120.pdf

BRIDGE Number One Hundred and Twenty

Christmas 2012

cruises to

classical civilisations

BOOK NOW FOR MR BRIDGE

SPECIAL FARES

V OYAGES TO A NTIQUITY

exciting bridge voyages – spring 2013 see centre pages

CRUISE ACROSS CONTINENTS

INDIA, OMAN & THE TREASURES OF EGYPT

Combine the mysteries of India and the ancient lands of the Pharaohs in one spectacular voyage!

SPECIAL MR BRIDGE FARES

Mumbai was made the headquarters of the British East India Company in 1687 but it was the opening of the Suez Canal in 1869 that transformed the city – then known as Bombay – into one of the world’s great trading centres. Your journey begins here with an overnight hotel stay and a tour of all the main sights including Mani Bhavan, a museum that was once the residence of Mahatma Gandhi, the Victorian architectural monuments of the British Empire, the Prince of Wales Museum and the Gateway of India. Cruise in comfort, relax in style Board the elegant Aegean Odyssey and sail for Porbandar, birthplace of Mahatma Gandhi, and the port of Muscat in Oman to visit the Sultan's Palace and the famous twin forts. Continue to Salalah, famous for the production of frankincense before relaxing at sea as the ship makes its way to Egypt. After arriving at Safaga you travel to Luxor and visit two truly breathtaking sites: the vast temple complex of Karnak and the subterranean marvels of the necropolis in the Valley of the Kings, a spectacular finale to this memorable journey.

FARES INCLUDE: SIGHTSEEING EXCURSIONS AT ALL PORTS EXPERT LECTURE PROGRAMME

Luxor Safaga EGYPT

Red Sea

Muscat Oman Salalah

Porbandar INDIA Mumbai

Arabian Sea MARCH 20, 2013 – 16 days from £1,695 DATE

PORT

MAR 20

Depart UK

ARRIVE

MAR 21

Arrive MUMBAI India

MAR 22

MUMBAI India Embark Aegean Odyssey

5.00pm

MAR 23

PORBANDAR India

7.00pm

MAR 24

At Sea

MAR 25-26 MUSCAT Oman MAR 27

At Sea

MAR 28

SALALAH Oman

DEPART overnight hotel

2.00pm

2.00pm

2.00pm

8.00pm

MAR 29 - APR 2 Cruising the Gulf of Arabia & Red Sea overnight hotel

APR 3

SAFAGA/LUXOR Egypt Disembark and drive to Luxor

APR 4

LUXOR Egypt Transfer to Luxor Airport for flight home

WINE WITH DINNER & GRATUITIES ON BOARD

ACCOMPANIED BY MR BRIDGE HOST

EXCLUSIVE MR BRIDGE COCKTAIL PARTY SCHEDULED AIR & TRANSFERS

MR BRIDGE FARES*

PLUS MR BRIDGE SPECIAL FARES

Standard Inside £1,695pp Superior Outside from £2,150pp Superior Inside from £1,795pp Deluxe Outside from £2,450pp Standard Outside £1,995pp Deluxe Balcony from £2,795pp

CALL

ON 01483 489 961

SINGLE SUPPLEMENT ONLY £100

EXTEND YOUR HOLIDAY ADD INDIA’S GOLDEN TRIANGLE

* Prices shown are per person, double occupancy and include MR BRIDGE SPECIAL SAVINGS. This offer is subject to availability, is capacity controlled and may be withdrawn at any time.

Enhance your voyage with the classical sights of Delhi, Agra and Jaipur at the begining of your voyage. Known as India’s “Golden Triangle”, this 4-night land tour is an opportunity not to be missed! Please ask for details.

Singles are made especially welcome and a playing partner will always be found.

10093

BRIDGE PLAYERS: The bridge programme is completely optional and Mr Bridge passengers can participate as much, or as little as they wish. There is a supplement of £100 for those wishing to participate in the duplicate bridge programme.

V OYAGES TO A NTIQUITY www.voyagestoantiquity.com

ABTA No.Y2206

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

6 Haslemere 2013

FEATURES 4

6 Bridge Tie

Mr Bridge

9 Bernard Magee Says Ruff in the Short Hand

6 2013 Diaries Standard and Luxury

11 Stephen Cashmore Says Two Opening Hands Should Bid to Game

7 Mail Order Form

13 Julian Pottage Says Lead Partner’s Suit

8 Christmas in Vietnam and South East Asia

17 Harold Schogger Says Eight Ever Nine Never 19 Heather Dhondy Says Use the Rule of Eleven 21 Andrew Kambites Says Do Not Bid a New Suit at the Two Level with Only Eight Points 22 Derek Rimington Says Overcall with a Good Suit 26 Dave Huggett Says Don’t Give a Ruff and Discard

Proof Readers Tony & Jan Richards Danny Roth Richard Wheen Hugh Williams

27 Justin Corfield Says Combine Your Chances

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.

ADVERTISEMENTS 2 Cruise from India to Luxor with Voyages to Antiquity

12 Bridge Events at: Chatsworth House Queensferry Hotel Blunsdon House Hotel The Olde Barn Hotel 14 Voyages to Antiquity Spring Cruises 16 Bernard Magee at Haslemere 2011/2012 18 Bridge Events with Bernard Magee 18 Rubber Bridge Events 20 Bernard Magee’s Tips for Better Bridge 20 Charity Bridge Events 20 S R Bridge Tables

3 Bridge Events at: The Inn on the Prom The Cheltenham Regency 4 Tunisia 2012/3

23 Bridge Events at: Ardington Hotel Elstead Hotel Staverton Park Denham Grove 24 Global Travel Insurance

5 Christmas 2012 and New Year 2013

48 Tutorial Software

5 Mr Bridge Just Bridge Events

48 QPlus Offer

The Inn on the Prom Bridge Events 2013

BRIDGE EVENTS 2013 15-17 February Chris Williams Hand Evaluation – £215 5-7 April Just Bridge – £199 17-19 May Just Bridge – £199 12-14 July Bernard Magee Thinking Defence – £245 26-28 July Just Bridge – £199 9-11 August Just Bridge – £199 6-8 September Just Bridge – £199 13-15 September Just Bridge – £199 11-13 October Just Bridge – £199 25-27 October Just Bridge – £199 1-3 November Further into the Auction – £215

19-21 April Thinking Defence £245 Bernard Magee

29 Nov – 1 Dec Declarer Play – £215

12-14 July Just Bridge £169 16-18 August Just Bridge £169

Cheltenham GL51 0ST

10 South America with Mr Bridge onboard Voyager

Technical Consultant Tony Gordon

Office Manager Jane Cavell

7 Bridge Event Booking Form

Cheltenham Regency Hotel

6-8 December Just Bridge – £199 St Annes-on-Sea FY8 1LU

Full Board – No Single Supplement. Booking Form on page 7.

Page 3

Full Board No Single Supplement Booking Form on page 7.

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

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

£799* 3-17 November 2013 Golf available Tony and Jan Richards

£769* *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 Heathrow to Tunis. Flights from other UK airports are available at a supplement. Prices for seven-night stays are available on application. Pay £70 per fortnight per person extra and have a pool-facing room, tea & coffee making facilities, bath robe and a bowl of seasonal fruit. These holidays have been organised for Mr Bridge by Tunisia First Limited, ATOL 5933.

DETAILS & BOOKINGS

( 01483 489961

UNCLEAR

£50 off

In the last issue of BRIDGE, I announced your Christmas present as being £50 off all or any of the 2013 Just Duplicate Events. To ensure there are no misunderstandings, I have printed the £50 instead of my photograph. This sum should be taken off the 2013 prices which are already very keen. There is a cap on the number of places available at each venue and the offer has been extended until the 7 January 2013. You may make more than one booking if you wish. You may also book to bring non-readers (are there any?) and even your non-bridge playing friends. I do hope this is now clear to everybody. To answer other FAQs: no event will have a group of more than 52; there will be partners for all those who need one; the director will be non playing except in an emergency; there will be no half tables. The price is for full board including Sunday roast. Please ring if you need to know more.

LITTLE VOICE

NEARLY FULL

Good clean second-hand copies of QPlus could make useful Christmas presents for grandchildren or even a bridge partner, while supporting Little Voice, the charity with a school house in Adis Ababa, Ethiopia. Just make your selection. Q Plus 7, 8 or 9. Suggested donation £10, £16 or £25. Please send your cheque for the CD of your choice, made payable to L.U.C.I.A. Little Voice with two 2nd class stamps to cover the cost of posting it to you. More than £3,000 has been raised by this initiative to add to the money raised by Colin Bamberger selling your used postage stamps. Thank you.

Bernard Magee and his team once again take out a party to the Royal Kenz. If you haven’t been with Bernard before, you will be really pleased and if you have, you will know what to expect and get it.

PRIZE QUIZ

COVER STORY

Congratulations to Voyages to Antiquity on being voted Best Specialist Cruise Line at the 2012 Cruise Awards. I can tell you from my own experience that the award is well deserved and I am proud to be involved.

Try the new quiz. Holding the hand below and playing Acol 12-14 no-trump, neither side vulnerable. What would you bid? Send answers in before 20 December 2012, please.

♠ A K Q 5 ♥ Q J 6 5 4 ♦ Q 10 9 ♣ 3

18% DISCOUNT

LONG AWAITED Better Bridge with Bernard Magee, the CD based on the six lectures he gave at Haslemere in 2011, is now ready. With twenty hands for each of the six subjects it is a must have, give it to yourself, Christmas present. This is Bernard Magee at his very best.

ANTIQUITY

Voyages to Antiquity Spring programme is to be found in the centre fold of this issue. Do enquire and book with Mr Bridge to secure a place in one of our exclusive parties at these special prices.

MUCH NEEDED Just a quick plug for my most faithful sponsor. His support helps pay for this free magazine. ( 0208 422 4906 [email protected] Value supplied in two stamps combined.

Page 4

£60 per year provides insurance cover for a club with up to a hundred members for all sorts of eventualities. A small price to pay for peace of mind. Ring John Pilsbury at brokers Moore Stephens on ( 0207 515 5270.

JUST DUPLICATE 2013 11-13 January Elstead Hotel £199

7-9 June Staverton Park £169

9-11 August Cheltenham Regency £199

25-27 January Ardington Hotel £199

14-16 June Chatsworth Hotel £199

9-11 August Staverton Park £169 16-18 August Inn on the Prom £169

1-3 February Elstead Hotel £199 8-10 February Ardington Hotel £199

6-8 September Cheltenham Regency £199

22-24 February Elstead Hotel £199

6-8 September The Olde Barn £169

22-24 February The Olde Barn £169

13-15 September Cheltenham Regency £199 Cheltenham Regency Hotel Cheltenham GL51 0ST

4-6 October Staverton Park £169

14-16 June Elstead Hotel £199

11-13 October Cheltenham Regency £199

14-16 June Staverton Park £169

Chatsworth Hotel Worthing BN11 3DU

12-14 July Inn on the Prom £169

1-3 March Blunsdon House £199

12-14 July Staverton Park £169

8-10 March Staverton Park £169

19-21 July The Olde Barn £169

15-17 March The Olde Barn £169

19-21 July Staverton Park £169

18-20 October The Olde Barn £169

22-24 March Ardington Hotel £199

26-28 July Cheltenham Regency £199

25-27 October Cheltenham Regency £199

5-7 April Cheltenham Regency £199

2-4 August Staverton Park £169

1-3 November The Olde Barn £169

Ardington Hotel Worthing BN11 3DZ

Denham Grove

Near Uxbridge, UB9 5DU

24-27 Dec £455 Just Bridge Jo Walch

(with a small separate section for rubber / Chicago hosted by Diana Holland)

The Olde Barn

Marston, Lincs NG32 2HT

5-7 April Staverton Park £169

8-10 November Elstead Hotel £199

12-14 April Ardington Hotel £199

15-17 November Staverton Park £169

17-19 May Cheltenham Regency £199

22-24 November Elstead Hotel £199

17-19 May The Olde Barn £169

22-24 November The Olde Barn £169 The Olde Barn Hotel Marston, Lincs NG32 2HT

Duplicate Bridge

27-29 Dec £215 Game Tries Gary Conrad 29 Dec – 1 Jan £445 Finding Slams Gary Conrad

21-23 June The Olde Barn £169

31 May – 2 June The Olde Barn £169

Christmas & New Year 2012/13

6-8 December Cheltenham Regency £199

Full Board – No Single Supplement Please note there are no seminars or set hands at these events. Booking Form on page 7.

Page 5

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

( 01483 489961 [email protected] www.holidaybridge.com

Mr Bridge

Bernard Magee at Haslemere Hall

Haslemere, Surrey

14-16 May 2013

Tuesday 14 May Morning Session: 11.00 – 12.30 Thinking Defence Afternoon Session: 14.30 – 16.00 Pre-emptive Bidding

Wednesday 15 May Morning Session: 11.00 – 12.30 Splinters & Cue Bids Afternoon Session: 14.30 – 16.00 Play & Defence at Duplicate Pairs

Thursday 16 May

BERNARDS PARTY

HASLEMERE

Bernard Magee will host a festive party at The Chatsworth Hotel over the weekend 28-30 December, ideal for those of you who have withdrawal symptoms, common around this time of year. The focus of his seminars is on better Defence. He is supported by a full team to assist with supervised play and duplicate sessions.

ALL CHANGE

Date, times and subject matter of the forthcoming Haslemere Festival are all listed in the adjacent advert.

IN FEBRUARY Join Mrs Bridge and I, in February, sailing from Buenos Aires up the South American coast via Rio to Recife. See page 10.

Contents include

IN FEBRUARY

♦ Acol Summary by Bernard Magee. ♦ Guide to the Laws.

My Christmas wish for you is everything I wish for myself; love, peace and blessings.

Mr Bridge

Bridge Tie £15

Morning Session: 11.00 – 12.30 Hand Evaluation (without a fit)

including postage & packing

Afternoon Session: 14.30 – 16.00 Avoidance Play

£12 per ticket For advanced booking, please call Haslemere Hall Box Office

2013 Bridge Players’ Diaries

CHRISTMAS WISH

Some of you have been using the same tutorial software for more than ten years. Send in your old tutorial CD and a cheque for £39 and choose from the list on the order form.

On the 4th Bernard flies to Bangkok in Thailand, to host another party on Aegean Odyssey, visiting Cambodia, Vietnam, Borneo, Malaysia, Brunei and finally ending up in Singapore.

Mr Bridge

From Mr Bridge ( 01483 489961 www.mrbridge.co.uk

( 01428 642161

Order Form on page 7

Please note that all sessions will be filmed.

Page 6

♦ Scoring Tables for duplicate and rubber bridge. ♦ Distributional odds. ♦ Hand patterns and fascinating figures. ♦ Cover colours: Sorry only red and navy blue remain in stock. ♦ All covers printed in gold-coloured ink. ♦ Individual diaries £6.95 each including p&p. ♦ Special concession to clubs and teachers. 10 for £35 and pro rata. £3.50 each inc p&p. ♦ Luxury version with super-soft kidrell cover, gilded page edges and a ball-point pen attached, in ruby red, navy blue or green. £14.95 each including p&p. See Mail Order Form on page 7.

PLAY SOFTWARE

NEW

£86.00 .........

Haslemere 2011 – £25 each

QPlus 10 Trade-in

£35.00 .........

Ruffing for Extra Tricks .........

Bridge Baron 23 NEW Trade-in £36.00 .........

TUTORIAL SOFTWARE Begin Bridge Acol Version

£66.00 .........

Acol Bidding

BRIDGE  BREAKS

TUTORIAL DVDs

QPlus 10

Bridge Baron 23 Mac compatible £63.00 .........

✄

✄

Mr Bridge MAIL ORDER Competitive Auctions ......... Making the Most of High Cards ......... Identifying & Bidding Slams ......... Play & Defence of 1NT Contracts .........

♦ Full-board

♦ Two seminars*

♦ All rooms with en-suite facilities

♦ Two supervised play sessions*

♦ No single supplement

♦ Four bridge sessions**

£66.00 .........

Advanced Acol Bidding

Doubling & Defence to Doubled Contracts .........

Please book ..... places for me at £....... per person,

£96.00 .........

Declarer Play

£76.00

All 6 DVDs as a boxed set £100.00 .........

Single .... Double .... Twin ....

Advanced Declarer Play

£81.00

Leads .........

Defence

£76.00 .........

Losing Trick Count .........

Five-Card Majors with Strong No-Trump £89.00 .........

Making a Plan as Declarer .........

Better Bridge with Bernard Magee Haslemere 2011 £69.00 .........

Responding to 1NT .........

Better Bridge with Bernard Magee Haslemere 2012 In course of preparation

All 6 DVDs as a boxed set £100.00 .........

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

MR BRIDGE TIE £15.00

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

SOFTWARE BUNDLE OFFER – £120.00

Haslemere 2012 – £25 each

Bidding Sequence

.........

It’s Only a Game

.........

Bernard Magee’s Bridge Quiz Book .........

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

.........

BOOKS

Better Hand Evaluation .........

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

Endplays .........

BONE CHINA MUGS

Books – £14.00 each

Date(s) ....................................................................................

Signals & Discards .........

Any two software pieces ......... Duplicate Bridge Rules Simplified £5.95 .........

Name of Hotel/Centre.............................................................

( ...........................................................................................

£15 each

Special requirements (these cannot be guaranteed, but we will do our best to oblige).

BRIDGE PLAYERS’ DIARIES

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

Standard – £6.95

Please give the name(s) of all those covered by this booking.

Red ..... Navy .....

Bernard Magee’s Quiz and Puzzle Book .........

Luxury Kidrell Covers & ball-point pen – £14.95

Tips for Better Bridge .........

Green ..... Navy Blue .....

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

Prices are inclusive of VAT and postage to UK mainland. I enclose a cheque for £.......... Mr/Mrs/Miss .................................................................................................. Address........................................................................................................... ........................................................................................................................ Postcode.........................................( ............................................................

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

Mr Bridge, Ryden Grange, Knaphill, Surrey GU21 2TH.

( 01483 489961

Expiry: ............. CVV ........ Issue No. ...........

e-mail: [email protected] website: www.holidaybridge.com

(CVV is the last 3 numbers on the signature strip)

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

*on tutorial weekends only. **6 sessions on rubber/Chicago events.

✄

✄

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

Page 7

Please note: Just Bridge events contain no seminars and do not award prizes.

CHRISTMAS CRUISE

VIETNAM & THE JEWELS OF SOUTHEAST ASIA

Join us on this celebration voyage from Singapore to Bangkok, and enjoy a Christmas you’ll never forget!

NO SINGLE SUPPLEMENT †

Fly to Singapore and enjoy time to explore and an included excursion of this dynamic City. Cruise to the beautiful island of Borneo and the Sultanate of Brunei, with its magnificent Royal Palace, and Kota Kinabalu in the state of Sabah. Relax on board as we celebrate Christmas Day sailing the South China Sea to Vietnam. Visit Nha Trang and Ho Chi Minh City where a warm welcome, fascinating history and spectacular scenery await. Your final destination is exotic Bangkok where you arrive in style as Aegean Odyssey sails up the Chao Phraya River to berth in the heart of the city. Aegean Odyssey – cruise in comfort, relax in style Carrying around 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. Add more time in Bangkok and visit Angkor Wat in Cambodia An optional 4-night package is available offering 3 nights in a 5-star hotel in Bangkok and 1 night in Siem Reap, Cambodia for a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to see the magnificent temple complex at Angkor Wat. Details on request.

FARES INCLUDE: SIGHTSEEING EXCURSIONS AT ALL PORTS EXPERT LECTURE PROGRAMME WINE WITH DINNER & GRATUITIES ON BOARD EXCLUSIVE MR BRIDGE COCKTAIL PARTY SCHEDULED AIR & TRANSFERS PLUS MR BRIDGE SPECIAL FARES

CALL

ON 01483 489 961

ADD THAILAND, MALAYSIA & BURMA! Begin your voyage on our preceding sailing on December 6 and cruise to Kuala Lumpur, Phuket, Yangon (Rangoon), Penang and Malacca. This makes a magnificent 32-day Grand Voyage offering remarkable value and even greater savings. Please ask for details

10093

Thailand Bangkok

Vietnam Nha Trang

Cambodia Ho Chi Minh City Sihanoukville

Gulf of Thailand Singapore

Kota Kinabalu Bandar Brunei Seri Begawan BoRNEO/ malaysia

DECEMBER 18, 2012 – 15 days from £2,850 DATE DEC 18 DEC 19 DEC 20

PORT Depart UK Arrive SINGAPORE SINGAPORE Embark Aegean Odyssey DEC 21/22 At Sea DEC 23 BANDAR SERI BEGAWAN Brunei, Borneo DEC 24 KOTA KINABALU Borneo DEC 25 Christmas Day at Sea DEC 26 NHA TRANG Vietnam DEC 27 HO CHI MINH CITY Vietnam DEC 28 HO CHI MINH CITY Vietnam DEC 29 At Sea DEC 30 SIHANOUKVILLE Cambodia DEC 31 New Year’s Eve at Sea JAN 1 ’13 BANGKOK Thailand Disembark Aegean Odyssey and transfer to airport for flight home

ARRIVE

DEPART

overnight hotel 6.00pm 7.00am 7.00am

8.00pm 5.00pm

1.00pm 6.00pm

6.00pm overnight 6.00pm

6.00am

8.00pm

7.00am

ACCOMPANIED BY MR BRIDGE HOST

MR BRIDGE FARES* Standard Inside £2,850pp Superior Outside from £3,595pp Superior Inside from £3,095pp Deluxe Outside from £4,150pp Standard Outside £3,450pp Deluxe Balcony from £4,895pp * Prices shown are per person, single or double occupancy, include MR BRIDGE SPECIAL SAVINGS. †Limited availability on cabins with no single supplement. This offer is subject to availability, is capacity controlled and may be withdrawn at any time. BRIDGE PLAYERS: The bridge programme is completely optional and Mr Bridge passengers can participate as much, or as little as they wish. There is a supplement of £100 for those wishing to participate in the duplicate bridge programme. Singles are made especially welcome and a playing partner will always be found.

V OYAGES TO A NTIQUITY www.voyagestoantiquity.com

ABTA No.Y2206

Bernard Magee Says

Ruff in the Short Hand

F

irstly, let me define ‘short hand’. When you are playing in a trump contract, we call the hand (declarer or dummy) with longer trumps the long hand and the hand with the shorter trumps the short hand. Some ruffs you aim for and some you have forced upon you. The ones you aim for either create extra tricks, or are worth extra tricks in their own right. Ruffs in the short hand are very often worth extra tricks in their own right:



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



♠ A K Q J 10 ♥ A J 5 ♦ A ♣ K Q J 9

Contract: 7♠ by South. Lead: ♦K. Spades are trumps and your target is thirteen tricks. You have a singleton in each hand, but you do not try to ruff in both hands – generally you go for ruffs in the short hand. You start with five trump tricks but need more. Ruffing hearts in the short hand is the way to do this. Each time you ruff a heart you make an extra trick as you still have five trump tricks in your hand. How different the case is if you try to ruff diamonds in the South hand. Now instead of gaining a trick you are just making the same five trumps: only as four top trump tricks and a ruff. Indeed, not only do you not gain a trick, but you also shorten your trumps. This could prove disastrous as you can see from the full diagram.

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

The play is simple if you focus on ruffing in the short hand. You have eleven top tricks and so need just two ruffs. Take the red aces, ruff a heart and come to hand with a trump, on which West shows out. Then ruff another heart, come to hand with a club and finish drawing trumps. Your good clubs win the last three tricks. Eleven tricks have become thirteen by ruffing twice in the short hand. Just one diamond ruff in the long hand and you would have lost control as East would have more trumps than you. Sel­dom will trumps break so badly, but you should avoid needless ruffs in the long hand. Here is a typical example of ruffing in the short hand from a duplicate pairs:

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



♠ A J 10 5 4 ♥ J 9 5 ♦ K 2 ♣ A K 2

Contract: 4♠ by South. Lead: ♦Q.

Page 9

You count ten tricks on top and have a chance of an eleventh from your club suit. However, a 3-3 break is against the odds, so you would like a surer way of making an overtrick. Whenever you are looking for extra tricks, always consider ruffing in the short hand. ♠ K Q 7 ♥ 3 2 ♦ A 8 5 3 ♣ Q 7 6 5 ♠ 9 8 6 ♥ A 10 8 7 N W E ♦ Q J 10 6 S ♣ 10 4 ♠ A J 10 5 4 ♥ J 9 5 ♦ K 2 ♣ A K 2

♠ 3 2 ♥ K Q 6 4 ♦ 9 7 4 ♣ J 9 8 3

If you can ruff a heart in dummy, you make your eleventh trick. Win the first diamond in hand and give up a heart. Win the trump return in dummy and play another heart. Win the next trump in hand, ruff a heart in dummy and cross to hand with a club to draw trumps. The defenders could have stopped you from making eleven tricks by leading a trump at trick one. Of course, as the clubs broke 4-2, there was no extra trick there. Once again, note that ruffing diamonds in the long hand would not gain tricks.

Conclusion Ruffing in the short hand nearly always gains a trick, so you should always look for ways to do so in your plan. It is an especially useful tactic in Pairs, where making overtricks can be very important. There are so many deals on which making that extra ruff will move you up the scoreboard. ■

Join Mr & Mrs Bridge as they discover

South America’s Coast

l ow o No SIN r SUPPl GlE EMENT subjec tt availab o ility

South America’s Discovery Coast 24th february – 13th March 2013 – 18 days from £1,949pp RECIFE

SALVADOR DE BAHIA

PARATY ILHABELA SANTOS

RIO DE JANEIRO

MONTEVIDEO BUENOS AIRES

Your VoYAge iNCluDeS • All meals, entertainment and gratuities on board • Comprehensive lecture and guest speaker programme • Captain’s cocktail parties and gala dinners • flights and transfers to and from the ship

All Voyager cruises will have an exclusive group on board. All clients will be invited to the drinks parties. For passengers that opt to pay the £30 bridge supplement; there is duplicate bridge every evening, seminars every morning and afternoon bridge each day the ship is at sea and one of Bernard Magee’s bidding quizzes. The bridge is a fully optional programme and you may participate as much or as little as you wish. Singles are most welcome and will always be accommodated. If space allows any bridge playing passengers will be able to participate in the afternoon bridge session however, priority will always be given to passengers. Don’t miss out on this opportunity to travel with Mr and Mrs Bridge on this exciting voyage of discovery.

Vibrant rio de Janeiro is the centrepiece on this voyage that opens in Buenos Aires to sultry sounds of the tango. uruguay’s rolling savannahs and cattle strewn grasslands are in absolute contrast to Sao Paulo’s sea of skyscrapers. then ilhabela – Brazil’s island idyll. the colonial charm of Paraty soon gives way to the sounds of the samba and Salvador – capital of Bahia ‘land of the Drum’. finally recife – a crucible of cultures epitomising the spirit of this land of passionate rhythms.

HigHligHtS of tHe CruiSe • overnight stay in exciting rio de Janeiro • Delightful Paraty, a showcase of colonial architecture • Stunning landscapes of ilhabela • South American capitals of Buenos Aires and Montevideo • fascinating culture of Salavador de Bahia • Baroque architecture of olinda

Discovery club members save an aDDitional 5%

01483 489961 for brochures and bookings www.bridgecruises.co.uk The fare shown is per person, based on two people sharing the lowest twin bedded cabin category currently available, is for new bookings only, includes all applicable discounts and cannot be combined with any other discount, excluding Discovery Club Discount for past passengers. No single supplement offer is only available on outside cabins. Cabin number may not be given at time of booking. All fares are correct at time of going to print, are subject to availability and may be changed or withdrawn at any time. To be part of the Mr Bridge group a supplement of £30pp will be charged at the time of booking. Terms and conditions apply. Only bookings made through the Mr Bridge office are eligible to be part of the Mr Bridge Group. See brochure for full terms and conditions. Voyages of Discovery is the trading name of All Leisure Holidays Ltd.

Stephen Cashmore Says

Two Opening Hands Should Bid to Game

C

onventional wisdom is that you need about 25 points in your combined hands to take the nine tricks required for 3NT, 26-27 to make four of a major suit (because you need an extra trick), and 28-29 to make five of a minor suit (which entails taking two extra tricks). It follows that, if partner opens the bidding with a value-showing bid, and you also have an opening hand, simple arithmetic puts you in the region of 25 points or more. You should therefore ensure the partnership bids to game. Of course, this is not true if partner opens the bidding with something that shows less than opening values – easy examples being a weak-two bid or a three-level pre-empt. You need a strong hand to think about going to game if partner has advertised a weak hand. However, if partner makes a normal opening of, say, 1♥ or 1NT, and you too have an opening bid, game should be ‘on the cards’. Let’s say you pick up this ordinary looking selection:



♠ 10 8 ♥ K J 10 2 ♦ K J 8 6 ♣ A J 5

Opposite 1♣ (or 1♦ if that is your style) from partner, you have an easy response of 1♥. When he rebids 1NT, showing 1516 points, you simply jump to 3NT to end proceedings. West North East 1♥ Pass ?

South

Curiously, it is harder if partner kicks off with 1♥, your best suit. 2♥ and 3♥ are out – they are non-forcing limit bids. 4♥ is also out – this is a pre-emptive bid, showing something like:



♠ J ♥ K 10 9 6 5 4 ♦ Q 7 5 2 ♣ 9 2

To bid your actual hand, you will, if you do not have a gadget like a Jacoby 2NT to show a game-forcing raise, have to temp­orise with 2♦. You intend to bid 4♥ on the next round. The key thing is to make a bid that ensures that there is a next round, not one that poor partner might pass. West North East 1♠ Pass ?

South

You also have a decision to make if partner starts with 1♠. You cannot bid 2♥, as that promises five hearts. You could bid an immediate 3NT, but that risks missing a 4-4 heart fit, not to mention a possible slam if partner has the right hand. So, you try 2♦ again –a bid to keep the auction open so that you can see what partner bids next. In all three cases, the key point is that you can see immediately that you West North East South should be bidding to game. You must 1♣ Pass 1♥ Pass therefore make either a forcing bid, such 1NT Pass 3NT End as a change of suit, or bid game. First in hand, you would no doubt open 1NT. In fact, partner is first to speak and opens 1 (something). Your first thought should be that, as you have 13 points yourself, you must make sure that the bidding gets to game. Here are some examples (you are East):

Page 11

Of course, we have all failed in 3NT on a combined 28 points, or a doomed 4♥ with 30 points. Just because we know we should bid a game doesn’t mean we are going to make it. You just can’t afford to wait for a 100% contract.

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

♠ 10 8 ♥ K J 10 2 ♦ K J 8 6 ♣ A J 5

Here we see the combined cards for the first example. West opens 1♣, East responds 1♥, West rebids 1NT and East jumps to 3NT. This is all very sensible, but neither player has a spade stopper – the defenders might very well take the first five tricks. What went wrong? Well, nothing really: East-West are unlucky that their red-suit honours are duplicating each other – but that is hard to diagnose in the auction. This is more typical:

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

♠ 10 8 ♥ K J 10 2 ♦ K J 8 6 ♣ A J 5

Both members of the partnership have 13 points – enough for an opening bid – and game is excellent. You would expect to reach 4♥ and make it losing two spades and probably a club. Even the inferior games of 4♠ and 3NT stand a good chance of making. In 4♠, you might lose the same tricks as in 4♥. In 3NT, you might well get away with losing two spades and two clubs. So, if you and partner have 25 (or more) points, you should bid up to a game somewhere. Remember: opening points + opening points = bid game. ■

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Page 12

Julian Pottage Says

Lead Partner’s Suit

W

hen you need to make the opening lead, you very often want to start with the question, ‘Did partner bid?’ If the answer is yes, you follow up with ‘Can I see a very good reason not to lead the suit?’ Normally there is none. These are some of the advantages of leading partner’s suit: 1 You are likely to be leading towards strength and away from weakness. 2 To have bid, partner is likely to have strength, which means that there will be an entry to any winners you set up. 3 On some deals, partner will have bid mainly to direct the lead – this applies to overcalls in particular. 4 The state of mind implied in such a selfless lead keeps partner happy. 5 On the rare occasions when you lead something else, partner can draw a strong inference about your holding.

♠ 10 6 4 ♥ Q 10 8 5 2 ♦ K 10 5 ♣ 9 5

N

W E S

If you lead some other suit, it tends to be because you have a very attractive N lead of your own. An ace-king holding W E or a strong three-card sequence (e.g. S K-Q-J) may well be enough. If you lead a suit bid by an opponent rather than partner, you are almost certain (against West North East South a suit contract) to be leading a singleton. Being void in partner’s suit also excuses 1♠ 2♣ you from leading it. Pass 2♦ Pass 3♣ The time when you treat partner’s End bid as merely a suggestion occurs if you Lead the four of spades. In an unbid forced the situation – for instance if you suit, the lead from three to an honour is made a take-out double or a two-suited quite rare – it is far from safe and risks overcall. Then partner’s bid implies causing confusion. In partner’s suit, it length but not necessarily strength. is quite a common occurrence – lead I said earlier that an opposing bid in the lowest card, not the top one. If, for no-trumps should not deter you from example, declarer has K-J-x or A-J-x of leading partner’s suit. In one situation, spades, this allows you to save the queen it provides half an excuse – if partner to capture the jack later. bid the suit only once and it was not an overcall and you have a singleton in the suit, you may look at your hand and see ♠ 6 4 if you have a decent lead of your own.

♠ Q 6 4 ♥ Q 10 8 5 2 ♦ 10 6 5 ♣ 9 5

♥ Q 10 ♦ K J 9 6 5 ♣ A Q 9 5

N

W E S

West North West Pass

North East South 1♠ 2♣ 2NT 3NT End

Lead the nine of clubs. Partner has a better suit than you do and more entries. Even Mollo’s Hideous Hog would lead a club here. Do not allow the opposing notrump bids deter you from leading a club. What card do you lead in partner’s suit? Someone once said ‘the top card’. This is not the right answer. Normal for most partnerships is to lead the same as you would in an unbid suit. Lead top of a sequence, second from a long bad suit, fourth best from other long suits and the higher card from a doubleton.

♠ A 6 4

♥ J 8 5 3 East South 1♦ Pass 1♠ 2♥ Pass 3♥ End

Lead the six of spades. While you, no doubt, have a better hand than partner does and you may well have a better suit as well, this is no reason to lead a diamond. By leading a spade to start with and waiting for a diamond to come back, both of you are leading up to strength – normally a good idea. What would cause you to reject a lead of partner’s suit? If the opponents are in a suit contract and you hold the ace of partner’s suit, you might try your luck elsewhere rather than risk setting up the king in declarer’s hand. There is no hard and fast rule on this. Page 13

♦ J 10 9 5 2 ♣ 5

N

W E S

West North End

East South 1♣ 1NT

Lead the jack of diamonds. For all you know, the opponents have a 4-4 fit in clubs. South might even have a five-card club suit. What is more, you have a fair five-card suit of your own and a sure entry. Remember, however, that I have included this last example by way of exception. If you want to defeat as many opposing contracts as you can and – just as importantly – maintain partnership harmony – lead partner’s suit. ■

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1 Ruffing for Extra Tricks

7 Leads

This seminar deals with declarer’s use of ruffing to generate extra tricks and then looks at how the defenders might counteract this.

Bernard takes you through all the basic leads and the importance of your choice of lead. If you start to think not just about your hand, but about your partner’s too, then you will get much better results.

2 Competitive Tricks 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.

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.

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. The second half covers some of the techniques used to bid slams.

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.

8 Losing Trick Count A method of hand evaluation for when you find a fit. Bernard deals with the basics of the losing trick count then looks at advanced methods to hone your bidding.

9 Making a Plan as Declarer Bernard explains how to make a plan then expands on how to make the most of your long suits. The first half deals with no-trumps, the second with suit contracts.

10 Responding to 1NT This seminar deals with Transfers and Stayman in detail. The 1NT opening comes up frequently, so having a good, accurate system of responses is paramount.

11 Signals & Discards This seminar deals with Count, Attitude and Suit-preference signals: aiming to get you working as a partnership in defence.

12 Endplays

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.

Bernard takes you through the basics of the technique before showing some magical hands where you take extra tricks from defenders. In the second half, Bernard looks at how to avoid being endplayed as a defender.

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Harold Schogger Says

Eight Ever Nine Never

T

his rule is mainly about what to do if you are missing the queen and want to know whether to finesse.



♠ K J 6 5 N W E S



♠ A 7 4 3

Do you play off the ace-king, hoping the queen falls in two rounds, or do you cash the ace in case of a bare queen and finesse on the second round? The key situations are when West holds Q-x-x or when East has Q-x. ‘Eight Ever Nine Never’ helps you decide. With eight cards between the two hands, you should finesse the jack. When there are five cards missing and the suit breaks 3-2, obviously the queen will be in the three-card holding three times for every twice that it is in the doubleton. You would need a very good reason to go against the rule. What could that be? If there are sixteen points missing, East opened the bidding and West has turned up with an ace, you would put East with the queen and try to drop it.

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



♠ J 10 ♥ A 8 7 4 3 ♦ A K Q 5 ♣ A 3

How do you play the trumps in 4♥?

‘Nine Never’ says not to finesse with nine cards but the odds are closer. In general, Q-x offside is slightly more likely than Q-x-x onside, which is why the rule says to go for the drop. So do you play off the ace-king? I must tell you the bidding before you answer. Suppose first that you opened 1♥ in fourth seat and that, with no opposing bidding, you reached 4♥. In this case, you follow the rule and play for the drop. In fact the bidding was: West North East South Pass Pass Pass 1♥ 1♠ 2♥ 3♠ 4♥ End

The opponents have bid a lot with 14 points between them, especially if they are vulnerable. They must have some distributional values. In this case, you would cash only the heart ace, planning to finesse on the second round. This works when the full deal is: ♠ 9 8 ♥ K J 6 5 ♦ J 10 8 3 ♣ K 6 2 ♠ A K 7 6 4 N ♥ Q 10 9 W E ♦ 7 2 S ♣ 9 8 5 ♠ J 10 ♥ A 8 7 4 3 ♦ A K Q 5 ♣ A 3

♠ Q 5 3 2 ♥ 2 ♦ 9 6 4 ♣ Q J 10 7 4

If the finesse or drop decision is in a side suit, you might try some detective work in the other suits first. You might be able to establish that one opponent is long in the key suit or that he needs the vital queen to justify his bidding. In such cases, you can finesse him for it. Page 17

When you have to tackle the key suit head on, the bidding often provides the best clue. If one of the opponents made a two-suited overcall, he will be short in the other suits and the queens there are likely to be in the other hand. Has there been an informative double? Informative is exactly what it can be. ♠ A 7 4 2 ♥ A K 6 ♦ K J 7 3 2 ♣ 6 ♠ 5 ♥ 8 5 4 3 N W E ♦ Q 8 4 S ♣ J 9 5 4 2 ♠ K J 9 6 3 ♥ 7 2 ♦ A 9 6 ♣ 8 7 3

West Pass End

♠ Q 10 8 ♥ Q J 10 9 ♦ 10 5 ♣ A K Q 10

North East South 1♦ Dble 1♠ 3♠ Pass 4♠

West leads a club. East wins with the queen and switches to the heart queen. Having won this, you need to play the trump suit. If you follow the maxim, ‘Nine Never’, you will play the spades from the top. Of course, you should not expect spades to break 2-2 because of East’s take-out double. With this in mind, you cash the ace (in case of a bare queen) and are happy to see West follow. You finesse the jack next time as East’s double said he had tolerance for all the unbid suits. The double also implies that East is short in diamonds. So, after drawing the last trump, you finesse West for the diamond queen. You have used the auction to find both queens, one to reject the maxim and one to follow it. ■

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Heather Dhondy Says

Use the Rule of Eleven

P

artner leads the seven of spades and dummy plays low. Which card do you play as East?

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

♠ A 10 9 3 ♥ J 7 5 3 ♦ A 2 ♣ 10 9 8

West North East Pass 3NT End

South 1NT (12-14)

The rule of eleven will help you to calculate the exact layout of the suit. Note: the rule only applies when you are playing fourth-highest leads. How does it work? Subtract the spot value of partner’s lead from eleven and this will tell you how many higher cards in the suit lie in the remaining three hands. Since you can see your own hand and dummy’s, you can work out how many higher cards declarer holds. Let’s work through the example above. The spot value of partner’s lead is seven. Subtract this from eleven, as per the rule, and you are left with four. Count the number of cards higher than the seven that exist between dummy and your hand – the king in dummy, and your A-10-9 come to four. What this means is that declarer holds no card higher than the seven. You can play low and let partner win the trick. By leaving your partner on lead, he can continue playing the suit through dummy to give you four spade tricks.

This is crucial to the defence since partner has no entry except in spades. Note that, if partner’s lead was second highest from small cards, the rule of eleven does not work. Here it does not matter. Whatever partner’s lead, it is safe to play the three since, in either case, he will hold the eight. 2 ♠ 8 7 2 ♥ K Q ♦ A 9 4 2 ♣ A Q 8 7 ♠ 6 5 4 ♥ 8 6 4 N W E ♦ Q 6 5 S ♣ J 9 6 5 ♠ A 9 3 ♥ A 9 7 2 ♦ J 7 3 ♣ K 3 2

♠ K Q J 10 ♥ J 10 5 3 ♦ K 10 8 ♣ 10 4

West North East Pass 3NT End

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

♠ Q J 10 9 4 ♥ Q 10 5 3 ♦ K 7 ♣ J 10

West North East Pass 3NT End

South 1NT (12-14)

Put yourself in South’s seat as declarer. West leads the five of clubs; dummy plays the seven, East the ten and you the king. Let’s use the rule of eleven to discover the layout of this suit. Five from eleven leaves six higher cards remaining between dummy, East and your own hand. We have seen three of them contributed to the first trick – and the remaining three are all in dummy. Therefore East has no further high cards in the suit. It is safe, indeed necessary, to take a double finesse against the jack-nine to bring this suit in for four tricks. On this occasion, you can be sure that the lead is fourth highest. Why is this? Looking at the three and two in your own hand, you know that it cannot be second highest from four small. Page 19

You will see from those examples that the leader’s partner and declarer can equally use the rule. Back now to East:

South 1NT (12-14)

Partner leads the six of clubs, which goes to the ten and king. Declarer then runs the queen of diamonds to your king. You are faced with a similar problem to the one declarer had last time. This time the lead is the six of clubs instead of the five. If you work through the rule of eleven, six from eleven leaves five. We have seen three of the five on the first trick, and you can see three more – the ace, eight, jack. Whoops. Has something gone wrong? The rule doesn’t work. What can we deduce from this? The only answer can be that the lead was not fourth highest. What it could be is second highest from a suit headed by the nine-six. This tells you to give up on clubs. Even if partner has an entry, you can never set up the suit in time. You must switch to the queen of spades. What a difference one small spot card makes – be glad that the rule of eleven helped resolve the suit both times. ■

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Bernard Magee’s Tips for Better Bridge 65 invaluable tips in 160 pages Bidding Tips 1 Always consider bidding spades if you can 2 Bid more aggressively when non-vulnerable 3 Always double when the opponents steal your deal 4 A 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 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

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 20

Andrew Kambites Says

Do Not Bid a New Suit at the Two Level with Only Eight Points

Y

our partner opens the bidding with 1♥. How many points do you need to respond? There has always been a consensus that with six points you shouldn’t pass. The logic is obvious. Opener can hold up to nineteen points and you need twentyfive points for game, which means that passing with six points risks missing game. People also recognise that, if you have shape and a good fit then you might make game on far fewer points.

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

Most experienced players would respond 1♠ to 1♥ with hand A. Not only might 4♠ be possible, it might make even with 1♥ due to go off. Responding 1♠ could gain in some other way, such as improving the part-score. For example, the auction might proceed: 1♥-1♠-1NT2♠-End. There has never been quite the same consensus about what you need to change suit at the two level, e.g. 1♥-2♣. This is partly because factors other than the desire to avoid missing game come into the equation. You need to respond with six points, yes, but what to respond is open to discussion, and there are several possible criteria. One possible yardstick is the traditional Acol requirement of nine points (counting one length point for a five-card suit). The idea behind this is that you need an extra trick for a two level contract, so it might be a good idea to have an extra king (marginally under one thirteenth of the high card points in the pack). I have never found this logic totally

convincing because it is very rare for the bidding to die at the one level anyway. A better explanation is that, with a weak hand you should strive hard to keep the bidding low. Nowadays, tactical factors have pushed standards up, to the extent that, in many countries (though not the UK) it is quite common to play a two-overone response as game forcing. When the English Bridge Union started the Bridge for All teaching scheme, it decided that, for anyone learning the game in England, it might be sensible if they learnt the same system so they would feel at ease walking into a new club and playing with a stranger. I would thus like to refer to Standard English, the version of the Acol bidding system associated with Bridge for All. This gives the criteria as follows: You can bid at the two level with ten (high card) points or even nine if you have a very long suit. In practice, nobody would object to responding 2♣ to 1♥ if you held hand B. Your club suit has trick-taking potential far in excess of its eight high-card points. Moreover, your three-card heart support makes your next action easy. If partner rebids 2♥, you can happily pass; if partner rebids 2♦, you can happily give preference to 2♥. I can conveniently express these criteria in the Rule of Fourteen: add together your high-card points and the number of cards in your longest suit and if the total comes to at least fourteen you can change suit at the two level. It is not necessarily sensible to apply the Rule of Fourteen indiscriminately. Partner opens 1♥ and you hold:



♠ Q 8 4 ♥ 2 ♦ J 7 6 5 3 2 ♣ A J 7

Page 21

This hand meets the Rule of Fourteen, but it would be blinkered to respond to 1♥ with 2♦. You are forcing partner to find a rebid and he is quite likely to have to rebid 2♥. You could only pass this, but your side would be in a very silly contract if he has had to rebid 2♥ with five poor hearts. It is far more sensible to respond to 1♥ with 1NT – keeping the bidding low with a poor hand and a misfit and giving opener the opportunity to pass. Certainly, he should pass rather than sign off in 2♥ if he has five hearts. Remember, unlike other no-trump bids that occur early in the auction, your 1NT response does not promise a balanced hand. I call it a ‘dustbin bid’ because you throw into the dustbin all the rubbish that doesn’t fit anywhere else. It is worth considering just how unbalanced a 1NT response might be. If partner opens 1♠, what should you respond with hands C or D?

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

Look at it this way. If partner opens 1♠, there are only two bids available to you if you have six, seven or a poor, misfitting eight points: 2♠ or 1NT. You can rule out 2♠, so it has to be 1NT. Of course, you could turn your nose up at these hands and pass, but it is quite possible that 3NT or five-of-aminor is easy for you, while 1♠ is going off. Bidding is so much easier if you are prepared not to be too squeamish about responding 1NT on hands like these. Treat it as a dustbin bid, and you will end up in far more playable low-level contracts. ■

Derek Rimington Says

Overcall with a Good Suit

T

he primary objectives for suit overcalls are:

1 to direct the opening lead; 2 to suggest a sacrifice; 3 to crowd the opponents’ bidding, ideally to push them too high; 4 to reach a contract your way. The range for a suit overcall at the one level is extensive and you should count points for high cards and distribution. Any six-card suit is suitable; with five cards, suit quality is more important than strength elsewhere in the hand.

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

At love all, your right-hand opponent opens 1♣. Hand 1 is worth an overcall of 1♠ but hand 2, with more points, is not. The reason is that (1) has the jack of spades to support the king and good secondary cards in the nine and eight of spades. Also, 5332 hands are not as power­f ul as 5422, especially if an oppon­ ent has bid the four-card suit. With hand 1, your length and the 1♣ opening make it likely partner is short in clubs, increasing the chance of a spade fit. Vulnerability is an important factor – neither hand would be worth 1♠ if vulnerable. Suit length is also most important. Substitute the jack of hearts in hand 2 for the jack of spades and you can justify a 1♠ overcall, even if vulnerable, because of the six-card suit. Conscious competence is a valuable attribute when overcalling. The more favourable the vulnerability and the more opposing bidding space you can consume, the greater the case for making an overcall.



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

Hand 3 is a minimum overcall of 1♠ not vulnerable if RHO has opened 1♣ because it stops LHO from responding 1♥. Exchange the eight of spades for the queen and it becomes a sound overcall at any vulnerability. Hand 4, with the two decent five-card suits, justifies an overcall of 1♠ over 1♦. If you run into a penalty double, you might escape into your second suit. Two-level overcalls normally require a good six-card suit such as Q-J-9-8-6-4 or better and the values for an opening bid. A very strong five-card suit also qualifies if it obstructs the opponents.

In the sandwich seat – when both the opponents are bidding but your partner has passed – the need for a good suit is extra strong. For one thing, there is a reduced chance that your side will buy the contract. This adds to the need to bid a suit you want led. For another, knowing about each other’s hands, they are in a good position to penalise you. Dealer: South. Love All. ♠ K 9 4 ♥ A 8 5 2 ♦ 8 6 ♣ Q J 4 3 ♠ J 5 N ♠ Q 8 7 6 2 ♥ J 10 7 3 W E ♥ Q 9 6 ♦ K 10 7 2 S ♦ A Q 3 ♣ 7 6 5 ♣ 9 8 ♠ A 10 3 ♥ K 4 ♦ J 9 5 4 ♣ A K 10 2



Hand 5 Hand 6 ♠ K 5 ♠ 7 5 2 ♥ 6 2 ♥ 6 2 ♦ K 4 2 ♦ A 7 2 ♣ A J 7 6 5 4 ♣ A K J 10 6

If RHO opens 1♠, pass with either of these hands if you are vulnerable. If not vulnerable, you can overcall 2♣. You would need a hand like hand 7 to overcall at unfavourable vulnerability: Hand 7 ♠ K 5 ♥ 6 2 ♦ 7 4 2 ♣ A K Q 8 6 2

Here you have a very good suit and six likely tricks in your hand. Page 22

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

This was how the bidding went at one table in a Crockford’s match. Goaded by the overcall, West led the jack of spades. Declarer won in dummy with the king and later finessed the ten of spades. Eight tricks had become nine. The overcall was particularly poor, as East has a good holding in the other unbid suit, diamonds. At the other table, the bidding was the same except East passed over 1♥. After West led the two of diamonds, declarer made only eight tricks. Now for my hobbyhorse – bidding is more important than play. Even a near beginner would make 3NT on a spade lead but not on any other. ■

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Dave Huggett Says

Don’t Give a Ruff and Discard

A

joy as declarer is ruffing losers in one hand or the other – but you just can’t on some deals …

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

♠ 10 8 3 ♥ 10 9 6 3 ♦ Q J 5 2 ♣ Q 10

West North East South 1♠ Pass 3♠ Pass 4♠ End

With twenty-six points, you arrive in 4♠ but are sorry to see no way to obtain useful ruffs anywhere. Success appears to hinge on a 3-3 club break, in which case you make five spades, two diamonds and three clubs. A glance at the diagram shows that this wish would not come true – but just imagine that West mistakenly starts with three rounds of hearts. (Maybe West thought that East’s three of hearts on the first round showed an odd number, while East just meant it as discouraging. These things happen.) This would be a serious error because declarer could ruff the third heart in dummy while discarding a losing club (or diamond) from hand. Allowing declarer a ruff and discard is a cardinal defensive sin. You should avoid this at all costs – or nearly all costs, as we shall see later. On the next deal, move to the West seat and see how your refusal to give a ruff and discard will break the contract:

Let’s change the deal ever so slightly: ♠ K 8 7 2 ♥ 6 5 ♦ K 9 6 ♣ 7 6 4 3 ♠ 5 3 N ♥ K Q J 2 W E ♦ Q 7 3 S ♣ J 9 8 2 ♠ A Q J 10 9 ♥ A 10 ♦ A 10 5 2 ♣ A K

♠ 6 4 ♥ 9 8 7 4 3 ♦ J 8 4 ♣ Q 10 5

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

♠ 6 4 ♥ 9 8 7 4 3 ♦ 8 7 ♣ Q 10 5 3

South arrives in 6♠ and you lead the king of hearts. Declarer wins, cashes two top clubs from hand, goes over to dummy with the king of spades and ruffs a club. He then draws the last trumps and exits with the ten of hearts to your jack. These cards remain:

The contract and lead are the same. If again declarer wins the opening lead, ruffs a club after drawing trumps and exits with a heart, there is a serious difference. These cards now remain:

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

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

♠ Void ♥ 9 8 7 ♦ J 8 4 ♣ Void

Can you see that, if you led another heart declarer would be able to throw a diamond from dummy whilst ruffing in hand? Then he would have no diamond losers. It would be just as fatal for you to lead a diamond as then declarer could pick up that suit without loss. The only safe thing is for you to lead your last club. Declarer can ruff in hand but will have a diamond to lose. Page 26

♠ Void ♥ 9 8 7 ♦ 8 7 ♣ Q

You as West are on lead. Here, while a diamond lead would let declarer pick up the suit, a ruff and discard does him no good – with at least three diamonds left in each hand, he will still have a diamond loser. So, it would be equally safe to lead a heart or a club. This is rather an exceptional case, however. The basic principle of never giving a ruff and discard is a sound one. ■

Justin Corfield Says

Combine Your Chances

W

hen two or more lines of play are possible, it is not always necessary to choose between them. On a good day, you are able to try one suit and, if you find it unfavourably disposed, try another one instead. Here is an example of what I mean:

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

♠ A K J 10 9 ♥ Q 9 4 ♦ A 5 ♣ 9 8 2

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

West leads a low diamond against your 3NT contract, unkindly removing your only stopper there. Since the defenders threaten to run the diamonds as soon as they get in, you will need to make nine tricks without losing the lead. You have six tricks on top and potential for three more in each of the other suits – so which suit should you try? The answer is to try them all. Cash the ♣A-K first. If the club queen drops, you are home. If she doesn’t appear, cash the ♠A-K. If the queen of spades drops, again you have your nine tricks. If neither queen appears, your last chance is to try the heart finesse. This line of play is much more likely to succeed than any that puts all of your eggs into one basket. Three chances are much better than one.

In situations where you are able to combine your chances in more than one suit, you often need to do things in the right order. On this deal, if you were to tackle spades before clubs, for example, you would end up in the wrong hand to take a heart finesse if neither black suit cooperated. If you come to take the heart finesse, which card should you lead from the South hand to take it? The nine of hearts is correct – you can continue with the queen if it holds. (Give West ♥K-8-7-6 to see why you play this way). It would be a shame to get this far only to fall at the last hurdle. Sometimes it is harder to spot where your extra chances are. Take this hand:





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

♠ A Q J 8 4 3 ♥ K 2 ♦ K 3 ♣ A K 7

You reach 6♠ after an uncontested auction. West leads a club. There are 11 top winners. How many chances for a twelfth trick do you see? If the ace of hearts is with East, you will be able to lead up to your king of hearts to set up a twelfth trick. You have an extra chance, also, that the clubs divide 3-3. If they do, you will be able to discard your possible second heart loser on dummy’s long club, making the contract irrespective of where the ace of hearts is. If they do not break kindly, you can fall back on the hearts – so you intend to play clubs before hearts. Page 27

However, there is yet another chance to make the contract. Playing off the two top diamonds and ruffing a diamond will set up the nine of diamonds any time one defender began with ♦Q-J-10 exactly. Granted, this is very unlikely, but it costs you nothing to try. If you are able to add just two or three percent to the odds of succeeding each time you declare a hand, over a year that adds up – to a lot of matchpoints, masterpoints, money or whatever it is you play for.

Combining All Your Chances The line of play that caters for all of your chances is to draw trumps and then play three rounds of diamonds, ruffing the third. If you are so lucky that the ♦Q-J-10 have dropped, you can try the clubs for an overtrick (and should buy a lottery ticket). If the nine of diamonds is not established, try the ♣A-K-Q to see if the clubs divide 3-3. If they do, you have 12 tricks. In practice West shows out on the third round. When neither of the minor suits cooperates, your last resort is to try leading a heart up to the king, hoping the ace of hearts is onside.

Make Your Own Luck I once saw a hand where declarer, an expert, had a diamond suit consisting of the singleton two opposite the ace, jack and three. He crossed to the ace of diamonds and ruffed the three, bringing down the ♦K-Q doubleton from one of the defenders. (He was my teammate at the time, thankfully). This play made his 4♠ contract and won us the match. Yes, this is very, very lucky, but how many of us would even visualize this possibility? Look carefully for where your chances are, and then try to find a line of play that combines them all. The effort could be well worthwhile. ■

BEGIN BRIDGE ACOL VERSION Learn to play bridge with Britain’s £66 best-known bridge teacher. Through 20 interactive chapters, Bernard teaches you the

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ACOL BIDDING l Basics

Better Bridge with Bernard Magee

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Making the Most of High Cards

Finding and Bidding Slams

Play and Defence of 1NT Contracts

Doubling and Defence Against Doubled Contracts

Ruffing for Extra Tricks

120 Hands from Haslemere 2011

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Competitive Auctions

BRIDGE

l Making Overtricks in No-trumps

Playing Doubled Contracts Safety Plays

FIVE-CARD MAJORS &

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Minors & Misfits

Rebids

Slams & Strong Openings

Support for Partner

No-Trump Openings

Opening Bids & Responses

Strong No-Trump

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Pre-empting

Lead vs No-trump Contracts

l Partner of Leader vs No-trump Contracts

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Doubles

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l Partner of Leader vs Suit Contracts

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Overcalls

Lead vs Suit Contracts

Defensive Plan

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Signals

Signals

l Attitude

l Discarding

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Stopping Declarer

Competitive Auctions

l Count

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the Hand

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l Counting

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DEFENCE

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l Suit Establishment in No-trumps

l Making Overtricks in Suit Contracts

ADVANCED DECLARER PLAY

l Suit Establishment in Suits

l Avoidance l Wrong Contract

Squeezes

l Simple l Counting the Hand

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l Trump Reductions & Coups

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l Endplays l Ruffing for Extra Tricks l Entries in No-trumps

Using the Lead Control

the Bidding

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l Endplays & Avoidance

l Trump

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l Delaying Drawing Trumps

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l Hold-ups

DECLARER PLAY

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ADVANCED ACOL BIDDING

l Opening Bids and Responses

Twos

Strong Hands

Defence to 1NT

£96 l Misfits and Distributional Hands

l Defences to Other Systems

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l Doubles

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l Defence to Weak Twos

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l Weak

l Advanced Basics

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l Slams and Strong Openings l Support for Partner l Pre-empting l Overcalls

Minors and Misfits

Opener’s and Responder’s Rebids

l No-trump Openings and Responses l l l Doubles

Auctions

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