115

SIN SU G NO PP LE LE CA ME BI NT N *

CRUISES TO CLASSICAL CIVILISATIONS BRIDGE CRUISES - AUTUMN 2012

ENJOY SPECIAL SAVINGS ON 3 EXCITING VOYAGES TO ANTIQUITY

ISTANBUL TO ATHENS AUGUST 27, 2012 I�anbul Skiathos

Join us on Aegean Odyssey for a

Nauplia

Venice

CROATIA

Zadar Trogir Split HvarDubrovnik ITALY Korcula Bay of Kotor

MONTENEGRO

Izmir TURKEY

Corfu

Delos Mykonos

PORT

Aug 27 Fly to ISTANBUL Turkey Transfer to Aegean Odyssey Aug 28 Cruising the Dardanelles LEMNOS Greek Islands

Ithaca Olympia Athens Katakolon Nauplia

SPECIAL FARES INCLUDE: PROGRAMME OF SHORE EXCURSIONS EXPERT ANTIQUITY LECTURE PROGRAMME WINE WITH DINNER & GRATUITIES EXCLUSIVE COCKTAIL PARTY SCHEDULED AIR & TRANSFERS ABROAD

CYCLADES

Kusadasi

Aphrodisias

Rhodes

CRETE Rethimnon Knossos

DATE

PORT

Oct 18

Fly to ATHENS Greece Transfer to Aegean Odyssey

Oct 9

VENICE Italy

Oct 19

NAUPLIA Greece

Oct 10

ZADAR Croatia Cruising the Kornati Islands SPLIT Croatia

Oct 20

MONEMVASÍA Greece

Oct 21

RETHIMNON Crete

Oct 22

RHODES Greek Islands

Oct 23

DELOS Greek Islands MYKONOS Greek Islands

Oct 24

SAMOS Greek Islands KUSADASI Turkey

Oct 25

KUSADASI Turkey

Oct 26

At Sea

Oct 27

ISTANBUL Turkey

Oct 28

ISTANBUL Turkey

Oct 29

SKIATHOS Greek Islands

Oct 30

PIRAEUS Greece Fly home from Athens

DELOS Greek Islands MYKONOS Greek Islands

KORCULA Croatia DUBROVNIK Croatia

Oct 13

Sept 2

SANTORINI Greek Islands

DUBROVNIK Croatia

Oct 14

CORFU Greek Islands

Sept 3

RETHIMNON Crete

Oct 15

Sept 4

NAUPLIA Greece

PREVEZA Greece ITHACA Greece

Sept 5

PIRAEUS Greece Fly home from Athens

Views of Mount Athos monasteries; visits to Ephesus and Pergamon; the Greek islands of Lemnos, Skiathos, Santorini, Delos and Mykonos; Minoan Crete; classical Mycenae.

Nauplia Monemvasía

Ephesus

Fly to VENICE Italy Transfer to Aegean Odyssey

Oct 12

10 days from £1,450 including:

Mycenæ

PORT

SPLIT Croatia

Sept 1

TURKEY

Sámos Mykonos Delos

Oct 8

Oct 11

Aug 31 IZMIR Turkey

Skiathos GREECE

DATE

Aug 29 SKIATHOS Greek Islands Aug 30 IZMIR Turkey

Arta GREECE

I�anbul

Mount Athos

Athens

Preveza

Santorini Rethimnon CRETE DATE

ATHENS TO ATHENS OCTOBER 18, 2012

Kornati Islands

Lemnos

GREECE

Athens

wonderful Voyage to Antiquity and discover the art, history and cultures of the Mediterranean, Adriatic and Aegean. Choose from three Mr Bridge Autumn sailings, each offering extraordinary value for money. More good news is that there are no single supplements* and all cruises are hosted by members of the Mr Bridge team. Cruise in comfort, relax in style Aegean Odyssey is a premium class ship carrying just 350 passengers. The atmosphere on board is relaxed with plenty of passenger space, a choice of restaurants (with open-seating dining) and generously-sized accommodations, plus the comfort and attentive service of boutique-style cruising.

VENICE TO ATHENS OCTOBER 8, 2012

Oct 16

KATAKOLON Greece

Oct 17

NAUPLIA Greece

Oct 18

PIRAEUS Greece Fly home from Athens

11 days from £1,795 including:

Guided tour of Venice including a private evening visit to St Mark’s; the Roman Forum in Zadar and Palace of Diocletian in Split; Korcula and Hvar; Dubrovnik and Kotor Bay; Venetian Corfu; Byzantine Arta and Ithaca; ancient Olympia and Mycenae.

Y ANIED B ACCOMP

13 days from £1,995 including: Guided tours of ancient Mycenae and Monemvasía; Minoan Knossos; the Citadel of the Knights of St John, Rhodes; the sanctuary of Delos; Roman Ephesus; the monuments of Aphrodisias; treasures of Istanbul; Mount Athos monasteries.

BOOK NOW CALL ON 01483 489 961

BRIDGE PLAYERS There is a supplement of £30 per person for those wishing EMBERS TEAM M to participate in the duplicate bridge programme. Prices are per person, double occupancy, and include MR BRIDGE SPECIAL SAVINGS. *The number of cabins with no single supplement is strictly limited. Please book early to avoid disappointment. Singles are made especially welcome and a partner will always be found. The bridge programme is completely optional and Mr Bridge passengers can participate as much, or as little as they wish. This offer is subject to availability, is capacity controlled and may be withdrawn at any time.

VOYAGES TO ANTIQUITY

BRIDGE Ryden Grange Knaphill, Surrey GU21 2TH

( 01483 489961 e-mail: [email protected] website: www.mrbridge.co.uk

Publisher and Managing Editor Mr Bridge Associate Editors Bernard Magee Julian Pottage Technical Consultant Tony Gordon Proof Readers Tony Richards Danny Roth Richard Wheen Hugh Williams Office Managers Catrina Shackleton Jane Cavell Events & Cruises ( 01483 489961 Rosie Baker Jessica Galt Rachel Everett Megan Riccio Sophie Pierrepont Clubs & Charities Maggie Axtell

[email protected]

Address Changes Elizabeth Bryan ( 01483 485342

[email protected] 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.

FEATURES 5

ADVERTISEMENTS

Mr Bridge

9 Stephen Cashmore says Skip Stayman on a 4333 Hand

2 Voyages to Antiquity Autumn Cruises 3 We are Survivors Tea-Towel

12 Julian Pottage Answers Your Questions

4 Voyages to Antiquity Christmas and New Year Cruise

16 Prize Crossword 3 set by Sputnik

5 Christmas 2012 6 Tunisia 2012

17 Fifth Round Control by Dick Atkinson

7 Mail Order Form 7 Cut-out Form

21 Bidding Quiz by Bernard Magee 22 Bidding Quiz Answers by Bernard Magee 23 Defence Quiz by Julian Pottage 24 Defence Quiz Answers by Julian Pottage 25 Declarer Play Quiz by David Huggett 26 Declarer Play Answers by David Huggett 27 Lead Quiz by Andrew Kambites 28 Lead Quiz Answers by Andrew Kambites 29 The A to Z of Bridge: L by Julian Pottage 34 David Stevenson Answers Your Questions 37 The Power of Shape reviewed by Sandra Landy 40 What’s in a Name by Didapper

8 Bernard Magee’s Interactive Software 10 Voyages of Discovery 2012 Summer Cruises 20 Bridge Events with Bernard Magee 21 Bernard Magee’s Hand Evaluation 22 Mr Bridge Playing Cards 23 Mr Bridge Rubber/ Chicago Events 25 Bernard Magee’s Tips for Better Bridge 27 Mr Bridge Tutorial Bridge Breaks 33 Bernard Magee’s Begin Bridge CD 36 Duplicate Bridge Rules Simplified 38 Global Travel Insurance 40 Stamps 40 Bridge Event Booking Form

41 Readers’ Letters

44 Charity Bridge Events

43 The Diaries of Wendy Wensum

47 Crossword 3 Solution

44 Catching Up by Sally Brock 45 Seven Days by Sally Brock

47 QPlus 10 48 Bernard Magee’s Five-Card Majors

We Are Survivors (For those born Before 1940 . . .) We were born before television, before penicillin, polio shots, frozen foods, Xerox, contact lenses, videos and the pill. We were before radar, credit cards, split atoms, laser beams and ballpoint pens, before dishwashers, tumble driers, electric blankets, air conditioners, drip-dry clothes . . . and before man walked on the moon. We got married first and then lived together (how quaint can you be?). We thought ‘fast food’ was what you ate in Lent, a ‘Big Mac’ was an oversized raincoat and ‘crumpet’ we had for tea. We existed before house husbands, computer dating and sheltered accommodation was where you waited for a bus. We were before day care centres, group homes and disposable nappies. We never heard of FM radio, tape decks, artificial hearts, word processors, or young men wearing earrings. For us ‘time sharing’ meant togetherness, a ‘chip’ was a piece of wood or fried potato, ‘hard­ware’ meant nuts and bolts and ‘software’ wasn’t a word. Before 1940 ‘Made in Japan’ meant junk, the term ‘making out’ referred to how you did in your exams, ‘stud’ was something that fastened a collar to a shirt and ‘going all the way’ meant staying on a double-decker bus to the terminus. In our day, cigarette smoking was ‘fashionable’, ‘grass’ was mown, ‘coke’ was kept in the coalhouse, a ‘joint’ was a piece of meat you ate on Sundays and ‘pot’ was something you cooked in. ‘Rock Music’ was a fond mother’s lullaby, ‘Eldorado’ was an icecream, a ‘gay person’ was the life and soul of the party, while ‘aids’ just meant beauty treatment or help for someone in trouble. We who were born before 1940 must be a hardy bunch when you think of the way in which the world has changed and the adjustments we have had to make. No wonder there is a generation gap today . . . BUT

By the grace of God . . . we have survived!

48 QPlus 10

The views expressed in this publication are not necessarily those of the publisher or its Managing Editor. Page 3

Printed in the UK on a 100% cotton tea-towel £5.95 from Art Screen Prints ( 01287 637527

EASTERN MAGIC

I thoroughly enjoyed my recent cruises around the Mediterranean on board Aegean Odyssey, so when the chance of combining bridge with cruises to India and the East came up, I contacted Voyages to Antiquity immediately to see if there could be a bridge party on each sailing this coming winter. They said, ‘Yes’, so Kay Adamson will lead a team on board for Christmas and New Year. The advertisement on the facing page should be of special interest to singles as there are a some cabins without single supplements. In January, Bernard Magee will join the ship and sail from Hong Kong to Bali and then from Bali to Bangkok, two lovely cruises which can be taken together as a Grand Voyage.

In March, Mrs Bridge and I will join the ship in Singapore and sail to Mumbai doing the full tourist thing, flying on to Delhi for the four-night Golden Triangle extension, so that we can savour and enjoy the serene beauty of the Taj Mahal.

COMING SOON

CHRISTMAS 2012

On page two, you will find three lovely cruises to choose from, the first and third of which I will be joining in company with Mrs Bridge. With no single supplement, inclusive shore excursions and local wines with evening meals they are proving really popular.

In the last issue I should have told you that early bookers save up to £100 per person per event and those booking a back to back package even more. Those who have booked already will have their final invoice amended to reflect the lower price. This offer ends on 30 June 2012 or it won’t be a special offer anymore.

BOUTIQUE

Mr Bridge Christmas & New Year 2012/13 Duplicate Bridge Denham Grove

Near Uxbridge, UB9 5DU

CHRISTMAS PARTY

Aegean Odessey, pictured above, sails under the command of her quietly competent Swedish captain, Roland Andersson, another boon in itself.

BRIDGE FEES Please note there are fees for our bridge programme on board Aegean Odessey. £30 per person for summer. £100 per person for winter, whatever the length of your chosen cruise.

GOFF STAMPS

Once again I provide a plug for my sponsor of long standing, Clive Goff. Believe me, if Royal Mail put up prices anymore, they will kill snailmail off altogether. Even I use email these days. For Clive Goff’s unique service, telephone him on: ( 020 8422 4906.

[email protected]

Bernard Magee is going to the Chatsworth Hotel, Worthing, 28-30 December for a special weekend party. It follows the format of his weekend events but has a seasonal theme. The price is £245 per person with no single supplement.

DIARIES 2013 These are promised for the end of June. A full range of cover colours is available. Order now. Luxury cover versions are also available.

OLD POT BOILER As promised, I provide the solution to this widely known double dummy problem, see overleaf. I provide the problem below and new readers should see if they can solve it before turning the page. ♠ A Q 7 ♥ A K Q J ♦ Q J 10 9 8 7 ♣ Void ♠ K J 10 8 6 ♠ 9 5 4 3 2 N ♥ 5 4 3 2 W E ♥ Void ♦ Void S ♦ 6 5 4 3 2 ♣ K Q J 10 ♣ 4 3 2 ♠ Void ♥ 10 9 8 7 6 ♦ A K ♣ A 9 8 7 6 5 Contract 7♥ by South. West leads the ♣K.

Page 5

24-27 Dec £455 Just Bridge Jo Walch 27-29 Dec £215 Game Tries 29 Dec – 1 Jan £445 Finding Slams

The Olde Barn

Marston, Lincs NG32 2HT

24-27 Dec £455 Just Bridge 27-29 Dec £215 Doubles 29 Dec – 1 Jan £445 Losing Trick Count

( 01483 489961 [email protected] www.holidaybridge.com Please call if you would like a sample copy of the programme

Mr Bridge AT THE ROYAL KENZ TUNISIA Two-week half-board duplicate holiday

OLD POT BOILER

NEW HOSTS NEW VENUE

Here is the solution to this much loved problem. The key element is for South to discard his ace and king of diamonds. One can go on the ♠A, but what to do with the other? The answer is, strange as it seems, on the last trump from dummy, as after South has ruffed two spades, his trumps will be shorter than North’s.

We have found a great new venue in the Cheltenham area, or more correctly it has found us. I believe it will suit our needs and there will be no single supplement.

1. Win ♣A (discarding 7♦). 2. Play a trump to ♥A. 3. Ruff ♠7. 4. Play a trump to ♥K. 5. Ruff ♠Q. 6. Play a trump to ♥Q. 7. Play ♥J, drawing West’s last trump, discarding ♦K. 8. Play ♠A, throwing ♦A and North’s hand is high.

4-18 November 2012 Golf available Tony and Jan Richards

£769* 24 Feb – 10 March 2013 Golf available Bernard Magee and his team

For a full range of bridge tea towels, ring Art Screen Print on ( 01287 637527. www.artscreen.co.uk/ customizeArea/shop.html

All the beds are king-sized doubles which can be unvelcroed to make two singles. All their soups, desserts etc are created in their own kitchens. We have three 2012 dates all hosted by Bernard Magee. 29 June – 1 July 2012 Leads and Defence – £245 6 – 8 July 2012 Finding Slams – £245 26 – 28 October 2012 Doubles – £245

FUNDRAISING In BRIDGE 114, I told you that all the traded-in QPlus software had been donated to support Little Voice. By the end of April, we had banked £1,432.00. Thank you. I repeat my offer in case you overlooked it.

COVER STORY

£799*

QPlus 7. Donation £10. QPlus 8. Donation £16. QPlus 9. Donation £25.

*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 Enfidha. Flights from other UK airports are available at a supplement. All prices are firm until the end of July 2012. Prices for sevennight stays (November only) 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 Mr Bridge by Tunisia First Limited, ATOL 5933, working in association with Thomas Cook Tour Operations Limited, ATOL 1179.

DETAILS & BOOKINGS

( 01483 489961

Bernard Magee’s Baltic cruise on Discovery, sailing 3 September from Harwich to St Petersburg and back, is one of the highlights of the 2012 season. There are also bridge parties on every Discovery voyage this summer. See page 10 & 11 for a list of dates and ports.

All are guaranteed for at least one year, and as nothing can go wrong with the product, you can call that five. Please make cheques out to L.U.C.I.A. Little Voice and send me two 2nd class stamps to cover the cost of posting it.

BRIDGE BARON Those wanting a bridge play program to use with their AppleMac hardware need look no further than Bridge Baron. The latest version is £63. Trade-ins £36.

Page 6

Those interested in hosting or helping at our weekend events should, in the first instance, send an email to [email protected] for an application form.

FIRST VOYAGE Voyages of Discovery are proud to announce the inaugural sailing of the latest addition to its growing fleet, m.v. Voyager. She sails from Portsmouth to Jamaica in the Caribbean on 4 December 2012. There are plenty of sea days which suit bridge players to a tee. This special sailing will have bridge hosted by Tony and Jan Richards. Inside cabins from £999 per person. Outside cabins are from £1349 with no single supplement, strictly subject to availability. Book now to avoid disappointment.

PROTECTION I am a belt and braces man, so readers should be assured that your names and addresses are protected by our registration under the Data Protection Act. All office waste paper is either shredded or burnt.

CONSTITUTION To save space, the promised draft constitution is now ready and will be emailed or posted to you on request.

THANK YOU A great big thank you for all the congratulations and goodwill messages. I hope to guide and direct a growing team of younger people for as long as they and my health permit. All good wishes,

Mr Bridge

✄

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Mr Bridge MAIL ORDER

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

PLAY SOFTWARE QPlus 10 QPlus 10 - Trade-in Bridge Baron – Mac compatible Bridge Baron – Trade-in

£86.00........ £35.00........ £63.00........ £36.00........

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

TUTORIAL SOFTWARE Begin Bridge – Acol Version £66.00........ Acol Bidding £66.00........ Advanced Acol Bidding £96.00........ Declarer Play £76.00........ Advanced Declarer Play £81.00........ Defence £76.00........ Five-Card Majors with Strong No-Trump £89.00........

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

SOFTWARE BUNDLE OFFER Any two software pieces

£120.00........

Please send BRIDGE to the following enthusiasts:

TUTORIAL DVDs Ruffing for Extra Tricks Competitive Auctions Making the Most of High Cards Identifying & Bidding Slams Play & Defence of 1NT Contracts Doubling & Defence to Doubled Contracts All 6 DVDs as a boxed set

£25.00........ £25.00........ £25.00........ £25.00........ £25.00........

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£25.00........ £100.00........

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BOOKS Duplicate Bridge Rules Simplified £5.95........ Better Hand Evaluation – Bernard Magee £14.00........ Bernard Magee’s Bridge Quiz Book £14.00........ Bernard Magee’s Quiz and Puzzle Book £14.00........ Bernard Magee’s Tips for Better Bridge £14.00........

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

( 01483 489961

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

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

Page 7

Better Bridge with Bernard Six DVDs record the seminars from Haslemere. Each seminar is divided into two halves: designed to look at subjects from two different perspectives. 1. Ruffing for extra tricks This seminar deals with declarer’s use of ruffing to generate extra tricks and then looks at how the defenders might counteract this. 74 mins. 2. COMPETITIVE AUCTIONS This seminar focuses on competitive auctions from the perspective of the overcalling side to start with and then from the perspective of the opening side in the second part. 86 mins. 3. MAKING THE MOST OF HIGH CARDS This seminar helps declarer to use his high cards more carefully and then looks at how defenders should care for their precious high cards. 83 minutes. 4. Identifying & BIDDING SLAMS The first half of this seminar is about identifying when a slam might be on – one of the hardest topics to teach, because as soon as you announce the topic everybody is looking for slams. The second half covers some of the techniques used to bid slams. 96 minutes. 5. PLAY & DEFENCE OF 1NT CONTRACTS This seminar looks at the most common and yet most feared of contracts: 1NT. The first half looks at declaring the contract and the second part puts us in the defenders’ seats. 88 minutes. 6. DOUBLING & DEFENCE AGAINST DOUBLED CONTRACTS The first half of this seminar explores penalty doubles and the second half discusses the defence against doubled contracts. 88 minutes.

£25 each All 6 for £100

BERNARD MAGEE’S INTERACTIVE TUTORIALS ACOL BIDDING l Opening

Bids and Responses

l

Slams and Strong Openings

l

Support for Partner

l Pre-empting l Overcalls

Openings and Responses l l

Opener’s and Responder’s Rebids Minors and Misfits

l Doubles l Competitive

l

l Making

Overtricks in No-trumps

l

Making Overtricks in Suit Contracts

l Endplays

l

Contract

£81

l Simple

l

l Counting

l

Playing Doubled Contracts

l

Safety Plays

Defence to 1NT

£96

l Two-suited

Overcalls

Establishment in No-trumps

l

Suit Establishment in Suits

l

Ruffing for Extra Tricks

l

Entries in No-trumps

Defences to Other Systems

l

Misfits and Distributional Hands

Drawing Trumps

Lead vs No-trump Contracts

l

Lead vs Suit Contracts

l

Partner of Leader vs No-trump Contracts

Using the Lead

l Trump

Control

l

Endplays & Avoidance

l

Using the Bidding

DEFENCE l

£76

l Delaying l

l

FIVE-CARD MAJORS & Strong No-Trump l

Opening Bids & Responses

l

No-Trump Openings

l

Support for Partner

l

Slams & Strong Openings

l

Rebids

l

Minors & Misfits

l Discarding

l

Pre-empting

l

Defensive Plan

l

Doubles

l

Stopping Declarer

l

Overcalls

l

Competitive Auctions

l

Partner of Leader vs Suit Contracts

l Count

Signals l Attitude

Signals

the Hand Trump Reductions & Coups

l Suit

l Hold-ups

Strong Hands

l Doubles

Squeezes

l

Twos

to Weak Twos

l Avoidance l Wrong

Advanced Basics

l Weak

Auctions

ADVANCED DECLARER PLAY

DECLARER PLAY

l Basics

l Defence

£66

l No-trump

MORE (ADVANCED) ACOL BIDDING

£76

l Counting

the Hand

£89

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

( 01483 489961

www.mrbridge.co.uk/mrbridge-shop

Fax 01483 797302

System Requirements: Windows XP, Vista or 7, 8mb RAM, CD-ROM Page 8

Stephen Cashmore Says

Skip Stayman on a 4333 Hand

I

t is often right to skip Stayman when you have no ruffing value. For one thing, there is no point in seeking a fit when both hands may be completely flat. Secondly, raising in no-trumps gives less information to the defenders. As partner will have the same four-card major as you roughly one time in three, two thirds of the time Stayman will just help the opponents. Thirdly, even if you have a 4-4 fit, four of a major may yield no more tricks than 3NT. If you can make the same nine tricks in 3NT as in the 4-4 fit, you can make game there but not in 4♥ or 4♠. At teams or rubber bridge, when the extra 20 points for making 4♥ or 4♠ rather than 3NT is of little value, this is critical. The other side of the coin is that, because you are 4-3-3-3 (or 3-4-3-3), there is no guarantee that partner will be too. If he is, for example, 4-3-4-2, playing in the 4-4 spade fit may well be superior because of a lack of cover in clubs. There is one other point against the maxim, though its impact depends on your partnership style.

Hand A Hand B ♠ A Q 10 9 8 ♠ 10 8 5 4 3 ♥ K J 9 ♥ K J 5 ♦ Q J 8 ♦ K J 8 ♣ 3 2 ♣ A J

Most Acol players would open Hand A with 1♠, planning to rebid 2♠. However, if it is your style to open Hand A with 1NT, partner needs to employ Stayman whenever he has a four-card major, even if he has a completely flat hand. You would not want to miss a 5-4 fit. Even if it is not your general style to open 1NT with a five-card major, you may find yourself forced to do so. Hand

B is an example. Nobody would fancy opening 1♠, intending to rebid 2♠, with 10-8-5-4-3. It is best to tell a smaller lie, and open 1NT in the first place. Once in a while, you will miss a good 5-3 fit and, assuming you do not use Stayman with a flat 4-3-3-3 hand, you will miss the odd 5-4 fit. This is one of those things, the result of having an awkward hand to bid. Assuming you do not usually open 1NT with a five-card major, should you skip Stayman with a 4-3-3-3 or 3-4-3-3 hand? Well, yes, but not always. Hand C Hand D ♠ K 10 8 4 ♠ Q 8 4 2 ♥ A 9 4 ♥ A 9 5 ♦ K Q 8 ♦ A Q 8 ♣ J 6 5 ♣ K J 5

Partner opens 1NT (12-14). With C and D, do you respond Stayman 2♣ or not? On C, the danger in ignoring a possible 4-4 fit and playing in no-trumps is that both you and your partner may have a poor stopper in one of the other suits – or even no stopper at all. In no-trumps, the defenders might win, say, the first five tricks in clubs, whereas, playing in spades, you can ruff and keep control. Then again, if partner has ♣Q-10-x, you have a stopper for 3NT, but may run into a deadly ruff to set 4♠. Also, as you have just thirteen points, there may be only nine tricks available wherever you play. My experience, backed up by a friend’s computer simulation, is that it is 50-50 whether a 4-4 fit plays better than 3NT when one hand has no ruffing value. It is therefore a toss-up on a hand like this which contract is the more likely to make. In this case, the fact that you clearly don’t want to use Stayman and tell the opponents about the declaring hand when there is no fit, makes it Page 9

better to bid 3NT. Moreover, if you use Stayman and find partner with the wrong major, you are adding greatly to the chance that the opening lead will hit your side’s weak spot. An auction of 1NT-2♣-2♥-3NT tells them that you have four spades and that partner has four hearts. They are much more likely to find the best lead after that than after 1NT-3NT. With Hand D, you definitely jump to 3NT. For one thing, you are reasonably sure that there is no obvious weak suit for the defenders to attack. For another, with weak spades like these, a 4-1 spade break might defeat 4♠ but not 3NT. There is another way of looking at this. If there are plenty of points available to make 3NT (as with Hand D opposite a 1NT opener), it is likely that all suits are covered and no-trumps will be the best spot to play. Are there hands on which you can tell game in a major is safer than 3NT? Hand E ♠ A K J 10 ♥ A K J ♦ 8 4 3 ♣ 9 5 4

Having all your values in two suits is a good indicator. With spades like these and all these points, 4♠ on a 4-4 fit will surely make. Just about the only way to go down in game is to play in 3NT and find partner weak in one of the minors. The case for using Stayman would be even clearer if you had a similar hand with about an ace more – a ruff in partner’s hand could be the twelfth trick. In summary, unless a slam is in the air, when the chance of a possible extra trick in a 4-4 fit is worth going for, skip Stayman on a 4-3-3-3 hand. ■

Inspiring Summer Cruises ExCLUSIVE MR BRIDGE FARES FROM £1199pp*

EXCLU

SIVE

Mr Bri

dg

FARE O e N TIMEL ESS BALTI C

Experience Voyages of Discovery’s Summer 2012 programme, encompassing 15 captivating cruises around Northern Europe, The Baltic, The Mediterranean & The Black Sea. Next Summer, Discovery’s exciting cruise itinerary includes an Around Britain cruise taking in the impressive Edinburgh Tattoo, a three day stay in glorious St Petersburg, with the unique opportunity of spending a day in Moscow and, on the anniversary of D-Day, an inspirational journey of remembrance and discovery to the landing beaches of Normandy, littlevisited Heligoland in Germany and beautiful Amsterdam. All passengers are eligible to attend the exclusive drinks parties. When Discovery is at sea there are morning seminars and afternoon bridge sessions. Those Mr Bridge passengers choosing to pay the £30† per bridge player supplement will be eligible for the evening duplicate bridge after the first dinner sitting. The bridge programme is fully optional and you may participate as much or as little as you wish. Mr Bridge actively encourages singles to join the party and they will always be found a partner for a game.

YOUR VOYAGE INCLUDES: • Evening bridge† • Afternoon bridge when at sea • Bridge seminars when at sea • Exclusive Mr Bridge drinks parties

• All meals, entertainment and onboard gratuities • Comprehensive lecture and guest speaker programme • Captain’s cocktail parties and gala dinners

www.bridgecruises.co.uk

Discovery club members save an extra 5%

Summer 2012 No~fly cruises SPITSBERGEN and the NORTH CAPE

Bridge Hosts

Fares From

Tony & Jan Richards

GTY £999pp

Crombie & Helen McNeil

GTY £999pp

Alex Davoud

GTY £979pp

Gary Conrad

GTY £1,899pp

June 13, 2012 ~ 16 days

Harwich ~ Trondheim ~ Leknes ~ Honningsvåg ~ Magdalenafjord ~ Ny-Ålesund ~ Longyearbyen ~ Barentsburg ~ Tromsø ~ Bergen ~ Harwich

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Julian Pottage answers your bridge questions

Can I open 1♣ with Four Clubs to the Nine?

Q

Playing a weak no-trump, as dealer, I held:

♠ A K 10 ♥ A Q 9 ♦ K J 10 ♣ 9 5 4 2

  Holding 17 HCP, I was too strong for 1NT; I could not bid a 3-card suit and clubs was out of the question. Was there a way out? Len Hodby, Dyffryn Ardudwy.   I do not see why bidding clubs was out of the question. In France, America and various other places, people open routinely on a threecard club suit; here you have four clubs. While I agree you would not want to open one of a major on 9-x-x-x, opening 1♣ is no problem whatsoever.

A

♣♦♥♠

Q

In the sequences below, am I right in thinking that, these days, opener has shown 15+ points with at least five cards in his

first suit and at least four cards in his second? West North East South 1♠ Pass 2♥ Pass 3♦ West North East South 1♥ Pass 2♣ Pass 2♠

Ken Wheeler, Chestfield, Kent (similar from Dave Ross, Swanmore, Hampshire).

A

Yes, that is what the rebid shows after a two-level response – and it has done for some considerable time. The difference between the two sequences is that, for a high reverse, opener might have equal length (five spades and five diamonds in your example), whereas, for a simple reverse, opener’s first suit will always be longer. Both sequences go past two of opener’s first suit (and create a game force after the two-level response), which is why opener must not be minimum. ♣♦♥♠

Q

Playing Benji, there seem to be two alternatives to the 2NT enquiry over

the weak two. I give the replies as weak, strong, weak, strong, calling this Ogust. Players at our club invert the 3♦ and 3♥ replies. Is this the Blue Club convention? Shirley Prince by email (similar from Paddy Seligman).   At one time, I believe there was a subtle difference between the Blue Club and Ogust style rebids after the 2NT enquiry. Nowadays they have come (rightly or wrongly) to mean the same thing:   3♣ = minimum, poor suit 3♦ = minimum, good suit 3♥ = maximum, poor suit 3♠ = maximum, good suit 3NT = AKQ in suit   The alternative method is that you show features if you are non-minimum: you rebid your suit at the three level with a minimum; with a maximum, you show a feature at the three level (e.g. K-x-x); a logical extension is that a bid at the four level (below four of your suit) shows a shortage and a maximum. The Blue Club/Ogust style seems more popular than showing features, though either method is playable. 

A

Page 12

Q

The bidding went as follows:

West North East South 1♦ Dble End

I was East and had two points and two diamonds. My partner went one off (she had only 12 points). At most tables, North-South made 3NT. What do you make of North’s double and South’s pass? David Mason, Leicester.

A

North’s double is for takeout. 99 times out of 100 South removes the double. Once in a while, South has long, strong diamonds and chooses to leave in the double, changing it from a takeout to penalty. This is a penalty pass. Leaving in the double occurs more commonly when the doubler is under the bidder or when the bidding is at a much higher level. Getting out for one down when the opponents could make game sounds like a good result for you. It seems that South did not have a suitable hand for leaving in the double.

Ask Julian continued

Q

Does the defender in third seat need to play high? Peggy Robinson, Welham Green, Hertfordshire.

A

‘Third hand high’ is one of the oldest maxims in bridge. Indeed, it predates bridge, originating in the days of whist. Let us consider a few layouts:



Layout 1 ♥ 9 6 4 N

♥ Q 10 3 2 W E ♥ K 7 5 S



queen, East helps to build a slow winner for West. If you want to know more, there is an article available in the Mr Bridge library on the subject. If you want to know even more than that, there is a whole chapter on it in The Golden Rules of Defence. ♣♦♥♠

Q

What are frozen suits and how do you play them? B Coffey, Altrincham, Cheshire.

A

A frozen suit is one that you cannot play without losing a trick. You try not to play them – you wait for your opponents to do so. Often every hand has an honour:

S

♥ A 10 7

When West leads the two and dummy plays low, East needs to play high with the queen to stop declarer from scoring an undeserved third trick with the ten. The ace and king will win anyway – by playing the

Suppose you are in 6♠ and receive a diamond lead. You win, draw trumps, cash your winners in the red suits and exit with the third round of diamonds. Whoever wins will have to open up the frozen club suit (or lead a red card, giving you a ruff and discard).



If NS attack the suit, they make only two tricks. If EW attack the suit NS make three tricks.

K 7 W E Q 9 5 4 2 A 10 6 3 S

J 8

N



♠ K J 8 3 2 ♥ A Q ♦ 9 6 4 ♣ A 9 5

A 9 5

♥ J 9 3 2 W E ♥ Q 8 5 S



Q

N

W E Q 8 4 2 J63

N

Layout 2 ♥ K 6 4

N W E S

Playing a weak no-trump and Stayman, my partner (East) and I held:

K 10 7



♠ A Q 10 9 7 ♥ K 5 ♦ A K 5 ♣ K 10 7

♣♦♥♠

♥ A J 8

When West leads the two, East needs to play high with the king to stop declarer from scoring an undeserved second trick with the jack. Some people are reluctant to play the king for fear that it loses to the ace. The point is that the ace will make anyway; by playing the king, East helps set up West’s holding.



If NS attack the suit, there is no way to make a trick. If EW attack it, NS do get a trick (though if West attacks it and NS are declaring, declarer will need to make a winning guess). So how do you get your opponents to play them? You remove the cards that they can lead safely (exit cards) and give up the lead:

♠ Q 10 6 3 ♥ A J 7 3 N W E ♦ 7 S ♣ K Q J 2

♠ K 9 4 ♥ Q 10 2 ♦ A K 6 3 ♣ 8 6 4

West North East South 1NT Pass 2♣ 3♦ Pass Pass ?

Should partner have bid over 3♦? What should I do when it comes back? 3♦ went two down (non-vulnerable), whereas 3NT made. Peter Calviou, Amersham.   When the overcall is at the three level, your partner has to pass more or less whatever. You might have bid Stayman on a very weak hand planning to pass any

A

Page 13

reply – or you might have a weak hand with the majors. When 3♦ comes back to you, there is not much you can do other than double. Then, you are showing game try values (or better) – assuming the overcaller is sensible, you will not have a diamond stack, so it is more takeout than penalties. You are hoping partner shows a major, though, with his actual hand, presumably he would leave 3♦ doubled in. ♣♦♥♠

Q

With 20-22 HCPs and a balanced hand, I normally open 2NT. With six or a few more HCPs partner will usually raise to three. Sometimes, we have a suit unguarded and the result can be disastrous. How do we avoid this? Ronald Barker, Verwood, Dorset.

A

When you have a balanced hand, you usually bid it as such without worrying about whether you have stoppers. This is always going to be the case with an opening bid. It is only when the opponents have bid a suit or you have bid the other suits that you worry about whether you have a stopper. If you have a 4-4 fit in a major, you can locate it if partner bids 3♣ (Stayman or similar enquiry) rather than raising to 3NT. Incidentally, five points are usually enough for raising 2NT to 3NT. While it is true that contracts are harder to make when most of the strength is in one hand, it is usual to bid game with a known combined 25-27.

Ask Julian continued

Q

If an opponent doubles Stayman (1NT-pass2♣-double), what should opener do? Irene Devine by email.

A

The standard treatment is that redouble shows clubs (normally five, or four very good ones), 2♦ shows diamonds (ditto) while pass shows no four-card major (without especially good cards in either minor). 2♥ and 2♠ are exactly as without the double. Other treatments are possible. For example, you could play some actions to show a club stopper and some to deny. You would need to discuss anything like that with your partner. ♣♦♥♠

Q

Playing weak notrump, Stayman and red-suit transfers, we held:



♠ 9 5 3 ♥ 10 5 3 ♦ A K J 7 ♣ A Q 4 N W E S



♠ A K 4 2 ♥ A ♦ 10 ♣ J 9 8 7 6 3 2

A

6♣ is a fair contract, roughly needing one of two finesses (if West has the ♦Q, you will be able to discard two spades on the diamonds and so avoid a spade loser). A slam needing one of two finesses is a good one to bid. You should certainly be reaching at least game. The right way to bid this hand depends upon how you play the sequence 1NTpass-2♣-pass-2♦-pass-3♣. If you play that as a weak hand with clubs, as was the traditional treatment, you have to start with 3♣ (forcing) as you did. If, however, you have some other way to sign off in clubs, that sequence is forcing and you can afford to check for a 4-4 spade fit. The bidding then goes: North South  1NT 2♣ 2♦ 3♣ 3♦1 3♠ 4♣2 4♥3 6♣4 1 diamond values 2 agreeing clubs – unable to bid 3NT with no heart stopper 3 cue bid 4 good trump support and a maximum

  ♣♦♥♠

Q

1. The bidding went as follows, with 1NT 12-14:

West North East South 1NT Pass Pass Dble End

North South 1NT 3♣ End 



♠ J 9 4 2 ♥ 10 5 ♦ 7 3 ♣ A J 8 4 2

12 tricks made. How should we have bid to a slam? Jacqueline Darts, Dorset.

The partnership plays Stayman. What should West have done?

N W E S

2. After the same start to the auction on another deal, West held:



♠ J 9 5 4 ♥ 10 4 3 ♦ 9 2 ♣ Q 5 4 2

N W E S

East claims that West should have taken her out of 1NT doubled – but how? Peter Bradman, Cheddar, Somerset.

A

1. West should pass 1NT but bid 2♣ after North doubles and the bidding comes back. This is not Stayman but, instead, an attempt to play there. With the majors, West could have bid 2♣ immediately rather than waiting for the double. 2. West might do the same thing, hoping that nobody doubles 2♣. Another possibility – though only if you have discussed it with your partner (or if you are playing matchpoints, when a disaster is only a bottom) – is to make an SOS redouble. After passing 1NT first time, it is unlikely that West would want to make a business redouble. ♣♦♥♠

Q

Could you explain the demise of the delayed game raise in favour of using 2NT or 3NT as a way to show a game-forcing hand with support for your partner’s major? I understand that 2NT goes by the name Jacoby and that 3NT is a pudding raise – who coined the term pudding raise? M J Gurney, Holt, Norfolk.

Page 14

A

If you have a source of tricks in your own suit (e.g. A-Q-Jx-x), it can be a good idea to show that suit and then support partner next time, as per the traditional delayed game raise. On many hands, however, the most important feature of your hand is the four-card (or better) support, so you want to convey that feature first. By using 2NT to do so, you allow a lot of space for exploring whether the hands have the values and the controls needed for a slam without taking the bidding beyond game. This is why the 2NT raise has replaced both the delayed game raise and the 3NT pudding raise as the normal way to show a game-forcing raise. If you played in a tournament, you would find that 90% of the pairs are using the Jacoby 2NT. As to your question about nomenclature, I do not think there was a player called pudding. I do not know who coined the term, though it was almost certainly a Brit. ♣♦♥♠

Q

Your partner leads the king from A-K, asking for count. You hold 8-6-4-2, which card do you play? Of course, it is important to distinguish between the four- and two-card holding. Simon Gottschalk, Pendoylan, Glamorgan.

A

I have always played that you play second highest (the six) and then the third highest (unless you are giving suit preference on the second round). An astute partner will note that the two is missing and so place you with four rather than two.

Ask Julian continued

Q

Please can you explain the purpose for playing transfers? Valerie Francis, Kenilworth.

A

There are three main purposes for a transfer: (i) to give you a chance to show both strong and weak hands; (ii) to give you a chance to show two suits; (iii) to make the stronger hand declarer. Suppose you hold any of the following hands and partner opens a 12-14 1NT. In each case, you should start with 2♦, which shows five or more hearts and asks partner to bid 2♥.



Hand 1 ♠ 8 5 ♥ Q J 10 9 3 ♦ A 8 4 2 ♣ 7 3

You do not wish to go any higher than 2♥, though it could be beneficial to have the lead coming up to partner’s possible tenaces, such as the ♠A-Q or the ♣K.



Hand 2 ♠ 8 5 ♥ K Q 9 4 3 ♦ A K J 6 ♣ 7 3

Holding Hand 2, you intend to play in game but do not know which one. After partner completes the transfer, you will rebid 3♦. You will then have shown both your suits and your strength without going past

3NT. Partner should then be in a good position to judge whether to play in 3NT, 4♥ or (occasionally) 5♦. In pre-transfer days, you would have had to jump to 3♥, which would have told your partner less about your hand.



Hand 3 ♠ 8 5 ♥ A J 8 5 2 ♦ K Q 6 ♣ J 10 3

Holding Hand 3, you want to invite game while showing five hearts and a balanced hand. With transfers, you can do it. You bid 2♦ and rebid 2NT. With a minimum, partner passes or bids 3♥; with a maximum, partner can raise to 3NT or jump to 4♥. Without transfers, you would have to start with Stayman and jump to 3♥; that is less informative and so more likely to cause partner to misjudge – as well as taking the bidding past 2NT, which might be the right contract. The loss in playing transfers is negligible. When did you last hear the auction go 1NT-pass-2♦-all pass? Some people play transfers in other situations; the most widely played applications are red-suit transfers (diamonds to hearts and hearts to spades) in response to 1NT and 2NT openings. ♣♦♥♠

Q

Is 3♠ forcing in the sequence below? What should West bid?  



♠ J 7 ♥ J 10 6 2 ♦ A K J 6 4 ♣ K 6

West North East South 3♣ 3♠ Pass ?

Vincent Lei by email.

A

3♠ is not forcing. With a gamegoing hand, East could either bid 4♠ directly or start with a double. I would bid 3NT, protecting the ♣K. It could be wrong if partner has a singleton club of course. However, 4♠ could also be wrong if there are two clubs, a heart and a spade to lose – or if the spades split badly. ♣♦♥♠

Q

My partner and I play a strong no-trump and transfers.  

   

♠ K J 10 8 6 4 3 ♥ 7 ♦ Void ♣ A K 8 5 2



♠ A 7 ♥ Q 9 2 ♦ K Q J 7 ♣ Q J 6 4

N W E S

  North South 1NT 2♥ 2♠ 6♠ End

  West led the ♥A followed by the ♣7. The contract now depended on not losing a trump trick. I went for the drop, which failed. Since no other pair bid the slam, I am feeling hard done by. George Pilcher, Deal, Kent.

A Page 15

While 6♣ is clearly the best spot, 6♠ is a respectable contract

on your uninformative auction. Often West will not have a natural heart lead, which will give you other chances besides playing the trumps for no loser. If West leads the ♦A or (less likely) a spade, the play is all over. If the lead is a low diamond, you will place East with the ♦A and try to ruff down the ♦A in three rounds.  If the lead is a club, you will probably take two rounds of trumps ending in hand and lead the ♦J for a ruffing finesse. If West has the ace but fails to cover, dummy’s heart goes away at once. If West does cover, you can ruff in dummy and hope to return to hand with a club, discarding the heart later. I agree you were unlucky. ♣♦♥♠

Q

In the H section of the A-Z, you mention Halmic but not Helvic. Whilst similar to Halmic, it is probably more precise. Patrick Dunham, Coleorton, Leicestershire.   You make a good point. Many people are unaware of the difference. After the bidding starts 1NT-double, the two-level Helvic bids are: 2♣ Clubs and diamonds 2♦ Diamonds and hearts 2♥ Hearts and spades 2♠ Spades and clubs To show clubs and hearts or diamonds and spades, you pass over the double, forcing partner to redouble. You then rebid 2♣ or 2♦ respectively. There are a couple of downsides to Helvic: (i) you can never play in 1NT doubled (only 1NT redoubled), which to me is a significant flaw and (ii) if you have spades and clubs, you cannot stop in 2♣.

A

Ask Julian continued

Q

I was North and dealer:

♠ K 10 ♥ A K 9 7 5 4 ♦ K Q 2 ♣ Q 5 N W E S



♠ A Q J 8 3 2 ♥ Q J 6 3 ♦ 9 6 3 ♣ Void

West North East South 1♥ 2♣ 4♥ Pass 4NT Pass 5♦ Pass 5♥ End

We made 13 tricks on a club lead. As my partner did not play splinters, could we reach a slam? If he had used a splinter bid, how could he tell me it was a void and not a singleton? Barry Tyrrell by email.

A

If your partner had made a 4♣ splinter, he could tell you it was a void in one of two ways, depending upon how the auction developed. In a cue-bidding sequence, he could later bid 5♣ to show the first-round control. If, as you did, you bid 4NT, he could make an unexpected response to show the void. Some people play that you simply bid one level higher when you have a void, so 6♦ would show one key card and a void.

Without a bit of science you are not going to reach a slam, because, not only are you going to worry about having two aces missing, but also you are going to worry about having two fast club losers. On your actual sequence, your partner could have bid 6♦ to show one ace and a void on the basis that you could guess from the overcall where the void would be. Your 4NT was risky, however, because, even if partner had shown two aces, there could still have been the ace-king of clubs off the top.   ♣♦♥♠

Q

PRIZE CROSSWORD 3 set by Sputnik 1

2

3

4

5

6

7 8

9

10

11

12

15

19

16

13

17

20

21

14

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I would like to ask if my partner was correct in bidding 3♠ after I had opened 1♦. He insisted he was making a preemptive bid. I thought it was incorrect to reply to your partner with a pre-emptive bid. Olive Hirst, Fleet, Hampshire.

ACROSS

DOWN

6 A type of Mitchell that produces a single winning pair (9)

1 Boris partnered Terence for many years (8)

A

Playing a double jump response as pre-emptive is the traditional meaning, hence what you should expect if you have not agreed to play something else. However, I agree with you: pre-empting when partner is bidding and the opponents (at least so far) are not is of dubious value. If you played in a tournament, very few pairs would be playing the double jump as pre-emptive. I suspect most would be playing it as a splinter, a singleton or void in the suit bid with strong support for opener’s suit. ■

23

24

7 Defeat a contract (3)

2 A sacrifice that results in a greater success (6)

9 An uneven distribution of opposition cards (3,5)

3 Almost a label for winning players (4)

10 That famous road in West Hampstead (4)

4 Meckstroth and Rodwell, US experts, have a nickname (8)

11 _ _ _ _ _ _ ludorum, the winner of the game (6) 13 Point count minimum for raising a weak NT (6) 15 Ordered from Dorset (6) 17 The number of cards held in a particular suit (6)

5 A rabbit’s frequent score (4) 8 100 below the line (4) 12 A possible call for partner to run (8) 14 S—t—a—y—m—a—n ? (8)

19 Worth two finesses? (4)

16 Experts achieve many, rabbits few (4)

21 What accurate players aspire to be (8)

18 A historic 4NT convention (6)

23 A term for a small card (3)

20 Surrender the lead (4)

24 Access between declarer and dummy may be difficult due to these (9)

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

22 Everyone in breaches of the rules (4)

Reprinted from BRIDGE 114. Solution and winners on page 47

Page 16

From the Baron’s Archives by Dick Atkinson

Fifth-round Control

I

suppose it was his own fault. When an opponent accuses you of peeking, you are asking for trouble if you admit it and my Uncle Leopold certainly admitted that he had no basis for playing South for a singleton ace – no bridge basis. It happened in the summer of 1997.

The Baron scores a top on Board 4 It was a pleasant evening in July (Monday the 28th) and I had agreed to take Uncle Leo to the club for an evening’s duplicate. When we got there, we discovered that it was the British Bridge League Summer Simultaneous Pairs. ‘Great,’ I remarked, ‘we’ll get a booklet with all the hands we played afterwards.’ ‘That is certainly easier than noticing the cards when they are played,’ he snapped pointedly. I could see it was going to be one of those evenings, but, at the age of 100, I suppose one is entitled to be crotchety. One is also entitled to sit for the evening and so we found ourselves North-South at Table 1. There were thirteen tables, so we played Boards 1-26 in sequence, two boards per round. An early success for the Baron was Board 4, where we scored a top in 6♠ by my uncle. After three passes, I opened 2♥, since the Baron is violently opposed to artificial bidding and, therefore, 2♣ would have been natural. Over his 2♠ positive, I rebid 3♥. He continued with 3♠ and now I bid 4♣. He persisted with 4♠ and I thought 5♥ was the sensible move. The Baron jumped to 6♠.



♠ K Q J 10 7 ♥ Q 6 ♦ 10 9 6 4 ♣ J 6 N

W E S

♠ A ♥ A K J 8 4 3 ♦ 8 5 ♣ A K 5 2



East was on lead and held the ace, queen, jack and two of diamonds. He looked at them longingly, but, in the end, led a passive trump and thirteen tricks were scored. This was a depressing result for the opponents, since the obvious 3NT on the previous board had also produced thirteen tricks when everything turned out to be right. ‘Honours don’t count nowadays,’ I remarked jocularly. The normally straggly moustache bristled alarmingly. ‘I presume you are referring to the fact that you forced me to bid my suit no fewer than four times before you let me play there.’ ‘But my hearts . . .’ ‘You never appreciate the value of a solid suit! Remember Board 1 . . . [East had gone three down in 3NT with a heart void opposite West’s purely ornamental ace, king, queen, jack, ten, three.] My hand is worth four tricks, probably five, played in spades. You were unable to bid 3NT and your clubs were an after­thought, so I placed you with the bare ace in my suit for your strong bidding, especially since Page 17

the hands are those awful computergenerated things. You will recall we have already had one singleton ace on Board 2.’ He has a bee in his bonnet about singleton aces and kings, but I let his technophobia pass for the moment. ‘You didn’t have to jump to 6♠!’ He shook his head witheringly. ‘In that auction? It was the key bid. We have bid everything but diamonds – the jump to slam proclaims a diamond control. The only way I can deter the unwelcome diamond lead that you have invited is by advertising such a control – the opponents may find it hard to guess that I control only the fifth round!’

On a roll I shut up wisely, and the tops kept rolling in. Then came Boards 17 and 18. The East player was the Chairman of the Committee: ♠ 8 ♥ A 10 5 2 ♦ A 4 3 ♣ A Q J 9 7 ♠ J 10 5 N ♥ Q 8 6 W E ♦ J 10 8 6 2 S ♣ 10 8 ♠ Q 9 6 2 ♥ K 9 7 3 ♦ K Q 7 ♣ K 2

♠ A K 7 4 3 ♥ J 4 ♦ 9 5 ♣ 6 5 4 3

After 1♣, Pass, I was probably the only player in the room not to respond

Fifth-round Control continued

1♥. My uncle is absolutely inflexible about such hands. What is the point, he would complain, of bidding a weak four-card suit when you have a perfect descriptive bid? I called 2NT and the old man decided to have a flutter: he rebid 6♣. The auction was less than informative. East led the king of spades and then thought long and hard. No doubt, he suspected strongly that the ace would be ruffed, but he was familiar with the Baron’s deceptive capabilities and, in any case, things figured to be pretty solid elsewhere looking at that dummy. The slam might well be unbeatable and he certainly wasn’t going to risk having to explain to his partner if a switch gave it away. The precise lie of the spades was fortunate, of course, allowing the Baron to discard two hearts for his contract. The Chairman was, understandably, in a less than sanguine frame of mind for the second board of the encounter: ♠ 9 6 ♥ 7 4 2 ♦ A 10 9 7 3 ♣ Q 7 2 ♠ K J 10 5 4 N ♥ 8 6 3 W E ♦ 6 5 S ♣ A 6 3 ♠ A 8 ♥ 9 ♦ Q J 8 4 2 ♣ K J 9 8 5

♠ Q 7 3 2 ♥ A K Q J 10 5 ♦ K ♣ 10 4

Over East’s 1♥ I called 2NT. Whoops! That was sheer force of habit. ‘What does that show?’ asked West. The Baron announced, ‘About twenty points, perhaps a couple less with a strong minor suit.’ Luckily, West doubled, whereupon the Baron realised that there could not be so many points in the pack. Someone had told a lie and his immediate and unfortunately accurate assessment was that I was the guilty party. He called 5♦ – a bold call vul-

nerable against non-vulnerable. The Chairman looked at my flushed face long and hard. Then, as on the previous deal, he tossed a mental coin. He decided he was too short of controls for 5♥, so he doubled and began with the king of hearts. A spade switch would work for him, but that was third choice, so he tossed yet another imagi­nary penny and then continued hearts rather than swit­ching to clubs. Eye­brows were raised when the Baron calmly played a diamond to the ace. After that, eleven tricks were easy. ‘Forgive me for asking, but what is your authority for that gruesome play in the trump suit?’ asked the Chairman in a tone of suppressed violence. The Baron replied, ‘I find myself unable to answer your enquiry. I am afraid you will have to be satisfied with that. In any case, I believe your question is contrary to the Proprieties of the Game.’ A harrumphing match ensued, terminated only by the calling of the round and I was able to lean over and interrogate Uncle Leo. ‘Why could you not just explain?’ ‘Ethics, dear boy. I believed that the king of diamonds would be singleton because this is a computer-dealt set and I believe the program commonly used is fundamentally flawed.’ ‘You could have—’ ‘The nature of the flaw is that certain features, particularly singleton honours, repeat themselves in a session far more often than chance.’ ‘But you could—’ ‘I obviously could not reveal that I had seen a singleton king of diamonds on an earlier deal [Board 8]. They may not have played it yet. Mein Gott!’ I began to explain that his belief was just a ridiculous Luddite superstition. Computer dealing is the fairest method possible. ‘Rubbish. Because it allegedly satisfies some ‘perfect’ probability? If it did that, it would no longer be a true version of the deal required by the Laws. You might as well have electronic roulette wheels!’ After the following board, number 19, my uncle made a particular point of waving his singleton king of diamonds, the third of the evening, under my nose. Page 18

Gruesome plays The last two rounds were arrowswitched, my uncle sitting East. This was the very last hand, played against the Club Secretary who was also – as it happened – the spouse of the Chairman: ♠ J 6 5 ♥ 10 9 ♦ Q 9 8 2 ♣ A Q 10 4 ♠ 3 ♠ K Q 10 9 8 7 4 2 N ♥ K 7 3 2 ♥ A W E ♦ K 10 7 5 S ♦ A ♣ K J 8 7 ♣ 9 6 5 ♠ A ♥ Q J 8 6 5 4 ♦ J 6 4 3 ♣ 3 2

West North 3NT Pass

East South 2♠ 3♥ 4♠ End

2♠ was, in principle, game forcing, goading South into exploring the pos­ sibility of a save at equal vulnerability. Uncle Leo won the heart queen with the ace, cashed the ace of diamonds, then switched to the eight of spades. On lead to the next trick, South, the Secretary, squirmed and it was obvious to every­one at the table exactly why. Perhaps the Baron wanted to discard his second heart on the king of diamonds before North had a chance to ruff? If so, it was plausible that he wished to take out some trumps before playing on clubs. On the other hand, he might have two singleton aces . . . Three singleton aces in one deal? That did not seem plausible. South led a middle heart and the roof fell in. One overtrick, for a massive top. Have you ever noticed how married couples begin to sound like each other? ‘Forgive me for asking, but what is your authority for that gruesome play in the trump suit?’ The Baron was busy calculating the second decimal place of his estimate and took unkindly to being interrupted. ‘Madam, you are not entitled to ask insulting questions

Fifth-round Control continued

18 and 19, the jack of hearts on Boards 14 and 15 and the nine of diamonds on 19 and 20. ‘Board 19 was a bizarre freak. There were two eight-card red suits each about my card play, but out of headed by the ace; in each case, the innate good manners and a life-long partner had a three-card fit, and the deference to your sex I shall explain. opponents each had a singleton – I have seen more singleton aces this including both singleton red kings. evening than real bridge players, The partners of the red one-suiters including a previous singleton ace of each held a five-card black suit headed spades in the South hand on Board 4. by ace-king. In each case, their partner I do not see why I should have to play had a singleton – two singleton black against two opponents, a partner and a fours. Each of the long suits broke nasty little computer, but I have given exactly the same as the pattern of the it my best shot. And now goodnight!’ hand (8-3-1-1 or 5-4-3-1). [This was in line with Culbertson’s discredited ‘Law The Baron’s Letter of Symmetry’.] ‘Ignoring such details, it would have There were inevitably suspicious been sufficient to look at the lengths repercussions, but the last ripple was a only of suits across the 26 deals to letter from my uncle to the Committee. know there was something odd going There was no reply. This is an abstract on. of his missive: There were five eight-card suits. ‘This computer generation of hands Normally, one would not even expect is ruining the game . . . The editors as many as five seven-card suits. A of the BBL Booklet [Anna Gudge and single eight-card suit in a session is David Burn] claim that the hands approximately an evens chance. The conform ‘almost exactly’ to the likelihood of five such suits, even if ‘expected average’ and make ironic the rest of the cards were relatively remarks about those who ‘play for the balanced in compensation, is over 30singleton king . . . offside because it’s a to-1 against and even that assumes computer deal’ [see note on Board 3]. I the ‘perfect’ odds which apply in the therefore enclose my own analysis of world of computers rather than that the 26 boards we played: of human dealers. I cannot remember such a session in normal play. ‘But the hands were even more Expected Actual freakish than that. The eight-card suits did not simply replace the sevens. Singleton 2 or 3 8 The expectation should be that there Aces would be four seven-card suits in a 26-board session. Singleton 2 or 3 5 Kings There were seven; so, even with­out the eight-card suits, the session would Singleton have been freakish. Similarly, six2 or 3 4 Queens card suits were just above the average expec­tation too. Total 33 45 ‘Standard methods are not devised Singletons for dealing with such extreme conditions. I managed between 91 Voids 5 or 6 10 and 92%, I think, so I was not severely disadvantaged and a successful sidebet made up for any slight irritation. Since I only play at most once a month ‘The singletons also cluster in unlikely these days, I hope to be safe from such ways, for example the three singleton a session for the rest of my own life – aces on Board 26, the two single red unless you use that damned computer kings on Board 19, the two singleton again. black fours on Board 24, or the Yours . . .’ singleton king of diamonds on Boards Page 19

Footnote Honesty compels me to add that I continued to berate my uncle about his superstitious aversion for computerdealt hands. I had not at that stage, of course, seen the analysis he sent the Committee. I pointed out foolishly that we had played only 26 boards, and there would be several more in the booklet to test his theory. ‘Ten-to-one-on you’ll find a fourth singleton heart ace or diamond king in there!’ ‘Done!’ slipped out before I could stop myself. ‘I’ll wager a ‘tenner’,’ he replied. So the singleton ace of hearts on Board 28 cost me £100 . . . The deals and statistics quoted are entirely accurate (thanks to Tony Gordon, who spotted a severe miscalculation on my part). I leave it up to the reader to decide whether there is something dodgy about computer dealing. If you have access to any old BBL Sim Booklets, you may like to note that the 1997 Autumn Sim provided one nine-, one eight-, and seven sevencard suits, simil­arly freaky to the set analysed above. The five of spades was a singleton five times in ten boards (Boards 15-24) and there were seven singleton aces (inc­luding the heart ace in Boards 7, 9 and 11). So the Baron was not safe even for three months. The Spring Sim in 2001 provided, among other patterns, this remarkable series of club singletons (see below). On average, there will be only one specific four-card suit (e.g. spades) per deal. There are over 700 different com­ binations of cards possible in a fourcard suit, so it is quite striking to get exactly the same suit repeated in a set. Boards 2 and 4 both had ♠10-4-3-2. North must have felt a constant sense of déja vu. On Board 8 he had ♦A-K-Q-J-10-9, on the next Board ♥A-K-Q-J-10-9. He held the singleton ♥9 twice, the singleton ♠3 twice, and those three ♣5s already mentioned. He held the ♦6-5-4 tripleton twice in six boards, the ♣A-7 doubleton on successive boards (14 and 15), etc.

Fifth-round Control continued

2012-2013 BR with Berna

PROGRAMME This is the format for all Bernard Magee hosted events.

Board 2

♣5 (North)

Board 4

♣5 (North)

Board 6

♣8 (South)

Board 10

♣4 (North) and ♣3 (West)

Board 12

Board 17

♣5 (South) ♣9 (South) and ♣J (North)

Board 20

♣7 (South)

Board 21

♣9 (South)

Board 23

♣7 (West)

Board 24

♣7 (East)

Board 25

♣9 (North)

Board 27

♣5 (North)

Board 28

♣9 (South)

Board 31

♣7 (South)

Board 32

♣7 (West)

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Bernard Magee’s Bidding Quiz

Better Hand Evaluation

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

Bernard Magee Introduction Better Hand Evaluation is aimed at helping readers to add greater accuracy to their bidding. It deals with auctions in which you and your partner, against silent opponents, can describe your hands fully to each other and, by evaluating them accurately, find the best final contract. The emphasis of all good, accurate bidding is on hand evaluation. There are two general types of auction: a) a fit is found and b) no fit is found. When you do not have a fit, you are aiming to describe the strength of your hand as soon as possible, most often using no-trump bids. This book begins by discussing balanced hand bidding in Acol, as it is very important that both members of a partnership have an accurate knowledge of how to show hands of different strengths. When a fit is found, there is much re-evaluation of the hand to be done; point count, though still important, needs to be evaluated together with distribution. The best way of reaching an accurate assess­ ment is to use the Losing Trick Count; this is an important method of hand evaluation and takes up a number of chapters. Finally, we move on to different forms of evaluation including game tries and splinter bids. You can never know enough methods of hand evaluation; the more you learn, the better you get at judging your hand. Although the Losing Trick Count is used more easily in tandem with your partner, a large proportion of the ideas in this book can be used by an individual. For example, evaluating your hand to be worth an extra point is going to help anyone you partner – as long as you get it right.

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Page 21



1. Dealer West. Love All. ♠ K Q 9 7 ♥ K Q N W E ♦ K Q 4 S ♣ Q J 7 3

West North East South 1♠ Pass 2♠ Pass ?



2. Dealer North. Love All. ♠ A K 10 7 5 3 2 ♥ 4 N W E ♦ A 8 S ♣ A 5 3

West North East South 2♥1 Pass 3♥ ? 1 6 hearts and 5-9 HCP



3. Dealer North. Love All. ♠ A K 5 3 N ♥ 10 4 3 W E ♦ Q 7 S ♣ A 8 7 3

West North East South 1♦ 1♥ 1♠ ?

4. Dealer North. Love All. ♠ 9 4 2 ♥ 8 N W E ♦ 10 9 6 4 2 S ♣ 9 7 6 3

West North East South Pass 2♣ Pass 2♦ Pass 2♥ Pass 2NT Pass 3♦ Pass ?

Answers to Bernard Magee’s  Bidding Quiz on page 21

1. Dealer West. Love All. ♠ K Q 9 7 ♠ A J 5 2 ♥ K Q N ♥ 6 5 3 W E ♦ K Q 4 S ♦ J 7 ♣ Q J 7 3 ♣ 9 5 4 2

West North East South 1♠ Pass 2♠ Pass ?

2NT. 18 points, though with the ♥K-Q doubleton you are not a certainty for game. You have the ideal bid to tell partner about your shape and your strength – 2NT. This bid invites partner to bid game and shows a balanced hand. With a 4333 hand or only 3-card spade support, he will usually pass 2NT or raise to 3NT. Otherwise, he chooses between 3♠ and 4♠. Here, partner declines the invitation, retreating to the known 8-card spade fit with 3♠, which you pass. The defence can take their 4 tricks (they might get a club ruff too); still, you have done well to avoid any of the doomed games – notrumps will go badly on a heart lead. For those using the losing trick count – watch out for aceless hands.

West North East South 2♥1 Pass 3♥ ? 16 hearts and 5-9 HCP

4♠. I hope this was an easier one – you have to bid something – and 3♠ is surely not enough. You almost have game in your hand (say, 8 tricks), so need very little from partner – he will never be able to judge whether to bid game or not. As it is, on his cards he would surely pass 3♠ when 4♠ is most definitely oddson. You should certainly go the whole way here and bid 4♠. Notice that South players will often bid 3♥ on quite a weak hand, as a pre-emptive strategy – simply raising the ante, after the opener has shown a 6-card pre-empt.

2. Dealer North. Love All. ♠ A K 10 7 5 3 2 ♠ Q 8 N ♥ 4 ♥ 9 7 5 W E ♦ A 8 S ♦ K 6 4 3 2 ♣ A 5 3 ♣ 9 6 2



4. Dealer North. Love All. ♠ 9 4 2 ♠ A 7 N ♥ 8 ♥ A K 10 6 5 3 W E ♦ 10 9 6 4 2 S ♦ A K Q 8 5 ♣ 9 7 6 3 ♣ Void

West North East Pass 2♣ 2♦ Pass 2♥ 2NT Pass 3♦ ?

South Pass Pass Pass

5♦. Remember that you are in a game

3. Dealer North. Love All. ♠ A K 5 3 ♠ 6 2 N ♥ 10 4 3 ♥ K Q J 8 7 W E ♦ Q 7 S ♦ 9 2 ♣ A 8 7 3 ♣ K 9 4 2

West ?

does not have to have that much. You need to ask him how good his overcall is. To do this, you bid the opponents’ suit. Partner would rebid 2♥ (showing weaker than an opening hand), after which you will continue if they bid 3♦ – you will finish no higher than 3♥.

North East South 1♦ 1♥ 1♠

2♦. Do not jump because this will punish your partner for making a perfectly reasonable overcall. While you have enough to make game if your partner has the strength of an opening bid, he

forcing auction (once partner opens 2♣ and does not rebid 2NT). Which game would you like to play in? 5♦ of course – you have nothing else to show. Partner will know you are short in hearts because you have not supported his first suit. With such good diamond support, you are sure where you want to play. Your partner will know that you have good diamonds and, depending on his mood, will put you in 6♦ or 7♦. Note that your jump to 5♦ shows a weaker hand than would a raise to 4♦. In the game-forcing situation, the jump to game, ‘fast arrival’, is the weaker action. ■

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Page 22

Mr Bridge

DEFENCE QUIZ

RUBBER / CHICAGO

by Julian Pottage



(Answers overleaf)

Y

ou are East in the defensive positions below. It is your turn to play. Both sides are using Acol with a 12-14 1NT.

1. ♠ K J 4 ♥ K ♦ K 7 4 2 ♣ Q J 10 3 2 ♠ Q 8 7 6 3 N ♥ 9 7 4 W E ♦ 10 8 6 S ♣ K 4

3. ♠ Q 10 5 ♥ J 8 4 ♦ A 10 ♣ A J 10 9 2 ♠ A 3 N ♥ K 10 7 2 W E ♦ J 8 6 3 S ♣ K 5 4

West North East South 1NT Pass 3NT End

West North East South 1NT Pass 3NT End

West leads the ♥Q, won by the ♥K. Declarer calls for the ♣Q. What do you do?

West leads the ♠4 (fourth highest) and you win with the ♠A. Which card should you return?

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2. ♠ A 5 ♥ A 8 4 ♦ A K 8 ♣ Q J 10 5 2 ♠ Q J 9 4 3 N ♥ Q 9 W E ♦ Q 10 6 3 S ♣ K 4

4. ♠ Q 10 5 ♥ A 8 4 ♦ Q 5 ♣ K J 10 9 2 ♠ A 3 N ♥ Q J 10 7 2 W E ♦ J 7 6 3 S ♣ 5 4

West North East South 1♣ 1♠ 1NT Pass 3NT End

West North East South 1NT Pass 3NT End

West leads the ♠6 – ♠5, ♠J and ♠7. You return the ♠4 – ♠10, ♠8 and ♠A. Declarer calls for the ♣Q. What do you do?

West leads the ♠4 (fourth highest) and you win with the ♠A. Which card should you return?

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Page 23

Answers to Julian Pottage’s  Defence Quiz on page 23 1. ♠ K J 4 ♥ K ♦ K 7 4 2 ♣ Q J 10 3 2 ♠ 10 5 2 N ♥ Q J 10 6 2 W E ♦ Q 9 3 S ♣ A 7 ♠ A 9 ♥ A 8 5 3 ♦ A J 5 ♣ 9 8 6 5

♠ Q 8 7 6 3 ♥ 9 7 4 ♦ 10 8 6 ♣ K 4

West North East Pass 3NT End

South 1NT

West leads the ♥Q, won by the ♥K. Declarer calls for the ♣Q. What do you do? If declarer has the ace of clubs, your king is probably useless. Placing partner with the ace, you have a good reason to play the king. This is so that you can knock out the ace of hearts while partner still has the ace of clubs as an entry to the long hearts. Therefore, you play the king of clubs and, when it holds, return the nine of hearts.

2. ♠ A 5 ♥ A 8 4 ♦ A K 8 ♣ Q J 10 5 2 ♠ 8 6 2 N ♥ 10 7 6 5 2 W E ♦ 9 2 S ♣ A 7 6 ♠ K 10 7 ♥ K J 3 ♦ J 7 5 4 ♣ 9 8 3

West Pass

♠ Q J 9 4 3 ♥ Q 9 ♦ Q 10 6 3 ♣ K 4

North East South 1♣ 1♠ 1NT 3NT End

West leads the ♠6 – ♠5, ♠J and ♠7. You return the ♠4 – ♠10, ♠8 and ♠A. Declarer calls for the ♣Q. What do you do? As on the previous deal, you need to hope that partner has the ace of clubs, thereby making your king a useful card. As on the previous deal, the entry situation indicates the best course of action – declarer has held up the king of spades, hoping to cut your side’s communications, which means you need to be careful. This time, you are trying to set up a long suit in your hand rather than in your partner’s. This means you want partner to get in first and save your entry for when the spades are ready to run. You therefore play low on the club. Partner, who has indicated possession of a third spade (by playing the six followed by the eight), can win the club and continue spades. Soon you will gain the lead with the king of clubs and cash your long spades to defeat the contract.

3. ♠ Q 10 5 ♥ J 8 4 ♦ A 10 ♣ A J 10 9 2 ♠ J 9 6 4 2 N ♥ Q 6 5 W E ♦ 9 5 2 S ♣ 8 7 ♠ K 8 7 ♥ A 9 3 ♦ K Q 7 4 ♣ Q 6 3

♠ A 3 ♥ K 10 7 2 ♦ J 8 6 3 ♣ K 5 4

West North East Pass 3NT End

South 1NT

West leads the ♠4 (fourth highest) and you win with the ♠A. Which card should you return? While it is often right to return partner’s suit, you do need to think first. How many points can partner have? Well, declarer

Page 24

has shown at least 12 and you can see 12 in dummy. This leaves at most 5 for partner, which leaves no room for the king of spades and an entry. Even if you can set up the spades, partner will be unable to get in to enjoy the suit. You should switch to the two of hearts, showing interest in the suit. You hope that partner has the queen (or ace) and can co-operate in knocking out declarer’s stopper in the suit. Since you possess an entry with the king of clubs, it will not help declarer to hold up in hearts. This way, you make a spade, three hearts and a club to defeat the game.

4. ♠ Q 10 5 ♥ A 8 4 ♦ Q 5 ♣ K J 10 9 2 ♠ K 9 6 4 2 N ♥ 6 5 W E ♦ 10 8 2 S ♣ A 8 7 ♠ J 8 7 ♥ K 9 3 ♦ A K 9 4 ♣ Q 6 3

♠ A 3 ♥ Q J 10 7 2 ♦ J 7 6 3 ♣ 5 4

West North East Pass 3NT End

South 1NT

West leads the ♠4 (fourth highest) and you win with the ♠A. Which card should you return? On the previous deal, you were right to switch to a moth-eaten heart suit of K-10-x-x. This time, you have a juicy Q-J-10-x-x. Should you try a heart again? No, here you have no entry – even if partner has the king of hearts, declarer can hold up dummy’s ace to shut out the suit. You should simply return a spade, hoping that partner has K-x-x-x-x and an ■ entry.

Bernard Magee’s Tips for Better Bridge

DECLARER PLAY QUIZ

65 invaluable tips in 160 pages

by David Huggett (Answers overleaf)

Y

ou are South as declarer playing teams or rubber bridge. In each case, what is your play strategy?

1.

♠ A K 10 7 2 ♥ 3 ♦ 10 6 5 ♣ A K 4 3

3.

N

N

W E

W E

S



♠ Q 3 ♥ A K 7 4 2 ♦ Q J 9 2 ♣ 6 5

S



You are declarer in 3NT and West leads the ♣2. How do you plan the play?

2.

♠ Q 10 5 ♥ Q 6 ♦ A Q 7 6 4 ♣ K 8 2 N

W E

♠ A K J 7 ♥ 3 ♦ 8 2 ♣ A J 9 6 5 4

You are declarer in 5♣ and West leads the ♥2. East plays the ♥A and returns the suit, which you ruff. Plan the play.

♠ A 2 ♥ A J 9 ♦ A Q 9 5 4 ♣ 7 6 3

You are declarer in 3NT after West has opened 1NT (12-14) and East has removed to 2♠. West leads the ♠Q. How do you plan the play?

4.

S



♠ 7 5 ♥ K 7 2 ♦ K 10 6 3 ♣ Q J 8 4

♠ Q J 10 6 ♥ J 9 5 ♦ A Q J ♣ 9 6 4

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

N

W E S



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 takeout 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

♠ K 9 8 5 2 ♥ K Q 8 3 ♦ 7 ♣ A 7 5

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

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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Page 25

Answers to David Huggett’s  Play Quiz on page 25 1. ♠ A K 10 7 2 ♥ 3 ♦ 10 6 5 ♣ A K 4 3 ♠ 6 4 N ♥ J 9 5 W E ♦ K 8 4 3 S ♣ Q 10 8 2 ♠ Q 3 ♥ A K 7 4 2 ♦ Q J 9 2 ♣ 6 5

♠ J 9 8 5 ♥ Q 10 8 6 ♦ A 7 ♣ J 9 7

You are declarer in 3NT and West leads the ♣2. How do you plan the play? There are only seven tricks on top – and a superficial glance might suggest that the other two tricks might come from spades. Alas, if you play on that suit and it fails to break 3-3, you will find you have generated too many losers via one spade, two diamonds and two clubs. By contrast, diamonds are bound to give you two extra tricks once the ace and king have gone. As long as you can believe from the lead (the ♣2) that clubs are breaking 4-3, all you have to do is win the first club and lead a diamond, repeating the process after the defenders play a second club.

2. ♠ Q 10 5 ♥ Q 6 ♦ A Q 7 6 4 ♣ K 8 2 ♠ 9 2 N ♥ K J 9 2 W E ♦ K 9 3 S ♣ Q 10 7 3 ♠ A K J 7 ♥ 3 ♦ 8 2 ♣ A J 9 6 5 4

♠ 8 6 4 3 ♥ A 10 8 7 5 4 ♦ J 10 5 ♣ Void

You are declarer in 5♣ and West leads the ♥2. East plays the ♥A and returns the

suit, which you ruff. How do you plan the play? Apart from the heart already lost, there are potential losers in each minor. If the diamond finesse is failing, you must bring in the club suit without loss; the best way to do that would be to cash the king of clubs, planning to continue low to the ace. (If West shows out on the first round, you have finesse positions against East.) If instead the diamond finesse works, you have a safety play in clubs to ensure one loser at most. So take a diamond finesse at trick three and see what happens. If it wins, play a low club from dummy. Then, if East shows out, win with the ace and lead low towards the table. If East follows to the first club, you again play the ace; if West then shows out, you can cater for that by playing low back to the king and leading to the jack.

3. ♠ 7 5 ♥ K 7 2 ♦ K 10 6 3 ♣ Q J 8 4 ♠ Q J 10 3 N ♥ Q 8 6 3 W E ♦ J 8 S ♣ A K 2 ♠ A 2 ♥ A J 9 ♦ A Q 9 5 4 ♣ 7 6 3

♠ K 9 8 6 4 ♥ 10 5 4 ♦ 7 2 ♣ 10 9 5

You are declarer in 3NT after West has opened 1NT (12-14) and East has removed to 2♠. West leads the ♠Q. How do you plan the play? You have eight tricks on top but do not dare lose the lead before finding that extra one. At first glance, it might seem that a successful heart finesse against the queen would be all that is required – but can that really work? There are only 16 points missing, of which West has shown 12-14. Presumably, he does not have the king of spades, which means that he

Page 26

must hold the queen of hearts. The queen is unlikely to be doubleton for two reasons. Firstly, with 5-5 in the majors, East might have used Stayman rather than just shown the spades. Secondly, you will soon find West with a doubleton diamond – and it would be unusual to open 1NT holding a doubleton in each red suit. Fortunately, there is no reason that West has to have the ten of hearts. So lead the jack of hearts and, when West covers, win in dummy and lead low towards the nine. This is a backward finesse. On a good day, your skill meets its reward.

4. ♠ Q J 10 6 ♥ J 9 5 ♦ A Q J ♣ 9 6 4 ♠ 7 N ♥ 10 6 4 2 W E ♦ K 10 6 5 S ♣ K Q J 2 ♠ K 9 8 5 2 ♥ K Q 8 3 ♦ 7 ♣ A 7 5

♠ A 4 3 ♥ A 7 ♦ 9 8 4 3 2 ♣ 10 8 3

You are declarer in 4♠ and West leads ♣K. How do you plan the play? Dummy’s diamond values could be better spread between the other suits – and the club lead has found your weak spot – but there is hope. Clearly, you cannot afford to draw trumps because the defenders will then take two clubs and two aces – so you have to dispose of a loser quickly. On the surface, you might think you could take a ruffing finesse in diamonds – why will that not work? If East has the king, he will cover and then there is no way back to the table. No, your only real chance is to play West for the king and take a diamond finesse at trick two, disposing of a club on the ace when the ■ finesse works.

Tutorial Bridge Breaks JUNE 2012 8-10 The Ardington £245 Endplay & Avoidance Gary Conrad

SEPTEMBER 2012

Lead Quiz You are West in the auctions below playing teams or rubber bridge. It is your lead. (Answers overleaf.)

1 ♠ 7 5 ♥ A K 7 6 5 N W E ♦ 10 9 8 S ♣ 6 3 2

28-30 The Ardington £245 Leads and Defence Crombie McNeil

OCTOBER 2012 12-14 The Ardington £245 Losing Trick Count Sandy Bell

Andrew Kambites’

Ardington Hotel Worthing BN11 3DZ

West North East South 1♠ Pass 4♠ End

2 ♠ 7 5 N ♥ A K 7 6 5 W E ♦ 10 9 8 S ♣ 6 3 2

19-21 The Olde Barn Hotel £215 Signals and Discards Patrick Dunham

November 2012 West North East South 1NT Pass 3NT End

2-4 The Olde Barn Hotel £215 Game Tries David Stead 9-11 £245

Blunsdon House Hotel Suit Establishment Ned Paul

16-18 £245

Chatsworth Hotel Worthing Finding Slams Crombie McNeil

23-25 £215

The Olde Barn Hotel Playing Suit Combinations TBA

The Olde Barn Hotel Marston, Lincs NG32 2HT

West North East South 1♥ Pass 2NT Pass 3NT End



23-25 Queensferry Hotel £245 Game Tries Crombie McNeil 30-2/12 £245

Chatsworth Hotel Worthing Endplay & Avoidance Ned Paul

3 ♠ 7 5 N W E ♥ A K 7 6 5 S ♦ 10 9 8 2 ♣ 6 3

4 ♠ 7 5 ♥ A K J 6 5 N W E ♦ 10 9 8 S ♣ 6 3 2

Blunsdon House Swindon SN26 7AS

See booking form on page 40.

Page 27

West North East South 1NT Pass 3NT End

Answers to Andrew Kambites’  Lead Quiz on page 27 I will start by repeating the approach to opening leads that I gave last month. (i) Objective – what am I trying to achieve? The answer does not have to be spectacular. ‘Nothing’ is a respectable answer, meaning that the aim is just to give nothing away and make declarer work for his tricks. (ii) How likely is my lead to achieve this?

1. ♠ K 10 9 8 3 ♥ 8 4 3 ♦ 7 ♣ A J 8 7 ♠ 7 5 N ♥ A K 7 6 5 W E ♦ 10 9 8 S ♣ 6 3 2 ♠ A Q J 4 ♥ Q J 10 ♦ K J 4 2 ♣ K Q

♠ 6 2 ♥ 9 2 ♦ A Q 6 5 3 ♣ 10 9 5 4

West North East Pass 4♠ End

South 1♠

Somebody has two hearts. Your objective is to cash two heart winners. If you are lucky, partner will ruff a third round. Lead the ♥A. Partner encourages with the ♥9.

2. ♠ K J 10 ♥ Q 10 9 ♦ A J 7 ♣ A Q 8 7 ♠ 7 5 N ♥ A K 7 6 5 W E ♦ 10 9 8 S ♣ 6 3 2 ♠ A Q 6 ♥ 8 4 3 ♦ K Q 3 ♣ K 9 5 4

♠ 9 8 4 3 2 ♥ J 2 ♦ 6 5 4 2 ♣ J 10

West North East Pass 3NT End

South 1NT

This time, you are looking to establish length tricks in hearts. If partner has a heart honour, maybe the ♥Q, you do not want to block the suit. If partner has only low hearts, you want to lose the lead early so partner still has a heart to return when he (hopefully) subsequently regains the lead. So, lead the ♥6. The lead may succeed in a different way on the above layout. Looking at all four hands, we can all see that declarer can put up dummy’s ♥Q and take lots of tricks; now look at it from declarer’s point of view. If you have led from ♥A-J or ♥K-J, it is correct to play dummy’s ♥10. Only if you have led from ♥A-K is it right to try dummy’s ♥Q. Seems like odds of 2 to 1 in favour of playing the ♥10. Partner’s ♥J wins trick 1 and, having overcome his surprise, partner returns the ♥2, allowing your side to take the first five tricks.

This hand just demonstrates the futility of leading a suit bid by opponents against a no-trump contract unless either: (i) Your intermediate cards are very good, e.g. Q-J-10-9-8 or (ii) You are trying to be passive. A low heart lead just gives declarer an easy trick. He then drives out the ♠A and scores nine tricks easily. As it happens, if you lead the ♥A, you have time to switch to a diamond and drive out declarer’s diamond stoppers before he can establish spade tricks and a heart trick; still, leading the ♥A defeats your presumed (if faulty) objective of trying to establish heart length tricks. You should be looking elsewhere: a diamond looks your best bet. Lead the ♦10 (top of a sequence). If you decide you like strong ten leads, which I shall develop in a later quiz, you will lead the ♦9 from this holding.

3. ♠ Q J 9 2 ♥ Q 10 8 3 ♦ K 6 ♣ A K 9 ♠ 7 5 N ♥ A K 7 6 5 W E ♦ 10 9 8 2 S ♣ 6 3 ♠ K 6 3 ♥ J 9 4 ♦ A 5 3 ♣ Q J 10 8

4. ♠ K Q ♥ 10 9 8 ♦ Q J 7 5 ♣ K Q J 7 ♠ 7 5 N ♥ A K J 6 5 W E ♦ 10 9 8 S ♣ 6 3 2 ♠ 10 9 6 3 ♥ Q 7 3 ♦ A K 2 ♣ A 8 5

West Pass

♠ A 10 8 4 ♥ 2 ♦ Q J 7 4 ♣ 7 5 4 2

North East South 1♥ Pass 2NT 3NT End

Suppose you lead the ♥6. What are you trying to achieve? Presumably, you want to set up length tricks in hearts. How likely is a heart lead to achieve this? It has no chance! Dummy has bid hearts, showing at least four. Declarer has jumped in no-trumps, showing at least two hearts. Your partner cannot possibly have more than two hearts. Even if he has the magic ♥Q-J doubleton, the suit is blocked.

Page 28

♠ A J 8 4 2 ♥ 4 2 ♦ 6 4 3 ♣ 10 9 4

West North East Pass 3NT End

South 1NT

Sometimes, it might turn out to be right to lead a fourth highest ♥6 even holding three honours. More often, the lead that will work is the ♥A or ♥K (depending on your methods), which is what you should try. When partner fails to encourage, you should switch suit. Partner will subsequently gain the lead with the ♠A and return a heart through declarer’s ■ ♥Q.

A to Z of Bridge compiled by Julian Pottage LAWS OF CONTRACT BRIDGE

L

The international code last revised in 1993 in accordance with the rules for playing rubber bridge. Three bodies promulgate the Laws jointly: The Portland Club, The European Bridge League and The American Contract Bridge League. The World Bridge Federation has approved them.

LANDY

A conventional defence to a 1NT opener whereby 2♣ shows at least 5-4 in the majors. In reply, partner usually shows preference between the majors or, with equal length, bids an artificial 2♦, asking for the overcaller’s longer major. For example:

LAWS OF DUPLICATE CONTRACT BRIDGE



♠ Q 9 3 ♥ 10 6 3 N W E ♦ K Q 5 S ♣ J 8 7 2

♠ K J 8 4 2 ♥ Q J 8 4 ♦ A 4 2 ♣ 5

The international code for the playing of duplicate bridge. The World Bridge Federation, in association with the same bodies as the Laws of Contract Bridge, promulgates the laws. The latest revision was in 2007 (published in Britain by the English Bridge Union in conjunction with The Portland Club).

LAW OF TOTAL TRICKS This theory asserts that the number of tricks available to both sides if they West North East South play in their best fit is equal to the total 1NT 2♣* Pass number of trumps in both sides’ best 2♦* Pass 2♠ End trump fit. Suppose there is a nine-card *Landy and enquiry heart fit for North-South and an eightcard diamond fit for East-West. This LATE PAIR totals seventeen trumps. Therefore, if, Various duplicate movements make on best play and best defence, Northprovision for a pair arriving after the South can make ten tricks in hearts, start of a session, but its admission is East-West should be able to take seven at the discretion of the Director. tricks in diamonds. With the same fits, if North-South could make nine LATE PLAY tricks, East-West should make eight Completion of a board not played tricks and so on. during the allotted time. You might use this information in deciding how to bid during LAWS AND ETHICS competitive auctions. COMMITTEE (OF THE EBU) For example: The Committee of the English Bridge Union established in accordance with the Union’s Constitution to be responsible for licensing arrangements ♠ 7 5 for systems and conventions, and to ♥ 9 4 2 deal with all matters concerned with ♦ K 9 6 5 the Laws and Ethics of duplicate ♣ K 8 5 2 bridge in England. Page 29

West North East South 1♥ Pass 2♥ 3♦ 4♥ ?

It is likely (though not certain) that the opponents have a nine-card heart fit. You expect partner to hold six diamonds for the three-level overcall, giving your side a ten-card diamond fit. With nineteen total trumps, you expect nineteen total tricks. Therefore, if 4♥ is making ten tricks, you expect 5♦ to be down two. This tells you that it would be a mistake to bid 5♦ if you are vulnerable against not. You do not want to concede 500 to stop the opponents from making 420. At other vulnerabilities, if you can make nine tricks (when 4♥ is making) or eleven (when 5♦ is), you are likely to show a profit by bidding 5♦. LAYDOWN

Term for a contract that is so certain that declarer could claim after the initial lead. LAYOUT

The placement of the cards. LEAD

The initial card played to a trick. On the first trick, the player to the left of declarer leads. Thereafter, the player who won the preceding trick leads. LEAD-DIRECTING BID

A bid made suggesting an initial lead in that suit. For example:

♠ 8 5 3 N ♥ 7 4 W E ♦ A K Q 6 4 S ♣ 8 5 3

A to Z of Bridge continued

West North 1♦

East South Pass Pass

Expecting that North-South will buy the contract in one of the majors, West opens light in third seat to suggest a diamond lead.

LEAD THROUGH STRENGTH

In general, a player sitting in front of dummy and unsure which suit to lead, should lead through dummy’s stronger holding, in the hope or knowledge of leading up to partner’s honours in the suit. For example (with North as the dummy):

LEAD-DIRECTING DOUBLE

♠ A Q 2 ♥ 8 5 2

A double of a conventional or cue bid to suggest a lead of that suit. For example:

♠ 7 4 3 ♥ 7 4 3

West North 2NT Pass *transfer to hearts

West, on lead with no definitive information to guide him, should lead a spade. If, for example, East has K-J-x in each major, the king-jack will be well placed in spades over North’s acequeen, but useless in hearts under South’s holding.

East South 3♦* Dble

South’s double asks for a diamond lead. Since it is unclear whether the final contract will be in hearts or notrumps, South needs length (normally at least five cards) and strength in diamonds for the double. The previous hand would be perfect. LEAD-INHIBITING BIDS

A psychic bid of a suit not held strongly, hoping to discourage the opposition from leading the suit.

♠ A K J 4 ♥ A K Q 8 5 2 ♦ Void ♣ 10 5 2

N W E S

LEAD UP TO WEAKNESS

In general, a player sitting over dummy, and unsure which suit to lead, should lead up to dummy’s weakness in the hope or knowledge of leading up to partner’s honours in the suit. For example (with North as the dummy):

♠ A Q 2 ♥ 8 5 2 N

W E S

You open 1♥ and partner raises to 3♥. The technical bid is 3♠, giving partner a chance to cue bid 4♣. The leadinhibiting bid is 4♣, feigning strength (or shortage) in clubs. LEAD OUT OF TURN

A lead from the wrong hand (i.e. an initial lead by any player other than declarer’s LHO or a later lead by any player other than the one who won the preceding trick). The Laws apply. LEAD THROUGH

A player who leads to a trick leads through the player on his left. So South could lead through West.

♠ 7 4 3 ♥ 7 4 3

East, on lead with no definitive information to guide him, should lead a heart. Any honours West has in hearts will be useful over South’s holding whereas it will be hard work to establish a spade trick in view of North’s strong spades. LEADING FROM HONOURS

The standard leads from honour combinations are: Ace from A-K (but king from A-K doubleton), The higher of two touching honours, Page 30

Top of a doubleton, Low (e.g. fourth highest) from other combinations. Notes: 1 Some players prefer to lead the king from A-K. 2 Against a suit contract, it is usual not to underlead an ace. 3 Against a no-trump contract, the lead of an honour usually guarantees the possession of at least three honour cards unless the lead is from a short suit. From a long suit headed by just two (touching) honours, the standard lead is a low card (e.g. fourth highest). LEAP

A jump bid often used to describe a jump to the probable final contract, inviting partner to pass at his first opportunity e.g. the final bid in the sequence 1♦-1♠-1NT-4♠. LEAPING MICHAELS

A conventional way of showing a twosuited hand after a weak opposing bid. A jump in a minor that shows the minor bid and the unbid major. For example: West North East 4♣ 1 weak

South 2♥1

West’s 4♣ shows at least five clubs and at least five spades. East usually corrects to 4♠ or raises to 5♣. West might hold:

♠ A Q 9 5 2 ♥ 3 ♦ 4 ♣ A Q 10 6 4 2

N W E S

Playing Leaping Michaels, a cue bid of the suit opened (3♥ in this example) would ask for a stopper rather than denote a two-suited hand. LEAVE IN

To pass and, especially, to pass a double by partner.

A to Z of Bridge continued

LEBENSOHL

A convention to improve definition, used originally when partner opens 1NT and the next player overcalls in a suit at the two-level. The basis of the convention is the use of a bid of 2NT as a conventional request for opener to bid 3♣. This then creates an extra echelon of bids — direct bids, and bids after the Lebensohl 2NT. One sequence shows game-going values (traditionally the direct bid), whilst the other is employed on competitive hands (or invitational hands if a competitive bid in the suit was available at the two-level). By agreement, a double may show a traditional penalty double or may show a raise to 2NT. For example, if your partner opens 1NT and the next hand overcalls 2♥: 2♠ Natural, competitive 2NT Asks opener to bid 3♣; usually weak with a minor or invitational with spades 3♣/3♦/3♠ Game-forcing

2NT and then 3NT 2NT then cue bid

Stopper and interest in other major No stopper but interest in other major

Many pairs who play Lebensohl also use it after the opponents open a weak two and partner doubles for takeout. West ?

North East South 2♥ Dbl Pass

Hand 1 Hand 2 ♠ 9 5 ♠ 9 5 ♥ 10 6 5 ♥ 10 6 5 ♦ K J 8 4 2 ♦ K J 8 4 2 ♣ J 7 3 ♣ A J 7

On both hands, you bid 2NT over the intervening 2♥. On the first hand, you intend to convert 3♣ to 3♦, which will ask partner to pass. On the second, you intend to rebid 3♠ to invite game. Responder may also use the convention on balanced hands to show or deny a stopper in the suit overcalled or to show or deny four cards in the other major. The most logical system (though perhaps not the most widely played) is: 3NT direct Cue bid

Stopper in suit overcalled and no interest in other major No stopper in suit or interest in other major

LIGHTNER DOUBLE

A double of a freely bid slam by the player not on lead to the first trick. The double calls for an unusual lead. The suit called for is quite often dummy’s main side suit and often shows (against a suit slam) a void in the suit or (against a no-trump slam) two fast winners in the suit.

♠ 7 5 3 ♥ 10 7 5 4 2 ♦ Void ♣ A 8 5 3 2

N W E S

With the first hand, you have little interest in game and so bid 2NT, Lebensohl, on the way to 3♦. With the second, you want to show positive values without going past 3NT. You do this by bidding 3♦ directly. LENGTH

The number of cards held in a particular suit. LEVEL

Hand 1 Hand 2 ♠ 7 4 ♠ Q 9 6 5 3 2 ♥ 9 6 ♥ 8 4 ♦ K Q 9 7 5 2 ♦ A 6 ♣ J 9 3 ♣ K 10 2

To bid light means to bid with values below the acceptable range.

1 This is the number of tricks above the book (six tricks) that a player names in the bidding. For example, bids of 2♣ or 2♦ are bids at the two level, while contracts of 5♥ or 5♠ are contracts at the five level. 2 A way of categorising which conventions are legal in a particular type of competition, with the more complex conventions allowed only in higher-level competitions. LHO

Abbreviation for Left-Hand Opponent e.g. West is South’s LHO, North is West’s LHO. LIE OF THE CARDS

A reference to the position of the cards around the table, e.g. ‘I could not succeed on that lie of the cards.’ LIGHT

To be light means to go down in a contract. Page 31

West Pass Pass Dbl

North East South 1♠ Pass 3♦ 3♠ Pass 4NT 5♥ Pass 6♠

On a diamond lead, you expect to defeat the slam with a diamond ruff and the ♣A. LIMIT BID

A bid that defines a player’s hand accurately in terms of both strength and distribution, for example, an opening of 1NT, or the 3♠ bid in the sequence: 1♠-pass-3♠. LIMIT RAISE

A raise of partner’s suit in which you bid the full value of your hand on the assumption that partner has the lower range of values for his bid. It is a limit bid that shows support and is not forcing. For example: West North East 1♥ Pass 3♥

South

East’s 3♥ is a limit raise, indicating four hearts and about 11 points or 8 losers. LIMIT RESPONSE

A response that defines the shape and strength of the responder’s hand, e.g. 1♠-pass-2♠. Limit responses are usually raises and no-trump bids.

A to Z of Bridge continued

LINE

1 The horizontal line dividing a rubber bridge score sheet, hence the expressions ‘Above the line’ relating to penalties, overtricks and bonuses, and ‘Below the line’ for tricks bid and made. 2 The sequence of play that a player takes (as in ‘The best line of play’). 3 If players bid four-card suits in ascending order, they are bidding ‘Up the line’. LITTLE SLAM

Another term for small slam – a contract to make twelve tricks. LMX

A conventional defence to an opening three bid whereby a bid in the lower minor (LM i.e. 3♦ over 3♣ and 4♣ over 3♦/3♥/3♠) is used as a takeout request immediately after the opening bid and a double (X) is used in the fourth seat. Very few pairs use this defence any more, preferring a simple takeout double in both second and fourth seat. LOCAL POINTS

Points issued by the Home Bridge Unions, such as the English Bridge Union and affiliated bodies, such as clubs and County Associations, for success in club sessions, county events and certain tournaments. 100 Local Points are equivalent to one Master Point. LOCKED (IN OR OUT OF HAND)

To be unable to get the lead in or out of dummy or declarer’s hand without loss. As declarer, you want to avoid such a position. LONG CARDS

Cards left in a suit when the other players’ cards in the suit have gone. For example, if you have A-K-Q-7-3 and the suit breaks 5-3-3-2 round the table, you can cash the A-K-Q to leave the seven and three as long cards. LONG HAND

The hand with the greater length in a

particular suit, especially the trump suit. As a rule, ruffing in the long trump hand does not generate extra trump tricks. Nevertheless, you may wish to ruff in the long hand to interrupt the run of an opponent’s suit, to set up dummy’s suit or to prepare the way for a throw in, a squeeze or a trump coup. You must take particular care about ruffing in the long hand if the long hand has only four trumps or if a defender is likely to have four trumps: ♠ Q 2 ♥ 10 2 ♦ A 7 6 5 4 2 ♣ A J 5 ♠ A 8 6 5 ♠ 7 4 ♥ A 5 4 N ♥ Q J 9 8 7 6 3 ♦ Q 9 8 W E ♦ K 10 S ♣ 9 6 3 ♣ 7 4 ♠ K J 10 9 3 ♥ K ♦ J 3 ♣ K Q 10 8 2

As South, you play in 4♠ after East has pre-empted in hearts. West leads ace and another heart. If you ruff, you will go down on the normal 4-2 trump break: West wins the second round of trumps and leads a third round of hearts, reducing your trumps to fewer than his. Instead, you should throw a diamond at trick two – it is a loser anyway. LONG SUIT

A suit with four or, usually, more cards in the same hand. LOOSE DIAMOND

An arrangement to open 1♦ without a genuine diamond suit. This is common with variations of the Precision system. LOSE THE LEAD

Giving the lead to an opponent, whether by design, by force, or by accident. LOSER

A card with which you expect to lose a trick if you lead it or play it when following suit. For example, if you Page 32

have a doubleton 6-4 of clubs and partner has neither the ace nor the king of clubs, the six and four of clubs are losers. LOSER ON LOSER

To discard one losing card on another, as illustrated in the following examples: ♠ K J 10 9 ♥ A Q J 10 ♦ J 5 ♣ 5 4 3 ♠ 4 3 ♥ 9 8 7 N ♦ K Q 10 3 2 W E S ♣ A Q 2 ♠ A Q 8 7 6 5 ♥ 4 2 ♦ A ♣ K 8 7 6

♠ 2 ♥ K 6 5 3 ♦ 9 8 7 6 4 ♣ J 10 9

As South, you play in 4♠ and receive the lead of the ♦K. If East obtains the lead with the ♥K, there is the danger of three club losers in addition to a heart loser. Therefore, after drawing trumps ending in dummy, you play dummy’s ♦J (you can presume from the lead that West holds the ♦Q) and discard a losing heart. You can then establish heart tricks by taking a ruffing finesse into the safe hand. ♠ 8 7 ♥ J 3 2 ♦ A 6 5 4 3 2 ♣ 7 4 ♠ K 10 9 ♥ 5 4 N ♦ K Q 10 8 W E S ♣ Q 10 5 2 ♠ A 4 ♥ A K Q 10 9 ♦ 7 ♣ A K J 8 3

♠ Q J 6 5 3 2 ♥ 8 7 6 ♦ J 9 ♣ 9 6

Playing in 6♥, you receive the lead of the ♦K. If you try to ruff the third or fourth round of clubs low, you will incur an overruff and subsequently lose a spade. However, you can ruff a club with the jack and then return

A to Z of Bridge continued

to hand with a spade to play another club; but, this time, instead of ruffing, you make the loser on loser play of discarding a spade from dummy. Dummy can then ruff a losing spade in safety. ♠ J 10 2 ♥ 8 7 6 ♦ A Q 3 2 ♣ K 6 2 ♠ 7 6 ♥ A K Q 3 N ♦ 10 8 7 W E S ♣ J 9 4 3 ♠ A K Q 3 ♥ J 9 ♦ K J 5 4 ♣ A 7 5

♠ 9 8 5 4 ♥ 10 5 4 2 ♦ 9 6 ♣ Q 10 8

South plays in 4♠ and West leads three rounds of top hearts. If you ruff the third round, you will lose control of the trump suit on the probable 4-2 break. Therefore, you should discard a loser in clubs on the third round and dummy’s trump holding is able to take care of any continuation in hearts. There are many other variations when the loser-on-loser play is good declarer technique. LOSING TRICK COUNT

A method of evaluating the playing strength of a hand, for trump contracts, based on the number of expected losers. You count the number of losers as follows: With three or more cards, the number of losers in a suit is normally equal to the number of missing high honours (the ace, king and queen) e.g. A-x-x counts as two losers, K-Q-x or K-Q-x-x count as one loser. With a doubleton, the queen normally counts as a small card in the above calculation and similarly with any singleton, other than the ace, the suit counts as one loser. Exceptions to the above are that Q-x-x counts as two and a half losers, A-Q doubleton as half a loser.

Hand 1 Hand 2 ♠ K Q 9 4 ♠ J 10 3 2 ♥ A 6 ♥ 5 3 ♦ A 6 4 ♦ K Q 2 ♣ K 9 8 4 ♣ A 7 5 2

The first hand has six losers: one in each major and two in each minor. The second has eight losers, three in spades, two in hearts, one in diamonds and two in clubs. The maximum number of losers a hand may have is thus twelve, and the most the two combined hands could have is twenty-four. Subtract the combined number of losers from the total possible number of losers and the result equates to the number of tricks that should be available. Thus, a six-loser hand opposite an eightloser hand would have fourteen losers between the two and therefore they should make ten tricks (24-14=10). The main advantage of the Losing Trick Count over the Milton Work Count is that the Losing Trick Count is more accurate with good trump fits.

in the suit opened and at least four cards in the reversing suit:

♠ K 6 ♥ 7 5 ♦ A Q 10 3 ♣ A K J 8 5

This hand would be fine for the sequence 1♣-Pass-1♥-Pass-2♦. LOWER MINOR

A conventional defence to an opening three-bid. Using this convention, a bid of the lower unbid minor (3♦ over 3♣ or 4♣ over anything else) is a takeout request. The advantage of this defence is that you can use all other suit overcalls, 3NT and a double in their natural sense. The disadvantages are that you can rarely stop below the four level and that you cannot pick up a penalty when one member of the partnership has good values and the other holds good trumps. Most pairs now prefer to use double for takeout. LUCAS TWOS

Neither side vulnerable and, in rubber bridge, no partscore.

A conventional opening of 2♥ or 2♠, showing a weak hand with at least five cards in the suit bid and with a side suit. Requirements about the strength of the hand and the length of the second suit can vary according to the vulnerability and partnership style.

LOW CARD

LURKING

LOVE ALL

Neither side vulnerable. Both sides non-vulnerable. LOVE SCORE

Any card other than an honour card and sometimes denoted by an ‘x’ on hand records. Low cards, though they often do not win tricks in their own right (unless they are trumps) have a number of useful purposes. They can guard your honour cards, they can enable you to reach partner’s hand and, when you are defending, they can be good cards with which to signal. LOW REVERSE

A rebid by opener in a suit higherranking than the suit opened. This bid is normally forcing for one round if the response was at the one level and forcing to game if it was at the two level. For a low reverse, it is usual to have significantly better than a minimum opening, at least five cards Page 33

Lurking means passing or bidding cautiously early in the auction in the hope that the opponents will bid too high or double you in a making contract. ■

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David Stevenson answers your questions on Laws and Ethics

Does a Three-Card Club Opening Require an Alert?

Q

Playing a weak no-trump and 4-card majors, North opened 1♣ on a hand with a 4-4-2-3 shape and 17 points. A few boards later, the same player opened 1♣ with a 3-3-4-3 shape and 17 points. South said that he was unaware that the 1♣ was alertable as he had no idea that his partner had opened with a 3-card club suit. Is that right? Kenny Picken by email (similar from Brian Clarke, Terry Bunn and Ken Davies).

A

In principle, threecard minor-suit openings are not alertable, so the simple answer is no alert is required. However, this may not be so simple. If North keeps doing this, South cannot claim not to know. It is a matter of style and thus subject to disclosure. If asked as to their methods, South should probably reply that their openings are natural, but, occasionally, his partner opens a three-card club suit rather than a four-card suit. Furthermore, they should write something to this effect on their system card.

Q

A defender inadvertently discards when holding a singleton but immediately rectifies his error and leaves the penalty card exposed on the table, which he is obliged to play on the next trick when the original suit is led again. When gaining the lead, the offender’s partner leads the suit discarded, which defeats the contract that would otherwise have made. If someone had called the director, what should his ruling be? Geoffrey Cassen, Honiton, Devon (similar from Gordon Tate).

A

If I were the director, I would be close to giving a Procedural Penalty to both sides. I would certainly give both sides a well-earned lecture. The rules of bridge are complex: only the director may apply them. When he played his singleton, and immediately rectified his error, this drew attention to the irregularity: it was then the responsibility of all four players to call the director. The rules for penalty cards involve forbidding leads as well as having to play

cards. The director explains this if called; then either side can allow for those penalties in their future play. How can they do that if nobody calls the director? If called late, the director must try to work out whether either side has taken any advantage by not calling him. If he thinks declarer has taken advantage, he rules it is not now a penalty card: the defender can pick up the card and play continues. If the defence, he does apply the penalties. ♣♦♥♠

Q

The bidding starts as follows:

West North East South 1NT Pass 2♣ Pass 2♥ Pass

I, as South, place the stop card on the table and bid 3NT. Without any hesitation at all, West passes. What would you have done? Jim Parlour, Southampton.

A

Probably nothing: it is unfortunate that players do not follow the rules, especially the simple ones – but this

Page 34

game will not survive without tolerance. I think we need ‘Maxi Tolerance’ and, in clubs, that means tolerating minor rule-breakers, whether they do not follow stop or alert rules, or even rules of conduct like writing on their score-card before leading. If called as a director, I would just give West a short lecture. ♣♦♥♠

Q

Declarer had the lead in dummy; mistaking the position, she placed a card from her own hand face up on the table. The next player did not accept the lead. Can declarer then return the card to hand or does it become a penalty card? David Salmon, Reading.

A

Declarer never has a penalty card. The lead comes from dummy but declarer may play any legal card.

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

South opened 2♦, explained as the partnership’s second strongest bid (reverse Benjamin). Was this acceptable on this hand?



♠ J 10 9 7 5 ♥ A K Q J 4 3 2 ♦ Void ♣ Q

Jeff Stanford by email (similar from Dan Grammer).

A

Probably: it is legal to play an artificial 2♦ opening to include this hand since it is rule of 25 (12 cards in the longest suits and 13 HCP). However, if a pair allows distributional hands that are weaker than people expect, they need to be careful in their explanation as to what 2♦ shows. ♣♦♥♠

Q

South had led a small spade. Declarer (West) had put down the ♠7. Immediately, North noticed that West had pulled two cards but that only the top one was visible. Had the players called for the director (me, a relative newcomer to the task), I would have told West to take back both cards and just play whichever one she wanted: no penalty. Was I right? In fact, by the time they called, the unexposed card, the ♠K, had become visible to all four players. Declarer

had said, ‘Oh I didn’t know I had the ♠K.’ As director, I believe I made the right decision in saying that West could designate which of the two cards she wanted to play, with the other one put back into her hand. Was I correct? North then argued with me that West, declarer, must play the card on top i.e. the ♠7. My ruling was that both were eventually exposed (by the time I got to the table, everyone had seen the ♠K) and, therefore, declarer could play whichever one she wanted. North was very upset because she would have played the ♠Q and won the trick if West had had to play the ♠7. Bea David Griffiths by email.

A

The first rule of directing, especially for inexperienced directors, is that you read the laws from the law book. So, you do not rule as you think right: you read it out and then you will be right. If the players had called me when the under-card was invisible, I would have read Law 58B1 to the players. This says that the ♠7 is the played card, with the other card put back unseen in the declarer’s hand without penalty. Once the ♠K became visible, you were right that West could designate which card to play. You do not argue with players: you read the law out and tell them that is the ruling. Tell North you did not write the laws. Tactfully, of course, you do not want to upset her more – but there are too many people playing who do not think the laws apply. Unfortunately, directors who sound as

though they are making laws up encourage this. Reading them out is much better. ♣♦♥♠

Q

The declarer decided to claim the rest of the tricks in his contract. This required him to take three tricks in hearts, holding K-J-x opposite A-10-x. I held Q-x-x and, since there was no prior indication which way he should take the finesse and he did not say, I asked him to continue play. The trouble is that my question made it obvious who held the queen. Being very sporting, he deliberately took the finesse the wrong way and went down. What should have happened? David Barker, Aylesbury.

A

You do not say where this happened – at duplicate or rubber bridge – I am assuming duplicate. When there is a claim, play ceases. You never ever play on after a claim. Either you accept it, or you call the director, who decides. In fact, the director will award a trick to the defence, since the director will not allow a winning finesse in his decision as to the number of tricks made. ♣♦♥♠

Q A

What are the rules for a major penalty card? John Honeyman by email. There are four, of which everyone knows the first, many people forget the second, everyone forgets the third and very few know the fourth.

Page 35

1 The player with the major penalty card must play it at his first legal opportunity to do so. 2 If the partner of the player with the major penalty card gains the lead, declarer may do one of three things: (a) He may require the lead of the suit of the major penalty card, in which case the offender picks up the major penalty card and may play anything. (b) He may forbid the lead of the suit of the major penalty card for as long as he retains the lead, in which case the offender picks up the major penalty card and may play anything, or (c) He may keep it as a major penalty card and the offender’s partner may lead anything. 3 While the knowledge that the defender must play his major penalty card is authorised, knowledge that he holds it is unauthorised to partner. 4 The director has the right to deem an exposed card is not a major penalty card; he may do so if not called in a timely fashion. ♣♦♥♠

Q

I led to the first trick and won it; declarer won the second trick but put his card our way round. Dummy tried to draw his attention to the mistake, which we were happy to allow. What does the law say? Dan Crofts, Birmingham.

A

It is a change. Now, anyone may point out a card has been put down the wrong way – but only until the lead to the next trick is made. After that, declarer may do so but nobody else.

Ask David continued

Q

West led the ♠A from A-x-x. Dummy came down with ♠K-x. West continued spades. Dummy then discovered a third spade hidden in a different suit. West said he wished to change his lead to the second trick. Was the director right to allow this? Club Player, Liverpool (similar from Mike Campbell, Chichester).

A

Neither declarer nor the defenders are responsible for making sure dummy has 13 cards in view: that responsibility lies with dummy. While your ruling was practical enough, the official ruling is to play the hand out and then adjust if dummy’s infraction of putting his cards down incorrectly caused damage.

board. Is that right? Jean Lawrence, Birmingham.

A

Players are required to count their cards before looking at them as a matter of Law. If the director decides it has made no difference, he can put the card right and continue – but this is very unlikely this late in the play. So, in general, the result should be cancelled and N/S should get average plus (not being at fault) while E/W get average minus (being at fault). Although I do not understand what giving you nil points on the hand means, it sounds illegal. Perhaps the director has decided to enter ‘not played’ in the scoring, which is a common directors’ mistake. When the director cancels a board at a table, the players get average, average plus or average minus dependent on whose fault it is, never ‘not played’. ♣♦♥♠

♣♦♥♠

Q

South was playing 3NT and had taken the first nine tricks. With four tricks remaining, East suddenly exclaimed she had only three cards left; then her partner discovered she was holding five. The director ruled that both pairs would have nil points on that

Q

We had all agreed to play weak twos in the majors (six cards and 5-10 points). The bid misled our side; we finished three down doubled in 4♣. Dr Charles Godden, Guildford, Surrey.

A

It is perfectly normal bridge to stretch opening bids at rubber bridge when holding a part score and you should expect it. Many people would open 2♥ with that hand, knowing that 2♥ would be enough for game. Similarly, with a 60 part score, despite playing a weak no-trump, people will open 1NT with 12 points or with 20 points. It is just normal rubber bridge tactics. ♣♦♥♠

Q

Playing with a new partner, the bidding went as follows:

Playing rubber bridge with both sides vulnerable and 60 below to the opponents, my opponent opened 2♥ on this:

West North East South Pass Pass Pass 1♥ Dble 1♠ Pass 2♠ Pass Pass Pass





♠ A K Q ♥ A Q 9 4 3 2 ♦ 7 6 5 ♣ 6

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As South, I held:

♠ 9 6 4 3 ♥ Q 3 ♦ 5 3 2 ♣ A J 8 4

I did not want to lead a trump or club, nor let partner think I had something in diamonds, so led the ♥Q and trumped the third round of hearts. East was furious and demanded to know why I led a heart and why I did not alert the double. My partner and I had

Page 36

just discussed the basic system. I thought the double was asking for a suit. Both East and West insisted that I should have alerted. North said that her double was how she always used to play. What are the rules please? Ann Grove by email.

A

At the time of the double, you had no agreement, so there was no reason to alert anything. However, now you know this is not a takeout double, you will have to alert it in future. The rules for alerting doubles of natural suit bids are extremely simple. Up to 3NT, if you do not alert it is for takeout, so you alert if it has any other meaning. Above 3NT, with rare exceptions, you do not alert. Of course, the opponents have no right to be furious that you led the ♥Q. They have no right to tell you what to lead and no right to think that you should do what they would do. A director might adjust, but only if he felt you had an agreement that double showed hearts, that it should have been alerted and, only if your opponents’ bidding would be different if it had been alerted. ♣♦♥♠

Q

If North bids 1♠ and East bids 1♦, can North draw attention to the insufficient bid? Peter Jeffery, Wheathampstead, Herts.

A

Certainly: the laws say that anyone may draw attention to an irregularity during the auction, whether it is their turn to call or not.

Ask David continued

Q

South was playing in 3♠. During the play, dummy (North) took a trick with ♠J. Then, inadvertently, West led the ♦Q. Declarer called for a heart discard from dummy; East also discarded a heart. Then, dummy said, ‘West, you have led out of turn. The ♦Q must remain on the table and be played at the first opportunity.’ Then, East said the small heart from dummy must stand as the lead to the trick. South protested, saying he did not want to lead a small heart from dummy and that West’s ♦Q should remain as the lead to the trick. The situation was difficult to resolve because the director was dummy. Who was right? Malcolm Sutherland, Aldeburgh, Suffolk.

A

While it is not always easy for playing directors, they must be very careful. Certainly, it almost defies belief that when there is a disagreement about a ruling, a director should fail to read it out from the Law book, or Mr Bridge’s Yellow Book. As I understand it, the ♦Q was a lead out of turn, followed by a heart from dummy. It sounds as though declarer was playing on the ♦Q; in this case, the play of the heart from dummy condoned it; the ♦Q lead has become legal

and play continues. There are no penalty cards.

The Power of Shape by Ron Klinger reviewed by Sandra Landy

♣♦♥♠

Q

I have been a member of a bridge club in the southern Home Counties for 12 years and, in that time, I have never had the director called to the table concerning my play or behaviour. Suddenly, the chairman phoned to say that the club’s committee was meeting and that I was no longer a member of the club; a letter confirming this followed shortly. Surely, I should have been entitled to a fair hearing. I am unhappy to be condemned by allegations made by people speaking behind my back. Name and address supplied.

A

I am afraid that I have not much advice to offer. While it is not normal behaviour for a club to expel someone without a hearing and most people would consider it unacceptable for a club to do so, clubs do have a right to accept or reject members as they think fit. Unless the club has a constitution and this goes against it, I think you have no case. If it is an EBU club and you are an EBU member, you could write to the EBU and suggest that the actions of individuals have upset you and their behaviour is unacceptable. I do not know whether the EBU would feel able to get involved in a ■ matter inside a club.

E-mail your questions on bridge laws to: [email protected]

Page 37

£10.99 from The London Bridge Centre ( 020 7288 1305 www.bridgeshop.com

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his is the only bridge book I have ever read that concentrates on using the shape of a hand as the basis for a bidding system. Klinger suggests that it is just as important to describe the shape of your hand as it is to describe the point count. Shortage in the right place may make bidding a slam a good bet, but that shortage can be even more valuable if it is a void rather than a singleton. Most evaluation methods are unable to account for that difference. If you have a 4-4 fit in hearts but both hands are a 3433 shape, there may be no advantage in playing in trumps when 9 tricks are available in 3NT. In order to use both high-card points and hand shape in bidding, you can use the Bergen Point Count. To your high-card points, add the number of cards in your two longest suits. If the total is 20 or more, you have the values to open the bidding. Suppose you hold:



♠ 8 7 4 3 ♥ A 2 ♦ K Q J 6 2 ♣ J 8

You can open 1♦ first in hand, as you have 20 Bergen points. These come from 11 high-card points plus four for spade length

and five for diamond length. Of course, it is not obligatory to open but, at favourable vulnerability, it is an interesting thought. At least, if your LHO becomes declarer, partner should find the best lead. Even at unfavourable vulnerability, the author recommends opening 1♠ with this 11-point hand:

♠ K 8 6 5 3 ♥ Void ♦ Q J 8 7 ♣ A J 8 4

This is despite the fact that you will have to rebid 2♠ on a poor spade suit should partner respond 2♥. Obviously, a change in hand evaluation methods will affect the subsequent bidding. Still, for those of us who have always taken an optimistic view with shapely hands, it formalises our approach and develops better partnership understanding in the handling of low point count opening bids. The book also has a few chapters on card play and concludes with appendices on some little played bidding methods. While I am not suggesting that all of you change your bidding methods, I do think this book may open your eyes to what is possible when you take as much account of your hand shape as you do of your high-card points.

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by Didapper

R

obert Blyth, a former editor of The Pharmaceutical Journal, was due to celebrate his 90th birthday yesterday (21 October 2011). Addressing his birthday card reminded me that he lives in a street with an unusual name, being the only road in Britain called Mortons Fork. The name has always amused me because ‘Morton’s fork’ means a choice between two equally unpleasant alternatives. The term has its origins in a tax system devised in 1487 by the Lord Chancellor, Archbishop John Morton. He would visit noblemen and assess the level of hospitality offered him: if it was lavish, he assumed they were wealthy and levied a heavy tax; if it was frugal, he assumed they had a fortune salted away — and levied a heavy tax. Either way, they were caught on the prongs of a two-tined fork — similar to the horns of a dilemma. The road named Mortons Fork is in a district of Milton Keynes known as Blue Bridge. When the

Please book ..... places for me at £....... per person, Single .... Double .... Twin .... Name of Hotel/Centre............................................................. Date(s) .................................................................................... Mr/Mrs/Miss ......................................................................... Address................................................................................... ................................................................................................ Postcode ................................................................................. ( ........................................................................................... Special requirements (these cannot be guaranteed, but we will do our best to oblige). ................................................................................................ Please give the name(s) of all those covered by this booking. ................................................................................................ Please send a non-returnable deposit of £50 per person per place by cheque, payable to Mr Bridge. An invoice for the balance will be sent with your booking confirmation. On receipt of your final payment, 28 days before the event, a programme and full details will be sent together with a map. Cancellations are not refundable. Should you require insurance, you should contact your own insurance broker.

area was developed for housing, the Milton Keynes Development Corporation wanted to name the streets after famous bridges. But because most bridge names had already been used elsewhere in other contexts, they decided instead to use names connected with the card game bridge. They chose Blackwood Crescent, Culbertson Lane and Gardiner Court after the inventors of bidding systems, Van Der Bilt Court after a compiler of the game’s laws, Vienna Grove after the ‘Vienna coup’ (an unblocking play first recorded in Vienna) and Mortons Fork (for a road that forks) after a playing manoeuvre that emulates Archbishop Morton’s strategy. However, half these names are wrong. Bridgeplaying friends tell me that Van Der Bilt should be Vanderbilt, Gardiner should be Gardener and Mortons should, of course, be Morton’s. Robert Blyth never allowed such sloppiness in the PJ.

From The Pharmaceutical Journal. Volume 287, 22/29 October 2011

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Postage stamps for sale at 90% of face-value,

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all mint with full gum. Quotations for commercial quantities available on request.

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Values supplied in 100s, higher values available as well as 1st and 2nd class (eg 1st class: 100x37p+100x9p)

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Page 40

READERS’ LETTERS MOST WELCOME The forward looking article, Modernising The Game, in BRIDGE 114, was most interesting. Thought does indeed need to be given to attracting younger people.  I favour the idea of ten-card suits. These would either make the game take up less time or could be used to allow time for formal post-mortems, perhaps with dummies from other tables acting as referees if needed. The time saved could be used for general conversation by those who could not remember the hand just played. J Harris, Guildford by email.

at the top of the game. It made me want to get to Eindhoven Airport to try its fish and chips. What more can one ask of any writer? Arthur Poole by email.

BOB’S BLOG

name. Bearing in mind that ‘Jacks’ were once known as ‘Knaves’, a suitable replacement could be ‘Bankers’. Jim Dapré, Stoneleigh, Warwickshire.

WHAT DO YOU THINK? When the EBU proposed P2P there was a lot of opposition, with many stating it could be fatal for the EBU. Their financial report for last year shows a loss of £47,209. What is Mr Bridge’s verdict? Has the P2P scheme been successful, or is the EBU heading for the morgue? Martyn Stevens, Crewe, Cheshire.

Too soon to know but I will ask the question.

…AND MORE Receiving BRIDGE 114 on St Patrick’s Day, I was not surprised to see that we are to await a green paper. The cover date suggests gremlins at work, or have the EBU finally flipped irrevocably? Chris Dicker, Tavistock, Devon.

TRUTH DAWNS Reading the first column of Modernising The Game, BRIDGE 114, I turned to the front cover… yes, it was the April issue. Lawrence Davidoff, East Preston, Sussex.

NEW NAME In these days of sexual equality, it would seem appropriate to replace ‘Jacks’ with a non gender-specific

USED STAMPS I am delighted to enclose a further cheque for £979 for Little Voice raised over the last few months from selling used postage stamps sent by your readers and by Jill Russell and her helpers at L.U.C.I.A. Colin Bamberger, 179 High Road, Trimley St Mary, IP11 0TN.

In today’s mail, I got a new, shining bus pass from the Government, assuming my old one to be worn out, I suppose. About 40 years ago, I met my bridge partner at a class. She is married to a farmer eight miles away and also plays in my wife’s tea parties. This works fine. No car journeys home, hearing, ‘…I mean, any card but the ten of hearts would have done,’ in your ear. Learning and using the Phoney Club system has served a lot of us quite well. It annoys some. Our club had a great player called Big Agnes of the Diamond Rings. One night, she insisted our Phoney Club opening was illegal according to her diary. I asked for a look and returned it to her pointing out it was from the EBU and she was in Scotland. More seriously, my friend, Jack, plays in a club where Acol is widely uniform. With partner Isabel, they experimented with five-card majors for a while until told that it was unwise to play a system different from that adopted by the majority. Is this good advice? Bob Benzies, Coupar Angus, Perthsire.

city, Perth, they play four-card major Acol, while in the other major inhabitable non-burnt part, the east coast of Queensland and New South Wales, they play mainly standard American. Benji Acol is almost unknown here, they use an opening bid of two diamonds to show 19+ points, not necessarily diamonds and probably unbalanced. A southern hemisphere attempt at Benji but not as good, as it doesn’t allow both weak and strong twos. They also play very quickly, 6 or 7 minutes a board, fine for bidding but they seem to allow no time for making a plan when the dummy goes down. Anyway, it’s interesting to see the national differences. P Pfeifer, Upper Moutere, New Zealand.

REVIEWS WANTED I have recently purchased an iPad and wondered whether it would be appropriate for your magazine to review the software available. I already have your instructional/play discs which are loaded onto my Windows-based PC. I would value a review of recommended software for the various operating systems, whether to be purchased through you or from other providers. No doubt, I am sure I am not on my own in having difficulties in deciding which software is best. David Grounds by email.

MARMITE LOVER Sally Brock’s columns are really enjoyable. Please disregard the complaints from people who happen not to find them so.  In particular, ‘Seven Days’ in the February 2012 issue was great. It gave the ordinary bridge player an insight into how tough life is

DOWN UNDER PLUS

RETURN WANTED

I reckon to be your most distant member/fan, here at the top of the South Island of New Zealand. Interesting to note that here in NZ, they play four-card major Acol about 50/50 with five-card majors. In the Australian west coast major

Please send Bernard back to North Queensferry for another tutorial weekend. We find it too hard to travel around England for such short breaks – great to have one on our doorstep.

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Mr J Robertson, Fife, Scotland.

READERS’ LETTERS continued

BOOKS FOR SALE I am in possession of about 250 books on bridge, some of which are ‘vintage’ and many might be of interest, particularly to collectors. I have them listed and would be pleased to email these lists and answer questions. Don Booth, [email protected] ( 01425 475147

CRITICS I have noticed comments about Sally Brock’s feature in your magazine recently and feel that it is about time someone stood up for her. I read the article and enjoyed it thoroughly – there is more to bridge than reading about playing and bidding various hands and there is enough bridge in it to make it interesting, to me at least. Derek Cannell, Bangor, Co. Down, Northern Ireland.

ANOTHER NOVELTY Reading Kay White’s letter in BRIDGE 114 reminded me of an idea I had years ago for our Christmas party. The cards would be dealt each round as in Chicago. Then a random contract would be selected (either from a hat or a preselected random list). e.g. six diamonds by West. West then had to play the hand as declarer in six diamonds, irrespective of what he and his partner held. Simple contracts e.g. one spade doubled by North, may well make most of the time, slams invariably will go down. The result, however, will depend entirely upon the declarer’s card playing skill and the defence. Vulnerable slam

contracts doubled would attract very large scores. The final outcome will, I suspect, be one of very high scores all round, along with much merriment. The reason I say ‘suspect’ is that nobody would take me up on the suggestion. Has anybody else tried it? Andrew Mountain, Oakleigh, Wrexham.

CLUB PLUG Preston Bridge Club has moved to new premises at St Walburge’s Gardens, Weston Street, Preston, PR2 2QJ. ( 01772 720060. We welcome players of all standards and have lessons for beginners as well as practice and supervised play for the less experienced. The premises are accessed easily and there is ample car parking. We play on Mondays, Tuesdays, Thursdays and Fridays starting at 7.05pm. Also on Monday afternoons at 1pm. www.PrestonBridgeClub.co.uk New, immediate scoring system, EBU master points awarded. Lessons for all levels. Ring Wendy on ( 01772 338789 for further information.

articles (apart from Sally Brock’s tedious diary) of which I particularly enjoy David Stevenson’s Laws and Ethics pages. His The End of the Auction article should be pinned up on every club noticeboard. One of my pet hates is opponents who sweep away their bidding cards before my partner or I have a chance to lead, so I’m very pleased David Stevenson has drawn attention to this. Alan Cooke, Henlow, Beds.

MEMBERS WELCOME The Carrington Bridge Club operates on a Friday (start 7.30pm) at the Day Centre, Harpenden. Duplicate bridge is played on a friendly basis. Table money is £2 per person with an annual sub of only £5. Visitors and potential members should bring their own refreshments as the club has no such facilities available. Visitors are asked to bring a partner, although, in some cases, these can be found. For further details, please contact Bill Kenney on ( 01727 854871. Bill Kenney, St Albans, Herts.

CRY FOR HELP

Dave Parkin by email.

A BIG THANK YOU This month’s issue is more than usually inspiring and helpful. If only you could hear how we all discuss and quote from your pages – being instructional and, by some amazing second sight, seeming to cover the issues our group have just been pondering only yesterday.

I have played friendly rubber bridge for some time, but find myself forced into duplicate as so few clubs play rubber these days. This seems to require a whole new set of tactics. Basically, I need to bid more aggressively as I can no longer doddle around

carrying a part score. But, I have not yet grasped the tactics needed. I cannot work out, for example: When is it worth bidding above my comfort zone and maybe going one or two down? When it is worth trying to push my opponents above their comfort zone? When should I take a chance and risk being doubled? When it is worth doubling the opposition? Looking at the traveller doesn’t help as I can compare my score only against the other pairs playing that hand. Some players seem able to look at the traveller and announce that this is a top/bottom or whatever while I can’t tell until all the boards have been played. Someone has kindly explained to me how making a sacrifice and going down hundreds even when vulnerable, can score better than letting the opponents make a slam. What they did not explain is how you can be sure they won’t just pass your sacrifice and chortle. How about a new series of lessons on duplicate tactics? I can’t be the only one facing this conversion. Stella Burnett by email.

SALLY BROCK Now that I have read the reason for her column, all readers should accept that Sally is here to stay. He who pays the piper calls the tune. Mr G Makeham, Lewes, East Sussex.

Rosemary Morton Jack, Oddington, Kidlington.

Write to Mr Bridge at: Ryden Grange, Knaphill, Surrey GU21 2TH or e-mail [email protected]

THE BEST YET?

E-mail correspondents are asked to include their name, full postal address, telephone number and to send no attachments.

Your latest magazine, BRIDGE 114, was one of the best ever. You have consistently excellent

Letters may be edited for length and clarity.

Page 42

READERS’ LETTERS continued

The Diaries of Wendy Wensum Episode 7

MATTER OF FACT Your Anniversary Cruise looks fabulous. I have just forwarded the email below to my current and past bridge students: 25th Anniversary Cruise – this looks like a good deal to me. In fact, if I didn’t have classes, I might easily go myself. Let’s face it, if Mr Bridge and his team weren’t any good at what they do, they wouldn’t have grown the business the way they have. Ian Dalziel, Troon, Scotland.

SPANISH BRIDGE In 2005, I set out on a 500 mile walk across Spain. In 2011, ‘A Different View of the Camino de Santiago’ was published. The book is based on a diary I kept of my observations of the people and wildlife during the walk. In many of the bars, I noticed people playing cards with the strange Barajas card deck; (4 suits with 10 cards in each suit). I never saw a standard deck. I was soon reflecting on how this might have affected them as a ‘bridge nation’. When I got round to writing the book, I discovered that Spain finished in 17th place in the 49th European Bridge Team Championships. What a contrast to Italy, a similarsized country with many common features. I would be interested to know if any readers, particularly Spanish ones, agree with my postulation that the Barajas card deck is responsible for Spain’s lowly standing in the bridge world. Bill Watson, Codsall, Wolverhampton.

Keeping the Score

O

n returning from the memorable Spanish holiday, I must admit I found it difficult to re-adjust to the British climate. Life seemed rather mundane, even when playing bridge at the Riverside, but distractions do occur. It was Millie who remarked, rather rudely in my view, on the appearance of a visitor partnering an established and upright club committee member in the monthly team event. Surely, the term moose should never be used to describe a partaker of our noble card game. There were no antlers in evidence so presumably her comment must have referred to some other characteristic of the reindeer family. From time to time, remarkably skewed distributions occur and the following hand was distinctly freakish. West was dealer with both sides vulnerable. ♠ K J 10 9 7 ♥ 9 ♦ A Q 10 9 8 7 5 ♣ Void ♠ 3 2 N ♠ Void W E ♥ A 8 7 S ♥ K 10 6 5 3 ♦ K J 6 4 3 2 ♦ Void ♣ 9 4 ♣ K Q J 10 7 6 5 2 ♠ A Q 8 6 5 4 ♥ Q J 4 2 ♦ Void ♣ A 8 3

At our table, West passed and, sitting North, I opened one diamond. The Moose, as East, overcalled two no trumps, showing both clubs and hearts. Millie bid three spades. With my spade holding, I wondered for a moment if Millie had been drinking, but common sense prevailed. Of course she’d been drinking. The full auction was: West North East South Wendy Moose Millie Pass 1♦ 2NT1 3♠ Pass 5♠ Pass 6♠ Dbl Pass Pass Redl End 1 unusual (clubs and hearts)

Millie completed the auction with a defiant, brandy-enhanced redouble and West led the nine of clubs. Millie ditched the nine of hearts from dummy and won the trick in hand with the ace. She then ruffed a club and the ace of diamonds took care of the last club. Cross-ruffing hearts and diamonds ensured the contact of six spades redoubled with an overtrick and a score of +2,470. ‘There you are,’ said Millie indignantly, looking at me as if my amazement was unfounded, ‘my redoubles are successful sometimes.’ Moose did not seem amused; perhaps antlered creatures do not have a sense of humour. Was

■

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that what Millie had implied? On the other hand, had I misunderstood her? Perhaps she had meant mousse. When Jo and Kate played the hand in the East-West seats, the bidding followed a different route. West North East South Kate

Jo

Pass 1♦ 5♣ Dbl End

South led the ace of spades, which Jo ruffed in hand. The king of trumps brought out the ace and South returned another spade, ruffed by Jo, who removed the opponents’ remaining trumps. Jo then led a small heart towards dummy on which South, unfortunately for him, inserted the jack. Dummy won with the ace. There was still a heart to lose, but the contract of five clubs doubled made, resulting in a score of +770 for Kate and Jo. In the hostelry later over drinks, Jo mused over the results of the hand. ‘With scores like these, perhaps we should make ourselves available to play for the county.’ ‘I don’t think so,’ retorted Millie, downing the remains of her brandy, ‘possibly we are good enough, but county players are expected to score properly. Five clubs doubled vulnerable is +750 not +770. Whose round is it?’

Catching Up

CHARITY BRIDGE EVENTS JUNE 2012 6 DOWNHAM MARKET TOWN HALL Festival Bridge with afternoon tea. 1.00pm start. Tickets £6.00. Pat Roberts ( 01366 382947 15 ST MARY’S CHURCH Eaton Socon, St Neots. 10.00 for 10.30am. £13.50. Malcolm Howarth ( 01480 212910

JULY 2012 27 GREAT BARFORD CHURCH Village Hall, Great Barford. Derek Fordham ( 01234 870324 Malcolm Howarth ( 01480 212910

AUGUST 2012 24 ALL SAINTS’ CHURCH Village Hall Sawtry. 1pm for 1.30pm. Champagne ‘Ritz Tea’. £10. Pat Walters ( 01487 830674 Malcolm Howarth ( 01480 212910

SEPTEMBER 2012 5 GYDA (Gulu Youth Development Association, Northern Uganda) Corn Exchange, Faringdon. £15. Steve Braithwaite ( 01367 240929 14 ST MARY’S CHURCH Eaton Socon, St Neots. 10.00 for 10.30am. £13.50. Malcolm Howarth ( 01480 212910

20 HUDDERSFIELD PENNINE ROTARY CLUB 12 for 12.30pm. Outlane Golf Club. £44 per table inc lunch, tea and biscuits. Brian Noble ( 01484 427356 5 St Teresa’s Hospice Bridge The Gap afternoon at Richmond Support Group (N Yorks) followed by tea. Mary Lovell ( 01748 850208

OCTOBER 2012 5 ST ANDREW’S CHURCH The Mandeville Village Hall, Kimbolton. 10.00 for 10.30am. £14. Mavis Campion ( 01480 860477 6 NSPCC Bridge & Supper, Royal British Legion, Sutton. £10. Wendy Powell ( 01353 664752 Silvia Farmer ( 01353 777373 Margaret Law ( 01353 860334 29 RNLI. Bridge afternoon at Waltham Chase Village Hall (near Bishop’s Waltham). 1.30pm for 2pm - 5pm. £40 a table including tea. Sue Carpenter [email protected] ( 01489 893843

NOVEMBER 2012 22 HUDDERSFIELD PENNINE ROTARY CLUB 12 for 12.30pm. Outlane Golf Club. £44 per table inc lunch, tea and biscuits. Brian Noble ( 01484 427356

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T

by Sally Brock

he most exciting event since I last wrote was my holiday with Briony in Sri Lanka at half term. We flew into Colombo, stayed there overnight and then set off for Kandy via the Elephant Orphanage. After a few nights there, we went south to the Yala National Park for a safari; after that, we went to Galle for four nights by the sea before flying back from Colombo. It was fabulous. This period was also full of sadness when good friend and team-mate Richard Palmer died after a short illness following the discovery of a brain tumour. We went up to Manchester for Michelle Brunner’s stone-setting ceremony, as well as for a one-day Swiss pairs the previous day. After leading the pairs at the halfway stage, we played badly in the second half to slide down the field and finish seventh. The winners were Michael Byrne and Michael Newman. We played them in the fifth match, in which it seemed that on every board we scored either much worse or much better than we deserved. I am embarrassed to say how badly I bid my hand on the following deal. Suffice it to say, my partner became declarer in 6NT. After South opened 2♣ and received a 2♦ negative, South bid diamonds and then no-trumps, while North bid hearts a few times. The progression to quite such a high level was foolish – still …

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Dealer East. N/S Game ♠ 8 6 ♥ K J 10 7 6 3 2 ♦ 10 ♣ 5 4 2 ♠ J 9 4 3 2 ♠ K Q 7 5 ♥ A 9 8 N ♥ Q 5 4 W E ♦ 8 5 4 S ♦ 9 6 ♣ Q 9 ♣ 10 7 6 3 ♠ A 10 ♥ Void ♦ A K Q J 7 3 2 ♣ A K J 8

West kicked off with the ♥A, on which East played the five. This really must be a suit-preference signal as the whole layout of the suit is apparent when declarer discards a club. However, West missed the point and switched to the ♣Q. Partner was quick to win, cross to that precious ♦10, discard a spade on the ♥K and claim the rest. Although 6NT is a terrible contract, it should make on the more normal spade lead. Declarer needs to play clubs for four tricks. The only helpful layouts are a 3-3 break with the queen right, or Q-9 or Q-10 doubleton with West. Thus, declarer wins the lead and cashes the ace of clubs. When West plays the nine, it is surely more likely that he holds Q-9 doubleton than 10-9-x. On a diamond lead, declarer needs four club tricks, making an immediate finesse the only chance. On the ♥A followed by a diamond switch, you need only one extra club trick: again, a first-round finesse is the best chance.

Seven Days by Sally Brock Monday After a much-needed gym visit, I settle down to work. It is Nigeria and Borneo this week. This is my second week of jury duty. Last Monday I turned up as requested at 9.15am, made the first cut from thirty odd, hung around until 2pm when the sixteen of us remaining were ushered into court where the officials read out twelve names. Mine was not one of them so they said I could go away and they would ring me when they needed me. I am still waiting. Then, this afternoon, I get a call asking me to turn up at 1.50pm tomorrow.

Tuesday We hang around until 3.30pm, after which we are ushered into court and sworn in; then the judge adjourns the case until 11am tomorrow.

Wednesday At 12.50pm, we eventually get into court, where the judge tells us that the case involves the theft of something worth £3; in any event, the defendants are not recognisable from the CCTV so he dismisses the case. I had made a lunch date with Carole Mueller, thinking it would be a bit of a rush; in the end, there was no rush at all and we have

time for a good gossip. Then I drive to London to have a cup of tea with Barry before leaving to meet Nicola for our London League match. Chelsea football team are at home and there is a huge police presence on the Earl’s Court Road – at least 40 vans, police with dogs and on horses. We have a salad (and in my case a glass of wine), discussing some system bits and pieces. We have recently decided to take up transfer responses to a 1♣ opening. We are both enthusiastic about the idea but it is quite complicated. The first half of the match goes quite well; I am pleased with our card and we are 20 up. The second half is a different matter. We seem incapable of getting a plus score. I go back to score with a great sense of foreboding, Eggy and Colin have a great card and we put on another 5 IMPs. Last year, we won the London League; this year, we are lying bottom and want to avoid relegation. The biggest swing of the second half is somewhat unexpected. At love all, you hold:

♠ K 3 ♥ 9 ♦ K Q 9 4 2 ♣ J 8 5 4 2

Your right-hand opponent opens 1♥. Do you take any

action? I think it is horrible to overcall an unusual 2NT; all the same, I think they will in the other room, so that is what I choose. My left-hand opponent bids 3♠ (non-forcing), and is raised to 4♠. This is the full deal: ♠ J 10 8 ♥ A K J 10 3 ♦ A 7 5 ♣ 10 9 ♠ Q 9 5 ♠ K 3 ♥ 8 7 6 5 4 2 ♥ 9 N ♦ J 8 W E ♦ K Q 9 4 2 S ♣ K 3 ♣ J 8 5 4 2 ♠ A 7 6 4 2 ♥ Q ♦ 10 6 3 ♣ A Q 7 6

Swayed by my overcall, Nicola gets off to the unfortunate start of the ♣K. There is no recovery after this; worse still, when declarer plays the ♠A and another spade, Nicola thinks declarer is being careful from an initial holding of A-K-x-x-x and goes in with her queen. In truth, even on a diamond lead, declarer can succeed quite easily by ducking the first diamond, winning the second and running the jack of spades. Still, I do not see how –450 can be a good score. As it happens, we gain 8 IMPs. In the other room, East also overcalls 2NT (at least I am right there);

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South, Colin, doubles and then doubles again when East removes to 3♦. On a trump lead and misplay, this results in an 800 penalty.

Thursday Barry is working somewhere early so I leave when he does and, despite traffic, arrive home by nine. A day of catching up with bits and pieces and generally putting affairs in order. I do a bit of invoicing, send off a few Sunday Times articles to my proofreader, tidy up the mess of files on my computer. I arrange my gym visit to coincide with picking Briony up from school. Still no phone call from court. Later on, Barry and I practise for a while on BBO. Actually, we do this quite often at about 10pm, after Briony has gone to bed. We go to a bidding room, fix the high-card points so we have at least 22 and talk on Skype – nice.

Friday I have been looking forward to this weekend. I pick Briony up from school and we head for the south coast – rather slowly – the M25 on a Friday afternoon is hardly the paciest place in the country. We get to Brighton about 6.30pm and meet up with Barry (who has been working in Lewes) at the Metropole. Regular

Sally’s Dramatis Personae Sally Brock lives in High Wycombe with her two teenagers, her husband Raymond having died in early 2008. She works partly as a bridge professional, occasionally playing for pay but more often writing (she is the bridge columnist for The Sunday Times) and teaching online; the rest of the time she works on the production of travel guides – hence the occasional reference to rather obscure countries. She has been a member of the British/ English women’s team on and off since 1979. Briony & Toby are Sally’s 16-year-old daughter and 18-year-old son. Ben is Sally’s 35-year-old son who is married to Gemma. Hayden is their two-year-old son; they live in Waltham Abbey. Barry Myers is Sally’s new partner, both at and away from the bridge table. He is a criminal defence barrister and lives in Shepherd’s Bush. Nicola Smith is Sally’s current international bridge partner. They formed a last-minute partnership in 2008 to join the England women’s team for the World Mind Sports Games in Beijing where they won the gold medal. Nicola has been playing international bridge since she was 17, which is rather a long time ago. Carole Mueller is a friend and leading light of the New Amersham Bridge Club. Richard and Gerry are two of Sally’s regular online clients. Richard lives in North London and Gerry lives in Toronto. Every week Sally plays against them for a couple of hours, stopping to discuss problems that arise – sometimes with Barry if he is not working, and sometimes with herself (when she is almost flawless). Steve Eginton (Eggy) and Colin Simpson, are friends and regular teammates. Sandra Landy is Sally’s good friend and old bridge partner. They first played in 1979, and won world championships together in 1981 and 1985.

Saturday

Seven Days continued

readers of these pages will have heard me speak of Richard and Gerry, whom I teach on a regular basis. Richard lives in Muswell Hill, Gerry in Toronto. As we have come to know each other better and become friends, we like to get together when Gerry is over here (several times a year). We were due to play with them in the London greenpointed teams last Sunday but Michelle’s memorial ceremony got in the way of that. Instead, we have an invitation to spend the weekend with them and their friends in Brighton. Richard runs a small private bridge club for his friends in his kitchen on a Monday evening. They get about four or five tables on a regular basis. This weekend, twenty or so of them have gathered at the Metropole in Brighton for an informal social bridge weekend. On the Friday evening, while they and their friends have fish and chips, Barry and I take my friend and old bridge partner, Sandra, out for dinner. It is good to swap family news and reminisce about old times. We then return to the Metropole where Richard has organised a six-table duplicate for his friends. As it happens, he is not playing so we soon remedy that and sit down to play a few Chicagos. We have given the others an hour’s start; our aim is to get through 18 boards while they finish their 18. I last played with Sandra in 1989 but we soon get back into gear. Honours are more or less even at the end of the session.

I have never thought a great deal of the Metropole but, on reflection, I think that is because it (along with other bridge venue hotels) does not cope well with the sudden influx of bridge players. They never seem to have enough staff. It comes as a total shock to them that 30 or so bridge players all want to buy rounds of drinks when the bridge finishes for the day. This weekend, when it was less busy, I thought it excellent. After an enormous, but truly excellent breakfast, Briony and I hit the shops. Brighton is particularly good for shopping: as well as the general high-street chains, they also have plenty of individual boutiques in The Lanes and the North Laine areas. I have to rush back for a booked, public, at-thetable lesson with Richard and Gerry. It is quite fun to have an audience. (Briony still has more shopping to do so I send her back with my credit card – and commission her to buy me some new underwear.) What we are doing this afternoon is playing TOPs. This is an ingenious invention whereby you can make up hands played in a big pairs’ tournament of the past; then, after you have played the hands, you can compare your scores with the datums that occurred in the actual event. (When you buy the set, you get four packs of cards with different backs so you can make up each hand as you go along. I find this is a bit tedious and prefer to make up the boards beforehand – or in my case pay Briony to make them up for me). After our session, there

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is a tea break before we start to play a teams game. There will be a couple of rounds and then a break for dinner (incidentally, this is excellent). Barry and I each captain one of six teams, which are drawn by lot. I ask my three (Rob, Roz and Chang) if any of them play regularly together: it turns out that Roz and Rob are a semi-regular partnership, so I decide to play with Chang. Apart from a couple of clangers (I think he is pretty nervous), he plays quite well, as do our teammates, but our score of +50 is only enough for second place. Unfortunately, you can guess whose team manages more than that – you got it, Barry’s. There are bottles of champagne and wine for the successful teams. I noticed that, even though some of the players here are quite weak, they have learnt to bid aggressively. Game, which was wafer-thin on this deal, needed careful handling: Dealer East. E/W Game. ♠ A 8 2 ♥ 4 3 ♦ K 9 5 ♣ 9 8 6 4 3 ♠ K 6 ♠ J 7 ♥ A J 9 7 N ♥ 10 8 6 W E ♦ A 6 4 S ♦ Q J 10 3 2 ♣ K 10 7 2 ♣ Q J 5 ♠ Q 10 9 5 4 3 ♥ K Q 5 2 ♦ 8 7 ♣ A

West North East South Pass 1♠ Dble 2♠ 3♦ 4♠ End

West leads the ♦A, on which East plays the queen, and continues with a second

Seven Days continued

diamond. You do not have enough entries to set up the clubs, so you cannot set up an extra trick there. You will need to ruff two hearts in the dummy. Therefore, having put up the ♦K, you play a heart to your king and West’s ace. West continues with a third diamond. You ruff in hand, cash the ♥Q and ruff a heart. Then play a club to your ace and a fourth heart. As expected, West follows and now it is crunch time. Do you ruff with the eight or the ace? It looks most likely that West holds the ♠K. East you know holds the ♦Q-J and probably the ♣Q (West might have led or switched to a club if he held the king and queen). It also seems likely that trumps are 2-2 – West is most likely 2-4-3-4 (though 1-4-3-5 is certainly possible). So there is a good case for finding the winning line of ruffing with the ace of trumps and then running dummy’s eight, thus succeeding on the actual lie of the cards. Richard is one of the most enthusiastic players I know; when everyone else had gone to bed, the three of us, along with Martin, settle down to finish the TOPs boards – another 12 boards. I wish I could tell you more about these; in truth, by then, I was rather awash with red wine – and, when I look at them now, they do not appear familiar at all.

Sunday The following day, after

another good breakfast, the programme calls for an Individual. Our services are not required as they have five complete tables. However, Briony, who had played in a very youthful team the night before, found that she had quite enjoyed herself. Not having played for a couple of years, she says that when she plays with me she feels so hopeless; by contrast, in the present company, everyone seems to think she plays well. She is therefore quite keen to play; this fits in well because Jenny, Richard’s wife, needs to walk the dog (Bobby, a beautiful, black Labrador). In the event, after a couple of boards, Briony plays for the rest of the session (19 boards), with me watching. I am quite impressed. She does a couple of really rather good things and nothing silly. What is more, she wins. We leave Brighton at lunchtime, having thoroughly enjoyed our weekend; on the way back, we decide to take advantage of our National Trust membership and visit Standen, just outside East Grinstead. Barry is a big fan of the Arts and Crafts movement, of which Standen is a good example. We stop in East Grinstead for lunch, drop Barry off at Shepherd’s Bush and head home (all this takes quite a long time because of traffic). We collect an Indian takeaway en route (nobody else really likes Indian so I can only have it on my birthday and Mothering Sunday) and drag Toby out of his room to join us. I must have eaten at least 5,000 calories today. ■ Page 47

PRIZE CROSSWORD 3 – Solution S S

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The winners, listed below, will receive a free bridge weekend place at The Ardington Hotel or The Olde Barn Hotel: Mrs P Theobald, Billericay, Essex. Mrs S Taylor, Farnham, Surrey. Mr B Barrett, Northampton. Mr J Bulmer, Albrighton, Wolverhampton. Mrs C Thorp, Ryde, Isle of Wight. Those unable to take up their prize may transfer it to a friend.

Q PLUS 10 Really user-friendly bridge-playing software FEATURES INCLUDE l

Updated comprehensive manual

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Displays on HD and large screens

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Minibridge option

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5,000 preplayed hands for teams

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4,000 preplayed hands for match-point pairs

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Improvement over two years

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New save match function

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Save deals

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Closed room – new button to view other table

£86 including post and packing

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Five-Card Majors with a Strong No-Trump

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Pre-empting

Minors & Misfits

Opener’s & Responder’s Rebids

Slams & Strong Openings

Support for Partner

No-Trump Openings

Opening Bids & Responses

Overcalls

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Competitive Auctions

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Contents (20 hands each)

The Interactive Way of Improving Your Five-Card Majors Bidding with Bernard Magee Bernard Magee, Britain’s most popular bridge teacher, has joined forces with Q-plus, one of Britain’s best selling bridge software programs, to produce a FiveCard Majors bidding teaching package. Bernard, through 200 deals, evaluates your bids, praising the correct ones and discussing the wrong ones. Bernard explains, in his own inimitable way, difficult bidding sequences. So, if your PC has a sound card and a loudspeaker, you can hear Bernard’s spoken explanations, otherwise they are shown as text on your screen. After the bidding, you may also play the hand. The software is supported by a user friendly manual.

System Requirements 8mb RAM, CD-ROM

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BRIDGE

If undelivered or unwanted kindly return to Ryden Grange, Knaphill, Surrey, GU21 2TH

Q PLUS 10 l

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Closed room – new button to view other table

Save deals with automatic file labelling

New save match function

Improvement over two years from version 9

4,000 preplayed hands for match-point pairs

5,000 preplayed hands for teams

Minibridge option

Displays on HD and large screens

Updated comprehensive manual

Order with confidence.

Return any QPLUS CD and booklet with a cheque for £35 and receive the latest version of wonderful QPLUS Bridge.

QPLUS TRADE-IN OFFER

including post and packing

£86

Really user-friendly bridge-playing software

l

System: 8mb RAM, CD-ROM, Windows XP, Vista or 7

FEATURES INCLUDE

l

See Mail Order Form on page 7.