ª © NEW ZEALAND ¨ § BRIDGE ONLINE

A truly international Kiwi. Read about a New Zealander who has made a big difference April 2014 Volume 50 No 2 in our bridge world ... Page 10

Editorial Welcome to the world of digital ... and find out some really good news from 4 Howick and The Bay of Plenty. For Intermediates ... Do you know declarer's shape ... their hand shape, of course!? 24 For new players

Your first bridge steps Are you a good partner? 21 Tracey Lewis looks at what makes a good partner ... and partnership.

Curly Shirl's Tips What are the three Cs which you should apply to every hand you play or defend? 19 Shirley reveals.

Tournaments are fun even if you are new to the game. Find out why ... 20 70 years together and still smiling Find out more ... 23 Try a Bridge Quiz Have you heard of ? That's not one of the questions but there is a question 22 about him. Read on ... Regional round-up All kinds of news, stories and achievements from around the country. ...even the odd bridge hand ... on a bridge club wall. Where's that? 25 news and views They administer our game, our sport. Who are they and what are they thinking and doing for us? Read on ... 54 Tournament News Top Performance at The Gold Coast Read how Michael Ware and GeO Tislevoll (with a little help from 7 their teammates) won the Gold Coast Teams. Tournament Results and Recent High Scores Maybe you have done well recently at a tournament? Your name maybe mentioned. 53 If not, check out who did. Tales from Taranaki Some good, some less good and some truly horrific stories from this year's Taranaki 12 Bridge Congress ... including What happened next? New Zealand Bridge Dealer West. All Vul. Teams. in association with the Australian Directors Association You East hold: presents ♠KJ9872 The ABDA Interactive ♥1065 Workshop for ♦QJ8 New Zealand Directors ♣ 21ST & 22ND JUNE, 2014 - 10am 7 Hosted by Wellington Regional Committee at the Wellington Bridge Club • Sean Mullamphy West North East South Chief Tournament Director (TCD) of the ABF 1 ♠ 1NT Pass 4 Pass • Laurie Kelso Pass 4NT x 5♣ CTD of Victoria & Secretary of the WBF Laws Committee. • Matthew McManus – CTD for New South Wales & x Pass Pass ? Chief Scorer for the Gold Coast Congress. 115-17 Register with Allan Joseph ($30 payable on day 1) at which point, what happened ( [email protected] ) Note: Your Regional Committee’s may be able to assist with a next? grant-in-aid from the coaching fund. Find out in Tales from Taranaki Billets may be available on request

2 NZ Bridge April 2014 Master Solvers Club More problems dissected by the panel who just never agree! Patrick Carter tries to make 40 sense of it all and makes a "Flip Floppy Disc Award". Who is the lucky recipient? Directors’ corner A feature for those who direct and those who are "directed". That covers all of us. So, read on and check out issues which really do affect us all. This time, we examine when and how 47 we should call for the director. Only polite suggestions, please! The strange and the comical Tales of the Mighty Big hands (that is point-wise!) do not always bring us happy results ... but we love holding them. 51 What's the most points you have held? 26, 28 maybe. Is that all? You have not lived. Read on... What has Gollum from Lord Of The Rings got to do with the making of 49 New Zealand bridge history? Read more ... Half Listening 23 A story about teaching a new player. Was there a happy ending? Read on to find out. Throat Signals There's natural, there's and there's throat. That's right. They are all kinds of 39 signals. Two of them are legal. Read about the one which is not ... What bridge players love ... apart from a good hand Food for Thought 18 ... for catering at your club, or just at home.

Wine of the Month ... find out this month's wine from a company 39 which is a big supporter of bridge. Through The Pack for news on who did well at the Gold Coast and who our international reps will be this year. 38 Hand of The Month good poetry, a touch of history and even a look at an interesting deal. It's all there courtesy 50 of Chris Ackerley. 20 years after Who described most Women bridge players as being “stroppy at the bridge table”? 15 Find out in "Twenty Years After".

3 NZ Bridge April 2014 Editorial

Welcome to the first on-line edition of New Zealand . I promised previous subscribers and readers more of the same and hopefully an improved publication. Here is the first test of that promise. It would be neat to hear from you, the bridge players, what you think of the on-line format and ways we could improve further. It is not just paper to on-line but A5 to A4 size too. You should have discovered by now the links, the ways you can move from one article to another and the new way we are introducing the articles on the first three pages. There are no longer any cost restrictions on the amount of colour which can be shown. We aim to make this Magazine both interesting to read and good to look at. Bridge hands themselves produce a challenge in presentation, not just because they are comparatively large but also as one really needs the text which refers to a hand very close to it. Moving to A4 size should make this easier with the narrative as close to the hand diagrams as possible. We will no longer be showing a list of on the back pages of each issue. Most clubs do have websites with a link through from the New Zealand Bridge website enabling readers to discover the information this Magazine used to show by going to the website. There are a few clubs without websites. Now is the hour to get one. Club members really enjoy the information provided, especially the club session results in far greater detail than just the positions. Clubs owe it to their members to provide this service whether they be large city or just small country clubs. There are new features, a quiz, a food and a wine section (name me a bridge player who does not enjoy at least one if not both of these), an article from The Board of New Zealand Bridge, a feature on directing and more and different articles for less experienced players. Whatever your ability level, there should be something to interest you, whether you like challenging bridge hands, articles to help you improve, articles of human interest, of news, or with a touch of humour. More pictures, too. There will be new presenters like Auckland’s Tracey Lewis, Christchurch’s Shirley Newton and in the directors’ section, Murray Wiggins and Allan Joseph. Tracey is a very lively passionate bridge personality one of whose interests is the development of new players. Shirley, too, will be writing for those new to the game while Murray and Allan A full house for bridge They are playing ... but they are all new to the game. Yes, not an empty seat at the Beginners’ Class ... at the combined Tauranga - Mt Maunganui class.

4 NZ Bridge April 2014 are two of our most experienced directors. I would, though, like to just step back for a few words. Firstly, it is to those readers who are less happy about on- line reading. I hope that it will be possible to print off the Magazine so that it can be read away from a mainframe computer, a laptop, an iPad, an iPhone, a tablet or any other way which technology now allows us to read. I hope all our previous subscribers and readers will give this Magazine a look, even if reading on-line is just not for you. I would also like to thank Alan Taylor who has featured in just about every issue of this Magazine since 1996 with the feature, Twenty Years After, his style, his idea. He has reproduced some great deals, some great stories, rekindled issues of the past, many of which are still relevant today. Alan is putting down his pen on this feature though he has said he may still be inspired to write one-off articles in the future. I hope so, Alan. The feature, though, will continue, a testimony to its worth and place in this Magazine. Finally, a word of thanks to those who have given practical support towards the production of this first on-line issue. Naming names runs the risk of offending others but just a small thank-you, well actually a big one, to Allan Barclay without whom as they say, “this would not all be possible.” So, to the future, and I would like to start the digital age with a couple of stories of hope for the future of bridge in this country. For the first, let’s go to the Bay of Plenty and hear it from Amanda Smith: “The Tauranga and Mount Maunganui Bridge Clubs have joined forces this year to provide combined bridge lessons for both clubs. The lessons are held at the Tauranga club each Tuesday night. There are then practice sessions on a Sunday afternoon at the Mount Maunganui Club. Lessons started in the first week of March with 70 people registered. Over the next few weeks numbers grew to the point where if we ever had everybody attend on any one night, we would have 90 people learning. Our numbers have held steady so far with between 70 and 80 people coming each night. The feedback so far has been great. The key factor is that those coming along every week are enjoying themselves. If they happen to learn a little bit each week, that is an added bonus. (With Amanda doing the teaching, ably backed up by her excellent Power-Point presentation, they will certainly be learning heaps, though Amanda’s point that the lessons must be enjoyable for those learning is very valid. Ed.) It has been great fun teaching such a large group. The sheer size makes the room vibrant with loads of input from the class. We are using the NZ Bridge lesson material with power point presentations. The lesson material and power point presentations are available on NZ Bridge’s website for use by all clubs. Generally speaking, we don’t teach all the material in each lesson as sometimes it is a little bit too much to get through. We just stop when it looks like they have had enough. Our formal lesson programme will run over 4 months. This will include teaching new material (we are halfway through now) interspersed with revision sessions. We had our first revision session just recently. We had 80

Enjoying their game

That's four of the huge group of new players at Tauranga and "The Mount". They are not just smiling for the camera but really are having a good time. Pictured are: Suzanne Lugton, Nadine Kettler, Chris High and Kettler

5 NZ Bridge April 2014 beginners and 26 helpers – enough helpers to have one helper for every three beginners. We practised our opening bids, responses and opener’s rebid by dealing random hands to the group, getting them to bid their hand and then go onto the next hand. This was a very intense practice session. There was a marked improvement in their bidding by the end of the night so well worth the effort. While they didn’t play any hands, they still got to hold cards, count points and do a bit of bidding, with a lot of discussion. On the same night in our smaller room, we also held our Improvers’ class. We got a great turnout for that group as well (about 10 tables) which meant that the club rooms were buzzing that night! We had to dredge out old tables and we actually ran out of chairs which meant some of us had to sit on plastic stools, all adding to the great atmosphere. Managing such a large group is a huge commitment and requires great levels of organisation. Pooling of resources between the two clubs has been of huge value to the whole process. The key factor is the enthusiasm we provide as teachers and helpers to get these new people to fall in love with the game. We can then worry about the nitty gritty of bidding, playing and defending a little later. The next hurdle is getting these new players involved in playing bridge at a club level. We have great plans for that which will enable all players to choose where and when they play. They can play at both clubs for the rest of the year as they choose. We will be able to offer all types of bridge from social / learning sessions to novice / beginner sessions. It will still be important that the fun factor is there and we will work very hard to provide that.” 70, 80, 90 … numbers for Beginners’ classes. How good is that! Note the number of helpers who came along too … and the emphasis on enjoying themselves and picking up more detail later. Get them hooked. They will keep coming. Congratulations to Amanda and all at both clubs who have been and are involved in this project. It augurs well for the future. Talking of numbers, here are some more very pleasing statistics. Junior tournaments around the country have generally been struggling … either low numbers or even being cancelled. New Zealand Bridge has allowed clubs to run such tournaments as just one session events this year. Howick decided to try this for their Junior event on April 12th. The result … 25 ½ tables! What does that say? Therefore, please enjoy reading this Magazine whichever way you thumb through it. As one of the characters from a past musical “Fiddler On The Roof” (Topol), said: “It’s a new world, Golda”. It’s a pretty good one too. Richard Solomon, Editor.

Take part in a wide variety of events: New Zealand • New Zealand Pairs (3 days) • New Zealand Teams (5 days) National and should you not make it to the final stages: • Congress Swiss Pairs Bridge Congress • New Zealand Mixed Pairs • New Zealand Point A Board Sept 27-Oct 4, 2014 Teams at Kingsgate Hotel, Hamilton • Congress Pairs • Back to The Future Teams • Congress Same Sex Pairs Spend some time in New Zealand in Special packages and events for Intermediate / September/October 2014 playing the game you love Junior players and for Senior players (60 and over) Indulge yourself and take in some of the great destinations close to Hamilton Play the whole Congress for NZ$400 or play The friendly Bridge Congress. just part of the week Be a part of the atmosphere Stay at the Kingsgate Hotel for just NZ$120 per Stay on site - great for socializing, enjoying those post-mortems room per night (1-2 people) REGISTRATIONS, PLEASE, BY 31ST AUGUST 2014 See the Congress website: www.nzbridgecongress.co.nz for all the details. Need a partner or teammates … or have any other enquiries? Contact Richard Solomon on [email protected] ph 0064 9 232 8494

6 NZ Bridge April 2014 2 Kiwi success at the Gold Coast By Richard Solomon, Auckland

Michael Ware and GeO Tislevoll are one of our top partnerships, have cemented a place in our National Open Team and consistently perform well in local events. This year was their fourth time at the Gold Coast Congress (although once in the same team but with different partners) and they were looking to go one better than in the previous two attempts when they were in the losing finalist team. Their teammates this time were almost the same as in 2013, Matthew Thomson and Tony Nunn from Australia and Fiona Brown and Hugh McGann, of Australian and Irish heritage, but who live in England. With 6 teams qualifying for the final stages from a field of 196, McGann was never far outside the required position, finally getting into the top 6 after 10 of the 12 qualifying rounds and staying in there despite a small loss to Milne (which included Kiwis Liam Milne, Michael Whibley and Ashley Bach), in round 12. The win was not large enough to get Milne into the top 6 but McGann finished 6th by 0.93 of a vp from a team which included Tom Jacob while one of the two Chinese professional teams playing, China Nangang, finished top qualifier. On then to the final stages. In the round of 4 (in which the top two qualifiers were exempt), McGann played a young mainly Australian team, Haffer, which included the New Zealand Youth player, Pieter Vanderpoel. McGann lost the second of two 12 board sets by 6 imps but had done enough in the Board 1 North first to ease through 60-46.1. Dealer ♠52 In the semi-finals, McGann played a strong Australian team, Burke, and ♥ North AQJ82 got off to a strong start winning the first of the 4 sets 31-2. Burke fought Nil Vul. ♦AJ963 back with two small wins but McGann got home with a bit to spare winning ♣6 69-48.1. On then to the final where their opponents were the strong China Nangang team. West East Michael And GeO sat out the first of the 4 sets seeing a close battle finish ♠K986 N ♠AQJ3 ♥ WE ♥ 25-26, the difference including carry forward being 1.1 to the Chinese. They 65 743 came in for set 2 but were helpless as the Chinese stayed out of a makeable ♦ S ♦ 7 Q2 slam which was bid and failed at the ♣Q98543 ♣AK72 West North East South other table. Meanwhile, on another South McGann Thomson board they bid to a tough 24 point 3NT contract which failed by a trick. ♠1074 1♥ x 2♦ No disaster, you might think but the ♥ ♠ ♦ ♥ ♥ K109 2 3 3 4 opposition had less trouble making a ♦K10854 4♠ Pass Pass 5♦ doubled overtrick in 1NT at the other ♣J10 Pass Pass x All Pass table. With nothing much coming in, those two boards saw 22 imps go out with the set going 29-9 to the Chinese who now led by 21.1 imps. West North East South Michael and GeO were still there in set 3 when three boards had a material GeO Michael impact on the state of the match. On Board 1 (opposite), game was makeable 1♥ x 2♥ in each direction. Indeed, at one table, three game contracts were bid: 2♠ 3♣ x 3♦ Everyone got the bidding right. Hugh McGann may have thought he was ♥ Pass 4♥ All Pass. sacrificing over 4 but it was the best kind of , a making one. The Chinese South bid on reducing their minus score to just 100. Meanwhile, Michael and GeO did all they had to do: 3♣ showed shortage. Despite his partner’s helpful double of that bid, the Chinese West did not see fit to bid over 4♥, leaving GeO to make a very comfortable 10 tricks: 11 imps to McGann.

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7 NZ Bridge April 2014 The Chinese East-West went quietly on Board 7 as well. Board 7 North Michael opened at the one level and Dealer ♠AQ965 West North East South ♥ then showed that shape and honour South K76 GeO Michael placement (♠K in partner’s suit) are at All Vul. ♦9642 1♥ least as important if not more so than ♣7 x 1♠ Pass 2♥ point count when he raised to the cold heart game on his mere 10 count. The West East Pass 3♥ Pass 4♥ defence took the first three tricks but ♠10732 N ♠J8 Pass Pass Pass Michael could then claim. What though ♥ WE ♥ 95 J of East’s pass of 1♠? I do not think Matthew Thomson would have agreed: ♦ S ♦ KQ3 AJ87 Hugh McGann was impressed by his partner’s 3♣ call and tried for game with ♣AKQ10 ♣865432 his second double. His partner was not that interested. Presumably, North was South concerned about pushing his West North East South ♣ ♠ opponents to 5 ; otherwise why not K4 McGann Thomson ♥ ♣ ♥ bid 4 ? There were just 3 losers in 4 AQ108432 1♥ with 13 imps going to McGann. What ♦ ♦ 105 x 2♦ 3♣ 3♥ though of North’s 2 bid and no heart ♣ support? Strange. J9 x Pass 4♣ All Pass Finally, there was a 26 imp swing available depending on the location of Dealer North West North East South the ♥K. West ♠Q53 GeO Michael GeO knew his partner would be very ♥ ♠ ♠ 1 Vul N/S 9876 2 Pass 4 4NT short in and with excellent ♦ 2 ♣ AK76 Pass 5NT x 6 minor cards, saw the slam potential. ♣K8 Pass 6♦ Pass 6♥ He let Michael choose but had, West East Pass Pass Pass fortunately, no liking for clubs. Meanwhile, the lengthy exploration of ♠A98642 ♠KJ107 1two suited take-out N slam contracts talked East out of a ♥ ♥ 2 532 WE K pick a slam very cheap sacrifice in 6♠. After the ♦10 S ♦J98543 ♦10 lead, the quick appearance of the ♥ ♣1072 ♣A3 West North East South K solved all Michael’s problems. South McGann Thomson Meanwhile, the Chinese stopped short in the other room: ♠– 2♦1 Pass 2♥1 3♣ That was 37 imps in in three boards ♥AQJ104 Pass 3NT Pass 4♥ with the set being won by McGann 40- ♦ ♥ Q2 Pass 5 All Pass 9. Suddenly, McGann had an 11.9 imp ♣QJ9654 1multi sequence lead with just 12 boards to play. 2014 Gold Coast Open Teams Winners Matthew Thom- on, Michael Ware, Hugh McGann, GeO Tislevoll, Fiona Brown, Tony Nunn

8 NZ Bridge April 2014 Dealer North For McGann, the same four carried on against the four person Chinese North ♠A team. If the Chinese were to fight back, this was not the way to do it. A question first though. Anything strange about the bidding at both tables on Nil Vul ♥J1097 this board? ♦109652 ♣ The oddity is of course that the hand which took action at both tables was J92 not that with 17 high but that shapely 3 count! (The West players’ pass either West East indicated value or the East’s deduced a ♠K93 N ♠10876542 West North East South strong flat hand opposite). While Hugh WE ♥AK8 ♥65 McGann Thomson McGann raised his partner to the S unbeatable 4♠, something untoward ♦K73 ♦QJ4 1NT happened at the other table. ♣ ♣ Pass Pass 2♠ Pass A753 8 Unquestionably, 2♦ showed either ♠ South 4 Pass Pass Pass spades or a major or was intended to ♠QJ West North East South show one but West either forgot or ♦ ♥Q432 GeO Michael else 2 was a misbid. Michael and GeO beat this contract by two tricks for ♦A8 1NT ♦ an 11 imp swing to McGann. ♣KQ1064 Pass Pass 2 All Pass

Dealer North The following then was pure “icing” since even if the Chinese had got it right at both tables, the swing would not have been enough to win the match. As it East ♠AJ ♥ was, they failed at both tables: Vul N/S QJ42 West North East South ♦ The Chinese did all they had to up to AJ962 GeO Michael and including the 6♣ bid. However, if ♣ 1 2 A9 1♦ 2♦ you bid that high, then you have to West East Pass 4♥ Pass Pass know what to lead when the ♥ ♠ ♠ 3 8 N Q973 5♣ 5♥ 6♣ x opponents bid on to 6 . ♥ ♥ 1063 WE A Pass 6♥ All Pass ♦ S ♦ 1 2 West North East South Q104 K75 Precision style both majors ♣ ♣ 3 McGann Thomson QJ10865 K7432 warning that defending might be ♠1 South best. (However, GeO had a little up 2 Pass ♣ ♥ ♠K106542 his sleeve when he stopped short 3 x Pass 4 of slam. He guessed that if Michael ♣ ♥K9875 5 x All Pass was very weak, he was 6-5 shape 1 ♦ 4 spades and a longer minor; 83 … hence no minor loser … and GeO less than an opening hand. ♣– was of course correct.) The actual choice of the ♦5 lead did not worry GeO as the diamond loser disappeared on the ♣A meaning GeO lost only the . To beat the slam, East had to lead a spade to give partner a . There was, however, just as bad a result for the Chinese at the other table. North was loathe to bid on to 5♥ though maybe it was South’s turn to pull that penalty double to bid to the five level at least. After a heart lead, McGann managed to eliminate both and spades from his and dummy’s hands before throwing North in with a diamond to the ace and escaped for just one down. That was 17 imps to McGann, the set 30-3 and the match 104-67.1 imps. For Michael, GeO and their teammates, it was a most satisfying outcome. More Youth Discounts for the New Zealand Congress We want to see more of our young players in Hamilton for the National Congress. There will be extra travel discounts for young players and a special low Youth price for the Intermediate / Junior Package. Details will follow soon on the New Zealand Bridge website

9 NZ Bridge April 2014 2 One Kiwi’s on-line contribution

Many readers may not have heard of Maureen Hall. Yet, Maureen, who lives in New Zealand, has served a very important role in the world of on-line bridge for a decade. She is passionate about bridge. She even lives in “Bridge Street”! Read on to discover a very modest Kiwi who is making a big positive difference to our wonderful game. Ed. About 12 years ago, Maureen Hall’s golf ball disappeared under a bush. As she retrieved it, a voice called out “you should take up bridge” and told her of the bridge lessons starting at the local club. That seemed a good idea to Maureen who was recently retired, had wanted to learn the game since she was a teenager, was looking for an interest and was perhaps frustrated at looking for her ball in the bushes!. So she did. She went along to her local club, had some lessons which went well and was according to Maureen “thrown in the deep end”. She hated it, the atmosphere, her own sense of ignorance and soon wrote out her resignation letter. This was not for her. Back to the bushes! Yet, before she threw away the game completely, she had a last look on-line. It was just about the time that BBO was starting and she logged in. There were only four tables playing in those days. She kibitzed the founder, Fred Gitleman, and was astounded to get an immediate personal reply to the questions she asked. She became hooked! Yet, she found some of the same behavioural issues there as she found at her club. She thought the main BBO rooms were “scary places for Beginners and Intermediates”. So, she decided to do something about it, establishing her own private club, BIL, “Beginners and Intermediates League”. It was established on 3rd September 2003. At that time, she was “computer illiterate” and went along to the local polytechnic for a website course. That is not the case now as BIL has become her life-time commitment. She spends at least 60 hours a week managing BIL which at one stage extended to new and intermediate players in 125 countries. She does not play bridge herself and says that is the only one of her initial goals which she has not achieved (she last played on-line in 2004 and in a club in 2005. She did play at the club and even became club treasurer but BIL became just too time - consuming). She feels you cannot organize and play as that is “unfair to your partner”. She measures BIL’s success not in terms of membership (currently there are about 800) but in those who have moved through BIL and on to BBO as they became Advanced players. About 8,000 past members get the Gazette, a figure that has been as high as 30,000. There is a BIL Graduate Membership for those whose status has become advanced and who wish to remain BIL members in an honorary capacity. Maureen loves it when such players become mentors themselves. During the BIL’s 2014 New Year Marathon, a mentor, his mentee and her mentee were playing together, three generations at one table. Initially, membership was free but to cover costs, she now charges an Annual Support Fee. The club is totally self-funded and receives no sponsorship, grants or subsidies. For membership, there are lessons, daily tournaments, and practices. There is the Beginning Bridge Program (BBP) with 4 basic beginners’ courses, the basics, declarer play, competitive bidding and defence. There are also other specific courses like on cue-bidding, doubles, or Intermediate Defence. A main feature of BIL is the mentoring service, a service of which Maureen is most proud. Mentors will teach either one to one or maybe in groups of 3 or 4 with the mentor playing with as well as teaching the new players. This service can last up to six months. Maureen referred to one player mentoring 4 children aged 7, 9, 11 and 13 in Ireland. Indeed, there is a BIL Youth section and endorses a program for grandparents and parents to get the young generation to learn. She currently has about 80 mentors worldwide. New players get to know each other at the lessons and practices. Members coined a name for themselves… “BILies”. There is a BILies Retreat, a public club for open teaching, special hosted practice sessions, special events and where you can socialize even with non BIL friends. Most members play social games in the BBO Relaxed Bridge Club. As well as the Open Session Teachers and Mentors, there are Course Tutors, Tournament Directors and about 50 volunteers. The Teachers and Tutors have assistants so that the Tutors can teach while the assistants handle the admin side of the operation. There are question and answer sessions or places to “ask an expert”. There are also daily practice sessions.

10 NZ Bridge April 2014 There is also the monthly Gazette with input from members, updates, notices, changes to Teaching Sessions etc. This is no small document. In addition, Maureen puts out frequent Bulletins on particular topics. Most of the teaching is based on style systems though she can provide mentors in or even Precision. In early days, she had more New Zealand members though the base system may have something to do with the decline in members from this country. One important aspect of BIL is “Zero Tolerance”. Her motto, highlighted everywhere is “cherish your partner and respect the opposition”. There is no relaxing from this policy. I asked Maureen why it was comparatively hard to find BIL. She says she does not advertise and most new members come from word of mouth. If they want to learn, they will find BIL. She does not feel that her club is detrimental to face to face clubs and indeed knows of many players who have learned on-line and subsequently have joined actual clubs. Both media are working towards the same goal. The contribution Maureen has and still makes to on-line bridge is immense. Here is a tribute to Maureen from World Champion and Founder of Bridge Base Online : “With over 100,000 unique visitors every day, Bridge Base Online (BBO) is by far the world's largest online bridge site. But suppose that 1% of these people have poor manners, offer unsolicited and/or foolish bridge lessons, or are arguably insane. That would mean something like 1000 bad apples who have the potential to upset or offend the rest of our members (who are by and large very fine people). And what if a new bridge player were to encounter one of these bad apples? They just might decide to give up the game and losing new bridge players is something we really can't afford in this day and age. I first encountered New Zealand's Maureen Hall over 10 years ago shortly after BBO first got off the ground. Unlike my partners and I, Maureen had the foresight to consider the dangers described above and was determined to do something about it. To that end, Maureen established the "Beginner Intermediate Lounge" (BIL) - a private club within BBO that was designed to provide shelter and quality instruction to the many relatively inexperienced bridge players who frequent our site. Maureen carefully vetted those who applied for membership in the BIL, sought out quality mentors and teachers to help them learn, established an excellent web site that includes an extensive library of educational material, and ran periodic tournaments for her players. Over the years she has touched the lives of many thousands of inexperienced bridge players from all over the world. Many BIL members have gone on to become successful players in real life clubs and tournaments. I am fairly sure that Maureen has spent the vast majority of her waking hours during the past decade working on BIL-related matters. Much of what the BIL offers is free and those aspects that are not free are designed purely to help Maureen cover her expenses. Maureen was never in this for the money - her love of bridge and people were the driving forces behind the great work she has done. Although I have never met Maureen in person, I consider her to be a good friend. Maureen radiates warmth, dedication, and professionalism. All New Zealand bridge players should be proud that one of their own has contributed to so much to our game. “ Then there are those who have used and loved the BIL. Here are just two comments of many: “I have learned so much and I continue to learn. BIL has made my retirement so much better. Thanks.” “Thank you for the BIL. (It is..) unlikely I would be enjoying the game or making progress without it. I rave about it and you to every player I meet who finds the Main room unfriendly and unsupportive.” A BIL member recently came from the USA to visit Maureen. Maureen commented that this member was “very unwell, had never been out of the States before, a Professor in Mathematics and said on leaving “I had to come to tell you face to face, so you will know how grateful I am. You changed my life in a good way. You really changed my life.” It’s all about people and learning bridge. Maureen wants all members to benefit whether they are members for a short or long term. It is not the length of the stay but the experience they have had on the way. She hopes her members will “reach the level of expertise they desire” and will forge lasting friendships, as so many all around the world have. Above all, she wants everyone to become a good partner and endorse at all times her creed : “Cherish Your Partner; Respect Your Opposition”. Well done, Maureen. It was just lucky for so many that your golf ball did find that bush. And a special thank you to Carole Anderson one of Maureen’s biggest fans for letting us know about her. Ed.

11 NZ Bridge April 2014 2 Tales from Taranaki By Richard Solomon, Auckland

I think I should claim ownership of this article, if only to protect the innocence of others! Those of you who want to find out “what happened next” (see front intro) will have to have just a little patience. Read on. Ed. West East Let’s have a look at some of the points of interest from three days of bridge at the 4th Taranaki Congress. “Interest” is a wide-ranging word but let’s start ♠84 ♠AK7 off with something good. ♥KJ1083 ♥AQ5 How do you play this slam on the lead of the ♠Q? The opposition said ♦ ♦ AQ2 9643 nothing during the auction: ♣ ♣ Q102 AK8 Contract 6♥ by West. Lead ♠Q won by the ace with South playing ♠9. 11 tricks on top with one more coming from a successful diamond . Dealer North What though if the diamond finesse failed? -100? Brett Glass was determined West ♠QJ5432 not to write in -100 no matter where that stray was: Vul. N/S ♥64 Brett won the and drew trumps but not just three rounds but ♦?J all five rounds. He then played off three rounds of clubs and cashed dummy’s second high spade. That left three cards in everyone’s hand. East (dummy) ♣643 had a losing spade and two small while North was left with the ♠J West East and two diamonds. Brett and South had three diamonds each. Brett called for ♠ ♠ 86 AK7 dummy’s spade and tabled his hand. Since the opening lead marked North ♥KJ1083 N ♥AQ5 with that ♠J, Brett had the ♦AQ to take care of the last two tricks. Had North WE ♦AQ2 ♦9643 kept two spades and one diamond, Brett would not have been much worse off S than those who took the diamond finesse earlier. He would then have to take ♣Q102 ♣AK8 the diamond finesse. He would have been two down had North held the ♦K South singleton but an extra undertrick at Teams is not that critical! ♠ 109 The only pity for Brett was that South held the ♦K and that the whole room ♥972 had made either 6♥ or 6NT. Had the finesse failed, I suspect he would have ♦?1085 had a bundle load of imps. ♣J975 Next we come to a very common situation. Actually, we wonder how common (? = unknown ♦K or ♦7) it is since whenever you bid a suit, partner has other ideas about leading! Nevertheless, this time your partner did lead a diamond, the suit you bid first. Here then, is your hand, the dummy and a question about what you are going to play at trick two. Oh, you can have the bidding too. You are South. ♥ Dealer South East OK, maybe you have not got a 4 bid. However, after your partner’s weak jump to 2♥, it seemed a good idea to put them to the test to see if they Nil Vul. (dummy) ♠ ♦ ♠ wanted to bid 4 . As you can see, they did! Your partner leads the 9 which AK32 you win with the ace with declarer contributing the ♦10. So, at trick 2, you ♥ J10 play….? ♦ 62 Dummy does not look that appealing unless you can cash a couple of tricks ♣AJ653 in each red suit but the ♦9 lead does tend to suggest that declarer holds the South (you) king while a quick piece of mathematics suggests if North has six hearts, then West North East South there will only be one trick for the ♠Q8 1♦ defence in that suit. Our South cashed ♥AQ97 ♥ 1 the A looking for inspiration but Pass 2♥ x 4♥ ♦AQJ5 found that a very low percentage 4♠ Pass Pass Pass ♣1097 contract could no longer be beaten. 1weak jump Here then are all four hands: A win is a win ... but it's not by how much you win but that you win. Whoever said that was not at a recent session at the Auckland Bridge Club where at one of the club's smaller sessions, this theory was tested. Indeed, this could almost be unique where in a 5 table 15 board session, the first East West pair scored almost double that of the pair who came second. Winners were Patrick Bell and Penny Greig with a cool 83.33% with the second of the five pairs recording 47.50% and the other three pairs even less. That's a pretty emphatic result with a victory with style. Well done to them.

12 NZ Bridge April 2014 North South really had no idea what to do but South forgot that their partner led a diamond and not a heart. As you can see there was a definite reason why. The ♠J54 only way to beat 4♠ is to return the diamond at trick 2. Even though you can ♥ K65432 only see 6 diamonds between you and dummy, your partner ruffs the return. ♦9 Back comes a heart to your ace and a second ruff sees the contract one down ♠ ♠ ♣K82 as 5 forces the K promoting a spade trick for South. West East After the ♥A was cashed, South played a diamond, which drew the king and ♠ ♠ 10976 N AK32 a ruff. However, West ruffed the heart continuation, took the club finesse, ♥8 WE ♥J10 cashed two top spades and with the most favourable lie of the club suit, made ♦K108743 S ♦62 10 rather underserved tricks. The message our South forgot was the quite simple one of returning partner’s lead. There are times when a switch is called ♣Q4 ♣AJ653 for but it is a good philosophy to return that lead unless you have a good South reason for changing. South had none and paid the price. ♠Q8 ♥ West North East South AQ97 ♣ From the same match came this ♦ 1 AQJ5 rather amusing sequence: 2♣ 3♣ 4♣ 5♣ ♣1097

Dealer North At which point West did call a halt. West’s 5♥ called an abrupt end to the South ♠A5 bidding. Indeed, to get a good score, North or South had to mention clubs one further time since these were the four hands: All Vul. ♥J7 ♦J873 2♣ showed a constructive hand with at least 5-5 in the majors. Rather wisely, ♣107643 East asked his partner to choose his better major as trumps (the 4♣ bid) and West East West held an extra heart. Had East chosen to play in spades, a singleton heart ♠ ♠ ♠ KJ1042 N Q973 lead from South would have beaten 5 . While it is true that had one defender ♥ ♥AK8432 WE ♥Q1095 held a singleton small spade, 5 could have been beaten too, it is usually ♦64 S ♦A952 correct in such cases to have as trumps the suit in which you have most cards. 6♣ was a cheap sacrifice for North – South, off two tricks as long as there is ♣- ♣J a spade lead or switch at trick two. Clubs, clubs, more clubs but not enough South clubs! ♠ 86 Then we have something just a little technical. Well, do not let that switch ♥6 you off. There is a good lesson here. Have a quick think and decide how you ♦KQ10 would play the following 3NT contract as South. ♣AKQ9852

Dealer North West North East South West leads ♣3 (4th highest). You West ♠AJ106 1NT1 Pass Pass x insert the ♣J which wins trick one, ♣ Nil Vul. ♥A86 2♣ x Pass 2♥ East following with 10. Plan the play. ♦J1074 Pass 2♠ Pass 2NT ♣J7 Pass 3NT All Pass At the sight of dummy, you are 112-14 probably wishing you were defending South ♣ ♠ 2 x. However, let’s get 9 tricks in 3NT. Surely that should not be hard after Q98 the most friendly lead? This deal is a good lesson for keen Juniors, ♥ K542 Intermediates and for a goodly number of sleepy Open players too. No ♦K85 catches! ♣AK4 You have 26 high and West opened the bidding. So, it looks odds on that the spade finesse is working … four spades, two hearts and three clubs … adds up to 9. So, cross with a heart to dummy and take that spade finesse? Do so and you will be writing down -50 in a few seconds. Punishment indeed for a lazy play.

13 NZ Bridge April 2014 What? West opened on an 11 count! Call the director. Complain! No, there Dealer North are no grounds beyond one’s own poor play. Add up your certain tricks. Three ♠ West AJ106 in clubs and two in hearts. You need either four in spades or three in spades Nil Vul. ♥A86 and one more in diamonds or hearts. After trick one, you have at least a ♦J1074 double hold in all suits except diamonds. There is no danger at that point unless you attack the wrong suit. If the spade finesse fails, you only ever have ♣J7 three tricks in that suit. The chance of a 3-3 heart break is only around 36%. West East The chance of developing one diamond trick after losing the lead twice is ♠7432 N ♠K5 100%. Would you like to take the 36% or the 100% line? WE ♥QJ ♥10973 ♦ S ♦ Finally, check out the bidding. It does indicate that West is likely to have five AQ 9632 clubs (the pull of 1NT) though even if West has only four clubs, East will never ♣ ♣ Q8532 1096 have more than four clubs. So, if you lose two diamond tricks first and then South take a losing spade finesse later, you will only lose one club trick if the suit ♠Q98 breaks 4-4. There is a danger hand here … and that is West. If you have to lose the lead to West, do so early while you have club holds, not when ♥K542 ♦ suddenly you are out of clubs. In other words, if you take the spade finesse K85 early, East returns a club. You do now know where every outstanding honour ♣AK4 is but with a bad heart break, you can do nothing except go down. So, at trick two, I hope you played ♦J losing to the . Then, win the club return and knock out the ♦A. Soon, you will have 9 tricks, one more than those who took the finesse into the safe hand too early. Dealer West. All Vul. Teams. Finally, back to the “what happened next” question which perhaps took your interest in this article in the first place. Just in case you forgot either your hand You East hold: or the bidding, here they are: ♠KJ9872 ♥1065 at which point, we asked you what happened next? ♦QJ8 ♣7 One little fact you were not told previously was that North hesitated at their West North East South first chance to bid before finally passing. That encouraged you to shut them 1 ♠ 1NT Pass 4 Pass up for good by leaping to 4♠. That plan failed! So, you doubled 4NT. Why? To Pass 4NT2 x 5♣ tell partner you had no great desire to go to 5♠ and maybe take whatever x Pass Pass ? small penalty was on offer. That plan kind of worked when partner doubled 5♣. So, you were happy? Well, kind of. So, what happened next: 115-17 22 suited take-out That was a little unexpected. Surely West North East South 4NT was for the minors? Well, initially. ♥ Dealer North 5 It sounded like a misfit with South West ♠– Pass Pass ? heading for what he could see. Rather All Vul. ♥7 overlooking the fact that your partner ♦765432 had failed to double this contract, you find the red card..once in trouble, ♣ always in trouble syndrome. In fact, they were never in trouble … or not real AQJ832 trouble! West East South was none other than Barry Jones who maybe risked marital bliss when ♠ ♠ ♣ A643 N KJ9872 he pulled 5 x which was only certain to make one overtrick (look at the effect ♥ ♥ ♥ Q9 WE 1065 of an initial heart lead) even if Barry guessed the correct lie of the suit, to 5 . ♦AK109 S ♦QJ8 This contract was by no means a certain make if his partner and wife, Jenny Millington, had held any spades. ♣K96 ♣7 Realising Barry’s plight, I enabled him to keep the peace by doubling and South ♠ making two overtricks (I have the score embedded permanently in my office Q105 ... -1250) despite my partner making the only lead to save the third overtrick ♥ AKJ8432 (a trump … no correspondence, please, as I know we are at the 5 level … but ♦– letters of sympathy to my partner are indeed highly appropriate.) ♣1054 So, full marks if you knew that Barry Jones had converted +1150 (I do not

14 NZ Bridge April 2014 believe a heart would have been led from the West hand against 5♣x) to +1250 and even more marks if you had correctly found the pass of 5♥. Even 5♠ would have only cost 500 though the sinister thought that Barry might have bid 6♥ is too evil to even contemplate. So, some happy, some sad and some truly horrible memories of three days in Taranaki. I was to return only a week later for a wonderful musical experience in this much underrated city at Womad. In another year, I imagine I will return to this Bridge Congress that has despite some of the above, given me a lot of pleasure in its four years of existence. Superb organisation … excellent atmosphere … it’s worth a visit. Twenty years after - questions As per the Editorial, a very warm thank you to Alan Taylor for his contribution of this feature since December 1996.

1. Which was Michael Ware’s first tournament win of 1994? Have a Capital Time With Us! 2. Who am I? “When I shout at you, it means both that I am in good humour and that I like you.” I Wellington Regional describe most Women players as being “stroppy at the bridge table”. “I Bridge Congress 2014 have a cask of wine positioned permanently under my desk.” “Often Saturday July 5 / Sun 6 / Mon 7 I will have a puff of a cigarette to be followed immediately by a puff of my atomiser!” 3. Dealer South. E/W Vul. You are South holding: 4. Who was acknowledged as the new National Director?

♠J96 ♥6 ♦KQJ632 ♣Q93 West North East South 3♦ Pass 5♦ 5♥ Pass 6♥ Pass Pass Pass Your lead?

5. Another lead problem. You are West holding: Sat: 10A Wellington Provincial Open Teams 5B Intermediate Teams: 3B Junior + Novice Teams ♠ 98 Sun: 10A Wellington TSB Provincial Open Pairs ♥Q1076532 5B Intermediate Pairs: 3B Junior + Novice Pairs ♦ 7 Mon: 3A Swiss Pairs ♣1085 West North East South Venue: Wellington Bridge Club, 1♦ 1♠ 3NT 17 Tinakori Road, Thorndon Pass Pass Pass For further details visit our website What’s your choice of lead? www.wcbc.org.nz

15 NZ Bridge April 2014 2 Twenty years after - answers by Richard Solomon The guest Editor for the month was Wellington’s Tony Thomson. His theme was the value of international expenditure for our Association and players. The FEBF Championships were soon to be held in Wellington. It seems the issue is as valid today as it was then. He referred to the value going beyond those who took part, beyond the buzz of a good performance, but in improving the overall standard of our game. Food for thought then and now. However, let’s begin with something a little less controversial, but perhaps just as intense. It was Michael Ware’s first tournament win of 1994. Michael did not have to wait long. The scene was Matakatia Bay in Whangaparaoa. The event was the Matakatia Bay Drawn Teams. The hosts were Fred and Jennifer Whitaker. Within two hours of the start of 2014, Michael had become a winner by two imps with what he described as a “chameleon team” of himself, Jennifer, Lionel Wright and Lawrence Looi. The latter pair would have been a very interesting pair to have kibitzed. The April issue featured a report from Andy Braithwaite on Kiwis in Canberra and by Michael Ware on the North Island Teams. Bidding Challenge featured two pairs still going strong twenty years later, Shirley Newton- Jenny Wilkinson and Peter Newell – Martin Reid. Jenny and Shirley won 70-64. There was an in depth article on one of the characters of the New Zealand Bridge scene from the 1970’s through to the 1990’s, Mavis Carruthers. She was introduced with the following words: “Whether it is by her voice or the smell of the particular brand of cigarettes, she creates an impression at any gathering. However, fewer people are aware of the lovely personality that exists behind the rather gruff voice, which heralds one of the real characters in today’s world of bridge.” She was chief hostess at the 1976 FEBF in Auckland, was Secretary of Auckland’s Northern Club, for the Teams Group and for the Auckland Centre. “If anyone wanted anything done in , Mavis’s door was always open.” She was far far more than Secretary for all three organizations. For the National Congresses at Rotorua, she was “the front desk”, the welcoming committee, first with husband Alan and then with daughter Jan. The cask of wine under her desk? Maybe … for distressed players … maybe another use too. The low in nicotine long brown cigarettes were often accompanied by the atomizer. Such is the life of a larger than life chronic asthmatic! She could also play more than a bit and played with many almost exclusively strong male partners. One exception was another character of that period, Ethel Pattinson. Women players were according to Mavis “stroppy at ♠ the bridge table”. She was according to one Centre President “conscientious, J96 hardworking and knowledgeable.” More than that, when “she shouted at you, ♥6 she was in good humour and liked you.” Quite a character. ♦KQJ632 There was some bridge reported, too. The following bidding problem came ♣Q93 from the Southland Regional Round-Up, written then by Fergus More, now New Zealand Bridge’s Honorary Solicitor. Writing in this Magazine is good West North East South training! Here then was the lead problem: 3♦ ♦ ♥ Dealer South. E/W Vul. You are South holding the hand opposite: Pass 5 5 Pass ♦ ♥ Well, you have probably guessed that the K was not a success but it is 6 Pass Pass Pass unlikely you will know why. Indeed, the lead of either black suit was equally Your lead? unrewarding for the defence: National Youth Bridge Weekend AUCKLAND 1st - 3rd August 2014 A weekend of fun and bridge for our less experienced young players If you are interested or know someone who might be, please contact Richard Solomon on [email protected] or 09 232 8494 Cost: $100 from anywhere in New Zealand includes the cost of airfares (as long as you register by 30th June), lunches, airport transfers, billets and course materials. Please register early if flying is involved so that the cost can be kept down

16 NZ Bridge April 2014 Dealer North One of my escapades in recent years with an opening six card diamond suit ♠ found my left hand opponent with a take-out double and my right hand enemy South K75 with all seven diamonds! As you can see here, it is much more comforting to ♥ N/S Vul. – have the 7 card diamond suit directly opposite you! ♦ A1098754 However! Lead a diamond and a spade goes from dummy at trick one. ♣1062 Declarer just manages to draw trumps and can then succeed by playing three West East rounds of clubs end-playing South or, more simply (since after the pre-empt, the ♠K is more likely with North) by playing a spade to the queen. After an ♠843 N ♠AQ102 initial low spade lead to the king and ace, a trump and two more rounds of ♥ WE ♥ QJ10874 AK9532 spades leave South with an insoluble problem. ♦ S ♦ - – The initial club lead again eventually South on lead with no escape ♣A874 ♣KJ5 when declarer plays a spade to the 10 and jack after clubs (and trump) have South been eliminated. ♠J96 So, that just leaves the initial trump lead. Did you find it? Not particularly to cut down ruffing options (12 trumps in total is more than adequate!) but ♥6 where does declarer go? There is no winning club play while after a spade to ♦ KQJ632 the queen, ♠A and a third spade, North cannot go wrong with the club exit … ♣Q93 but, as Fergus reported, one clever North got a little too clever. He found the West North East South “Irish unblock”, one where there is no bad defensive end-play until you ♦ actually unblock! After the trump lead and a spade to the queen, declarer 3 ♠ ♠ ♦ ♥ played A on which North threw the K! A third spade went to South’s jack. Pass 5 5 Pass South was less than impressed with their choice of exit cards! ♥ 6 Pass Pass Pass So, to the new National Director. He has directed a session or three since the Your lead? start of 1994 because it is the Auckland Club full-time director, Patrick Carter. The list of passes in other categories throws up some interesting names. A ♠98 certain Murray Wiggins from Hastings became a Tournament Director as indeed did Auckland’s Roy Ballard while there was a lengthy list of new Club ♥Q1076532 Directors, including Russell Watt (Auckland), Christine Gibbons (Te Puke) and ♦ 7 a pair from Tauranga, Merle Marr and Judy McLeod. Judy was one of three ♣1085 players out of the 41 passes who scored the perfect 100%. Dealer North West North East South ♠ ♦ ♠ So, back to our other lead problem North J2 1 1 3NT ♥ which came from Andy Braithwaite’s 84 Pass Pass Pass article. Remember the problem? (see ♦A10983 What’s your choice of lead? left) ♣AQJ4 This is probably a “good news – bad news” story. Let’s have the bad news West East first. Andy found the wrong lead. Can you really be blamed for leading partner’s ♠98 ♠K7543 suit, ever? Andy felt that that line had a much better chance of success (plus, ♥ N ♥ it would keep his partner, Alan Turner, happy, no easy feat in itself!) than that Q1076532 WE AKJ ♦ ♦ of leading a heart, which would require partner to have magic heart cards and 7 S 652 for the opposition to be chronically weak in that suit. Surely not? ♣1085 ♣96 Three light or four overtricks … the two possible outcomes from a South lead. However, just as with all good Fairy Tales, (but this is a “true” one), the ♠AQ106 story had a happy ending when in the other room, Lionel Wright and Ishmael ♥9 Del’Monte bid and made 6♦, making the result at Andy’s table almost ♦ irrelevant. KQJ4 ♣K732 Finally, an example of using Stop Cards for Jump Bids by Ian Clayton and Noel Woodhall. Here was their sequence: Ian Noel ♦ ♠ Ian used the “stop” card before he bid 2♥ but no such formality from Noel 1 1 before the 3♠ bid. 20 years on, let’s hope they have got this nicety worked out! 2♥ 3♠ 3NT Pass

17 NZ Bridge April 2014 2 Food for Thought BRIDGE RECIPES

This is the first of a regular feature on food, with ideas for bridge parties and even 1 kg dried fruit mix. catering for events at your clubs. Ed. Soak overnight in two of real fruit juice. Every day real fruit cake by Denise Barclay In the morning, stir in Most times fruit cake conjures up ideas of lots of eggs, butter, sugar etc which adds two cups of self-raising up to lots of calories. This one trumps the calorie critics. flour. Options: Add frozen berries, squishy bananas, anything that is fruit. Cook in a baking dish Comment: : Everybody loves this cake. It’s healthy and very tasty. Many bridge for 90 minutes at 160 players know it well. degrees. It's always welcome when you have to take a plate. It’s so simple, too. And it seems Enjoy! to keep well, though it never lasts long in my house.

New Zealand Youth Team FUNDRAISER 5A Simultaneous Pairs on Friday 9th May, 7.30pm As at the time of "going to press" the This one off event is likely to be held at a club near you following clubs are running heats. Please go along and support our Youth Team Ashburton Oamaru Auckland/ Akarana Queenstown who are off to Turkey in August for the Cambridge Richmond World Youth Team Championships. Golden Bay Rotorua $10 per player goes to the Youth fund Hamilton Royle Epsom Hastings Taupo Scoring done nationally using X-club and Compass scoring North Shore Upper Hutt Wellington Westport A Points available for heat and region winners. Thank you for your support

18 NZ Bridge April 2014 2 Curly Shirl’s Tips with Shirley Newton ... for those new to the game

Shirley will present a series of tips in this and future issues which will help make the game seem “less curly”. Ed.

Tip 1. Bridge is all about the three C’s – Counting, Concentration and Confidence. a) First, count your cards before looking at them. After sorting your cards into suits, count your high card points then count out your shape (silently in your mind!). Always think about both these aspects when you pick up your cards. You can check whether you have the correct number of cards and focus on whether you are balanced or unbalanced. b) Make sure you count the trump suit. Watch the number of cards that go from all hands so you have counted that suit. If you are declarer, you will know if there are any trumps outstanding. If you are defending, you can count how many more declarer has left and how many tricks they can get in the trump suit. With experience you will be able to count the other suits as well!! (More on counting in Tip 2.) c) Concentrate when playing a hand. Many players “switch off” with a poor hand. Whether declarer or on defence, you must remain focussed and count, count, count. d) Don’t get distracted by outside factors – personalities, what someone’s wearing, issues at another table, etc. e) Confidence comes with experience. Play as often as you can, and with better players if possible. As a beginner, don’t be afraid to bid strongly, (especially with distributional hands). Try out new bids and take risks, whether you are declarer or defender. You won’t always get a good score but don’t get put off. f) Don’t let other players intimidate you. Appear confident and assertive (not aggressive).

TIP 2. Count Points, Shape and Tricks. “PST”! Both declarer and defenders must focus on counting these three things. Defenders: At the end of the auction you should be working out both West North East South declarer’s and dummy’s shape and strength. Then, when you see dummy, you 1♥ Pass 1♠ Pass can estimate your partner’s points and shape. It helps if you and your partner 2♣ Pass 2♦1 Pass can the number of cards you have in a suit, and whether you have 3♠ Pass 4♠ All Pass honours in that suit. (We will look at this another time!) Always think about the auction before you make the opening lead 1natural though for more E.g. advanced players could be “” What is dummy’s shape? - 3514 or 3505 or 3604? Declarer has 5+ spades. What to lead? A trump seems correct - to cut out dummy’s ruffing power. These could be the East- West cards:

West East ♠ ♠ K74 AQJ52 If you lead a trump at trick one, and again when the declarer plays a ♥AJ832 ♥4 diamond at trick 2, the declarer could have three diamond losers (and a club) ♠ ♦7 ♦Q863 which will make it much harder to make 10 tricks in 4 . ♣A864 ♣K73

19 NZ Bridge April 2014 Work out the number of tricks you need to defeat the contract – from where North ♠ are they coming? Sometimes you have to place the cards how you require K8743 them to defeat the contract, and play accordingly. ♥ 965 Here is an example for defenders: ♦ Q95 After ♥K lead, declarer wins and plays ♠Q losing to East’s ace. The defence ♣ K3 will take their three heart tricks with West likely to exit with ♠J. East must West East count the number of tricks the defence ♠ ♠ West North East South J2 N A1095 1♣ has (4) and must play the ace if the ♥KQJ10 WE ♥8432 Pass 1♠ Pass 3♣1 declarer leads a low diamond from ♠ dummy or else South will make their ♦J732 S ♦A64 Pass 3 Pass 3NT contract. It is all about counting! ♣ 754 ♣62 Pass Pass Pass 1 Count each defender’s points to assess South 15-17 with 6 clubs. where missing honours are. ♠Q6 ♥ Count your own tricks (and losers if you are in a suit contract) and where you A7 can develop the extra tricks needed for the contract. ♦ K108 Keep track of the tricks as you play the hand! ♣ AQJ1098 (Counting losers will be covered another time) Declarer: Assess the information you have (from the bidding) about the defenders’ shape and strength. Also look at the opening lead (and what has not been led). This should tell you something about the placement of honour cards. Tournaments are fun! By Tracey Lewis, Auckland

For me a fun part of the game is competing in tournaments. Once you have mastered the basics of the game, a very good way to improve your bridge is to compete in a variety of tournaments. Some are specifically for Juniors whilst others are open to all levels. If you are prepared to be beaten up on occasions (suffer some “smallish” losses, Tracey. Is that what you mean?! Ed.) , and have a partner who is happy to embark on the tournament scene with you, then you should give it a go. At the Auckland Club, we have two such Juniors, who may not always do terribly well but they jumped in to the deep end, and to date have not drowned! They took up bridge in 2011 and have become a familiar sight at tournaments around Auckland. Both love the game and as Nicolette said “it’s a great way to meet people.” In fact, Wendy McEntegart and Nicolette Bartoli joined a group of us at the Gold Wendy with Nicolette Coast Congress in February, and we had loads of fun socializing with them over the few days they were there. If you are seen to make the effort, in general, the Open Pic with thanks from players will step up and support and help you. So don’t be afraid to get stuck in Gold Coast Bulletin there. They never knew each other before they started lessons at the Auckland Bridge Club and have since become fast friends, commenting, “We were the only ones willing to play with the ‘grown-ups’.” I have never seen either of them be anything less than delightful to each other and their final comment in the Gold Coast Bulletin on February 28th was: They knew it was going to fun. Said Bartoli: “I have a lovely partner.” Added McEntegart: “So do I.” So all you Juniors out there, how about it? Some of them hit the road to Howick on April 12th. See how many and why in the Editorial and the Auckland Regional Round-Up. Ed.

20 NZ Bridge April 2014 2 Your first bridge steps By Tracey Lewis, Auckland Introduction With the introduction of the New Zealand Bridge Magazine being made available on-line, we now have the opportunity and capacity to reach out to a wider range of bridge players in New Zealand and overseas. In the past, we have not had a section catering for the new players, who are just starting out and are keen for some tips and advice on bridge. While this section aims to help the fledging new players specifically, hopefully some of the advice might even be a wake-up call for some of the more advanced players! From the time you have your first bridge lesson and then advance into the ‘grown-up‘ bridge players’ room, many emotions and experiences will befall you. It is a huge learning curve, and as a beginner said to me the other day “there is just so much to learn!” There are many layers to the game that begin to reveal themselves to you as you begin to get an understanding of the basics. One of the most important of these is the development of a bridge partnership. Bridge Partnerships “The key to good bridge is partnership, rather than individual skills.” (William Root) Bridge is meant to be social, fun and yet competitive. Before I began lessons, I envisaged a room full of very serious people and a library type atmosphere. Well, that proved not to be the case and there has been many an occasion where I haven’t been able to see the cards through tears shed from too much laughter! Humour, friendship, fun and lots of laughter are an integral part of my bridge world. Of course, there are still some of the old school that take themselves far too seriously but the emphasis should always be on doing your best, enjoying your partner’s company and trying to bid, defend and play correctly. That of course might take quite some time because even the experts can recount numerous occasions of partnership misunderstandings. We have all been left red faced and spluttering after a misunderstanding at the bridge table and there are countless jokes on partnership disasters: “We had a partnership misunderstanding. My partner assumed I knew what I was doing.” “My partner is a well- balanced player. He makes up for his inadequacy in the bidding with his ineptitude in play.” “The difference between a mad psycho serial killer and a bridge partner? You can reason with the serial killer.” The difference between a good partnership and a likely short-term partnership is that when less than desirable results occur a good partnership discusses afterwards (not during) and moves on. A doomed partnership is one where the blame allocation begins at the table in front of the opposition and results in bad feelings between two players who are meant to be working together … great for the opposition, “yahoo” they think another good board to come from these two! “It is much easier to receive (or give) constructive criticism, and analyse your poor results without the ‘ears’ of the bridge community listening in”. (William Root) So respect for your partner, always. When you are beginning, you are going to have disasters … there is no question about this, but try to learn from them and move on. Many players put a mark by the hands that result in a bad score, whether it is by bidding, playing or defence. This is constructive and a good way to learn. There are always experienced players around who are always happy to help you do an analysis on play, or bidding. Building up more than one partnership is a good idea because it is a fact that partnerships come and go for a variety of reasons. A partner may leave town (insisting that it is for work not because of you), and of course we progress at different rates and can outgrow partners.

21 NZ Bridge April 2014 As a beginner venturing into the club scene, it is important to have the trust and confidence in your partner. Therefore, work on your system, initially keeping it simple so that there are no major bidding mistakes or misunderstandings. One of my rules is that I only continue playing with people I like. So, try and choose a partner who shares a similar attitude to your desired progress, and ideally one who is slightly better than you. As you gain in confidence, you can add to your system and try new bidding techniques. This can be done in a number of ways. You may wish to pay someone to teach you new bidding methods to add to your system. They generally will prepare or modify a system, then play with you to get you used to the new additions to your system. Ask for a mentor if a programme is available at your club, or approach a more experienced player and ask them for support. The club Director can be invaluable in this department because they know the players, and they know who might be the right match for you. The following are the 10 Commandments of a good bridge partnership: (“How the experts win at Bridge” by Burt Hall and Lynn Rose-Hall) 1. Take immediate responsibility for individual mistakes; capitalize on them to improve your game. 2. Never embarrass partner at the table. 3. Go to the next hand; discuss disasters later when emotions subside and perspective returns. 4. Limit discussions during the game to simple clarifications. 5. Consult acknowledged experts on differences of opinion; give your hand not partner’s. 6. Stick to understandings reached as if they were gospel. 7. Always trust partner over opponents. 8. Share key decisions with partner as opposed to making unilateral ones. 9. Respect partner’s judgement; don’t second-guess him. 10. Be sensitive to partner’s needs at the table and responsive to his signals. “Barking” up the bridge tree This is the first of a series of Bridge quizzes (just in case you have not worked that out from the title). Your first question is to work out how many mixed metaphors there are in the title. No answer greater than 10 will be accepted! The presenter is none other than NZ Bridge Board member, Allan Barclay. Those who think Allan must have too much spare time are welcome to tell him, if you can catch him! Over then to Allan and to some multiple choice Bridge questions. Ed.

1. Who stepped down from the NZCBA’s Management Committee in 2002 after serving 10 years? A Don Nightingale B Les Gould C Merle Marr

2. In what country was the Submarine Relay system of bidding invented? A New Zealand B Australia C England

3. Did Sam Stayman... A Invent the B Write about it C Play it first in 1945? 4. How many times did Harry Vanderbilt win his own bridge trophy, the most prized one in Bridge? A Zero B Three times C Twice D Five times

5. Who in the bridge genius category also excelled at chess, poker, gin rummy, canasta, checkers and backgammon? A B C

22 NZ Bridge April 2014 2 Half Listening ... or bidding ‘my way’ Dealer North This is dedicated to the hard working, scant rewarded bridge teachers, the West ♠KQ85 ones with no hair left (or right) and who wear a permanent frown. The story is, of course, true. Ed. All Vul ♥K83 As Frank Sinatra may well have sung it, “I bid it my way”. ♦97 The bridge teacher spoke about how to find one’s best fit after one’s side ♣KQ72 made a take-out double. They all lapped it up and then played this deal. The West East following was the recommended sequence. ♠ N ♠ 74 1063 That 2♦ bid, asking partner to bid ♥ WE ♥ 9 J10642 West North East South their best suit so that the right trump S ♦AKQ10862 ♦4 1♦ x Pass 2♦ fit could be found, was the hard bit. It ♣A96 ♣10853 3♦ 3♠ Pass 4♠ kind of did not happen at one of the tables: South Pass Pass Pass ♠AJ92 Well, it was kind of understandable ♥AQ72 West North East South up to this point even if 2♥ was the ♦ 1♦ x Pass 2♥ J53 wrong suit at the wrong level but ♦ ♥ ♣J4 3 3 wait!

West North East South Who invited East into this auction? Full marks to East for staying awake and x 4♥ taking an interest but that double may have been one round premature. No worries as our South must have thought it was a take-out double. “I’ve got enough points for game … so, I’ll bid it! (lesson on scoring scheduled for 5 weeks’ time needs to be advanced!) Yet, there was more to come: West North East South ♠ Pass Pass x 4 Confusing? Well, East had doubled 3♥. So, if that was going down, then just Pass Pass Pass maybe 4♥ was as well. East was right, but wrong but in true Irish tradition (who brought “race” into this?) was kind of right after all. Let’s just recap:

West North East South Maybe that double of 3♥ was for take-out as South did take it out (“hey, 1♦ x Pass 2♥ that’s not my partner who took it out” East quipped) and when East doubled ♥ 3♦ 3♥ x 4♥ 4 , a flash of inspiration saw South take it out again! It’s a bit like going from Christchurch to Dunedin via Nelson. It’s not the recommended way but you Pass Pass x 4♠ get there in the end. Pass Pass Pass So, a happy end to this story? Alas no. West led 3 high diamonds (bravo ... no 4th highest lead!) and on the third round, South ruffed in dummy with … shhh ♠5 … down one! (for educational purposes, ruff high, draw trumps and play on clubs, discarding South’s ♥ loser on the ♣Q … making 10 tricks.) South was oblivious to this. Perhaps we should blame Frank. Why blame? The teacher said the lesson was about bidding, not play … and had he not reached the right contract? The play lesson is next week ... hopefully! Platinum celebration in Hamilton "Ten life sentences and no time off for good behaviour." Hamilton Club players, Jewel and Henry Cresswell celebrated their 70th Wedding Anniversary with club members and friends at a special luncheon (plenty of wine and food) after bridge on 28th February. This was hosted by their son, Bruce. Henry had captured his maiden on 25th February 1944 when he asked her to elope with him to Rotorua. Son Bruce told us they had shared the same double bed since that day. They have played bridge well together and in the “olden days” enjoyed the after match play. Jewel, who is a Life Master is a life member of Hamilton Bridge Club and she and Henry still play at least Henry is in charge (as always?) twice a week. Henry is a National Master. Why else would you retire to a house as they celebrate their platinum opposite a bridge club? We still have, some 20 years after purchasing, one of the jubilee. lovely bears which Jewel used to knit and display for sale at the Hamilton Club. Ed. 23 NZ Bridge April 2014 2 Improving your game - for Intermediates Knowing the shape As a defender, it is a really good idea if you can work out the shape of declarer’s hand as soon as possible. This may not tell you which honour cards the declarer holds but it often points you in the right direction. Sometimes you may have no idea but on others, a little mental application can go a long way. Try the following. You are East and will see the bidding, the opening lead and the play to trick one. Your job is to work out the shape of declarer’s hand. ♠ Dealer North (dummy) West leads the J (denies Q) and declarer wins trick one with the ace playing ♠3 from hand. So, define South’s shape. South ♠AK7 The clues come from the bidding and the play to trick one. We are told that E-W Vul ♥872 ♦ South has at least five hearts and holds a four card or longer minor. Which 10742 minor? Looking at our own hand, it would seem that it is clubs. Say,though, ♣ J43 South had 4 diamonds. We will see in a minute that that would give South just East (you) one club (along with 3 spades). That would mean your partner opened 1NT ♠864 with 6 clubs … most unusual. No, South has clubs. ♥ Look at the opening lead. From that and dummy’s spades, you can tell A104 ♠ ♦ declarer has the Q. If the declarer had less than three spades, they would AQ65 win with the queen in hand and attempt to discard a loser or two on the ♠AK. ♣ 965 That is not the case here as the lead was won in dummy. The most likely West North East South reason for that is that South has at least three spades. Pass Could South have four spades? Put yourself in South’s shoes. Say you held 4 1NT1 Pass Pass 2♥2 spades, 5 hearts and 4 clubs. Which two suits would you show? Almost everyone has a way of showing both majors if the opposition open 1NT. South Pass Pass Pass showed hearts and clubs, effectively denying four spades. South holds exactly 1 12-14 three spades which along with five hearts and at least four clubs, means they 2♥ and a minor hold 0 or one diamond. So, South’s shape is 3505, 3514 or possibly 3604. Did you work that out? Do you notice one key feature in all three shapes? We will return to that very soon. How long did it take you to work that out? The more often you try, the quicker it takes. So, where does that help us in the defence? At trick two, declarer leads a small trump to the king and then plays ♥Q to your ace. Your partner follows to both trumps but no jack appears. What do you play at trick three? Without much thought, you might return a safe third trump or even a spade. South hopes you do. So, what feature did all three of South’s shapes have? Shortness in Dealer North (dummy) ♥ ♠ diamonds. If you want to defeat 2 , you must realise that and act South AK7 accordingly. You must play diamonds. Here, to the left are the four hands: ♥ E-W Vul. 872 You lead ace and a second diamond. South needs to draw your last trump ♦ 10742 and then has only one trump left but has to lose the lead twice to establish ♣J43 club tricks. South will run out of trumps and lose a second diamond trick which West East (you) is not the case if a trump or spade had been returned at trick three. ♠J1052 ♠864 Thus, had you returned a spade or a heart, South will score +140. Had you N switched to diamonds and then the defence played diamonds whenever ♥63 ♥A104 WE possible, South will breathe a sigh of relief the suit breaks 4-4 in the East West ♦ ♦ KJ83 S AQ65 hands and will scramble home with +110. Playing Pairs, that overtrick is really ♣AK2 ♣965 important. Next time, the difference may be in making or not making the South contract. ♠Q93 How did you know? By working out the shape of declarer’s hand. You may not always be able to do so and the information gained may not always be ♥KQJ95 helpful. Yet, as in the above deal, it might. On the above deal, an initial ♦ 9 diamond lead is best for the defence though that was not clear to West before ♣Q1087 trick one, certainly not as clear as was the switch for East at trick three. Start counting!

24 NZ Bridge April 2014 2 Regional round-ups

Southland Southland is enjoying a great spell of weather with mild warm days. There have been excellent numbers playing bridge in the evenings at the Invercargill with up to 20 tables on occasion. Meanwhile, Monday afternoon bridge at Winton is growing in popularity with the locals enjoying a few hands of cards and a natter. Queenstown, the holiday mecca of the south, held their annual open B tournament on March 29 in the Frankton Event Centre. With the Remarkables as a back drop, the views are spectacular from the upstairs playing area. The tournament was well catered, with ample good healthy delights. Bruce Batchelor and Greg Buzzard (Invercargill) had a comfortable win averaging 62.6%. Anne Somerville and Anne-Marie Russell put in a solid performance to finish second out of the 36 pairs. Meanwhile, local pair, Ian Gilkison and Ernie Sutton rounded out the prize list. Anne Somerville and Geoff Eyles had a fantastic result in the Gold Coast. Playing in their first appearance there, they managed to win the Swiss Pairs, which were hotly contested by over 200 pairs. According to Anne, the secret was getting stuck into the bidding. Firstly, this puts the opposition under pressure and secondly there were heaps of slams on offer. Extremely well done. Winton held their Junior/Intermediate Pairs on April 5. The catering is always great at Winton and combined with a friendly atmosphere. Their tournament was well supported with over 25 tables. Local pair, Graham Begg and Richard Hishon got off to a flyer in the Junior section with 64%. They walked away with the honours averaging 61% after their big lunch slowed them down a tad. Dianna Eason and Karen Palmer-Hall played consistently to come second. Trish Morris and Robyn Hellier had a big finish to the day with 65% to Tony White and Lynn Darnill in the Intermediate section. Finally, congratulations to Vicki Bouton who is off to Turkey later in the year. Vicki has made the New Zealand Youth Team playing with Matthew Brown. All the best. Moss Wylie, Invercargill.

Otago There isn't much to report in the last two months from the Otago area. 'Tis the season for 8B Pairs events; three in a row, in fact. The Alexandra 8B was held in mid-March and was won by Jan Ireland and Elspeth Welsh. The Taieri club in Mosgiel held an 8B tournament the following weekend which was won by Sue McGowan and Robyn Hellier with an impressive average of 62.81%. The third event was Queenstown's 8B, won by Bruce Batchelor and Greg Buzzard. Board 12 North Without any good regional hands to discuss, I'll digress a bit. One of my favourite aspects of bridge is defence. It demonstrates how much of a Dealer ♠J10 ♥ partnership game bridge is. There are many opportunities for two people that West 10 are in sync to do well. A couple of recent examples highlight the influence one ♦ N/S Vul KQJ543 person can have on a defensive problem. ♣ 9843 Contract: 4♠ by West. West East I was North on this deal from the Australian Youth Championships. West as ♠ ♠KQ987652 N ♠4 dealer opened 1 . At these colours I chose to pass and heard East bid 1NT ♥ ♠ ♥QJ WE ♥9732 and my partner (recent ex-Kiwi Liam Milne) 2 . West rebid 4 and S that closed proceedings. The first part seems pretty easy: not only do I have ♦A ♦1092 a singleton but partner bid that suit. Liam won the king and played the ace, ♣ ♣ Q2 AK1075 at which point I have the opportunity to guide the defence. One option is to South encourage a diamond switch, as this is clearly a possibility to develop a trick. ♦ ♠A3 Foolishly, I played the 3 and Liam dutifully switched to a diamond, and that was curtains for us. ♥AK8654 The other (clearly better) option is to clarify the diamond suit and also ♦876 ♣ suggest that we might have a trump to get promoted. Apart from diamonds, J6 only a may offer further tricks for the defence. This dual-

25 NZ Bridge April 2014 message card is the ♦K, after which Liam will be able to make an informed decision of whether to go for the diamond trick or the trump promotion. Holding the ♠A, it will be easy for him to decide to play a third heart and we will have an easy four tricks. As obvious as this defence may seem, I found it easy to go wrong early in the morning, and 4♠ made at seven of the ten tables at which it was bid. Another attractive defence was found by my partner Ellena Moskovsky (a Board 21 North current Australian youth representative) at the Gold Coast Congress Teams. ♠ Dealer 972 Contract 4♠ by West. ♥ North 94 I don't know why I always seem to be at unfavourable vulnerability in these Vul. N/S ♦KQ98752 stories, but it also feels like it happens to me far too much at the table as well. ♦ ♣Q This time being in first seat I chose as North to open 3 . East made a dubious 3♥ overcall. West bid 3♠ and East raised to game. West East I led the ♣Q and Ellena had to find the best way to find four tricks. My lead ♠AJ6543 N ♠KQ8 was clearly a singleton, and as long as I held three trumps, it was going to ♥K6 WE ♥QJ873 S be tricky for declarer to do everything in time - draw trumps, ruff a club, and ♦J4 ♦A103 knock out the ♥A. After considering all of this, Ellena overtook the ♣Q and ♥ ♣953 ♣J6 shifted to her singleton diamond, realising that when she was in with the A, she could play a club for me to ruff and cash my diamond trick (I had opened South ♦ ♠ 3 at unfavourable, after all). If declarer's counter was to draw trumps, Ellena 10 could cut declarer off from the heart suit since the ♦A would be knocked ♥ A1052 out. ♦ 6 Declarer won the ♦A and played a heart, at which point Ellena rose with the ♣AK108742 ace and continued the ♣2! This denied me the chance to make the hero play of ruffing her club winner to cash my diamond (which I was going to do, of course!), but bridge isn't about heroes; it's about making things easy for partner. James Coutts, Dunedin.

Canterbury Ashburton Bridge Club Often the views from bridge club windows are less than inspiring, but the Ashburton Bridge Club has livened up theirs. They already had a delightful pastoral vista from their South playing windows, but sliding doors to the West now reveal a large mural on a former concrete block wall. Maths teacher, Mary Buckland, has revealed other talents in the hand of cards she painted on the wall. Using her maths skills, from an A4 drawing, enlarged 15 times, and with precise measuring and ruling she created an inspiring hand, one that most players would be delighted to have dealt. Each card has a meaning, which is available on laminated information sheets, inside the club room. There is not room here to give the meaning of all the cards – but for interest, and one that newer players may not know, is the ♦7 (the ). If a player wins the last trick of a hand with the ♦7, partner must buy them a beer. For declarer, the general requirements are: • Contract must be made • Last trick must be won with the ♦7 • Diamonds must not be trumps (though some play that only diamond part scores are excluded) • Player must take a justifiable line on the contract to win as many tricks as possible (i.e. not lose tricks to set up the beer card or in order to keep the ♦7 until the last trick) For a defender, the general requirements are: • Contract must be defeated • defender must win the last trick with the beer card • Diamonds must not be trumps • Defender must try to win as many tricks as possible (i.e. not lose tricks to set up the beer or in order to keep the ♦7 until the last trick)

26 NZ Bridge April 2014 If the contract is doubled then two beers are earned. If the contract is redoubled then four beers are earned. Surely there should be a special prize for a defender winning trick 13 with the ♦7 when diamonds are trumps? Not only now will every player under 30 be looking for the beer card but now everyone knows “their secret”. Ed. Christchurch Bridge Club The Club congratulates Michael Sykes, who recently received the prestigious award of becoming a Gold Grand Master. At the recent AGM, Shangar Singh was re-elected as President of the club. There was cause for celebration at the meeting, with John Skipper being awarded a life membership of the club. John served five years as President, and oversaw the rebuilding of the club after the devastating Christchurch earthquakes. He has been a member for some 40 years and worked tirelessly for its benefit in numerous ways. The weekend of April 5th /6th was busy, with a directors’ seminar on the Saturday. Apart from bridge laws, players’ rights and information on running tournaments, Allan Joseph gave valuable tips on dealing with the range of emotions that players exhibit when calling a director. Sunday’s 5A Swiss Pairs event attracted 36 pairs of wide ranging experience. It was won by John and Jane Skipper. John can play “a bit” too. Ed. Rangiora Bridge Club The Rangiora Bridge Club is doing well, gaining members from Christchurch players who have built and shifted northward. Each year they hold a spring and autumn social tournament. These are well attended, with 26 tables at the March tournament. It’s a great day of bridge play, with an excellent lunch. Akaroa Bridge Club The delightful town of Akaroa has keen bridge players and eight of them made the trip to the Ashburton Anniversary Pairs 8B tournament in March. Akaroa and Diamond Harbour Bridge Club have a social bridge tournament each year, alternating who is the home club each year. It’s a good opportunity to catch up and play bridge. The Diamond Harbour Club disaffiliated last year, due to a decline in numbers. Naomi Hannah-Brown, Christchurch.

Top of the South With Kate Davies away, Robin Young has stood in for her to report about recent TOTS tournaments. Ed. The Westport 8B Pairs was held early in March with 13 and a half tables taking part. The first session was low The Ashburton ‘wall’

Maybe they play a strong no- trump opening in Ashburton? Maybe not so strong either as one could be forgiven for devaluing the hand to 14 points ... bad shape, four jacks, nearly half the points in three spade cards. 1NT opening for all systems, perhaps. Congratulations to its painter, Mary Buckland.

27 NZ Bridge April 2014 scoring with no pair getting 60% so that first place was open to many pairs. The second session was much the same. Only one pair managed 60%, Gwyneth Hopkins and Geoff Norris. However, Chris Turner and Adrian Abraham were rewarded for consistency winning the event with 2 58% sessions. Ginny Warren and Marsha Woodbury averaged 56% for second place. A week later 18 teams lined up for the Nelson Teams. The top 4 seeded teams all lost their first match. Team 7 Kenning (Rosemary Kenning, Sally Moore, Rebecca Osborne, Raewyn Taylor) took the lead and remained there with a series of wins. Their fifth match was against team 4 Sadd (Naida and Howard Sadd; Carolyn Wood -Robin Young) who won to close the gap to 0.12 vp. In the last match Kenning met team 2 Minchin (Carol and Roger Minchin, Harry Shepherd- Adrian Abraham) whom they beat by 2 imps to finish with 76.98. Sadd played team 3, Oberdries (Tony Oberdries, Barbara Fechney;, Sheila Beggs, John Penny) who won handsomely - well not exactly, as Sadd had a self-inflicted loss. Oberdries finished with 78.78 to win by 2.2vps and seemed a bit surprised to have won. Third was team 13 Pedersen (Ben Pedersen, Laura Redmond, Ray Curnow, Phil Rutherford). This was a highly meritorious result, as Laura and Ben had learners’ lessons just last year. Robin Young, Blenheim.

Coffee break at the Marlborough teams

Top L_R: Marsha Woodbury and Virginia Warren (top) and Carolyn Wood and Robin Young (bottom) enjoy a coffee break. Time for cold drinks too. A few weeks later, Marsha and Virginia played well to finish second at the Westport Open.

Wellington After a very quiet start to the bridge tournament scene in Wellington this year, bridge players finally started to see some action from mid - February. The opening tournament of the year was the Waikanae 5A Open Pairs which was won by locals Jeanne Wardill and Graham Cheater. There was a rather unusual statistical occurrence at Waikanae in that two pairs (Ray Gruschow - Graeme Norman plus Dorothy McKay - Margaret Clarke), shared 3rd equal overall positions, with both scoring precisely the same percentages in both sessions:- 57.26% each, then 59.94% each! They were playing in opposite directions in both sessions. On that same weekend, some Wellingtonians ventured down to Christchurch for the 20A South Island Teams. Two of our NZ squad members (Alan Grant - James Li) performed very well by being in the team that was second overall. Alan and James carried on the good work in the Taranaki Congress 10A Teams where they were members of the winning team. Most other tournaments in the Wellington Region have not been quite as well attended as some clubs would have hoped for but two exceptions were the Kairangi Multi Grade Teams and the Victoria Multi Grade Pairs held on

28 NZ Bridge April 2014 successive Sundays. The unique Kairangi Teams event, in its fifth year, had a full house for the third successive year with entries being closed off on the preceding Monday. The Kairangi Multi Teams is a relatively rare opportunity for Intermediate and Junior players to play in a Teams Tournament, via a mixed grade team that cannot have more than two Open players and gives an imps handicap to Junior players. The Kairangi event also seeded teams into 3 divisions on the basis of NZB rating points, for prize giving purposes only and introduced prizes for the top performing team in the 2nd and 3rd divisions. The Victoria Multi Grade Pairs was very close to full capacity. It appears that Multi Grades win out on the popularity stakes, as these two events have had by far the biggest attendances of any tournaments to date this year in the Wellington Region. The Wellington 10A Main Centre Pairs held at Wellington Club attracted only 34 pairs. Michael Ware and Martin Reid (pictured) won this event very comfortably averaging 64% over 3 sessions with a margin of 6% over second. There have been only two Junior tournaments to date and both have again been played alongside Intermediate events, one combined and one separate. Strangely, no one has yet taken up NZ Bridge’s suggested initiative to trial a one session 3B Junior tournament with a minimum of 22 boards. Hopefully, this will happen soon to see if the shorter version tournament will attract more Juniors back to a form of tournament play which could just as easily be held on a Friday night if that is what players prefer. (refer to the huge success at the Howick Junior Pairs in the Auckland Round- Up. Ed.) One other tournament that deserves a mention is the Paraparaumu 5A Open held on 16 March. Of particular merit was the performance of Lorraine McArthur who played with Eleanor Morel (both from Kapi Mana Club). Lorraine is an Intermediate grade player who does not often play in Open tournaments. She was pleasantly surprised and excited to win her first ever A point in the first session with a score of 64.17%. To prove it was no fluke, Lorraine and Eleanor then turned it on again for the second session and won that with 62.40%, for another A point, plus of course the bonus of a further 5 A points for being overall winners. All in all a very special day for Lorraine to remember. This also lifted Eleanor to 100 A points. I also should note that the field that day at Paraparaumu included 12 Grand Masters; so very well done to Lorraine and Eleanor. The Wellington Regional Interclub season got under way again in late March. We have gained another two teams to reach a total of 58 teams (12 Open, 8 Open Restricted, 20 Intermediates, 12 Junior and 6 Novice). This includes 3 teams from the Wairarapa and for the first time a team from the Kapiti Coast area (a Paraparaumu Intermediate team). Nine rounds are scheduled between March and November. At Kairangi, on 24 March, a one in 1.67 million hand turned up for 10 lucky South’s (including me) playing in a Teams event. The hand contained 31 HCP. For more details and a very interesting analysis of this and yet another 31 pointer turning up recently at the Waitomo Club, plus a mere 29 pointer in a UK club causing a sudden death, please refer to the article elsewhere in this issue entitled: “Tales of the mighty.” The Regional Committee has been busy putting the finishing touches to the planning for an expanded 2014 Wellington Regional Congress to be held in the usual time slot of early July. The main changes involve putting the Teams events first on the Saturday (5th July), the Pairs second on the Sunday and then introducing the 3A Swiss Pairs on the Monday for those that can play on that day. As from 2015, we will be transferring the Wellington Congress to the new look long Anzac Weekend where Monday the 27th April will be a public holiday. We in the Wellington Region were delighted to see that Allan Joseph was recently elected on to the Board of NZ Bridge. Allan is very well known and respected in our Region and fairly widely across New Zealand with his great services to directing, both at the sharp end of directing and in his considerable efforts in training up new directors and then maintaining continuous improvement programmes. Prior to Allan getting involved with directing, the

29 NZ Bridge April 2014 Wellington Region had the lowest number of directors of any Region with the result that quite a few club sessions were directed by non-qualified directors and finding directors for tournaments (particularly 10A and above), was often a nightmare. Thanks to Allan’s efforts and great enthusiasm for directing, this has all changed in Wellington. After all, he even convinced me to take up directing! Allan is also the first person from our Region to be on the Board since the inception of the new Constitution in 2008. Congratulation Allan We know you will work very hard on behalf of all bridge players in New Zealand. I wish to record the recent sad passing of two very valued Life Members of the Upper Hutt and Kairangi Bridge Clubs. Martin Lewis joined the Upper Hutt Club in 1992 and although he suffered from MS, he was very involved in club activities up until the time of his sudden death. He served on several Committees and was President from 2001 – 2003. Martin was an avid, highly skilled and competitive bridge player. He always took time to mentor up and coming players throughout his time with the club. The Committee had intended nominating Martin for Life Membership at the forthcoming AGM. However, the onset of his final illness was very rapid but he was thrilled to know that he was to be honoured with Life Membership. The Kairangi Club sadly lost Margaret Smith who had suffered for many years from muscular dystrophy. Margaret joined the club in 1978 and was on the Committee from 1979. She was very much involved in the club’s administration and with her considerable expertise in this area, she formally became the club’s first Administration Officer from 1991 to 2004. She was then hospitalised with critical complications arising from muscular dystrophy and spent 6 months in ICU. Margaret was determined to come back to the club for bridge and with great difficulty managed this for a few months in 2006 but finally had to relent. She was made a Life Member at Kairangi in 2006 for her considerable services to the club. Margaret Smith and Martin Lewis were both very special people in their respective clubs who loved the game of bridge and did much for their clubs, despite facing considerable physical disabilities. They will be fondly remembered.

Wellington Club held a “Valentines’ Evening” on Friday night 14 February. They had 40 players there with most dressed up in something appropriate for Valentine’s Day. All players who supported this social get together enjoyed the night with its exciting hands and wonderful silver tray bar service. Tony Sutich – Wellington.

Julia Barnett this time getting a drink from John Wilkinson.

At the Valentine's Day tournament ... but what is Chris Bolland doing to Suzanne Johnstone? Maybe a proposition fitting with the day? Anna Herries and Julia Barnett look on.

30 NZ Bridge April 2014 Central Districts Congratulations to the Region’s two new grandmasters, Val Gardiner and Anita Thirtle. Both are Wanganui members though Val has moved north to Auckland. In other news, we are preparing for the next Hawke’s Bay Congress which we are sure will be as large and successful as in previous years. One change, this year, is the venue, moving from the Napier waterfront to Lindisfarne College in Hastings. The local heat of the national competition is well underway. Congratulations also to Pat and Martin Oyston who recently “tied the knot”. The 2014 tournament season is well under way with a good mix of some familiar and some newer names featuring at the Taranaki Congress over Taranaki Anniversary Weekend. Gary Chen and Richard Solomon came south to win the Marion Hill Main Centre Pairs while Wellingtonians Alan Grant and James Li teamed up with Jenny Millington and Barry Jones to win the Open Teams. Brett Glass and Tim Healy snuck home in the Open Swiss Pairs while Sheila Lister and Anne Williamson (Otorohanga) teamed up with locals, Anne Smith and Matthew Schumacher, to win the Intermediate Teams. It was a great weekend for Anne Smith and Matthew as they also won the Intermediate Junior Pairs. Meanwhile, Joy Clouston and Christina Bower won the Novice Pairs. Although Junior players account for a high proportion of all clubs’ members, Junior tournaments are generally not well supported. A reasonable solution is to run a combined Junior/ Intermediate event as happened at Wanganui on 23rd March. This attracted 22 pairs with local club President, Bob Griffiths and Mary Wyley winning with a near 65% second round from Wilma Duncan and Lorraine Forbes and club secretary, Barbara Griffen and Beryl Cathro third. The following weekend, the Gisborne Open Pairs attracted just 9 tables. Alister Buchanan and George Masters won by 4% from Alister Stuck and Noel Woodhall. Taradale’s 8B Lawson Jugs was won by

31 NZ Bridge April 2014 Gillian and Arthur Bennett from George Masters and Judy Clarkson. There were 14 tables at Marton’s 8B Picnic Pairs. Victory went to Wairarapa’s Trevor McKeown and Greg Whitten from Alister Poulgrain and the very consistent George Masters. Jan Whyte and Carolyn Yeoman won the Waipukurau 5A from Evelyn Hurley and Debbie Smith. Finally, Napier’s Intermediate Pairs went to Robert and Alister Poulgrain with Julian Herbert and Wayne Burney second. Next time, we will feature two of this region’s National directors. George MacLachlan, Wanganui.

Waikato Bays Welcome to the Waikato Bays round-up in the new online magazine! Like many of you, I prefer reading the paper copy too, but sometimes we just have to move with the times... I’ll start this month with the last event in our region, the Rubber Ducky Day Out. This is an initiative of the Waikato Bays Regional Committee, and is the second year we have held it. Basically we offer some teaching, a venue for the first match in the regional rubber competition, and a free lunch. We were very pleased to have three pairs this year who were new to Rubber Bridge. Christine and Jenna Gibbons, winners of the National Rubber bridge competition in 2012, gave a talk on tactics and scoring before we started our matches. Matamata Bridge Club provided their usual excellent lunch. So we all had a great day, and it was good for the newcomers to be able to call a director or ask about scoring if they needed to. We hope they learned how much fun rubber bridge can be and will all come again next year, perhaps bringing friends with them. So congratulations to the winners in the first round - later rounds of the rubber competition will be arranged between players as usual. Another new initiative of the Waikato Bays Regional Committee is sponsorship to National Congress. We are offering two sponsorships to non-open players, to the value of the intermediate package. The Region is proudly offering this

Another skill uncovered

Pictured is Rona Driscoll, Regional Round-Up corres- pondent, Regional Committee member, co-ordinator of the National Tournament Schedule, Tournament Director and very keen bridge player. She has other skills too as we can see. In Rona's own words: “One of my other hobbies is bobbin lace-making. This photo was taken to celebrate the completion of 5 metres of continuous lace, which is why I’ve got lace draped round my neck. This lace means I am now a proud member of the New Zealand Lace Society's 5 Metre Club”

32 NZ Bridge April 2014 sponsorship to encourage players in these grades to play more tournaments and attend New Zealand’s premiere event on the Bridge calendar, and nominations are coming in already. Nominees need to be a member of a Waikato Bays club, new to Congress, and show a commitment to tournament play – apart from that, it is a random draw. Please encourage any qualifying players you know to apply and encourage them to attend National Congress anyway. Just after I was married (and before my husband started playing bridge) I went to my first National Congress. I think he thought it would be my bridge swan song – and look what happened! Now we are both congress regulars? I have tried that for the last 28 Congresses, Rona. We are still married and my wife still does not play bridge. Oh well! Ed. The club of the month this time is Putaruru. Thanks to Eileen Barker for this report. “Putaruru club-rooms are in what was the old Women’s Division of Federated Farmers building which we lease from the South Waikato District Council. We have 32 enthusiastic members at present and we average 7 tables on our Monday Club night. We also hold a Thursday afternoon session. We have 4 novice players this year thanks to the lessons we held last year. Last year for the first time in January, we held a Monday casual night bridge which was well attended and repeated this year. We will be looking at holding lessons this year for new players. Last year, we established an inter-club team’s competition with Matamata. One of our members is a wood-turner and made a wonderful trophy – “The Waihou Trophy” – which Putaruru was lucky enough to win. The Waihou River’s source is close to Putaruru and is the famous for the Blue Springs from where most of New Zealand’s bottled water comes. Also, every year in October, we have a Teams night with Tokoroa and compete for the Nguturewa Shield. The Nguturewa Stream runs between Tokoroa and Putaruru and you drive across it on SH1. Putaruru is the current holder of the shield.” I have a bit to do with the Putaruru Club as I have directed their social tournament for the last few years. An interesting aspect of the club is the joint use of their facilities. Every Wednesday morning the Putaruru Club rooms are home to the Putaruru Parent’s Centre playgroup. Many of the bridge club rooms round the country are empty except for the few hours a week we play bridge. So, it is great to see them being used for something else. This year, for the first time, Putaruru are holding an official tournament, an Open 8B tournament on Thursday 5 June. So, do support them. The Cambridge Bridge Club is becoming well-known for their innovative events. Their most recent was the Golden Oldies Over 80s afternoon of bridge, celebrating the contribution our older bridge players make to the club and the region. Thanks to Vicki Jacobsen for a report: “Golden Oldies Afternoon” “An afternoon of Bridge was enjoyed by a number of our older members and visitors from Rotorua, Matamata and Hamilton. To be eligible, one of each pair had to have been born before 1935. Congratulations to the winners, North- South, our own Freda Love and Margaret Christiansen and East-West, our

Golden Oldies at Cambridge

Enjoying the afternoon tea were June Davys (Cambridge), Joan Egger (Hamilton), Marie Wilson (Cambridge), and Rua Freeborn (Hamilton).

33 NZ Bridge April 2014 visitors Robert Johnston and Trevor Hodgson. Philippa Baker had gathered her forces and organised an elegant afternoon tea with silver service and players were served by waitresses, Ayako and Liz. There was no charge for this afternoon but players were invited to give a donation to Arthritis New Zealand for their work in the Waikato area and we are pleased to be able to donate $133.” Now on to tournaments in our region… While the Bay Pairs haven’t started yet, the Waikato Area Pairs have held rounds at Matamata and Cambridge. Currently in the lead are Hamilton’s Ian and Cynthia Clayton, closely followed by Matamata’s Lynette Morgan - Ian Bond. The first Intermediate tournament of the year was held at Taupo, and for at least the fourth time in a row was won by a local pair, this time Lyn McLeod and Sue Treadwell. But if you are not from Taupo, don’t let that put you off – still a good day’s bridge! The Whakatane Open 3A tournament was sadly cancelled due to lack of entries (and Cyclone Lusi), but the Mount Maunganui Open 3A tournament the following week attracted a pleasing 18 tables. Congratulations to winners, Jenna Gibbons and Julian Foster. 16 tables played at the Tauranga 5A Open tournament and in spite of the road works on the Kaimais, all players managed to arrive before the start of play. Tauranga is always pleased to see the large Auckland contingent that comes down for this tournament, but were delighted that the winners were locals, Norm Silcock and Judy McLeod. 14 tables played at the Te Awamutu Restricted 8B, won by Howick’s Gillian Alexander and Marion Visser. Bill Crombie and John Barry were the top scoring Te Awamutu Pair (5th overall) winning the Tony Bevin Tray. The Hamilton Restricted 8B attracted 21 tables. I’m sure Junior player Mark Thomson was very pleased to play with Barry Jones and help him win this tournament! Congratulations to all winners. I’m sure there is more going on in Waikato Bays I never hear about, whether it’s wonderful turnout at beginners’ lessons, cream or mini-moos. So, if you want to share it through this column, make sure to let me know… Rona Driscoll, Taupo.

Auckland With Douglas Russell overseas in recent weeks, Biritch and I will share the Round Up duties this month. Pride of place must go this time to a Junior tournament. This year has seen the start of one session Junior tournaments. The first in Auckland certainly and probably in the whole country was in mid-April at Howick. The bare statistic is that the event attracted 25 and half tables, players coming from 12 different clubs from around the Auckland area. Howick had stopped running Junior tournaments because of their unpopularity. So, take a look at the effect of reducing the event to just one session and doing a bit of publicity for the event. The tournament took place on a Saturday afternoon. For their $15, players got one session of bridge and an afternoon tea, with many more players

Pleasing sight at Howick Bridge

A room full of Junior Grade bridge players enjoying a tournament.

34 NZ Bridge April 2014 than usual at a tournament staying on for the results. Not only was this a fabulous turn-out for a Junior event but according to club president, Peter Bowyer, “it was the most tables the club have had for any grade tournament since at least 2006.” The club surveyed those who played with 76 out of 102 players completing the survey. The majority of those who answered said they would play in a two session event as well though this one session tournament must have attracted some who were not tournament regulars. It would be interesting to know how many are like East Coast Bays player, Susanne Brighouse, who said on her entry “Looking forward to playing in my first tournament ever.” Most survey answers indicated that they preferred an afternoon to a morning session. The winners on the day were Warren Cardno and Steve Meeking (Waiheke) with a fabulous score of 64.74%. Second were Carol Bearsley and Paddy Orr (Mt Albert) with 61.54%. However, the “winners” were also the host club who had taken this opportunity to try a one session Junior event. The Royle Epsom Bridge Club will do the same for its tournament on September 6th, as will East Coast Bays on 21st June. Andy Braithwaite is running a “Killer Leads” seminar at the Auckland Bridge Club on Thursday May 8th from 5.30pm until 7pm. The seminar, which costs $10.00 is open to all players irrespective of club or grade. Preregistration at the Auckland Bridge Club office would be appreciated. If you missed his seminar at last year’s National Congress, then don’t miss this one. Maybe you attended and have made a few unsuccessful leads since. Come along as well and find out why. The Royle Epsom Bridge Club is running a similar seminar (indeed three in one day) and with 180 people already registered is sold out. There is a demand for such seminars. On May 9th, some Auckland clubs will be hosting a heat of the NZ Bridge sponsored Simultaneous Pairs event to raise funds for the NZ Youth Team going to the World Championships in Turkey in August. Come along. Play in a national event and support our Youth players. As at the time of writing, Auckland, North Shore and Royle Epsom are running heats. Congratulations to Nick Jacob and Matthew Brown who are two of the players going. Wanted…missing! That’s 5A tournaments in Auckland. After Pam Canning and Liz Fisher won the Auckland Club’s Bell Taylor Pairs on February 15th, there has not been another 5A or higher A Point tournament in Auckland for two months. While the majority of our players or even tournament players may not be Open, do we have to be starved of decent length events? Off to places like New Plymouth, Whangarei and Tauranga for me. Big city clubs somewhere … please take note! Nevertheless, there was, of course, plenty of bridge played. Patrick Carter and Julie Atkinson popped up at North Shore’s 3A and Royle Epsom’s 8B to win both with one 65+% session each time. A goodly collection of players contested the East Coast Bays 3A with victory going to Michael Ware and Michael Curry. Patrick paired up with Andrew Tarbutt to win Papakura’s 3A while Auckland’s February Thursday Pairs went to Steve Boughey and Rachelle Pelkman. On the non-Open front, Caroline Goodall and Ginette Hawke were not the top but were the most consistent scorers at Howick’s Restricted Pairs. Ming Huang and Henry Sun could not be caught at North Shore’s Combined 5B after posting 67.13% in the first round. A very tight contest at the East Coast Bays Intermediate finished with Helen Maddren and Carol Harpur just in front though the pair they beat into second place, Anthony Wilson and Martin Jacques, came from behind to win the Papakura Intermediate Pairs. Finally, Geoff and Marlene Brown had a great day at the Mt Albert Junior Pairs and won this two session event by over 12%. Finally, congratulations to Arie Geursen on becoming Chairperson of New Zealand Bridge. Arie has already been a huge contributor to our game and will certainly bring a combination of bridge and management skills to his new position. I am sure all readers wish him well. Richard Solomon, Onewhero

“One of the co-presenters. Do we have to tell you which?!”

35 NZ Bridge April 2014 Northland The North hasn't been great these past few months. Recently we lost three long time bridge players. All of their deaths have left a huge , not only in their local clubs, but in the close knit group we call Northland Bridge. David Sadler, of the Paihia and Kerikeri Clubs, died recently aged 93. He was British and began life as an aeronautical engineer and was involved with the design of bombers and tanks during World War 2. A very keen sailor, he put his hand to yacht design after the war and became famous in UK for his Sadler yachts, in particular the Contessa with hundreds having been and still being built. He sailed his own yacht with Di around the world for 12 years during the 1980s and 1990’s and went back to the UK in 1994. In 1995, they flew back to New Zealand and got married, and eventually settled in Opua where they gardened, fished and learned bridge, among other pastimes. Di said they could not find anywhere better than New Zealand in which to spend the rest of their lives. They joined both Paihia and Kerikeri Bridge Clubs and have competed keenly at local tournaments as well as serving in leadership roles in those clubs for the past 10 years. In his last David and Lucky. bridge tournament, the combined age of David and his partner, Tony Morris, was 188 years. They came a very respectable 8th out of 38 pairs too. Moya Vodanovich – Dargaville. It is with regret we also announce the passing of Moya who passed away on March 20th aged 82. Moya was an amazing lady who, when declared legally blind in 2011, continued to play bridge right until her passing. She would be able to see the cards if held a couple of inches from her face and her partner would read out the cards in dummy and call out the cards as they were played. Moya and Bill still featured in many prize- givings. They had a retail pharmacy in Dargaville. Apart from her eight children, Moya was interested in golf and bridge, while earlier she was also a better than average badminton player. Talking to Bill, he tried to get interested in badminton also but had two billiard rooms to go past on the way to the badminton club and so more often than not had issues making it. In her last year, Moya and Bill would time their appointments over in Whangarei with Friday bridge and after an early morning consultation, a coffee at the BP (a lot of us do that, don’t we, Patsy), they would appear for their game. Both Bill and Moya played in pretty much all of the Northland competitions and Moya’s name will forever remain on most of the trophies and honours boards around Dargaville and Northland. Moya Vodanovich Leone Hatrick - Kerikeri. Well known Kerikeri bridge player, Leone Hatrick, passed away peacefully a fortnight ago at home after a long battle with leukaemia. She was 84. Leone only took up bridge in her middle years but took to the game like a to water. She became a very good player and was especially interested in bidding and reading (and inventing) conventions for all occasions. This was very challenging for her regular partners who became used to the system changing on a weekly basis when Leone worked out how to get to the best contract after studying her results from both club sessions and tournaments. Bridge (and golf in her earlier years) were great interests of hers. Over the years, she played in many New Zealand tournaments and played at the National Bridge Congress several times. She also attended some of Ron Klinger’s bridge tours in Norfolk Island and Australia.

36 NZ Bridge April 2014 The week before Leone passed away, she very proudly mentioned that she had had her driving licence renewed (even though she actually had not driven for a few months!). Unfortunately, Leone’s husband of 60 years, John, also passed away a fortnight after his wife. He had been in care for the last two years with advanced Alzheimer’s and broke his hip in a fall two days after Leone’s cremation. They are survived by two sons, both of whom live in Sydney. Whangarei also seen one of its ex club presidents move to Orewa. Margaret Paul moved a wee while ago now and is sorely missed by all. Her dedication and years with the Whangarei Club were inspirational and, although with a huge workload outside of bridge, she still gives her time and energy without question. On the plus side, my invitation to all players to come to the beautiful North must have hit a note as we saw some players from both Ashburton and Auckland at the last tournament in Dargaville. Ashburton also managed to feature in the prizes which was a nice bonus. A new competition has been entered into the Northland bridge calendar. This is between Kerikeri and Whangarei and is called the Towai Challenge. The simply amazing trophy was donated by Janice and Barry Johnson from Whangarei. This year, its first, the competition was fierce. At the end of the day, Kerikeri beat Whangarei in the Open division by a small and in the Intermediate by a large margin. However, the Whangarei Juniors won by a huge margin. The points were all added together. With the trophy to spend its first year in Whangarei, it’s a big thank you to the Whangarei Junior Team. Whangarei's Lindsay Robinson also generously sponsored a tournament recently at Whangarei. Lindsay is in his 90s and still plays at the club three times per week. Without the generous support of people like Lindsay, I would hate to think where the smaller regional clubs would be. We were also thrilled to hear Whangarei Youth Player, Matthew Brown, was selected to represent New Zealand in the upcoming Youth team picked to go to Turkey in August 2014. That’s very exciting and something perhaps for all young and upcoming bridge players to think of and aspire to. Finally, a note regarding players in the North and their dedication to bridge. I received a phone call two weeks ago at approximately 4.30pm advising me my bridge partner was not able to attend that evening and asking if I could find someone else. When I enquired as to why, apparently she had had a fall and was waiting for the ambulance to come. Probably, she felt she would not be there by 7.30. So better safe than sorry. Priorities! (She is recovering well from her broken hip). Tania Brown, Whangarei. Barking up the bridge tree ANSWERS 1.Don Nightingale. Don served on the old Management Committee for 10 years, the last five as Chairman. He was also NZCBA President for one year. He has been a tremendous contributor to Bridge in New Zealand and especially in his Region and at his club, Wanganui. He is still Chairperson of the Central Districts Regional Committee and along with Robin, his equally supportive “better half” was featured in the December 2013 issue of this Magazine after both became Grandmasters. 2. New Zealand. The system was developed by a group of New Zealand players in the 1970’s / early 1980’s and was first described by Roy Kerr and played internationally by Paul Marston and Malcolm Sims. 3. Write about it. In the June 1945 Bridge World, Sam described a convention invented in the USA by his partner, George Rapee (though also developed about the same time in England by one the founders of the Acol system, ). This convention became called Stayman. Samuel Stayman (1909-1993) did invent his own convention (, the artificial 4C and 4D openers … his own name spelt backwards) and won 20 North American Championships including the Vanderbilt, and the , the last of these coming at the age of 75. 4. Twice in 1932 and 1940. Harold Vanderbilt (1884-1970) was “the father” of the modern game. His improvements popularised the game and his social standing in the late 1920’s made it fashionable. He donated a trophy which was awarded to the winners of the Vanderbilt Knockout Teams, in New York, from 1928 to 1957. This became part of the Spring North American Bridge Championships in 1958. The trophy was stolen in 1964 but was recovered a month later. A full size replica was commissioned by Pierre Zimmermann with this second being awarded to the winners of the National Open Teams (formerly the Olympiad). The replica was cast in bronze and was silver-plated weighing almost 50 pounds. It was presented by Harold Vanderbilt at the first in 1960. 5. Oswald Jacoby, who also wrote books on many games other than bridge. Oswald first came to the fore as the partner of in the famous Culbertson-Lenz match in the early 1930's. His bridge career spanned seven decades. He won 27 North American Championships and achieved his aim of overhauling at the top of the all-time master-point list in 1962. He had an exceptional aptitude for mathematics (he became an actuary) and used this skill in counterintelligence and cryptanalysis in World War 2 and the Korean War. He was referred to as "the human computer".

37 NZ Bridge April 2014 2 Through the pack

Kiwi Successes at the Gold Coast As usual, there was a huge contingent of Kiwis attending the Gold Coast Congress with the usual share of successes. Here is the good news (non Kiwi partners in brackets): Bobby Richman Open Pairs Group A 3. Ashley Bach – Michael Whibley; 5. Michael Ware – GeO Tislevoll. Other Kiwis to reach the top group of 28 were Bob Scott – John Wignall, Fraser Rew – James Coutts and Noel Woodhall- Brett Glass. Group B. 5. Glenn Coutts – Nick Jacob; 6. Debbie McLeod – (Mark Siegrist); 8. Steve Boughey – Carol Richardson Other Kiwis to reach this group were Rachelle Pelkman – Murray Wood, Mindy Wu – Lorraine Stachurski, Glenis Palmer – Christine Wilson, Jenny Cleaver – Judy Holdom and Moss Wylie – Peter Hall. Group C. 1. Duncan Badley – Paula Boughey; 6. Barry Jones – Jenny Millington; 8. Alister Stuck – Russell Wilson. Group D. 4. Geoff Eyles – Anne Somerville Group E. 2. Yuzhong Chen – Gary Foidl; 3. Andi Boughey – Vicki Bouton; 7. Graham Wakefield – (Michael Pemberton Group F. 3. Brian Cleaver – Will Adler; 5. Judy Johnson – Joan McCarthy Senior Pairs Group A. 2. Andrew Janisz – Trevor Robb; 5. Derek Evennett – Lynne Geursen Group C. 2. Ann Woodhead – Bob Lawrence Monday Butler Swiss Pairs 1. Rebecca Wood – Michael Curry Ivy Dahler Open Swiss Pairs 1. Geoff Eyles – Anne Somerville; 9. Lyn Muller – Sandra Calvert; 10. Lorraine Stachurski – Mindy Wu Seres McMahon Mixed Teams 6. Michael Curry, Rachelle Pelkman, Rebecca Wood, Murray Wood Open Teams 1. Michael Ware, Geo Tislevoll Pieter Vanderpoel was a member of the Haffer team which qualified 4th in the Swiss and reached the “round of four”. Rebecca Wood Of particular note were the above successes. Our Open Teams success is reviewed in its own article in this issue. 152 pairs took part in the 6 round Butler Swiss Pairs with Michael Curry and Rebecca Wood worthy winners. Meanwhile there were 260 pairs in the Open Swiss Butler Pairs with Invercargill’s Anne Somerville and Geoff Eyles scoring an excellent victory with 147.97 vps. Apologies if any Kiwi successes have been missed. New Zealand teams for 2014 New Zealand will be sending an Open and a Women’s team to the Asia Cup in China in June and a Youth Team to the World Youth Championships in Turkey in August. These then will be our representatives: Open: Gary Chen – Richard Solomon; Rod Dravitzki- Blair Fisher; Dong Huang – Jeter Liu; Derek Evennett (npc and chef de mission) Women: Linda Cartner – Glenis Palmer; Christine and Jenna Gibbons; Shirley Newton – Jenny Wilkinson; Kris Wooles (npc) Youth: Sam Bailey – Sam Coutts; Vicki Bouton - Matthew Brown; Glenn Coutts – Nick Jacob; Alan Turner (npc) The reserve pairs are: Alan Grant – James Li (Open); Susan Humphries – Steph Jacob (Women); Andi Boughey – Matthew Smith (Youth).

38 NZ Bridge April 2014 2 Babich Hawke’s Bay Merlot Cabernet 2013 WINE OF THE MONTH DOUBLE GOLD MEDAL - China Best Value Wine & Spirits Awards 2014 Grapes: Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon Region: Hawke’s Bay - Gimblett Gravels Recommended Food: An ideal partner for an antipasto platter featuring a range of salamis and smoked meats, or any meaty casserole, like lamb shanks. Recommended Cellaring: 2-4 years Tasting Notes: Aromas of black and red currants. Light-medium bodied. Flavours of redcurrants and blackcurrant combined with herb and oak spice. Good balance. Review: "We hear that 2013 was a cracker vintage in all parts of New Zealand, and if this wine is the shape of things to come, we’re in for a treat. Violet, dusty oak, plum, coffee. Medium bodied, ripe fleshy toothsome tannin, perfumed and fresh in the mouth – perky and ripe, but not overly so. Mesh of oak, fruit and tannin is spot on. Energy and charm. Will likely do a bit of bottle age. Excellent!" - Gary Walsh, www.winefrontnz.com., 11 Feb 2014

Throat signals

Are you feeling a tad unwell? A cough, perhaps,. But it's your bridge night. What do you do? Two German internationals were stripped recently of their world title for passing signals to each other by coughing. This is dedicated to them.

Giving up an evening's bridge is just something You get a complex ... you can't stop. The die is now unknown. cast. You'd have to be at death's door before you picked up As you bid, so comes a cough. A signal is passed. the phone Even on defence a tickle is so classed. and tell your partner a sub is needed; you will not be 'a Two coughs; two signals passed on the same deal. going You will be at bridge no matter how bad you feel. There will soon be a committee member at every club door who Yet, now you must be more careful before you start your Will bounce out any coughing player trying to come game off. through. You are in perfect health, not feeling at all rough. "No cheats here, please. Your sorts just will not do. " The only thing wrong is a slight niggling cough. Zero tolerance enforced with extreme zeal. Suddenly the health danger is very very real. So, a must be used to show a singleton card. You will be pulled up at the table on the very first hand. Coughing to display one's shape is to be truly barred. You bid perfectly to a splendid making grand. Win by fair means, no stunt from the backyard. The director was called as one cough came unplanned. Please cough but only to disclose you are a little ill. "That showed your partner a singleton club" came the opposition's squeal. Fortunately, such behaviour is in the minority. There is no joy, no achievement, in cheating.

39 NZ Bridge April 2014 2 Master Solvers Club By Patrick Carter, Auckland

Welcome to the first online edition of MSC. It is nearly 30 years since I was first entrusted with the Master Solver’s Club whip, but I am happy to take this feature into a new age and a new format. S and M on the internet - who would have imagined that? (There may be a reader out there who is as naïve as myself in having to check with Patrick what we are going to be subjected to “on the net”. Patrick assures me that “sadism and masochism” will be relatively painless! Ed.)

A. Teams. N/S Vul Partner has overcalled red against green at the 3 level. That could easily be ♠ ♥ ♦ ♣ ♠K63 as good as Axx KQxxxx AQx x which would make slam almost lay-down. ♥ With East entering the bidding as well, it feels as though partner’s points have AJ ♥ ♦ ♦ disappeared, but how likely are they to have just the KQ and AQJ? Is it K10974 possible that East is playing around with us at favorable vulnerability based on ♣ Q43 a club fit? Cornell: 4♣. Ostensibly, this shows a good 4♥ call. I do not have a great West North East South hand but partner's overcall is wide-ranging. What does he call with ♠Axx ♥ ♦ ♣ 3♣ 3♥ 3♠ ? KQxxxx AQx x? He may even have a club void meaning that grand is on the menu. On the other hand, he may just have ♠Jxx ♥KQxxxx ♦Axx ♣x and we will do well to make 4♥. There is though here a good chance 3♠ is based Bid Votes Score on at least secondary club support so that our partner will invariably have a 4♥ 12 100 shortage there. 4♣ 2 80 Blackstock: 4♣. Just a touch too good for 4♥, although the possibility of an ♠ ♥ ♦ 4♦ 1 70 early ruff in either black suit is troubling. Single dummy Qx KQ10xxx AQx ♣ 3NT 5 50 Ax makes slam excellent, but it is unclear what West’s antics may portend. 3NT is too regressive and is wildly speculative on the South cards, but could Double 3 50 be right on an unlucky layout. Those comments make good sense to me, which is why I have upgraded it in the scoring. 4♦ also falls into the same category of a slam try raise with heart tolerance or support, but I suspect it overstates the strength of the diamond suit: Lo: 4♦. Natural, forcing and suggests heart tolerance. This is a fair description of South's hand and allows North to better judge what to do especially if West bids 4♠. For the most part the 4♥ bidders saw no alternatives. There were several answers such as: Gravis: 4♥. Are there any other options? No. Braithwaite: 4♥. What else can I bid? Missing AJ, partner must have a six card suit and I am not risking 3NT when my right hand opponent surely has club support. Several others, like Andy, saw this as a choice between 4♥ and 3NT and quite rightly rejected 3NT. Nobody indicated that they had thought of 4♣, but decided that the hand wasn’t quite good enough. I am inclined to think that some of the 4♥ bidders might have chosen 4♣ if they realised that they had the option. That was a secondary reason for the scoring upgrade. The only 4♥ bidder to allude to, and reject, that possibility appeared to be: Reid: 4♥. I can see other options, but I don’t think any of them are better than 4♥. 5 panelists elected to play the hand in No Trumps. Lester: 3NT. Not liking it much, but it is what I would have bid had East passed the 3♥ bid. Should show tolerance for hearts. Ware: 3NT. Worried about them taking ruffs if we play in a suit contract. Am tempted but too much in our suits to double. While I can appreciate that if partner has a thin overcall, we are worried about 4♥ going down with spade ruffs, it really isn’t a major concern. However, 3NT also looks far from ironclad. Just the thought of losing the first 7 tricks in 3NT and then having to face team-mates who have conceded 1430 is enough to have me reaching for the anti- nausea pills. You would need some big plusses on other scenarios to make up for that piece of negative equity, and

40 NZ Bridge April 2014 I just can’t see anything of that magnitude. I would feel less strongly about it at Pairs, so I wonder if there would be more 3NT bidders at match-points. That brings us to the final choice of double. But what exactly does double show? Is it values? Penalties? Heart tolerance? Diamonds? I am not sure many partnerships will have discussed this sequence. It might be hard for partner to choose correctly if he isn’t sure what we are showing. Humphries: Double. I hope partner does the right thing. Double shows values and lets partner make the most sensible bid. 4♥ and 3NT have appeal but are more committal. Lofgren: Double. Close between 4♥ and double in my view. Rew: Double. The opponents are probably running one suit against 3NT. So I want to choose between 4♥ and 5♦. I will end the problem with the best description of what double might be which came from someone who didn’t even choose that option. Maybe our doublers are all playing Snapdragon… Kokish: 4♥. Good place for a (diamonds, 2-card ♥ support, strength for this level) but who has that club in his bag? Sure, we might not have a game (4♥ down on ruffs, 3NT down on black losers) but it’s not dire enough to worry about. The auction may not be over yet. B Nil Vul. Pairs. Problem B. ♠Q52 In some respects, this vote isn’t as close as it might initially seem because if ♥AKQJ5 you double, you have to have a plan about what you are doing when partner responds 2♣ or 2♦. For the most part, people were valuing the hand as too ♦J4 ♣ good for 1NT and were therefore planning to show a stronger hand than a AJ2 1NT overcall: Hans: Double. Then 2NT to head towards our most likely game. West North East South Kearney: Double. There are times when a hand this good has to overcall, ♠ 1 ? but here the greater risk is of 2♥ being passed out. If treating the hand as balanced, it is worth 19 HCP. So too strong for 1NT and double is still correct. ♥ Bid Votes Score However, at least two panelists had plans that included a 2 rebid. There may 1NT 11 100 have been others, but some did not provide information on their intended rebids. Double 9 70 Humphries: Double. Over strength for 1NT. Will rebid 2♥ over 2 of a minor 2♥ 3 50 and raise 1NT to 3.

Gravis: Double. For starters. Good enough to rebid 2NT when partner bids 2♦ as might be expected. Will rebid 2♥ if partner bids 2♣.

I think double followed by 2♥ is ugly. The way I play that is showing something like 8 playing tricks. We may have 18 points, but do we have anything like 8 playing tricks? Not even close. This seems like a good moment to introduce the first award of MSC in the computer age. It is the world’s oldest computer – an abacus. I hope it will help Denis and Vil count up those 8 playing tricks they should have for that intended 2♥ rebid. The view of upgrading this hand to 19 for double and a 2NT rebid seemed a bit closer to the mark, but are we really that good? Yes we have 5 heart tricks, but the rest looks very soft. Out of curiosity, I had a look at how the Kaplan Rubens hand evaluator assessed this collection. You can find this useful tool at http://www.jeff-goldsmith.org/cgi- bin/knr.cgi? Interestingly that valuation is only 17.3. That looks about right to me. So put me squarely in with those who just see this as a maximum, but normal, 1NT overcall: Hinkley: 1NT. Right strength, right shape, reasonable stopper. What’s the problem? Kokish: 1NT. Fairly strong opinion on this one with all those losers. Newell: 1NT. The hand looks suitable for no trumps and by bidding 1NT, I am getting across a reasonable picture of my strength, hand pattern and a sensible looking contract. I agree it is on the good side for 1NT, and so upgrading and doubling followed by a 2NT rebid is a close second choice as it is more likely we will find out if partner has 4 hearts ... however, doubling first also risks getting too high. So at Pairs, I lean slightly to the conservative action. Too strong and balanced for 2♥.

41 NZ Bridge April 2014 Abrahams: 1NT. Hopefully this will be the final bid. Over 2♠, I will have a problem. Finally, there were the super solid 2♥ overcallers. While my own aggressive style doesn’t suit this choice, I would have thought that it still would not be selected because 1NT defined the strength better and getting across the balanced nature of the hand is at least as important as bidding our suit. C. Pairs. All Vul. However, maybe it is a style question. ♠J104 Braithwaite: 2♥. With a 5332, I am downgrading this hand and bidding a ♥ ♥762 quiet 2 . Partner should understand that this could be up to 17 points and bid accordingly. ♦K6 As Ron Klinger was one of the other 2♥ bidders, these two obviously know ♣Q9652 each other’s game better than I do. Problem C. West North East South ♣ ♣ ♦ Too many opponents allow themselves to be intimidated into silence by a 2 2 3 Pass opener. Just look at what ugly problems can be created with a little bit of ♦ 4 Dbl Pass ? interference. Finding the problem too tough and choosing to pass and pray were: Bid Votes Score Kearney: Pass. The penalty may be only 500 but they have made it hard for 5♣ 8 100 us to find the right game. So, hoping for 800 seems a better chance than bidding something. 4NT 5 70 Braithwaite: Pass. This is a vile problem but I am not prepared to shoot for 4♠ 2 70 a game without a fit so take my money and hope it is 800. Pass 7 50 This surprisingly popular choice was demoted in the scoring because twice as ♣ 6 1 40 many people decided to bid a game rather than defend. Not everyone chose 4♥ 0 30 the same game, but the game bidders substantially outvoted the penalty hunters. When opponents support each other into a sacrifice and you try to penalize them without any sort of trump surprise, how often do you get enough to compensate you for a missed game? Not very often at all, I would wager. Your best hope of a good score in that sort of situation is when game your way is not making, but how likely is that? To me passing here is like tossing a coin and saying heads we get a bad board and tails we get a very bad board. The 4NT bidders were also finding the problem both tough and confusing: Solomon: 4NT. Does partner have two 5 card majors? Do the opposition know what they are doing? Do I know what to do? Do I know the answer to any of these questions? Abrahams: 4NT. To play hopefully. This is very hard, (of course). That’s why it’s a problem. But the question really is, can we get 800 from a distributional hand, or should we try for slam which might be on a finesse? Meanwhile, if we can take 10 tricks, we will beat all pairs in 5♣ whether they make 6 or not. Kokish: 4NT. Difficult to answer this one without knowing what the double means, given that North could pass, forcing. But even if we knew that double were take-out, we’d have a tough choice not knowing whether 4NT were natural or an artificial bid to show a weaker or stronger 5♣ bid. Even without the ♦K, this hand has slam potential and jumping to 6♣ is in the picture. On principle I never abstain, but if I’m missing a system definition of double, please let me know. I think it’s practical to treat 4NT conventionally rather than naturally, so given that 4♥ and 4♠ are minimum bids, it’s symmetrical to treat 5♣ that way too, which means treating 4NT as a constructive 5♣ bid. Yes, there is a question about what the double shows and Eric wasn’t the only one to point this out. Is it unfair, as Eric suggests, asking this question without specifying exactly what is expected by the double? I don’t think so, because I like to think that the amount of system is what two good players in a relatively casual partnership would have. Not first time acquaintances meeting for the first time, but also not as much system as a regular partnership that has been playing together for 10 years. Would you have discussed this situation with a partner with whom you had played 5 or 6 sessions? Ackerley: 4♠. At Pairs with the ♦K providing some defence against the tap, I think we need to pick our better major. 5♣ rates to score poorly, and 6♣ is just too much on our wasted values. Although it was only chosen by two people, there is a lot to be said for this. Whenever 4♠ makes, we will expect to score well, certainly at least as well and probably better than the 5♣ bidders.

42 NZ Bridge April 2014 Since 4♠ will make far more often than not, the prospect of getting a good board most of the time is quite attractive. Now, if we were playing Teams, you would want to play in the safest game rather than the best scoring one. In that case there would be an even better case for the popular choice of 5♣: Dravitzki: 5♣. A compromise. Bidding a 3 card major is too risky. Bidding 6♣ is a bit too bold on effectively a 3 count. Passing would be my second choice and I would be unsure if we would set it enough to compensate our 600. Klinger: 5♣. +600 is more likely than +800 from 4♦x. Rigal: 5♣. Discounting the ♦K makes this pessimistic but only a trifle. More sympathy for the pass this time but in a well-ordered partnership, our initial pass suggested some values and x would have been a double negative. I’m assuming that to be so here. I can’t argue too strenuously with that. It seems like the percentage action. Probably not getting a bad board, but unlikely to produce a top either. Just taking out the 4 iron and knocking the D. Teams All Vul. ♠ ball safely down the middle of the fairway. Our last offering is definitely not A8764 doing that. He is taking out the big club and swinging for the green. I can only ♥ 2 admire his courage, but prevailing opinion is that he will probably be picking ♦AJ his ball out of the water. ♣ ♣KQJ54 Reid: 6 . Depends on how you define double. Given that partner’s pass is forcing, then you can sensibly play: a) Double from either player is take-out; or b) Double from either player is penalty (suggestion). My preference is a) so West North East South on that basis, if I give partner a 23+ 4414 hand with points outside diamonds ♣ 1 e.g. (♠AKxx ♥AKQx ♦x ♣AKxx) then 6♣ is excellent. A 2-suited partner had Pass 1♥ 1♠ ? other options available (e.g. 5♦). Problem D. i Do you agree with 1♣? I was pleased to see this vote as friends who prefer 1♣ have always told me ♣ ii What now? that 1 was the technically correct action and that I was just being undisciplined by bidding 1♠. I have never let their propaganda stop me taking what I though was the most effective action, but since the panel vote strongly Bid Votes for 1♠ even with a chunky club suit and considerably weaker spades, I am not Score expecting to have to listen to them bleat about ‘technically correct’ again. No 15 30 Some thought 1♣ was clear: Yes 8 10 Ackerley: Yes, clear-cut, the only option. Abrahams: Yes. What is not to agree with? Sure in hindsight we wouldn't have this 1♠ bid to contend with, but that is history. Solomon: Yes. With a decent club suit worth showing and 5-5 in the blacks, 1♣ is my choice in case we belong in clubs at a high level. Yes, Richard, you will find it easier to bid those club slams, but I will find it easier for spade games and part-scores. 1♠ may also help keep the opponents out of the auction by not allowing an easy overcall of 1♦ or 1♥. Which sort of hand do you think happens most frequently? Club slams or spade games and part-scores? Some detractors made their feelings clear: Ware: No. Only dinosaurs still open 1♣ with 5-5 in the blacks. Pass 17 70 Hans: No. I don’t know what such a shape distortion aims to achieve. 1NT 3 40 Rigal: No. Disagree strongly; I open 1♠ and bid clubs over 1NT, 3♣ over two 2♣ 2 40 of a red suit. 3♣ 1 10 Klinger: No. Definitely 100% not. x 0 10 Just in case you were in any doubt about Ron’s feeling on this issue, his answer to the second part of this problem was to pass and revise his methods. Several panelists were lukewarm with their preference with comments such as ‘it is a style question’ or “1♣ is OK, but so is 1♠,” but most people felt strongly about their choice. Obviously, both methods are playable, and both openings will have some successes over the other. You have to consider which method you think will work better in the long run and then choose the appropriate style for yourself.

Most were happy to pass and await developments.

43 NZ Bridge April 2014 Hans: Pass. Intending to pass partner's take-out double. Bausback: Pass. Let’s see what happens. 2♣ is too much for me with only 5 and a lot of spade losers. Blackstock: Pass. One club too few for 2♣, and I’m not looking for trouble with a Ware no trump rebid on my 5125 shape. Pass strongly suggests I have a spade suit. So partner is reasonably placed (I can’t be balanced and would open 1♦ with 4144). I’m so pleased you didn’t ask what I would do if partner reopens with a double: likely 2NT on Mondays – Fridays, and pass at weekends. A new convention Stephen? A Ware No Trump is clearly closely related to “Where’s the No Trump”? Whatever it is your prediction was wrong on this occasion: Ware: Pass. Now it is time to pass as it seems like a misfit. Kearney: Pass. There is nothing I can sensibly bid here even if I wanted to. Someone will always find an alternative Nigel … Abrahams: 1NT. Seems the simple best answer, shows clubs, a spade stop, a diamond stop, and 15-17 HCP. And that is what I've got. Unanimous!! Solomon: 2♣. I am not going to hang around defending 1♠. With the hand E. Dealer East. Pairs. All Vul. a potential misfit, there is no need to get excited, either. As I said with my first ♠A102 bid, I have a decent club suit. I did not have to bid 2♣ and so am showing a ♥AKJ little extra somewhere. ♦K84 I agree with Pass, but despite Nigel’s claim that nothing else is sensible, the only crazy thing is Stanley’s prediction of a unanimous panel. The same cannot ♣AQ43 be said of our final offering: Hinkley: 3♣. Hands with length in a suit bid on the right West North East South always play well. No other bid makes sense to me. ♣ 3 3NT I’m sorry Tony, but I cannot agree either with the bid or the 4♣ x Pass ? philosophy. I could live with a statement like ‘hands with honours over a suit bid on the right usually play well’ Bid Votes Score However that is not the case here. Our suit of ace empty gives us no significant positional advantage. Pass 21 100 Problem E. 5♣ 2 40 Very nearly a unanimous panel but nobody mentioned the possibility of a unanimous panel this time. Stanley must have realized that the reception on his crystal ball was faulty after his pronouncement on the last problem. So, he didn’t make a similar prediction this time though most would disagree with his prediction about whether partner has a 5 card major. Abrahams: Pass. We have very frisky opponents this month who appear to be bidding on tram-tickets, (we hope). There is no 5 card major opposite. So we'll take an easy 500, and may get lucky and get 800. It looks like West has 3 card club support. So East has bid 3♣ with 6, which means that my partner has 5 diamonds, and is void in clubs. But 5♦ may not be that easy. I think we want to defend. I will have you know, Stanley, that I was holding the West cards and I am certainly not old enough to have ever owned any tram-tickets. However, I can both understand and agree with your optimism about our defensive prospects. I would have passed this double speedily, but as luck would have it I would not have been correct to try and penalize myself. Amateur psychiatrists can make of that whatever you like. The other person with some knowledge of this hand is our Esteemed Editor who was clutching the South cards: Solomon: Pass and lead ♣A. East has only 6 clubs. They have 4 club tricks and a long way to go for a score even if we can make a small slam. Now I must point out that for this month Richard selected the problems not I. At the table, he bid 5♣ and then chose to pass his partner’s call of 5♠. That made 12 tricks for a reasonable score for them as although some pairs bid and made slam, there were enough pairs that misplayed the hand to score only 11 tricks in spades that 680 was still above average. Partner was 6-5 in the majors and our secondary diamond fit would have been good enough to limit the penalty to a mere 500. Those of you who have played against Richard will know that part of the punishment is to watch him go into an interminable huddle while he practices for his upcoming defence of National Face-Pulling title holder. So when he made that inspired decision not to defend and then gave it to me as a problem which produced a near-unanimous

44 NZ Bridge April 2014 answer, it was particularly galling to see that he had changed his answer to fit in with the majority view. Why couldn’t you have done that at the table Richard and taken your bottom board? Not having the courage of his convictions to stick with the same answer even after it had been successful is surely worthy of something, so I am delighted to present Richard with the Flip-Floppy Disc Award. For a problem with a nearly unanimous panel it certainly provoked a long monologue from: Kokish: Pass. Sure, South could bid 3NT on a balanced 15 or on a long suit with many ranges, but whether South is expected to remove a double with hands like this one turns largely on what our partnership expects from North. The first issue is whether we should be allowed to pass out 4♣ after having committed to game vulnerable, albeit under duress. If we believe the answer is no, North’s pass over 4♣ would be forcing. In that context, there are several different ways to play, including (1) pass forces double and if he takes it out he shows by agreement more or less than bidding directly – he would pass with a penalty double or with a bad hand with no place to go, expecting me to double unless I had a huge trick source. Double of 4♣ would be take-out; (2) Pass expresses doubt about declaring vs defending and shows some values while double would be penalty/regressive, possibly very weak. In contrast if you deem pass over 4♣ to be non- forcing, North’s double says “it’s our hand – I thought you would make 3NT but I’m not sure about bidding 4NT.” Not to mention whether North’s 4NT over has any meaningful definition in terms of strength or tricks. Until we iron this out, I’m willing to take the F. Dealer South. Pairs. All Vul. money (perhaps lots of it) even at Pairs, if for no other reason that Antipodean vulnerable once in a while cannot be underwritten by Lloyd’s of ♠AKQJ5 London. ♥542 ♦ This was a great answer, except for the cheek of that final comment. I can 84 only ask two questions.”Who does get their pre-empts underwritten by ♣ 753 Lloyds?” and “Have you ever heard of Risk and Reward?” That only leaves us with the final two answers from those who were willing to make Richards of West North East South themselves …. No, that isn’t quite true, because both were going to get an even better result on the board than Richard. Pass Klinger: 5♣. And raise partner's expected 5-card suit to six. 1NT1 Pass Pass ? Hinkley: 5♣. North can hardly be 4-4 in the majors at this level. I am comfy 112-14 with being in six of whichever suit he likes best. Problem F. Bid Votes Score Ackerley: Double. Values we have, so double it is. It makes no sense as Double 13 100 anything other than genuine trick-taking potential. Partner should be able to Pass 6 80 find our spade suit in the play. 2♠ 4 50 Braithwaite: Double. No obvious alternative as far as I am concerned. I have five spade tricks and as a passed hand have surely shown this. Partner needs to lead his shortest major now. Blackstock: Double. I can’t sensibly have a scattered 11-count. The reason for a passed hand double must be a very good or semi-solid suit. I’m not so much going for the jugular as trying to deflect a lead from a broken suit that may concede the contract at trick one. In the absence of a sequence of his own, North should try to find my suit; his cards will often suggest it is spades, and in any event declarer now shouldn’t get a gift from the lead. Gravis: Double. Partner is a smart cookie and will work out where my ‘values’ are, either on the opening lead or later. Have faith and if faith fails, it’s only one bottom board anyway. Rew: Double. Am I missing something? Well, yes and no Fraser. Yes, you are probably making the best bid. No, it is not without concerns. I think we will be very happy if we defend 1NT doubled, but if either North, East or even West decide to bid we will be unable to double anything else so we will have to bid 2♠ and almost certainly play there. Hopefully for 110 or 140 but maybe even for a very unattractive minus. 200 or even 300 may well have resulted from 1NT undoubled. So how likely are we to get our wish of defending 1NT doubled? We have to get past three players. Although admittedly it is less likely that West will move, when you add all three possibilities together I think you will find that we are defending 1NT doubled much less than half the time. Kearney: Pass. It's the wrong vulnerability. So bidding will often lead to -100 instead of -90 or +110 instead of +200.

45 NZ Bridge April 2014 Rigal: Pass. Too tempting to bid – almost, but the vulnerability swayed me. Maybe after partner blows a trick on lead and declarer establishes his minor, my suit preference signal will get the Centre Hand Opponent to finally do the right thing. Abrahams: Pass. Let’s put it this way, if I had been dealer I wouldn't have opened. So, why would I want to bid at the 2 level now? Partner could have as little as 6 points, or as many as 12. I fancy our chances to get 200. I seem to have quoted Stanley a lot in this set. Thank you for those interesting answers, but I also have to give out an award. The good old fashioned Mr. Magoo. Yes, Stanley, that first pass is your own. You were the dealer after all. It makes a big difference to the situation. Fortunately the action you have chosen is still a sensible one. I don’t think the same applies to the other possible bid: Lo: 2♠. Pass could be right, but just can't resist bidding such a good suit in the position. Humphries: 2♠. Unlikely to get good defence from partner. Have a little faith, Denis. You have some very good partners. The case for +200 vs +110 and -90 vs -100 has been made above. So, I won’t repeat it here, except to say that 2 level on 5332 always seem wrong.

So ends another Master Solvers’ Club. I will put my lash away until the editor calls on me again. Oh that’s right. I gave Richard an award this time, but I am sure he won’t hold it against me. He is after all still the Esteemed Editor. Thank you to the panel for taking the time to send me their informative comments. My usual tough marking meant that nobody scored 600 with Rod Dravitzki top-scoring on 570. Did any of you get a better score? Whether or not you did I hope you enjoyed reading the article.

Here are the top Readers' Scores for this issue: Panel answers Hamish Brown A B C Di Dii E F Total ♥ Auckland 530 Stanley Abrahams Auckland 4 1NT 4NT Yes 1NT Pass Pass 500 John Mitchell David Ackerley Wellington 3NT 1NT 4♠ Yes Pass Pass x 500 Nelson 520 Nikolas Bausback Germany 4♥ x 4NT Yes Pass Pass x 520 Alison Beer Stephen Blackstock Wellington 4♣ 1NT Pass Yes Pass Pass x 510 Rotorua 500 Andy Braithwaite Gold Coast 4♥ 2♥ Pass Yes Pass Pass x 480 Rona Driscoll Michael Cornell Auckland 4♣ 1NT 5♣ Yes Pass Pass Pass 540 Taupo 500 Rod Dravitzki Masterton 4♥ 1NT 5♣ No 1NT Pass x 570 Andrew MacAlister Vil Gravis Hutt 4♥ x 4♠ No Pass Pass x 540 England 500 Sartaj Hans Sydney 4♥ x 5♣ No Pass Pass 2♠ 520 Paul Hangartner Tony Hinkley Nelson 4♥ 1NT 4NT No 3♣ 5♣ x 450 Auckland 470 Denis Humphries Auckland x x Pass No 1NT Pass 2♠ 420 John Pinder Nigel Kearney Wellington 3NT x Pass Yes Pass Pass Pass 430 Auckland 470 Ron Klinger Sydney 4♥ 2♥ 5♣ No Pass 5♣ 2♠ 440 with Rona Driscoll and Paul ♥ Hangartner having an early Canada 4 1NT 4NT No Pass Pass Pass 550 lead on 1000 followed by Stephen Lester Sydney 3NT 1NT Pass No Pass Pass x 500 Andrew MacAlister on 960 George Lo Auckland 4♦ 2♥ 5♣ No 2♣ Pass 2♠ 440 and Alison Beer and Hamish Brown on 930. Martin Lofgren Sweden x x Pass No Pass Pass x 470 Peter Newell Wellington 4♥ 1NT Pass No Pass Pass x 550 ♣ Thanks to Patrick for the Fraser Rew Sydney x x 5 No Pass Pass x 520 article and my most Martin Reid Wellington 4♥ x 6♣ No Pass Pass Pass 490 treasured award. Michael USA 3NT x 5♣ No Pass Pass Pass 500 Ware returns in June to ♥ ♣ present this issue. Ed. Richard Solomon Auckland 4 1NT 4NT Yes 2 Pass x 520 Michael Ware Auckland 3NT 1NT 5♣ No Pass Pass x 550

46 NZ Bridge April 2014 2 ‘Director, Please’ By Murray Wiggins, Hastings We Bridge players need them (quietly now … sometimes we may not like their rulings but we do need them) and they are a very important part of our game. It’s not just that they give rulings but also organize bridge movements, keep our sessions moving and especially in our ever increasing electronic age either score or supervise the scoring of our sessions. This, then, is to be their regular column but we hope it will be equally of interest to players and directors alike. Murray is a member of the Board of New Zealand Bridge but more importantly here, one of this country’s top National Directors and is at the time of writing National Congress Director in Charge. “Director, Please” will become a regular feature of this Magazine and will be hosted by Murray and fellow National Director (and Board member) Allan Joseph. Hopefully, it will cover matters of interest about Directing which are relevant to players and directors alike. If you would like a topic covered in a future issue, please email me on [email protected] Ed. When to call the Director It seems sensible to start at the beginning. Many club sessions and all tournaments have a director to organise and run the event. In a number of club sessions, there may be one or more playing directors. The following principles apply whether there is a dedicated director or if the director(s) are playing. Clearly, it can be a difficult situation if the director is playing and needs to look at a hand on a board that they haven’t yet played. Obviously, if there is another director in the room who has already played the board, then they should be asked to take the call. Failing that, the playing director will just have to do his best to make a fair ruling and then to be doubly careful about playing ethically. If they have had to look at a hand, then they may be able to rotate the board at their own table so as to hold that hand. This may, of course, not be possible. The director is there to ensure that the session is run according to The Laws of , NZ Bridge Regulations, Supplementary Regulations and club rules. Unless the director is made aware of infractions, and other issues at the table, it is impossible for them to fulfil that role and to ensure a fair result for all those playing. Calling the director is not putting someone on report. It is a process that has been developed over the years to ensure that everyone enjoys the game and that it is played consistently around the world. The director should be called whenever someone interferes with your enjoyment or whenever there is an irregularity at the table, no matter how small or insignificant it may seem. The correct way to call the director is a simple ‘Director, please’ or similar. So when should you call the director? An example; If there is an insufficient bid, the director should be called. It is not correct to “make it good”. The player next in turn is allowed to accept the insufficient bid and then make any legal call. This means that they may able to make their bid at a lower level,0 Or, if the insufficient bid is conventional, then there may be restrictions placed on the partner. (This topic will be discussed in greater detail in the future) The director should be called for all the usual errors; a disputed claim, a lead out of turn, a , and a bid out of turn but there are also many ‘unusual’ situations when the director must be called. • A dropped card. Is it a major or minor penalty card, or neither? What difference does it make? What if it is dropped during the auction? • A failure to alert a call that should have been alerted. It may affect the bidding. It may affect the play. The opponents may be damaged. When should the director be called? • Your partner gives an incorrect explanation to the opponents of one of your agreed calls. If you partner does fail to alert a call (or alerts a call that does not require alerting) or if they give an incorrect explanation, then you should call the director at the first legal opportunity. The “first legal opportunity” for the declaring side is after the final pass and before the opening lead. The “first legal opportunity” for the defending side is at the end of the play

47 NZ Bridge April 2014 The director can then review the situation and make an appropriate ruling. Then there are the breaches of etiquette that all too frequently occur at the table. Some jurisdictions have implemented a ‘zero tolerance’ policy. The Australian Bridge Federation is instead/as well, introduced a ‘please be considerate’ policy which NZ Bridge is encouraging clubs to adopt. So when should the director be called about breaches of etiquette? This can be a much more difficult situation. It is difficult for a player to dispute that they have made an insufficient bid. It is much easier for a player to deny that, what was said or done or the tone or manner in which it occurred, was not as alleged. It can become one person’s word against another. As directors, we must make a decision at the table as to the most likely version of events if there are disputed facts. However, unless the Director is called, then nothing can be done to enforce the Laws, Regulations and rules. We ask that you call the director whenever you encounter such behaviour. Some examples: • Players being openly critical of their partner or opponents. • Gloating by a player “thanks for that lead, it made the contract!” • Intimidation by an opponent by way of an aggressive claim, a rude comment or a surly attitude. • Swearing at the table. There are many other examples of unacceptable behaviour, which may result in action from the director. Some examples: • Summoning the director rudely • Failing to comply with the director’s instructions • Refusing to accept a director’s ruling It is, of course, legitimate to question a ruling and to request a review and to appeal a decision. It was interesting to observe the difference in behaviour at the PABF event in Hamilton in 2010. There were a number of rulings made during that event that were not accepted gracefully by the players. However, on one occasion, a ruling was made against a Japanese team. The team, with their captain, approached the director after the match and requested an explanation of the ruling. After receiving the ruling, they quietly left the room without any comment apart from a ‘thank you’. Some time later, the captain approached the director and said ‘I mean no disrespect to you, but we would like to appeal your decision’. The director, of course, agreed and the appropriate forms were completed and the process was followed through. It was refreshing for the director to be treated so appropriately. There is a significant difference in the way different cultures behave towards those ‘in charge’ and this was, for the director involved, a dramatic example. In a bridge event, the director is in charge and has a responsibility to ensure that the event is run fairly for all of those competing. This task cannot be achieved without the input of you, the players. We can only perform this role as we should if you involve us by calling the director for all infractions and breaches of etiquette at the table. “Director, please” Book a holiday online and benefit CH WAT THIS New Zealand Bridge ACE Soon you will be able to book your holiday online with a link from The SP New Zealand Bridge website ... and as well as getting a good deal for yourself, will financially benefit New Zealand Bridge. More details soon

48 NZ Bridge April 2014 2 Master Solvers Club June 2014 Problems A. Dealer South. All Vul. Pairs. D. Dealer East. Pairs. All Vul. ♠AQ9762 ♠- ♥2 ♥A1092 ♦A4 ♦AKJ ♣AJ52 ♣975432 West North East South West North East South 1♠ 1♦1 ? Pass 1NT 2♥ ? 13+♦ B. Dealer North. Nil Vul. Pairs. ♠J96 E. Dealer North. All Vul. Teams. ♥ ♠– K3 ♥ ♦875 85 ♣ ♦AQJ103 KJ1087 ♣ North South AK10432 ♥ West North East South 1 1NT ♠ 2♠ ? 3 Pass ? (playing 5 card majors) F. Dealer South. E/W Vul. Teams. C. Dealer North. Nil Vul. Teams. ♠Q973 ♠108 ♥ ♥ A Q73 ♦K75 ♦AK754 ♣ ♣ K7432 532 West North East South West North East South ♦1 ♠ ♦ 1 1 2 Pass ♦2 ♥ ♥ ♠ ♥ 2 Pass 4 Pass 2 2 3 ? Pass 5♣ 5♥ 6♣ Pass Pass 6♥ All Pass Please send your answers to NZ Bridge at 1Precision style, 11-15. PO Box 90, Tuakau, New Zealand or by e-mail to 2Michaels style, 5-5 or better in the majors, [email protected] by June 8, 2014 constructive. Your Lead?

‘Lording’ over the new ‘chair’ It could have been Gollum calling 'Follow me!" at Wellington Airport on April 17, but no, that was Arie Geursen's line at his first meeting as Chairman of New Zealand Bridge Board of Management. Arie devoted most of the meeting to marketing and planning. Watch for upcoming announcements on a raft of initiatives. He is seen here with an industrious Alan Turner, a smiling Alister Stuck and a pensive Shirley Newton.

49 NZ Bridge April 2014 2 Hand of the month By Chris Ackerley, Dunedin

There was an easy clue in the Listener crossword a while back: Old roués and lovers of Proust “French writer in a strange sense of stupor.” Could be anyone, you Arise with a strange sense of stupor. might think, all that red wine; but it’s an anagram of ‘Proust’, to The innocent Madeleine which there is only other possibility, and that is ‘sprout’. A limerick Awakens the lad in ‘em, was clearly calling, and I obeyed: The memory of being a sprout. This is a propos of not much, but a few weeks ago I played for the first time in ages in an Open B tournament, with a partner about one third of my age, one of our up and coming younger members; in an environment that might have been taken from the last section of Proust’s great novel, as I was still one of the younger ones. We played a basic Acol, with about two minutes of discussion, and rather winged things the way I recall doing when I was about his age. It was enjoyable, a return of sorts to the kind of bridge I played about 100 years ago, but we did OK, coming in third, thanks in part to this hand where I found myself in the only making game contract, but one that had gone down at every other table if it was bid (there were a couple of 3NTs making 9 tricks, but the intriguing result was 1NT making seven, both North and South presumably clinging to their respective spades). ♥ Dealer: North So, 4 by West, the opponents having competed feebly in spades, on the AK and a third spade lead. Now, if you have that feeling that the trumps are East ♠AKJ84 ♥ going to be 4-2, you might choose to throw away a diamond from hand, in Vul: E/W 10432 which case the automatic diamond switch from South puts an end to that little ♦ - notion. Well, go with the room, this is an Open B, I thought, so I ruffed, and ♣Q974 led a diamond towards dummy, more by instinct than because it was West East obviously right, but it turns out to be the crucial play. North ruffed, but from ♠ ♠ the long trumps, and returned a trump; but I was now able to take the club 96 N 1032 finesse and complete the dummy reversal by ruffing the fourth club. ♥AJ87 WE ♥KQ9 It’s a bit trickier if North throws away clubs. Declarer (West) now wins the ♦96542 S ♦AK7 ♦K and must now return to hand with a trump to lead up to the ♦A7 once ♣ ♣ K5 AJ83 more. Again, North must not ruff. So, the ♦A wins, and West comes back to South hand with the ♣K, takes the club finesse, and tries to cash the ♣A. This allows ♠Q75 North to ruff the ♣A, but again it shortens the defensive trumps, so that ♣ ♥65 dummy’s 8 comes in as the tenth trick. ♦QJ1083 What if North throws a club and a spade on the two diamonds? Well, rather ♣1062 like the earlier scenario, the club finesse and the dummy reversal. In other words, I don’t think the contract can be beaten, but it’s a complex analysis and the timing is everything. In fact, if North throws a club and a spade on North the two diamonds, these cards remain after the ♣A is cashed: ♠8 ♥ 1043 Declarer, who needs three more tricks, leads the diamond loser off dummy West East to South and no matter what the defence does, West makes three trumps via ♥ N ♥ a high level cross-ruff or if North ruffs and returns a trump, two hearts and A8 WE KQ the ♣8. Ed. ♦96 S ♦7 The other scores N/S ranged from +100 to +400, depending, presumably, ♣- ♣8 on how quickly the trump control was lost. The best (in Proustian retrospect, South the only) chance to make E/W is, indeed, to lead towards dummy’s diamonds, ♥6 and since North’s instinct must be at least to think about ruffing, then the ♥ ♦QJ10 contract should make. Bidding and making 4 was an absolute top our way; I’d be most curious as to what might happen with this hand in an Open or even an international field. There was another reference to the French in a more recent issue of the Listener, a review of the life of the last Dowager Empress of China, which took considerable account of the Boxer Rebellion, in the aftermath of which various atrocities were committed by the European powers. When asked if he could make his men step back from the rape and pillage, the French general memorably replied: “Ah, Madame, the gallantry of the French soldier cannot be constrained.” There may or may not be a Proustian moral here.

50 NZ Bridge April 2014 2 Tales of the mighty By Richard Solomon, Auckland

So, you trudge along to bridge, deal with the usual 6-10 point hands, have the occasional opening bid, even 18 points one night (no good ... partner passed your one level response leaving you in a 4-2 fit!) and go home complaining of the bad cards you keep getting. Heard it all before? Not you, of course, but those around your bridge club. You get them too but wisely do not complain. Do not worry. Here are some stories which occurred recently of those who held just a little more than a 4333 7 count. Enjoy them and just maybe afterwards you may appreciate dealing with the 7 counts again. The more points … the more problems. Really? Waitomo Woes. Hand dealt came this “little” number from the Waitomo ♠ AKQ Bridge Club. ♥AKQ863 For those of you unfamiliar having to count higher than 7, to save you ♦AK counting, just remember how many cards there are in a bridge hand and reverse the numbers. It’s quicker than counting. For masochists, the answer ♣AQ when you get there is “31”. You open 2♣. No problem. The first problem occurred at one table when one’s partner, a none too experienced player, passed! Full marks here to one’s opponents who advised the player that no matter how bad their hand was, “pass” was not an option. The player was allowed their bid back, a good lesson on how to encourage a less experienced player at a club. The player substituted 2♦ and, we believe, that our mighty card holder could not bear the thought of being passed again and used 5 stop cards to bid 7♥ on the second round. Needless to say, that player would have got a better result had they played the deal in 2♣ ... though that in no way casts doubts on the excellent action of their opponents. Say, though, your second bid is a more disciplined 2♥. Partner replies 3♦ and you bide time with 3♥. Next comes 4♣ (natural … poor form if Gerber in this auction. How can it be right for the Dealer North weak hand to ask for ?). What now? Your partner has something … but South ♠843 not much ... and no great liking for hearts. If partner had both the ♦Q and ♣ ♥– K, you might make 13 tricks but even then, there is no guarantee. So, ♦J109743 settling for 6NT would not be unreasonable though when you see partner’s ♣ hand, it is not the best contract … nor indeed when you see the opponents’ K862 cards is to where you want to be! West East Of course, the bidding at most tables did not go anything like the above. A ♠ ♠ 1097 N J652 couple of sequences can remain gloriously hidden, with the South players ♥J1074 WE ♥952 making their low level contracts with ease … and wishing they were higher. Our direct 7♥ bidder thanked partner for dummy but did not really mean it. ♦862 S ♦Q5 No ♥J109 tripleton and so down it went. Another pair had a more scientific ♣ ♣ J109 7543 auction and also reached 7♥. West had been gazing out of the window for South most of the auction but was rather pleased with the final contract … and said ♠AKQ so by doubling it! South, here, was Russell Thomson who would have been mildly surprised by ♥AKQ863 ♦ the double and guessed it was based on heart trick(s). Time to move on. 7NT. AK No double this time and wisely so. West led the ♣J and Russell realised quickly ♣AQ his only chance. He won the first trick with the ♣A and when he cashed his high diamonds, the news was very good for him. Then came ♣Q to the king and a claim. What’s the moral? Be very careful in doubling the opponents in a slam which must go down. They may have a better spot, as indeed was the case here. However, had the ♦Q not appeared so quickly, we would have been saying that the best spot was 6♦, not an easy contract to reach. Still, as you lay down your dummy in 6♦, you can at least say, “I hope this enough for you, partner.” ♠AJ2 Grand Dreams at Kairangi. Dreams are indeed free. So, 10 North-South ♥AKQ pairs from a recent Teams session at Wellington’s Kairangi Club could go home reflecting on how they failed to reach such heights when the South players ♦AKJ ♣ started the auction holding this hand: AKQ3 Now, it must be said that compared to the “jackless” 31 pointer from

51 NZ Bridge April 2014 Waitomo, this one is really a pretty poor collection. No letters, please, saying that there is no such thing as a “pretty poor” 31 count. Remove “poor” and it might be a better description! Yet, look at it. Terrible shape (3334) and with a very modest spade suit along with a diamond finesse, if dummy allows you an entry to take one. I’d knock a point or two off this one. Oh … it’s still a 2♣ opening! And when are all of you experts about the merits of 31 counts? I bet you have never held one! So, you open 2♣ and get the expected 2♦ reply. What now? One of the worst bids in the world must be a jump to 3NT showing more than a flat 24 points. Where do you go from there? Anyway, this is far too strong. Would it not be nice … it is for me … if 2NT was unconditionally forcing? Partner transfers to hearts. Accept the transfer; you are going to game! Over 3♥, it would be wonderful if your partner found a natural 4♣ bid (we have put that “Gerber” card to one side again, I hope). There’s just a little bit of life over the other Dealer North side of the table. If partner had 5 hearts, 4 clubs and no points, the grand ♠ South 8 slam would need just a 3-2 trump break (if clubs were trumps) and at worst All Vul. ♥J76543 a diamond finesse. Come on, partner, find us a jack or something, partner. It’s ♦Q2 time to reveal all. No finesse needed, though 7♥ and 7NT are better than 7♣ which would be ♣7652 scuttled by a bad trump break. Of course, 7NT is best of all as that 5-0 club West East break could see a very quick ruff to defeat 7♥. That sounds like a nightmare ♠763 N ♠KQ10954 - not a bad dream! WE Full marks, though, to any grand bid. Alas, no with 4 pairs reaching 6NT, 2 ♥ ♥ 2 S 1098 in 6♥ including a pair of 80 year olds (both “survived” the experience (see the ♦1087643 ♦95 next story below!) and the rest in game, mainly 5NT … well, at least they tried! This North hand had a point less than the responding hand to the “Waitomo ♣J109 ♣84 wonder” but the grand here was much colder, if a contract can be “colder than South cold”?! 31 points … who wants them? ♠AJ2 There is a moral, though. If you do not play the sequence 2♣-2♦-2NT as ♥AKQ 100% forcing to game, do so. It just means if you only have 23 and partner has less than one point, you will have to play 3NT better. When you have 25, ♦AKJ ♣ 26, 31 or even 37, it makes the subsequent bidding so much easier. AKQ3 The final story is not so much about the hand itself but what happened after it. After the above events at Waitomo and Kairangi, a 29 pointer is not much of a hand! Nevertheless, the English bridge player, Wendy Brown, would have been wondering how to bid and play the 29 pointer she picked up during a session at her club in Wadebridge in Cornwall. Alas, she collapsed suffering from heart failure after playing the board and could not be revived. Friends and family admitted it was “the perfect bridge player’s death”. A Premier Life Master who had played bridge for over 50 years, Wendy was 80.

She had played the board but had not even put the cards away when she collapsed. A friend said that if asked how she would have liked to have died, Wendy would have replied “at the bridge table, my joy.” However, do not despair of the difficulties of such large hands. After writing thise article, I went along to my local club and picked up the comparative minnow opposite (in the West hand): West East ♣ ♣ ♠AKQ ♠4 A mere 27 count. I opened 2 and partner raised to 3 . What, a positive? ♥ ♥ Out with key card and partner showed the missing ace. The next enquiry AK106 84 ♣ ♦ ♦ revealed the Q. Surely she had more for a positive … 7NT. I was not to be AKJ5 Q943 disappointed. ♣K10 ♣AQJ762

Just 15 tricks. These big hands are not always stressful … and I am alive to tell the tale!

So, 29 points, 31 points, not always hands easy to handle. Certainly, it is unlikely you would suffer undue stress with your 7 count, if indeed you hold that much! Do you?

P.S. I am reliably informed that the odds of picking up a 31 point hand are 1 in 1.67 million. There will thus be a lot of bridge played at Waitomo and Kairangi before another such ‘mighty’ hand comes along again.

52 NZ Bridge April 2014 2 Tournament Results

TOURNAMENT RESULTS East Coast Bays Open Pairs Upper Hutt Intermediate Pairs SOUTH ISLAND AUCKLAND/WAIKATO BAYS (15 March) – 26 (9 March) – 28 Invercargill Intermediate Pairs Michael Ware – Michael Curry Paley and Lynette Downs (8 February) – 32 Warkworth 8B Open Pairs Kathrin Boardman – Grant Jarvis Ken Betteridge – Kim Tate Jenny Pryde – Marion Furneaux (25 January) – 36 Pat Carter – John Buckleton Jeffrey Craanen – Caroline Strachan Christine Samson – Lynette Clark Marie Ewbank – Penny McRobie Whangarei 8B Open Pairs Dianne Carruthers – Erin Batchelor Marnie and Stephen Rogers (22 March) – 12 Taranaki Congress, New Margaret Hooson – Patsy Walters Glenis and Barry Palmer Plymouth (8-10 March) Invercargill Junior Pairs (8 Neil Ruddell – John McIntosh Marion Hill Open Pairs – 44 February) – 8 Waikato Area Pairs, Matamata Gary Chen – Richard Solomon =David and Brian Briggs (16 February) – 26 Whangarei Intermediate Pairs Blair Fisher – Rod Dravitzki = Betty McCrostie – Pauline Todd Lynette Morgan – Ian Bond (22 March) – 16 Liz Fisher – Pam Canning Cynthia and Ian Clayton Vivianne Nisbet – Sue Jensen Intermediate- Junior Pairs – 18 South Island Teams - Malcolm Smith – Lindsay Reid Judith Mehrtens – Yvonne McKinnon Anne Smith – Matthew Schumacher Christchurch (15/16 February) – Theresa and Brian Needham 30 North Shore Intermediate Pairs Te Awamutu Restricted Pairs Open Teams – 26 1. Michael Ware, Tom Jacob, Denis (22 February) – 18 (23 March) – 28 1. Alan Grant, James Li, Jenny Humphries, Brian Mace Ming Huang – Henry Sun Gillian Alexander – Marion Visser Millington, Barry Jones 2. Jeter Liu, Dong Huang, Alan Grant, Nicky Bowers – Carol Joseph Anne Blewden – Diane Emms 2. Blair and Liz Fisher, Rod Dravitzki, James Li. Angie and Chris Fitzgerald Doris Chapman – Lucie Armstrong Pam Canning Intermediate Teams – 6 Golden Bay Intermediate Teams North Shore Open Pairs Royle Epsom 8B Open Pairs 1. Sheila Lister, Anne Williamson, (16 February) – 14 (22 February) – 16 (23 March) – 32 Anne Smith, Matthew Schumacher 1. Leigh Gamby, David Sarll, Christine Patrick Carter – Julie Atkinson Julie Atkinson – Patrick Carter Swiss Pairs – 46 Mead, Jean Beatson Chris Mold – Peter Green Warren Cook – Heather Salmons Brett Glass – Tim Healy 2. Vicki Russell, Shirley Lattimore, Andrew Tarbutt – John Buckleton Verona Edlin – Jacqui Waddle Gary Chen – Richard Solomon Diane Groom, Helen Jones Derek Evennett – Lynne Geursen Papakura Open Pairs (1 March) – Mt Albert Junior Pairs David May – Isobel Ross Geraldine 8B Open Pairs 12 (29 March) – 16 Novice Pairs – 6 (23 February) – 12 Pat Carter – Andrew Tarbutt Geoff and Marlene Brown Joy Clouston – Christina Bower Beverley Smith – Mary Buckland He Yuan – Clare Coles Hilary Metzger – Geoff Allen Trish and Peter Downward Papakura Intermediate Pairs Taradale Lawson Jugs (1 March) – 13 CENTRAL DISTRICTS/ (15 March) – 30 Winton Open Teams (1 March) – Martin Jacques – Anthony Wilson WELLINGTON Gillian and Arthur Bennett 6 Helen O’Neil – Vera Elisak Wanganui Picnic Pairs Judy Clarkson – George Masters 1. Joan Scarlett, Marilyn Jackson, (2 February) – 34 Mark O’Dowd – Lynne Bowcock Lorraine Oliver, Anne Cosgrove Te Puke 8B Pairs (1 March) – 32 Judy O’Neill – Sarah Green 2. Arleen Schwartz, Michael Albert, Margaret Wakelin – Ruth Sweatman Pushpa and Ravi Modgill Marton 8B Open Pairs Murat Genc, Chris Ackerley Norm Silcock – Shirley Bain Ken Bateman – Jan Whyte (16 March) – 28 Nick Comber – Carolyn Parker Trevor McKeown – Greg Whitten Winton Intermediate Teams Napier Swiss Pairs Alister Poulgrain – George Masters (1 March) – 8 Dargaville 8B Open Pairs (8 February) – 34 Christine Compton – Graeme 1. Christine Dallas, Yvonne Hughes, (8 March)-22 Evelyn and Bob Hurley Thomson Richard McMillan, Lee Davies Patsy and Lee Walters Sandra Coleman – Liz Burrows 2. Noeline Eason, Pam Macleod, Tania Brown – Les Lilly Yvonne Whittle – Mary Marshall Paraparaumu 5A Open Pairs Sandy Buzzard, Beverly Forbes Richard Bland – Margaret Hooson (16 March) – 34 Waikanae Open Pairs Lorraine McCarthur – Eleanor Morel Westport 8B Open Pairs Howick Restricted Pairs (16 February) – 38 Peter Delahunty – Lynda Rigler (8 March) – 27 (8 March) – 41 Jeanne Wardill – Graham Cheater Graeme Norman – Ray Gruschow Chris Turner – Adrian Abraham Caroline Goodall – Ginette Hawke Robyn Freeman-Greene – Dinnie Hall Marsha Woodbury – Virginia Warren Carol Joseph – Celia Power = Ray Gruschow – Graeme Norman Waipukurau 5A Open Pairs Lindsey Guy – Steve Gray Pallab Banerjee – Jocelyn Southon = Dorothy Mackay – Margaret Clarke (22 March) – 32 Nicky Bowers – Joy Watkinson Jan Whyte – Carolyn Yeomans Alexandra Open B Pairs Taradale Intermediate Pairs Evelyn Hurley – Debs Smith (15 March) – 20 Taupo Intermediate Pairs (1 March) – 26 Wayne Burrows – Bob Hurley Jan Ireland – Elspeth Welsh (8 March) – 24 Julian Herbert – Wayne Burney Elwyn Hughes – Karl Schicker Lyn Macleod – Suzanne Treadwell Sue Pike – Clodagh Norris South Wairarapa Intermediate Dianne Carruthers – Bob Gillanders Shirley Bain – Graeme Young Robyn Andersen – Cinnamon Pairs (23 March) – 10 John Little – Graeme Saunders Thornton Jan Brunton – Robyn Draper Taieri Open B Pairs (22 March) – Sue and Greg Whitten 34 Corbans Salver 8B Open Pairs, Feilding Open Pairs (2 March) – Robyn Hellier – Sue McGowan Auckland (13 March) – 26 31 South Wairarapa Junior Pairs Gary Belworthy – Sue Johnstone Steve Boughey – Rachelle Pelkman Sandy and Rod Dravitzki (23 March) – 14 Chris Ackerley – Brad Johnston Elaine and Bruce Fisher Colette Fermor – Yvonne Cox Alistair James – Cindy Lowndes Lynne Geursen – Julie Atkinson John Pitts – George Masters Julie Collins – Lynda Rowland Queenstown 8B Open Pairs (29 March) – 36 East Coast Bays Intermediate Kapi Mana Intermediate/Junior Bayleys Gisborne Open Pairs Greg Buzzard – Bruce Batchelor Pairs (15 March) – 17 Pairs (2 March) – 30 (29 March) – 18 Anne Somerville – Anne-Marie Russell Helen Maddren – Carol Harpur Yvonne Helps – Don Mather George Masters – Alister Buchanan Ian Gilkison – Ernie Sutton Martin Jacques – Anthony Wilson Robyn Michelson- Jean Crafts Alister Stuck – Noel Woodhall Peter Farley – Pat Reynolds Amanda Smith – Stephen Francks

53 NZ Bridge April 2014 2 Board views and news The Board of New Zealand Bridge Inc. administers most of what happens bridgewise in this country. What happens at and between Board Meetings may or may not interest you. It certainly affects you every time you play Bridge. So, let’s hear a little from the Board members, a little of what they are thinking and doing. They are working for the good of the game, for you the bridge players. So, each issue, we will try and get some comment from one of the members of the Board, perhaps at times from a member of one of the Committees of The Board (what, you did not know there were such things?!) or even a member of a Regional Committee. First up is Shirley Newton. Ed. Time to give a bit back by Shirley Newton, Christchurch As Arie Geursen (new Chairperson of NZ Bridge) was overseas, I have agreed to give a brief account of some of the issues regarding being a member of the NZ Bridge Board. Bridge has been good to me and once I retired, I decided it was time to “give a bit back”. I have served on the Board for one year now and wish to thank both Kay Nicholas and Patsy Walters for their contributions as retiring members and their support of me as a “newbie”. I was warned by Jenny Wilkinson (my bridge partner of 23 years and previous Board member) that it would involve a lot of time! She was certainly right, and I wouldn’t want to hold down a full time job as well as being on the Board. A typical day, especially before and after a meeting, means reading and replying to anywhere from 10 to 40 emails! There are also bulletins and attachments to digest and comment on. As chair of the International Committee, there are other responsibilities to deal with and issues to discuss via group email. Other Board members have the same workload with their allocated committees. As a member of the Marketing and Membership Group, I have also been heavily involved in writing the Marketing Package which will shortly be released to all clubs to assist them in marketing, teaching, and increasing and retaining their membership. Working closely with Allan Barclay and Alister Stuck (NZ Bridge Secretary), we are reorganising this portfolio, as the incoming Board’s focus – led by Arie, will clearly be on “Growing the Sport”. You have obviously opted- in to the new look digital magazine and I encourage you to get as many of your club’s members to do the same. This will give us some advertising leverage to increase income. The Teaching Group is another sub-committee to which I’ve enjoyed contributing, from the NZB Beginners’ Notes to Improvers’ lessons (with more to come!) Monthly Board Meetings are held at the Koru Club in Wellington, being the cheapest option for the Board, and any additional meetings are usually held by phone conferencing. For me this means an early rise to catch a 7am flight (I try to get the cheap “grab-a-seat” flight) then return the same evening. Other Committee meetings can be held at different times and could be held in various locations depending on who is attending. I would say I have usually been spending something like 20-30 hours a week on NZB matters – and I love it. The only downside is the frustration of Board members when we see comments on social media which are ill-informed, with little knowledge of the facts! Roll on another year of Board work. I’m looking forward to working with the current group including Allan Joseph, the new Board member, and have decided to call the three "Allans" by their initials – AB, AJ and AT (we’re not allowed to call Alan Turner by his school teacher nick-name!) Being the only woman on the Board will be challenging, as I will be representing more than 50% of bridge players, but will probably have difficulty in letting the guys give me more than one vote on every issue! Recent High Scores Pair Event Session % Position Glenis and Barry Palmer Whangarei 8B Open Pairs 1 72.00 1 Marie Ewbank - Penny McRobie Warkworth 8B Open Pairs 1 71.49 1 Julie Atkinson - Patrick Carter Royle Epsom 8B Open Pairs 2 68.75 1 Effie Gallie - Kevin Upson Taranaki Congress Open Pairs 3 68.10 4 Lynne Geursen - Julie Atkinson Corbans Salver Auckland 8B Pairs 2 67.31 3 Gillian and Arthur Bennett Taradale Lawson Jugs 8B Pairs 1 67.30 1 Ming Huang - Henry Sun North Shore Intermediate Pairs 1 67.13 1 Helen O'Neil - Vera Elisak Papakura Intermediate Pairs 1 67.08 2 Lynette Morgan - Ian Bond Waikato Area Pairs 1 66.19 1 Robyn Hellier - Sue McGowan Taieri Open B Pairs 2 65.88 1 Cynthia and Ian Clayton Waikato Area Pairs 1 65.71 2 Michael Ware - Michael Curry East Coast Bays Open Pairs 2 65.71 1 Steve Boughey - Rachelle Pelkman Corbans Salver Auckland 8B Pairs 1 65.38 1 Julie Atkinson - Patrick Carter North Shore Open Pairs 1 65.34 1 Anne Smith - Matthew Schumacher Taranaki Congress Int./ Junior Pairs 2 65.10 1

54 NZ Bridge April 2014 2