121

BRIDGE Number One Hundred and Twenty One

January 2013

DISCOVER THE TREASURES OF INDIA, OMAN

& EGYPT

Exclusive saver fares on an extraordinary voyage to antiquity

SEE MORE CRUISE DETAILS ON PAGE 2

Award-winning cruises aboard Aegean Odyssey

V OYAGES TO A NTIQUITY www.voyagestoantiquity.com

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 Bridge Consultant Bernard Magee Technical Consultant Tony Gordon Typesetting & Design Ruth Edmondson

3 Bidding Quiz by Bernard Magee 4

7 Bernard Magee Says Use the Entry Rule

11 David Stevenson Answers Your Questions 14 Julian Pottage Answers Your Questions 18 Bring on the Dancing Girls by Dick Atkinson 19 Declarer Play Quiz by David Huggett 20 Declarer Play Answers by David Huggett 21 Jeremy Dhondy Says Use the Rule of Twenty

29 The Diaries of Wendy Wensum

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.

13 Bridge Events at: Blunsdon House Hotel The Olde Barn Hotel 16 Voyages of Discovery Voyager 2013 Cruises 19 Bridge Events at: Queensferry Hotel Chatsworth House 20 Begin Bridge, Acol Version with Bernard Magee 23 Bridge Events at: Ardington Hotel Elstead Hotel 24 Global Travel Insurance

22 Liz McGowan Says Cover an Honour to Promote Something

Office Manager Rachel Everett

You are West in the auctions below, playing ‘Standard Acol’ with a weak no-trump (12-14 points) and 4-card majors. (Answers on page 30.)

12 Duplicate Bridge Rules Simplified

8 Julian Pottage Says Lead from A-K

23 The A to Z of Bridge: Q by Julian Pottage

Bernard Magee’s Bidding Quiz

10 Tutorial Software and QPlus

Mr Bridge

Proof Readers Tony & Jan Richards Catrina Shackleton Richard Wheen Hugh Williams

Events & Cruises ( 01483 489961 Rosie Baker Jessica Galt Megan Riccio Sophie Pierrepont

9 South America with Mr Bridge onboard Voyager

FEATURES

26 Bridge Events at: Staverton Park Denham Grove 27 Haslemere 2013

26 A Hand to Learn From? by Richard Wheen 27 Readers’ Letters

27 Bernard Magee’s Hand Evaluation 27 Christmas Quiz 28 Christmas Quiz Solutions

30 Bidding Quiz Answers by Bernard Magee

ADVERTISEMENTS 2 Cruise from India to Luxor with Voyages to Antiquity



West North East South 1♥ Pass ? 2. Dealer North. Game All. ♠ A Q 8 4 ♥ A 9 4 3 N ♦ 10 8 7 6 W E S ♣ 8

West North East South 1♦ Dble Pass ?

28 Bernard Magee’s Tips for Better Bridge 29 Bridge Events at: Cheltenham Regency Hotel 30 Bridge Events at: The Inn on the Prom

5 Mail Order Form

31 Mr Bridge Just Duplicate Events

5 Bridge Event Booking Form

31 Rubber / Chicago Bridge Events

6 Bernard Magee at Haslemere 2011/2012

32 Spring Cruises with Voyages to Antiquity



24 Feb – 10 March 2013 3-17 November 2013 Selling Fast – Book Now Golf available Bernard Magee Tony and Jan Richards from £799

from £769

For Information Pack ( 01483 489961 Page 3

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

West North East South 2♣1 Pass 2♦2 Pass 2♥ Pass ? 1 strong and artificial 2 negative

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

1. Dealer East. Game All. ♠ 10 8 7 6 N ♥ A 3 W E ♦ Q J 10 5 S ♣ A 4 3



4. Dealer East. Love All. ♠ J 6 5 4 2 N ♥ 9 W E ♦ A J 7 5 4 2 S ♣ 7

West North East South 1♠ Pass ?

LOOKING BACK

2012 was in every way a busy year for Mrs Bridge and myself, celebrating twenty five years of selfpromotion in and around the game of bridge. In March, we sailed from Athens on Aegean Odyssey with Tony and Jan Richards as team leaders. This was their 50th such cruise for my organisation and I presented them with a Scott Hanson Whale Tail sculpture as a well deserved memento. We left the Richards on the ship in Rome and flew home to prepare for my Festival of Bridge cruise on board Discovery, two weeks of bridge, morning, noon and night. A team of 13 bridge teachers, directors and hosts, once again led by Tony and Jan. Four days after docking at Portsmouth, we went back to Aegean Odyssey to work on further improving the ship services and the on-board bridge. Chivvying while trying not to make myself too unpopular, but all the while remembering I didn’t try hard enough on-board Discovery until too late. Then back to the office to start a personal project, but more about that in the next issue. With that well underway, we hopped off to Brittany for a couple of weeks bucket and spade. Windy and wet this year

BRIDGE 120.

and I didn’t use my mobile once in the first week. Then back home and the Olympics – all our seven children and their children shared it with us, several times at the various stadia but mostly in front of the television. Fantastic memories. As it was my jubilee year, we headed for Aegean Odyssey, this time to welcome a party of 11 American bridge players. To my considerable relief, they fitted in quite well. It seems that zero tolerance of Bad Behaviour at Bridge really works throughout the United States and Canada. Mid-September saw the early arrival of a fifteenth grandchild and in October we again joined Aegean Odyssey to find absolutely nothing to complain about. Famously, I telephoned their head office excitedly to tell them so. November found us on Minerva sailing through the Red Sea and along the pirate coast, as far as Muscat from where we jumped ship. We flew back just in time to put on our glad rags to attend Voyager’s Naming Ceremony. The following day we sailed for the Caribbean with a team led by Tony Richards, Jan having to stay at home after major heart surgery. You will be pleased to hear she is making a rapid and full recovery. Be assured, I will tell you more about both Voyager and bridge on board, in my next issue. We said our goodbyes in Madeira and flew home in time for the Mr Bridge office Christmas party where I wore my traditional turkey hat as pictured in

The following morning, I was quietly shaving. Looking out of the bathroom window, I saw the telephone cable trembling violently and then going limp. A visibly shaken Leanora appeared, having walked up the drive, after a tree had fallen across the path in front of her. We had no land telephones, email or internet for a week and I reflected on the transient nature of things.

REALLY CLEAR

£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. Let there be absolutely no misunderstandings, 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 23 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

Page 4

emergency; there will be no half tables. The price is for full board including Sunday roast. Please ring if you need to know more.

18% DISCOUNT

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.

LITTLE VOICE Good clean second-hand copies of QPlus could make useful presents at any time 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. QPlus 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 funds raised by the late Colin Bamberger selling your used postage stamps. Thank you.

PRIZE QUIZ The winning bid was 1♥. Everyone who sent in a correct entry, in time, has been posted their prize. Happy New Year.

Mr Bridge

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,

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Declarer Play

£76.00

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

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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

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SOFTWARE BUNDLE OFFER – £120.00

Haslemere 2012 – £25 each

Bidding Sequence

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It’s Only a Game

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

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

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BOOKS

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

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

Endplays .........

BONE CHINA MUGS

Books – £14.00 each

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

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

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

£15 each

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

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 5

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

BERNARD MAGEE Filmed Live at Haslemere Festival 2011

2012

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.

DVDs

DVDs

Each £25. Boxed Set of 6 £100

Each £25. Boxed Set of 6 £100

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

Bernard Magee Says

Use the Entry Rule

T

o set up a suit, you need an entry more than the opponents have stoppers. Count your high-card entries first, but you can count only one entry in the suit itself. If you require more, you can increase them by ducking a round of the suit. The maximum number of entries that ducking can give is one less than the number of small cards in the shorter holding.

Layout A Layout B ♦ A 7 6 5 4 3 ♣ 7 6 5 N W E S

N W E S



♦ 8 2

♣ A 9 8 4 2

If suit A breaks 3-2, you must lose the lead twice (in no-trumps), so you need three entries. The ace counts as one and you can duck one round. You need just one side entry to set up and run the suit. Assuming suit B also breaks 3-2, you again need to lose the lead twice and so need three entries. The ace counts as one and you can duck two rounds. This means you do not need an outside entry to establish and enjoy this suit.

♣ Q J 10 9 8 7 N W E S



♣ 5 4

You need to knock out the ♣A-K and get back to the long cards. You require three entries, two in an outside suit, because the low clubs in the South hand count as just one entry. Why is this? A clever opponent might duck the first round. The entry rule is great if you must decide which of two suits to set up:

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

♠ Q J 7 2 ♥ 10 7 3 ♦ Q 10 ♣ Q 10 9 3

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

♠ 2 ♥ Q 10 9 3 ♦ K 10 6 5 ♣ Q 10 9 3

Contract: 3NT. Lead: ♥5.

Contract: 4♠. Lead: ♦Q.

West leads a low heart to the four, ten and your jack. Which minor should you pursue? A 4-2 break is more likely than 3-3, so plan for such a break. For clubs, this means giving up the lead twice, which takes three entries. You have the club king and the spade king but the heart queen will be no good – the ace will kill it. You cannot duck a club for another entry as you have only one low card in the short holding. For diamonds, you need to lose the lead three times, which takes four entries. You have three aces and can duck the first round of diamonds for the fourth entry, so you go for it. You duck a diamond at trick two. Say East plays a heart back to the ace and West switches to a club. You want to keep entries to hand, so take the king and then play ace followed by another diamond. West wins and continues with another club, but you win and play the fourth diamond. West wins but has no clubs left, so you can claim the rest. If you play on clubs, you will find that you can set up a long card but not get back to it. Try it and see. The entry rule works in suit contracts too. To ruff a suit good, you need one entry more than the number of ruffs.

Ten tricks are easy, but you want an overtrick. Your best chance is to set up the clubs. Using the entry rule, you may need to ruff twice so need three entries: the club ace and two trumps. This means keeping the six and seven of spades to enter dummy, so you will ruff clubs high. In addition, the club ace must be an entry for the first ruff, which means ducking the first club. You win the diamond and duck a club in both hands. West wins, cashes a diamond and switches to a trump. You carefully win this in hand with a high trump. You next play a club to the ace, ruff a club high, cross to dummy with a trump and ruff another club high. You then cross to dummy with the third round of trumps to cash the long club, throwing your heart loser. Eleven tricks should get you a great score at pairs.

Page 7

Conclusion Making extra tricks from long suits is a key part of declarer play – to do so, you should use the entry rule. There are few things worse than setting up a long suit and being unable to reach it. Count your entries and, if you have enough, go ahead with setting up the long suit. ■

Julian Pottage Says

Lead From Ace-King

E

ddie Kantar, one of America’s best ever players and teachers, once said ‘God dealt you an ace-king so that you wouldn’t have a lead problem.’ Why is a lead from a suit headed by the ace-king so attractive? With the initial lead, you often need to compromise between safety and attack. When you have an ace-king holding, you can combine safety with attack. If you start from a strong suit – which a suit with the ace-king surely is – you may be able to cash some quick tricks. If partner is short in the suit, there is a chance of a ruff (in a suit contract). If one of the opponents is short (but not void), at least you make one trick and hold the lead. Even if you have not hit a weak spot as intended, you can try another suit with a good chance of success as you will have seen dummy. Fifty years ago, the standard lead from an ace-king holding (not A-K alone) was the king. This was so that you could lead an ace from a weaker holding and not have your partner think you held the king with it. These days, players know well the dangers of leading or underleading an unsupported ace and shy away from such leads. The lead of an ace now implies the king and partner can signal accordingly.

♠ 10 ♥ J 10 8 5 2 ♦ A K 10 5 ♣ 9 5 4

N

W E

Against a no-trump contract, you do not rush to lead from an ace-king if the N suit is short. The norm is to try to set up W E S long cards. Your ace and king could be stoppers and entries for that. If you have the ace-king in a five- or six- card suit and have no side entry, you lead fourth West North East South best rather than a top card.

♠ 10 ♥ A K J 10 8 5 ♦ K 10 5 ♣ 9 5 4

1♠ 2♥ 2♠ Pass 4♠ End

Lead the ace of hearts. Neither your length in the suit nor the fact that you have bid the suit should deflect you from the natural lead. Indeed, this raises an interesting point. If you do not lead a heart, partner will tend to think that you have the ace of hearts but not the king. If the opponents bid to a slam, you will rarely have an ace-king combination. If you do, of course you probably want to lead the suit. If they have misbid, perhaps two rounds will stand up. Even if not, perhaps another trick will come along somewhere. What does change against a slam is which card you lead. Since you might bash out an ace when you do not have the king with it, the king is the card to lead from ace-king.

♠ 10 ♥ J 8 5 3 ♦ J 10 5 2 ♣ A K 9 5

N

W E S



♠ A K 8 5 3 ♥ J 8 5 ♦ 10 5 2 ♣ 9 5

N

W E S

West North East Pass 3NT End

South 1NT

Lead the five of spades. This avoids a blockage if partner has Q-x and makes it easier in general to run the suit later. Do you ever not lead from an ace-king suit? You would tend not to lead from only A-K-(x) in no-trumps. In a suit contract, if you think an opponent is void in your A-K suit, you might prefer a trump lead. Another reason is that an opponent has bid the suit.

♠ 6 3 ♥ A K 5 ♦ Q J 10 5 ♣ 9 5 4 3

N

W E S

West North East South S

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

Lead the ace of diamonds. Anything else would be sheer guesswork. You can switch at trick two if need be.

West North East South 3♦ 4♠ 5♦ 5♠ Pass 6♠ End

Lead the king of clubs. On the king lead to a slam, partner signals count (high with an even number etc). This should tell you what to do next. Page 8

1♠ Pass 2♥ Pass 2♠ Pass 4♠ End

Lead the queen of diamonds. Setting up dummy’s five-card or longer heart suit is declarer’s job, not yours. Remember, this is an exception. Normal is to lead from ace-king. ■

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.

QPLUS 10 Really user-friendly bridge-playing software l Updated

comprehensive manual

£86

l

Displays on HD screen

l

Supports large screens

l

Minibridge option

l

Extra 500 preplayed hands for teams making 5,000 in all

l

Extra 500 preplayed hands for matchpoint pairs making 4,000 in all

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

New save match function

l

Save deals with automatic file labelling

l

Closed room – new button to view other table

QPLUS TRADE-IN OFFER Return any QPLUS CD and booklet with a cheque for £35 and receive the very latest version of the wonderful QPLUS Bridge. Order with absolute confidence.

ADVANCED DECLARER PLAY l Making

Overtricks in No-trumps

l

Making Overtricks in Suit Contracts

l Endplays

l

Contract

£81

l Simple

Trump Reductions & Coups

l

Playing Doubled Contracts

l

Safety Plays

£96

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

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David Stevenson answers your questions on Laws and Ethics

Can the Director Give Our Score to the Opponents?

Q

Playing North, I picked up a hand with 20 points (balanced) and opened 2NT. I finished in 3NT, making 10 tricks. To my dismay, I discovered that I had played the South cards. I said this should make no difference as the opponents were never going to bid. The director ruled that our 430 should go to the opponents. Arthur Baker, Tarporley, Cheshire.

A

The director has made a serious mistake: to give your score to the opponents is illegal and wrong, whatever the situation. I am afraid I am not quite clear as to what actually happened, so here are two suggestions: If the board simply went on the table with the wrong orientation, so that you played the South cards, your left hand opponent the West cards and so on, it makes no difference whatever and the result should stand unchanged. If, however, someone turned the board in some way when the cards were not in it, so that when you played it you had a different

dealer from other tables, you have a fouled board and the result cannot count. Some sort of average dependent on who the director thinks is at fault is the correct ruling. ♣♦♥♠

Q

Two pairs played at the correct table but with the wrong boards. They did not realise this until one pair came upon the same boards, but with different opponents. This of course had a knock on effect with another pair playing the same boards with the other offending pair. As scorer, I could not find a ruling so gave both offenders an average minus score for the original mistake and scored the offenders an average minus and their opponents an average plus on the boards that they could not play. Was this the correct procedure? David Skipper, Ormesby St Margaret, Norfolk.

A

Once two pairs have played the wrong boards,

those results stand unless they are playing them for the second time – you do not award average minus. The pairs that cannot play them get average plus. I might consider a small penalty (10% of a top) for the pairs who caused the trouble, if other pairs were unable to play the board as a result. If the problem came to light during the bidding of the first board, it is normal to play the right boards and allow the board wrongly started to be played at the right time if the bidding starts the same, otherwise give average minus/average plus. Note the decision to give penalties and averages is for the director and not the scorer, unless of course he is the same person. ♣♦♥♠

Q

In our club’s major event, my partner and I came second. Afterwards, I discovered that the winners had scored a complete top on one board because their opponent had revoked. Applying the rules on revokes had given them a score that no

Page 11

other pair achieved. Revokes can affect other players as well as the ones directly involved. Do the revoke rules require further revision? George Pilcher, Deal.

A

How many times have you come second because the pair who won had an opponent who passed a forcing bid? Took a blatantly wrong view in playing a hand? Had a bidding foulup and bid a grand slam missing an ace? Do you think we should adjust the score for all of those as well? When you play any form of duplicate, you are at the mercy of mistakes, often stupid and irrational mistakes, at other tables. Such is life: a revoke is no different from other mistakes.

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

North opened with 1♣. East bid 1♠ and South passed. West doubled, offering the explanation that this was a take-out double of spades. North thought this odd but passed as he had intended to do in any event. If North had called the director, what would the ruling have been? Colin Bell, Dumfries.

A

There seems a strange idea that a specific person should call the director: once it appears that something illegal has happened, all four people at the table have a responsibility to call the director; it is incredible that nobody did. Sadly, people believe that not calling the director leads to a friendly club, but this is not true. Calling the director, especially if the person who does something wrong calls, and accepting the director’s ruling without argument is what leads to a friendly club. You may not double your partner, so the double is inadmissible. The director would have told the player to substitute a legal call and said that his partner must pass for the rest of the auction.

Q

After I opened 1♥ and LHO doubled (no alert), RHO finished in 4♠, making. LHO held this hand:



♠ J 8 4 3 ♥ A 7 5 ♦ K Q 9 ♣ K 7 4

I am afraid that you are really in the wrong here. It is not up to you to criticise an opponent’s bidding. Quite a few of the problems that come my way arise from the failure of people to realise that other people may not play the game the same way as they do themselves. Of course, the normal way to play a take-out double is to show shortage in the opponent’s suit. However, many people, especially amongst the less experienced players, use a take-out double to show any hand with opening points. Such players cannot imagine passing with opening points as you or I would if the hand was unsuitable. It does not surprise me to find that some

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Q

My partner opened 1♣. I held:



♠ 9 6 4 2 ♥ A 10 2 ♦ Q 7 3 ♣ 8 4 2

♣♦♥♠

I remarked that a takeout double suggests a shortage in opener’s suit. The opponents rebuked me saying, ‘take-out needs only to indicate opening points.’ Who was right? Richard Dron, Northampton.

A

people teach it this way. So do not be surprised in future, when people play things differently. While it is reasonable to discuss such matters with your friends and partners, do not criticise opponents who do something different.

Q

I had the master trump and four winning diamonds. My right hand opponent had a lower trump and four winning hearts. When I led my master trump, she revoked, discarding a heart. She then ruffed the next lead, making the last four tricks. Do I get all these back? Dr J Robertson, Lundin Links, Fife.

A

There are two parts to the rectification for a revoke. There are penalty tricks, automatic tricks to deter people from revoking, usually one trick, but sometimes none or two. In addition, there are tricks to restore equity. If someone revokes and you get one trick, sometimes you just get back the trick you lost by the revoke; sometimes you get a free trick when the revoke did not cost at all. This is the very fair method of providing a penalty sometimes, while often giving back lost tricks. Sometimes you lose more tricks than the penalty tricks. If, as seems to have happened here, the revoke cost you four tricks, the director will give you four tricks back. When an opponent revokes, you may or may not gain tricks, but you can never lose tricks by the revoke.

Page 12

I passed and we played in 1♣. When I put dummy down, the opening leader rebuked me for not bidding 1NT, stating that I should follow the rules as my partner was new to the game. We made 1♣+1. What should have happened? David Knight, Havant, Hants.

A

There are two sorts of rules in this game. First, there are the laws and regulations, which you have to follow; for example, if the last bid was 2♠, you can bid 2NT but not 2♥. Second, there are the rules on the best way to play the game. Much of BRIDGE is about the latter. My column is about the former. When your partner bids 1♣ and you have six points, it is legal to pass. Whilst it might be neither sensible nor helpful, the laws of the game allow it. You might miss game if partner is very strong; you make it easy for the opponents to enter the auction if he is not. Most people would bid 1♠ with your hand, despite the poor suit. Whatever the correct call, for an opponent to rebuke you for passing is unacceptable. It is rude and he could be penalised. He has no right to tell you what to do. Even if he thinks your call is unhelpful, it is not for him to point it out. He should only give you advice on how to bid if you ask him.

Ask David continued

Q

A defender mistakenly put her hand on the table thinking partner was declarer. How does the director rule? Brian Davis by email.

A

When a defender makes cards visible to partner, they become major penalty cards. Thus, she has 13 major penalty cards. Every time she or her partner is on lead, the director will apply the law. When the offender is on lead, declarer can select which of the cards on the table she must play. When her partner is on lead, declarer can require her partner to lead or forbid her partner from leading any one or more suits that the offender has on the table; if declarer exercises either of these options, the offender picks up that suit or suits.

A

Any time someone at your table leads out of turn and you do not call the director, you certainly lose my sympathy. What do you think the director is there to do? Firstly, your LHO has no right to point it out and the director would have told him. Secondly, the director would have explained the whole position.

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♣♦♥♠

Q

♣♦♥♠

An opening lead out of turn was partially exposed, to an extent where declarer had seen the card, but partner had not. The director ruled that no offence had been committed as the only information passed was to declarer and, therefore, he ruled that the defender return the card to his hand and let the correct lead be made by his partner. Is this ruling correct? John Williams, Montrose.

My RHO as declarer said, ‘king of spades.’ LHO (dummy) said, ‘You are in hand.’ Then RHO said, ‘Oh well, king of spades anyhow,’ leading a low spade. I played the ace, expecting the king to go under it, but declarer called for a low spade. This gave declarer an extra trick because it promoted his ♠Q. My partner (wife) said we should have called the director as I probably would not have parted with my ♠A at that point. John Collins by email.

While this is not specifically in the law book, I believe your director got it right. When there is a face-down opening lead out of turn it is merely returned to the hand. When there is a face-up opening lead out of turn then the normal laws about opening leads out of turn apply. Unfortunately, there is no specific law telling us what face-up or face-down means. However, a defender’s card is (or must be) played when partner could see its face. Thus, by extension, a card is face-up when partner can ■ see its face.

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Julian Pottage answers your bridge questions

Supporting Partner’s Minor with a Strong Hand

Q

What should you bid when partner opens 1♣ (natural) if you have 15 points and five clubs? Stephen Jay by email (similar from C Bryson, Gillingham, Kent).

A

If you have another 4-card suit, you can respond in that with a view to supporting clubs later. With a 5332 shape, you might respond 1♦ on a 3-card suit. It is better to lie about a minor than to lie about a major. Another possibility, if you have all suits stopped, is to respond 3NT. Most play that to show 13-15 balanced. A convention known as inverted raises would solve the problem. With inverted raises, a raise to 3♣ is weak (like 1♣-double-3♣) and a raise to 2♣ is stronger. As the 2♣ raise is forcing, you can use it on both invitational and game forcing hands. ♣♦♥♠

Q

Am I right that one does not respond 2♥ to 1♠ with only four hearts? Pamela Hayton, Midhurst, West Sussex.

A

Yes, you should have a 5-card suit to respond 2♥ to 1♠. If you have the values to respond at the two-level (10+ points or a good 9) but only four hearts, you need to find some other bid. Assuming you cannot raise spades, you normally respond two of a minor. The only awkward hand is a 3-4-3-3 shape. In this case, you may have to bid your 3-card club suit. The general rule is that if you have to lie about your suit lengths it is better to lie about a minor. You will not miss a 4-4 heart fit by declining to bid the hearts. With 5-4 in the majors, opener will rebid 2♥. With 4-4, opener would have opened 1♥ in the first place (assuming the hand is out of range for a 1NT opening). ♣♦♥♠

Q

less effect than before anyone has bid; this is because the opponents have already begun to exchange information. Even so, it can still be a good idea. The requirements for a preemptive overcall are roughly the same as for a pre-emptive opening. ♣♦♥♠

Q

My partner opened 1♣. I held:



♠ A Q J 10 9 8 4 ♥ 8 6 ♦ A K Q 8 ♣ Void

♣♦♥♠

Q

RHO is dealer and opens 3♦. What do you bid with this hand?

The bidding went: Me Partner 1♣ 1♠ 2♣ 3♦ 3NT Pass

Some people I know make a pre-emptive bid after an opponent has opened. Is this sensible? Mrs K Bird, Beccles, Suffolk.

Was I wrong to pass? We made 3NT with one overtrick. Alice Pashley by email.

A

A

After one opponent has bid, a preemptive bid has

Given how good the spades are, I suspect I would forget about the diamonds and start with a 2♠ jump shift. On your actual auction, passing 3NT is extremely conservative. You more or less have 10 tricks in your hand. You could jump to 5♠, hoping partner reads this as looking for a heart control. I see the alternative as 6♠ rather than pass – partner must have something in hearts to bid 3NT.

Page 14

With your hand, I would be thinking of a slam at once.



♠ A K 9 7 4 2 ♥ A 8 4 3 ♦ 7 5 ♣ 6

Simon Gottschalk, Pendoylan, Glamorgan.

A

3♠: with only 11 HCP, no support for clubs and a twocard disparity between your majors, this is a much safer action than doubling.

Ask Julian continued

Q

What should I rebid with the following hand? I passed.



♠ J 10 8 6 3 ♥ 4 ♦ 7 2 ♣ K J 9 6 2

Me Partner 1♦ 1♠ 1NT ?

Several people think I should have rebid 2♣. What do you think? Rupert Timpson by email.

A

If you play 2♣ as natural, which presumably you do, because you have suggested it as an option, 2♣ would indeed be better. A hand with two five-card suits is unlikely to play well in 1NT. ♣♦♥♠

Q

Playing Standard American Yellow Card (SAYC), my partner opened 3NT in fourth seat on this hand:



♠ A 7 ♥ K Q 6 5 ♦ 4 3 ♣ A K J 10 7

My partner criticised me for taking this as gambling. Was she justified? Huw Jones, Swansea.

A

In SAYC, a 3NT opening is natural, not gambling.

Moreover, it shows 25-27 points, not a good 17. It would seem you were both wrong. ♣♦♥♠

Q

In sequences like 1♦-2♣-2NT, I play 2NT as showing 13-15 HCP. I now read that it should show 15-17 HCP and be game forcing. I like the 2NT rebid for this type of hand, where the diamonds are too weak to repeat and the hand is too weak to reverse:



♠ A Q 6 ♥ A Q 7 5 ♦ J 9 5 4 2 ♣ 8

that was out of range for a 1NT opening. When you are playing a weak no-trump, if you open a suit and rebid in no-trumps, you show a hand stronger than 12-14. If you are playing the 2NT rebid as game forcing, it is quite common to play the range as 15-19 rather than 15-17. In your methods, you have to jump to 3NT with 16 or 17, making it difficult to investigate alternative contracts, such as a 5-3 fit in your suit (which could be important when it is a major). On your first hand, you can open 1♦ and rebid 2♦. Most of the time, partner will bid again. If not, partner will not hold a four-card major and is likely to hold some sort of diamond support. On the second, a 2♥ reverse is fine. Partner will have 9 or 10 points plus, giving you enough for game.

to hear hearts from partner. You don’t want to play in 4♣ or 4♦, do you? In any case, even if partner has four hearts, the suit may break 4-1, when you might still be better in 3NT. At teams, you would probably bid 3NT. You have the spades well covered and help for setting up whatever suit partner has. Whether you should bid 3NT at pairs is more debatable. You could so easily be turning a plus into a minus. If the opponents are not vulnerable, it is probably right to try 3NT. Picking up 50 or 100 may be a poor score, which means there is more to gain by bidding. If the opponents are vulnerable, the temptation to pass is higher because, if you can beat 3♠ by two, you can pick up 200: on a lucky day, partner will re-open with a double which you can leave in.

♣♦♥♠

♣♦♥♠

With a slightly better hand, I would rebid 3NT:



Q

What would you bid with this hand after RHO opens 3♠?

♠ A Q 6 ♥ A Q 7 5 ♦ K J 9 5 4 ♣ 8



What do you think of my methods and how do you bid these hands otherwise? Alan Mansell by email.

A

If you play a 12-14 opening, when you have a no-trump type hand with 13 or 14 you will open 1NT. This makes it inefficient for the notrump rebid to cover these hands. Unless (as in your examples), you happen to have a singleton, you will not be thinking of rebidding 2NT with 13 or 14 – you will have opened 1NT in the first place. Most people play that a no-trump rebid shows a hand

♠ A K 9 8 ♥ Q 9 7 3 ♦ K 9 3 ♣ A 10

I elected to double. We ended in 5♦ doubled, which went down 800. Keith Hawkins, Goring & Streatley, Oxon.

A

As your best suit is the one they opened, your choice should be between pass and 3NT. A double is a poor idea because you are only happy

Page 15

Q

Suppose you are playing Stayman and transfers over 1NT. If the next hand doubles, does this cancel the conventions or can responder still implement them? Walter Acott, Midhurst.

A

Some people play that Stayman and transfers still apply after the double. This has the merit of simplicity and means that the strong doubling hand is quite likely to end up on lead. The more popular approach is to abandon these conventions. This is because you will quite often want to play in two of a minor (rather than 1NT ■ doubled).

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From the Baron’s Archives by Dick Atkinson

Bring on the Dancing Girls

M

y Uncle Leopold, the Baron von Münchausen, is forever catching me out with bizarre hands he has played over the last ninety years. Sometimes, I can’t help suspecting that his stories are, let us say, a little fanciful. On his 26th birthday (29th February 2004), I took him out to dinner. After a bottle and a half of claret and two large brandies, I thought I might catch him off guard and decided to get my own back with a phony anecdote. I jotted down the following hand on an envelope from my pocket:



♠ A Q ♥ A Q ♦ 9 8 7 2 ♣ A K J 9 8

‘I picked this up the other night at the Golf Club,’ I lied. ‘First hand of the rubber. 2NT has a lot to recommend it, but, in the end, I opened 1♣. My partner forced with 2♦. I agreed trumps with 3♦ and partner put me back to 4♣. What’s my best call now?’ ‘Pass. It’s always important to get a plus score on a strong hand. It is perfectly clear to me from your shifty demeanour that this is a fix. It is in fact a variation on a deal concocted by Norman Squire forty or fifty years ago. Partner has . . .

♠ K J ♥ K J ♦ A K J 6 3 ♣ 7 6 5 2

‘. . . Am I right? Q-10-x-x are off-side in each minor, and game is impossible in any denomination. Surely you didn’t expect to catch me out with that old chestnut.’ He was right, of course:

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

♠ K J ♥ K J ♦ A K J 6 3 ♣ 7 6 5 2

‘Actually, you’re too high already in 4♣,’ I remarked ill-advisedly. ‘You would be,’ he snapped. ‘I would cash the trump ace, discovering the 4-0 break, eliminate the majors, and concede a trump. Either a ruff-anddiscard or a trump return provides the tenth trick.’ I was suitably chastened. ‘It was just a sort of . . . joke . . . thing. But you have to admit it’s pretty impressive – thirtysix points and no game on.’ ‘Four points to prevent a game? Quite excessive. Three, or even two, should be enough. Take this amusing Goulash I played in Macao between the wars.’ He smiled broadly and turned over my envelope. ‘I remember it very well because I made a small killing on it.’ His gnarled fingers took up my pen and began to scribble down the deal. ‘West was the French Consul – a little weasel of a man. He was four down in 6♠, doubled and vulnerable: -1,400.’ ‘1,100, surely,’ I corrected him smugly. ‘1,400 under the 1932 Code (200 + 300 + 400 + 500). Don’t interrupt. The contract was a shocking risk at ‘Goulies’ when extreme suit breaks are the rule rather than the exception. I was his partner and I ventured some expression of disappointment, I recall.’ Page 18

I knew well what Uncle Leopold’s expressions of disappointment were like. ‘Oh yes, I believe I taught him to pause for reflection before opening his mouth in future.’ He glanced at the hand he had written down and then slid it across to me. ‘Yes, that’s it. Thirty-eight points and no game possible in any strain.’ ♠ J 10 9 8 7 6 ♥ 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 ♦ Void ♣ Void ♠ A K Q 5 4 3 2 ♠ Void N ♥ A K Q J 3 2 ♥ Void W E ♦ Void S ♦ A K Q 5 4 3 2 ♣ Void ♣ A K Q J 3 2 ♠ Void ♥ Void ♦ J 10 9 8 7 6 ♣ 10 9 8 7 6 5 4

What a horrible deal. ‘But I thought you said you made money on the hand?’ He smiled still more broadly. ‘Yes indeed. I suppose I had corrected my unsatisfactory partner once too often. In a flamboyant Gallic rage he offered me a bet of a million Francs that I could not have done better in the contract – old Francs, but in those days it was enough to keep me in champagne and dancing girls all winter.’ ‘But how could you do better?’ ‘Very easily, since I was sitting East – 6♠ by East is only three down, you see. Not that it is a particularly interesting hand – apart from the million Francs.’ His eyes focussed dreamily on some distant prospect. ‘And of course the dancing girls . . .’ ■ Previously published in BRIDGE 63

Queensferry Hotel

DECLARER PLAY QUIZ

North Queensferry KY11 1HP

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.

♠ Q 10 7 6 4 ♥ Q 10 7 ♦ 6 4 ♣ 9 7 4

3.

N

N

W E

W E

S



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

♠ A Q 10 ♥ A 7 6 4 ♦ Q 8 5 ♣ Q 6 4

S



2.

♠ A 6 5 ♥ K 8 ♦ K 7 3 2 ♣ Q J 8 2

4.



♠ K Q J 4 ♥ A Q 6 ♦ A 8 4 ♣ A 7 6

You are declarer in 6NT and West leads the ♥10. How do you plan the play?

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♠ K 4 ♥ J 6 4 ♦ 8 6 ♣ A Q J 9 6 4

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S



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W E

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Chatsworth Hotel

N

N

W E

Declarer Play

Booking Form on page 5.

You are declarer in 7♠ and West leads the ♠2. How do you plan the play?



15-17 February

Full Board – No Single Supplement

♠ K J 9 8 3 ♥ 5 ♦ A K 7 ♣ A K 8 3

You are declarer in 4♥. West leads the ♦K followed by the ♦Q and a low diamond. How do you plan the play?

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♠ A 8 7 5 ♥ A 10 5 ♦ A K Q 3 ♣ 5 2

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

Full Board – No Single Supplement Booking Form on page 5.

Page 19

Answers to David Huggett’s  Play Quiz on page 19 1. ♠ Q 10 7 6 4 ♥ Q 10 7 ♦ 6 4 ♣ 9 7 4 ♠ J 9 8 2 ♠ A K 5 3 N ♥ 2 ♥ 8 5 W E ♦ K Q J 8 3 S ♦ A 9 5 ♣ K 6 2 ♣ J 10 5 3 ♠ Void ♥ A K J 9 6 4 3 ♦ 10 7 2 ♣ A Q 8

You are declarer in 4♥. West leads the ♦K followed by the ♦Q and a low diamond. How do you plan the play? If you ruff the diamond in dummy and draw trumps, you will go down because you will have to take the club finesse for your tenth trick. Instead, ruff the diamond and lead a low club to the eight. As it happens, that will force the king and your troubles are over. Suppose instead that it loses to the ten or jack. If that happens, ruff the spade return (say), draw trumps, ending in dummy and then finesse against the king. The advantage with the approach suggested is that you will succeed if East starts with either the jack-ten of clubs or the king.

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

♠ 9 8 7 3 ♥ J 3 2 ♦ Q 10 ♣ 10 9 5 4

You are declarer in 6NT and West leads the ♥10. How do you plan the play? With ten tricks on top, you need to

develop two more. These can come only from the minors. It might seem natural to take a club finesse by leading the queen, but you will not know what to do if it wins or even if the king is played on the queen. You will have set up another trick but will not know whether the twelfth is coming from diamonds or clubs, depending on which suit breaks 3-3. Instead, play for West to hold the king of clubs. Win the heart in hand and cash the ace of clubs, in case East has the singleton king, and then lead a low club. If West plays low and the queen wins, re-enter hand with a spade and lead another low club. You will be successful whenever West holds the king of clubs or the club suit breaks evenly.

Of course, if someone shows out on the second round of trumps, you will have to fall back on a good position in clubs.

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

You are declarer in 3NT and West leads the ♦J. How do you plan the play? If you win and play a low club to the queen, a cunning player sitting East with K-10-x-x should refuse the trick. By doing this, he will stop you from making more than two club tricks because you will have insufficient entries to dummy to both establish the suit and to get back to enjoy it. Instead, make East win by starting with a low club to the nine. Then he has to win and will probably play back a diamond. So you win and can knock out the king of clubs while you still have the spade entry to dummy. (If East returns a heart after winning with the ten of clubs simply duck, ■ thereby freezing the suit for West.)

♠ 5 4 ♥ K J 8 ♦ 10 6 4 3 ♣ J 10 9 5

You are declarer in 7♠ and West leads the ♠2. How do you plan the play? It looks as though you will require an even break in clubs to make this contract. In fact, the odds are much better than that. Win the spade in dummy and cash the ace of hearts. Ruff a heart and enter dummy with a spade. If both defenders follow, the contract is almost certain. Ruff another heart, play a diamond to the queen and ruff the last heart. Finally, you enter dummy with the club queen and draw the last trump throwing a losing club from hand. In all, you will make the three spades and the top heart in dummy, three heart ruffs in hand, and the three top cards in each minors.

Page 20

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

♠ Q 10 6 3 ♥ 9 8 3 ♦ 5 4 ♣ K 10 8 7

BEGIN BRIDGE ACOL VERSION An Interactive Tutorial CD with Bernard Magee See Mail Order form £66 on page 5.

Jeremy Dhondy Says

Use the Rule of Twenty

H

ow do you decide whether or not to open the bidding? High card points? Distribution? Hon­ our tricks (if you are old fashioned)? In truth, it’s probably a mixture of all these plus a general feel built on experience and judgement. Is this an opening bid?



♠ K Q 7 4 3 ♥ A J 7 6 3 ♦ 3 2 ♣ 4

If you go by high card points, perhaps not but the shape looks good, as does the fact that you have both majors. Most of us would live with the lack of points and open. We all know that points are not the only guide. There is a famous James Bond deal, see below. North-South can make a grand slam in clubs even though West has the most high card points you are ever likely to see in a player’s hand: ♠ Void ♥ Void ♦ Q 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 ♣ A Q 10 8 4 ♠ A K Q J ♠ 6 5 4 3 2 N ♥ A K Q J ♥ 10 9 8 7 2 W E ♦ A K S ♦ J 10 9 ♣ K J 9 ♣ Void ♠ 10 9 8 7 ♥ 6 5 4 3 ♦ Void ♣ 7 6 5 3 2

This goes to prove that points are not everything. Shape can be as important. One way of removing the hard work of calculating whether the shape and strength of your hand give you enough

to open is to adopt the ‘Rule of 20’. To work it out, you take your highcard points and then add them to the total length of your two longest suits. If the answer is 20 or more, you have an opening bid. If you have fewer than 20, you do not. Hand 1 Hand 2 ♠ K J 9 4 3 ♠ 7 ♥ Q 9 4 3 ♥ A Q 6 4 3 ♦ A 4 ♦ 9 2 ♣ 10 5 ♣ A 10 5 4 2

Hand 1: Total high-card points = 10. Total length of two longest suits = 9. Overall total = 19. Not an opening bid. Hand 2: Total high-card points = 10. Total length of two longest suits = 10. Overall total = 20. An opening bid. Open 1♥. The rule can be useful with awkward distributions. Hands with a 4-4-4-1 shape are tricky to bid but also to evaluate. Use the Rule of 20 to decide whether you are worth an opening bid. Hand 3 Hand 4 ♠ K J 5 2 ♠ A J 5 4 ♥ A 7 6 5 ♥ A 7 6 5 ♦ 8 ♦ 8 ♣ K 9 4 3 ♣ K 9 4 3

Hand 3: Total high-card points = 11. Total length of two longest suits = 8. Overall total = 19. Not an opening bid. Hand 4: Total high-card points = 12. Total length of two longest suits = 8. Overall total = 20. An opening bid. Open 1♣. Page 21

If you often come home moaning about poor cards and having had to do some dull defending, the rule of 20 is good news. It will give you more opening bids for your money. It will also spare you hard decisions later in the auction. Hand 5 Hand 6 ♠ 6 3 ♠ K J ♥ A J 7 6 5 ♥ 10 6 5 4 3 ♦ A J 8 6 3 ♦ A Q ♣ 3 ♣ J 5 3 2

Suppose you hold Hand 5 at game all. Imagine that you do not know the rule of 20, count your points and pass. The opponents bid 1♠-2♠ and it is your turn again. What do you do now? If you pass, you may miss game. If you bid a suit, you may miss a fit in the other one. If you bid and don’t have a fit, you may go for a penalty. You can avoid this if you open 1♥. It’s safer to bid at the one level than the three level. Adopting the rule of 20 may make hand evaluation easier and help you decide whether to open the bidding, but you can’t put judgement away entirely. K-J-10-9-x in a suit is worth more than K-J-x-x-x even though both suits have five cards and four points. Judgement can also point the other way. Consider Hand 6, for instance. Total high card points=11. Total length of two longest suits=9. Overall total=20. So it’s an opening bid? I don’t think so. The points in my short suits are bad news. The fact that if I open 1♥ then I might have to rebid 2♥ also frightens me a bit. My judgement is not to open on this occasion. Lastly, always remember that if you take up the ‘Rule’ then it is a guide to help you. It is not a rule of the game that you must slavishly obey. ■

Liz McGowan Says

Cover an Honour to Promote Something

‘C

over an honour’ is one of the oldest bridge maxims. When an opponent leads an honour and the next player covers with a higher honour, this is covering an honour with an honour. The idea of covering is to set up a lower honour or high-spot card in your hand or partner’s. It does not matter that you might lose the trick on which you do the covering – indeed you often do lose the trick. You are making an investment for the future. This example of what happens if you ignore it comes from the final of the 1988 Ladies World Olympiad. ♠ K J 4 ♥ A 10 6 5 2 ♦ K Q 6 ♣ 10 5 ♠ 3 2 N ♥ K Q 8 W E ♦ J 9 8 4 3 S ♣ A K 8 ♠ A 8 7 6 ♥ 4 ♦ A 5 2 ♣ Q 9 7 3 2





♣ J 5 N

W E ♣ 10 8 4 S



The decision whether to cover may be easier when declarer leads from hand. ♣K62

♣ A Q 9 7 3





N

♣ K 6 3 W E S

If East does not cover the jack, declarer makes five tricks. If he uses the king to force out the ace, West’s ten will make.

♣ Q 5 N W E S

♣ 6 4



The British South opened rather light and ended in 3NT. West led a diamond and declarer won in dummy to advance the ten of clubs. The contract found a new lease of life when East did not cover with the jack. The ten forced the king and a second finesse of declarer’s nine established three club tricks, just enough for the game. If East covers the ten, West makes three club tricks and declarer’s task is hopeless. When dummy leads an unsupported doubleton honour (e.g. J-x or Q-x), you usually cover if you have three or fewer cards in the suit.



♣ K 10 9 7



N

♣ Q 5 N



♣ A J 10 9 7

♣ Q 9 7 2 N

♣ 8 6 W E S



♣ J 8

Here covering can only lose. If West plays low, declarer may overtake and try for a ruffing finesse against East. Covering when there is something to promote is crucial on our final deal: ♠ J 4 ♥ J 10 6 5 ♦ K 7 6 ♣ A Q 9 2 ♠ K Q 7 3 2 ♥ 8 7 N W E ♦ Q J 8 S ♣ K 8 7 ♠ 10 9 8 ♥ K Q 4 3 2 ♦ 5 4 ♣ J 5 3

♠ A 6 5 ♥ A 9 ♦ A 10 9 3 2 ♣ 10 6 4

♣ K 5 4 3

♣ A J 10

Declarer leads dummy’s queen to keep the lead there – East should not cover. Page 22

♣ 7 5 4

♣ K 4 3 2

With nothing to promote, East saves his king to make later. If he covers the queen, declarer makes five club tricks. Covering is unlikely to help your side when dummy has four or more cards:

♣ A K 10 9

♣ Q 6 3 2 W E S

♣ A J 8 3 2

♣ 8 6 W E S

♣ J 8



With good intermediates, East covers the queen; if he fails to, declarer makes four club tricks instead of three.

♣ 9 7 5 4

On the jack lead, West covers to set up East’s nine for the fourth round.



♠ Q 10 9 5 ♥ J 9 7 3 ♦ 10 7 ♣ J 6 4

♣ A Q 10 2

North-South sacrifice in 5♥ doubled. Two spades, two diamonds and the ace of hearts mean three down for +500. Covering the club jack with the king produces a club trick and a great +800.■

A to Z of Bridge compiled by Julian Pottage

Q QUANTITATIVE 4NT

The use of 4NT, usually as a direct raise of no-trumps, to request partner to pass or bid 6NT depending on whether he is minimum or maximum in the context of the previous bidding. If neither partner has a long suit, you will need to be able to envisage 33 points between the two hands for a quantitative 4NT.

♠ A 8 ♥ K Q 4 ♦ A K 5 4 ♣ K 10 7 6

If partner shows a balanced 12-14 (for example, by opening a weak 1NT), you make a quantitative raise to 4NT with the above hand. Hand 1 Hand 2 ♠ K 10 4 ♠ K 4 ♥ A 8 5 ♥ A J 8 5 ♦ Q J 9 2 ♦ Q J 9 2 ♣ Q 8 4 ♣ Q J 4

With the first hand, partner is minimum and passes 4NT. The second hand has 14 points (maximum) and warrants an advance to 6NT, which is a good contract. QUANTITATIVE 5NT

The use of 5NT, usually as a direct raise of no-trumps,

to request partner to bid 6NT or 7NT depending on whether he is minimum or maximum in the context of the previous bidding. If neither partner has a long suit, you will need to be able to envisage 37 points between the two hands for a quantitative 5NT. QUEEN OVER JACK

An assumption made in rubber bridge that the queen lies over the jack more often than simple probabilities suggest. It comes from the theory that on a previous deal the queen may have covered the jack and that, after the trick was gathered, the two remain together even after the shuffle. QUICK TRICK

A quick trick is the same as a defensive trick and is similar to an honour trick. In one suit, an A-K is two quick tricks; ace or K-Q is one; A-Q is one and a half; a king is a half. Lower honours do not count towards quick tricks.

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Elstead Hotel Bournemouth BH1 3QP

QUITTED TRICK

In duplicate bridge, you call a trick quitted once all four players have turned their cards over. In rubber bridge, a trick is quitted once the four cards played to the trick are gathered by the winning side. In duplicate, nobody can inspect a quitted trick, although a player may look at (but not expose) his own card until someone leads to the next trick. In rubber, a player may inspect one trick until his side has played to the next trick. ■ Page 23

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Title (Mr/Mrs/Miss)

This insurance is suitable for a single round trip starting and finishing in the UK and Channel Islands, is of no more than 94 days duration, for persons whose age is 90 years or less.

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SCHEDULE OF PREMIUMS The following Premiums are valid for policies issued up to 31/3/2013 and for travel completed by 31/12/2013. Maximum age is 90 years. Maximum period of insurance is 94 days. Geographical Areas



Names of all persons to be insured

1



£

2



£

3



£

4



£

5



£



£



Area 1

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1 – 3 days

£15.60

£23.80

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£71.90

6

Credit/Debit Card Details

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A Hand to Learn From?

Staverton Park Staverton, Daventry NN11 6JT

by Richard Wheen

O

BRIDGE EVENTS 2013 8-10 March 5-7 April 7-9 June 14-16 June 12-14 July 19-21 July 2-4 August 9-11 August 13-15 September 4-6 October 15-17 November

Just Bridge £169 Just Bridge £169 Just Bridge £169 Just Bridge £169 Just Bridge £169 Just Bridge £169 Just Bridge £169 Just Bridge £169 Rubber/Chicago £199 Just Bridge £169 Just Bridge £169

Full Board – No Single Supplement Booking Form on page 5.

n this hand, dealt in my beginners’ class, one North-South pair bid as shown (no bid­ ding prize here).

North ♠ A Q J 9 6 ♥ 7 4 3 ♦ 8 6 ♣ 9 7 3

West ♠ 10 8 5 4 ♥ Q 8 ♦ K Q J 4 3 2 ♣ A

East ♠ K ♥ 10 6 5 2 ♦ 9 7 5 ♣ Q J 10 8 4

South ♠ 7 3 2 ♥ A K J 9 ♦ A 10 ♣ K 6 5 2

Denham Grove Denham, Buckinghamshire, UB9 5DG

South West North East 1NT1 2♦ 2♠2 3♦ 3NT3 All Pass 1 12-14, balanced 2 Holding five good ones, I must clearly bid 2♠ 3 My hand is still balanced and I have two diamond honours, as well as an extra point I did not notice earlier

BRIDGE EVENTS 2013 15-17 March

Game Tries

£215

22-24 March

Leads & Defence

£215

4-6 October

Doubles

£215

25-27 October

Finding Slams

£215

8-10 November

Hand Evaluation

£215

Full Board – No Single Supplement Booking Form on page 5.

Declarer received the fourth highest lead of ♦4 to ♦6, ♦7 and ♦10 (no opening lead prize either). Being a member of the ‘first play your aces, then your kings’ brigade, he cashed his ♥A-K, showing no surprise when West’s ♥Q fell. He then led to ♠A, which drew East’s ♠K and played Page 26

off ♠Q, somewhat bemused when East discarded. Declarer now led dummy’s remaining heart and, when East played low, he played ♥9 from hand – his first ever finesse. Since I was watching, I was able to congratulate him (actually, I am pretty sure he meant to play ♥J, but dropped ♥9 in his confusion). Declarer now led ♥J, discarding a club from dummy, and then a spade, on which West played low. Declarer called for the ♠9 and, when that won (his second ever finesse, albeit marked) he cashed ♠J (felling ♠10) and ♠6 and led a club (dropping a low club from hand) to West’s singleton ♣A. West’s last two cards were diamonds, so South’s ♦A scored the penultimate trick and his ♣K made the last trick. 12 tricks made, followed by an apology by South to his partner (and me) for not bidding such an easy slam. Only a beginner playing against beginners could possibly bid and make this contract, let alone make 12 tricks. How are you supposed to explain to beginners that the best way to play this contract would result in fewer than nine tricks and that EastWest should probably end up playing in diamonds? Deals like this are enough to make me think of giving up teaching bridge... but not for long. ■

MR BRIDGE CLUB QUIZ 2012

Better Hand Evaluation 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.

£14 including postage See Mail Order Form on page 5.

CARDS

1 Which card is the title of a Pushkin poem?



2 Which card is the title of an Iron Maiden song?



3 Which card is usually depicted with an axe?



4 Which card is linked with suicide?

SCORES

5 Playing duplicate, how many tricks do you need to make in 1NT to score the same as the highest score possible in darts?



6 How can you get the score 350 in duplicate bridge?



7 Playing rubber bridge, how might you make a net score of -10 by making a one-level contract exactly?



8 What do the scores 190, 260 & 270 have in common?

DIRECTING

9 West is the dealer, but North puts a stop card on the table. At this time, his partner points out that it is not his bid. What is the ruling?

10 Playing in 7NT, South loses the first trick and makes the remaining twelve tricks. However, East revokes on the tenth trick. What is the usual ruling?

CARD GAMES 11 In which card game is fifteen an important number?

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

12 What American card game might use a 24-card pack? 13 Which are the two highest cards in the trump suit in the game Belote? 14 Which card game generally uses a 78-card pack?

ODD ONE OUT (Which is the odd one out in each case?) 15 JUMP, TWO-SUITED, SQUEEZE, SIMPLE, PRE-EMPTIVE 16 In standard Acol the sequences: 1♣– 1♦, 1♥ – 4NT, 1C – 2♣, 2♥ – 3♥, 1NT – 2♣

Thursday 16 May Morning Session: 11.00 – 12.30 Hand Evaluation (without a fit) Afternoon Session: 14.30 – 16.00 Avoidance Play

17 PHONEY, DUMMY, PRECISION, STRONG, SHORT 18 In Standard Acol, these doubles: 1NT-X, 1♠-1NT-X, 4♠-X, 1♠-P-1NT-X, 1♥-P-1NT-P-4♥-X

ANAGRAMS on a ‘BRIDGE’ theme. 19 UP TO NEW MARK 20 GET ONE VALUE BID Answers overleaf

Page 27

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

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

Bernard Magee’s Tips for Better Bridge

MR BRIDGE CLUB QUIZ 2012 SOLUTIONS

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!

£14 including postage and packing from Mr Bridge, Ryden Grange, Knaphill, Surrey GU21 2TH. ( 01483 489961

1 Queen of Spades. 2 Ace of Spades. 3 King of Diamonds. 4 King of Hearts – because it appears to be stabbing itself with its sword. 5 10 tricks scores 180: the highest darts score. 6 Seven down non-vulnerable. 7 1-of-a-minor doubled scores +90 (40 + 50 for the insult), but at the same time your opponent held four trump honours and therefore got 100 points making the net score -10. 8 They are the scores for making thirteen tricks in any undoubled partscore contract. 9 North has not made a bid, so there is no penalty: the bidding reverts to West. However, South has to act as if he did not see the stop card. 10 The defending side can only concede tricks on the revoke trick and afterwards. Seeing that they only won the very first trick, there is no penalty and the result stands as 7NT – 1. 11 CRIBBAGE. 12 EUCHRE. 13 Jack, Nine. 14 TAROT. 15 SQUEEZE – the others are types of OVERCALL. 16 1♣ – 2♣ is non-forcing, all the other sequences are forcing: the partner must bid again. 17 DUMMY – the others precede CLUB describing systems or the opening bid of a system. 18 1♠-Pass-1NT-Dble: this double is for take-out. A ll the others are for penalties. 19 WEAK NOTRUMP. 20 NEGATIVE DOUBLE.

Page 28

The Diaries of Wendy Wensum Episode 11: Deal or No Deal?

I

t was a day for mishaps. Black fumes from the toaster filled the kitchen. On its own initiative, the freezer defrosted, leaving a tell-tale river of water from the garage into the garden. To crown it all, the car ran out of petrol as Spouse drove me to bridge. My late arrival at the Riverside Bridge Club incurred mumbled com­ ments from the director who was forced to change the movement. Millie am­ bled into the playing area after me with a large bran­ dy in her hand. ‘You might have saved me a sitting seat,’ she moaned at me as the di­ rector ushered us to a hast­ ily erected table. As play proceeded, it was clear that success that evening was not for us. Halfway through the evening, with negative opti­ mism, I had scored us a zero on every board. Then came this deal. ♠ Void ♥ J 7 6 5 ♦ Q 9 8 7 5 4 2 ♣ A 5 ♠ A 9 4 3 ♠ K Q 8 ♥ Q 10 4 2 N ♥ 9 3 W E ♦ J 10 6 3 S ♦ A K ♣ 10 ♣ K J 9 8 6 3 ♠ J 10 7 6 5 2 ♥ A K 8 ♦ Void ♣ Q 7 4 2

Millie, sitting North, passed and East opened the bidding with one club. A weak jump overcall of two spades on

my hand seemed in order. West doubled for take-out and the auction concluded, when East made the strange choice of passing the double, for penalties. West North East South Millie Wendy Pass 1 ♣ 2 ♠ Dble End

West led the ten of clubs and I pondered dummy. Pros­ pects were not bright. Of course, my two spade over­ call was a terrible bid; for a start, the club suit was too long, the hearts too strong and the spades too weak. Otherwise, it was fine. I won with the ace and led a heart to the ace to gain entry to the closed hand. I decided to tackle trumps, although I never know the best card to play in these circumstances. In the end, I led the seven of spades, West playing low. East won with the eight, and returned the ace of dia­ monds. I ruffed and led a small trump, again won by East. I ruffed her return of the diamond king. At this point, the future for the con­ tract seemed insecure. Un­ certain of what to do next, I continued with the jack of trumps. West hopped up with the ace crashing East’s king. He now exited with a low heart and the trick was taken in dummy with the jack. The queen of diamonds was used to dispose of a club, and the king of hearts and the ten of trumps brought home the contract. Perhaps

our luck was changing. At that very moment, I looked across to the door. There, peeping provoca­ tively through the glass, was a large cellular-like object, smiling benignly back at me. I noted suddenly the significance of the situation as I recognised the bright colourings of pink and yel­ low. Mr Blobby burst into the room. He took no heed of those around him; he headed directly for Millie. Tables, chairs, playing cards, bidding boxes and bridge players flew in all directions as Mr Blobby ploughed a straight furrow towards her. As he sought to embrace her, she sidestepped smartly with a nimbleness that be­ lied her alcoholic state and, with a karate chop, sent him flying through the open window into the river below. I woke up with a start. It had all been a dream. I blame Noel Edmonds. His TV game show, Deal or No Deal, should be about bridge with a title like that, but I still as­ sociate him with Mr Blobby. I regretted consuming those portions of mature Stilton at supper with a glass or two of vintage port. Spouse was snoring gently beside me, hogging the duvet as usual. As I snuggled back under the covers, I gave the duvet a tug to regain some control over it, simultaneously giv­ ing Spouse a quick jab in the middle of his back with my knee. After all, if I was awake, it was only fair to make him suffer too. ■

Page 29

Cheltenham Regency Hotel Cheltenham GL51 0ST

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 29 Nov – 1 Dec Declarer Play – £215 6-8 December Just Bridge – £199 Full Board No Single Supplement Booking Form on page 5.

Answers to Bernard Magee’s  Bidding Quiz on page 3 2♦. You should be thinking, ‘At what

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

West North ?

East South 1♥ Pass

1♠. You have a balanced hand and 10-12 points: in a way, bidding 2NT describes the hand – but it would also deny four spades. While your spade suit is not the best in the world, if you have a 4-4 fit, you are likely to want to play in spades. Unless you bid spades now, you may never have the chance to play in them. Your partner would simply raise 2NT to 3NT – unlikely to succeed on a club lead. Respond 1♠ however and partner will raise to 3♠, which, in turn, you would raise to game. 4♠ is an excellent contract. If your partner had not turned up with four spades, you could bid 2NT later (or raise a no-trump rebid to game).



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

West ?

North East South 1♦ Dble Pass

level do we want to play and in which suit?’ Game is the first answer – remember you assume that you have a fit with your partner – he must have at least four cards in one of the majors – with a fit, you can count for shortages (or count losers): 10 points + 3 for a singleton = 13 (7 losers). Which suit would you like to play in? While your spades are better, the combined length matters more; you would like to play in your partner’s four-card major – so how do you make your partner bid his suit? Bid the opponent’s suit – 2♦. This forces your partner to make another bid – here, he will reply 2♥, which you can raise to 4♥. If you simply bid 2♥ or 2♠ after the double, your partner should pass because he has a minimum hand (7 losers, 13 pts).



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

West North East South 2♣1 Pass 2♦2 Pass 2♥ Pass ? 1 2 strong and artificial negative

3♦. The most important thing to remember about a 2♣ opening is that it is usually forcing to game. You cannot pass 2♥ – your partner is suggesting he can make game by himself. Your 2♦ response did

not show diamonds – it simply showed fewer than 7 points. Now, you should bid naturally and call 3♦ – this is the only good thing about your hand and you hope it will help your partner to bid the right game. Here, your partner is thinking of greater things than game – with such a good fit he should be able to guide you to slam – 6♦ (a club loser is discarded on the third top heart). If you bid 2NT as a second negative, partner may well raise to 3NT and you will miss a good slam.



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

West North ?

East South 1♠ Pass

4♠. You have a very nice spade fit; the question is – how many spades are you going to bid? This one is easy on the ‘losing trick count’ – with a suit agreed, you can count seven losers. This means that you should bid 4♠. With the Milton Work Count, it is harder. The general theory on hands as distributional as the above is that you are likely to have a chance of making game; even if you fail, there is a good chance that the opponents will do well in some other contract (4♥ for example). So you should bid game quickly and stop your opponents from having a conversation. 4♠ is a comfortable make. ■

The Inn on the Prom Bridge Events 2013 19-21 April

Bernard Magee

Thinking Defence

£245

12-14 July

Just Bridge

£169

16-18 August

Just Bridge

£169

Full Board – No Single Supplement. Booking Form on page 5.

Page 30

St Annes-on-Sea FY8 1LU

JUST DUPLICATE 2013 11-13 January Elstead Hotel £199

7-9 June Staverton Park £169

2-4 August Staverton Park £169

25-27 January Ardington Hotel £199

14-16 June Chatsworth Hotel £199

9-11 August Cheltenham Regency £199

1-3 February Elstead Hotel £199

9-11 August Staverton Park £169

8-10 February Ardington Hotel £199

16-18 August Inn on the Prom £169

22-24 February Elstead Hotel £199

6-8 September Cheltenham Regency £199

22-24 February The Olde Barn £169

6-8 September The Olde Barn £169 13-15 September Cheltenham Regency £199

Cheltenham Regency Hotel Cheltenham GL51 0ST

RUBBER / CHICAGO 2013

Blunsdon House Hotel Swindon SN26 7AS

12-14 April

4-6 October Staverton Park £169

14-16 June Elstead Hotel £199 14-16 June Staverton Park £169

Chatsworth Hotel Worthing BN11 3DU

1-3 March Blunsdon House £199 8-10 March Staverton Park £169 15-17 March The Olde Barn £169 22-24 March Ardington Hotel £199 5-7 April Cheltenham Regency £199

21-23 June The Olde Barn £169 12-14 July Inn on the Prom £169

Elstead Hotel

12-14 July Staverton Park £169

Ardington Hotel Worthing BN11 3DZ

19-21 July The Olde Barn £169 19-21 July Staverton Park £169 26-28 July Cheltenham Regency £199

18-20 October The Olde Barn £169 25-27 October Cheltenham Regency £199 1-3 November The Olde Barn £169

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

17-19 May

11-13 October Cheltenham Regency £199

5-7 April Staverton Park £169

31 May – 2 June The Olde Barn £169

Bournemouth BH1 3QP

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 5.

Page 31

Staverton Park Daventry NN11 6JT

13-15 September All hosted by Diana Holland £199 Full Board No Single Supplement Booking Form on page 5.

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