they achieve this? Warning: the solution is as surprising as it is difficult! (Answer on page 22.)

BEGIN BRIDGE

All full board. Six sessions of duplicate. No seminars. No prizes. No quizzes. Just bridge.

RUBBER/CHICAGO Not much Rubber/Chicago planned for 2011, however see page 15 for the dates, including one at Scalford Hall. I will increase the supply if there is demand.

CHARITY Please try to support one or more of the events listed on page 22. The organisers put in a lot of hard work in support of a really wide spectrum of good causes, many of them very local.

CHALLENGE CUP

This wonderful program by Bernard Magee is £64. Work through it carefully and by the end you will have a fair idea of the game. Practice is what you will need. However, Acol Bidding is the obvious follow on. When you have finished with your Begin Bridge, trade it in – return the disc and booklet with a cheque for £10 and you will receive the latest version of Acol Bidding. I really want you to learn and learn well. Bridge needs you.

YOUR RESPONSE When you reply to advertisements featured in this magazine please do mention Mr Bridge. Page 8

The 2011 playing of the Charity Challenge Cup is on Thursday 17 March and there is sure to be a heat near you. This year the proceeds are in aid of Epilepsy Action. The commentary on the hands is by Bernard Magee.

LITTLE VOICE Yes, I do want you to send your used postage stamps to Colin Bamberger who still works gallantly to process them in support of this work in Ethiopia. Those recently sending stamps are listed on page 36. Many thanks.

JOBS CLUBS Just another of the good causes I find worth supporting, see page 35. Do help if you are able. It is micro-help that is vital for the economy’s recovery.

NICHE

SINGLES SHARING

BACK COVER

Those singles willing to share can sometimes be paired together. This saves the seemingly extortionate costs of the inflated single supplements that are sadly usually charged. Singles are reminded of the outstanding value of the Havana to Harwich on the back cover. Similarly, the cruise advertised at the bottom of this page, especially if you don’t like the idea of sharing.

BERNARD’S CRUISES Bernard Magee goes on three Discovery cruises in 2011. One to the Baltic, one to Norway and the other Harwich to Lisbon.

AT THE ROYAL KENZ, TUNISIA 2011 Two-week half-board duplicate holidays

Once again Discovery wins the Conde Nast award for the top Niche cruise line.

TUNISIA Get away from the snow and ice. The February fortnight is just about sold out but there is still an opportunity to join us at the Royal Kenz in the spring, see adjacent advertisment.

£999

DISCOUNTED

SEE BELOW

£599 per person sharing, or with a 25% single supplement. This is a real bargain. Lovely time of year – Springtime in Southern France and Spain. There and back from Portsmouth.

No issue of BRIDGE would be complete without a mention of Clive Goff and his discounted British postage stamps. Contact him on ( 0208 422 4906

A port near you perhaps?

Clive-goff@londonrugby.com

per person sharing, or with a 25% single supplement. This 20 day cruise, sailing from Havana, Cuba presents truly wonderful value to all cruisers as there are lots of lovely days at sea. You can have as much or as little bridge as you like or even none at all. The price is unbeatable. Telephone now for the brochure. We will hold you a cabin for three days while you consider it.

REPEAT MESSAGE Happy New Year.

EXCLUSIVE MR BRIDGE SPECIAL OFFER

ȱ›Ž—Œ‘ȱŠ—ȱ™Š—’œ‘ȱ ȱ ȱ ȱ ȱ ˜“˜ž›—ȱ›ž’œŽ ȱ Řřȱ™›’•ǰȱŘŖŗŗȱȮȱŞȱŠ¢œ Řřȱ™›’•ǰȱŘŖŗŗȱȮȱŞȱŠ¢œ Ȯȱ›˜–ȱ˜—•¢ȱǡśşş™™ Ȯȱ›˜–ȱ˜—•¢ȱǡśşş™™ ˜›œ–˜ž‘ȱDžȱŠȱ˜›žÛŠȱDžȱ’•‹Š˜ȱDžȱŽȱŽ›˜—ȱDžȱŠ—ŽœȱDžȱȱŽŽ›ȱ˜›ȱDžȱ˜›œ–˜ž‘  ˜›œœ–˜ž‘ ‘ȱDžȱŠȱ˜›žÛ ۊŠȱDžȱ’•‹Š˜ȱDžȱŽȱŽ›˜—ȱDžȱŠ—ŽœȱDžȱȱŽŽ›ȱ˜›ȱDžȱ˜›œœ–˜ž‘ ‘

20 February - 6 March Bernard Magee 6-20 March Ray Hutchinson 20 March – 3 April Tony & Jan Richards Golf available

Save £100pp ˜ěȱ‹›˜Œ‘ž›Žȱ ˜ ěȱ‹›˜Œ‘ž›Žȱ ™›’ŒŽœȱ˜—ȱŠ••ȱ ™›’ŒŽœȱ˜—ȱŠ••ȱ ŒŠŽ˜›’Žœ ŒŠŽ˜›’Žœ

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01483 01483 4 489 89 9 961 61 ffor or b brochures rro ochurrees aand nd booking bo oo ok kiin ng g

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Page 9

£749*

*per person half-board sharing a twin-bedded room and is inclusive of bridge fees. Single supplement £6 per night. These prices are based on air travel from Gatwick to Monastir. Flights from other UK airports are available at a supplement. All prices are firm until the end of March 2011. Prices for seven-night stays are available on application. Pay £70 per fortnight per person extra and have a pool-facing room, tea & coffee making facilities, bath robe and a bowl of seasonal fruit. These holidays have been organised for by Tunisia First Limited, ATOL 5933, working in association with Thomas Cook Tour Operations Limited, ATOL 1179.

DETAILS & BOOKINGS

( 01483 489961

PROGRAMME

2011 BRIDGE WEEKENDS

This is the format for all Bernard Magee hosted events.

1500 Welcome Desk open Afternoon Tea 1745 to 1830 Welcome drinks reception

Singles All Sold

FRIDAY

with Bernard Magee 18 - 20 March Chatsworth Hotel Weak Twos £245

14 - 16 October Chatsworth Hotel Declarer Play £245

25 - 27 March Blunsdon House Hotel Sacrificing £245

21 - 23 October Denham Grove Game Tries £245

8 - 10 April Inn on the Prom Leads and Defence £235

4 - 6 November Inn on the Prom Hand Evaluation £235

15 - 17 April The Olde Barn Hotel Doubles £235

11 - 13 November Blunsdon House Hotel Suit Establishment £245

2015 BRIDGE 1 DUPLICATE PAIRS

SATURDAY 0800 to 0930 BREAKFAST

Singles All Sold

1830 to 2000 DINNER

1000 to 1230 SEMINAR & SUPERVISED PLAY of SET HANDS (tea & coffee at 1100)

3 - 5 June Blunsdon House Hotel Declarer Play £245

1230 to 1330 COLD BUFFET LUNCH 1400 to 1645 BRIDGE 2 TEAMS of FOUR or FURTHER SUPERVISED PLAY of SET HANDS 1815 to 2000 DINNER 2015 BRIDGE 3 DUPLICATE PAIRS

NEW SEMINAR

30 Sept - 2 Oct The Olde Barn Hotel Finding Slams £235

7 - 9 October Blunsdon House Hotel Stayman and Transfers with Improver Section £245

NEW SEMINAR

18 - 20 November NEW Chatsworth Hotel SEMINAR Finding Slams £245 25 - 27 November NEW Denham Grove SEMINAR Squeezes £245

Full Board. No Single Supplement

SUNDAY 0800 to 0930 BREAKFAST 1000 to 1230 SEMINAR & SUPERVISED PLAY of SET HANDS (tea & coffee at 1100) 1230 to 1400 CARVERY LUNCH 1400 to 1645 BRIDGE 4 FURTHER SUPERVISED PLAY of SET HANDS or DUPLICATE PAIRS

Blunsdon House Hotel

Chatsworth Hotel

Swindon SN26 7AS

Worthing BN11 3DU

Denham Grove

Inn on the Prom

Near Uxbridge UB9 5DU

St Annes-on-Sea FY8 1LU

The Olde Barn Hotel Marston, Lincs NG32 2HT

, Ryden Grange, Knaphill, Surrey GU21 2TH

( 01483 489961 Fax 01483 797302 e-mail: [email protected] website: www.holidaybridge.com

Page 10

Answers to Bernard Magee’s Bidding Quiz on page 3 2NT. In modern Acol, the 1NT rebid ´ ™ © ®

1. Dealer East. Love All. K5 ´ AQ62 N J943 ™ 2 E W K2 © AQ876 S AQ976 ® KJ4

West 2® 2NT

North Pass Pass

East 1© 2´ 3®

South Pass Pass …

2®. When responding, if you are strong enough to make two bids (10+ HCP), you should respond in your longest suit to start the most accurate description of your hand. You do not deny four hearts when you respond 2®; you plan to show your four hearts later, if necessary. If you respond 1™, you are likely to miss your excellent club fit and finish in 3NT. However, in the auction above, East reverses with 2´, which is forcing to game over a 2® response (9+ & 16+ is enough for game). West rebids 2NT and East shows his club support. Once East has bid three suits, you can predict he will be short in hearts and that there is a good chance for slam (6® will make). When you have plenty of points, you can show your shape and reach the best contract.

´ ™ © ®

2. Dealer East. Game All. A975 ´ K 10 N 42 ™ A Q 10 3 W E 10 9 5 © AJ3 S K J 10 4 ® Q982

West

North

1´ ?

Pass

East 1™ 1NT

South Pass Pass

shows 15-17 points. This means that responder should consider raising to 2NT with a good eight points, allowing partner the chance to go for game. With reasonable shape (not 4-3-3-3!) and two tens, you have a good 8 points and so bid 2NT. Your partner, with a good 16 points (his K-10 in your suit should be useful), is able to go on to game. Evaluating your balanced hands fully (including shape and tens and nines) will allow you to reach good thin games – games that make even when without 25+ points. Your 24 combined points should be plenty on this occasion.

Raising to 4™ is a good bid because it leaves North with a problem – he holds 19 points but has to start bidding over 4™! You can make an easy nine tricks in hearts, while North-South can make an easy eleven tricks in spades.

´ ™ © ®

4. Dealer North. Love All. A964 ´ KJ72 N 975 ™ A863 E W A8753 © 4 S 7 ® AK93

West

North 1©

East Double

South Pass

?

2´. Your partner’s double is for take-out: ´ ™ © ®

3. Dealer East. 876 N Q84 E W 98 S A9875

West

North

Love All. ´ 4 ™ AK97653 © 642 ® 63

East 3™

South Pass

?

4™. Your partner’s 3™ shows a weak hand with a seven-card heart suit. When you have good support, you can bid on with almost no points because your ambitions are the same as the opener’s. When you each have a very weak hand, you can almost guarantee that your opponents can make game. In this case, your aim is two-fold: to stop them from bidding and to find a good sacrifice – a contract in which you expect to go down, but which will cost less than allowing them to make game.

he wants you to bid a suit – you should pass only if you believe that 1© doubled will be a good contract against which to defend. Your diamonds are nowhere near strong enough to think of passing; furthermore, your hand will play very well in a major suit. You should certainly take the double out, but it is also important to show your strength. A 1´ bid shows 0-8 points – because you have to do something however weak you are, you could have zero points! Whenever you have more than 8 points including distribution, you should try to make a jump response – this shows your partner that you are serious about your hand and suggests the possibility of a game. With 8 HCP and a singleton, you have eleven total points and should jump to 2´. East accepts the invite and bids on to 4´, ■ which should make on a crossruff.

PremiumQualityPlayingCards Standard Design. Unboxed. 6 red / 6 blue £19.95 30 red / 30 blue only £60 AvailablefromTheLondonBridgeCentre.www.bridgeshop.com ( 02074868222

Page 11

Answers to David Huggett’s Play Quiz on page 7 ´ ™ © ®

1.

´ ™ © ®

KQJ83 5 J 10 7 6 852

10 4 2 A74 984 KJ97 N E

W S

´ ™ © ®

´ ™ © ®

765 K6 KQ52 A 10 6 4

A9 Q J 10 9 8 3 2 A3 Q3

You are declarer in 4™ and West leads the ´K. How do you plan the play? If you count losers, you see perhaps one in each suit. If the heart finesse works, that will take care of one. Is there another chance? Suppose you count potential winners: one spade, six hearts, one diamond and two clubs; even so, you have to be careful. If you win the first spade and finesse in hearts, it might lose, at which point the defence might take one spade winner and then attack diamonds. They will have set up their fourth winner before you have knocked out the ®A. So win the spade and attack clubs at trick two by leading the queen. If they duck, play another; then they will win with the ace and cash a spade. If they switch to a diamond, win and play a trump to the ace; if the king has not appeared, play the winning club, discarding the diamond loser.

´ ™ © ®

2.

´ ™ © ®

A975 3 Q63 Q J 10 7 2

3 A 10 7 6 4 A74 9863 N W

E S

´ ™ © ®

K Q 10 KQJ952 J82 A

´ ™ © ®

J8642 8 K 10 9 5 K54

You are declarer in 6™ and West leads the ®Q. How do you plan the play? You are in an awful slam, one that would have stood no chance on a diamond lead; fortunately, West leads a club. Given that you can ruff three clubs in hand, this brings the trick tally to ten so you need two more. At first glance, it might seem that the contract is safe if East holds the ´A, because, if you play the singleton spade from dummy and East rises with the ace, then the two losing diamonds from dummy will go away on the king and queen of spades. So they would, but it would be poor defence for East to play the ace. If he plays low, you will have no spade loser but you will still have two diamond losers! Instead, you must play a spade to the ten, hoping that the jack is on your right. If it loses to the ace, you have established two spade tricks; if it holds, you just play the ´K and throw a diamond from dummy, later throwing another one on the established ´Q.

´ ™ © ®

3.

´ ™ © ®

KJ943 10 2 Q83 Q98

W

E S

´ ™ © ®

´ ™ © ®

Q 10 8 J8764 10 7 J 10 7

A62 A95 AJ52 K65

You are declarer in 3NT and West leads the ´4. East plays the ´Q and continues with the ´10 when you duck. How do you plan the play? With eight top tricks, you are looking for the ninth. You also need to cut communications between the two defenders; you do this by ducking the first two rounds of spades. Since it looks as if West started with a five-card suit, you must keep that

Page 12

´ ™ © ®

4.

´ ™ © ®

92 Q J 10 8 J6 K 10 9 4 2

AQ3 975 AK754 75 N E

W S

´ ™ © ®

75 KQ3 K964 A432 N

defender off lead, so forget any thought of finessing in diamonds. Instead, play the ©A followed by a low one. If West shows out, win with the king in dummy and play low to the jack; if, instead, West plays low on the second diamond, insert dummy’s nine. Although it will lose, it means that the suit has broken 3-2 so, when you regain the lead, you can cash two more diamond tricks for the contract. If West plays the ten on the second diamond, you play the king and another, hoping that East holds the queen. The contract is in danger only if West started with five spades plus Q-10-x or more in diamonds.

´ ™ © ®

74 K63 Q 10 8 2 AJ63

K J 10 8 6 5 A42 93 Q8

You are declarer in 4´ and West leads the ™Q. How do you plan the play? You have four potential losers – two hearts and two clubs – though it looks like the diamonds will provide a third trick for a discard as long as the suit breaks no worse than 4-2. So win the first heart and play one top trump from hand. Then play the two top diamonds and ruff a third high. If the suit has broken 3-3, all well and fine; if someone shows out on third round, play a second trump to dummy and ruff a fourth diamond high. Finally, re-enter dummy with the last trump in order to play the established diamond while you throw a loser on it from hand. If you had mistakenly played two rounds of trumps early, dummy would have had too few ■ entries for this plan to work.

Singleton Rover

A Weekend at Denham Grove Oh, what self indulgence, a whole weekend with no chauffeuring of ungrateful children, no arbitration between quarrelsome teens, no ironing, no cooking, no shopping, just hours of lovely bridge…….bliss.

I

t was a personal first to go to Uxbridge. In my ignorance, I was expecting an urban sprawl and was pleasantly surprised by lots of green fields, with Denham Grove, a conference centre set in the countryside, just minutes from the M25. It is modern, low built and efficient. My room was stylish and very comfortable. Early on Friday evening, Bernard Magee greeted and chatted to guests over a glass of wine, and sought out singletons to whom he introduced other singletons. Instead of a discussion about families/jobs, the usual getting to know you stuff, we went straight into ‘weak notrump or strong no-trump...’ This was a relief. At other social events (non bridge), when I have attempted to meet like-minded mature singletons, any mention of such topics as flat hands or doubletons have been completely misunderstood. Dinner was good; a wide choice of dishes, with a good atmosphere at the table.

Friday Evening Duplicate After dinner on the Friday evening, we played duplicate and we could choose between two sections, either ‘main’ or ‘relaxed’ (although ‘relaxed’ or ‘very relaxed’ was a better description.) We all wore name badges to help break the ice; bridge players can be very bad at introducing themselves in clubs and this made for easy social chit chat. Bernard and his team of six helpers kept an eye on us all. It was speed dating without the awkward chat, as pairs worked round the rooms at a leisurely pace, completing 20 boards.

Most people I met were friendly, polite and enthusiastic bridge players. Many were fellow singletons. We played 20 hands in just under 2½ hours, so it wasn’t the fastest, but it was just right for this type of event. I slept well in a comfortable bed and woke up in an optimistic mood, so I started Saturday with a swim in the beautifully heated pool, followed by a cooked breakfast (undoing any good the exercise might have done) and was fighting fit for Bernard and his first seminar – Take-out Doubles.

´ ™ © ®

Dealer West. Game All. ´ KQJ94 ™ 7 © AK82 ® 432 N 10 ´ A52 W E KQ42 ™ AJ53 S 763 © Q J 10 4 AK876 ® 10 5 ´ 8763 ™ 10 9 8 6 © 95 ® QJ9

Take-out Doubles Bernard’s seminar used Powerpoint slides projected onto a big screen: they illustrated his points eloquently, making it relatively easy to remember. He covered a broad topic, finishing with the Negative Double (or ‘Sputnik Double’, the name I prefer). The seminar was followed by hands that illustrated all the scenarios mentioned, plus a few a bit more tricky to test our ability to generalise from the facts given. This session was fun; we had lots of help when stuck on the bidding and lots of chat on what to do and why. After this, I felt we had a better practical grasp of the topic. Here is a hand that exhibits the negative double and also the fact that we need to come to the next day’s seminar on penalty doubles. I was sitting North. West 1® 3™ End

North 1´ 3´

East Dbl 4™

Page 13

South 2´ Dbl

East’s double was the negative double: it showed 6+ points and at least four hearts. Knowing his partner had hearts meant that West could rebid 3™ and East could raise to game. South is certainly not strong enough to make a penalty double. The defence gets off to a great start: ©AK and a ruff, but those are the only tricks the defence can take. Since 4™ is making, North-South do better not to double and better still if they sacrifice in 4´ doubled, going two off.

Practice Hands After lunch (excellent, I had the swordfish and sticky-toffee pudding), some of the guests took time off, others continued with the practice hands, but for me it was Swiss teams. Bernard explained the tactics for winning: ‘Go for game: extra undertricks and overtricks do not count for much,’ quite different from duplicate pairs. My fellow singleton, to whom I was now firmly attached

Singleton Rover

continued

as a bridge partner, seemed to be in great form, so were the other pair in our team and we enjoyed a good result. The evening was spent with playing duplicate pairs again and it seemed we had taken the seminar to heart as there were doubles all over the place. It was interesting to see how this altered our bidding from our previously reluctant and infrequent doubling. Now the double card was brought out frequently. It improved our score a bit, but I think others improved more.

Seminar on Penalty Doubles Sunday, after another cooked breakfast, we attended our second seminar: Doubling For Penalties. This is a topic I thought I knew, but I was proved very wrong. In fact, as Bernard said, very few people are ever taught about penalty doubling beyond the doubling of 1NT opening bids. He suggested we should be doubling five times the amount we are, or perhaps even ten times for some. The set teaching hands that followed illustrated this in a practical and fun way. Our table had a good chat about how our bidding would be so much better now.

Teaching Hands One teaching hand was particularly neat: I was sitting North again.

´ ™ © ®

Dealer South. Game All. ´ 5 ™ Q92 © J52 ® KQ7653 K J 10 7 6 ´ 82 N 10 5 3 ™ A876 W E 10 3 © AK94 S 10 8 4 ® AJ9 ´ AQ943 ™ KJ4 © Q876 ® 2

The bidding went: West

North

East

Pass Dbl

2® 3®

Dbl Dbl

South 1´ 2´ End

Three doubles in one bidding sequence. The first was for take out, (East has support for both hearts and diamonds and a strong hand), the last two doubles were for penalties. We went down by three tricks with East/West claiming 800 points: East led ©AK, gave his partner a ruff and then won ™A to lead another diamond and when West ruffed with ®10 North’s trump suit was decimated: he had to lose three more trump tricks. South would have done better to pass or rebid his second suit: 2© – this might have avoided the carnage. Furthermore, North was light for a two-level response. However, the important element of the board was that East and West were ready to double us for penalties. Our weekend was well and truly finished off with the choice of either another session of duplicate, or more teaching hands that reinforced the seminar learning. The good news is that our duplicate results were a lot better, maybe I had listened more attentively than others; there is nothing like a handsome, eloquent seminar leader to make me pay attention.

Double More Often and Achieve Better Results Doubling more frequently is great fun and gives good results if Bernard’s guidelines are followed. Bernard’s articles on doubles can be found on the website www.mrbridge.co.uk/ library-new.php?choice=bidding Well worth a look, but not half as good as having it delivered in person. Overall, it was a great weekend; good accommodation, good food, like-minded company and excellent tuition. Great value for money. I hope my sister-in-law can face having the children again; I would love to have another weekend away improving my bridge and meeting more singletons. Meanwhile, I will be working on those ■ doubles.

Page 14

Abbreviated Numericals’ Quiz Example: 60 S in a M is 60 Seconds in a Minute 1

13 in a BD

2

45 RPM for a S

3

3 BM

4

50 YM = GWA

5

1815 = B of W

6

ATW in 80 D

7

99 = an IC with a F

8

42 = the A to L the U & E

9

52 C in a P of C

10

70 = the MSL

11

90 D in a RA

12

SW & T 7D

13

7 S on a 50 PC

14

26 L in the A

15

1 MW to M a M

16

3 M in a B

17

37 N on a RW

18

9 L of a C

19

52 W in a Y

20

12 S of the Z

21

92 C in the FL

22

15 RB on a ST

23

8 T on an O

24

30 D in S

25

22 = 2 LD in B

26

57 = HV

27

7 B for 7 B

28

12 M in a Y

29

4 W and a F

30

29 D in F in a LY Answers on page 23.

Bernard Magee’s Tips for Better Bridge

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65 invaluable tips in 160 pages Bidding Tips 1 Always consider bidding spades if you can 2 Bid more aggressively when non-vulnerable 3 Always double when the opponents steal your deal 4 A take-out double shows shortage in the suit doubled 5 ‘Borrow’ a king to keep the auction open 6 After a penalty double, don’t let the opponents escape 7 Halve the value of a singleton honour when opening 8 Only add length-points for a suit that might be useful 9 Isolated honours are bad except in partner’s suit 10 Use the jump shift sparingly 11 Consider passing and letting partner decide 12 You need two top honours for a second-seat pre-empt 13 Put the brakes on if you have a misfit 14 Strong and long minors work well in no-trumps 15 One stop in the opponents’ suit can be enough for no-trumps 16 Keep your two-level responses up to strength 17 Use your normal methods in response to a 1NT overcall 18 Don’t overcall just because you have opening points 19 Overcalls can be quite weak, so be prudent when responding 20 Weak overcalls must be based on strong suits 21 6NT requires 33 points not 4 aces and 4 kings 22 Raise immediately, if weak with four-card support 23 In a competitive auction, show support immediately 24 Bid to the level of your fit quickly with weak hands 25 With strength and support, use the opponents’ bid suit Declarer-play Tips 26 When your contract depends on a finesse, think ‘endplay’ 27 Consider what a defender might be thinking about 28 Always take your time at trick one 29 Establish extra tricks before cashing your winners 30 Use your opponents’ bidding to your advantage 31 Avoid the ‘baddie’ gaining the lead 32 Use the Rule of Seven when holding up in no-trumps

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33 A low lead usually promises length and an honour 34 When declaring 1NT try to be patient 35 Duck an early round when you are short of entries 36 Lead up to your two-honour holding 37 Do not always assume a suit will break well 38 Drop a high card to put off the defence 39 Play your highest card to tempt a defender to cover 40 Draw trumps first unless you have a good reason not to 41 Do not waste your trumps 42 Consider leaving a lone defensive trump winner out Defence Tips 43 Keep four-card suits intact whenever possible 44 Give count on declarer’s leads 45 Keep the right cards rather than signal 46 Take your time when dummy is put down 47 High cards are for killing other high cards 48 Do not waste intermediate cards 49 Pick two key suits to concentrate on during the play 50 If in doubt, cover an honour with an honour 51 If a lead is from two honours, it is best not to cover 52 Keep your honour to kill dummy’s honour 53 Try to show partner your solid honour sequences 54 Lead the normal card when leading partner’s suit 55 Never underlead an ace at trick one in a suit contract 56 Be wary of leading from four cards to only one honour 57 Lead a higher card from a suit without an honour 58 Lead through ‘beatable’ strength and up to weakness 59 Cash your winners before trying for a trump promotion 60 Be patient when defending 1NT 61 Trump leads can be safe throughout the play General Tips 62 Do not put important cards at either end of your hand 63 Avoid being declarer when you are dummy 64 Before you lead ask for a review of the auction 65 Enjoy the Game!

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From the Diaries of Wendy Wensum Episode 1: New Beginnings illie and I have been attending local classes to learn bridge under the tender guidance of our tutor. We have been playing rubber bridge with friends in our homes and our teacher thinks we are ready for the world of duplicate. An invitation to the nearby Riverside Bridge Club found Jo, Kate, Millie and me in the adjacent bar summoning the courage to enter the bridge room. Although some of the tales you hear about grumpy tournament players can seem alarming, I couldn’t help thinking that Millie’s two double brandies were rather excessive protection. We needn’t have worried. We were welcomed warmly by the club president and introduced to other club members. The evening seemed to pass very quickly and we enjoyed ourselves immensely. 24 boards later, at Millie’s request, we retired to a local hostelry to review our performances. While three of us enjoyed our coffees, Millie, bless her, had another double brandy to calm her nerves. Board 8 was unexciting and had been passed out, so interest centred on board 9. Sitting North, Jo opened 1©, and the auction went:

M

North Jo 1© 2® 3NT

Expiry: ............................ CVV.................... Issue No. ............... (CVV is the last 3 numbers on the signature strip)

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South Kate 1´ 3´ 4´

The opening lead was the ace of diamonds and, with trumps 4-2, Jo made the contract with an overtrick.

Page 16

´ ™ © ® ´ ™ © ®

10 2 742 AK82 J 10 7 4 ´ ™ © ®

8 AKQ Q 10 9 7 3 KQ62 ´ J764 N ™ 965 W E S © J65 ® 953 AKQ953 J 10 8 3 4 A8

At our table, the bidding took a different twist; spades were never mentioned. As North, I opened 1© and Millie responded 1™, suppressing her sixcard spade suit. I think the earlier brandies may have influenced her decision. From my own heart holding, I assumed that Millie held at least five, because I know only clever-clog county players bid a four card suit without any of the top three honours. Anyway, I raised her 1™ to 4™. The complete auction was: North Wendy 1© 4™ 5© * Blackwood

South Millie 1™ 4NT* 6™

Again, the lead was the diamond ace. Millie set up the spades by playing the ace of spades followed by a ruff in dummy. With the 3-3 trump break, the contract came home for a fortunate top. I turned to Millie to congratulate her on her declarer play, but, rather like board 8, she had already ■ passed out.

Answers to Andrew Kambites’  Lead Quiz on page 4 ♠ ™ © ®

1.

♠ ™ © ®

762 974 J 10 9 A952

N

Pass Pass Pass End

E

W S

♠ ™ © ®

West

93 AQJ32 AQ6 843 ♠ ™ © ®

54 10 6 5 7542 K 10 7 6

A K Q J 10 8 K8 K83 QJ

North 1™ 3™ 4♠ 5™

East Pass Pass Pass Pass

South 2♠ 3♠ 4NT 6♠

West

North

East

Pass End

3™

Pass

Excellent: you are on lead with two aces. Do you already have your ♠A in your hand? Hold on a minute. Why did South not use Blackwood? The most logical reason is that he has a void, surely in spades. Do you see what happens if you try to cash your ♠A? Declarer ruffs and later discards a diamond on the ♠K. You have two reasonable choices. You could try the ace of trumps to see dummy. If you do, the temptation to continue with the ♠A will be strong; even so, you must resist it. My choice is to start with the ®J.

♠ ™ © ®

3.

An agonising decision is whether to cash a side suit ace against a small slam. While you cannot be right every time, you can get clues by listening to the bidding. South seems to have very good and long spades. North has at least five hearts. You have no sort of stopper in those suits. So what will happen if you lead the ©J? Declarer will surely win, draw trumps and run dummy’s hearts. You need to take what you can in the minor suits before it is too late. Cash the ®A. Partner will signal his liking for clubs with his ®10, allowing the defence to take a second club trick.

♠ ™ © ®

2.

♠ ™ © ®

A8643 A 952 J 10 9 7

N W

E S

♠ ™ © ®

Void KQJ987 AK4 A843

♠ ™ © ®

76 974 J972 K952

West

♠ ™ © ®

J 10 9 7 5 2 4 Q 10 8 Q65

93 AQJ32 A 10 6 843 N W

E S

♠ ™ © ®

Pass Pass Pass End

KQ 10 6 5 3 2 J763 K2

South 1™ 6™

♠ ™ © ®

542 K65 Q84 Q 10 7 6

A K Q J 10 8 10 8 K53 AJ

North 1™ 3™ 4♠ 5™

East Pass Pass Pass Pass

South 2♠ 3♠ 4NT 6♠

As in question 1, you must attack in a minor before declarer can discard his losers there on the hearts. So which one should you lead? You can see the answer by putting partner with queens in each minor. Suppose you lead a diamond. Too late. Declarer has a loser there but he has time to take the ©K, draw trumps, and drive out the

Page 17

™K, finally discarding all of his minor suit losers. Now try a club. Partner’s ®Q forces out the ace and the defenders can cash a club trick when partner gets in with the ™K. The correct lead is the ®2.

♠ ™ © ®

4.

♠ ™ © ®

76 974 J972 K952

AK2 AKQ A653 764 ♠ ™ © ®

N E

W S

♠ ™ © ®

J985 10 8 3 84 J 10 8 3

Q 10 4 3 J652 K Q 10 AQ

West

North

East

Pass End

4NT

Pass

South 1NT 6NT

Again, you are on lead against a slam with a long suit headed by the king and another long suit headed by the jack. However, the auction is very different to hand 3. This time, there is no reason to believe that either South or North has a long suit. This being the case, declarer is likely to have to look for tricks in all four suits: let him do that himself, hoping that his finesses fail. Now passive defence is right: you do not want to lead away from an honour. So it would be wrong to lead either minor suit – but which major is better? Generally, if you are leading from rubbish, the longer your holding, the less likely you are to compromise an honour in partner’s hand. Therefore, lead the ™7, the middle card from three small. Now, look at all four hands. Declarer has 11 top tricks. Any lead apart from a heart gives him an easy twelfth. Although he can succeed on a heart lead, for example by an endplay or by finessing ■ the ♠10, he might well go down.

David Stevenson answers your questions on Laws and Ethics

How do I Score a Fouled Board?

Q

On a simultaneous pairs’ night, I arrived at a table to hear that someone had switched the NS and EW hands on one board. On round 4, EW had made 4™; when they came to score, they found two scores of 4™ making by NS and one of 4™ making by EW already on the traveller. The players on round three had played the board the wrong way round, but had not noticed when they came to score (the hands were on the traveller) and had returned the cards the wrong way around. It was unclear whether the round two pairs had put their cards back in the wrong slots, or whether the round three pairs had started with the board the wrong way round on the table. I returned the hands to their correct positions for the remaining rounds; how should I score the board? Peter Rollin, Tamworth.

A

For the simultaneous competition, the board does not

count at the tables where the hands were in the wrong slot. The organiser will recommend a procedure. You cannot include any boards that contain hands different to the official hands. For a club duplicate, you have a fouled board. You divide the scores into two fields: one with the board one way, one with the board the other; you score each field separately. Good software will now do the scoring for you, adjusting the matchpoints using the Neuberg formula. If you are scoring by hand, you have to score it as two separate boards; then factor the matchpoints, to get an approximation.

®©™♠

Q

Playing duplicate, I had a balanced hand with 11 points in the fourth position. Moreover, the hand was in perfect order, obviously placed by the previous player. Our bidding had started Pass-Pass-Pass. I knew it was therefore a passed out deal. Knowing I was in possession of information not available to my

opponents, what should I do? Colin Dale, Stamford, Lincs.

A

There is no easy answer because, with intelligent players, when you speak to the director after three passes, they will know what the problem is! Speaking to him away from the table is better than at the table. There is one good thing about this problem: although you know the previous table passed out the deal, you do not know whether that was the correct thing to do or not. I would just decide, using the basis I would normally, whether to pass it out or not, without worrying too much about the ethics, since they are someone else’s fault and since they give you no clear idea what to do. Then I would call the director at the end of the hand and tell him what happened. He may wish to speak to the players at the previous table and remind them about shuffling their cards before putting them back in the board.

®©™♠

Q

Page 18

I was in 5® but forgot and thought I was in

3NT. After saying ‘run the clubs’, I remembered that I was playing in clubs. There were two clubs left when I said ‘stop’ but the director said I could not change my mind. Was this right? Ken O’Brien, Brighton.

A

No, it was not. The lawmakers actively dislike people saying ‘Run the clubs’ and strongly suggest you do not. However, you are not forced to continue to do so having said it, but may change your mind part way. If the opponents suffered damage because they believed that you were going to play all the clubs, there may be an adjusted score. When it becomes especially obvious that it was a mistake, when the club suit fails to break and playing another one is silly, for example, there is no problem at all with switching to another suit.

David Stevenson answers all queries based on the facts supplied by the letter writer. Neither Mr Bridge nor David Stevenson has any way of knowing whether those facts are correct or complete.

Ask David

continued

Q

Members of our club who play a ‘one club’ system have started to explain their 1® bid by saying, ‘my partner has either 16 to 19 points with any shape or a natural club opening bid.’ Is this ‘double meaning’, either a normal opening hand with clubs or a Precision type 1® permissible? Derek Graham, Lanchester, Durham (similar from Alan Mansell, Milford-on-sea).

A

You may play an either/or club of the sort you describe at Level 4, but not at lower levels, so it depends on what your club allows. While a majority of clubs allow only up to Level 3, not all do; many allow Level 4.

®©™♠

Q

If most of the better players sit North-South in a club, should a pair keen to win sit North-South or East-West? If a club wishes to ensure as fair a result as possible, what is the best number of boards to arrowswitch? David Brayshaw by email.

A

If most of the better players are NorthSouth, then you will improve your score by sitting East-West, not North-South, assuming no arrowswitch. The pairs you are competing with are sitting the same way as you and you will be better off if they are weaker. The best number to arrowswitch to ensure a fair result is one eighth of the

Q

boards, though it is not simple to demonstrate why this is correct. Suppose you are NorthSouth except for the last three boards. You will be comparing with at least one EastWest pair on every board you play (the pair who play the set on an arrowswitch), not just on the last three boards. Let us say you play boards 1 to 21 as North-South: on each board, one of the scores you compare with will be an East-West one. On boards 22 to 24, you will compare with every East-West except one. I find it difficult to go further than this as an explanation. There are, however, a set of articles on my laws page on the matter. Have a look at: http://blakjak.org/lws_m en1.htm#orgbrg2

Declarer places his remaining cards on the table and claims the rest. If the opposition disputes the claim, what happens? Allan Doe, Liskeard, Cornwall.

®©™♠

Are there any rules or points of etiquette to say that declarer should make a claim if he considers a contract unbeatable? John Martin, Evanton, Scotland.

Q

In this sequence, East-West are playing the jump to 3♠ as a weak hand with spade support: West North 1™ 3♠

East 1♠

South 2™

Should East alert 3♠ as it conveys information to him (about West’s strength) that should also be available to opponents? Thomas McNicholas by email

A

The rules are completely different between rubber bridge and duplicate. At duplicate, there is no further play and the director decides what result is fair, giving the benefit of any doubt to the non-claimers. At rubber, when play continues, declarer leaves his hand face up on the table. The defenders can show their hands or not as they wish.

®©™♠

Q A

It is bad etiquette to prolong play unnecessarily to disconcert an opponent and the rules specifically mention playing on when all the rest of the tricks are yours. This is all subjective: some players are too inexperienced

A

No: many bids have information that is unknown to opponents until they ask. That is not the basis for alerting. The basis for alerting is what the authority decides needs an alert, usually a call that is unusual or artificial. 3♠ is neither, since it is very common to play it as quite weak.

Page 19

to realise all the rest of the tricks are theirs: there is no problem with them playing on.

®©™♠

Q

When drawing for partner or cutting, what is the minimum number of cards you should leave at either end of pack? D Hough, Newcastle-under-Lyme.

A

Four, in both cases, it is a matter of law.

®©™♠

Q

I learned recently that I may open 1NT with 15 points (evaluating it as 14 if it is a poor hand). As my partner and I usually play 1NT as 12-14, do we now have to say 12-15 or can we tell a lie for 1 point? Maureen Flack, Watton, Norfolk (similar from Mrs J Haylock, Congleton, Cheshire).

A

There is actually no simple answer to this because, unfortunately some people will moan whatever you do. My suggestion is that if it is a very rare downgrading you say, ‘12 to 14.’ If it is reasonably common, best is probably to say, ‘12 to a poor 15.’

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Ask David

continued

Q

What happens if the player who makes the final bid adds an extra pass at the end of the auction? Does this give the next player the chance to call again or does anything else happen? A N Mouse, Cheddar, Somerset.

A

No – there is neither further bidding nor penalty.

Q

On this deal, East-West alleged that North’s pause over 3™ was too slow.

♠ ™ © ® ♠ ™ © ®

West 10 2 A 10 8 2 AQ65 10 6 2 ♠ ™ © ®

®©™♠

Q

Our convention card said that doubles up to 2♠ were informative. I opened 1♠ and my left hand opponent bid 3®. My partner doubled and I, taking it as a penalty double, passed. My lefthand opponent said that I should have alerted the double. Was this correct? Hugh Ball by email.

A

Certainly – the rules for alerting doubles of natural suit bids below 3NT are simple. If you do not alert it, then it is a takeout double. No rule could be simpler. It does not matter whether it is on your system card, since that is a different method of telling opponents what you play. It does not matter what the bidding sequence is, which is what makes the rule so simple. Since your double was not for takeout, it needed an alert. Please note that the rules in Scotland are different: these are the rules elsewhere in the UK. Please also note that takeout is the modern term rather than informative.

North AQJ6 J5 J73 K973 East ♠ 94 ™ KQ7643 © K982 ® Q South K8753 9 10 4 AJ854

hesitation – what this South says he would have done makes no difference. As for the scores from other tables, we take no notice of those when ruling. It is worth noting that if North had made the obvious bid of 3♠ over 3™, as he should, there would have been no problem. His pass is bad enough; to think for some time and pass is definitely not good. It was his action (or, more properly, lack of action) that caused his side’s bad result.

®©™♠

Q

West North East South Pass 1NT 2™ 2♠ Pass Pass 3♠ 3™ 4♠ End 4™

♠ ™ © ®

South said he would have bid 3♠ anyway and that he had not noticed the pause. At all but one table, North-South played in spades. Colin Thomas, Oxted, Surrey.

A

How would you rule here?

This looks quite an easy ruling. South has a modest fivecard spade suit and the 3♠ bid is very dangerous. South has already promised five spades with the 2♠ bid and his suit is no better than he has already shown. A 3♠ bid here would strongly imply six spades, which he does not have. Once North has hesitated, the 3♠ bid becomes safer but South must not take advantage of that. It is quite normal for the director to rule it back to 3™ and I would be very surprised at any director who did not. The director decides what South’s peers would have done without the

♠ ™ © ®

North A65 A83 8732 A82

West East K 10 7 4 3 ♠ 2 Q9 ™ J 10 7 6 5 4 AQ94 © 6 K5 ® J 10 7 6 3 South ♠ QJ98 ™ K2 © K J 10 5 ® Q94

West North

East

South 1© Pass Pass Pass

1NT Dbl 2©* 2♠ Dbl 3® Pass Dbl 3™ Pass Dbl End *alerted and explained as both majors

Julian Lang, Aldham, Colchester

A

This problem is complex because there are three things to look at. First, misinformation. Was the description of 2© as majors correct? Was that their actual agreement? If not, we

Page 20

have to look to see if North/ South might have bid differently with the correct information. Since you have not suggested otherwise, I shall assume the director investigated and found that was the correct meaning of the bid. Second, unauthorised information. When West describes East’s hand, it does not matter who has the system right and who is wrong. East will hear the description and is required to try to take no advantage. Unfortunately, many people try to wriggle out of trouble, either by instinct, or because they do not know the rules. What did East mean by his 2© bid? Presumably a transfer. So he must bid as though he has transferred. What about his 3® bid? That is fair enough: 2♠ doubled cannot be the right contract. What about his 3™ bid? No, that is just unacceptable: why would he bid 3™ if he has shown hearts and clubs? Thus, we disallow the 3™ bid. What did we think of West’s actions? Has he fielded a misbid? No, not really: the 3® bid is so impossible if East has shown the majors, once 2♠ was doubled, that West is entitled to assume something has gone wrong. Therefore, we do not adjust for misinformation, since there was none: we do not adjust for fielding a misbid, because it was not: but we adjust for acting on unauthorised information, since the 3™ bid is unacceptable and illegal, so we disallow it. What happens to 3® doubled? There are only five obvious losers, though if the defenders keep playing spades and diamonds, declarer may be in trouble. Since this will not happen very often, I shall give a weighted score, thus: 30% of 3®X -2, NS +300 + 70% of 3®X -1, NS +100

Ask David

Q

continued

I was East in the following auction:

West North East South 3© 2♠ 2©1 Pass Pass 3♠ Pass2 Pass 1 Weak 2 After agreed hesitation

When North reached for a card from the main part of his bidding box (indicating it was not a pass), South said that North should not bid following the hesitation. Ron Holton Stoke-on-Trent

A

Q

I have little doubt that South was intending to be ethical, but he has made two major mistakes. First, he has no right whatever to tell his partner what to do, good intentions notwithstanding. Second, he is not right that his partner cannot bid after a hesitation followed by a pass, which is a commonly held mistaken belief. His partner should merely do his best to take no advantage. If a hesitation followed by a pass really did stop partner from bidding, South could hesitate deliberately whenever he wanted to silence North – that would make no sense. However, I am very surprised you did not call the director. He is there to sort out problems and it is far better to let him do so than not sort anything out and worry about it afterwards.

Please could you provide a ruling on the following?

♠ ™ © ®

BEGIN BRIDGE ACOL VERSION

North 6 J96 Q987432 QJ

An Interactive Tutorial with Bernard Magee

West North East South 4©* Pass 4♠ 3™ Pass 6© Pass 5© End *alerted and explained as spades and diamonds

£66

North went three off in 6©. Some pairs had played in spades and 4♠ went three off too. Name and address supplied.

A

The alert was unnecessary anyway. Above 3NT, you alert only artificial opening bids. The Laws & Ethics Committee thinks this may have been a mistake – first round actions might be better alerted – but they feel they are stuck with it. Anyway, there was an alert and explanation, so North has unauthorised information. If a pass of 4♠ is reasonable, then you should adjust afterwards to 4♠. I would adjust, but if, as you say, you make seven tricks in 4♠ there is no damage. More importantly, I would make it clear to North that he must not use unauthorised information. If South had described North’s bid as ‘long diamonds,’ would North then pass 4♠? Quite possibly. If so, he must pass with the unauthorised information. ■

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Page 21

Answer to Richard Wheen’s Double Dummy Quiz on page 8

♠ ™ © ® ♠ ™ © ®

S

Q5 void 10 9 2 54 ♠ ™ © ®

4 K AJ5 K3 N W

E S

♠ ™ © ®

K Q Q43 A2

A32 843 K Void

o there we were, sitting at the bar at the end of a duplicate session, discussing hand 17. ‘You can make it, you know,’ said my partner. ‘I don’t remember the hand,’ I replied. Partner then scribbled the critical last few tricks on the back of an envelope – see above. ‘You were South, declarer, in a heart contract and, with seven tricks to go (and needing all of them), you were in dummy. You ruffed the spades good but then had to lose a trick to the trump queen. Hopeless. No, the answer lies in a squeeze. You need first to lead the king of clubs. East must cover, obviously, so you ruff in hand. Then you must lead the king of diamonds and overtake with the ace.’ ‘But that means giving up a natural diamond trick!’ I exclaimed. ‘Quite so,’ replied my partner, ‘but that is necessary as you need the

entry to dummy. After that, you lead the jack of diamonds and again East must cover. You ruff and lead your last trump to the king, drawing East’s queen. Meanwhile West is in a real dilemma. He is, in fact, the subject of a triple squeeze. Whatever he discards promotes a trick or two for you in that suit. If he throws a spade, your spades win the last three tricks. If, however, he throws his last club or diamond, dummy leads his newly promoted card in that suit and squeezes West again. Brilliant.’ ‘But why does one need to take those pseudo-ruffingfinesses in clubs and diamonds?’ I asked. ‘That,’ partner replied patiently, ‘is to make West alone guard the last rounds of clubs and diamonds. It must be he who guards these, as he is the only one who guards the spades and can therefore be squeezed in this way.’ ‘How am I supposed to know that is the layout?’ I asked. ‘East had been bidding like crazy, remember,’ said my partner, ‘though West bid spades at one stage, so most of the points are likely to be with East and the longer spades with West. Not very difficult.’ It is all very well thinking up this sort of play after the event. I bet my partner would not have succeeded in practice, ■ either.

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Page 22

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JUDGE’S TRIBUTE TO BETTY ELLSON, A MUCH-LOVED BRIDGE TEACHER

Answers to the Abbreviated Numericals’ Quiz on page 14

As reported by Julie Magee and reprinted from the Daily Echo, Bournemouth. judge yesterday paid touching tributes to a much-loved grandmother before jailing the driver who killed her for six years. Judge Christopher Harvey Clark QC told 24 year old George Ball: “You must live with the death of Betty Ellson for the rest of your life; it will be on your conscience.” Ball, formerly of Worgret Road, Poole, admitted causing 74 year old Mrs Ellson’s death by dangerous driving at the junction of Sea Road and Owls Road in Boscombe on April 21 this year. He also pleaded guilty to possessing cannabis and breaching a suspended prison sentence. Prosecuting at Bournemouth Crown Court, Carolyn BranfordWood said Ball had sped away in his 2.8 litre Volkswagen Golf after police officers in St Clement’s Road switched on their car’s blue lights in a bid to stop him. During a 1.5 mile pursuit he drove through two red lights and passed another motorist who feared that Ball was going to plough into the back of his stationary vehicle. When Ball struck Mrs Ellson’s Vauxhall Corsa, his headlights had been switched off and he was on the wrong side of the road. The force of the crash pushed her car into a wall and she died a short time later at Poole hospital. Officers pursuing Ball in their marked car were six seconds behind him at the time of the crash, which was captured on a nearby hotel’s CCTV camera. Following his arrest at the scene, injured Ball asked: “What’s happened to the other driver? It was all my fault – I was being chased.” Miss Branford-Wood said an investigation had been carried out into the actions of the police officers pursing Ball, adding: “No criticism was levelled at them.” Defending Ball, Robert Grey said his client had pleaded guilty and shown genuine remorse. “He is so sorry for the deceased and her family. If he could turn the clock back, he would. He has to live with the knowledge that he has killed someone.” Sentencing Ball, Judge Harvey Clark QC told him: “You drove with a total disregard for the safety of other road users. This case involves a terrible tragedy. Betty Ellson was a much-loved woman; a mother and grandmother. She was kind, thoughtful, warmhearted and held in high regard. She is much missed by her family and friends. At the time of her death she was still in the prime of her life.” Ball was banned from driving for seven years and ordered to take an extended test before getting back behind the wheel. After the case, Gary, one of Mrs Ellson’s three sons, said; “We are disappointed the sentence wasn’t slightly longer because his actions were so reckless. But nothing will bring our mother back; we feel we have been robbed. At least he pleaded guilty and we’ve got some closure. Our mother was the most wonderful lady in the world; it’s so wrong because she didn’t stand a chance that night. We don’t blame the police for what happened and commend them for the way they have handled the investigation.” The officer in the case, Inspector Ernie Henly, said; “I hope this sentence will deter others. Mr Ball’s callous and calculated actions resulted in the death of an innocent member of the public. © Julie Magee ■

A

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13 in a Baker’s Dozen

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52 Cards in a Pack of Cards

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Maximum Speed Limit

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90 Degrees in a Right Angle

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7 Sides on a Fifty Pence Coin

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9 Lives of a Cat 52 Weeks in a Year 12 Signs of the Zodiac 92 Clubs in the Football League

22

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25

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28

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29

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Page 23

57 = Heinz Variety 7 Brides for 7 Brothers 12 Months in a Year 4 Weddings and A Funeral

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Julian Pottage answers your bridge questions

Why is an Acol Two Forcing? Q

In Acol, there is a 2NT negative response to a strong two. I know some play strong twos as nonforcing. They say that if opener has 8 tricks and responder has nothing then they are high enough. Is this right? F W Pritchard, Whitfield, Manchester.

A

There are two good reasons to play an Acol two as forcing for one round. First, opener may have a two-suited hand: responder’s ‘useless’ hand might make several tricks with opener’s second suit as trumps. Second, opener may have nine or even ten tricks: plenty of hands with nine or ten playing tricks are too weak in terms of high cards for a 2® opener.

♠ ™ © ®

♠ ™ © ®

AKJ532 K Q J 10 4 2 3 Void

A K Q 10 8 6 5 3 2 4 KJ 3

If you have a hand like either of the above, you would not want partner to pass your 2♠ opening, would you? If you wish, you can play a strong two as non-forcing (though it would then not be Acol). You would have to restrict its use to single-suited hands (say a running sevencard suit and one or one and a half tricks on the side), in which case responder could afford to pass with a bust or near bust. However, if all you have is a bare eight tricks, you are unlikely to miss game by opening at the one level.

not going to let the opponents buy the contract in anything other than a sacrifice. If you made 12 tricks in no-trumps, it sounds as if you could have got 2™ doubled down quite a few. Responder can double either on a very weak hand that has length in the suit overcalled (when game might not be making) or on a slightly better hand, again with length in the overcaller's suit, in the hope of getting a penalty worth more than the value of game.

®©™♠

Partner opens 1NT (12-14). Playing matchpoints, what should I respond?

Q

After my partner opened with an Acol 2®, her LHO overcalled with 2™. I had four hearts and the AQ of clubs so I doubled. We ended up in 3NT making 12 tricks. Is there a standard way to deal with interference over a 2® opening?  Keith Rickson by email.

A

Standard treatment includes the use of penalty doubles. Responder has no need to keep the bidding open because the 2® opener is

®©™♠

Q

♠ ™ © ®

97 J96 AKQJ953 7

tricks/stoppers in the other suits. Given the 1NT opening, you can be certain that partner will not be void in diamonds and so will be able to reach your hand. Even if 5© makes, it might not score well if other pairs are making 3NT with an overtrick or two. Given that 5© is not certain to make, I would advise a raise to 3NT at rubber bridge too, the loss of 100 for honours notwithstanding.

®©™♠

Q

Why in this sequence would the final bid be an exception to the principle that a new suit at the three level in a constructive auction is forcing? Opener 1NT 2©

Responder 2® (Stayman) 3™

Roy Barker, Verwood, Dorset. I bid 5©, which went 1 off. Max Holley by email.

A

You should raise 1NT to 3NT. You have seven tricks in your hand and good reason to suppose that partner can come up with sufficient

Page 26

A

The sequence is an exception on two counts. (a) It is a conventional sequence rather than a natural one. (b) As the 2® bid implied the majors, 3™ is, in a way, not a new suit.

Ask Julian

continued

Q

My partner opened 1® and I responded 1NT. If one of us later wishes to check on aces, which of 4® and 4NT should be the call to do so? Peter Wiseman, North Walsham, Norfolk.

A

If the partnership has bid clubs naturally, 4® should never be Gerber. Although 4NT is often a quantitative bid if the partnership has bid notrumps previously (particularly if it is a direct raise of a notrump bid), 4NT might be an ace-asking bid if you agree a suit before making the bid. It is unlikely that you can have a slam on when partner has only a one-level opening and you a limited balanced hand. However, I suppose partner could have some 7-4 hand such as this:

♠ ™ © ®

6 AKQ5 5 A K 10 7 5 4 2

If the auction continues 2™-3®-4NT, the 4NT bid would indeed be ace asking.

®©™♠

Q

Playing Benji Acol, I know I could respond 2NT to 2© with 8+HCP and balanced or with no strong suit to show. The risk is that the ‘weaker’ responding hand plays the hand if the final contract is in no-trumps. What are your thoughts on using 2™ as a waiting bid so that opener is

more likely to become declarer? Mike Hancock, St Peter Port (similar from Pauline Bailey, Shalford, Surrey).

A

Quite a few experts play that a 2™ response to a Benjamin 2© or a 2© response to an Acol / Benjamin 2® can be a waiting bid. I am not a huge fan of the method myself. I am not alone – others have said that the waiting bid is waiting for a bad result. When I have enough for a positive response, I like to share the good news with my partner. I find this makes it much easier to know whether the partnership is in the game or the slam zone. Knowing the combined worth of the hands surely counts for more than having the strong hand as declarer. Yes, on some hands where it is marginal whether they are worth a positive response, the wrong-siding issue can sway my decision – but only on hands that are marginal anyway.

Standard American. Responding to 1© is a bit different as opener might not have real diamonds. In this case, if you do not like diamonds, you might try one of a major (assuming you have a 4-card or 5-card major, which you nearly always will if you are short in diamonds) safe in the knowledge that opener is unlikely to jump the bidding. I have never heard of playing a Precision 1© opening as forcing.

®©™♠

Q

Partner criticised my final pass. Who was right?

♠ ™ © ®

10 9 6 3 AJ5 AJ82 A8

Me Partner 1© 1♠ 2♠ 4NT 5♠2 5©1 Pass

®©™♠

Q

Playing Precision Club, what should you respond to a 1© opening with fewer than six points and few diamonds, if the next hand passes? When I have passed, as the textbooks say, we have scored badly. Would treating 1© as forcing (with a 1™ negative) help? Michael Derry, Grantham.

A

0 or 3 keycards after a longish pause

1

Playing Precision, a basic concept is that opening bids other than 1® limit opener's hand. As a rule, responder has less reason to strain to keep open the bidding than one would with Acol or

2

David France by email.

A

Firstly, may I commend your ethics in passing 5♠? Without the longish pause, you might have viewed to bid 6♠ on the basis that partner would have a strange hand to be looking for a slam without any key cards in his hand. The pause told you that there were not two key cards missing (partner would not have taken so long to sign off if there were) and you avoided using this unauthorized information. A golden rule of any sort of Blackwood is that one should only use the bid if the reply is going to provide the desired information. If a 5©

Page 27

reply was going to leave him flummoxed, your partner should not have bid 4NT. Perhaps he should have taken the auction more slowly, giving you a chance to cue bid. In any case, he should have decided what to do over a 5© reply before he bid 4NT – then his next bid would have been in tempo. Notwithstanding the above, if you are playing Roman Keycard Blackwood according to Eddie Kantar's book, you would have been within your rights to bid 6♠. He defines hands as either strong or weak depending upon the earlier auction. Your opening bid and simple raise would classify your hand as weak. If the weak hand has 3 key cards, there is no such thing as a five-level sign off.

®©™♠

Q

With a club suit of J-9-6-3 in hand facing A-Q-4, LHO leads the ®5 against 4♠. How should I read the lead? Name and address supplied.

A

The five is quite a low spot card (only the two is missing), which suggests the lead is from length. If it is from a short suit, it would be specifically 5-2 or a singleton 5. From length, it could be from K10852, K10752, K1085, K1075, K8752 or K875. If the leader is treating the ten as a high card, the lead could also be from 10875 or 108752. Of course, some opponents very rarely lead from a king, which would change the odds. It would also change the odds if the bidding suggested the lead of some other suit, which would again reduce the chance of a lead from an unsupported honour.

Ask Julian

Q

continued

I open 1© and my partner bids 1NT holding:

♠ ™ © ®

8753 9642 8 AQ92

I would have preferred 1™, despite the lack of honours in hearts. What would you do? Julian Tasker, Northallerton.

A

The singleton makes the hand obviously suitable for a suit contract, so I would respond 1™ despite the poor quality of the suit.

4NT is a natural bid, nonforcing but suggesting a slam if partner has undisclosed extra values. It is an aggressive bid on this hand, though by no means a terrible one; I slightly prefer 4© as your diamonds could be rather weaker than this and it might be hard to muster twelve tricks without ruffing anything. Even if 4NT were ace asking, it would not be such a good bid. Partner's 3NT shows a stopper in spades, which is not the same as a control. Facing ♠Q-J-x or ♠J-10-x-x, you would not want to be in a slam no matter how good the rest of partner's hand. Moreover, if partner has the king of spades but not the queen, it might be a good idea to aim for 6NT rather than 6© to protect partner's spade holding.

®©™♠ ®©™♠

Q

Playing pairs, my partner and I had a difference of opinion about a 4NT bid. I held:

♠ ™ © ®

Partner 1™ 2™ 3NT Pass2

10 8 63 AKQ875 AK8

Me 2© 3® (forcing) 4NT1

meant as ace asking taken as quantitative

1

2

Rex Goad, London (similar from Lesley Howard, Dunstable)

A

When the partnership has not agreed a suit, a raise from 3NT to

Q

Can you tell me which card is the correct one to lead against 3NT from A-K-9-7-4. Does it make any difference if it is a 4-card suit (A-K-7-4)? Hugh Ball, Eastbourne.

A

Other things being equal, you would lead fourth highest (the seven) from ace-king to five. If declarer and dummy have three each, leaving partner with a doubleton, this maintains defensive communications. In addition, if partner has the jack, this may give declarer the chance to misguess. The above is the normal situation. If you hold a certain entry or have reason to believe that declarer is likely to have nine tricks after gaining the lead, then it might be right to lead high (whichever of the ace or king would not ask partner to unblock).

From a four-card suit, you would be much more inclined to lead high. If partner has a doubleton, you do not want to be giving up a tempo in a dubious cause. Nor, if partner has J-x-x-x and the queen is doubleton, do you want to be conceding an unnecessary trick.

®©™♠

Q

How can I best bid after my partner opens 1NT, with 12-14 points, and I hold enough points for game and these shapes? 1) two 5-card majors. 2) 5 hearts and 4 spades. 3) 4 hearts and 5 spades E Lodge by email (similar from Jan Stockdale).

A

Partner 1NT 2♠ 3NT

You 2™ 3™ 4™

2.

Partner You 1NT 2© 2™ 2♠

3.

Partner You 1NT 2™ 2♠ 3™

If you do not play transfers, the situation is more difficult. If (as the Americans do) you are prepared to give up using Stayman on a weak hand with both majors, you can play that Stayman followed by two of a major shows a game invitational hand, in which case Stayman followed by a jump to the three level can be game forcing. Taking up transfers is probably the easier option.

Page 28

A

You are both right. How many points you count for a short suit depends upon the strength of the trump fit. If you have a very good fit (5-4 or better), adjusting for shortages on the 5-3-1 scale is fine. If, however, the fit is more modest, 3 for a void, 2 for a singleton and 1 for a doubleton is adequate.

®©™♠

If you play transfers and have a gameforcing hand with both majors, you can show your three shapes as follows: 1.

Q

How many points can one add on for a short suit with support for partner? I use 5 for a void, 3 for a singleton and 1 for a doubleton. Some say 3 for a void.  Patricia Wicebloom by email.

Q

Please can you tell me about a 2NT overcall to show a two-suited hand? Carol Hadwen, Sutton Coldfield

A

If the opponents open one of a suit, a 2NT overcall can show a two-suited hand, with at least five cards in the two lowest unbid suits. This convention goes by the name 'the unusual 2NT', though it has become so popular that the word 'unusual' is now something of a misnomer. Ideally, you want to have most of your points in your suits – remember the lowest your side can play is at the three level. Here is a possible hand for the 2NT overcall after RHO opens 1™ or 1♠:

♠ ™ © ®

5 62 A Q 10 9 4 K J 10 8 3

Ask Julian

Q

continued

How should the bidding have gone on these

hands? We ended up two down in 5♠, which was a fair score as others had gone two down in 4♠.

you about the good hearts.  Your partner's 4NT is equally a mystery. When you bid 4♠ (rather than making a cue bid or trying 4NT yourself), you indicated that you thought a slam was not on. With 11 HCP and a singleton in your suit, he has no reason whatsoever to overrule your decision.

®©™♠ ♠ ™ © ®

A KJ76 5 K 10 8 6 5 4 2 N W

E S

♠ ™ © ®

Q J 10 9 8 7 6 4 4 J 10 3 2 Void

West North East South 1® Pass 2♠1 3™ 3♠ Pass 4♠ Pass 4NT Pass 5®2 Pass 5♠ End 1 Strong jump shift; I chose this for pre-emptive effect 2 0 or 3 aces

Name and address supplied.

A

If you make a strong jump shift (2♠) with only 4 HCP, this grossly misdescribes your hand. If you want to preempt, then 4♠ is the bid to make. While it is often a bit of a guess what to do with freak hands, you cannot (save as an occasional psyche) make a game-forcing jump shift. Your partner's 3♠ bid mystifies me. He has only a singleton spade. Although I can understand why he does not bid 4® despite the 7-card suit as his clubs are poor, why bid 3♠? He could pass (clearly forcing after your jump shift) or double to tell

Q

In recent issues, you have explained the requirements for a strong two opening. Can you offer some advice on when you should open at the one level and when you should pre-empt? L Ross, Enfield, Middlesex.

A

In first or second seat, the usual rule is that if you have the high cards to open at the one level, then you should do so. When you have more high cards than average as well as great shape, you are likely to outbid the opponents and so do not need to worry about keeping them quiet. If you pre-empt, you risk missing a slam.

♠ ™ © ®

Hand 1 A K J 10 8 5 3 2 74 64 2

♠ ™ © ®

Hand 2 A Q J 10 7 4 2 6 KQ3 72

Q

If I double 1NT holding 20 points, how will my partner know to leave in the double? Mrs C Curran, Belfast.

A

The usual rule is that if you make a penalty double of 1NT, then partner leaves in the double when holding a balanced hand regardless of strength. While it is true that if you have a minimum double, 1NT may well make, your side is likely to be in just as much trouble if you try playing the contract. With the minority of values and no assurance of a fit, you could be going several down doubled in two of a suit. Only with a very weak hand and a long suit is it normal for partner to remove the double. Yes, sometimes you would be better defending 1NT doubled – bidding is not an exact science and you will not do the right thing every time.

®©™♠

Q

Defending against 2NT, I led the four of clubs. My partner played the jack. Declarer played the ten. My partner then played back the six and declarer showed out. I played queen, followed by king and, of course, the suit was blocked. Can you confirm that we both played badly?

North ® 97

With the first hand, you open 4♠; with the second, you open 1♠. In third or fourth seat, a slam is far less likely and you can pre-empt more freely.

West East ® KQ5432 ® AJ86 South ® 10

Carolyn Barker by email.

Page 29

A

Leading fourth highest from K-Q and a big drop is normal against a no-trump contract. Partner should win with the ace and return the six, her original fourth highest. However, on the actual play, when declarer showed out on the second round, you knew the position anyway. After taking the queen, you should lead low rather than the king. With reluctance, I have to agree to your suggestion that you both made a mistake.

®©™♠

Q

What rebid should I make on this hand?

♠ ™ © ®

QJ85 AKQJ2 KJ94 Void

West North 1™ Pass ?

East 2®

South Pass

M Owen, Wanstead E11.

A

Three-suited hands are often difficult to show. Once you have shown two suits, partner will find it hard to believe that you have primary support for the fourth suit. The only sensible choices here are 2© and 2♠. I prefer 2©, partly because it keeps the bidding slightly lower and partly because you are much more likely to have a diamond fit than a spade fit. Partner will always respond 1♠ with 4-4 or 5-5 in the blacks and sometimes even with 4-5, making a spade fit unlikely. These days, it is normal to play a new suit after a two-over-one response as forcing, so you will get the chance to continue describing your hand and exploring for the best contract.

Ask Julian

continued

Q

When partner opens 1♠, how do you stay out of game with this?

♠ ™ © ®

Q 3 K 10 9 8 6 5 4 3 2 K8

Colin Hess, Stanmore, Middlesex.

A

Since all you need in partner’s hand to give play for 5© is a couple of aces, I do not think you need to worry about avoiding game. You really have to start with 2©, which in any case is only a oneround force in Acol. With so much playing strength, a 1NT response would be gross distortion. If, as is quite likely, partner rebids 2™ or 2♠, you can bid 3© at your second turn, which will not be forcing. If partner rebids 2NT or 3®, this will create a game force; however, as partner is promising extra values with those rebids, game may well make.

®©™♠

Q

Is it possible to use Stayman on a weak hand with two five-card majors using the methods you published recently? Mrs Barbara Dickie, Hale, Cheshire.

A

Yes, absolutely: you use Stayman and, if partner bids 2©, you rebid 2™. Partner will then pass 2™ with three hearts or convert to 2♠ with 3-2 in the majors.

Q

Is it possible to change a takeout double of a suit opening into a penalty double by passing? Dr G Parker, Tickton, Beverley.

ment, partner would take a 3™ response as a weak bid.

®©™♠

Q

A

Yes, the doubler’s partner (the advancer) can convert a takeout double into a penalty double. The term for this is making a ‘penalty pass’. Bearing in mind that the doubler will generally be short in opener’s suit, you need to have a very good trump holding (at least five strong cards) to justify leaving in the double. Much depends upon whether the double was in second seat or fourth. If it was in second seat, you need quite a solid holding in the trump suit (e.g. K-Q-J-10-x) because the opener will be sitting over you. If the double was in fourth suit, advancer will be over the opener and a broken suit (such as K-J-9-7-x) will be fine.

®©™♠

Q

My partner opened 1©. I had 21 points and 6 hearts. I responded 3™ and partner passed. I made all 13 tricks. Should I have bid 2™? Mrs R Stansfield, Flax Bourton, Bristol.

A

taking you up to the 19 points I mentioned above.

Yes, a 2™ response is stronger than either 1™ or 3™. In the very early days of bridge, the higher you bid the stronger the hand. Quickly, people realised that making a double jump was inefficient with a strong hand because, when you have a very good hand, you want to allow space to explore. In the absence of any agree-

♠ ™ © ®

®©™♠

West was opener and the bidding was 1™-1♠-2©-4™.

West Void AK9854 K 10 8 7 6 K3

♠ ™ © ®

East AQ9653 Q3 A4 AQ7

East took West’s bidding as showing a weak opening and they missed the slam. How would you bid? Also if West had a similar layout but with say 16 HCPs how should he bid?  J Bardun by email.

A

2© is not a weak bid. It has quite a wide range. Opener will not have 19 points or so (or 3© would be the rebid) but could, as here, have better than a minimum opening. East should rebid 3®, fourth suit forcing, to find out more. Even if you are not in a slam, spades or no-trumps could be better than hearts. Opener has promised only five hearts. You might not want to play in a 5-2 fit. Even then, it is unclear how you are going to reach a slam. I like jump-shift responses and I think there is a good case for East to bid 2♠ over 1™, planning to rebid 3NT. Many players overlook the possibility of making a jump shift followed by a no-trump rebid. It is a lot easier for opener to picture a slam now. After starting with 1♠, it is hard to catch up. If West had 16 HCPs and the 6-5 shape, that would warrant a 3© rebid over 1♠, the points for distribution

Page 30

Q

Most pairs played in 4™ on these hands; two bid to 6™.

♠ ™ © ®

A 10 9 7 6 5 Q8 N W E 753 S 62

♠ ™ © ®

4 A K J 10 7 3 K AKQJ4

How do you get to 6™ after West’s weak 2♠ opening? Joyce Ballenden, Strand, South Africa.

A

With the poor spade suit and defensive ™Q-x, a weak 2♠ is not the book bid. Of course, many players pre-empt on non-ideal hands, so let us live with the 2♠ opening. I like to play a change of suit response to a weak two as forcing. In this case, East can respond 3™ and West raises to 4™. Whether East can find out about the ™Q depends on whether you use Roman Keycard Blackwood and whether you use 3041 or 1430 replies. If you play that 5® in reply to 4NT shows 1 or 4 key cards, there is room for East to bid 5© after West’s 5® to ask for the queen of trumps. Most pairs would not have such methods available. Using Keycard Blackwood or simple Blackwood, it is a question of taking a slight gamble. East can find out that West has an ace but not about the ™Q. East might bid 6™ anyway. Even if there is a trump loser, West might hold the ♠A-K (or the ♠A-Q with the king right); then, if South does not lead a diamond, the ©K can go on the spades.

Ask Julian

continued

Q

Tip 16 in Bridge weekly says to respond 1NT with 6-9 points. Some of my friends are now saying that you bid 1NT rather than show a four-card suit, as you do for a 1NT opening. Is that the intention? Bill Hogan, St.Helens.

A

It is correct to open 1NT when you are in range for doing so even if you have a four-card suit that you could show at the one level. This is because if you open one of a suit, then you will have an impossible rebid. Whether you play a 12-14 or 15-17 1NT opening, you cannot rebid 1NT. A 1NT rebid shows the opposite range to the 1NT opening. It is a different matter when it comes to responding to one of a suit. For one thing, as responder, you are not normally promising another bid. For another, the very fact that the opening is in a suit means that opener will often have an unbalanced hand. Your first duty is to show your suits, assuming you have sufficient strength to do so.

♠ ™ © ®

852 AJ74 10 6 4 Q98

If partner opens 1® or 1©, you respond 1™. Your side might have a 4-4 heart fit. You would only respond 1NT

to 1♠. That is because you lack the strength to respond at the two level. If you respond 1NT to 1©, this tends to deny a four-card major and so is wrong on this hand.

®©™♠

Q

Going back to the days of Culbertson, a 5-card suit has been the minimum for a rebiddable suit (and with suit quality constraints). Today, some sequences in which you rebid a suit promise 5, while others promise 6. If you open 1♠, partner responds 1NT and you rebid 2♠, you do show a 6-card suit. If you had 5 spades and another 4-card suit, you would have no problem showing the other suit (rebidding 2®, 2© or 2™ as appropriate). If you had 5 spades and no other 4 card suit i.e. a 5332 shape, you would have no reason to disturb 1NT. Now suppose you open 1♠ and partner responds 2™. After this forcing and spaceconsuming response, you might have to rebid 2♠ on a variety of hands. If you have a minimum opening, you cannot rebid 2NT, 3® or 3©. Your only options that do not show extra strength are 2♠ and 3™. If you have a minimum opening but lack 3card heart support, you will have to rebid 2♠ whether you ■ have five spades or six.

E-mail your questions for Julian to: [email protected]

by Terence Reese and David Bird reviwed by David Huggett Weidenfeld & Nicolson in assoc. with Peter Crawley ISBN 978-0-297-86090-7 £12.99

riginally published in 1987, this book is the third in the series about the bridge-playing monks of St Titus. Since then there have been many more volumes, now written of course just by Bird, and although I like to think I could probably do quite well on Mastermind on the complete set, this volume remains one of my favourites. Why is this? Well this is mainly because the authors are so outrageously non-PC and I have to say that in these don’t-upset-anyone-at-any-cost days I was surprised at just what you could get away with over twenty years ago. Moreover, the characterisation is so good. The authors flesh out these bridge-playing monks so that you think you know them, or at the very least someone just like them. The Abbot himself is full of his own self-importance but is constantly having his pomposity pricked by all those around him. The book divides into three sections with the first dealing with the weekly duplicate games at the monastery of St. Titus. Then we move on to Africa where the missionaries are trying to bring Acol to the natives and this features some of the authors’ funniest creations, in particular the parrot who plays like a demon and certainly doesn’t suffer fools gladly. Here he is playing with the luckless Brother Tobias:

O

If I bid a suit twice, does this show five cards in the suit or six? Steve Bailey, Crawley.

A

Doubled And Vulnerable

West North The Parrot Pass End

3♠

South Bro. Tobias 1♠ 4♠ 4™

♠ ™ © ®

East

♠ ™ © ®

J 10 8 6 3 865 K93 AJ K ♠ Void N 42 ™ AKQJ93 W E S Q64 © J872 10 8 7 5 4 3 2 ® K Q 6 ♠ AQ97542 ™ 10 7 © A 10 5 ® 9

The defenders play three rounds of hearts; Brother Tobias ruffs the third with the two of trumps. West overruffs and exits with a club but, with no squeeze developing, declarer has to concede a diamond in the endgame. Predictably, the parrot is not amused! ‘Four spades cold’, he shrieks, ‘ruff the heart high, eliminate clubs and exit with a trump. Whoever wins has to open up the diamond suit or concede a ruff and discard.’ Very funny. The third part of the book details the Abbot’s attempt to win the Spring Foursomes but you will have to buy the book to discover whether or not he succeeds in that ambition. If you are looking to improve your game this book probably won’t help very much, but if you are not too sensitive and are after a good laugh with some really good hands then it is a must buy. In short, the monks have never given better value for money. ■

Page 31

No Siin ngllee Supplleements ts on sseelleected ȱȱǭȱ ȱ ȱȱŒŒŠ‹’’— —œœȱȱȬȬȱȱ œœž ž‹ ‹““ŽŽŒŒȱȱ ˜ ˜ȱȱŠŠŸ ŸŠŠ’’•Š •Š‹ ‹’’••’ ’¢Ș ¢ȘȘ

Winter Winter 2011/12

—Œ›Ž’‹•ŽȱŒ›ž’œŽȱ˜ěŽ›œȱ›˜–ȱ˜—•¢ȱǡŗǰśŚş —Œ›Ž’‹•ŽȱŒ›ž’œŽȱ˜ěŽ›œȱ›˜–ȱ˜—•¢ȱǡŗǰśŚşpp pp DiscoveryȂœȱ’—Ž›ȱŘŖŗŗȦŗŘȱ˜¢ŠŠ Žœȱ˜ȱ’œŒ˜ŸŽ›¢ȱ˜ȱžœ›ŠŠ••’ŠŠǰǰȱ‘Žȱ›’Ž—ȱŠŠ— —ȱ‘Žȱ ’’•ŽȱŠŠœœȱ —’—ȱ˜ȱ‘Žȱ ™››˜ ˜–’œŽȱŠȱ ŽŠŠ••‘ȱ˜ȱž—’šžŽȱŽŽ¡ ¡™ŽŽ››’ŽŽ— —ŒŽœǰȱŽŠŠŒŒ‘ȱ˜ȱ ‘’Œ‘ȱ ’••ȱ‹›’—ȱŠȱŽŽ™ŽŽ››ȱž—Ž›œŠŠ— ŒŠŠ™ ™’ŸŠŠ’—ȱŽœ’—ŠŠ’˜—œȱŠŠ— —ȱŒž•ž›Žœȱ¢˜žȱ ’••ȱ’œŒ˜ŸŽ›ȱ’—ȱ‘’œȱ‹ŽŠŠž ž’ž•ȱ™ŠŠ››ȱ˜ȱ‘Žȱ ˜›•ǯ ••ȱ ››ȱ››’’Žȱ™ŠŠœœœŽ—Ž›œȱ ’••ȱ‹ŽȱŽ•’’‹•Žȱ˜›ȱœŽŽ– –’—ŠŠ››œǰȱ›’—”œȱ™ŠŠ››’Žœǰȱšž’£ȱŒ˜–™Ž’’˜—œǰȱŠŠ’’•¢ȱ ŽŸŽŽ— —’—ȱ‹›’ŽȱŠŠĞ ЎŽ››ȱꛜȱœ’Ĵ’—ȱ’——Ž›ȱŠŠ— —ȱ˜ŒŒŠŠœœ’˜—ŠŠ••ȱŠŠĞ Ў››— —˜˜—ȱ‹››’’ŽȱœŽœœ’˜—œǯȱ‘Žȱ‹›’Žȱ ™››˜ ˜›ŠŠ– ––Žȱ’œȱž••¢ȱ˜™’˜—ŠŠ••ȱŠŠ— —ȱ¢˜žȱ–ŠŠ¢ ››ȱ›’Žȱ ¢ȱ™ŠŠ››’Œ’™ŠŠŽȱŠŠœœȱ–žŒ‘ȱ˜›ȱŠŠœœȱ•’Ĵ•ŽȱŠŠœœȱ¢˜žȱ ’œ‘ǯȱ ŠŠŒ’ŸŽ•¢ȱŽŽ— —Œ˜ž›ŠŠ Žœȱœ’—•Žœȱ˜ȱ“˜’—ȱ‘Žȱ™ŠŠ››¢ȱŠŠ— —ȱ‘Ž¢ȱ ’••ȱŠŠ•• ŠŠ¢ ¢œȱ‹Žȱ˜ž—ȱŠȱ™ŠŠ››—Ž›ȱ˜›ȱŠȱŠŠ– –Žǯ

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READERS’ LETTERS A ROSE BY ...

well on Random Selection.

To say that you ‘play Acol’ is a bit like saying you ‘work at the hospital’. It isn’t a precise statement. There are many different occupations than medical staff at a hospital. There are many options to play different conventions added on to Acol. As we don’t play together often, we are not confident players and find this very distressing, but we have found a solution to this problem by playing a strong club system such as Precision Club or Nottingham Club. The players who are more experienced know the rules and accept alerts to different bids, the others don’t expect you to bid as they would and so don’t complain with the same vigour.

Mrs C Moore, Hereford.

Mr A Williams, Llanfairpwll, Anglesey.

HOW FARES PAY2PLAY I have ceased membership of the EBU and would like to know how many others did the same after Pay2Play was introduced. Mr H Tribe, Burnham on Crouch, Essex.

After an envelope from ‘Ernie’, BRIDGE is one of the best items through my letter box. Mrs B Haffner, Limpsfield, Surrey.

NOW CONTENT I am emailing you to report that, since I reinstalled my Defence software, it is playing

Mr J Riddleston, Witham.

LUCKY MAN Defending at bridge is a hard part of the game. My wife and partner has delicate features, freckles and a quirky smile. And I am supposed to notice which card she discards? Mr A Williams, Llanfairpwll, Anglesey.

BIG APPLE You had a good ‘review’ in the Wall Street Journal. I was sent a copy by my sister. Mr Ellis, Norwich.

BETTER LATE THAN ... I am a fairly new bridge player (2yrs) and am just beginning to realise how good BRIDGE is. Mrs J Ellwood, Faversham, Kent.

EARLY BATH For the past five years it has been my pleasure to host a rubber bridge (Acol) circle here, in Bath. We play from 2pm – 6pm every Thursday and Friday. Light refreshment is provided, no charges are involved. Stakes are 50p a hundred. Should any experienced players among your readers, who live within the area, feel inclined to participate in an exacting and exciting game of bridge, please telephone on ( 01225 484523. Dennis Bernard, Bath.

FIT FOR HEROES JACKPOT

deserve something better than worn-out cards?

Could you please stop printing letters concerning recycling playing cards? Surely if they are too old/sticky/dog-eared they should be thrown in the rubbish bin. A quality pack costs £1 and I find it most pleasurable to shuffle, deal and play with crisp, new cards. Surely our brave forces

THIS IS A SMALL AD The Riverside Bridge Club in Chiswick – one of the friendliest bridge clubs in London – is now offering a gentle duplicate session on Monday afternoons between 2pm and 4.45pm. The session will have the same unique, relaxed atmosphere as the current supervised rubber bridge session on Tuesday evenings. The new gentle duplicate welcomes all newer and improver players. Partners will usually be found for single players. Refreshments are provided and included in the session cost of £8 per player. There is no annual subscription required, nor is there any need to book. If you would like further details, please ring Malcolm ( 07957 577810 or go to www.riversidebridgeclub.co.uk

WHAT A JUGGLER No, No, No, to Michael Hall’s comments in Readers’ Letters, see BRIDGE, Winter 2010, re Sally Brock’s article ‘Seven Days’. What a girl. I’m exhausted and envious reading about her exploits and lifestyle. It is reassuring to be told that top players make mistakes too, as most articles give the impression that the writer is infallible. Mrs D. Jefferson, Torquay.

Page 33

SALLY SUPPORT I disagree with the comments made about Sally Brock’s column.  Whilst the last one had perhaps too much content regarding matches, I feel in general her writing gives a pleasant, personal feel to your excellent magazine. Fiona Wright, Beaconsfield, Bucks.

SALLY CRITIC I was delighted to see that I am not the only one to be irritated by Sally Brock’s diary and Catching Up. Ann Elms, Abingdon, Oxon.

...AND ANOTHER I was relieved to read that I am not alone in wondering why Sally Brock’s weekly diary can be of any interest to your readers. Maybe you would consider replacing this precious space with something more interesting and enjoyable? Mrs P Wilson, London, NW4.

OUR OWN SOAP I was surprised to see so many comments regarding stopping ‘Seven Days’ and when I counted them saw that they were all from men. I, for one, enjoy Sally’s diary and hope it will continue. If not, could it occasionally be added to your email mag Bridge Weekly. Otherwise, how will we know what happens to Barry? Sheila Millar, Paisley.

MORE SUPPORT Love Sally Brock’s 7 days. A bit of light relief. Mrs A Summers, Southport.

FURTHER SUPPORT Leave Sally Brock alone. I like her. Mr J Griffin, Middleton, Market Harborough.

READERS’ LETTERS continued CYBER FRIEND I follow Sally Brock’s column in The Sunday Times and enjoy reading her Seven Days in your wonderful magazine. I have email friends I have never met and they share parts of their life with me and I grow fond of them. Sally is just like one of my email friends. Mrs K James, Bedford.

AN OVERVIEW Sally Brock’s ‘7 Days’ not interesting. David Stephenson excellent. Ned Paul very interesting. Letters good. Best bridge magazine.

Yes, I do enjoy Bernard Magee’s Bidding Quiz. However, a whole magazine devoted to them? Not a good idea. Please can the magazine return to normal next time? In anticipation.... Ann Yeldon by email.

Your wish is my command.

NO COURAGE What a lazy, cheap and nasty, self indulgent, selfserving magazine. Magee count: 99 Bernard (Who he?) 2 Yvie (Who she?) 101 And 101 too many. Sadly unsigned.

BINNED

I have had over 80 letters and comments, the vast majority of which are in support of Sally’s column. As it was my idea, please consider the debate closed.

I was disappointed to find in your last issue of BRIDGE that it was full of competitions from Bernard Magee and holiday advertisements - what has happened to the normal letters etc? It was just a waste of time and went straight into the waste bag. Normally, I look forward to receiving this magazine and hope that next year it will resume in the usual format.

It was an inspired decision to devote an entire magazine (No.104) to your excellent quizzes and to place the answers on the following page is a welcome editorial choice. It makes for easier reading and I hope the format is adopted for future issues. The latest edition of BRIDGE is, in my view, the best and most informative since the one published for Christmas 2003 (No.59) when I received my first copy. Richard Lockyer by email.

INSURANCE SUCCESS I have found Global Travel Insurance very useful as my wife and I are both over 80. Cdr M Dawes, Woodbridge.

A REAL LET DOWN Yesterday, I received my copy of BRIDGE number 104 and settled down for my usual enjoyable read. Sadly, I was disappointed.

Mrs M Wells, Winchester.

WHO ELSE? Please would you sort out a ‘debate’ which takes place in my social bridge group. After dummy has placed his cards on the table, who is subsequently allowed to touch them – declarer or dummy? It may be, of course, that there is no particular ruling about this. Mrs R Hockenhull, Hertford.

Mr P Mohan, Bedford.

THANK YOU

one hour late. It was a relief to enter another world.

Mrs D Twinberrow, Dartmouth, Devon.

WINNING OUT I always enjoy your magazine, but the winter edition was a cracker. Bernard’s quizzes are always the bit I turn to first, but to have a whole issue devoted to them was brilliant. I will keep it and do the quizzes again and again. Who knows, I may even get better at bridge.

I contacted two local clubs playing bridge. Partners are required in both. Only yesterday, I had a phone call from secretary, Norman McGee, inviting me to a refresher evening with the possibility of getting a partner of similar standard. A year and a half away from the game is quite a while without practice. The idea of such a course appeals and it is in my mind this could be a winner for other clubs. Mr Goodfellow, Peebles.

ABC NEEDED

ODD ONE OUT

As a relative newcomer to bridge I am confused by the number of terminologies and what they mean. For instance: Acol, Stayman, weak twos, duplicate, blackwood and gerber, overcalls, contract bridge etc. The list is endless. So is there a bridge dictionary that explains these terminologies which beginners could refer to when their more experienced chums throw these words around the bridge table? Or even more frequently when I see them in Bridge magazine and have no idea what they are referring to. I hope you can help?

The bidding quizzes. Why are you playing weak no-trump and four-card majors? We seem to be the only country in the world playing this way. Pat Hume, Canterbury.

Just about.

ME TOO Love some items about ‘Under 30’ bridge players. Mrs J Dineen, Eastbourne.

Let’s be hearing from you.

GOOD QUESTION Regarding ‘Just Bridge’ weekends. Can partners be found for singles? Mrs Y Faulkner, Groby, Leics.

Always.

Mr J Lees, Alton, Hants.

Must be telepathy

REFRESHMENT Having changed house from Edinburgh to Peebles last year, I had stopped attending two social bridge clubs.

TUNISIAN SHAME I recently found myself in the Royal Kenz Hotel at Port El Kantaoui. What a great hotel and holiday. Pity there was no bridge. Bob Wardell by email.

Jane Troughton by email.

WAITING ROOM Many thanks for the winter BRIDGE magazine 104. Bernard Magee’s quizzes were a Godsend, as I was sitting in a hospital waiting room waiting to see a consultant who was running

Write to Mr Bridge at: Ryden Grange, Knaphill, Surrey GU21 2TH or e-mail [email protected] E-mail correspondents are asked to include their name, full postal address, telephone number and to send no attachments. Letters may be edited for length and clarity.

Page 34

■

Job Clubs – Making it Work by Jane Gould Development Director of GB Job Clubs

What is a Job Club?

Who Comes to Job Club?

A Job Club is a group of people who meet on a regular basis to support each other through the job seeking process. By supporting people as individuals, we can significantly cut the time it takes to help people back to work, or into work for the first time. Job Clubs report average success rates of up to 83% of members finding work within six months of joining a Job Club. We’ve achieved this without Government-imposed systems, rulebooks or legions of expensive administrators. Just commitment, compassion and the enthusiasm of our voluntary teams.

Anyone who is looking for a job or reskilling for career development. All ages, all backgrounds. Unemployment is no respecter of status.

Our Work When someone loses their job, they lose more than financial security, they lose their identity, position, routine, social contact plus their sense of dignity and self-worth. Without support, we see all too often their descent into the dark spiral of depression, doubt, and despair. In 2009, against a background of rising unemployment and Jobcentre Plus closures, Job Clubs began to open across the country. Some were inspired by the Get Britain Working campaign; others were started by local church or community social action teams. All were developed and run by volunteers committed to helping jobseekers locally.

GB Job Clubs Job Club leader Chris Neal had set up three Job Clubs in the South East and was pivotal in the Get Britain Working campaign. He found that each of the growing number of Job Clubs around the country was operating in complete isolation. Leaders had little or no opportunity to communicate or share ideas and experience. So, in October 2009, Chris set up GB Job Clubs, a Christian charity, providing a supportive and interactive network for Job Clubs nationally. I joined him in May 2010. Our only criterion – Job Clubs must be free and open to all. GB Job Clubs develops new Job Clubs with training, mentoring and resources for leaders and volunteers. All our work is voluntary, so we were delighted recently when Church Urban Fund offered to support our work with startup funding for our Job Clubs in especially impoverished areas.

Getting Started Firstly, we need a committed leader – and a good base of volunteers. No employment or recruitment expertise is necessary. Just a willingness to put the kettle on and lend a sympathetic ear – which is actually the most

important role. Anyone who subscribes to our ethos, has a genuine heart to help jobseekers and who can spare a couple of hours will be welcome to join our teams. Next, we need a venue. Job Clubs can and do meet anywhere; but we need a place to meet at the same time each week. Church or community halls can be ideal as sessions can run uninterrupted. Broadband is a must for job searches and researching potential employers.

Funding We rely on a combination of generosity and ingenuity. In Shaftesbury, local shops very kindly donated stationery supplies, tea and coffee. We constituted this Job Club formally as a community group. This enabled us to apply (successfully) for various small grants which have allowed us to run workshops, build a website and pay for advertising.

We’re in this Together There’s no lecturing – no pep talks – no compulsion and definitely no instructions to ‘Get on yer bike...’ Because, as Chris Neal says, ‘These days it’s about supporting and serving jobseekers. These days we put an arm around their shoulders and cycle alongside.’ We’ve made a good start – and we’re growing. So, could you help in your local Job Club? Or start a new one? Or donate to our work?

To contact us or donate, please visit our website www.gbjobclubs.org or telephone Jane Gould ( 01747 852226 / 07966 544492

Page 35

THE FOLLOWING ARE AMONG THOSE WHO SENT IN USED STAMPS Mrs A Bray, Dursley, Gloucestershire. Mrs M Rotton, Solihull. Mrs J Pearson, King’s Lynn, Norfolk. Mrs E Elderton, Olney. Mrs J R Bate, Harrogate. Mrs M Godwin, Richmond, Surrey. Mrs Keast, Scotton, Gainsborough. Mrs G Watters, Skipton. Mr & Mrs V Rubin, Kent. Mr Goff, Harrow. Mrs J Killip, Milverton, Somerset. Mrs S Paine, Barnstable, Devon. Mr J Redmond, Newcastle, Co. Down. Mr & Mrs J Latham, St Albans, Herts. Mrs P Hocken, Burgess Hill. Mrs L Burton, Totnes. Mrs M Coombes, Weymouth. Mr S Heath, Grays. Mrs D Bowyer – Bates, Nantwich. Mrs Cobham, Weybridge. Mrs Bracegirdle, Beaumaris, Gwynedd. Mrs P Lipscomb, Chelmsford. Mrs E Harrison, High Wycombe. Mrs C Screaton, Bushby, Leics. Mrs E Rees, Crowthorne. Mrs H Bunker, Chelmsford. Mrs M Rhodes, York. Mr H Vogel, Weybridge. Mrs Smith, Princes Risborough. Mrs E Elderton, Olney. Mrs G Datson, Cambridge. Mrs J Smith, Guildford. Mrs M Weir, Dromore. Mrs L Coe, March. Mrs L Davis, Swanwick. Mrs E Hughes, Liverpool. Mrs Bryan, Old Woking. Mrs R Green, Crickhowell. Mr & Mrs B Angus, Brentwood. Mrs Wand, Birmingham. Mrs B Haycocks, Shrewsbury. Mrs K Donghue, St Albans. Mrs C Juncker, Danbury. Mrs S St Clair, Wootton. Mr A Harrison, St Clement, Jersey. Mrs Hunter, Stourbridge. Mrs D Lord, Swanmore, Southampton. Mrs M Bleakley, Belfast. Mrs J Hurry, Orpington, Kent. Mrs V Gittins, Altrincham. Mrs J Davey, Manchester. Mr F Winkler, Edgware. Mr Bowen, Southsea. Mr & Mrs E White, Bristol. Mrs Owen, Sunninghill, Berks. Mrs S Shearer, Chard. Mrs Butcher, Crowthorne. Mr Cameron, Waltham, Grimsby. Ms Kefford-Stone, Whitesmith. Mr Brown, March. Mrs Johns, Tewkesbury. Mr R Lockyer, Bournemouth. Mrs Lawson, Lincs. Mrs P Deacon, Illkeston. Mrs Lorna Knox, Cambridge. Send stamps for Little Voice to Colin Bamberger, 179 High Road, Trimley St Mary, IP11 0TN.

QUESTIONS AND SUGGESTIONS Any news of non EBU clubs around Derby? Mr T Woodward, Bredsall.

Let the moaners moan. Mr D Phillips, Sudbury.

How about articles on simple yet effective conventions ? Mr A Mountain, Wrexham. Please organise more ‘Duplicate Only’ events. Mr Kitchen, Peterborough. I have certainly done that. I would like a wider choice of your ‘Just Bridge’ breaks. Mrs C Prouse, Gloucester. See page 27. A bridge holiday without a seminar is good, but I feel you should give prizes, people do like to win the odd prize. Mrs J Jacques, Nottingham. This would put up the price. Any chance of a singles bridge weekend or perhaps a 45 – 68 age weekend. Miss K Ridout, Romsey. Sorry but it’s hard enough to fill a regular weekend event. Remember that some of us aren’t at competition level. Mr K Foster, Bournemouth.

Like the look of club table and chairs. Could they replace our dining table to provide extra space? Mr T Mitchell, Shipston. Where is the teacher index that I applied to be in? Mr P Royle, Nottingham. Languishing unpublished. BRIDGE is generally excellent but maybe a few hands illustrating both basic and other conventions. Mr B Kasin, Harrow. Very Timely. The ABC of bridge should do just that. Could you print a score chart in a copy of BRIDGE so people can cut it out and take it to the club with them. Mrs D Beech, Crewkerne. See the inside cover of my Bridge Players Diary or send 3 first class stamps if you would like one. Please reduce your greenhouse gas emissions by ceasing overseas events. Mr D Reid, Watford.

Provide an email facility to return the answers. Mr J Wallis, Bovey Tracey. Too impersonal, perhaps? Bernard Magee’s travel descriptions used to be excellent – let’s have more. Mrs Orchard, Beaconsfield. At any time of day or night, B. B. O. will see you right. Mr G Tortise, Leatherhead. Bridge Base Online. Give prizes other than books. Mr P Apple, Ilford. I do. In November I sent 300 pens and 300 diaries as well.

When the new software mentioned in the letters is available would it be possible to review teaching aids for those of us who are not fully aware what those do and the differences. Mrs J Ross, Hungerford. Can I send new members’ names to you on emails? Mr D Piff, Stamford, Lincs. Of course – Any time. Magee’s ‘Defence’ is super. I am running it on Windows 98 – will it run on Windows 7? Dr P Ackrill, Stockport. It certainly will.

I would love to receive your Bridge Weekly, but have not got a computer. Mrs McGuire, Manchester. Suggestions please. Please give some tips in your magazine on how to play and bid in team events. Mr M Wilkes, Worcester. Have you any 3 to 5 day cruises? Mrs E Spratt, Plymouth. Seven nights is the shortest. Portsmouth and back via Spain and France. From £599 per person sharing. See back cover. Have missed the magazine very much but have not paid anything. I would happily subscribe a fee if necessary. How do you fund it? Mrs J Hague, Sheffield. Advertising and sponsorship. What is meant by ‘love all’? Mr A Taylor, Kenilworth. Both sides not vulnerable. Make a version of QPlus for Apple Macs. Ms A Lloyd, London, NW3. Appreciate the magazine. Possible topic. ‘Weak Twos or Strong Twos’ – discuss. Mr A Love, Eastbourne. Good bedtime reading. Please keep me on your list. Mrs J Lott, Exeter. Do you have any articles in the library on the play of unbalanced hands, especially 4-4-4-1? Tom Sutton, Rochester. It will feature in the next issue. For future information can you please confirm you accept photocopies. This would save me from cutting pages from the magazine. Mr E Noble, Bognor Regis. Confirmed. ■

Send me your Questions and Suggestions using the form provided on page 5

Page 36

A to Z of Bridge compiled by Julian Pottage

A

unsupported ace is rarely best, mean that it is now standard to lead the ace from ace-king (except from A-K doubleton). ACE LEAD

ABOVE THE LINE

A phrase used in rubber bridge to identify scores entered above the horizontal line on the scoresheet arising from penalties, overtricks, premiums for slams, honours etc. Scores above the line do not count towards game. ACBL

The American Contract Bridge League – this is the body responsible for bridge in North America and the publication of The Official Encyclopaedia of Bridge. ACE FOR ATTITUDE, KING FOR COUNT

Some people play that you vary your lead from ace-king depending upon whether you want partner to give an attitude or a count signal. With this method, you lead the king if you hold significant length in the suit or the queen, as well as the ace-king (when you simply want to know how many rounds will stand up) but the ace if you have a relatively short ace-king holding (when the queen in partner’s hand could be a third-round winner).

If a partnership’s standard lead from A-K against a no-trump contract is the king, the lead of the ace can serve as a request for partner to play his highest card in the suit. You could lead the ace from A-K-J-10-x and find out straight away whether partner has the queen. This is no longer a common method because, with such a holding you would want partner (if unable to unblock) to give a count signal. ACE SHOWING RESPONSES

An old system of responses to forcing opening bids based on the assumption that opener has more interest in partner’s first round controls than in general strength. It was most common to play it in conjunction with a conventional 2® opening bid. The responses are: Negative (no ace) and 5 or fewer points 2™, 2´, 3® or 3© Showing the ace of the bid suit 2NT Positive but aceless 3NT Showing two aces 4NT Showing three aces

2©

ACES, THE ACE FROM ACE KING

Partnerships need to agree which card to lead from suits headed by A-K. At one time, it was popular to lead the king so that if you led the ace it would not indicate possession of the king. The problem was that if you could lead the king from either A-K or K-Q, partner would not know what signal to give. This issue and a general acceptance of the fact that leading an

The name given to the American team of bridge professionals formed by Ira Corn Jr. which won the World Championship in 1970, bringing the Bermuda Bowl back to North America for the first time in sixteen years. The team of Billy Eisenberg, Bobby Goldman, Bob Hamman, Jim Jacoby, Mike Lawrence and Bobby Wolff successfully defended the title in the following year.

Page 37

ACOL

A bidding system developed in the mid 1930s by Jack Marx and S J Simon. It takes its name from a venue in Acol Road in Hampstead where the two played and began to develop their theories. They were joined by Maurice Harrison-Gray and Iain Macleod and the then relatively unknown team enjoyed immediate tournament success, thereby popularizing the system. It has remained the most widespread system used in Britain. ACOL TWO CLUB OPENING BID

Acol and modern Standard American use 2® as an artificial opening bid, showing a very strong hand, sufficient to force to game if the hand is unbalanced. In traditional Acol, you need either 23 HCP or five quick tricks in a powerful game-going hand. Usually responder bids 2© as a negative (or, by agreement, as a waiting bid).

´ ™ © ®

Hand 1 A Q 10 4 KQ5 AK6 KQ9

´ ™ © ®

Hand 2 K Q J 10 5 AKQ5 AK5 10

With the first hand, you open 2® intending to rebid 2NT over the expected 2© response (this is the one sequence that allows you stop short of game). With the second hand, you open 2® intending to rebid 2´.

A to Z of Bridge continued

ACOL 4NT OPENING BID

A specialized bid asking for specific aces (not Blackwood). The responses are as follows: 5® 5© 5™ 5´ 5NT 6®

´ ™ © ®

no ace ©A ™A ´A 2 aces ®A

A K Q J 10 8 6 AKQ Void KQJ

You can see the merit of the Acol 4NT bid from this example hand, which can play in 6´ in its own right. The Grand Slam depends only on discovering whether partner holds the ®A. If the response to 4NT is 5® or 5©, bid 6´; if it is 6®, bid 7´ and over 5NT, bid 7NT. ACOL LIGHT OPENER

An opening bid based on about 9 or 10 high-card points with a good sixcard suit or two good five-card suits. Most people now regard a typical 9point hand with a six-card suit as too weak for a one-level opening and would open a weak two (or Multi) if available. ACOL TWO BID

The use of an opening two-level bid in diamonds, hearts or spades as a oneround force to show a strong hand, normally with at least eight playing tricks, which is not strong enough or unsuitable for an Acol 2® opening. The bid promises either a six-card suit or two good five-carders.

´ ™ © ®

Hand 1 A Q J 10 8 5 3 AK5 74 Q

´ ™ © ®

pairs’ event this will normally be 60% of the available matchpoints to the non-offending side and 40% to the offending side, or 50% to a side partly at fault.

Hand 2 8 A K J 10 7 AKQJ4 Q3

ADVANCE

With the first hand, you open 2´ expecting to rebid 3´ over a 2NT negative response. With the second hand, you open 2™ and plan to rebid 3©. Many authorities regard it as inefficient to allocate three opening bids to these near game hands and Acol Two bids are going out of fashion. ACTIVE DEFENCE

A positive attempt by the defenders to defeat a contract by taking or establishing tricks, usually involving the risk of losing tricks. This is the opposite to a passive defence where the emphasis is on not giving tricks away but waiting for the declarer to lose tricks.

´ ™ © ®

1 To make a bid that raises the level. 2 To bid, especially a new suit, after partner has overcalled or made a take-out double. ADVANCE CUE BID

A cue bid made when there has been no direct suit agreement. For example in the auction 1NT-Pass-3´-Pass-4©, the 4© bid is an advance cue bid. You would normally rebid either 3NT (with a doubleton spade) or 4´, but you can make this cue bid to imply that you have a good spade fit, maximum values for the 1NT opening and that you hold the ©A. The 4© bid cannot be a natural bid, showing a long string of diamonds, since the 1NT opening showed a balanced hand. Here is a possible hand for the sequence:

Q 10 6 QJ8 K Q 10 6 2 KQ N

W

E S

´ ™ © ®

KJ93 63 J94 A653

South plays in 4™ and West leads the ®J. Winning with the ace, East sees the danger that declarer intends to throw losers on dummy’s diamonds and so makes the active defence of switching to the ´3. If West holds the ´A, the defenders will be able to cash some spade tricks. ADJUSTED SCORE

A score awarded by the director. If the director judges that a pair or a team has suffered because of a transgression of the laws or ethics by opponents (even if the transgression is inadvertent), he has the power to adjust the actual score recorded to establish an equitable result, called an assigned score. If that is not possible, he will allocate an artificial score. In a

Page 38

´ ™ © ®

K752 KJ62 A K 10 74

ADVANCE SACRIFICE

A sacrifice bid made before the opponents have reached their presumed contract. N/S Vul.

West

North

East

South

Pass 4´

2™

2´

1® Pass

In view of North’s strong jump shift, West is certain that North-South will reach game and so sacrifices immediately to apply maximum pressure. West might hold:

´ ™ © ®

96432 6 QJ4 9642

A to Z of Bridge continued

ADVANCER

The partner of a player who has overcalled or made a take-out double. West

North

East

South

1©

1´

Pass

2™

Here West is the advancer. AGGREGATE SCORE

Sum of all the scores obtained without conversion to IMPs. For example, if you score +420 on board 1, -110 on board 2 and -500 on board 3, your aggregate score for the three boards is -190. At duplicate, it is unusual to use aggregate scoring because a large score on one board can have a disproportionate effect on your overall score.

alerting are in use but a common one is for the partner of the player making the artificial call to tap on the table. If you are using bidding boxes, you alert by showing the alert card. Here is an example: West

North

East

2NT

Pass

3™

South

If East’s 3™ is a transfer, showing spades (or has any meaning other than a natural heart suit), West should alert immediately after the bid (ie before South has had the chance to call). West should explain the meaning of the 3™ bid only in reply to an enquiry by one of the opponents.

standing but insufficient on its own to warrant an adjusted score. 2. Shorthand for describing the vulnerability of both partnerships on a board; it means that both partnerships are vulnerable. At matchpoint pairs, the players need to exercise caution at amber on part-score deals, striving to avoid the kiss of death score of -200 (one down doubled or two down undoubled). At rubber bridge and teams, on competitive game and slam deals, the converse applies since it can be very expensive to let the opponents make a vulnerable game or slam when you could have made one yourself. ANALYSIS

ALTERNATIVE SQUEEZE

A double squeeze position set up when the double squeeze may, or may not be ‘on’, but which will operate as a simple squeeze. For example:

The study of a hand to find the best possible line of play by declarer or defence. Studying the hand records at the end of a session and working out how you might have done better is a good way of improving your game.

ALCATRAZ COUP

This is an illegal play, as its name suggests. It should attract a severe penalty. The following is an example:

´ ™ © ®

ANCHOR SUIT

When a conventional bid shows some form of two-suited hand, with only one suit specified, the specified suit is the anchor suit.

N

´ AJ9

E

W S

N W

Void AKQ4 K Void

E

´ ™ © ®

S

´ K 10 2

South, the declarer, has to make three tricks in spades. Calling for the ´J from dummy and receiving a small card from his right-hand opponent, he fails to follow suit. Fourth hand will follow with either the ´Q or a low card. If low, declarer quickly corrects his revoke by substituting the ´10. If instead the ´Q appears, declarer corrects his revoke by producing the ´K. His left-hand opponent can now change his card but South takes the marked finesse on the next round. This is one technique not to use! ALERT

Sponsoring organizations often require that you ‘alert’ an artificial call so that your opponents become aware that it is not natural. Various ways of

A 63 4 K

You are South playing in no-trumps. You lead the ´A, planning to discard the ©K from dummy unless West discards the ©A. Only one opponent can hold four hearts. If this is East and he holds the ®A too, he will be subject to a squeeze. If West guards the hearts, together with either the ©A or the ®A, you will squeeze him.

West

North

East

South

1´

2´

If North-South play Michaels cue bids, South’s 2´ shows hearts and a minor, making hearts the anchor suit. The term also commonly applies to the Asptro family of defences to 1NT. ANNOUNCEMENT

In England and Wales, certain specified bids are the subject of an announcement. When partner makes one of the specified bids, you announce the partnership agreement about the bid, eg if you are playing a weak no-trump and partner opens 1NT, you say ‘12-14’.

AMBER

1. This is one of the traffic-light terms that the Laws and Ethics Committee of the English Bridge Union uses to categorize psychic bids (or deviations). An ‘amber’ psyche is one where the partnership’s subsequent action provides some evidence of an unauthorized partnership under-

Page 39

APPEAL

A request for a review of a tournament director’s ruling. Clubs and tournaments should have a procedure for requesting such a review by an Appeals Committee. To deter frivolous appeals, players who wish to appeal often have to pay a deposit.

A to Z of Bridge continued

A call that carries an unnatural meaning, for example Stayman, when a 2® response to 1NT says nothing about the bidder’s club holding.

APPENDIX TABLE(S)

A useful adaptation of a Howell Movement (occasionally a Mitchell Movement) in order to accommodate extra tables without adding to the number of boards in play. APPROACH FORCING

The basic principle behind most modern bidding systems, whereby a partnership treats a change of suit by an unpassed hand as forcing for one round. Examples West

West

ARTIFICIAL CALL

North

East

South

1®

Pass

1´

North

East

South

1®

1´

2©

ARRANGEMENT OF TRICKS

At rubber bridge, one member of each partnership collects the cards played to each trick and arranges the tricks in front of him. At duplicate bridge, each player retains his cards and arranges them face down in front of him, vertically if his side won the trick and horizontally otherwise. ARRANGING

A one-word statement that you can make either while you are still sorting your cards when it is your turn to bid, or when you are declarer and want to touch a card in dummy without playing it. ARROWSWITCH

The switching of North-South and East-West hands, usually on the last round or rounds of a Mitchell Movement, to provide a fairer comparison of scores across the field and produce a single winner. When an ‘arrowswitch’ is in use, the movement is a Scrambled Mitchell. The use of an arrowswitch tends to be popular in club competitions where it is necessary to produce a single winner.

ASCENDING ORDER

The practice of making the cheapest bid, when responding or rebidding with two or three 4-card suits. This principle features in many bidding styles, with exceptions in some cases about the quality of biddable suits or the need to show a major suit.

´ ™ © ®

A 10 6 4 Q842 6 Q843

If partner opens 1©, you should respond 1™, the cheapest bid. This facilitates finding a 4-4 fit, if one should exist, in any one of your four-card suits.

ASTRO. 2® shows hearts and another suit while 2© shows spades and another suit. The method has the advantage that two bids are available to show both major suits instead of one, thus improving definition. When holding both majors, some partnerships prefer to treat their longer suit as the anchor suit, others use the shorter. Anchoring into the shorter major is the more popular method.

´ ™ © ®

Hand 1 96 KQ94 A K 10 8 2 42

´ ™ © ®

Hand 2 AJ752 K5 73 KQ74

´ ™ © ®

Hand 3 AJ75 KQ954 Q76 5

ASKING BID

An ‘asking bid’ is a bid made by the member of a partnership wishing to take control of the auction. It requests partner to give information about his hand, but does not itself directly convey any. Blackwood is the most commonly used asking bid. Before making any sort of asking bid, you should check that your partner’s reply is likely to enable you to place the contract. If not, you may do better to find a bid that describes your hand.

A variation of ASTRO devised by Terence Reese (the name comes from a popular British brand of aspirin). After an opponent opens 1NT, 2® shows hearts and another suit while 2© shows spades and a minor suit. Advancer, if not holding support for the overcaller’s anchor suit, bids the next suit up as a relay. The overcaller can then show a fifth card in the anchor suit or the second suit.

On Hand 1 you bid 2®, showing hearts and another. You intend to pass if partner makes the relay reply of 2© (denying heart support). On Hand 2 you bid 2©, showing spades and another. You intend to rebid 2´, promising a fifth spade, if partner makes the relay reply of 2™. With Hand 3 you bid 2® or 2© depending upon whether you anchor to the longer or the shorter major. Despite the theoretical possibility of showing all the two-suited hands via Asptro, in practice you rarely get to play in the overcaller’s minor. Even if you do, it is often at the three level, which can be too high.

ASPTRO CONVENTION

ASSUMPTION

This is a defence to a 1NT opening that, as the name implies, takes an element from both ASPRO and

When a contract depends on the position of two or three key cards, it helps to make a definite ‘assumption’

ASPRO CONVENTION

Page 40

A to Z of Bridge continued

opposed to a passive lead that simply intends to give no advantage to declarer.

about one of them. Declarer then plans the play, ‘assuming’ the key card is badly or well placed, as the case may be.

´ ™ © ® ´ ™ © ®

Q 10 4 8 A 10 7 3 K 10 9 4 2

A96 QJ952 8652 6 N W

E S

´ ™ © ®

´ ™ © ®

KJ6 94 10 7 5 4 3 2 J4

N W

E S

Bridge, Auction Bridge dates from 1903, with the first code to govern its play set up in 1908 by a joint committee of The Bath Club and The Portland Club. It gained rapid support and became more popular than similar games of the time (Bridge Whist for example) but Contract Bridge quickly superseded it in 1926. AUTOBRIDGE

´ ™ © ®

J53 K3 Q94 AJ753

K872 A 10 7 6 4 KJ Q8

As South, you open 1™ in second seat and North raises you to 4™. West leads the ®10. East wins with the ace and switches to the ©4. With three certain losers (a spade, the ©A and the ®A), you will need to guess right in diamonds and pick up the trumps without loss. You intend to finesse in hearts and so assume that East holds the ™K. This assumption tells you to place West with the ©A because East, if holding the ©A, the ®A-J, the ™K and possibly a spade honour, would not have passed as dealer.

West

North

East

South

Pass Pass

1® 3® 4™

Pass Pass End

1™ 3™

Since both opponents have shown long suits, you expect declarer to have the wherewithal to make ten tricks given time. You therefore make an attacking lead from your short strong spade suit with the ´6. If partner has the ´A, you may be able to cash two or three tricks straight away. Even the ´Q would be a good card to find, as then your lead sets up the king and jack.

An old commercial device, developed in America, allowing a player to use pre-dealt hands for self-teaching bidding and play. Nowadays one would use a bridge computer program such as Q-Plus to practise on one’s own. AUTOMATIC SQUEEZE

A squeeze that works against either opponent. For example:

´ ™ © ®

AKQ3 4 void void

ATTITUDE SIGNALS N

Signals made by a defender to encourage a continuation of the suit led, or to suggest a switch. By tradition, you do this by playing a high card to encourage and a low card to discourage.

´ ™ © ®

AS THE CARDS LIE

An expression to refer to the position of one or more significant cards, e.g. ‘Declarer can make ten tricks as the cards lie.’

854 854 K Q 10 3 AJ4 N

W

E S

´ ™ © ®

762 J762 A84 10 7 5

W

E S

´ ™ © ®

42 K2 A void

When South (in a no-trump contract) leads the ©A, discarding ™4 from dummy, this will squeeze anyone (West or East) who holds four spades as well as the ™A. The presence in dummy of an idle card, the ™4, is a key feature in making this an automatic squeeze.

ASTRO CONVENTION

This is a conventional defence to a 1NT opening whereby minor suit overcalls show two suits with at least nine cards between them. It derives its name from its inventors, Messrs. Allinger, STern and ROsler. 2® shows hearts and a minor while 2© shows spades and another suit. The specified major suit is the anchor suit.

You are East and South is in 3NT. If the lead is the ™K, you play the ™7 to say you like hearts. If, however, the lead were a spade honour, you would follow with the ´2 to say you have no help in that suit. AUCTION

The complete bidding sequence is ‘the auction’.

ATTACKING LEAD

A lead that positively attempts to establish tricks for the defence as

AUCTION BRIDGE

The predecessor of modern Contract

Page 41

AVERAGE

Half the maximum number of matchpoints that you can score on a deal at duplicate pairs. This score occurs commonly either because the number of higher scores equals the number of lower ones or because the director has awarded a 50% average score. If the scores on a board are +630 (once), +600 (any number of times) and -100 (once), then all the pairs who are +600 will have an average score on it.

A to Z of Bridge continued

AVERAGE PLUS, AVERAGE MINUS

AVOIDANCE PLAY

A play designed to prevent a particular opponent from gaining the lead. This usually involves playing a suit slightly differently to normal. For example:

´ ™ © ®

AQ543 Q84 10 6 J42

10 9 9632 AJ752 63 N W

E S

´ ™ © ®

August

January

When, through its own fault, a pair is unable to play a board, the tournament director will usually award it an average minus (40% of the total matchpoints available). For an innocent pair unable to play a board, the award would be average plus (60% of the total or its overall percentage score for the session, if better). The words ‘average plus’ and ‘average minus’ are also general terms to denote scores slightly above and below average. If the scores on a board are +420 (several times) and +170 (once), then all the pairs with 420 could say they have an average plus score on the board, while all those sitting the other way with -420 could say they have an average minus score.

´ ™ © ®

JUST BRIDGE 2011 7-9

The Beach Hotel

5-7

14 - 16

The Beach Hotel

19 - 21

21 - 23

The Beach Hotel

28 - 30

The Beach Hotel

28 - 30

Scalford Hall

February

30 - 2 Oct Latimer Mews October

KJ6 AJ5 K93 AKQ9

The Beach Hotel

21 - 23

Scalford Hall

11 - 13

The Beach Hotel

28 - 30

Latimer Mews

11 - 13

Wychwood Park

28 - 30

Wychwood Park

25 - 27

The Beach Hotel

25 - 27

Scalford Hall

November 4-6

Latimer Mews

11 - 13

Scalford Hall

Latimer Mews

18 - 20

Scalford Hall

11 - 13

The Beach Hotel

25 - 27

Wychwood Park

11 - 13

Scalford Hall

18 - 20

The Beach Hotel

18 - 20

Latimer Mews

18 - 20

Wychwood Park

25 - 27

Scalford Hall

March 4-6

Scalford Hall Melton Mowbray LE14 4UB

Wychwood Park Crewe CW2 5GP

Scalford Hall

May 20 - 22

Latimer Mews

Wychwood Park

Chesham HP5 1UG

June 17 - 19

Wychwood Park

The Beach Hotel

July 8 - 10 15 - 17

As South, you play in 3NT and receive a spade lead won in dummy. You wish to avoid a spade through your kingjack, which affects how you play the diamonds. You lead low from dummy and finesse the nine. This way, East cannot gain the lead unless he holds ■ the queen and ten of diamonds.

Wychwood Park

7-9

4-6

15 - 17 872 K 10 7 Q84 10 8 7 5

Wychwood Park

September

April

´ ™ © ®

Scalford Hall

Worthing BN11 3QJ

Latimer Mews Wychwood Park

£165 full board

© © © ©

No single supplement Six sessions of duplicate bridge No prizes or masterpoints No tuition, seminars or quizzes, just bridge

Please see booking form on page 16. To be continued in the next issue.

Page 42

Catching Up by Sally Brock

W

hen last I wrote it was just after the European Championships in Ostend and a good deal has happened since then. In the summer we had two separate weeks on holiday: a week near Hastings in a rented house with another family, then a week in northern France with different friends. After that Barry and I had some time away without the children, culminating in a long weekend in Manchester visiting Barry’s friends. In amongst, Hayden had his first birthday and was christened, and we heard that Toby had managed sufficiently acceptable GCSEs for him to proceed to the sixth form to study a heavyweight collection of subjects. At the beginning of September my team (with Susanna Gross, Catherine Seale and Catherine Jagger) won the National Women’s teams. Then we attended the fourth wedding of my second husband (Mark Horton)! I seem to have the knack of keeping on good terms with ex-husbands! However, the biggie, the real event between then and now, was the World Bridge Championships held in Philadelphia at the beginning of October. The first event was the Mixed Pairs in which I played, without any great distinction, with David Gold. Here’s a lead problem for you from that event. South, the dealer opens four spades and everyone passes. What do you lead?

Dealer South. E/W Game. ´ 8632 N ™ A J 10 5 W E S © Q4 ® 10 8 3

Think about it while you read the rest of the article and I’ll give you the answer at the end. The next event was the Women’s Teams, in which I played with Nicola (Smith), on an otherwise American team, losing in the quarterfinals to China, the eventual winners. In general the Philadelphia experience was wonderful. It was a great opportunity to meet up with old friends. The venue was good – there were two particularly fine features. First, we were just over the road from the Reading Terminal Market, which must be one of the best permanent food markets in the world, full of stalls of the most wonderful food the USA can offer; and second, just as close in the other direction was Macy’s, where Nicola (the most enthusiastic shopper I know!) and I spent many enjoyable hours of bargain hunting. Since returning from Philadelphia, the Ostend women’s team played in the strong Lederer invitational teams event at the Young Chelsea and finished second – the best ever finish by a women’s team. Then Barry and I played for Berks & Bucks in the Tollemache (national inter-county team

of eight championship). On the Saturday (according to the cross-IMPing) we were the top pair in the field, with a score of 2 IMPs a board. However, on the Sunday we were exactly as bad as we had been good on the Saturday, so finished exactly average! Workwise, things have been quiet on the guidebook front. I have managed to set myself up (with the odd hiccup) so that my desktop computer, laptop and phone are completely synchronized so, in theory at least, I can work anywhere. Still, since I last wrote I’ve visited Namibia, Venezuela, Oman, Eastern Turkey, Sri Lanka and Armenia, not to mention popping in to lots of others for reprints and file conversions. My online bridge teaching, however, is expanding nicely with several new clients. As I write, I have just had a couple of days Christmas shopping in Bath (in my view, one of the best cities for shopping in the country – lots of independent shops all in a very compact area) with my good friend Carol. I am staying with my parents, about to go out to dinner with my brother and sister (another regular arrangement that has replaced present-giving). Tomorrow Barry is bringing Toby and Briony here, in readiness for a big family lunch on Sunday to celebrate my mother’s birthday. Now back to that lead problem. Good advice given

Page 43

me to me in my bridge infancy was to lead an ace against a pre-empt if I have one, and that worked well here. I led the ace of hearts and this was the full deal:

´ ™ © ®

´ Void ™ K964 © A J 10 8 7 3 ® 652 8632 ´ 10 7 A J 10 5 N ™ Q 3 W E Q4 © K65 S 10 8 3 ® AKQJ94 ´ AKQJ954 ™ 872 © 92 ® 7

Partner played the heart three at trick one which was rather difficult to read, so at trick two I continued with a low club. Partner won this trick and, reasoning that I would have led a singleton club at trick one if I had one, switched back to hearts. Declarer won with dummy’s king, drew trumps and played a diamond. It was easy now to find the communication-cutting play of inserting the queen, and declarer could not avoid losing four tricks in total. While four spades can be beaten on any lead, at many tables the queen of diamonds was chosen. Declarer won in dummy and played a club won by East. He had a problem now and often chose to continue diamonds, hoping for a trump promotion, and after that ■ four spades was cold.

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INSURANCE PRODUCT SUITABILITY This insurance is suitable for persons whose Demands and Needs are those of a traveller whose Individual round trip starts and finishes in the UK and is of no more than 122 days duration, and whose age is 90 years or less and is a permanent resident of the United Kingdom and Channel Islands. As this description contains the Key Features of the cover provided it constitutes provision of a statement of demands and needs. This and needs. This insurance is only available to persons who are permanently resident and domiciled in the UK.

SUMMARY OF COVER The following represent the Significant and Key Features of the policy including Exclusions and Limitations that apply per person. A full copy of the policy document is available on request.

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If you have to cancel or cut short your trip due to illness, injury, redundancy, jury service, the police requiring you to remain at or return to your home due to serious damage to your home, you are covered against loss of travel and accommodation costs. Policy Excess £50. For persons aged 61 to 70 years the excess is increased to £100. For persons aged 71 to 90 years the excess is increased to £150. See section headed Increased Excess for Pre Existing Medical Conditions for increased excesses applicable to claims arising from pre-existing medical conditions.

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Medical Screening

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Unless you are traveling to North or Central America or the Caribbean or on a Cruise, there is no need to advise us of your pre existing medical conditions. The term ‘Cruise’ does not include River or other Inland cruises or boat trips.

MAIN HEALTH EXCLUSIONS: Insurers will not pay for claims arising 1. Where You (or any person upon whose health the Trip depends) are undergoing tests for the presence of a medical condition receiving or on a waiting list for or have knowledge of the need for treatment at a hospital or nursing home. 2. From any terminal illness suffered by You (or any person upon whose health the Trip depends). 3. From any medical condition for which You (or any person upon whose health the Trip depends) have within 12 months prior to the date of issue of this insurance been diagnosed with a medical condition or have been admitted or undergone a procedure/ intervention in a hospital. 4. If You are traveling against the advice of a Medical Practitioner.

OTHER GENERAL EXCLUSIONS Claims arising from 1. Winter sports, any hazardous pursuits, any work of a non sedentary nature. 2. Self inflicted injury or illness, suicide, alcoholism or drug abuse, sexual disease. 3. War, invasion, acts of foreign enemies, hostilities or warlike operations, civil war, rebellion, Terrorism, revolution, insurrection, civil commotion, military or usurped power but this exclusion shall not apply to losses under Section 3 - Medical Expenses unless such losses are caused by nuclear, chemical or biological attack, or the disturbances were already taking place at the beginning of any Trip. 4. Failure or fear of failure or inability of any equipment or any computer program. 5. Consequential loss of any kind. 6. Bankruptcy/liquidation of any tour operator, travel agent, airline, transportation company or accommodation supplier. 7. Travelling to countries or regions where the FCO or WHO has advised against travel. 8. Your failure to contact the Medical Screening Line where required.

If You have a history of any medical condition and are traveling to North or Central America or the Caribbean or on a Cruise, you must first contact the Medical Screening Line to establish whether we can provide cover for your trip. If you are accepted, the following levels of excess will apply. You will receive written confirmation that you are covered for the trip. The number to call is:

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Increased Excess for Pre Existing Medical Conditions Provision for the acceptance of pre existing medical conditions has been made by the application of increased excesses in the event of claims arising. For claims arising from any medical condition, other than those that are specifically excluded, the excess is further increased as follows: Under the Cancellation or Curtailment section – double the normal excess. Under the Medical & Other Expenses section – For persons aged 60 years or less the excess is increased to £500 unless travelling within North or Central America or the Caribbean or on a Cruise when increased to £1,000. For persons aged 61 to 70 years the excess is increased to £1,000 unless travelling within North or Central America or the Caribbean or on a Cruise when increased to £2,000. For persons aged 71 to 90 years the excess is increased to £1,500 unless travelling within North or Central America or the Caribbean or on a Cruise when increased to £3,000. MEMBER OF THE

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Details of the Applicant

PREMIUM RATING SCHEDULE

Title (Mr/Mrs/Miss)

GEOGRAPHICAL AREAS

Surname

1. United Kingdom England, Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland, Isle of Man, including all islands comprising the British Isles (except the Channel Islands and the Republic of Ireland). (Any British Isles or UK Cruises are rated as Area 2). 2. Europe Area 1 and Continental Europe west of the Ural mountain range, all countries bordering the Mediterranean Sea (except, Egypt, Israel, Jordan, Lebanon, Libya & Syria), the Channel Islands and the Republic of Ireland, Iceland, Madeira, The Canaries and The Azores. (Persons residing in the Channel Islands need to pay Area 2 rates for UK trips). 3. Worldwide excluding North America Areas 1 & 2 and All countries outside of the above (except the continent of North America, countries comprising Central America and the Caribbean Islands). 4. Worldwide including North America Areas 1,2 & 3 and The United States of America, Mexico and other countries comprising Central America, Canada, Cuba and the Caribbean Islands.

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BERNARD MAGEE’S INTERACTIVE TUTORIALS ACOL BIDDING l

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Counting the Hand

Sharpen your defence in the course of 20 introductory exercises and 120 complete deals

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Answers to Julian Pottage’s Defence Quiz on page 8 ´ ™ © ®

1.

´ ™ © ®

A6532 976 54 K65

10 7 4 K 10 AK7 QJ832 ´ ™ © ®

N W

E S

´ ™ © ®

KJ8 Q843 J962 97

Q9 AJ52 Q 10 8 3 A 10 4

West

North

East

Pass

3NT

End

South 1NT

West leads the three of spades: four, king, nine. What do you return? It looks like partner has hit declarer’s weak spot. You certainly want to return a spade. Usually, with an original threecard holding, you return your higher card. This clarifies your holding and may avoid blocking the suit. However, common sense should override rigid rules. Assuming the ´9 is a true card, South must have A-9 or Q-9 doubleton. Letting the now bare queen cover your jack cannot be right. You should return the ´8.

´ ™ © ®

2.

´ ™ © ®

A653 976 654 KQ6

West leads the three of spades. You win with the queen, collecting declarer’s nine. What do you return? Although the ´2 is missing, you can deduce who has it. The 1NT opening marks South with a second spade, which must be that card. If you continue spades, you will not set up any spade tricks for your side – the three spade tricks due your way are top winners and do not need establishment. What you would set up is a fourth-round winner in dummy. You should give up on spades and lead up to dummy’s club weakness instead. I do not much mind whether you lead the nine (to emphasise the weakness) or the seven (to prepare for denying a doubleton). Partner wins the club and, knowing from the play to trick one that you hold the ´K, reverts to spades. You win and switch back to clubs. Two tricks in clubs and three in spades enable you to defeat the contract.

´ ™ © ®

3.

´ ™ © ®

Q8653 97 964 K63

´ ™ © ®

N W

E S

´ ™ © ®

KQ7 J843 982 973

92 A 10 5 Q J 10 3 AJ54

West

North

East

Pass

3NT

End

South 1NT

´ ™ © ®

4.

´ ™ © ®

K 10 7 2 972 964 Q73

´ ™ © ®

N W

E S

K74 J863 J 10 5 2 A7

92 AQ54 AK8 9542

West

North

East

Pass

3NT

End

South 1NT

West leads the five of spades. You capture the ten with the king and collect the two on your left. How do you defend? This time you cannot tell whether the lead is from four spades or five. In any case, no switch is very attractive. While it is true that dummy now has a tenace in

Page 47

West Pass End

J K 10 KQ753 K 10 8 6 4 N E

W S

´ ™ © ®

A J 10 K 10 2 Q73 Q J 10 8

´ ™ © ®

J 10 8 4 KQ2 AK7 10 8 2

spades, declarer can finesse against partner’s queen whether you return the suit or not. In accordance with the usual convention, you return your higher spade, the seven. As you hoped, partner follows with the missing three of spades, confirming a five-card holding. Can you see what else you need to do? When declarer plays on clubs, very likely at the third trick, you need to step in smartly with the ®A. You want to use your entry while you still have a third spade to lead. Equally, you want to conserve partner’s entry until the spades are ready to run.

´ ™ © ®

A843 J863 A82 J5

Q965 AQ54 J 10 A92

North 1© 2®

East Pass Pass

South 1™ 3NT

West leads the two of spades. You win with the ace, collecting the five on your left. What do you return? With the singleton spade in dummy, and length in the suit in your own hand, it seems clear to continue spades. Which spade should you return? The traditional approach is to return your original fourth best – in other words the ´3. Knowing that you started with four spades, partner wins the spade cheaply (probably taking the nine with ten) and switches to some other suit. Some time soon, you get in with the ©A and play a ■ further round of spades.

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Fares shown are per person based on two people sharing lowest twin-bedded n-bedded ccabin abin ccategory ategory ccurrently urrently aavailable vailable and and include include all all applicable applicable discounts discounts for for new new bookings only. All offers are subject to availability, capacity controlled and at any any time. time. *GTY number may may not not be be allocated allocated at at and may may be be withdrawn withdrawn at GTY TY – A cabin cabin number time of booking. See brochure for full terms and conditions. Please note, which will dded all prices prices do do not not include include a compulsory compulsory £15pp ote, all £15pp Cuban Cuban ttourist ourist ccard ard w hich w ill bbee aadded onto the cost of your cruise booking. Selected post cruise coach transfers rice ((not nly) pplease lease sfers are are included included within within tthe he ppackage ackage pprice not iincluded ncluded iiff bbooking ooking ccruise ruisse oonly) ask for details. **Extra Leg room seats are subject to availability and must are at time time of of booking. booking. Only Only bookings Mr Bridge Bridge are must be be requested requested at bookings made made directly directly with witth Mr eligible to be part ing name name of of All All Leisure Leisure Holidays Holidays Ltd. Ltd. g p of the Bridge g Group. p Voyages y g of Discoveryy is a trading

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