Number One Hundred and Forty-Five January 2015 Bernard Magee’s Acol Bidding Quiz BRIDGEYou are West in the auctions below, playing ‘Standard Acol’ with a weak no-trump (12-14 points) and 4-card majors.

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

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

2. Dealer East. Love All. 5. Dealer East. Love All. 8. Dealer South. Love All. 11. Dealer East. Love All. ♠ 4 3 ♠ A 7 6 5 ♠ A K 7 6 5 ♠ 8 7

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

West North East South West North East South West North East South West North East South 2♠1 Pass 1♥ Pass 1♥ 2♣ Dbl ? 1♠ Pass 1NT Pass 1♠ Pass 2♠ Pass ? 1Weak. 6 spades. 6-10 HCP. ? ?

3. Dealer West. N/S Game. 6. Dealer North. Love All. 9. Dealer North. N/S Game. 12. Dealer South. Love All. ♠ A K 3 2 ♠ 8 ♠ A 8 7 6 5 ♠ A Q ♥ K 8 7 6 5 N ♥ A 7 6 N ♥ Q 3 2 N ♥ 7 6 N ♦ 5 W E ♦ Q J 5 4 3 2 W E ♦ 9 8 4 W E ♦ A K 9 3 2 W E S S S S ♣ Q 7 2 ♣ J 3 2 ♣ 7 6 ♣ A 5 4 3

West North East South West North East South West North East South West North East South 1♥ Pass 2♣ Pass 1♥ 1♠ 2♣ 1♣ Dbl Pass 1♠ ? ? 1♠ Pass 2♥ Pass ? ?

Answers on page 6 Answers on page 8 Answers on page 10 Answers on page 12 1900 MR Bridge ad Jan 16 2015_Layout 1 01/12/2014 16:13 Page 1

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10093 TO VOYAGES ANTIQUITY ABTA No.Y2206 FEATURES 44 A Few Days by Sally Brock ALL 1 Bidding Quiz 47 Declarer Play Answers Mr BridgeINCLUSIVE by David Huggett BRIDGE by Bernard Magee AT THE 5 Mr Bridge ADVERTISEMENTS Ryden Grange, Knaphill, ROYAL KENZ Surrey GU21 2TH 6 Bidding Quiz Answers 2 Across the Indian Ocean (1-3) by Bernard Magee with Voyages to Antiquity TUNISIA ( 01483 489961 8 Bidding Quiz Answers 3 Tunisia with Mr Bridge Two-week [email protected] (4-6) by Bernard Magee 4 Ancient Burma and the All-Inclusive www.mrbridge.co.uk 9 Attacking The Enemy Treasures of Malaysia Duplicate Bridge with Voyages to Antiquity shop: www.mrbridge.co.uk/ Castle by Ned Paul Holidays mrbridge-shop 10 Bidding Quiz Answers 5 Tips for Better Bridge (7-9) by Bernard Magee Publisher and 6 Classical Greece Managing Editor 12 Bidding Quiz Answers & Adriatic with Mr Bridge (10-12) by Bernard Magee Voyages to Antiquity Associate Editor and 13 Do Different Bidding 7 European Language Bridge Consultant Methods Help? Directive Tea Towel Bernard Magee by Julian Pottage 7 Mail Order Form bernardmagee 14 Active and Passive Defence @mrbridge.co.uk 8 Dalmatia & the Aegean Against No-Trumps with Voyages to Antiquity Cartoons & Illustrations by Andrew Kambites 10 Croatia with Mr Bridge Marguerite Lihou 16 David Stevenson www.margueritelihou.co.uk Answers Your Questions 11 Bridge Event Booking Form Customer Services 17 Declarer Play Quiz Catrina Shackleton by David Huggett 11 Bridge Events with [email protected] Bernard Magee 18 Doubles by Jeremy Dhondy Technical Consultant 12 France, Spain & Morocco 20 Wendy Wensum’s Diaries Tony Gordon with Voyages to Antiquity 21 Defence Quiz Typesetting & Design 16 Duplicate Bridge by Julian Pottage Ruth Edmondson Rules Simplified

[email protected] 22 Ruffing for Extra Tricks 19 We Are Survivors by Bernard Magee 1-15 March 2015 Proof Readers Tea Towel Golf available 26 Maid Marian’s Inspired Bernard Magee Tony & Jan Richards 21 S R Designs Bridge Tables Richard Wheen Play by David Bird and his team 23 Bernard Magee’s Hugh Williams 28 Hungarian Tiger £999* Tutorial Software by Shireen Mohandes Administration *The prices shown are per person 24 Explore Classical Europe on an all inclusive basis, sharing a Leanora Adds 30 Mary’s Thirteenth Lesson twin-bedded standard room and are in 2015 with inclusive of bridge fees. Standard [email protected] by Liz Dale rooms all come with private bath, Voyages to Antiquity toilet and balcony. Single rooms are Events & Cruises 31 Readers’ Letters double rooms for sole occupancy at 30 Mr Bridge Tie a supplement of £6 per night. You ( 01483 489961 can add a pool view supplement for 34 Julian Pottage Jessica Galt 31 Clive Goff’s Stamps £3 per person per night or a superior Answers Your Questions garden view room with bath robe, [email protected] tea/coffee making facility for £5 per 31 Better Hand Evaluation person per night. These prices are Megan Riccio 36 Taking the ‘Downing’ based on air travel from Heathrow to Tunis. Flights from other airports [email protected] Trick by Peggy Millidge 32 Charity Events are available at a supplement. For Sophie Pierrepont details of what is included as part of 37 Sally’s Slam Clinic 33 Bernard Magee DVDs the all inclusive package please call [email protected] for an information pack or view the website. Prices for seven-night stays 38 Transfers 36 QPlus 11 are available on application. Clubs & Charities by Heather Dhondy Maggie Axtell 36 S R Designs Leather Gifts Terms and conditions apply. Packaged with and bookings 41 Defence Quiz Answers [email protected] 40 Cruises with Fred.Olsen by Tunisia First LLP. ATOL 5933. by Julian Pottage Address Changes 47 Mr Bridge Playing Cards 42 20 October 1805 ( 01483 485342 FOR DETAILS CALL Elizabeth Bryan The Vice Admiral’s Medal 48 Odyssey to the Cape of [email protected] by David Holden Good Hope with ( 01483 489961 and Roy Rowe Voyages to Antiquity www.mrbridge.co.uk/abroad

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10093 TO VOYAGES ANTIQUITY ABTA No.Y2206 HAPPY NEW YEAR table wine at dinner so I won’t bother to do so again. Bernard Magee’s Tips … AND FOR 2016 for Better Bridge When I saw the schedule of 65 invaluable tips in 160 pages Aegean Odyssey’s voyages, I caught sight of one that Bidding Tips 33 A low lead usually promises satisfied most, if not all, my 1 Always consider bidding length and an honour requirements of a cruise. spades if you can 34 When declaring 1NT, 2 Bid more aggressively try to be patient Every year it happens and I Just to refresh your when non-vulnerable 35 Duck an early round when 3 Always double when the you are short of entries should be used to it by now. memory. The weather opponents steal your deal 36 Lead up to your It is always a strange should be warm, the ship 4 A takeout double shows two-honour holding sensation, but I will try and should be comfortable and shortage in the suit doubled 37 Do not always assume 5 ‘Borrow’ a king a suit will break well share it with you. I am have a fair-sized bridge to keep the auction open 38 Drop a high card writing my page for the party onboard. There 6 After a penalty double, to put off the defence January issue at the should also be some don’t let the opponents escape 39 Play your highest card to tempt 7 Halve the value of a singleton a defender to cover beginning of December interesting ports to visit. So honour when opening 40 Draw trumps first unless you with the office Christmas the voyage from Cape Town 8 Only add length-points for a have a good reason not to party still two weeks away. to Colombo ticks all the suit that might be useful 41 Do not waste your trumps 9 Isolated honours are bad 42 Consider leaving a lone defen- Mrs Bridge and I are going boxes and the single except in partner’s suit sive trump winner out supplement is only £200. 10 Use the jump shift sparingly to cruise on board Aegean 11 Consider passing and letting Defence Tips Odyssey this coming partner decide 43 Keep four-card suits intact February and the ship is FIRST TIME 12 You need two top honours whenever possible for a second-seat pre-empt 44 Give count on declarer’s leads fully booked. As people are This is the first time that 13 Put the brakes on if you have a 45 Keep the right cards rather than signal still ringing to book a BRIDGE is being sent just misfit cabin, we must be doing 14 Strong and long minors work 46 Take your time to the founder subscribers. well in no-trumps when dummy is put down something right. We have 15 One stop in the opponents’ suit 47 High cards are for killing decided to stay on board for Hopefully, you will take a can be enough for no-trumps other high cards the following cruise and founder subscription for a 16 Keep your two-level 48 Do not waste responses up to strength intermediate cards offer readers the friend or family member 17 Use your normal methods in 49 Pick two key suits to opportunity of joining us to before the £20 initial response to a 1NT overcall concentrate on during the play 50 If in doubt, cover an honour visit Yangon in ancient subscription rate expires. 18 Don’t overcall just because you have opening points with an honour Burma, details of which Even at £45, it represents 19 Overcalls can be quite weak, 51 If a lead is from two honours, it you can read in the adjacent the very best in bridge so be prudent when responding is best not to cover publishing, with plenty for 20 Weak overcalls must be based 52 Keep your honour to kill advertisement. I will enjoy on strong suits dummy’s honour the complimentary wine every sort of bridge taste. 21 6NT requires 33 points 53 Try to show partner your with my dinner and the Use the online shop or ring not 4 aces and 4 kings solid honour sequences the office. We can pack up 22 Raise immediately, if weak 54 Lead the normal card when all-pervading warmth of with four-card support leading partner’s suit the climate of that region. the January issue before 23 In a competitive auction, 55 Never underlead an ace at trick Christmas and post it with show support immediately one in a suit contract If readers, who are a ‘do not open until 24 Bid to the level of your fit 56 Be wary of leading from travelling on the earlier quickly with weak hands four cards to only one honour Christmas Day’ sticker on 57 Lead a higher card from cruise, wish to stay on, 25 With strength and support, the outside and give the use the opponents’ bid suit a suit without an honour they may do so and be recipient a super surprise. 58 Lead through ‘beatable’ entitled to a reduction of strength and up to weakness End of plug. Declarer Play Tips 59 Cash your winners before try- £1,000 for the air fare 26 When your contract depends ing for a trump promotion saving and a further 10% on a finesse, think ‘endplay’ 60 Be patient when defending 27 Consider what a defender off as Odyssey Club RESOLUTIONS 1NT might be thinking about 61 Trump leads can be safe members. Do telephone my As I have already said 28 Always take your time throughout the play office for a full glossy at trick one earlier, I haven’t had the 29 Establish extra tricks before General Tips brochure if I have not chance to put a list together cashing your winners 62 Do not put important cards already sent you one. yet but I will share this with 30 Use your opponents’ at either end of your hand bidding to your advantage 63 Avoid being declarer when This should be when I tell you in the next issue as well 31 Avoid the ‘baddie’ you are dummy you how comfortable as looking back at those I gaining the lead 64 Before you lead, ask for a have told you about over 32 Use the Rule of Seven when review of the auction Aegean Odyssey is. How holding up in no-trumps 65 Enjoy the Game! well looked after we all are, the years. how the excursions are all Happy New Year, £14 including postage and packing from Mr Bridge, included in the price and Ryden Grange, Knaphill, Surrey GU21 2TH. ( 01483 489961 the bottled water and the Mr Bridge

BRIDGE January 2015 Page 5 1815 Mr Bridge third page ad Ist-Ven_Layout 1 29/07 Answers to VOYAGES TO ANTIQUITY Bernard Magee’s Classical Bidding Quizzes 1-3 Greece & on the Cover

Adriatic West North East South JOIN 1. Dealer West. Love All. 2♠1 Pass BERNARD ♠ A 10 9 ♠ K 8 7 ? MAGEE ♥ A K 7 6 N ♥ Q J 4 2 1Weak. 6 spades. 6-10 HCP. W E ♦ Q J 4 ♦ K 3 S ♣ 10 9 8 ♣ Q J 4 2 Pass. A nice and simple hand: your partner has shown 6-10 points and a six-card West North East South spade suit. 1NT Pass 2♣1 Pass You have a fit in spades, so that 2♥ Pass 3♥ Pass denomination is fine and, with only 14 ? 1Stayman high card points, game is beyond you. Therefore, you pass. There is no need to 3NT. show your suits because you have already You opened a weak no-trump and your found an eight-card major suit fit. partner responded Stayman. You showed your four-card major as required and then Enjoy daily duplicates on this your partner raised to 3♥. He is inviting fascinating bridge cruise to you to game and showing that your side 3. Dealer West. N/S Game. ancient Greece, Croatia and Italy has at least an eight-card heart fit. You ♠ A K 3 2 ♠ 9 8 have a flat hand (4-3-3-3), which I like to ♥ K 8 7 6 5 N ♥ 4 2 August 6, 2015 W E downgrade by a full point, but put against ♦ 5 ♦ K 9 4 3 12 days from Istanbul to Venice S that you have a ten-nine in spades and a ♣ Q 7 2 ♣ A K 9 8 6 Fly to Istanbul and join Aegean Odyssey Cruise the Dardanelles and ten-nine-eight in clubs, which would up- past Mount Athos • Thessalonica grade the hand by a point. So your hand Volos (Meteora) • Patmos is a healthy 14 points and should certainly West North East South Athens • Gythion (Sparta & Mystra) Preveza (Arta) • Corfu • Dubrovnik accept the game invitation. However, why 1♥ Pass 2♣ Pass Ravenna • Venice • Fly home not describe your hand perfectly, by bid- ? Great value Mr Bridge fares ding 3NT. This says, ‘Partner, I have the strength for game, but I am awfully flat. If 3♣. Standard Inside from £2,095pp Standard Outside from £2,550pp you are flat too, 3NT might make a better When you open one of a suit, you Premium Outside from £2,695pp game contract than 4♥.’ East might well promise to make another bid, so you Single supplement just 10% accept your suggestion and pass 3NT: must not pass. However, a rebid of 2♠ Extend your holiday with hotel stays in whichever he chooses, at least you have would be a reverse (above your barrier Istanbul and/or Venice – please ask for details given him the choice. of 2♥ and promising 16+ points), For reservations call forcing the partnership to game. 2♥ is an inadequate description of the hand: on 01483 489961 it is not really a one-suited hand. Best of 2. Dealer East. Love All. a bad lot is 3♣, supporting your partner ♠ 4 3 ♠ A Q J 6 5 2 and leaving him in control. ♥ A Q 5 N ♥ 4 3 2 Your partner has a minimum 2♣ bid W E ♦ A K 7 6 5 ♦ 9 4 so may well choose to pass 3♣ which is www.mrbridge.co.uk S ♣ J 9 4 ♣ 6 5 likely to be the last making contract. ■ Terms and conditions apply – see brochure for details

Page 6 BRIDGE January 2015 ✄

European Language Directive Mr Bridge MAIL ORDER PLAY SOFTWARE TUTORIAL DVDs The European Union QPlus 11 £92.00 ...... 2011 Series – £25 each 2013 Series – £25 each commissioners have announced that agreement QPlus 11 Trade-in £50.00 ...... 1. Ruffing for Extra Tricks...... 13. Hand Evaluation ...... has been reached to adopt QPlus 10 (S/Hand) £50.00 ...... 2. Competitive Auctions ...... 14. Pre-Empting ...... English as the preferred language for communications, 3. Making the 15. Splinter & Cue-Bids ...... TUTORIAL SOFTWARE rather than German, which Most of High Cards ...... 16. Avoidance ...... was the other possibility. Begin Bridge/Acol £66.00 ...... 4. Identifying & 17. Pairs Play Bidding Slams ...... As part of the negotiations, Acol Bidding £66.00 ...... & Defence ...... Her Majesty’s Government Advanced 5. Play & Defence of 1NT...... 18. Thinking Defence ...... conceded that English Acol Bidding £96.00 ...... 6. Doubling & Defence spelling had some room All 6 DVDs to Doubled Contracts ...... for improvement and has Declarer Play £76.00 ...... in display box £100.00 ...... accepted a five-year phased Advanced All 6 DVDs plan for what will be known Declarer Play £81.00 ...... in display box £100.00 ...... 2014 Series – £25 each as EuroEnglish (Euro for 19. Defensive Plan ...... short). Defence £76.00 ...... 2012 Series – £25 each 20. Further Into Five-Card Majors with 7. Leads ...... In the first year, “s” will be Strong No-Trump £89.00 ...... the Auction ...... used instead of the soft “c”. 8. Losing Trick Count ...... 21. Weak Twos ...... Sertainly, sivil servants will TEA TOWELS 9. Making a Plan as Declarer.... reseive this news with joy. 22. Trump Control ...... Also, the hard “c” will be Life’s a Game £5.00 ...... 10. Responding to 1NT ...... 23. Sacrificing ...... replaced with “k”. Not only Ode to a Pill £5.00 ...... 11. Signals & Discards ...... will this klear up konfusion, 24. Improving but typewriters kan have one The Present £5.00 ...... 12. Endplays ...... Bridge Memory ...... less letter. Be Reasonable £5.00 ...... All 6 DVDs All 6 DVDs in display box £100.00 ...... in display box £100.00 ...... There will be growing publik The Pot Boiler £5.00 ...... enthusiasm in the sekond The Horse £5.00 ...... PICK ‘N’ MIX FROM THE ENTIRE RANGE year, when the troublesome Any 6 DVDs in a display box £105.00 ...... “ph” will be replaced by “f”. 10 Commandments for £5.00 This will make words like Bridge Players ...... BOOKS MR BRIDGE DIARIES “fotograf” 20 per sent shorter. Road Traffic Signs £5.00 ...... Duplicate Bridge Rules Red £6.95 ...... In the third year, publik Euro Language £5.00 ...... Simplified £5.95 ...... Green £6.95 ...... akseptanse of the new We Are Survivors £5.00 ...... Better Hand Evaluation spelling kan be expekted to Navy £6.95 ...... Recipe for a Bernard Magee £14.00 ...... reach the stage where more Maroon £6.95 ...... komplikated changes are Happy Marriage £5.00 ...... Tips for Better Bridge possible. Governments will Bernard Magee £14.00 ...... Club Prices enkourage the removal of SUBSCRIPTIONS 10 for £35 ...... double letters, which have Founder subscribers (before NOVELTIES always ben a deterent to 31.12.14) per year £20.00...... Mr Bridge Tie £15.00 ...... Luxury Kidrell Covers & pen: akurate speling. Also, al wil Ruby Red £14.95 ...... agre that the horible mes of New subscribers (after Mr Bridge silent “e”s in the languag is 31.12.14) per year £45.00...... Torch Pen (boxed) £5.00 ...... Club Prices 10 for £90 ...... disgrasful, and they would go.

By the fourth year, peopl wil Prices are inclusive of VAT and postage to UK mainland. be reseptiv to steps such as replasing “th” and “w” by “v”. I enclose a cheque for £...... During ze fifz year, ze unesesary “o” kan be dropd Mr/Mrs/Miss ...... from vords kontaining “ou”, and similar changes vud Address...... of kors be aplid to ozer kombinations of leters......

After zis fifz yer, ve vil hav a reli sensibl riten styl. Zer wil Postcode...... ( ...... be no mor trubls or difikultis and evrivun vil find it ezi tu understand ech ozer.

Ze drem vil finali kum tru. Expiry: ...... CVV ...... Issue No...... (CVV is the last 3 numbers on the signature strip) Printed in the UK on a 100% cotton tea-towel Make your cheque payable to Mr Bridge and send to: Mr Bridge, Ryden Grange, Knaphill, Surrey GU21 2TH £5. See adjacent order form. www.mrbridge.co.uk ( 01483 489961 www.mrbridge.co.uk/mrbridge-shop ✄

BRIDGE January 2015 Page 7 1815 Mr Bridge third page ad venice to Athens_Layo Answers to VOYAGES TO ANTIQUITY Bernard Magee’s Dalmatia Bidding Quizzes 4-6 & the on the Cover

West North East South 4. Dealer East. Love All. 1♥ Pass Aegean ♠ ♠ ♠ 5 3 A 8 6 2 1 Pass 1NT Pass JOIN ♥ A K 4 2 N ♥ 7 6 ? BERNARD ♦ K Q J 2 W E ♦ A 9 7 6 5 S MAGEE ♣ 10 8 3 ♣ A J 3♥. Your partner’s 1NT rebid shows a balanced 15-17 HCP. Clearly, game is on because, with your 11 HCP, you have be- West North East South tween 26 and 28 points. However, which 1♦ Pass will be the better game, 3NT or 4♥? 1♥ Pass 1♠ Pass To show your strength, you must make ? a jump bid and, to give partner all the options, you should bid 3♥. You will not 2♣. As soon as your partner opens the have four hearts because you would have bidding, you expect to finish in a game supported straight away, so your partner contract, holding a good opening hand can choose 4♥ if he has a five card suit, yourself. However, you are still unsure or he can bid 3♠ with three spades, or about what the best denomination is: you finally, he can bid 3NT with neither of the have a good fit in diamonds, but 3NT previous holdings. Giving your partner Enjoy daily duplicates on this cruise might be a better contract if your partner the choice of contracts means you are through the beautiful Adriatic can stop the club suit. likely to find the best contract. Here, of to the ancient sites of the Aegean When three suits have been bid and course, you will finish in 4♥. you are still unsure of the final contract, July 7, 2015 then you can use the fourth suit forcing to 10 days from Venice to Athens Fly to Venice and join continue the auction: asking your partner Aegean Odyssey, then cruise to to make one more descriptive bid to help 6. Dealer North. Love All. Split • Korcula • Dubrovnik you finalise the contract. There is rarely a ♠ 8 ♠ A K 7 6 5 Kotor Bay • Corfu • Preveza (Arta) reason to use the fourth suit naturally, it ♥ A 7 6 N ♥ J 3 2 Ithaca • Katakolon (Olympia) W E Pylos • Monemvasia • Hydra is much more useful as an artificial forc- ♦ Q J 5 4 3 2 ♦ 6 S Athens • Fly home ing bid. Here, your partner will show his ♣ J 3 2 ♣ 8 7 6 4 Great value Mr Bridge fares club stop by bidding 2NT, which you will Standard Inside from £1,795pp raise to 3NT. Standard Outside from £2,195pp A 3♦ rebid is no good – it suggests West North East South Premium Outside from £2,350pp about 11 points and your partner would 1♥ 1♠ 2♣ Single supplement just 10% pass. 5♦ might make with these two ? Extend your holiday with hotel stays in Venice hands, but 3NT may well make an over- and/or Athens – please ask for details trick for a better score. Pass. Your partner has made a simple For reservations call overcall of 1♠: he is not showing great strength, but he should have at least a on 01483 489961 five-card suit. This is a very simple hand: 5. Dealer East. Love All. you are weak and have no fit for your ♠ A 7 6 5 ♠ K 2 partner so you should simply pass. Do ♥ Q 3 2 N ♥ A K 6 5 4 not be tempted to show your suit: this ♦ 4 2 W E ♦ Q 8 5 would show strength and will succeed www.mrbridge.co.uk S ♣ K Q 3 2 ♣ A 10 5 only in getting your side into trouble on Terms and conditions apply – see brochure for details this deal. ■

Page 8 BRIDGE January 2015 Maxims from Ned Paul Attacking The Enemy Castle

hen you are defending a South won cheaply with ♠10 and contract, remember the ob- Dealer South. Game All. counted tricks. There were a possi- vious – you have a partner. ♠ 9 7 4 ble four in diamonds if the opposing WYou and your partner should be like ♥ Q 6 5 cards were 3-3 and a possible three in two allied generals working together ♦ 7 6 4 clubs if the finesse against the queen to attack declarer’s castle. The castle ♣ K J 6 2 succeeded. With the spade already has four walls – one for each suit. Par- ♠ A Q 6 5 3 ♠ 8 2 made that came to only eight tricks. At ticularly against a no-trump contract, ♥ 8 7 2 N ♥ A 9 3 least one heart trick would be needed W E ♦ 5 2 ♦ J 10 9 8 only a full-on concerted attack by both S and there would be no avoiding the of you against one wall may allow you ♣ Q 5 4 ♣ 10 9 8 7 suit. So, at trick 2, declarer led a heart to sack the castle. ♠ K J 10 to the ♥Q. East won the ♥A and de- The opening lead is your side’s first ♥ K J 10 4 clarer’s heart sank – the spade wall of point of attack. By choosing the open- ♦ A K Q 3 his castle was about to come under re- ing lead, your partner is saying, ‘This ♣ A 3 newed attack. is where my forces are strongest and A few moments later South was where I hope declar- able to jump for er is weakest.’ It’s as joy. East looked if partner has hit only at his own one wall of the cas- hand. Thinking tle with his biggest that the diamond battering ram. Per- sequence looked haps a great crack attractive and that has appeared… If dummy was weak you, as your part- in diamonds, ner’s co-general, use East forgot about your forces now to his partner’s suit attack a different and switched to wall of the castle, diamonds. South how co-operative is won gratefully that? You should and soon had nine order your own tricks. If only East men, siege engines, had returned his catapults and bat- remaining spade, tering rams to re- then West would inforce partner’s ef- have had the next fort and you should four tricks. continue the attack The moral of the in the same place. tale is that defence Here’s a deal that is teamwork. If shows what might the partners work happen if the part- to different plans, ner generals don’t then neither is co-operate: likely to succeed. South reached a straightforward 3NT Unless you have confirmed evidence South West North East contract and West led her fourth- that a switch will be better, always re- 2NT Pass 3NT All Pass highest ♠5. turn partner’s suit. ■

BRIDGE January 2015 Page 9 Answers to CROATIA Bernard Magee’s 5-19 May 2015 Bidding Quizzes 7-9 Bernard Magee From and his supporting team £1,399 on the Cover sharing HOTEL EDEN 3♦. You overcall 1♠, hear 7. Dealer East. N/S Game. your partner raise to 2♠ and ROVINJ ♠ 5 4 ♠ 3 the auction comes back to ♥ Q 2 ♥ A J 10 9 you. N W E 7 6 5 Only 14 HCP, but the fan- ♦ 6 4 3 S ♦ 9 8 2 tastic distribution should ♣ A J 8 7 5 4 ♣ 9 2 make you look for game: your partner can be very weak so you cannot just go straight to West North East South game, but you can show your 3♥ Pass second suit to see what part- ? ner thinks: 3♦. East has a fit with both your 4♥. Your partner has opened suits so he goes for game. with a pre-emptive 3♥, which shows 6-9 points and a 7-card suit. With such a weak hand, 9. Dealer North. N/S Game. you might think that pass is ♠ A 8 7 6 5 ♠ 4 2 your only option. However, ♥ Q 3 2 N ♥ A K 8 7 6 5 W E you have a 9-card heart fit, ♦ 9 8 4 S ♦ A K 2 the vulnerability is in your fa- ♣ 7 6 ♣ A 4 vour and with the sure knowl- edge that your opponents Rovinj is situated on the western coast of Istria in Croatia, the largest peninsula on the Adriatic coastline, a one hour drive from Trieste, 2.5 should be in game, it makes West North East South hours from Zagreb. Boasting a rich, natural and cultural heritage, with sense to make life difficult for 1♣ Dbl Pass beautiful landmarks such as the old town, the Golden Cape Park Forest, them. Raise to 4♥, hoping to 1♠ Pass 2♥ Pass protected islands and coastal area. make at least 7 tricks, which ? The climate is warm and semi-dry, with more than four months a year would be safe even if you were without wind. doubled: -500 is less than they 3♥. Your partner has made Hotel Eden is wedged right between a peninsula covered by a one make for a game. Of course, a take-out double, then after hundred year old park forest and a quiet cove. The old city centre of your opponents may still bid you responded 1♠, he has re- Rovinj is just a 20 minute walk away. to 4♠, but you will have made bid 2♥. What kind of hand is Rooms: All rooms are equipped with a direct phone line, LCD SAT it as difficult as possible for he showing? TV, mini-bar, safe, bathtub or shower, toilet, hair dryer, balcony, air conditioning/heating. Suites are available, details on application. them. He is showing a very strong hand with a good heart suit. Singles: There is a sole occupancy supplement of £10 per room per night. If you are a single bridge player, please do not worry about being His 2♥ bid is not forcing, but it on your own. We will always be able to find you a partner and you can 8. Dealer South. Love All. is very encouraging. You have always have a game. ♠ A K 7 6 5 ♠ Q J 8 good support for hearts and N Beaches & Pools: The playful curves of the pool offer refreshment ♥ 9 6 4 W E ♥ 7 5 an ace outside, so it is worth in the summer with a salty breeze coming from the natural stone and S ♦ A K 6 3 2 ♦ J 8 7 5 4 raising partner’s bid to invite pebble beach only a few steps away. The vast outdoor pool will cool you down after a day of lounging in the freely available deck chairs. ♣ Void ♣ Q 7 3 game: 3♥. Your partner raises to game: Terms and conditions apply. Packaged with and bookings your 6 points are enough. by Tunisia First LLP. ATOL 5933. West North East South When your partner doubles ♥ Details of the bridge programme ( 01483 489961 1 and follows up by showing 1♠ Pass 2♠ Pass his suit, he is showing a very ? strong hand. ■

Page 10 BRIDGE January 2015 ✄ BRIDGE EVENTS BRIDGE with Bernard Magee BREAKS PROGRAMME ♦ Full-board ♦ Two seminars* ♦ All rooms with ♦ Two supervised FRIDAY en-suite facilities play sessions* 1500 Mr Bridge ♦ No single supplement ♦ Four bridge sessions** Welcome Desk open Tea or coffee on arrival Please book ..... places for me at £...... per person, 1745 to 1830 Welcome drinks Single .... Double .... Twin .... The Olde Barn Hotel reception Marston, Lincs NG32 2HT 1830 to 2000 Name of Hotel/Centre...... Dinner JANUARY 2015 2015 BRIDGE 1 Date(s) ...... 16-18 Ardington Hotel DUPLICATE PAIRS Worthing Mr/Mrs/Miss ...... £245 Suit Combinations SATURDAY & Better Finessing Address...... 0800 to 0930 23-25 Blunsdon House Breakfast ...... £245 Competitive Bidding 1000 to 1230 SEMINAR & Postcode ...... ( ...... 30-1/2 Holiday Inn SUPERVISED PLAY Newport of SET HANDS Email ...... £245 Finding Slams (tea & coffee at 1100) 1230 to 1330 Special requirements (these cannot be guaranteed, FEBRUARY Cold Buffet Lunch but we will do our best to oblige). 20-22 Inn on the Prom 1400 to 1645 £245 Better Leads BRIDGE 2 ...... and Switches TEAMS of FOUR Please give the name(s) of all those covered by this booking. 1815 to 2000 APRIL Dinner ...... 17-19 The Olde Barn 2015 BRIDGE 3 £245 Better Finessing DUPLICATE PAIRS Please send a non-returnable deposit of £50 per person per place by cheque, payable to Mr Bridge. An invoice for the balance will be sent 24-26 Chatsworth Hotel with your booking confirmation. On receipt of your final payment, £245 Distributional SUNDAY 28 days before the event, a programme and full details will be sent Hands 0800 to 0930 together with a map. Cancellations are not refundable. Should you Breakfast require insurance, you should contact your own insurance broker. 1000 to 1230 SEMINAR & SUPERVISED PLAY of SET HANDS (tea & coffee at 1100) 1230 to 1400 Sunday Lunch Expiry: ...... CVV...... Issue No...... (CVV is the last 3 numbers on the signature strip) 1400 to 1645 BRIDGE 4 Mr Bridge, Ryden Grange, Knaphill, Surrey GU21 2TH. Holiday Inn DUPLICATE PAIRS Newport, S Wales NP18 2YG ( 01483 489961 e-mail: [email protected] Full Board. No Single Supplement. website: www.holidaybridge.com *on tutorial weekends only. **6 sessions on rubber/Chicago & Just Duplicate events. See Adjacent Booking Form. Please note: Just Duplicate events contain no seminars and do not award prizes. ✄

BRIDGE January 2015 Page 11 1815 Mr Bridge third page ad villef-Sevil_Layout 1 29 Answers to VOYAGES TO ANTIQUITY Bernard Magee’s France, Bidding Quizzes 10-12 Spain & on the Cover

by itself. To your surprise, South doubles, 10. Dealer North. Love All. which changes your options. Weak hands Morocco ♠ A 8 7 6 ♠ 2 pass and any other action shows a posi- JOIN ♥ 3 N ♥ A K J 10 5 4 tive hand. This allows you to show your ♦ K 8 7 2 W E ♦ 6 5 3 hand by bidding 2♦, rather than having BERNARD S MAGEE ♣ Q J 8 5 ♣ A 4 2 to jump to 3♦, which keeps the auction low and should allow you to find the best contract of 6♦ without too much trouble. West North East South When your opponents interfere over 1NT 2♥ Pass 2♣, the responder should pass when he ? is very weak: any bid would be natural and positive. Pass. Your partner makes a 2♥ overcall over North’s weak no-trump opening. With neither side vulnerable, your partner could have as little as 8-11 12. Dealer South. Love All. HCP and a 6-card suit. More important ♠ A Q ♠ 7 6 5 is the fact that, if he has a good 15 or ♥ 7 6 N ♥ A K 4 2 better, then he would have started with a ♦ A K 9 3 2 W E ♦ Q 6 S Enjoy daily duplicates on this penalty double. ♣ A 5 4 3 ♣ 9 8 7 6 splendid Mediterranean With 10 HCP and a misfitting hand, bridge cruise next summer you should be wary of making a bid: you are very unlikely to have the strength for West North East South June 4, 2015 game and, without a fit, you should not 1♠ 12 days from Villefranche to Seville want to play above the two-level. ? Fly to Nice and join Aegean Odyssey in Villefranche (2 nights on board) 2NT is not a sensible bid, because it is Cruise to Marseilles • Avignon not clear where your tricks are going to 1NT. South opens 1♠ and you have Carcassonne • Barcelona • Cartagena come from: leave your partner in 2♥ and 17 HCP. You have a variety of choices: Malaga (Granada) • Tangier Cadiz (Jerez), then cruise inland on the expect him to make the contract. a simple overcall, a double or a 1NT Guadalquivir River into Seville • Fly home overcall. When your opponents get in the Great value Mr Bridge fares way, you cannot always describe your hand perfectly: what you are looking for Standard Inside from £2,195pp Standard Outside from £2,625pp 11. Dealer East. Love All. is the closest description. Premium Outside from £2,850pp ♠ 8 7 ♠ A K Q 4 2 Your hand is not perfectly balanced Single supplement just 10% ♥ 5 4 N ♥ A K Q J and you do not have a heart stop, but W E Extend your holiday with a hotel stay in Seville – ♦ A K 8 7 6 2 ♦ Q J 3 with the ♠A-Q sitting over South’s bid, S please ask for details ♣ J 10 3 ♣ 2 the hand looks suitable for a no-trump For reservations call contract and a 1NT overcall defines the point count (15-18) neatly. A double is on 01483 489961 West North East South unlikely to work well because your part- 2♣ Dbl ner will probably respond in hearts. A 2♦ ? overcall is likely to finish the auction, un- derselling your hand. ♣ www.mrbridge.co.uk 2♦. Your partner has opened 2 , your Here, your partner will raise your strongest opening bid: showing 23+ 1NT overcall to 3NT (after a Stayman Terms and conditions apply – see brochure for details points or a hand that can make game enquiry). ■

Page 12 BRIDGE January 2015 Julian Pottage answers your Frequently Asked Questions Do Different Bidding Methods Help?

hose of you who watched the to bridge; an average player will not typically have tolerance rather than European Bridge champion- suddenly become a good player by support for hearts. It will be usual ships on BBO cannot have changing to a different bidding or to have something in both unbid Thelped but notice that hardly anyone, defensive system, just as a good player suits, especially in an unbid major. A not even the British pairs, seemed to will not suddenly become a bad player. possible hand is this: be playing Acol. Two of the three Eng- Overall, the message is that the way lish open pairs were playing a strong to improve your game is to use the no-trump and five-card majors, the methods you have more efficiently. ♠ K 10 7 3 third playing a variable no-trump Trying to play something different ♥ J 4 again with five-card majors. All three to what you have played all your life ♦ A 2 of the Scottish open pairs were playing and feel comfortable with is just not ♣ K J 8 6 4 a strong no-trump and five-card ma- worth the effort for most. That said, jors, as were most of the Welsh line- in situations where all the top players ups. Even Standard American style do the same thing, it is worth paying In Auction (b), where South’s 2♥ is seemed rare in the matches I watched. attention to what they do. Some of the forcing, it makes no sense to play Teams from the Balkans seemed to be changes over the years in EBU alerting double as for penalty. Again West’s playing Precision (where a 1♣ open- and announcing rules reflect the double shows sufficient values to be ing is strong and artificial) while those popularity of particular treatments. wanting to compete, normally with from Poland and its neighbours were One change that came in a few years something in partner’s suit and in the playing Polish Club (where a 1♣ open- ago was on alerting low-level doubles. unbid suit. A possible hand is this: ing is two- or three -way). You now have to alert penalty doubles It is fair to say that bidding methods of low level suit contracts. So let us are partly a function of a country’s look at the area of competitive doubles ♠ Q 5 history and partly a matter of following because this is one area where average ♥ 10 8 3 2 a fashion. In the UK, while four-card players could learn from the expert ♦ A Q 10 7 3 majors and a weak no-trump remain strategy. ♣ K 5 the norm, an increasing number of Let us study a couple of auctions: players are using five-card majors and a strong no-trump. The change has (a) West North East South West hardly wants to bid 3♦ and risk come about partly because people can 1♦ 1♥ 3♦ finding East short in the suit. A raise see what our top players are playing Dbl with only a doubleton spade or a 2NT and partly through global influence. bid with these values could lead to So would you suddenly become a (b) West North East South trouble too. good player if you adopted the same 1♣ 1♠ 2♥ What does the doubler’s partner do? methods as the top players? Dbl Continuations (unless in opposing Sadly, the answer is no. For one suits) are natural. Partner tries to thing, many of the top players are In Auction (a), where the opponents show undisclosed length or, lacking professionals, willing to put in far have bid and raised a suit, the chance any, to keep the bidding low. Since more time than someone who plays that West has a good penalty double these doubles are take-out in nature, the game just for enjoyment. For is just about zero. It is far more partner does not leave in the double another, what makes players successful sensible to play the double as take- without a good trump holding. has far more to do with their skill out, competitive, whatever you want You can play competitive doubles in as card players and their experience to call it. West could easily hold too other situations too. The above are just and judgement than with the precise good a hand to pass but with too little two of the most clear-cut for playing methods they use. You have probably shape to take unilateral action. A them. Once you have added these to heard the expression ‘a bad workman double then fits the bill. Since raising your repertoire, you can investigate blames his tools.’ The same applies partner’s suit takes priority, West will others. ■

BRIDGE January 2015 Page 13 Improve Your Defence with Andrew Kambites Active and Passive Defence Against No-Trumps

hroughout my new series on defence, I aim to look at what ♠ 7 5 4 ♠ 8 7 5 you are trying to achieve and ♥ J 10 9 N Twhat alternatives you have. ♠ K J 6 3 2 W E ♠ Q 8 ♦ K J 10 7 S You will see that opening leads ♣ A K Q are frequently not clearcut and that ♠ A 10 9 ♠ K J 6 3 2 ♠ 9 4 experts find them as difficult as you ♥ A 8 N ♥ 6 5 4 3 2 do. ♦ 9 6 5 W E ♦ A 3 S Unless stated otherwise, I will Trace the play through to its ♣ 8 7 3 ♣ J 10 6 2 assume you are playing teams-of-four conclusion. Partner rises with the ♠Q ♠ A Q 10 or rubber bridge, where the emphasis (third hand plays high). If declarer ♥ K Q 7 is on beating the contract rather than allows the ♠Q to win trick 1, partner ♦ Q 8 4 2 saving overtricks. will return the ♠8 and you will have ♣ 9 5 4 At the end of the series, I will set up four spade tricks, which you can consider how your tactics might complete cashing when you regain the change playing duplicate pairs. lead with the ♥A. Given time, declarer can easily You are on lead against a no-trump Your fourth highest spade lead develop three diamond tricks and two contract. Do you automatically lead works best if partner has a spade hon- heart tricks to go with the ♣A-K-Q the fourth highest of your longest and our to fill the gaps in your suit. What if and ♠A, unless you can set up three strongest suit? partner has no spade honour and the spade tricks first. Ideally, you would How about Hand A after this spades are distributed like this? like partner to come in twice to lead bidding? spades through declarer, but partner only has one entry, the ♦A. Therefore, South North ♠ 8 7 5 you are going to have to lead spades 1NT 3NT once. Trace it through. Your opening N ♠ K J 6 3 2 W E ♠ 9 4 spade lead loses cheaply to the ♠10. S Hopefully, declarer will try to drive Hand A ♠ A Q 10 out the ♦A next. Your partner will win ♠ K J 6 3 2 and return his last spade. Declarer ♥ A 8 N still has only eight tricks and, when he W E ♦ 9 6 5 S Left to his own devices, declarer might tries to drive out the ♥A, you will have ♣ 8 7 3 try taking two spade finesses, both of enough spades to defeat him. which would fail, so it seems that your The point of your fourth highest lead fourth highest lead has just thrown a was to set up length winners. Some- It is normal enough for you to lead trick away. However, that might not times, you will succeed: sometimes, the ♠3. You are hoping that the spade necessarily be fatal. Look at the next you will fail. Nobody in the world is layout is something like: layout. successful with all opening leads and

Page 14 BRIDGE January 2015 Active & Passive Defence continued more likely it is that you save declarer a ♠ Void guess. Leading from a holding such as ♥ J 9 4 ♣ 8-7-4-3-2 is pretty safe, but leading ♦ A K J 7 3 2 from a singleton or doubleton can that shouldn’t particularly worry ♣ A Q 9 6 easily give the game away. Suppose you. Against a nondescript bidding ♠ K J 6 3 2 ♠ 7 4 you decide to lead the ♦7 from ♦7-3 sequence such as 1NT-3NT, you have ♥ A 8 N ♥ Q 10 6 5 2 and the suit is distributed as here. no reason to avoid a spade lead from ♦ 9 6 5 W E ♦ 10 8 S Hand A. ♣ 8 7 3 ♣ K J 10 2 However, suppose the bidding has ♠ A Q 10 9 8 5 ♦ Q 5 4 been as in the sequence below. ♥ K 7 3 N Would you consider leading your ♠3 ♦ Q 4 ♦ 7 3 W E ♦ J 9 6 2 S now? ♣ 5 4 ♦ A K 10 8 South North 1♠ 2♦ A spade immediately gives declarer his 2♠ 3♣ ninth trick, but suppose West leads a Declarer will play low from dummy 3NT club. East wins and switches to a spade. and capture partner’s ♦J with his Where is declarer’s ninth trick coming ♦A, giving him four easy diamond The bidding has marked South with from? Every finesse he tries will fail. tricks. Of course, declarer could have at least five spades. The likelihood of In the sequence above, spades have finessed the ♦10 himself, but left to your lead giving away a cheap trick been bid loudly and clearly, but try to his own devices, he would probably has increased dramatically and the listen to hidden messages from the have followed the odds and played chances of making any length tricks bidding. Look at this auction: diamonds from the top, hoping for a are close to zero. While it is just about 3-3 break or doubleton ♦J. possible that partner might have a South North helpful spade holding like ♠A-Q, the 1NT 2♣ Summary balance between the risk of leading a 2♥ 3NT If you lead the fourth highest of your spade and the potential gain is heavily longest and strongest suit against a no- loaded against you. Without a 4-card major, North would trump contract, you risk giving away a However, there is some good news. not have tried Stayman. South has cheap trick, but you hope to establish If declarer tries to set up his suit shown four hearts and North was not length winners. If the bidding makes it by taking spade finesses, he will be interested, so North must hold four clear that there is little prospect of es- disappointed because your ♠K and ♠J spades. If North has four spades and tablishing length tricks in your long suit, are sitting over his suit. South has at least two for his 1NT you should avoid leading away from a If you have a suit with scattered opening bid, partner is marked with broken honour combination. honours and an opponent has bid your at most two spades and it wouldn’t If you lead from a long suit in which suit, you should certainly think twice surprise you to learn that he has just you have no honour card, your main before leading it against no-trumps in one tiny spade. Clearly, you have very objective is to avoid conceding cheap an attempt to set up length tricks. So, little prospect of establishing spade tricks, though you might strike lucky if it is misguided to lead a spade from length winners so why risk leading a and find it is your partner’s suit. The Hand A after the sequence above, what spade and giving away a cheap trick? longer the suit, the safer the lead. should you lead? You might consider How safe is it to lead passively from a It is not my intention to make a leading the unbid suit, but even if suit with no honours? The most likely dramatic change to your leading partner has heart length, he is unlikely fallout is not that you give declarer habits, but I would comment that most to have sufficient entries to set up and a trick that he couldn’t have taken club players are far too active in their make heart tricks. An alternative is himself, but that you save him a guess. defence. There is nothing reprehensible to attempt to go passive. I would try a about defending passively. Just think club. Either a diamond or a club would how many contracts you play where, probably give little away, but dummy ♣ K J 4 if you had to do all your own work, bid diamonds before clubs, therefore you would fail, but defenders help you N his diamonds rate to be longer, so a ♣ 8 7 3 W E ♣ Q 6 5 2 out. S club has a greater chance of finding a good holding in partner’s hand. ♣ A 10 9 Next Time The point is that leading away from In my next article, I will examine why honours is a risky strategy. Leading you should lead the fourth highest from rubbish rarely does anything If West leads a club here, declarer has card rather than a random small card for declarer that he could not do for no need to guess who has the ♣Q. and look at the use of the Rule of himself. Suppose the layout is: Generally, the shorter the suit, the Eleven. ■

BRIDGE January 2015 Page 15 David Stevenson answers your questions on Laws and Ethics Is a Weak Jump Overcall Alertable?

My partner and the answer was, ‘I a partnership agreement before play begins and I play a straight don’t know.’ Therefore, which he cannot remember. call the director for a Qovercall as strong as director, I said it It is often the most ruling at the end of (at least an opening was a ‘no partnership practical solution to ask the play if they think they hand with a 5-card suit) agreement’ situation. player to leave the table have been damaged. and a jump overcall as At the end of the so his partner can tell the Am I wrong in weak. I would like to bidding and before play opponents their agreement my thinking? know if the weak overcall started, the defenders without his partner hearing. David Cree by email. should be alerted. asked me to send the 3♦ A director should allow Rodney Bennett, bidder’s partner away this, or even suggest it. If a hesitation is West Wickham, Kent. from the table whilst they However, there is a danger. agreed, then there questioned the bidder. I Players will often think they A is really no need No, jump overcalls wasn’t sure if the person are being asked to tell the to call the director until the are never alerted if who bid ‘stop 3♦‘ had to opponents what they hold, end of the hand. If it is not A natural. In fact, in explain to the opposition but this is not the case. They agreed, then the earlier the many clubs, the methods you what his bid meant. are only being asked for a director is called the better are using are fairly standard. Was I correct in partnership agreement, so if and the more likely he is to allowing this to happen, there is none, they should say decide there was a hesitation. ♣♦♥♠ or should I have so. If a director does send a This has nothing to do refused the request? player away from the table, with Mike Clement’s Whilst directing Stan Babb, Basingstoke BC. he should warn the partner question, which is what the recently, I had only to tell the opponents director should do when Qa situation in The fact that a of any actual agreements. called. Players often call which I wasn’t quite sure player does not Remember to call the director at the wrong of the correct solution. A remember the system the player back! time and the director A bid had been placed does not mean they have has to deal with this. followed by partner’s no partnership agreement. ♣♦♥♠ ‘stop 3♦’. This was Of course, it could mean ♣♦♥♠ not alerted and when that, but an obvious With reference asked what it meant, alternative is that there is to the question The bidding Qraised by Mike started as Clement in BRIDGE 143, Qfollows: when should the director DUPLICATE BRIDGE be called after a long West North East South hesitation takes place? 1♦ RULES SIMPLIFIED From the article, it Pass 1♠ 1NT 2♦ (otherwise known as the Yellow Book) appears that the players 2♥* Pass 2♠ Pass are calling the director *Alerted before play begins. only by John Rumbelow and ♥ 95 I thought it was only After the alerted 2 bid, revised by David Stevenson £5 necessary for the non- North asked West, offending side to get ‘What do you understand Available from Mr Bridge ( 01483 489961 confirmation that a by your partner’s hesitation took place 1NT bid?’

Page 16 BRIDGE January 2015 Ask David continued called before West bid again, then she should explain to West that you are not allowed to use the information that DECLARER West replied, ‘Partner is partner has misunderstood, asking for my best suit.’ since this information PLAY North then asked East comes from alerts, lack of (who was still holding alerts, or explanations, all the alert card), ‘What is of which are unauthorised. QUIZ the meaning of West’s This is all in Law 16B, 2♥ bid?’ East replied, though it is rarely useful by David Huggett ‘A transfer to spades,’ to read the unauthorised and East bid 2♠. West information law out. (Answers on page 47) then said, ‘No it’s not a Having done that, the transfer,’ and went to director lets play continue: ou are South as declarer playing teams or rubber bridge. bid again. North said, the director cannot forbid YIn each case, what is your play strategy? ‘We have to call the any call. The director then tournament director, looks at the hand afterwards I don’t think you can and decides to adjust if 1. ♠ 7 5 3. ♠ 9 7 bid again.’ West then she thinks any of the calls ♥ 9 8 2 ♥ 6 5 4 2 said, ‘Of course I can were made because of the ♦ K 3 2 ♦ K Q 2 bid again, my partner unauthorised information, ♣ K Q 7 5 4 ♣ A 10 8 3 misunderstood my bid such adjustment being based N and my hand is not on Law 16B3 and Law 12C. N W E suitable to play in 2♠.’ To make it worse, not only W E S The tournament director has West got unauthorised S was called. What should information because of East’s ♠ A K ♠ A K 5 2 the ruling have been? explanation, but West’s ♥ A 7 5 4 ♥ A K Name and address supplied. remarks are unauthorised ♦ A Q J 10 6 ♦ J 10 9 5 information to East. If West ♣ A 2 ♣ Q J 9 It is reasonably bid 3♥ now, East might

common for easily assume that West was players to have showing a good hand with A You are declarer in 6♦ and You are declarer in 3NT misunderstandings over the spades and hearts and the West leads the ♥K. How and West leads the ♥7. meanings of bids, especially director might adjust if East do you plan the play? How do you plan the play? in certain circumstances. passes 3♥. A final adjustment This position where both might be to 4♠ doubled, or opponents bid then a player perhaps 2♠, or 4♥ going bids 1NT is one that often off, or a combination of goes wrong. The position is these: without seeing the 2. ♠ K 7 3 4. ♠ A 10 7 3 2 called the ‘Sandwich’ position hand, I could not tell you ♥ J 10 5 ♥ K 8 4 3 because the bid is like the what such an adjustment ♦ K 8 4 ♦ 10 meat between the opponents’ might come to. ♣ A Q 10 3 ♣ 8 5 4 bids. Some play it as natural Many players do not and some play it as a understand how wrong N N take-out bid, often referred it is to use unauthorised W E W E S to as a ‘Sandwich 1NT’. information. They get quite S It is important that players upset when their actions ♠ A 6 4 ♠ Q J 9 8 5 are taught that they may are adjusted by the director. ♥ K 4 3 2 ♥ A not use unauthorised We have to try to make ♦ A Q 6 ♦ K Q J 5 information, especially people realise that using ♣ 8 5 2 ♣ A 6 2 anything partner says or does unauthorised information, apart from the actual calls even unintentionally, is he makes. If the director was illegal. ■ You are declarer in 3NT You are declarer in 4♠ and and West leads the ♣7. West leads the ♣K. How How do you plan the play? do you plan the play? E-mail your questions on bridge laws to: [email protected]

BRIDGE January 2015 Page 17 Conventions Part 1 with Jeremy Dhondy Doubles

his series is all about adding West North East South Suppose the auction starts: to your armoury to make your 1♣ 1♥ Pass 2♥ bidding more efficient. It’s not ? West North East South Tabout adding obscure agreements that 1♣ 1♥ Dbl 2♥ come up every three years which get What to do next? You are too good to ? forgotten. If you take up anything new, pass, you can’t bid no-trumps because then it needs to be agreed, it needs to you have no heart stop, to rebid clubs You hold the following: be remembered and it needs to be more would show more clubs and fewer efficient than what went before. There points, so what is left? The answer is to is a sad story about a regular pair who double. This is for take-out and shows ♠ K 10 7 played a 2NT response to an Acol 2♣ the values for a strong no-trump or ♥ 7 4 N as showing a six-card suit with two top more. Partner might hold: ♦ A K 4 W E S honours. They waited patiently for it to ♣ A Q 9 4 2 come up and it duly did after a num- ber of years. The opening hand bid 3♣ ♠ 8 6 3 to find out which suit his partner had N ♥ 5 4 2 Partner has shown four spades for and then… it turned out one of them W E ♦ K J 10 7 6 4 his negative double, but you have no S thought they bid the suit and one of ♣ 5 idea how good his hand is. You don’t them thought they transferred into have any clear bid, so once again you their suit. Some time in 2030 they may can double to suggest better than get another, more successful, board for He couldn’t bid over 1♥, he wouldn’t a minimum opening, not a four- this convention, but it will be longer enjoy your bidding 3♣, but he would card spade suit, else you would have than that before it shows a profit! Take be delighted to know you had a good supported, and no ability to bid no- up the ideas in this series, learn them hand and some diamond support. You trumps. Partner might hold: and play them with your regular part- don’t have to have four and partner ner and you should see an improve- should bear that in mind. ment in your club score. On the other hand, he might have: ♠ Q J 8 4 The double is one of the most N ♥ J 8 3 powerful weapons in your armoury W E ♦ Q 9 8 5 S and agreeing with partner how you ♠ 8 6 3 ♣ J 3 use it is key to getting more hands N ♥ 5 4 2 right. If you woke up someone who W E ♦ K J 7 S had been playing in 1955 he would ♣ 10 7 6 5 He can bid 2♠ hoping to get out at the be astonished, maybe appalled, at cheapest level. He has already denied how many doubles are no longer for five spades else he would have bid ♠1 penalties. Now partner has an easy 3♣ bid over instead of doubling. Time for a hand. You hold: the double. On the other hand, he might hold:

♠ K Q 7 To double in an auction will ♠ Q J 8 4 ♥ 9 3 N often save your having to N ♥ A Q 5 W E W E ♦ A Q 5 guess what to do, and involves ♦ 5 3 2 S S ♣ K Q J 9 8 partner in the discussion. ♣ J 10 3

Page 18 BRIDGE January 2015 Doubles continued then he expects you to be What should you do? We Are Survivors flexible as well. Try to find Partner already knows that (For those born Before 1940 . . .) some sort of fit. You won’t you have four hearts. ♦ We were born before television, always find the best fit, but You could bid 3 to show before penicillin, polio shots, In which case he would be as long as you find a playable your second four-card suit frozen foods, Xerox, contact delighted to bid 3NT know- one, the opponents will find and ask him to choose but lenses, videos and the pill. We ing you had approximately it relatively hard to double what if he had were before radar, credit cards, strong no-trump values. (unless they have read this split atoms, laser beams and ballpoint pens, before dish- One reason some players article) and may be pushed washers, tumble driers, electric are not keen on too many up a level. ♠ K 4 3 blankets, air conditioners, drip-dry take-out doubles is that they N ♥ Q 7 clothes . . . and before man walked W E S ♦ A 10 5 on the moon. fear they will miss large Pushing them one ♣ A Q J 6 2 We got married first and then penalties, but this need not level higher is a happen. lived together (how quaint can principal aim of you be?). We thought ‘fast food’ using the double in a was what you ate in Lent, a ‘Big West North East South ♣ competitive auction. 3 is the most flexible bid. Mac’ was an oversized raincoat 1♦ 1♥ Dbl 3♥ If you look at the two hands, and ‘crumpet’ we had for tea. We ? you don’t mind 3♣ too existed before house husbands, Suppose the auction starts: much. It has some chances computer dating and sheltered accommodation was where you You hold: of making. waited for a bus. West North East South ♦ 3 on the other hand We were before day care centres, ♣ ♠ 1 1 could be quite a bad group homes and disposable ♠ K J 5 Dbl 2♠ Dbl Pass contract if the trumps do nappies. We never heard of FM ♥ 7 N ? not break. Couldn’t you, radio, tape decks, artificial hearts, W E word processors, or young men ♦ A K 9 4 3 S however be missing a 4-4 ♣ K Q 5 2 wearing earrings. For us ‘time and you hold: diamond fit? Yes, you could, sharing’ meant togetherness, a but first you might ask ‘chip’ was a piece of wood or fried yourself what partner opens potato, ‘hard­ware’ meant nuts You don’t support spades ♠ 7 5 if he is 4-4 in the minors and bolts and ‘software’ wasn’t a word. as you know partner has ♥ A J 9 2 N with a decent hand. If you W E Before 1940 ‘Made in Japan’ only four, you can’t bid ♦ Q 8 4 2 S don’t know then perhaps no-trumps with no stop in ♣ 10 9 7 that should be written down meant junk, the term ‘making out’ referred to how you did in ■ hearts and you don’t want for a discussion. your exams, ‘stud’ was something to bid 4♣ because that will that fastened a collar to a shirt rule out 3NT if your partner and ‘going all the way’ meant has a suitable hand. So you staying on a double-decker bus to double to say you are not In summary the terminus. In our day, cigarette smoking was ‘fashionable’, ‘grass’ sure what to do, but have was mown, ‘coke’ was kept in the a decent hand and, lo and l Don’t sell out too easily, particularly in pairs coalhouse, a ‘joint’ was a piece of behold, partner holds: events. meat you ate on Sundays and ‘pot’ was something you cooked in. l The most flexible tool at your disposal is a ‘Rock Music’ was a fond mother’s lullaby, ‘Eldorado’ was an ice- ♠ A 9 4 3 double to show some extra values and no clear cream, a ‘gay person’ was the life N ♥ K J 10 9 action. and soul of the party, while ‘aids’ W E S ♦ 7 6 just meant beauty treatment or ♣ 4 3 l Sometimes you will collect a penalty as a help for someone in trouble. bonus. We who were born before 1940 must be a hardy bunch when you think of the way in which l Be flexible when you double: you can’t always Partner will be delighted to the world has changed and the pass or bid 3NT, depending have ideal shape, but also be flexible in adjustments we have had to make. on the vulnerability. With response and recognise that partner is trying No wonder there is a generation only eight hearts between to keep your side in the auction. gap today . . . BUT them the opponents prob- By the grace of God . . . ably should not be at the l Occasionally, it will go wrong and you may go we have survived! three level, but as long as for -200 or worse, but remember, at pairs, it is they are, you have an oppor- the frequency of gain not the size of the gain Printed in the UK on a tunity to collect a penalty. that is important. 100% cotton tea-towel If your partner is going to £5. Order form on page 7. www.mrbridge.co.uk use doubles as a flexible tool,

BRIDGE January 2015 Page 19 The Diaries of Wendy Wensum Episode 33: Celebrations

illie and Justin wanted to West seat found a pre-emptive four Millie grinning, but for once she made give a party for their bridge diamonds. After two passes Bill had no comment. Marriage was clearly friends to celebrate their a choice of bids, one of which was having a good effect on her, but I Mnewly acquired marital status and or- pass, but instead he took a shot at four doubted if the improvement would ganised a delightful Sunday afternoon hearts which, after two more passes, I last. reception at the Riverside. Guests, doubled. When Justin and Spouse played all bridge players mainly from the The full sequence was: the hand, the first three calls were club, were greeted with pre-prandial the same. Now Dawn as West bid drinks. After a buffet lunch in the bar, West North East South her diamond suit at the three level we proceeded into the bridge room for Millie Angie Wendy Bill and this was followed by two passes. a session of duplicate pairs. ‘Is it stuffy 1NT Pass 2♦1 With a singleton in the opponent’s in here today?’ inquired Millie, ‘I feel 4♦ Pass Pass 4♥ suit Spouse didn’t feel like passing and quite soporific. I must have eaten too Pass Pass Dbl All Pass with the shapely nature of his hand bid much lettuce with my meal.’ I have 1Transfer to hearts four clubs. He admitted later that his learned not to comment on these oc- fingers were metaphorically crossed as casions, but I was dubious about Flop- Millie led the ace of diamonds, winning he was relatively weak and didn’t really sy-bunny syndrome, believing more in the trick, and continued with the jack. know whether his bid was forcing or the effect of gin and tonics rather than Bill played the queen from dummy, not. West passed now and, with four salad. Millie had booked me as her the king came from me and Bill ruffed good clubs, Justin bid five clubs which partner and decreed that Justin and in hand. He then went to table with a ended the auction. Spouse should renew their occasional club and took a heart finesse, losing bridge partnership for the day. During unluckily to the singleton queen. West North East South the session, this hand caught my eye. Three rounds of spades came next Dawn Justin Dennis Spouse We were playing against Heavy Metal and Bill won the third of these with 1NT Pass 2♦1 Bill and his lovely wife, Angie, who a trump. He was now hopelessly out- 3♦ Pass Pass 4♣ was dealer as North. gunned in hearts. He tried removing Pass 5♣ All Pass a round of trumps, hoping they might 1Transfer to hearts now be two-two. Finding the bad Dealer North. Love All. news, he won a club in dummy and Dawn led the ace of diamonds and ♠ J 10 3 2 followed this with the master spade switched to a spade. The defence took ♥ 7 3 throwing a club from hand. Bill led two spade tricks, but Spouse ruffed the ♦ Q 5 4 out the ace of clubs which I ruffed and third round, dropped the singleton ♣ A K Q 2 conceded one more trick. The contract queen of hearts and escaped for just ♠ K 6 4 ♠ A Q 9 5 of four hearts doubled was down three one off and minus 50. He apologised ♥ Q N ♥ 10 9 6 5 4 W E for minus 500. for his bid, but Justin pointed out ♦ A J 10 9 8 7 2 S ♦ K 6 ‘After that I could do with a cigarette,’ that three diamonds would make ♣ 9 4 ♣ 10 8 lamented Bill. ‘Have a mint humbug and five clubs was a reasonable save. ♠ 8 7 instead,’ Millie offered kindly. ‘I don’t Of course, four clubs would have ♥ A K J 8 2 smoke humbugs,’ was Bill’s response been an even better contract. At the ♦ 3 as he shuffled off to the veranda for end of the session, champagne and a ♣ J 7 6 5 3 a nicotine boost. I turned to Angie. wedding cake appeared as if by magic ‘I know Bill likes Rock music. Does and the happy couple were toasted he still do his impressions of famous by the assembled company, who had Angie opened a weak one no trump. Heavy Metal artists?’ I inquired. thoroughly enjoyed an afternoon I passed and Bill in the South seat bid ‘Yes, he does, but I much prefer his celebrating Millie’s and Justin’s two diamonds as a transfer to hearts. impression of silence,’ declared Angie marriage, rather appropriately with a With seven diamonds, Millie in the with heart-felt passion. I glimpsed session of bridge. ■

Page 20 BRIDGE January 2015 DEFENCE QUIZ by Julian Pottage (Answers on page 41)

ou are East in the defensive positions below playing teams Yor rubber bridge. It is your turn to play. Both sides are us- ing Acol with a 12-14 1NT and 2♣ Stayman.

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

West North East South West North East South 1♦ Pass 1♥ 1♠ Pass 2♥ Pass 4NT Pass 2♣ Pass 2♥ Pass 5♦ Pass 6♥ Pass 3♦ Pass 3♥ All Pass Pass 3♠ Pass 4♠ All Pass Partner leads the ♠J and dummy plays low. What Partner leads the ♦J and do you play? dummy covers. What is your plan?

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

West North East South West North East South Pass 1NT 1♥ Pass 2♣ Dbl 2♥ Pass 2NT1 Pass 3♠2 Pass 2NT Pass 3NT Pass 4NT Pass 5♥3 All Pass Pass 6♥ All Pass 1Strong with heart support Partner leads the ♣10. 2Shortage 3Two aces What do you do? Partner leads the ♣10. Dummy wins and leads the ♠Q. What is your plan?

BRIDGE January 2015 Page 21 Bernard Magee DVDs – Number One Ruffing for Extra Tricks

uffing is trump hand and hopefully cause him entry back to your hand after the ♥A one of to lose control. As much as trumps has gone (you need to use ♠2 to ruff the most are important for declarer to develop with). Rpowerful meth- extra tricks, it has to be equally The solution is simple: keep hold of ods available important for the defenders to destroy the ♥A. Let West win the first trick for declarer to declarer’s plans. Both hands below with his ♥K. He switches to a trump, develop extra show declarer making the most of his but you can win ♠A, cross to ♥A and tricks in trump trumps, but, as so often, on the first ruff a heart. contracts. In my hand, if the defenders had led a trump, Now you play a diamond towards seminar, I ex- declarer would have had no chance of your queen, East wins his king, but plore the idea of delaying the drawing making his contract at all. you ruff the fourth heart, draw two of trumps to allow you to use dummy’s Making more trump leads is a sign more rounds of trumps (leaving the trumps to their full potential. Accu- of a better defender. defence’s winning trump outstanding) rate bidding should push you upwards and play your diamond winners. when you have a singleton in your If you win the first trick and play a hand, but you will only make your fi- ♠ A 2 heart back, the defenders will again nal contract if you make the most of ♥ 6 3 play a trump, but what can you do your distribution. When you make ♦ A 5 3 after you win ♠A? Whatever you try, your plan, check to see how much use ♣ J 10 8 7 6 5 the defenders can draw dummy’s last of your distribution you have to make. ♠ J 4 ♠ 10 9 8 5 trump and you will end up losing an ♥ K Q J 10 N ♥ 9 5 4 2 If you need ruffs, then, generally, you W E extra heart trick and with that your will need to delay drawing trumps. ♦ J 9 8 7 S ♦ K 2 contract. As much as it is good to ruff in ♣ Q 4 2 ♣ A K 9 When you are aiming to make extra dummy to make extra tricks, ruffing ♠ K Q 7 6 3 tricks by ruffing, it is important to plan in the long trump hand is not so good ♥ A 8 7 carefully: making sure you have the – generally, you do not gain by doing ♦ Q 10 6 4 entries to move from hand to hand. this. Ruff in the long hand only if it is ♣ 3 part of your plan: to get from hand to hand; to establish a long suit; or you Contract 2♠. Lead ♥K ♠ K J 6 3 are forced to, by the defence. This ♥ A K 7 6 is why a singleton with the shorter ♦ Q 8 4 3 trump holding is generally valued West North East South ♣ 4 more in the bidding than one with the 1♠ ♠ 5 4 ♠ 8 7 long trumps. Pass 2♣ Pass 2♦ ♥ Q J 10 9 N ♥ 8 5 2 W E In the second half of the seminar, I Pass 2♠ All Pass ♦ J 9 S ♦ K 10 7 6 5 talk about the power of defenders to ♣ K J 9 8 5 ♣ Q 10 7 upset the outcome: attacking declarer’s You have five top tricks and hope to ♠ A Q 10 9 2 trumps, either by leading them or make an extra trick from your long ♥ 4 3 by switching to them. Other tactics trumps and one from diamonds too, ♦ A 2 can come when you know trumps which leaves one more trick to find. ♣ A 6 3 2 are breaking badly for declarer (you Ruffing a heart in dummy will give have a singleton or have four): you you the extra trick, but it might not be Contract 6♠. Lead ♥Q. can force declarer to ruff in his long easy to take it since you have no easy

Page 22 BRIDGE January 2015 Ruffing continued BERNARD MAGEE’S

West North East South INTERACTIVE TUTORIALS 1♠ Pass 4♣ Pass 4♦ ACOL ADVANCED DECLARER Pass 4♥ Pass 4NT Pass 5♥ Pass 6♠ BIDDING ACOL BIDDING PLAY All Pass l Opening Bids and l Basics l Suit Establishment Responses l Advanced in No-trumps North’s 4♣ was a splinter l Slams and Strong Basics l Suit Establishment bid: showing four-card Openings in Suits spade support, 11+ high l Weak Twos card points and a singleton l Support for Partner l Strong Hands l Hold-ups ♦ ♥ or void in clubs. 4 and 4 l Pre-empting l Defence l Ruffing for Extra Tricks were cue bids and 4NT was l Overcalls to Weak Twos Keycard Blackwood with l Entries in l No-trump l Defence to 1NT North showing two key Openings £66 No-trumps cards (♥A and ♠K). l Doubles £76 and Responses l Delaying l Two-suited Drawing Trumps You have nine top tricks: l Opener’s and Overcalls Responder’s Rebids £96 l Using the Lead three ruffs in dummy will l Defences to give you twelve, so this is l Minors and Misfits Other Systems l Trump Control what you should go for. l Doubles l Endplays & However, needing three l Misfits and Distributional Avoidance ruffs will require you to l Competitive Hands delay drawing trumps. Auctions l Using the Bidding You need four entries: three for ruffing and one to get back to hand at the end ADVANCED DEFENCE FIVE-CARD to draw the trumps. You can DECLARER PLAY MAJORS & use one entry in trumps, l Lead vs Strong No-Trump l Making Overtricks your two outside aces, but No-trump Contracts in No-trumps l Opening Bids then you will need to ruff a l Lead vs & Responses heart. You need two rounds l Making Overtricks Suit Contracts in Suit Contracts l No-Trump of hearts to stand up, but l Partner of Leader Openings that is not an unreasonable l Endplays vs No-trump hope. l Support l Avoidance Contracts £89 Take the ♥A-K and play for Partner l Partner of Leader ♣A and ruff a club. Play a l Wrong Contract vs Suit Contracts l Slams trump back to hand, ruff & Strong Openings the next club high and l Simple l Count £81 Signals l Rebids play a diamond to the ace. Squeezes £76 l Minors Ruff the last club high and l Counting l Attitude then cross back to hand by the Hand Signals & Misfits ruffing a heart high to draw l Pre-empting l Trump Reductions l Discarding the remaining trumps. All & Coups l Defensive Plan l Doubles you lose is a diamond trick. Splinters are great bids – l Playing Doubled l Stopping Declarer l Overcalls Contracts allowing slams to be bid on l Counting l Competitive minimal values – but it is so l Safety Plays the Hand Auctions important for the declarer to make full use of the singleton. Make your cheque payable to Mr Bridge and send to: Mr Bridge, Here, North’s club Ryden Grange, Knaphill, Surrey GU21 2TH singleton and the trumps ( 01483 489961 www.mrbridge.co.uk/mrbridge-shop alongside generated three System Requirements: Windows XP, Vista or 7, 8mb RAM, CD-ROM extra tricks. ■

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• Scheduled economy class flights with free regional connections from selected UK airports • Expert antiquities speakers on board • Bridge team on board providing daily duplicates 12 day fly-cruise from £1,995*pp 10 day fly-cruise from £1,795*pp 11 day fly-cruise from £1,895*pp 12 day fly-cruise from £1,995*pp • Sightseeing excursions at most ports DATE PORT DATE PORT Enjoy the benefits of small-ship cruising, DATE PORT DATE PORT Expert excursion guides personal service and intimate surroundings JUN 26 Fly to ROME Italy AUG 17 Fly to VENICE Italy AUG 26 Fly to ATHENS/PIRAEUS Greece OCT 5 Fly to VENICE Italy • Transfer to Civitavecchia to Transfer to Aegean Odyssey Transfer to Aegean Odyssey Transfer to Aegean Odyssey Open-seating dining with choice of of Aegean Odyssey. Classically elegant, the board Aegean Odyssey • AUG 18 Cruising past Kornati Islands in Piraeus OCT 6 URBINO Italy two restaurants ship provides gracious public rooms, a choice JUN 27 SORRENTO Italy SPLIT Croatia AUG 27 DELOS Greek Islands OCT 7 SPLIT Croatia (Pompeii & Herculaneum) overnight MYKONOS Greek Islands of two restaurants with open-seating dining AUG 19 KORCULA Croatia OCT 8 DUBROVNIK Croatia Mr Bridge welcome drinks party JUN 28 SORRENTO Italy overnight Cruising past Hvar and Brac AUG 28 SANTORINI (Akrotiri) Greek Islands • and generously-sized cabins. Accommodating DUBROVNIK Croatia OCT 9 LECCE Italy JUN 29 SORRENTO Italy AUG 29 RETHIMNON (Knossos) Crete • Complimentary wine with dinner on board around 350 guests, the ship can sail to Cruise past Capri AUG 20 DUBROVNIK Croatia OCT 10 SARANDE (Butrint) Albania AUG 30 KOS Greek Islands destinations larger ships cannot reach. With AMALFI (Paestum) Italy KOTOR BAY Montenegro cruising CORFU Greek Islands (soft drinks or beer if preferred) AUG 31 RHODES Greek Islands a relaxed atmosphere on board, she offers JUN 30 Cruise past Stromboli and AUG 21 CORFU Greek Islands OCT 11 At Sea through the Strait of Messina SEP 1 FETHIYE (Patara) Turkey OCT 12 TAORMINA Sicily • Gratuities for on-board cabin and every comfort at sea and the very best in AUG 22 PREVEZA (Arta) Greece TAORMINA Sicily ITHACA Greek Islands SEP 2 IZMIR (Ephesus) Turkey overnight Cruise through the Strait of Messina restaurant staff and past Stromboli small-ship cruising, the perfect venue for us. JUL 1 At Sea AUG 23 KATAKOLON (Olympia) Greece SEP 3 IZMIR (Pergamon) Turkey OCT 13 AMALFI (Paestum) Italy JUL 2 CORFU Greek Islands PYLOS Greece overnight SEP 4 CANAKKALE (Troy) Turkey • Overseas transfers and baggage handling SARANDE Albania SORRENTO Italy overnight AUG 24 PYLOS (Venetian Castles) SEP 5 ISTANBUL Turkey JUL 3 LECCE Italy Greece OCT 14 SORRENTO Disembark Aegean Odyssey (Pompeii & Herculaneum) overnight WHY NOT EXTEND YOUR CRUISE JUL 4 DUBROVNIK Croatia AUG 25 MONEMVASIA Greece and transfer to Istanbul Airport HYDRA Greek Islands for flight home OCT 15 SORRENTO Italy SINGLE SUPPLEMENT with a hotel stay at the beginning or JUL 5 SPLIT Croatia † AUG 26 PIRAEUS/ATHENS Greece OCT 16 ROME Italy JUST 10% end of the itinerary? It's a perfect JUL 6 URBINO Italy Disembark and transfer to Inside Outside Balcony Disembark in Civitavecchia and opportunity to really explore some of JUL 7 VENICE Italy Athens Airport for flight home from from from transfer to Rome Airport for flight home Disembark and transfer to MR BRIDGE FARES* Europe's great cities. Please call for Venice Airport for flight home £1,895 £2,250 £3,495 Inside Outside Balcony prices and more details. Inside Outside Balcony from from from from from from ODYSSEY CLUB MEMBERS SAVE AN EXTRA 5% Inside Outside Balcony MR BRIDGE FARES* £1,995 £2,450 £3,795 from from from MR BRIDGE FARES* £1,795 £2,175 £3,350 MR BRIDGE FARES* £1,995 £2,450 £3,795 ODYSSEY CLUB MEMBERS SAVE AN EXTRA 10% ODYSSEY CLUB MEMBERS SAVE AN EXTRA 5%

ODYSSEY CLUB MEMBERS SAVE AN EXTRA 5% CABINS CAN BE HELD AT NO OBLIGATION FOR 7 DAYS *Mr Bridge fares are per person and subject to availability at time of booking. They may be withdrawn at any time without notice. †Single accommodation is available only in certain categories and is subject to availability. Call on 01483 489961 or visit www.mrbridge.co.uk Robin Hood’s Bridge Adventures by David Bird Maid Marian’s Inspired Play

now was falling outside, but the many top tricks did she have? Three turn of events. He had expected a good Baron of Beef ale-house was spades, one heart, one diamond and… result when Marian ended as declarer. well warmed by two log fires. four clubs after she had lost one to the Did she have to choose this particular SThe outlaws had joined the regular king. That was a total of nine. How moment to display such prowess? customers for their weekly duplicate pleased her beloved Robin would be. A few rounds later, Robin Hood game. Marian played the ♣A and was found himself in a slam: ‘You don’t like the local brew?’ about to lead the ♣Q when a thought enquired the enormous Will Bowyer, occurred to her. The ♥A was the only taking his seat. ‘Haggard’s Gold. None entry to dummy and she would need Dealer South. N/S Game. better.’ to cash the ♠Q when she was over ♠ A 7 5 4 2 ‘I could barely lift such a large there. ♥ A K 7 6 2 tankard,’ Maid Marian replied. ‘This Glad that she taken the trouble to ♦ 6 2 sweet Spanish wine is more to my make a plan, Marian cashed her other ♣ 9 taste.’ spade winner before continuing with ♠ 10 3 ♠ 9 6 ‘Never tried it,’ said Will Bowyer, the ♣Q. Now nothing could go wrong, ♥ Q 10 8 N ♥ 9 4 W E ♦ J 10 9 4 ♦ K Q 8 7 5 reaching for his cards. ‘Wouldn’t she thought. When she reached S trust any drink brewed by Spaniards, dummy to make all the clubs, she ♣ K Q 6 4 ♣ 7 5 3 2 anyway.’ would be able to take the third spade ♠ K Q J 8 This was the deal before them: trick as well. ♥ J 5 3 Will Bowyer won the second round ♦ A 3 of clubs with the king. Seeing no future ♣ A J 10 8 Dealer South. Love All. in spades, he switched to the ♥10. Maid ♠ Q 7 5 Marian won with dummy’s ace and ♥ A 6 4 noticed that… oh dear… somehow West North East South ♦ 6 3 the clubs had become blocked. If she Katelyn Maid Leofrick Robin ♣ 10 9 7 4 2 played a club to the bare jack at this Blunt Marian Blunt Hood ♠ J 10 9 8 4 ♠ 6 3 2 stage, there would be no way back to 1NT ♥ 10 9 N ♥ K Q J 5 dummy. Pass 2♣ Pass 2♠ W E ♦ K 9 8 2 ♦ J 10 7 Pass 6♠ All Pass S Robin Hood smiled at her. ‘Don’t ♣ K 6 ♣ 8 5 3 look so worried, my love,’ he said. ‘Not ♠ A K every contract can be made.’ Katelyn Blunt, a slightly built woman ♥ 8 7 3 2 Marian called for the ♠Q and was who was nevertheless the mother of ♦ A Q 5 4 about to discard a diamond when, five sons and a daughter, led the ♦J ♣ A Q J suddenly, a light appeared in her against the slam. splendid blue eyes. On this trick she Maid Marian laid out her dummy. could dispose of the blocking ♣J. ‘I couldn’t believe it when you bid two West North East South After this clever move, nothing spades,’ she said excitedly. ‘Look, I Will Robin Garth Maid could prevent her from scoring three have five spades for you.’ Bowyer Hood Switch Marian more club tricks in the dummy. A ‘So I see,’ replied Robin Hood, who 2NT diamond to the ace then gave her the was doing his best to look enthusiastic Pass 3NT All Pass contract. about the lean dummy that had ‘What marvellous play!’ exclaimed appeared. When West led the ♠J against 3NT, Robin Hood. ‘I’m partnering a bridge ‘I suppose I should have used the East discouraged with the ♠2 and Maid champion tonight.’ Duke of Richmond’s 4NT to ask for Marian won with the king. Now, how Bowyer was less impressed by the aces,’ Marian continued. ‘Still,

Page 26 BRIDGE January 2015 Robin Hood continued The players drew their cards for this when they had used the Duke of Rich- deal: mond’s 4NT and then bid a grand slam. Father Mendez stroked his beard happily as he inspected the dummy. you play the cards so well. I was sure a Dealer North. Game All. What excellent cards the king and slam would be there.’ ♠ K 10 5 2 queen of diamonds were. The Good Robin Hood won the diamond lead ♥ A Lord must be rewarding him for his with the ace. It seemed that he would ♦ K Q 5 pious tolerance of recent results. Not need the ♥Q to fall in two rounds, ♣ A 10 8 4 2 before time, it had to be said. but… maybe the club suit offered ♠ J 7 6 4 ♠ Void The priest won the first trick with an extra chance. Before drawing any ♥ J 8 3 2 N ♥ 10 9 6 4 the ace of clubs and continued with W E ♣ ♣ ♦ J 10 9 4 ♦ 7 6 3 trumps, he led the A and then the J. S a trump to the ace, exposing the 4-0 If West had followed with a low club ♣ 7 ♣ K Q J 9 6 5 break. What now? He could pick up on the second round, Hood planned ♠ A Q 9 8 3 West’s ♠J easily enough but he would to discard dummy’s last diamond. If ♥ K Q 7 5 need a heart ruff in dummy to bring East won the trick, nothing would ♦ A 8 2 his total to thirteen. have been lost; he would then have to ♣ 3 At Trick 3, Father Mendez led the hope that the ♥Q would fall. Katelyn ♠9. After some thought Marian played Blunt decided to cover with the ♣Q low on this trick. Declarer ran the and Hood ruffed in the dummy. He re- West North East South trump nine, crossed to the ♥A and turned to his hand with a trump and Maid Friar Robin Father returned to his hand with the ♦A. He led the ♣10. When West covered with Marian Tuck Hood Mendez then ruffed his heart loser with the the ♣K, Hood ruffed in the dummy 1♣ Pass 1♠ ♠10 and cashed dummy’s bare ♠K. again. Both defenders followed to a Pass 4♠ Pass 4NT Mendez was well pleased with his second round of trumps and he was Pass 5♥ Pass 7♠ play so far. After returning to hand and then able to discard dummy’s diamond All Pass drawing West’s last trump, the grand loser on the estab- slam would be his. lished ♣8. The ♥Q The priest ruffed failed to drop in a club with the ♠8 two rounds but the and could not be- slam was his. lieve it when a de- Leofrick Blunt lighted Maid Mar- shook his head rue- ian overruffed with fully. ‘Everyone else the ♠J. Trumps 4-0 will stop in game,’ and clubs 6-1? By he informed his the Saints, what a wife. diabolical division ‘With five-card of the cards! support and a near- ‘‘I had a feeling solid side suit of my singleton lead hearts?’ exclaimed would beat the Maid Marian. ‘It contract,’ said Maid was an obvious Marian. slam bid.’ Robin gazed lov- The session was ingly into her eyes. nearing its end The opening lead when Friar Tuck had made no dif- arrived at Robin ference, surely? To Hood’s table. Tuck make the contract, was partnered by the priest should the black-bearded have played the ♥A Father Mendez, a at trick 2. He could priest with a high opinion of his own Maid Marian lost no time in leading then cross to the ♠A, run the ♠9, ruff a game. It had always been a mystery to her singleton club. Her beloved Robin heart and play the ♠K. The ♦A would him why his considerable talents were had once mentioned to her that a sin- be an entry to draw the last trump. rarely translated into a good finishing gleton made a fine lead against a slam. ‘It was a brilliant lead, my dearest,’ position. The Good Lord must have How good it would be if Robin could said Robin Hood. ‘The learned priest contrived this ordeal as a means of win with the ace and give her a club here is a fine player of the cards but testing him. ruff. Mind you, that wasn’t very likely you gave him no chance at all.’ ■

BRIDGE January 2015 Page 27 A Blast From the Past 7 by Shireen Mohandes Hungarian Tiger

ack in 1970, when we still had Cover the East and South cards for thrupenny bits, Jeremy Flint Dealer South. Team Invitational Event. a few moments and take a little time co-wrote a book with Freddie ♠ A 7 6 over this deal. Don’t rush it. You lead BNorth called Tiger Bridge. They ♥ 9 the ♠K, which is ducked. Your partner depicted the great players as the tigers ♦ A K 8 4 2 signals an odd number of spades, of the bridge world. In this article, I ♣ A J 5 3 so you assume that declarer has a nominate Tim Seres as a tiger. ♠ K Q 8 ♠ J 9 5 4 2 doubleton. What are your thoughts In the hand below (from 1958), your ♥ K Q 10 2 N ♥ 7 and your plans now? W E ♦ ♦ right-hand opponent is Tim Seres and J 9 S Q 10 7 he opens 3♥, which your left-hand ♣ 10 8 7 6 ♣ K Q 9 4 opponent raises to 4♥. The bidding ♠ 10 3 comes back to you. Do you double or ♥ A J 8 6 5 4 3 pass? ♦ 6 5 3 ♣ 2

♠ K Q 8 ♥ K Q 10 2 N West North East South W E ♦ Dick Tim J 9 S ♣ 10 8 7 6 Cummings Seres 3♥ Pass 4♥ Pass Pass We’ll come back to this bidding Dbl1 All Pass 1 Chalet. A Bengal white tiger. She lives at the question later, but for the moment let’s It looks from the double that West fancied ‘Out of Africa’ wildlife park in Arizona. say that you elect to double. himself as a bit of a tiger too. Photo: Haig Tchamitch

Thomas Peter (Tim) Seres (1925 – 2007)

Like many Hungarians, Seres left his home country following the Second World War and ended up living in Australia, his home for many years. He was such a talented player that the ABF (Australian Bridge Federation) automatically selected him to represent Australia with permission to choose his own partner. Honoured for his services to bridge, he was awarded the Medal of the Order of Australia in 1988. The ABF estimated that he played close to one million hands in his lifetime.

The ABF has a lovely biography and appreciation of Tim. They say, ‘Unarguably so much better than anyone else, Tim was one of the huge natural talents that very occasionally surface in competitive endeavours. Don Bradman as a cricketer is a convenient analogy.’

It is said that, at the 1964 World Team Olympiad during the Australia v Brazil match, the organisers asked if the players required an interpreter. The answer was, ‘No, we all speak

Hungarian.’ Photo: ABF

Page 28 BRIDGE January 2015 Hungarian Tiger continued Now declarer can play the ♦6 and you Normal play for that will be embarrassed twice. Once at hav- specific trump layout ing to ruff your partner’s winner and, seconds later, when you are humiliated Hint Number 1 at being end-played to concede the last 9

Tim Seres has this shape: 2-7-3-1. two tricks. So the trick tally for dealer N is five top tricks in aces and kings, four W E S little trumps and an end-play to score the ♥J. A J 8 6 5 4 3 When you first look at the layout of all four hands, it looks as if South is doomed and will be defeated by two Lead the nine. If East plays low, tricks, doesn’t it? After all, aren’t the play your jack (hoping the K-Q are defenders due a spade, diamond and onside). three trumps? If they play a top honour, win the If you sipped your coffee and ace and play the jack, hoping to pondered the deal without the pin the ten. extended details, hints and benefit of the full deal and found the defence of playing a diamond at trick two,

then you should be very pleased with Going back to the early 1930s Top Australian player and writer and yourself. That switch will force declarer self-confessed non-soap user, to utilise an entry prematurely, so he Would you like to see a news clip of Michael Courtney (pictured), has can’t carry out the trump reduction Ely Culbertson discussing bridge? written an excellent book about Tim, and end-play. So, either keeping (There will be more articles about Play Cards with Tim Seres (1995). quiet in the auction, or switching to Mr and Mrs Culbertson in 2015). a diamond is the winning action. But Believe it or not, there are two this article is about tiger bridge, so excellent short clips (with sound) on Hint Number 2 maybe it is right to double and maybe the British Pathé (news) website. You are in grave danger of being end- it is even right (but optimistic) to hope www.britishpathe.com/search/ played. Can you do something about that the tiger is snoozing. query/culbertson it, now, at trick 2? Having said all of that and returning The subject matter of one clip to the opening question … should you is somewhat unusual. I’ll leave Analysis have doubled or not? you to form your own opinions. It appears that Seres is going to enjoy There is an important point here: his top cashing tricks in dummy and when North raises the pre-empt to use those cards as entries to ruff black game, you know that it’s not a raise cards with his small trumps. If you based on heart support and pre- continue with a spade, this is how the emption, because you have too many play will go: Declarer will win and ruff good hearts yourself. So it must be a a spade immediately. Then, he will use value-based raise. If you double, you his minor suit entries (♣A first) to take may or may not defeat the contract, three club ruffs in hand. This is what but most likely you’ll be getting it only British Pathé say, is left. one down. ‘British Pathé is one of the oldest I showed the hand as a declarer play media companies in the world. problem to a few top players, without Their roots lie in 1890s Paris ♠ — West doubling, and even then they where their founder, Charles ♥ 9 were tempted to go for the trump- Pathé, pioneered the development ♦ 8 4 2 reduction play, but recognised that of the moving image. They were ♣ — it was close between that line and established in London in 1902, ♠ — ♠ 9 5 playing for a friendly layout of the and by 1910 were producing their ♥ K Q 10 2 N ♥ 7 heart suit (hoping for only one loser). famous bi-weekly newsreel the ♦ — W E ♦ Q I asked a different group of people Pathé Gazette. By the time Pathé S ♣ — ♣ — if they would double. England finally stopped producing the ♠ — International and Daily Telegraph cinema newsreel in 1970, they ♥ A J 8 bridge columnist, Tom Townsend, had accumulated 3,500 hours ♦ 6 told me he’d double at any form or of filmed history amounting to ♣ — scoring and any vulnerability. I guess over 90,000 individual items.’ he is a tiger too. ■

BRIDGE January 2015 Page 29 Beginners’ Bridge Corner Bridge Tie Mary’s Thirteenth Lesson by Liz Dale

t was the day of the button, extra large, have many choices, but luncheon. There was multi-coloured lettering opener is relying on you.’ Ia definite air of light- covered the Smartboard Umm! thought Mary. This heartedness about the screen (see box below). is a lot to take in, in one group. Much laughter and ‘When opener opens session. ‘Yes, it is a lot to frivolity. Lots of, ‘Oh I like in one suit and rebids in take in,’ stressed Alasdair, your shoes, handbag,’ etc another suit, he promises ‘but it is worth spending and, ‘Where did you get five cards in his first suit.’ more time on the homework your jacket from?’ comments Alasdair continued, ‘This than usual this week. flying around the room brilliant principle, if it can Learning the ‘barrier before the session started. be mastered, gives the principle’ is one of the Alasdair brought the partnership so much strength best bidding techniques a learners to attention. in their armoury of tools. partnership can have and ‘Today you are going to be If no-trumps has not been definitely worth mastering.’ introduced to a principle that rebid by opener, then opener Complete silence. As usual, will improve your game by is, in fact, giving his partner a Joan came to the rescue. leaps and bounds. If you can huge amount of information. Looking at the thoughtful learn it,’ Alasdair continued, Opener is saying, ‘I am not faces around the room she ‘you will be a most reliable, balanced.’ He is also trying said in a loud voice, ‘Well, valuable and very much to describe his strength. that’s that then. You will all sought after bridge partner.’ Not as precisely as our no- have to move in with me Alasdair paused, whilst trump bids, but still giving for the week and no-one everyone listened intently. the power to responder to can leave until we’ve got it You could hear a pin drop. make the decisions about sorted!’ Laughter all around £15 With the flick of a the best contract. You now the room. ■ including postage Opener’s rebid after opening 1♣, 1♦, 1♥ or 1♠ with an unbalanced hand & packing Below the Barrier (12-15 HCPs) or Above the Barrier (16-19 HCPs) (The barrier is two of the opening bid)

From Example One: Unbalanced Hand Example Two: Unbalanced Hand Opener’s Rebid Below the Barrier Opener’s Rebid Above the Barrier Mr Bridge (opening 1♣ so barrier = 2♣) (opening 1♣ so barrier = 2♣)

( ♠ A 9 ♠ A 9 01483 ♥ 10 4 N ♥ 10 4 N W E W E ♦ K J 9 3 S ♦ A K J 9 S 489961 ♣ K Q J 5 4 ♣ K Q J 5 4

www. mrbridge.co.uk Holding 5+ ♣, 4 ♦ and 12-15 HCPs Holding 5+ ♣, 4 ♦ and 16-19 HCPs

West North East South West North East South Order Form 1♣ Pass 1♥ Pass 1♣ Pass 1♥ Pass on page 7 2♣ 2♦

Page 30 BRIDGE January 2015 committee of the LBHCBA in various guises – results Better Hand READERS’ secretary, secretary and currently tournament Evaluation organiser, as I believe in Bernard Magee giving back to the bridge community some of my Introduction LETTERS time, as the game has Better Hand Evaluation is given such great enjoyment aimed at helping readers to over some 55 years. add greater accuracy to their bidding. It deals with auc- Brian Sutcliffe by email. Mr Philip Watson by email. MORE JUNK tions in which you and your I recently purchased an On the positive side, PS. I was sorry to learn of partner, against silent op- old boxed bridge set. our groups are self- the passing of Tony Priday, ponents, can describe your The included scoring contained and the bridge as I knew him through hands fully to each other and, by evaluating them ac- table reads as follows: room a good size. his active participation in curately, find the best final The 1st, 3rd, 5th and the Camrose Trophy in contract. The emphasis of all 7th in no-trumps 30 points MORE MEMORIES the 1970s and 1980s. good, accurate bidding is on The 2nd, 4th and The article mentioning hand evaluation. 6th in no-trumps 40 points Dorothy Shanahan, see SUGGESTION There are two general types of I believe that until 1932, pages 28-29 of BRIDGE We have purchased a auction: a) a fit is found and b) no fit is found. the score for no-trumps 143, brought back happy number of the Bernard was 35 points a trick and I memories for me, as she Magee DVDs and are always When you do not have a fit, have never seen this more was my manager (Senior delighted with the bridge you are aiming to describe the strength of your hand as soon complicated method of Statistician – surveys) when I content and Bernard’s easy as possible, most often using scoring before. Does anyone was an assistant statistician style of delivery. However, no-trump bids. This book be- know when it was in effect at the National Coal Board the thing that is not so good gins by discussing balanced or is it merely a mistake, (NCB) from 1967 to 1969. is the camera panning away hand bidding in Acol, as it is very important that both possibly the printer, who did In those days it seemed odd from the screen on which members of a partnership not understand the rules? to me that she took time off the hand under discussion have an accurate knowledge of Mr Michael Zaidner to play bridge for England is displayed, to focus on how to show hands of different strengths. by email. and was often away for a members of the audience. couple of weeks. During Lovely though they no doubt When a fit is found, there is NEW SHIP my time there she also are, their faces do not much re-evaluation of the hand to be done; point count, I have today returned after played in the first team, add to the learning curve though still important, needs cruising on Balmoral. I with Bill Oakland (Senior and we have to freeze the to be evaluated together with found the facilities for Statistician – data collection), frame to study the hand distribution. The best way of bridge OK, but the general in the Premier Division in order to understand the reaching an accurate assess­ ment is to use the Losing Trick ambience rather down of the LBHCBA (London points Bernard is making. Count; this is an important market compared with Business Houses Contract Could the camera try and method of hand evaluation and the other ships you have Association). I also played stay on either Bernard takes up a number of chapters. provided bridge parties for the NCB at that time but or the screen please? Finally, we move on to different on. Also, it is larger, with in their 5th team in a lower No offence intended, this forms of evaluation including all that that implies. I shall league – Division 6, Central. being just a bit of feedback. game tries and splinter bids. You can never know enough not be coming back, but Over the years from Mrs Rosemary Ormerod methods of hand evaluation; good luck with your plans. 1982, I have served on the by email. the more you learn, the better you get at judging your hand. Although the Losing Trick REDUCE THE COST OF YOUR POSTAGE Count is used more easily in tandem with your partner, a large proportion of the ideas Postage stamps for sale at 90% of face-value, in this book can be used by an all mint with full gum. Quotations for individual. For example, eval- commercial quantities available on request. uating your hand to be worth an extra point is going to help anyone you partner – as long Values supplied in 100s, higher values available as you get it right. as well as 1st and 2nd class (eg 2nd class: 100x37p+100x16p). £14 including UK postage See Mail Order Form (/Fax 020 8422 4906 e-mail: [email protected] on page 7.

BRIDGE January 2015 Page 31 READERS’ LETTERS It is very difficult for us north continued of Watford to travel south, especially with advancing CHARITY EVENTS years. Are there not enough SHARERS of us to warrant a coach? JANUARY APRIL I do so agree with Mr Knight Mrs Pat Davies, 29 HUDDERSFIELD PENNINE 17 MS Therapy Centre in your December issue. I, Sandbach, Cheshire. ROTARY CLUB Village Hall Hemingford Abbots, too, deeply regret that you no Short answer … no. Outlane Golf Club. 12 for 10 for 10.30am. £14.00. 12.30. £50 per table including Jenny Lea ( 01480 455810 longer match single players 2-course lunch, afternoon 30 HUDDERSFIELD PENNINE seeking a like-minded person SAD NEWS tea & biscuits. Raffle prizes. ROTARY CLUB to share a cabin. I have I regret to have to inform Limited to 22 tables. Outlane Golf Club. Rtn Sam Smith benefited from this in the you that after 44 years, the 12 for 12.30. ( 01924 492540 £50 per table including past and it worked very well. Hogarth Bridge Club has had samuelsmith396 2-course lunch, afternoon The Mr Bridge explanation to close. We have become @btinternet.com tea & biscuits. for no longer offering this too few, old and/or infirm FEBRUARY Raffle prizes. valued service is that cruise to carry on. It seems that Limited to 22 tables. companies don’t like it, there are now too few people 11 WIMBORNE ROTARY CLUB Rtn Sam Smith apparently they think people wanting to play rubber bridge Allendale Community Centre, ( 01924 492540 Hanham Road, Wimborne. samuelsmith396 will fall out. However, it is in or Chicago in the afternoon, 2pm. £30 per table incl. tea. @btinternet.com the best interests of cruise other than at home. Don Phillips ( 01202 972211 companies too, it must be However, I would like MAY 13 Gt Stukeley Conservative better for them to have two to thank you for your Club Village Hall, Gt Stukeley, 15 Children’s Charities people per cabin spending support in the past, in the 10.00 for 10.30. £14.00. Doddington Village Hall, March, their money on drinks, etc. form of raffle prizes and Sheila Stephenson 10 for 10.30am. £14.00. ( The single supplement with hope to be on another 01480 457338 Val Topless Kay Brownlow ( 01354 653696 which they cane us cannot cruise before too long. ( 01480 880663 fully compensate for all those Mr Ian Lewty, 14 St Margaret’s and JUNE half empty cabins. Please Richmond, Surrey. Weston Hospicecare 12 St Mary’s Church Eaton think again Mr Bridge. Village Hall Wedmore. Socon Elizabeth Lonkhurst, AND ANOTHER THING 10.30 for 11.00am. £17 Church Hall Eaton Socon, Folkestone, Kent. Could I please urge you includes coffee, lunch & tea. 10.00 for 10.30. £14.00. Brian Moreton This is outside my control. to show London telephone Malcolm Howarth ( 01934 713854 ( 01480 212910 They can and do fall out, numbers correctly? A few 14 Anode The Paignton Club, believe me, sometimes years ago the area codes 1 The Esplanade, Esplanade JULY creating enormous difficulties for Inner (0171) and Outer Rd, Paignton, Devon TQ4 6ED. 10 Great Barford Church whilst on board, especially (0181) were amalgamated 10 for 10.30am to 3.30pm. Village Hall Great Barford, men randomly paired. We do into the new London-wide £14pp to include buffet lunch. 9.30 for 10am. £14.00. Derek Brown still have some ladies sharing code 020. The ‘7’ and Derek Fordham ( 01803 845196 ( 01234 870324 with our same-sex hosts, so the ’8’ are now part of [email protected] do contact us if you would the subscribers’ numbers, 25 HUDDERSFIELD PENNINE 18 North West Air Ambulance consider being a sharer. not of the area codes. ROTARY CLUB Vale Royal Abbey, Whitegate, Outlane Golf Club. So London numbers Northwich, Cheshire CW8 2BA. 12 for 12.30. DISAPPOINTED are now 020 7123 4567 2 course lunch and afternoon £50 per table including tea/coffee/biscuits. Prizes. £16. I was very interested in the or 020 8123 4567; 2-course lunch, afternoon Kevin Dawson bridge on the Isle of Wight showing them as 0207 tea & biscuits. ( 01270 522253 Raffle prizes. and your original plans or 0208 123 4567 is the [email protected] Limited to 22 tables. seemed to be for a 7-day telephonic equivalent of the Rtn Sam Smith MARCH event with transport from the greengrocer’s apostrophe. ( 01924 492540 samuelsmith396 north. However, it now seems Mr Ian Lewty, 10 St Neots Rotary Club St Neots Outdoor Bowling @btinternet.com to have been cut to 4 days Richmond, Surrey. Club, 10 for 10.30am. £14.00. and no mention of transport. Is this really so? ■ John Shaw ( 01480 475454 AUGUST 20 St Neots Choral Society 21 St Ives Day Care Centre Write to Mr Bridge at: Ryden Grange, Knaphill, Surrey St Neots Outdoor Bowling Village Hall Hemingford Abbots, GU21 2TH or e-mail letters @mrbridge.co.uk Club, 10 for 10.30am. £14.00. 10 for 10.30am. £14.00. Jane Lambert Don Moorman E-mail correspondents are asked to include their name, ( 01480 861581 ( 01480 463444 full postal address, telephone number and to send no attachments. E-mail your charity events: [email protected] Letters may be edited for length and clarity.

Page 32 BRIDGE January 2015 BERNARD MAGEE Boxed Sets of six DVDs

Series 1 – boxed set £100 Series 2 – boxed set £100 1 Ruffing for Extra Tricks 7 Leads This seminar deals with declarer’s use of ruffing to make extra tricks Bernard takes you through all the basic leads and the importance and then looks at how the defenders might counteract this. (74 mins.) of your choice of lead. If you start to think not just about your hand, but about your partner’s too, then you will get better results. (95 mins.) 2 Competitive Auctions This seminar focuses on competitive auctions from the perspective 8 Losing Trick Count of the overcalling side and then from the perspective of the opening A way of hand evaluation for when you find a fit. Bernard deals with side in the second part. (86 mins.) the basics of the losing trick count then looks at advanced methods to hone your bidding. (92 mins.) 3 Making the Most of High Cards This seminar helps declarer to use his high cards more carefully 9 Making a Plan as Declarer and then looks at how defenders should care for their high cards. Bernard explains how to make a plan then expands on how to make (83 mins.) the most of your long suits. The first half deals with no-trumps, the second with suit contracts. (87 mins.) 4 Identifying & Bidding Slams The first half of this seminar is about identifying when a slam might 10 Responding to 1NT be on – one of the hardest topics to teach. The second half covers This seminar deals with Transfers and Stayman in detail. The 1NT some slam-bidding techniques. (96 mins.) opening comes up frequently, so having a good, accurate system of responses is paramount. (93 mins.) 5 Play & Defence of 1NT Contracts This seminar looks at the most common and yet most feared of 11 Signals & Discards contracts: 1NT. The first half looks at declaring the contract and the This seminar deals with Count, Attitude and Suit-preference signals: second part puts us in the defenders’ seats. (88 mins.) aiming to get you working as a partnership in defence. (92 mins.) 6 Doubling & Defence against Doubled Contracts 12 Endplay The first half of this seminar explores penalty doubles and the Bernard takes you through the basics of endplays before showing second half discusses the defence against doubled contracts. some hands where you take extra tricks from defenders. In the (88 mins.) second half, Bernard looks at how to avoid being endplayed. (80 mins.)

Series 3 – boxed set £100 Series 4 – boxed set £100 NEW 13 Hand Evaluation 19 Defensive Plan Going beyond just the point-count is important if you want to im- Looking at your own hand, then at dummy and envisaging how part- prove. Reaching & making 3NT on 24 HCP; and avoiding 3NT on 26 ner’s hand will allow you to make a plan for the defence. (112 mins.) HCP when there are only 7 or 8 tricks. (110 mins.) 20 Further Into the Auction 14 Pre-Emptive Bidding The first two bids of an auction are usually easy, but beyond that the The art of pre-empting is so important in the modern game. Un- complications increase. Learn about your various options and how to derstanding the right types of hand to bid up on and realising the ‘talk’ to your partner during the bidding. (95 mins.) importance of position and vulnerability. (96 mins.) 21 Weak Twos 15 Splinter & Cue-Bids It is important to bid more in the modern game and weak twos are Splinter bids are a vital tool to add to your slam bidding armoury & an important choice for the competitive player. They allow for pre- try your hand at Italian style cue-bidding. (116 mins.) emptive and accurate bidding. (104 mins.) 16 Avoidance Play 22 Trump Control As declarer, an important tactic is to be in control of the defenders: Handling the play of the hand when trumps break badly is an impor- avoiding a particular defender getting the lead. As a defender, you tant attribute: playing calmly and using a variety of tactics to pave can try to make sure the right player gets the lead. (88 mins.) the way to success. (76 mins.) 17 Play & Defence at Pairs 23 Sacrificing Duplicate Pairs is the game most of us play and getting used to the An exciting aspect of the auction is outbidding your opponents and tactics will make a lot of difference to your performance. (90 mins.) going down, but gaining by doing so. Learn to bid more aggressively and make the best of your cards. (105 mins.) 18 Thinking Defence By far the hardest aspect of bridge, but if you can improve your 24 Improving Bridge Memory defence your results will quickly improve. Learn how to think through Remembering every card is a dream for most of us. However, learn the defence and get your mind in gear for the decisions that await ways in which to remember the important things. What was the first you. (87 mins.) discard or how many trumps are left out? (90 mins.) PICK AND MIX. A BOX OF ANY 6. £105 Mr Bridge ( 01483 489961 On-line shop: www.mrbridge.co.uk/shop Julian Pottage answers your bridge questions Should I Double a Pre-emptive Raise?

Playing pairs and overcall and then pass. The Should North double or it should be non-forcing. sitting West, at fact that you have such good await a protective re- Life would be much easier if Qlove all, I held: diamonds and only three opening double from North passed over 1♣. South spades does make the initial South, even though has a textbook re-opening overcall quite attractive. Love some say, ‘never dis- double (remember, you add ♠ K 9 8 all and pairs is the ideal time turb a club’? Should 3 points in the pass out seat).

♥ 7 N for action on a competitive South bid a forcing Knowing that North could ♦ K Q J 9 2 W E part-score deal. You should 2♣, rather than 3♣? not act over 1♣, South knows S ♣ A J 9 2 probably double 3♥. As you Geoff Simpson, then to stop in a part-score. are the one with the short Torphins, Aberdeenshire. hearts, the onus is on you, ♣♦♥♠ West North East South if anyone, to act again. The textbooks advise 1♥ North to pass over What should I bid 2♦ 2♥ Pass 3♥ ♣♦♥♠ A 1♣ as the hand is as West with the ? balanced and not quite good Q hand below? In the hand enough to overcall 1NT. In I passed and so did below, South was real life, some people would partner, who held: Qleft in the position double. For me, the lack of ♠ 7 3 of keeping losses to a shape combined with the ♥ 8 4 minimum (4♥-2), instead lack of a 4-card major would ♦ Q 9 7 3 ♠ Q 5 4 of playing in a part-score. dissuade me from doubling. ♣ K J 8 6 5 N W E ♥ A 9 2 Unless the 1♣ opening S ♦ 10 4 was prepared, East’s pass ♣ K 10 6 5 3 Dealer West. Game All. over the double looks a little West North East South ♠ K J 3 odd. With 5-card support 1♥ 3♠ ♥ Q 7 4 and a singleton, some sort Pass Pass Dbl Pass 3♥ went two off, but we ♦ A 10 8 7 of raise to make life tougher ? can make 4♣. Am I good ♣ A 10 3 for the opponents is in order. enough to double 3♥ ♠ A 6 ♠ 10 9 8 2 Once East passes, South Michael Windsor-Richards because 3♥ is likely to ♥ A J 9 N ♥ 5 3 2 should bid 2♣ rather than by email. W E be pre-emptive and East ♦ J 9 5 2 S ♦ 4 3♣ to ask North to pick a suit will pass? Could partner ♣ K Q J 4 ♣ 9 8 7 6 5 (any suit, not just a major). Your partner’s take a similar action? ♠ Q 7 5 4 North then bids 2♦ and South double is for take- Mike Allen by email. ♥ K 10 8 6 2♥. Since the cue bid is forc- A out, so you should ♦ K Q 6 3 ing to suit agreement, North take it out. A simple 4♣ This is a close deci- ♣ 2 must bid again, 2NT with a seems to be sufficient. You sion. With one of club stop and no 4-card ma- do not want to be getting A my partners, our jor. South, holding a singleton too excited with 6 points; style with this hand type is West North East South club, will not fancy 2NT and partner will not be think- that either we double to start 1♣ Dbl Pass 3♣1 retreats to 3♦. Whether 3♦ ing you have a Yarborough. with or (if the hand is strong Pass 3NT Pass 4♥ should be forcing is debata- Your heart holding is also enough) we overcall and Pass Pass Pass ble. I suppose that as a jump poor with the lead coming then double – we do not 1Pick a major (not alerted) to 4♦ is available to force, through partner’s holding.

Page 34 BRIDGE January 2015 Ask Julian continued My partner 3North having 5 losers corrected her bid to 1NT. opens 1♠. estimated South to have 7 losers On this bid and with QShould I respond Could we have bid the my usual partner, I in spades or hearts hand better? Possibly might have bid Stayman How does with this hand? South could bid 4♦ as my hand was: one bid this with a singleton. 6♠ Qhand from our made easily when improvers’ class? Some ♠ K J 8 5 West had ♥K-x. ♠ J x x x pairs managed to reach ♥ J 9 7 6 4 3 2 Edward Bland by email. ♥ 10 x x x x 4♥ making 13 tricks. No- ♦ 8 ♦ J x one bid a slam; I found ♣ 6 Whatever the merits ♣ x x it quite difficult to bid. of the methods, no A doubt you obtained a Doreen Parrington by email. good score for making 6♠. But this partner does Dealer South. I agree 6♥ would be safer. not play Stayman, so I ♠ 4 With 4-card spade I cannot see a way for North bid 2♥ as a take-out. My ♥ A Q 7 4 2 support, weak to make a ‘pick a slam bid’. partner then bid 3♥ and ♦ A 10 5 A hearts and the two North might have raised 2♥ I passed. As it happened, ♣ A 9 8 4 singletons, I would feel to 3♥, though the spade suit 3♥ made exactly. ♠ K Q 10 2 ♠ 8 7 6 5 inclined to raise the spades. does look good. South might What should the correct N ♥ 10 8 5 W E ♥ 9 3 If you respond 2♥, partner have jumped to 4♠ over 2♠ bidding have been and ♦ K Q 6 4 3 S ♦ 9 8 7 2 is never going to believe (fast arrival) and 4♥ without should we have been ♣ J ♣ 10 3 2 you have only 6 HCP. How the ace or king is dubious. in game of some sort? ♠ A J 9 3 many spades you should bid North has five quick tricks Ann Yeldon by email. ♥ K J 6 is an interesting question. for sure, but is a little light ♦ J A jump to 3♠ sounds about on playing strength for a Many people ♣ K Q 7 6 5 right. If you are playing 2♣ opening. Assuming that (including everyone 5-card majors, you might South has a 7-loser hand A you would meet in raise all the way to 4♠. for a simple response also a tournament) play a 2NT Andrew Mountain, seems rather optimistic. The overcall in second seat as Oakleigh, Wrexham. ♣♦♥♠ slams make because of the showing a two-suited hand, two-suit fit. North was quite usually the red suits, so Reaching at least a This deal comes right to re-evaluate in the that is not an option. With small slam seems from a small knowledge of the two-suit fit. a balanced hand, if a 1NT A entirely possible. Qduplicate event. overcall shows 15-17, double The auction might start: ♣♦♥♠ followed by 1NT shows 18- 20. Double followed by 2NT West North East South ♠ A K J 5 3 My LHO would therefore show 21-22 1♣ ♥ A 4 3 opened 1♣. My or maybe 21-23. Given 1♦ 1♥ Pass1 1♠ ♦ A 10 4 2 Qpartner had the unguarded honours in Pass 2♦2 Pass 3♥3 ♣ A 23 points as follows: hearts and the seemingly

Pass ? N poor spot cards, I do not 1Most players would not raise W E mind showing 21-22/23. You S with such a pathetic hand ♠ A K x x are probably going to end 2North is too strong for a non- ♠ Q 7 6 ♥ K Q up in 2NT if you do that. forcing jump preference of 3♣ ♥ Q J 10 9 8 7 ♦ K Q x The modern alternative is 3The jump shows genuine ♦ 7 ♣ A Q x x to double and then cue bid secondary heart support and ♣ Q 10 3 (2♣). That covers a variety of extra values hands. This way you will find My partner, who is not the spade fit because partner Knowing of the two-suit West North East South a very experienced will start with 1♥ and, when fit and that South holds a 2♣1 Pass 2♥ bridge player, bid 2NT. forced to bid again by your singleton diamond facing Pass 2♠ Pass 3♠ We all queried this as cue bid, rebid 2♠. If you find the ace as well as better Pass 4♣2 Pass 4♥ we understood 2NT to the spade fit, you might well than a minimum opening, Pass 6♠3 be a convention. She bid game. ■ North can hardly stay out of 15 quick tricks a slam from here. Indeed, it 2Cue bid; since North has all 4 E-mail your questions for Julian to: would not be unreasonable aces and the ♠K, Blackwood [email protected] just to bid 6♣ over 3♥. seems useless

BRIDGE January 2015 Page 35 Taking the ‘Downing’ Trick PLUS 11 by Peggy Millidge Q his was a recent deal brow in relief, took his ♠A at the club. One which and then ran five clubs and Really user-friendly bridge-playing software Tshows how difficult teach- finally his ♠K and ♠5 brought ing and learning bridge are. home the contract. ‘That FEATURES INCLUDE was lucky,’ he commented. l Help button – explains Later, when we were the features for bidding Dealer South. Love All. going over the hands, and card play advice £92 including post and packing ♠ A 6 2 Richard smirked. ‘We held l Displays on HD and large ♥ A 4 2 them to the contract here,’ screens ♦ J 7 he said. I tried to sustain l Comprehensive manual QPLUS ♣ Q J 10 9 8 a smile, but something l Feed in your own deals ♠ Q 8 7 ♠ 10 9 3 must have shown on my N l Minibridge option TRADE-IN ♥ K J 9 6 ♥ Q 10 3 face for his smirk faded. W E l 5,000 preplayed hands OFFER ♦ A Q 4 S ♦ 10 8 6 5 2 ‘You could have got for teams ♣ 7 3 2 ♣ 6 4 them down,’ I said mildly. Return any QPLUS ♠ l 4,000 preplayed hands CD and booklet with K J 5 4 ‘But you told me not for matchpoint pairs a cheque for £50 and ♥ 8 7 5 to take my winners.’ l Save match function receive wonderful ♦ K 9 3 He was defensive. ♣ l Closed room – button QPLUS 11. A K 5 ‘True,’ I replied, ‘Normally to view other table aces are for gobbling up kings or queens. You held System: 8mb RAM, CD-ROM, Windows XP, Vista, 7 or 8 West North East South both the ace and the queen Richard Peggy so, of course, you are not See Mail Order Form on page 7. 1NT going to lead the ace, Pass 3NT All Pass with the king presumably in declarer’s hand.’ South opened a weak no- Richard’s expression trump and North jumped relaxed, the anxiety to game, with 12 HCP and replaced once again a powerful five-card club by self-satisfaction. suit. Richard led the ♥6, ‘But,’ I went on, fixing declarer called for the ♥2 him with a gimlet stare, from dummy and I took the ‘this was different. How trick with the ♥Q. I led the many tricks did we have?’ ♥10 back and declarer won, ‘Four,’ he mumbled. for his first trick. Five obvious ‘And how many more clubs would make six tricks tricks did we need to and ♠A-K makes eight, but defeat the contract?’ declarer didn’t dare tackle ‘One, I suppose.’ diamonds, so for his extra ‘And could you have trick he decided to take the taken that one?’ spade finesse at trick three. A small shimmer of Real Leather Gifts Alas for declarer, Richard understanding began to Beautiful zipped case in burgundy red or deep blue held the ♠Q and was able to dawn on Richard’s face. containing two packs of cards and a set of our bridge design take his two remaining heart He still demurred, ballpoint pens. £39.00 tricks. We had made three ‘But you had told me…’ Set of 4 scorepad holders - two burgundy, two blue, made tricks in hearts and the ♠Q ‘Ah,’ I said, ‘But this was from top quality leather. £39.00 and Richard still held the ♦A. the ‘downing trick’. Always Special Offer for readers Unfortunately, he had learned take the downing trick if Buy the two for £68.00. his lessons too well. He was you have the chance.’ Save £10 not going to lead the ace, he ‘You shift the goalposts,’ www.bridge-tables.co.uk wanted to keep it to capture a he grumbled. Phone 01483 750611 high card from West’s hand. I could see that there was Instead, he played back a work to be done before he spade. South mopped his began to think bridge! ■

Page 36 BRIDGE January 2015 Sally’s Slam Clinic Two Recent Slams

This is the first article in a new series. In future months, I hope that readers will send me their favourite slam hands (whether bid or missed). Mr Bridge will provide a small prize each month for the winner. The hands should be bid using reasonably natural methods and display good judgement rather than good guessing. I would like the reader who submits the hand to give me a running commentary of the thought processes used in arriving at the final contract (which need not be successful, but does need to be a good contract).

ecause this is the first month, fantastic so I set trumps and three I am going to have to make do cue-bids followed. We do not play any Dealer South. N/S Game. with some of my own slams. ace-asking convention when a minor ♠ Q 10 4 BThe first comes from the World Mixed suit is agreed – because we find the ♥ A J 3 Pairs final in Sanya, China. Some of response is often too high – so I now ♦ A K J 10 4 2 you might have seen it in my online decided to bid an encouraging 4NT. ♣ 3 blog from that event. Then, if partner signed off, I would ♠ 9 3 2 ♠ K 6 5 bid 6♣, but, if he bid the slam himself, ♥ K 9 8 2 N ♥ 10 6 5 ♦ 9 W E ♦ 8 7 3 then I’d raise to the grand. So there we S Dealer North. E/W Game. were in the excellent grand. ♣ K J 8 5 4 ♣ Q 9 6 2 ♠ Void The trouble was that I was so excited ♠ A J 8 7 ♥ K Q 8 5 3 I forgot to play it carefully. After a ♥ Q 7 4 ♦ A J 7 4 diamond lead, I should win the ace ♦ Q 6 5 ♣ K 5 4 3 and play the king of clubs. Now I can ♣ A 10 7 ♠ A Q 9 6 ♠ K 10 5 4 2 ruff three spades in the dummy and ♥ 10 9 6 4 2 N ♥ J later discard the other one on dummy’s ♦ K 10 9 5 W E ♦ 8 6 3 2 queen of hearts. However, I started with North South S ♣ Void ♣ J 10 8 a low club to my queen, and then failed 1NT ♠ J 8 7 3 to find the red-suit squeeze needed to 2NT 3♣ ♥ A 7 recover and make my contract. 4♣ 4♦ ♦ Q The second slam comes from the 4♥ 4♠ ♣ A Q 9 7 6 2 third weekend of England’s Premier 4NT 5♣ League (see hand in next column). 6♦ My 1NT opening was weak and North South 2NT showed diamonds. 3♣ denied 1♥ 2♣ A-x-x/K-x-x or any four diamonds. 4♣ 3♠ 4♣ showed shortage and was a slam try. I am sure that all of you 4♦ 4♥ Well, I wasn’t going to stop out of slam out there have slam 4♠ 4NT now. I agreed diamonds, then there auctions that you are 6♣ 7♣ were two cue-bids and partner bid an proud of. So send them to encouraging 4NT. I bid 5♣ in case he [email protected] The first two bids are straightforward was thinking of a grand slam and he and I’ll publish the enough. Then North’s 3♠ was a splinter bid the slam. On a spade lead, when best few and choose bid, showing shortage in spades with a there was K-x-x on side and the heart a winner each month. fit for clubs. That made my hand look finesse was right, I made all 13 tricks.

BRIDGE January 2015 Page 37 Heather’s Private Bridge Lessons Transfers

ransfers apply over an opening following hand after partner opens comfortable ride. You can start with bid of 1NT or 2NT and also 1NT (12-14). a 2♦ transfer, which partner will when there is a natural overcall complete with 2♥ and now you can Tof 1NT or 2NT. A bid of either red rebid 3♦, showing a game forcing suit shows five or more cards in the ♠ 8 hand, at least, with five hearts and four suit above the one bid, thus 1NT-2♦ ♥ K 7 6 4 2 N or more diamonds. shows 5+ hearts and 1NT-2♥ shows ♦ A K Q 6 3 W E Note that partner, holding a fit for S 5+ spades. If you held just four of a ♣ A K both of your suits, is now able to raise major, you would develop your hand your diamonds, knowing that if you via the use of Stayman, as normal. were merely investigating the right The remainder of the article is going West North East South game, it is still possible to play in 4♥. to focus on the 1NT opening bid and 1NT Pass Knowing that you hold a nine-card assumes that you are playing a 12-14 ? diamond fit, prospects of slam look no-trump. good. Again, you will try Blackwood Whenever I ask the question, Playing traditional methods, you and, when partner shows one ace, you ‘What is the advantage of playing would bid 3♥, forcing, which partner can try six diamonds, knowing that if transfers?’ to a class, I invariably get would raise to four. What now? You partner is missing the queen of hearts, the answer, ‘So that the strong hand would probably try Blackwood and, there should be sufficient in the black plays the contract.’ There must be on hearing that partner has just one suits to come to twelve tricks. bridge teachers around the country ace, you would have to decide whether Consider the following hand: espousing this theory, but let me to gamble on six hearts or settle for assure you that this is not the main five. advantage of playing transfers. If you were playing Roman Keycard ♠ 8 6 5 When your partner has opened Blackwood, you would be able to ask ♥ K 7 6 4 2 N 1NT, the hand is described to within a for the queen of trumps, but if partner ♦ A 6 3 W E S narrow range, both in terms of points didn’t hold that card, you would ♣ A 4 and distribution. On the other hand, certainly settle for five hearts. This you may have a wide variety of hands was your partner’s hand: to describe as the responder and the This time, you have invitational values great thing about transfers is that, facing your partner’s 1NT. Again when partner is forced to respond, you ♠ K Q you can start with a 2♦ transfer, are given a second go to complete the N ♥ A 5 3 which partner will complete with picture of your hand. W E ♦ J 10 4 2 2♥. You finish off your description S You may have an invitational hand, ♣ Q J 8 3 of your hand by rebidding 2NT. This or a game-forcing hand looking for shows an invitational hand with the best game, or a slam-going hand exactly five hearts and allows partner looking for the best fit. Transfers allow As you can see, you are happy to four options: you to describe all of these hand types play in 6♦ or 6NT (even 6♣ is a fair Holding a minimum with just a for the simple reason that you have contract), but the one slam you must doubleton heart, he can pass. Note two chances instead of one. avoid is 6♥. that it is not possible to describe your Consider your approach on the Playing transfers, you have a hand and stop in 2NT if you are not

Page 38 BRIDGE January 2015 Transfers continued As you may have worked out, there is Many players break major suit no such thing as a free lunch. You are transfers in certain situations. no longer able to make a weak take-out Breaking the transfer means making into diamonds at the two level. Since a bid other than the next suit up, in playing transfers. Holding a minimum we have already traded this option in response to partner’s transfer bid, for with three or four hearts, he can cor- clubs in order to be able to use Stay- example 1NT-2♥-3♠. rect to 3♥. If he has a maximum, he can man, this is a small price to pay for the Breaking the transfer always shows choose between 3NT and 4♥ depend- advantages that transfers offer. 4-card support for partner and a ing on whether he has a fit for hearts. It is still possible to play in either suitable maximum hand. They can be If you were not playing transfers, minor with a weak hand, however, it useful to enable a game to be reached you would have to begin with now has to be at the three level (which on minimum values because of the Stayman, and bid 3♥ over your was always the case with clubs). The known good trump fit. partner’s response (assuming you do bid of 2♠ is currently redundant, since Consider the following hand: not get a 2♥ response). This shows an with five or more spades you would invitational hand, however partner respond 2♥ to 1NT. will not know if you hold five or six This can be used to show a weak ♠ K J 8 7 3 hearts, or if you have a second suit, hand with a long minor. This minor ♥ 7 4 2 N and hence the correct contract will be should be at least six cards in length ♦ A Q 9 4 W E S harder to determine. since partner may only hold two. With ♣ 5 Transfers can also assist with finding a weak hand and just five cards in a the right game holding both majors. minor, it is better to pass 1NT. Suppose you hold five spades and four In response to 2♠, partner can bid Facing your partner’s 1NT, you would hearts in a game-going hand? 2NT and now you will show which respond 2♥, preparing to pass the minor you hold by bidding it naturally, expected 2♠ response. However, if thus with the following hand the partner were to respond 3♠ showing ♠ A K 8 6 5 bidding sequence will be: four-card support and a maximum, ♥ K 7 6 4 N you would be tempted to have a go at ♦ A 6 W E West North East South 4♠. S ♣ 10 4 1NT Pass If your partner’s hand opposite 2♠ Pass 2NT Pass was, for example, the hand below, you 3♦ All Pass would be making eleven tricks. This would cause you a problem using traditional methods. You would like to begin with Stayman to ♠ 8 6 5 ♠ A Q 10 2 investigate a fit in either suit, but if ♥ K 7 N N ♥ 9 5 partner responds 2♦, your 3♠ rebid ♦ A 6 5 4 3 2 W E W E ♦ K J 2 S S would be only invitational, thus you ♣ A 4 ♣ A 9 4 3 would have to guess between 3NT and 4♠. Alternatively, you could make a forcing bid of 3♠ showing five or more in that suit, but now you would risk losing the four-four heart fit. This is the full structure of responses to 1NT: No such headaches exist for those using transfers. You can simply 2♣ Stayman respond 2♥ and then rebid 3♥ over ♠ partner’s 2 response. ♦ Note that a new suit following a 2 transfer to hearts transfer is forcing to game. Similarly if you held five hearts and four spades, 2♥ transfer to spades you would begin with 2♦ and rebid 2♠ over partner’s 2♥ response, as on this 2♠ weak take-out in a minor hand: 2NT invitational

♠ A K 8 6 3♣ / 3♦ / 3♥ / 3♠ natural slam try ♥ K 7 6 4 2 N ♦ A 6 W E S 3NT to play ♣ 10 4

BRIDGE January 2015 Page 39 MR BRIDGE CRUISES

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FOC92467_MrBridge_295x210_W.C.27.10.14_A4_November_Edition_FV.2.indd 1 04/11/2014 13:48 Answers to Julian Pottage’s Defence Quiz on page 21

West North East South You should begin by capturing the ♦Q 1. ♠ Q 8 3 Pass 1NT with the ♦A. You want the lead and do ♥ 10 9 5 2 Pass 2♣ Dbl 2♥ not want the ♦A to run away. You then ♦ A K J 8 5 Pass 2NT Pass 3NT switch to a trump; the eight seems best. ♣ K All Pass Your more important play is still to ♠ J 10 9 7 4 ♠ A 6 2 come. If declarer wins the trump in dum- ♥ J 7 6 4 N ♥ Void Partner leads the ♣10. What do you do? my and leads a heart (or wins in hand, W E ♦ ♦ 10 3 S 9 7 4 2 Since the ten would be a strange lead crosses to a club and leads a heart), you ♣ Q 10 ♣ 9 8 6 5 3 2 from 10-x-x, declarer’s queen must be may need to be ready. If you fly in with ♠ K 5 a stopper. One option is to win the first the ace to play a second trump, it is un- ♥ A K Q 8 3 trick and switch to a heart. If partner has likely that your side will make two more ♦ Q 6 the ace-queen-jack (or ace-king-jack), heart tricks. Instead, you need to duck ♣ A J 7 4 your side can make three heart tricks and the first heart. Partner may have the king two club tricks. or declarer the king-jack and misguess. A better bet is to play partner for an West North East South ace. On many layouts, declarer will not 1♦ Pass 1♥ have nine top tricks, in which case that Pass 2♥ Pass 4NT ace and four club tricks will suffice. To 4. ♠ Q J 10 4 2 Pass 5♦ Pass 6♥ take advantage you need to maintain ♥ K Q J 7 All Pass communications and so duck the first ♦ A Q 3 trick, playing the ♣8 to encourage. ♣ K Partner leads the ♠J and dummy plays ♠ A 9 8 3 ♠ K 7 5 N ♥ 6 ♥ 5 4 low. What do you play? W E In another context, you might duck ♦ 9 8 7 S ♦ K 6 4 2 to stop the ♠Q and ♠K from scoring on 3. ♠ Q 7 4 ♣ 10 9 8 4 2 ♣ Q 6 5 3 separate tricks. Here, you should see that ♥ 8 ♠ 6 your side has no second spade winner. ♦ K Q 7 4 ♥ A 10 9 8 3 2 One of dummy’s spades can go on the ♣ A K 8 3 2 ♦ J 10 5 ♣A or some of declarer’s can go on the ♠ 9 6 3 ♠ 8 5 ♣ A J 7 diamonds. Assuming South can count ♥ K 9 4 N ♥ A 10 7 5 aces, your only real chance of beating the ♦ J 10 9 6 3 W E ♦ A 8 S slam is to find partner with a trump trick. ♣ 10 6 ♣ Q J 7 5 4 West North East South Take the ♠A at trick one. If you do not take ♠ A K J 10 2 1♥ it, declarer’s second spade will disappear ♥ Q J 6 3 2 Pass 2NT1 Pass 3♠2 on the third round of diamonds. ♦ 5 2 Pass 4NT Pass 5♥3 ♣ 9 Pass 6♥ All Pass 1Strong with heart support 2Shortage 3Two aces 2. ♠ K Q 9 3 West North East South ♥ 10 5 1♠ Partner leads the ♣10. Dummy wins and ♦ K Q J 8 Pass 2♣ Pass 2♥ leads the ♠Q. What is your plan? ♣ 9 6 5 Pass 3♦ Pass 3♥ Although the usual rule is to refrain ♠ J 10 6 2 ♠ 7 5 Pass 3♠ Pass 4♠ from covering a touching honour, here ♥ Q 9 6 3 N ♥ 8 7 4 All Pass you should think rather than follow low W E ♦ A 4 2 ♦ 9 7 5 sheepishly. You know that partner holds S ♣ 10 4 ♣ A K J 8 3 Partner leads the ♦J and dummy covers. one ace. Given the bidding, this is most ♠ A 8 4 What is your plan? likely to be in spades. If so, you can ♥ A K J 2 The bidding has been revealing. You protect your king from a ruffing finesse ♦ 10 6 3 know that South has 5-5 in the majors. by playing it now. You can exit safely with ♣ Q 7 2 Surely, the opposing plan is to ruff hearts a trump (or a spade). In due course, you in dummy. make the setting trick with the ♦K. ■

BRIDGE January 2015 Page 41 Bridge Adventures by David Holden and Roy Rowe 20 October 1805 The Vice Admiral’s Medal

apitaine Louis La Coeur walked Louis nodded. He looked around the cuit.’ ‘Never mind the tactics,’ smiled past the sentry into the Great Great Cabin as he started to relax. This the Vice Admiral, ‘just go straight at Cabin, blinking at the light was a scene that he would describe to them, eh my friend?’ looking across Cwhich was flooding through the vast his children and grandchildren. On the table at Captain Hardy. rear windows, the dancing waves cast- the leather seating sat a dozen officers, Louis noticed that there was a small ing green and pink lights on the walls hatless, but with the confident bearing device for holding the Vice Admiral’s and ceiling from the setting sun. ‘Ah of a successful Navy, many with the cards and guessed that his personal do come in my dear Captain,’ said scars of battle, including three marine aide would be shuffling and arrang- Captain Hardy, taking his hand in a officers in their scarlet jackets with ing the cards. Perhaps some advan- slightly moist grip. ‘May I have tage could be gained by the loca- the honour to present the Vice tion by the non bridge player in Admiral? Capitaine La Coeur the holder, often the unguarded of the Navy of the Republic, sir.’ would arrange the best suit at The man turned from his the left with highest cards left gaze at the sea. He was smaller to right. Louis had won many than Louis had imagined, but francs in Paris by this deduction. had a bearing that spoke of His train of thought was dis- authority and sublime con- turbed by an unusual question. fidence, but with a sensitive ‘Which of these would you mouth despite the loss of one choose?’ asked the Vice Admi- arm and the sight in one eye. ral tapping his biscuit upon the ‘I trust that your quarters are baize and pointing at the two not too uncomfortable, Capi- wriggling worms. ‘Why that taine?’ he remarked in a calm looks the bigger and therefore voice, ‘but I regret that it will the healthier,’ said Louis. ‘No my be necessary for you to remain dear Sir,’ came the rejoinder, ‘You in our custody until after to- must always choose the lesser of morrow’s engagement with the the two weevils.’ Emperor’s Fleet off Cape Tra- A roar of laughter greeted this falgar and of course we could witticism. not invite you to table, as we ‘Are you married?’ asked the had to discuss the proposed Vice Admiral Horatio Nelson Vice Admiral with a percipience deployment of our own ships. that made him think that the However,’ he added crisply, ‘I great man could read his mind. hope that you have eaten?’ Louis nod- white suited servants, one for each ‘No my Lord,’ he replied, still smarting ded, the memory of the sea pie still man in the room. that he had been made to look foolish lying heavily in his stomach. Really, The men gathered round a small by a worm, ‘only to the Service.’ There he thought, it cannot be the way the green baize-covered table, rather was a shocked silence as those in the English cook that enables them to win Louis thought like that picture of Cabin realised that this could be an battles, although to be fair the Bor- the Hospital Operation by the Dutch allusion to the man’s association with deaux had been a fine wine and of a master. ‘May I introduce Captain Lady Hamilton, but when the Vice noble vintage. Charles Adair of His Majesty’s Royal Admiral smiled and said, ‘Let us cut ‘Your reputation goes before you,’ Marines?’ said Hardy as the four men the cards - we have a doughty oppo- the Vice Admiral continued, ‘We un- sat down. ‘He has drawn the card to nent here,’ the onlookers relaxed and derstand that you are the finest bridge partner you so if you wish to discuss many breaths were exhaled softly. player in all Paris and Captain Hardy tactics please take a minute while the The first two hands were uneventful has invited you to join our modest ta- servant brings more wine, some pick- – a routine 3NT made with the elegant ble for a rubber or two, if you consent?’ les and a selection of our ship’s bis- precision one would expect from the

Page 42 BRIDGE January 2015 Adventures continued

French maestro, then a straightfor- ward 4♠ by Hardy. And so, at game all, as darkness enveloped the ship, the following hand occurred.

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

♥ J 3 N ♥ K 2 ♦ A Q 7 W E ♦ K J 10 9 ♣ K 7 S ♣ J 10 9 HMS Victory ♠ K ♥ 4 ♦ 8 5 4 3 2 Hardy made a successful contract in would accept this token of my esteem. ♣ 8 6 5 4 3 2 3NT and completed the rubber. Louis I have been very impressed by the raised his glass and his wine shone kindness and courtesy of your officers ruby red in the light of the newly and the free access to the – I think you trimmed lamps in the Great Cabin. ‘I say quarter deck – during my parole.’ West North East South drink to His Majesty’s Navy,’ he cried, He held up his hand to stifle any polite La Coeur Hardy Adair Nelson ‘I had no idea that you were such bril- refusal from Lord Nelson. ‘Believe me, 4♥ Dbl1 Pass liant players of this noble game.’ sir this evening will live long in my 4♠ All Pass 1Take-out memory and I have high hopes of re- peating my success at this year’s gath- Hardy lead the ♥A and continued with ering in Paris.’ the ♥5, covered by the ♥K and ruffed Vice Admiral Nelson received the by the Vice Admiral with his singleton medal and looked at it intently. ‘My ♠K. A club continuation defeated the dear Louis,’ he said and there was a contract by one trick. The playing of respectful silence from the assembly. the major-suit kings on the same trick ‘You do me a great honour and I not was unusual. only accept this as your precious gift, ‘Hard luck, sir. I think we might have but I will wear it later today – it is pass- made 4♥ though, so your judgement ing midnight - when we meet your was excellent.’ remarked Captain Har- countrymen at sea. We can set you dy to Louis. He whispered across the ashore with the others after the battle. table to the Vice Admiral, ‘When kings Captain Thomas Hardy By the way Louis, did you notice that meet, my Lord, one has to lose!’ This my aide did not always arrange my was a reference to The French pretend- cards in the holder in the same man- er’s difficulties with mad King George He reached into a waistcoat pocket ner for each hand?’ at the English Court and the Vice Ad- and drew out a green leather pouch, Mark this, gentlemen,’ he contin- miral smiled in return. Maybe his Cap- from which he produced a gold med- ued, ‘while there are men in France tain was more subtle than he thought. al about one and a half inches round to resume after the Emperor, of this He made a mental note of the phrase. with a gold pin on the reverse. calibre, we know that we are fighting Nelson said, ‘Kings meet, Hardy! Very ‘This is my bridge medal from the for the common good. Meanwhile, I apropos, I will remember that!’ Grand Prix de Versailles year of 1804, too give you a toast. Please refill your The evening came to a successful dear Admiral,’ he exclaimed. ‘It would glasses. To our wives and sweethearts high for the English Navy, as Captain do me the greatest honour if you – may they never meet!’ ■

Footnote: Vice Admiral Horatio Nelson and Captain Charles Adair were both killed in the action the following day at Trafalgar. There has always been some doubt if Nelson’s dying words were, ‘Kiss me, Hardy,’ or ‘Kismet Hardy.’ It may well have been, ‘Kings meet, Hardy,’ replaying the hands of the previous evening in his delirium.

BRIDGE January 2015 Page 43 A Few Days with Sally Brock

where either someone was squeezed in North’s 2♦ was a Multi and 2NT a The Mixed Pairs spades and diamonds, or someone held strong relay. When North showed a a singleton diamond honour. Is that a minimum with hearts, South leapt to Grinds to a Finish better line than what works? Draw two 6♥ to protect her king of spades. Where rounds of trumps, take a heart finesse, North opened a weak two in hearts, Last month, I left you in the middle of cash all my hearts throwing diamonds South bid 6♦ to protect the king of the Mixed Pairs in Sanya. The semi- from dummy and then ruff a diamond spades. Sometimes East doubled this final passed off peacefully. We had in dummy. All I know is that I didn’t and West found the killing lead, but rather a poor start but recovered to find the winning line. at our table there was no killing lead. finish in 20th position or thereabouts. Should Nicola (West) have bid at the The final started terribly but we re- six level? Norwegian super-star Geir covered somewhat. After 20 boards Dealer South. E/W Game. Helgemo was in the same situation and we were on 43%, but six boards later ♠ A 4 3 2 found the winning 6♠ bid, but did he had improved to 53% – they were six ♥ Q 6 deserve quite such a suitable dummy? pretty exceptional boards. After that, ♦ K 9 6 4 we had our moments but never really ♣ 7 5 4 put enough good boards together and ♠ K 10 9 8 7 6 ♠ Q J 5 Dealer North. Game All. ♥ 9 3 2 N ♥ J 7 5 4 ♠ 4 we finished 18th. W E ♦ 7 2 S ♦ Q J 5 ♥ K J 9 8 6 2 ♣ 10 8 ♣ 9 3 2 ♦ 4 3 Moving on to the ♠ Void ♣ J 10 8 2 ♥ A K 10 8 ♠ A Q 8 7 6 ♠ J 10 9 2 Women’s Teams ♦ A 10 8 3 ♥ 10 7 5 4 N ♥ Void W E ♣ A K Q J 6 ♦ Void S ♦ 10 8 7 6 The format of the women’s teams was a ♣ A Q 9 7 ♣ K 6 5 4 3 complete round robin over three days: ♠ K 5 3 a total of 25 seven-board matches. We ♥ A Q 3 had good moments and bad moments: The Quarter-Final ♦ A K Q J 9 5 2 moments when we looked as if we ♣ Void were coasting it and moments when it Today, we had a 56-board quarter-fi- looked as if we had no chance. In the nal match against a Chinese team with end, we finished eighth, the last quali- a really long unpronounceable name We were 20 odd down after the first set fying spot. (known as ‘PUSHI’ for short). The and a few more in the second, so at half- In my new article ‘Sally’s Slam of match started disastrously; this was a time we were losing by 28. However, a the Month’ I have reported on a grand hugely expensive deal from the first set near-perfect third set saw us gain 54 slam in clubs that we bid in the Mixed (hand in next column). I am not quite IMPs. And we gained another few in Pairs. This is its best friend (hand in sure how the bidding went in the other the end to guarantee a bronze medal. next column). room (didn’t dare ask), but team-mates Tomorrow, we have a tough semi-final After a long complicated auction defended 5♠ doubled, which made. In against the US Moss team. where I thought Nicola had a much our room the bidding was: more suitable hand than she actually had, I was declarer in 7♣. I got a spade West North East South Ups and Downs lead, ruffed a couple of spades in hand 2♦ Pass 2NT and a heart in the dummy and played Pass 3♣ Pass 6♥ Nicola and I sat out the first set, after all my trumps, hoping for an ending All Pass which we were 47 IMPs up. Wow!

Page 44 BRIDGE January 2015 A Few Days continued 20 did not go well and we dropped unpaid at the moment, but she is hop- down to fifth. ing there might be a paid job on offer The second day of the event was ter- before too long. Back to the gym too. rible. The first 30 boards hadn’t been Our team-mates had surpassed them- great, but we had been above average selves. So we were happy that they con- and maintained our position. The last London tinue. Unfortunately, that did not go so 14 boards were awful. We sat against well and they lost most of the lead. the cards and they did everything right Super League It was our turn now and we had a against us. We scored just over 31%. pretty good card. Not that we did any- I think if we had been card perfect, On Wednesday, I went into London thing particularly spectacular, but we we might have raised this to 40%. We for a London Super League match. The didn’t do much wrong and they did. dropped like a stone and finished 10th. cold Nicola had in Sanya turned into We avoided a poor slam, bid in the The closing ceremony was fun. The a chest infection needing antibiotics, other room and, for the second time Chinese do this much better than Eu- so she dropped out and I played the in two days, an opponent thought that ropeans. In Europe, you go into an au- match with Heather. after opening 1♦, with a 3-3-6-1 shape, ditorium and listen to a lot of speeches The traffic was bad and I arrived a and hearing a response of one of a ma- and maybe watch people getting med- bit late. Barely settled into my seat, I jor, it was a good idea to jump to 3♣ als (it’s pretty boring if you have a med- picked up the South hand below: on her singleton. Her partner raised to al to collect, but if not . . .). Then, all 5♣. Not what she was hoping for. She too often, you have to sit through some bid 5♦ and played there going three sort of performance. Eventually, you Dealer South. E/W Game. down, when her side was cold for 3NT. are allowed out and can get a drink and ♠ 10 7 I know a lot of people don’t like bidding perhaps the odd cocktail nibble. Here, ♥ K 10 4 3 3-card majors, but it is safe in this situa- everyone arrives early so it starts on ♦ 5 3 tion. If you bid 2♥ over 1♠ and partner time. There were round tables for 10 or ♣ A 10 9 4 2 raises, you know that he/she has five so and the champagne is already flow- ♠ 2 ♠ 3 ♥ A 8 7 5 N ♥ J 9 6 2 spades (otherwise he/she would have ing. You sit at your table, drinking, eat- W E responded 1♥ to start with) so you can ing, and talking to your friends, while ♦ A K J 10 8 S ♦ 9 7 6 4 convert back to spades. a whole lot of stuff is happening on the ♣ 6 5 3 ♣ K J 8 7 stage. Much more fun. ♠ A K Q J 9 8 6 5 4 ♥ Q We’re in the ♦ Q 2 The Journey ♣ Q Final Now Home Well, we did it. They had a great first I like to open these hand-types at a set without us, so carried on for the The flight home was fairly painless. I high level and thought I was OK to second, where they lost a little. At half was impressed by the amount of leg- open 4♠ (though obviously very good time, we were 30 or so up. With gains in room on the China Southern/KLM for such an action) and would bid 5♠ if the final two sets, we won comfortably. flight. It did take 24 hours door to the opponents came in. West doubled After the bridge there was a medal door though. and East bid 4NT. There I was with 5♠ ceremony where we were given med- After unpacking, showering and and West’s double closed the auction. als, replica trophies, a lovely bouquet sorting through my mail and such- Of course, they can’t make anything. of orchids and a rather strange box like, we went to meet Ben, Gemma and West led the ace and king of diamonds of bridge pins. Bridge is big in Chi- Hayden, who, as it was half-term, were and switched to a low club. This na and a lot of the time we were on at a children’s farm near us. We spent seemed a very strange play to me. If mainstream TV. After some glasses an enjoyable couple of hours nattering he held the ace of hearts, why wouldn’t of champagne, we went to dinner at and watching Hayden win a colour- he cash it? If he didn’t have the king the outdoor seafood restaurant in the ing competition, construct a dam in of clubs, how did he know I didn’t? So, MGM Grand Hotel (the most over- the sandpit and hollow out a pumpkin like a mug, I took my chance at mak- the-top lavish hotel I have seen). into a lantern for Hallowe’en. ing my contract and played low on the club and went two down. The problem with opening my hand The Women’s Life Goes On 4♠ is that these days you never shut everyone up and then you have to pairs Begins Briony has held up well in my absence. guess on the next round. Barry, who She is now working two days a week also had a match and was playing the We started the pairs well. After 20 on the fund-raising team of a chil- same hands, opened 1♠. West doubled boards, we were leading, but the next dren’s hospice charity in Oxford. It is but no-one bid anything terribly

BRIDGE January 2015 Page 45 A Few Days continued West kicked off with a top heart, which Commons won last year, they lagged I ruffed. I played the king of spades, 18 to 21 overall so they wanted to win. won with the ace and West played an- I settled myself behind Baroness other heart. There are various ways Billingham (South), one of the nicest exciting so when he bid 4♠, he was to succeed, but the line I chose was members of the House of Lords team. left there untroubled. A much wiser to lay down the queen of spades and This was an interesting deal: course than mine. then play a diamond to the ten. When At the weekend, Briony went up to that held, I could ruff a diamond in the Bradford to visit Toby, while Barry dummy and lost just two trump tricks Dealer East. Game All. and I had a quiet weekend at home do- and a club. ♠ A 5 ing absolutely nothing. In the other room, the bidding was: ♥ K J 8 ♦ J 7 5 West North East South ♣ A K Q 5 3 A Better Result 1♠ ♠ K 8 6 2 ♠ Q J 10 9 3 2♥ 2♠ Pass 4♠ ♥ 10 9 6 5 N ♥ A 2 W E I spent Monday with Briony. Then in All Pass ♦ 9 6 4 3 S ♦ 10 8 2 the evening, Barry and I had dinner ♣ 2 ♣ J 9 6 with my old bridge partner Steve and Here, with fewer clues to the ♠ 7 4 his girlfriend Sophie. They live half of distribution, Simon tried to ruff two ♥ Q 7 4 3 their life in London and the other half diamonds in the dummy. He ruffed the ♦ A K Q in the US so it can be hard to catch up lead and played ace, king and another ♣ 10 8 7 4 with them. diamond, ruffed with dummy’s four I spent Tuesday writing on my laptop and overruffed with the seven. East at Barry’s and in the evening we had played another heart but declarer now Her partner, Lord Harrison, opened a rearranged London Super League had to lose another overruff to go with 1♣ fourth in hand and East overcalled match. I played with Nicola who is the ace of spades and a club. 1♠. With no negative double available, recovering from her chest infection, I can’t really see anything wrong with she bid 2♥, West raised imaginatively with Heather and Binkie in the other this line of play, other than that it didn’t to 3♠ and North bid 4♥. A spade lead room. We won comfortably and there work. would have been more testing, but were several interesting boards. Nicola chose not to raise spades im- West chose his singleton club and there It is strange how the decision of mediately because she had good de- was not much for declarer to do other whether or not to make an innocuous fence to hearts and did not want to than knock out the ace of trumps, little bid can often have an unexpected encourage me to bid four spades over draw one more trump and rattle off effect. four hearts. When she didn’t raise, it winners. It didn’t matter whether East This was Board 1 of the match: was more tempting for East to raise gave West a club ruff or not. to take our space away. The final dou- In the excellent booklet of hands ble then suggested some diamond devised by Paul Bowyer, the hand was Dealer South. Love All. strength, hence my choice of play. put in to see whether declarers in 3NT ♠ 8 4 3 were observant enough to spot and ♥ 10 7 5 4 2 deal with the potential club blockage. ♦ A 10 A Parliamentary In 3NT, if you win the first or second ♣ 9 7 2 spade and start on the clubs, you have ♠ A ♠ J 7 2 Affair to remember to unblock the seven, ♥ A K Q J 8 N ♥ 9 6 3 W E eight and ten of clubs under the top ♦ Q 8 7 3 S ♦ 9 2 The next day, I met Briony in West- honours, otherwise you cannot get at ♣ J 10 6 ♣ K Q 5 4 3 field for lunch. We went to Tossed, all your tricks. ♠ K Q 10 9 6 5 where you can get tailor-made salads The final result was a win by 4,000 to ♥ Void – healthy and delicious. And we did the Commons. Then it was a trek across ♦ K J 6 5 4 some Christmas shopping. Then she London by rush hour tube, followed ♣ A 8 dashed off to meet a friend while I by a drive out to High Wycombe – all went to the House of Lords for the an- very time-consuming. As soon as I got nual parliamentary match. home, I had a coaching session online At my table, the bidding was: I arrived at the right entrance, at the with my Irish women. right time and was escorted first to By the way, our ProBridge website West North East South the dining room for tea: crustless cu- (www.pro-bridge.co.uk) is starting to 1♠ cumber sandwiches, scones with jam get a lot of enquiries from potential 2♥ Pass 3♥ 4♦ and cream and delicious cakes. At the clients. It has taken a while to pick up 4♥ 4♠ Pass Pass start of the second half, the Commons but now seems to be going strong, so Dbl All Pass had a lead of over 1,000. Although the do pay it a visit. ■

Page 46 BRIDGE January 2015 Answers to David Huggett’s Play Quiz on page 17

You are declarer in 3NT and West leads would have broken 4-3, when all you are 1. ♠ 7 5 the ♣7. How do you plan the play? losing are two hearts and a trick in each ♥ 9 8 2 It looks a messy sort of hand at first minor. ♦ K 3 2 sight, but maybe that lead has done you ♣ K Q 7 5 4 no harm. If it is indeed fourth highest – ♠ J 9 8 3 2 ♠ Q 10 6 4 and why wouldn’t it be? – then the Rule ♥ K Q 10 N ♥ J 6 3 of Eleven tells you that East has no club 4. ♠ A 10 7 3 2 W E ♦ ♦ ♥ 9 8 4 S 7 5 higher than the seven, in which case you K 8 4 3 ♣ 10 3 ♣ J 9 8 6 should let the opening lead run round to ♦ 10 ♠ A K the eight. ♣ 8 5 4 ♥ A 7 5 4 Two subsequent club finesses will give ♠ 6 ♠ K 4 ♦ A Q J 10 6 you four club tricks, which, together with ♥ J 9 7 6 N ♥ Q 10 5 2 W E ♣ A 2 your five outside winners, will give you ♦ 9 6 3 2 S ♦ A 8 7 4 enough tricks for the contract and hearts ♣ K Q J 9 ♣ 10 7 3 will offer an overtrick or two. ♠ Q J 9 8 5 You are declarer in 6♦ and West leads ♥ A the ♥K. How do you plan the play? ♦ K Q J 5 You have eleven tricks on top and the ♣ A 6 2 twelfth will surely come from the club suit, 3. ♠ 9 7 although that suit may well break 4-2. ♥ 6 5 4 2 Win the lead and play two top ♦ K Q 2 You are declarer in 4♠ and West leads diamonds from hand. If everyone ♣ A 10 8 3 the ♣K. How do you plan the play? follows, play the ace of clubs, a club to ♠ Q 3 ♠ J 10 8 6 4 That club lead has hit your weak spot the king and ruff a club high. ♥ Q 10 8 7 3 N ♥ J 9 and, if you are not careful, you might lose W E ♦ ♦ Now, you can enter dummy with the A 8 4 S 7 6 3 a trump, a diamond and two clubs. You king of diamonds and the two remaining ♣ 7 6 5 ♣ K 4 2 can discard a club loser from hand on the clubs will furnish two discards for the ♠ A K 5 2 king of hearts once you have unblocked hearts. ♥ A K the ace. So do just that and then play a If trumps had broken 4-1, then you ♦ J 10 9 5 trump to the ace, spurning the finesse so would have needed the clubs to break ♣ Q J 9 that you can get that vital discard. 3-3. You might lose a trump trick even if the finesse was right, but you have You are declarer in 3NT and West leads guaranteed your contract. ■ the ♥7. How do you plan the play? 2. ♠ K 7 3 If the club finesse works, then it will ♥ J 10 5 be a simple matter to knock out the ace Mr Bridge Premium Quality Cards ♦ K 8 4 of diamonds later and come to more ♣ A Q 10 3 than enough tricks. But what if it loses? Standard Faces, ♠ ♠ J 5 Q 10 9 8 2 Presumably, East will return a heart with or without ♥ A Q 6 N ♥ 9 8 7 and you will be in trouble if West has bar codes. W E ♦ 7 3 2 ♦ J 10 9 5 the diamond ace and enough hearts Unboxed. S ♣ K J 9 7 6 ♣ 4 remaining to beat you. 6 red/6 blue £19.95 30 red/30 blue ♠ A 6 4 Now try playing on diamonds first. only £60 ♥ K 4 3 2 Whoever wins will play a heart, but now, ♦ A Q 6 when you take the club finesse, you will Available from The London Bridge Centre. ♣ 8 5 2 survive even if it is wrong, because either ( 020 7288 1305 www.bridgeshop.com East will have no hearts left or the suit

BRIDGE January 2015 Page 47 1910 MR Bridge Voy to SA ad_Layout 1 01/12/2014 17:02 Page 1

Sail with Bernard Magee and friends on a magnificent voyage

S PA I N Tangier Malaga Casablanca Las Palmas Marrakesh Agadir canary MOROCCO islands Dakhla Western Sahara desert Praia Cape Verde Bom Bom Islands Sao Tome Sao Tome & Principe Luanda Angola Atlantic Walvis Bay Ocean Luderitz Namibia South Africa Cape Town CRUISE FROM MALAGA TO CAPE TOWN NOV 19 Fly to MALAGA Spain Embark Aegean Odyssey NOV 20 TANGIER Morocco NOV 21 CASABLANCA/RABAT/ MARRAKESH Morocco Morning sightseeing in Casablanca and Rabat. Afternoon drive to Marrakesh hotel NOV 22 MARRAKESH/AGADIR Morocco Sightseeing. Drive to Agadir to rejoin ship NOV 23 At Sea NOV 24 LAS PALMAS Canary Islands NOV 25 At Sea NOV 26 AD DAKHLA Western Sahara Desert LOW NOV 27/28 At Sea SINGLE NOV 29 PRAIA Cape Verde Islands NOV 30-DEC 5 At Sea JOIN THIS 4-WEEK † SUPPLEMENTS DEC 6 SAO TOME DEC 7 BOM BOM ISLAND Principe ODYSSEY TO DEC 8/9 At Sea – Crossing the Equator DEC 10 LUANDA Angola DEC 11/12 At Sea THE CAPE OF DEC 13 WALVIS BAY Namibia DEC 14 LUDERITZ Namibia DEC 15 At Sea GOOD HOPE DEC 16-18 CAPE TOWN South Africa overnight DEC 19 CAPE TOWN South Africa 31 days departing November 19, 2015 Transfer to Airport for flight home AEG151119BR

If you have a passion for travel as well as your passion for fares* from £3,995pp include: bridge, then join Bernard Magee on this remarkable month- • Scheduled economy class flights with free regional connections from selected UK airports long Mr Bridge cruise. From the souks of Morocco and the • Expert guest speaker programme Western Sahara Desert to the Skeleton Coast of Namibia and • Daily duplicate bridge the summer sunshine in Cape Town, this will be an experience • Bridge seminars when at sea like no other. Excursions and sightseeing are included in your • Sightseeing excursions at most ports of call • Open-seating dining fare, as well as the comprehensive bridge programme. • Mr Bridge drinks party • Complimentary wine with dinner on board • Gratuities for on-board cabin and restaurant staff • Overseas transfers and baggage handling

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10093 TO VOYAGES ANTIQUITY ABTA No.Y2206