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Number: 168 UK £3.95 Europe €5.00 December 2016 Bernard Magee’s Bidding Quiz This month we are dealing with the fifth bid of an auction. You are West in the auctions below, BRIDGEplaying ‘Standard Acol’ with a weak no- (12-14 points) and four-card majors.

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

West North East South West North East South West North East South West North East South 1♥ Pass 1♠ Pass 1♥ Pass 1♠ Pass 1♥ Pass 1♠ Pass 1♣ Pass 1♥ Pass 1NT1 Pass 2NT Pass 2♣ Pass 2♠ Pass 2♣ Pass 2♦1 Pass 2♣ Pass 2♦ Pass ? 115-17 balanced ? ? 1Fourth suit forcing ?

2. Dealer West. Love All. 5. Dealer West. Love All. 8. Dealer West. Love All. 11. Dealer West. Love All. ♠ K Q 3 ♠ 9 ♠ 2 ♠ 3 N ♥ A K 6 5 4 N ♥ K Q 6 5 4 N ♥ A K 8 7 2 ♥ Q 2 N W E ♦ W E ♦ W E ♦ ♦ W E K Q 3 A 4 2 J 4 S A K 8 7 6 ♣ 6 2 S ♣ K Q 5 4 S ♣ Q J 9 4 2 ♣ A K 8 4 2 S

West North East South West North East South West North East South West North East South 1♥ Pass 1NT Pass 1♥ Pass 1♠ Pass 1♥ Pass 1♠ Pass 1♦ Pass 1♥ Pass 2NT Pass 3♣ Pass 2♣ Pass 2♥ Pass 2♣ Pass 2♦1 Pass 2♣ Pass 2♦ Pass ? ? ? 1Fourth suit forcing ?

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

West North East South West North East South West North East South West North East South 1♣ Pass 1♥ Pass 1♥ Pass 2♣ Pass 1♥ Pass 1♠ Pass 1♣ Pass 1♥ Pass 1♠ Pass 2NT Pass 2♦ Pass 2♥ Pass 2♣ Pass 2♦1 Pass 1♠ Pass 3♣ Pass ? ? ? 1Fourth suit forcing ?

Answers on page 41 Answers on page 43 Answers on page 45 Answers on page 47 2172 Mr Bridge FULL page 171018BR_Layout 1 03/09/2016 23:59 Page 1

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Mr Bridge fares are per person and subject to availability at time of booking. They may be 10093 withdrawn at any time without notice. Please see website for full terms and conditions. †Single accommodation is available only in certain categories and is subject to availability. ABTA No.Y2206 MRS BRIDGE RIP from South Africa across the Indian Ocean to Sri

Lanka and the following QPLUS 12 month from Mumbai to find ourselves Jordan before flying home. We also Really user-friendly fitted in two Greek Island bridge-playing cruises, one in the spring software and one in the autumn. It was only the offer of a DIARIES FEATURES INCLUDE cancellation bed for her recent operation that l Help button – explains the features for bidding stopped her from travelling and card play advice There is no possible way I on the current Minerva can sit down and write my cruise. You will gather from l Displays on HD Now usual monthly editorial and my previous writings in advertorial notes without and Ready this column that I am a large first reporting my sad news. somewhat reluctant screens traveller but I will go Still some 2017 Bridge Believe me I have tried, but l Comprehensive a long way for a quiet life. Players’ Diaries in stock. as you know, it has been my manual Luxury covers in navy blue policy to talk to you as if There was no way she was or ruby red. £14.95 each. l Feed in your you were sitting here with going to miss out on the own deals me in my office. river cruise and you can see WANT STAMPS? l option A few days after returning from the dates that the l 5,000 preplayed hands home from hospital, she timings would have been for teams died yesterday more or less tight. Had I objected, she in my arms. would mutter that clever l 4,000 preplayed hands management would find a for matchpoint pairs As the travel side of the way. So I would go with the l Save match function business has developed, so flow. This may not sound her involvement became very much like the real me l Closed room – button to view other table more apparent and her but we were very much one. sudden death has come as If you need some for a great shock to us all. posting your Christmas COMING SOON cards, you should make Part of the price of writing use of Clive Goff’s to everyone in an open £99 wonderful discounted including and friendly way, without stamp service. See his p&p being economical with the advertisement on page 4. truth on all the bridgey ( 0208 422 4906 or email politics is to tell it [email protected] how I see it. TRADE-IN You will see from the ONCE AGAIN OFFER adverts inside the magazine, In addition to the new as well as on the back page, To all my lovely staff, teams Send in ANY columns announced last for cruises to celebrate of helpers, writers, proof- bridge software, month, Ask Jeremy about my forthcoming 30th readers and contributors; together with a the EBU, Ask Bernard Mr Bridge Anniversary, indeed to everyone cheque for £50 about his columns, DVDs that she expected to play a involved in the growing and receive and tutorial CDs and Ask prominent part in these success of BRIDGE and Leanora Adds about our QPlus 12. celebrations. Indeed, only especially you, without Travel Service, we have a a few hours ago we were whom it could not be new series by Heather positively talking about published. Thank you. Dhondy (see above) called Mr Bridge fitting in the river cruise Wishing you all I wish for Bridge Movies and A ( 01483 489961 advertised in this month’s myself this Christmas and History of Playing Cards by www.mrbridge.co.uk centrefold and happily I throughout the coming Paul Bostock (see below), have been able to make the year. Love, peace and System: 8mb RAM, CD-ROM, Court Assistant in the necessary corrections. blessings. Windows XP, Vista, 7, 8 or 10 Worshipful Company of Earlier this year we sailed Makers of Playing Cards. Mr Bridge

BRIDGE December 2016 Page 3 Features this month include: ADVERTISERS’ 1 Bidding Quiz by Bernard Magee INDEX

BRIDGE 3 Mr Bridge 2 Ancient Greece, Sicily & Spain with Ryden Grange, Knaphill, 5 Another Flat Board by John Barr Surrey GU21 2TH Voyages to Antiquity ( 01483 489961 6 In My Opinion by Andrew Kambites 3 QPlus 12 [email protected] 8 Catching Up with 4 Clive Goff’s Stamps www.mrbridge.co.uk 6 Used Stamps 9 Part 2 by Jeremy Dhondy for Little Voice shop: www.mrbridge.co.uk/ 12 David Stevenson Answers Your Questions mrbridge-shop 7 Mr Bridge Festive Season 2016 Publisher and 15 Defence Quiz by 10 Mr Bridge Bridge Events Managing Editor 16 Seven Days by Sally Brock Mr Bridge 11 Denham Filming 2017 19 More Tips by Bernard Magee Associate Editor and 15 Bernard Magee’s Tutorial Software Bridge Consultant 19 Declarer Play Quiz by David Huggett Bernard Magee 17 Winter bernardmagee 20 Sally’s Slam of the Month with Fred.Olsen @mrbridge.co.uk 21 Declarer Play Answers by David Huggett 18 2017 Cruises on Magellan Cartoons & Illustrations 22 Further into the Auction by Bernard Magee Marguerite Lihou 20 Croatia with Mr Bridge www.margueritelihou.co.uk 24 Listen to the Bidding by Michael Byrne 21 Mr Bridge Playing Cards Technical Consultant 26 Wendy Wensum’s Diaries 22 Bernard Magee DVDs Tony Gordon Sets 1-3 27 Defence Quiz Answers by Julian Pottage Typesetting & Design 23 Bernard Magee DVDs Ruth Edmondson 28 Teachers’ Corner by Ian Dalziel Sets 4-6 [email protected] 30 The Sheriff’s Perfect Partner by 29 Club Insurance Proof Readers 29 Travel Insurance Julian Pottage 32 Julian Pottage Answers Your Questions 39 Designs for Bridge Mike Orriel 36 Not Just a Pretty Face by Shireen Mohandes Tables Catrina Shackleton Richard Wheen 38 Are You on the Same Side as Partner? 40 Cities & Waterways of by Andrew Kambites Europe with Fred.Olsen Customer Services 41 Renaissance Catrina Shackleton 40 Readers’ Letters & Rivieras with [email protected] Voyages to Antiquity 41 Bidding Quiz Answers (1-3) by Bernard Magee Events & Cruises 42 Better ( 01483 489961 43 Bidding Quiz Answers (4-6) by Bernard Magee 43 Madeira, Morocco Jessica Galt 45 Bidding Quiz Answers (7-9) by Bernard Magee & Seville with [email protected] Voyages to Antiquity Megan Riccio 47 Bidding Quiz Answers (10-12) by Bernard Magee [email protected] 45 Acol Bidding with Bernard Magee Sophie Pierrepont 48 Why is the UK Almost Alone in Playing Weak and [email protected] Four-Card Majors? by Julian Pottage 47 Declarer Play with Bernard Magee Clubs & Charities 50 Moments of Madness Update by Shireen Mohandes Maggie Axtell 48 Designs for Bridge Table Covers [email protected] REDUCE THE COST OF YOUR POSTAGE 49 Defence Address Changes with Bernard Magee ( 01483 485342 Postage stamps for sale at 85% of face-value, 50 Charity Events Elizabeth Bryan all mint with full gum. Quotations for [email protected] commercial quantities available on request. 51 Italian & Adriatic Values supplied in 100s, higher values Highlights with Printed in the UK by available as well as 1st and 2nd class Voyages to Antiquity The Magazine (eg 2nd class: 100x38p+100x16p). 52 Seville, Morocco Printing Company & Canary Islands with www.magprint.co.uk ( 020 8422 4906 e-mail: [email protected] Voyages to Antiquity

Page 4 BRIDGE December 2016 Letters from Overseas Another Flat Board by John Barr

e recently had our patio ex- the was a heart to the ace. the final contract, I placed West with tended and were surprised At the other table, East wanted to keep ♠K-Q-x, to go with his three hearts, at the number and variety his diamond ace to kill the queen, so two diamonds and five clubs. Wof machines that In order to strip appeared in our him of safe exit garden. Between cards, I ruffed them the tools my two winning could dig, move hearts in dummy and measure the and ruffed two earth and ballast further clubs in in our garden, my hand, coming but the most im- to the end posi- portant tool was tion below. the machine used I now played to flatten the base the ♦K and West before the patio was left without is laid. Indeed, resource. the machine that If he ruffed worked the hard- small I would est, and made over , and if most noise, was he ruffed high the flattening ma- he would be end chine. played – having I recently had to to lead away from work hard to flat- his second spade ten a wild board honour into my in a teams match. tenace.

continued hearts at trick two, which ♠ J 7 4 3 was not a success, as dummy’s two ♠ J 7 ♥ 3 diamonds were quickly discarded and ♥ — ♦ Q 5 declarer lost only one heart and two ♦ — ♣ A K 10 7 6 3 spade tricks to score 790. ♣ 10 ♠ K Q 2 ♠ 8 Against me, East cashed the ♠ K Q 2 ♥ 9 5 2 N ♥ A J 10 8 7 4 diamond ace, and continued the suit ♥ — N ♦ 10 3 W E ♦ A J 9 4 as West had played the ten without ♦ — W E immaterial S S ♣ Q J 9 5 2 ♣ 8 4 giving it too much thought. Had East ♣ — ♠ A 10 9 6 5 played a trump at trick three, the ♠ A 10 ♥ K Q 6 contract would have been doomed. ♥ — ♦ K 8 7 6 2 I won the diamond trick in dummy, ♦ K ♣ Void cashed the top clubs and ruffed a club. ♣ — When East showed out on the third round of clubs I had an almost perfect After competitive auctions at both count on the hand. 4♠ doubled and made at both tables – tables the contract was 4♠ doubled and From his enthusiastic double of another boring flat board! ■

BRIDGE December 2016 Page 5 Used stamps have been In My Opinion sent from the following:

Mrs B Marks, London N2. Mrs S Polson, Clayton-Le-Moors. How the EBU Works Mr A Corker, Bromley, Kent. Mr G Tomacelli, London SW3. Holy Trinity Church, Eggleston. by Andrew Kambites Mrs J Breeze, Wolverhampton. Mrs D Hibberts, Alsager. Mrs U Ings, Beckenham. The September issue of BRIDGE starts with an opinion on why the number of bridge players seems to be declining. The writer refers to the ineffective and Mr R Mitchell, Edenbridge. sometimes counterproductive way the EBU conducts itself. I would certainly not blame the EBU for everything, but it is interesting to look at how the EBU works. Mrs E P Lewis, Southwold. Buchanan Bridge Club, Glasgow. The Shareholders Teaching Mr J Miller, Loughborough. Why is the EBU like this? The EBU is a In the early 1980s EBUTA was an elit- Mr Peter Ashby, London W13. democracy. Counties are shareholders ist organisation. I had to pass a writ- Mr Lothian, Gosforth. and, each year, have the opportunity ten exam to achieve the qualification Mrs M Shephard, Ferndown. to vote candidates onto the EBU board which included advance squeezes. Mrs L Ross, Inverness. and its committees. Membership of EBUTA was about 150 Mrs M Johnson, Solihull. Fine in theory, but how about in and there was a huge parallel world Mrs M Witherington, Bangor, N.I. practice? of teaching that had no contact with Mr C Phillips, Cheltenham, Glos. You can divide players into many EBUTA. Then a new member of the categories, but it is not unreasonable board was given responsibility for Mrs J Duncan, Oban. to divide them into two groups. education, Tom Bradley. He was prob- Mrs K Donoghue, Skipton, Yorks. First there are social players who ably the only member of the board Mrs M Spencer, Lympstone, Devon. want to improve their game but don’t with any real interest in education so I Mrs Hawkins, Guildford. take it too seriously. Second, there are doubt if he had to fend off huge oppo- Mrs B Judd, Bournemouth. competitive players for whom bridge is sition, but it was a revolutionary move Mrs Pam Nicoll, Aberdeenshire. often a huge part of their lives. because Tom understood that per- The first group is far bigger than sonal qualities were more important Mrs Jean Rogers, Saundersfoot. the second, but inevitably it is the to most bridge teaching than expert Mr & Mrs P Cobham, Weybridge. second group that puts up candidates bridge knowledge. Tom effectively Mrs D Thomas, Bury St Edmunds. for EBU elections. The delegates who sacked the bridge elite (and had to put Mr C Phillips, Cheltenham. volunteer to represent their counties up with enormous personal vilifica- Mr D Milton, Beckenham. at the shareholders’ meeting also tend tion) and appointed Pat Husband, a Mr & Mrs T Clarke, Markfield. to belong to the second group, so if a retired further education teacher and Mrs D Thomas, Bristol. more social player decided to stand vice principal, to run EBUTA; Pat was he won’t be known to the voters. So it a visionary. She understood the need Mrs H McNeil, Faversham. is inevitable that the EBU board and for ‘Best behaviour at Bridge’ even Mrs Cornelius, Verwood. committees are dominated by fairly though the name was not there. Pat Mrs Joyce, Preston. serious players. They mean well and understood the problem of introduc- Mr A Butcher, Crowthorne. put a huge amount of unpaid effort ing beginners to a club where a single Mrs H Boumann, Hook. into the task, but they simply don’t example of rudeness, criticism or oth- Ms S Keast, Gainsborough. understand Mr and Mrs Bloggs who er unpleasantness could undo years of Mr J Cobett, Horsham. play once a week for social reasons at hard work by a teacher. She realised a small village club, or for that matter that the first requirement of bridge Mr J Redmond, County Down. the difficulties faced by Mr Director teachers was the ability to motivate Dr K Shillam, Brighton. who puts in a huge effort to run his and communicate. She also realised Mrs K Gregory, Cheltenham. small club as a one man operation. that the right approach was to bring I have no obvious answer to this, the parallel world of teaching into A great big thank you from but the results are often detrimental EBUTA and help them gradually im- everyone at Little Voice in to the future of bridge and this has prove, both in their teaching skills and Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, Africa. been going on for years. The history of bridge ability. There were an awful lot Please keep saving stamps EBUTA (the EBU teaching association of bridge experts who made simplis- in support of our work. which is vital in bringing in new tic and quite nasty comments about players) demonstrates this. members of EBUTA.

Page 6 BRIDGE December 2016 In My Opinion 2016 FESTIVE SEASON How the EBU Works Denham Grove Near Uxbridge, UB9 5DG by Andrew Kambites

The September issue of BRIDGE starts with an opinion on why the number of bridge players seems to be declining. The writer refers to the ineffective and sometimes counterproductive way the EBU conducts itself. I would certainly not blame the EBU for everything, but it is interesting to look at how the EBU works. Christmas 23-27 Dec £495 Duplicates and Seminars I was privileged to work closely with have very disturbing consequences. Game Tries hosted by Will Parsons Pat. Membership of EBUTA soared I was heavily involved in junior Twixmas to above 1,000. Each year, we had a bridge in the early 2000s. Effectively, weekend jamboree for teachers, and teachers like me who believed it was 27-29 Dec £245 Duplicates and Seminars frequently over 100 attended. There vital to involve the parents and take Better Defence were sessions to improve their teach- an interest in the whole person (eg hosted by Bernard Magee ing skills as well as sessions to help encourage academic success) brought their understanding of bridge. Teach- juniors into the system and then saw New Year ers shared their experiences and skills responsibility pass to the selection 29 Dec-2 Jan £445 with others. Minibridge became part committee who had little understand- Duplicates and Seminars of the learning process. Some years ing of the issues facing young people. Better Finessing later Sandra was brought in to I remember when Steve Eginton was hosted by Bernard Magee help develop the ‘Bridge for All’ pro- elected to the selection committee, he gramme. The idea behind this was told me that the first time he realised Ramada Resort originally to help teachers. Good ma- they had responsibility for juniors was Grantham terials were produced, and a simple at the first meeting. Steve took the cred- Marston, Lincs NG32 2HT system of Acol called ‘Standard Eng- itable view that if he had responsibility lish’ was made available. I won’t say for juniors he should at least try to get that the process was entirely smooth to know them, and attended some jun- but EBUTA and teaching flourished. ior events, which is more than most of However, the EBU board made a fatal them did. The consequences were dire: mistake. It decided that in order to re- the junior scene was full of unpleasant Christmas as quickly as possible the finan- behaviour, bullying and even drugs. 23-27 Dec £495 cial outlay they had made in ‘Bridge Young people with mental health Just Duplicate for All’, teachers should be co-erced problems and personality disorders (eg hosted by Shelia Rogers to use the materials. It was made clear Asperger’s syndrome) were not under- that the EBU did not welcome other stood and often dominated the scene. Twixmas teachers. The results were predictable. I can remember having a frank ex- 27-29 Dec £215 Many teachers had been using their change of views with the chairman of Duplicates and Seminars own materials successfully for years selectors which ended with him telling Doubles hosted by and would not be co-erced into paying me that he was elected and I wasn’t, so John & Rebecca Ronan for materials they didn’t want. They his views would prevail. I wrote to the New Year left EBUTA. Pat fell out badly with the secretary of every county association 29 Dec-1 Jan £345 EBU and left. I was at the last jambo- about the junior scene and with their Duplicates and Seminars ree with just 25 teachers present when outrage, the EBU was forced to accept Signals and Discards John Pain, now the education manag- its responsibilities. I am now out of hosted by er, had to explain that the EBU board touch with junior bridge, but Michael John & Rebecca Ronan had recognised its mistake and that all Byrne is to be highly commended on Back to Back bookings teachers were welcome in EBUTA. EB- his efforts with the Under 20s. save £50 (per additional event) UTA has steadily recovered ever since. In summary, the EBU has to get This demonstrates that people with- to the point where people who make ( 01483 489961 out understanding make decisions that decisions listen to those it affects and For details and itineraries tend to shoot themselves in the prover- have an understanding of all the con- mrbridge.co.uk/ukbreaks bial foot. Sometimes, the results can sequences. It has a long way to go. ■

BRIDGE December 2016 Page 7 Catching Up with Sally Brock

lot of this catching-up period bought a new flight, leaving at lunch- fabulous. We started with two nights was filled with not doing par- time on the Wednesday. Briony picked staying in the Old City in Jerusalem. ticularly well in the World me up from the airport and it was good Everything was amazing, if a bit ex- ABridge Games in Wroclaw, Poland. It to have a couple of extra days in my life hausting – so many steps. Then we was a nice town and the playing con- (though I obviously would have pre- picked up a hire car and drove to the ditions were particularly good. The ferred to win). Dead Sea. The main purpose of the trip venue was the Hala Stulecia, a magnifi- The Thursday was the last brilliant was Ben and Dana’s wedding on the cent collection of exhibition spaces set day of summer. I allowed myself to be Friday, but on the Tuesday there was a in beautiful grounds. In the breaks, we persuaded into actually getting into a reception at her parents’ home just east had lunch on a long terrace facing an kayak. Once I got in it was lovely, pad- of Jerusalem. That was a great evening amazing array of fountains. Every so dling up and down the Grand Union that started with a walk through the often, the fountains ‘danced’ in time to Canal though somehow Briony glided village’s pomegranate farm. The next music that was played over loud speak- along effortlessly while I seemed to day we set off for Haifa for a couple of ers, magnificently choreographed, have to work quite hard to make little nights, then took the car back to Tel with rainbows forming where the sun- progress. However, I’m definitely going Aviv where we met up with the bus light caught the water. to do it again (but maybe not in win- taking other guests to the wedding. We The town was very pleasant too, big- ter). arrived at about four and after a quick ger than I had expected. Near our hotel, The Sunday was Briony’s 21st birth- wash and change joined in proceedings. the railway arches had been converted day. Having been away for her eight- After a drink and a snack we all went into small eateries and bars – lovely to eenth I was delighted that I was able to a short way out of the village where sit out in the mild evenings and have a be there for her twenty-first. In honour they had the chuppah on top of a hill. drink and supper. The only drawback of the occasion, Toby came out and we They made their vows to each other, was the distance between the venue had a lovely evening on the Saturday, the principal guests also gave blessing, and the hotel, but taxis were cheap so playing games, eating good food and and we all had a glass of wine and some it was not a serious problem. finally watching a truly terrible movie. bread. Then the sun set. Fabulous. The We plodded along in the Round On the day itself, at her request, we eating, drinking and dancing went on Robin, without inspiration, but never drove to Bournemouth where she and all night I believe but we gave up just in any danger of not qualifying. Theo- Toby had booked a surfing lesson. In before midnight – suddenly I have retically, it is good to be in the top four the event the sea was too calm so they become one of the ‘oldies’ when once because then you can choose your op- had to settle for paddle boarding in- upon a time I was one of the youngest. ponents from fifth through eighth in stead. Still, they had a good time. It was How did that happen? In the morning the other group. I guess that can be a lovely day and I enjoyed sitting in the we woke up early and decided to walk quite an advantage if you are going to sun watching them. down to the village – about 2km. We finish first or second, but otherwise The following week was mostly spent were slightly concerned that we might it doesn’t really matter. And we can getting back to normal. On the Thurs- get lost in the desert. When there, we all lose to anyone and beat anyone, day, my American friend Karen and helped ourselves to breakfast – salad, depending on the day. We qualified husband Alex arrived. They had been cheese, eggs, bread – and coffee and in sixth place, and played our Round travelling in Poland after the World tea brewed on an open fire. There were of 16 match against Italy. We started Bridge Games finished and were due various activities going on – a photog- well, and continued even better, win- some time in the UK before travelling raphy workshop which started at 6am, ning pretty decisively with all our team home. I arranged a dinner party in camel rides for the stout-hearted, for playing well. their honour on the Thursday which example. Then the bus arrived to take That qualified us for a quarter-final was good fun, and then on the Friday us back to Tel Aviv. We got a taxi to match against China. We started OK, we went into London and I played with take us to our hostel in Jaffa – we have but had a bad second set, leaving us a Karen at the Young Chelsea. It must mostly stayed in hostels – lovely old dozen or so down. Sets three, four and have been 25 years since we last played buildings, with huge rooms, but fairly five were more or less level, so we had but at least we managed to win. We all basic facilities. On the Sunday morn- everything to play for. However, the stayed in Barry’s small flat. Then we ing, there was just time for a walk in Chinese played excellently in the last went off to Israel, while they travelled the old port, before heading to the air- set and we didn’t really have any op- to see relatives in the north in my car port. The journey home was without portunities. They ran out winners by before dropping it off at Luton Airport incident, including the worrying bit 26 IMPs. for me to collect on my return. which was finding where Karen and I was keen to get home, and so Israel. What can I say? It was just Alex had left my car. ■

Page 8 BRIDGE December 2016 Conventions Part 24 with Jeremy Dhondy Lebensohl Part 2

he Lebensohl article in the double. On the second hand, you wish previous issue covered what to suggest game if he has a reasonable ♠ 9 6 happens after your side opens hand. How do you do this? If you don’t N ♥ K J 8 6 T1NT and the other side intervene at play Lebensohl, you pretty much have W E ♦ A Q 7 5 S the two level. to bid game on the second hand. ♣ K 9 5 Once this idea became established In principle, if you take out partner’s in the 1970s, minds turned to how double to a suit at the three level, you the principle could be extended. One could have a one count or a ten count With a minimum take-out double, he consequence of this is that it reduced and partner has to guess. Lebensohl would bid 3♣ and be happy to play in the number of times 2NT was natural removes part of the guess. With the a part score if partner had a weak hand. in any competitive auction. It used first hand, you bid 2NT and when If, on the other hand, he had: to irritate a teammate of mine to the partner bids 3♣ you bid 3♥ to say, ‘All point that he insisted that the phrase I wanted was to play here.’ If you hold ‘unless 2NT is specifically discussed the second hand you bid 3♥ directly ♠ A 4 it is always natural’ was written into to say, ‘I have hearts and would like to N ♥ K J 8 6 the team system notes. That, at least, suggest game.’ W E ♦ A Q 7 5 S avoids misunderstanding but there are ♣ K Q 9 situations where Lebensohl can help What to do with make auctions more precise. a very good hand He would be worried about missing After your side There is one very important difference a game. He might 2NT over doubles a weak two between these sequences and one the opening 2♠ bid with this hand, but where 1NT was opened and the next with only one stop and being playable Consider the following pair of hands. hand bid. in the other three suits, he might pre- On each of them the auction has When the sequence starts: fer to double. After a double and a 2NT started: response, his rebid should be 3♦ show- West North East South ing a diamond suit and a strong hand West North East South 1NT 2♠ 2NT Pass (usually 18+). East could, of course, be 2♠1 Dbl Pass ? even stronger. Suppose he had: ? 1Weak West’s opening bid is within quite a narrow range (say 12-14) and he will ♠ Q 7 You hold either of these hands: always bid 3♣ now allowing East to N ♥ A J 9 5 show his hand, but in sequences such W E ♦ A K Q 6 2 S as the one above where it has started: ♣ A Q West West ♠ 7 5 ♠ 7 5 West North East South ♥ K J 9 6 4 ♥ K Q 9 6 4 2♠ Dbl Pass He would double the 2♠ opening and ♦ 8 4 3 2 ♦ A 4 3 2 2NT Pass ? after a 2NT response would be too ♣ Q 3 ♣ J 3 strong to bid 3♦ so would the Now East can have anything from a opponents’ suit. The auction would go: shapely 12 count to a block busting 22 On the first hand, you simply wish count so he cannot afford to rebid 3♣ West North East South to get out alive at the lowest level and on all hands. 2♠ Dbl Pass (probably) play in hearts. Partner will Suppose the sequence has started as 2NT Pass 3♠ Pass have some hearts for his take-out above. The doubler might have: ?

BRIDGE December 2016 Page 9 Now you are expected to bid 3NT, with Mr Bridge 2017 some help in spades and a few points, ♠ 7 5 and your lowest four card suit if you N ♥ K 7 5 have nothing, so with: W E ♦ A Q 7 5 3 BRIDGE EVENTS S ♣ A J 6

♠ A 9 6 ♥ 7 4 N Here you will bid 3NT. You don’t have ♦ J 4 3 W E four hearts but you know partner has S ♣ J 7 6 5 4 a spade stop, so you hope that will be enough. 5♦ might be better but you can’t find out and that is, of course, You would bid 3NT over 3♠. why opponents pre-empt against you. If on the other hand you held: If you have game values but neither Trouville Hotel a four-card major nor a stop you can Sandown, Isle of Wight bid as follows: ♠ 10 9 6

23-27 February £399 ♥ 7 4 N West North East South Slam Bidding ♦ J 4 3 W E 2♠ Dbl Pass S hosted by Bernard Magee ♣ J 7 6 5 4 2NT Pass 3♣ Pass 3NT

You would bid 4♣ and cross your This shows a hand with game values, fingers. no stop and without four hearts. A Is all this perfect? Certainly not. typical hand might be: You can have hands which don’t work very well for these methods. The point is that if you and your partner are ♠ 8 5 2 prepared to do the work to learn the ♥ A 9 N methods, then more hands will work ♦ K J 7 6 W E S for you than with standard methods. ♣ A Q 6 5 Inn on the Prom When playing Lebensohl after a St Anne’s on Sea FY8 1LU 1NT opening, you could also cater for hands where partner had four cards in You may not get to a making game but 7-9 March £245 the other major with or without a stop you will give yourself the best chance Seminar Weekend and the values for game. You can do of doing so. Hosted by Bernard Magee the same after a weak two. Suppose you have the following Other 7-9 July £189 hand after the auction has started: Lebensohl Positions Just Duplicate1 Hosted by Patrick Dunham West North East South Two other common positions which 2♠ Dbl Pass occur and you ought to have some 28-30 July £199 ? agreement about, even if it is only, ‘We Game Tries do not play it here,’ are: Hosted by Gwen Beattie ♠ K 9 6 l after your side have overcalled 1NT ♥ A Q 9 6 N l after the opponents have opened a ♦ K 9 4 2 W E multi S Full Board ♣ Q 4 No Single Supplement2 West North East South 1♥ 1NT 2♥ You have a game forcing hand and ? ( 01483 489961 the likely games are 3NT or 4♥ so you See www.mrbridge.co.uk want to keep both in the picture. You Imagine an auction above. The rules for any new dates can bid 3♠ with this hand. It shows here are very much the same as if both a four-card heart suit and also a partner had opened 1NT. If you bid 1Please note there are no seminars, set hands or prizes at these events. stop in spades so partner can choose. at the three level, then that is natural 2subject to availability He could, of course, have an awkward and shows some values. If your 1NT hand such as: overcall is 15-18, then a free bid at the

Page 10 BRIDGE December 2016 three level should show about 6-8. You are able to show your decent You might have: diamond suit when playing Lebensohl BERNARD because you also know you are not promising the earth when you do so. ♠ K 6 4 You have shown a few values, because MAGEE ♥ 4 2 N with absolutely nothing you just pass. ♦ K J 7 5 2 W E You have also caused your opponents at S ♣ 10 9 5 to be uncertain as to which major the opener has. Denham When players make pass or correct You can bid 3♦. If your hand had five bids such as the 2♥ bid above, then or six diamonds and fewer points, you should treat it as artificial so that Grove you could bid 2NT first to show a if you held: near Uxbridge, Bucks, UB9 5DG. weaker hand. All the same rules about showing stops and four cards in the other major continue to apply. A hand ♠ 7 5 13-16 Jan 2017 for bidding 3♦ via 2NT might be: ♥ A Q 7 5 3 N ♦ Q J 6 W E S £399pp ♣ 10 9 5 ♠ 6 4 2 Friday – Monday

♥ 4 2 N £369pp ♦ K Q 7 5 2 W E The auction might go: S Friday – Sunday ♣ 10 9 5 West North East South Full Board 2♦1 Dbl2 2♥3 No Single Supplement1 If you were much weaker than this you 3♥4 Pass 4♥ All Pass Limited places for Thursday night avail- would just pass. 1Multi able. £65pp single, £45pp double/twin. If your opponents open a multi then 2About 13-16 fairly balanced you bid as if they have opened a weak 3Pass or bid 2♠ 4Natural and about 8-11 two. Suppose you hold: Topics A bid of either major is natural. Very More Signalling ♠ 7 5 occasionally, you might hit their six- ♥ J 9 5 N card major, but so infrequently it is 4-4-4-1 Hands ♦ K J 6 5 4 3 W E better to bid naturally. S ♣ 8 3 Incidentally, as an aside to the Drawing Trumps main purpose of this article, knowing Five-card Majors when you can bid your major after The auction might go: a multi sequence reduces the con- Fundamentals of fusion it can cause by a good 30%. Defence West North East South If you do have a game forcing hand 2♦1 Dbl2 2♥3 and nowhere clear to go you can double Supporting Minors 2NT Pass 3♣ Pass 2♥ on the auction above. This just 3♦ All Pass 1Multi shows values and not necessarily 2 3 ♠ ■ About 13-16 fairly balanced Pass or bid 2 hearts. 6 seminar sessions with Bernard2 Summary 6 sessions l If you choose to play 2NT as Lebensohl in situations other than after a of supervised play3 1NT opening, be careful to define what they are.

l Playing Lebensohl after the opponents open a weak two and partner Contact Mr Bridge doubles is quite common, but you need to allow for the doubler to have to book your place a very good hand. If he has, he is not compelled to bid 3♣, but may bid or for further details: a suit of his own (good hand) or cue bid the opponents’ suit (very good hand). ( 01483 489961

l When defending against a multi, whether you play Lebensohl or not, 1Subject to availability 2Filmed 3Not with Bernard Magee then know which bids of a major are natural.

BRIDGE December 2016 Page 11 David Stevenson Answers Your Questions on Laws and Ethics

Take-Out Double of 1NT

My partner dangerous to pass if you for not doing so. My have asked responder why opened 1NT (12- have an unbalanced hand partner with 20 points, he did not respond. What Q14 points) and my and partner’s 1NT is doubled doubled (also a flat I would have done next RHO doubled. I asked his for take-out: you should hand). Dealer passed depends on the answers. partner, ‘Is it penalty?’ probably bid anyway. and we finished in 4♠ For example, dealer may and he replied, ‘No, it’s However, if he did change in a seven-card fit. have psyched, deliberately a take-out double.’ his mind and decided it We made the contract, opened on a very weak He should have was for penalties before he but got a bottom, as hand so as to try to stop you alerted it, but he didn’t, passed, he should have told the other pairs played getting to your best spot. That therefore I passed and you. The director should in 3NT making +1 and is perfectly legal, and seems then he changed his have allowed you to take +2. This was due to our to have worked. On the other mind and he passed. your pass back. If he did not opponents’ bidding hand, if this is a normal I called the director do so and it was a penalty preventing my partner opening bid for them, then and his reply was that double, then the director from opening the it is an illegal agreement, he can change his might adjust the score. bidding with 2NT. the board gets cancelled mind. I was under the Is the dealer’s opening and you get average plus. impression that he is ♣♦♥♠ bid OK and is his The failure to respond is not allowed to change partner’s pass in this quite surprising. Of course, his mind and that he The following situation somewhat players do some very should be penalised. occurred at our questionable? Finally strange things and I have Niranjan Doshi, Qweekly duplicate should we have asked certainly known people Harrow, Middx. evening. Our opponents’ for the director’s ruling? pass on this sort of hand, convention cards had Ray Andrews by email. saying something silly to Doubles of no- 1♦ as 11-19 HCP. Dealer partner such as, ‘I did not trumps are different (RHO) opened 1♦ with Certainly, you have a biddable suit.’ That A from the general a flat hand and only should ask for a is why the director should rules over alerting: they are five points, just the king A director’s ruling. It ask him why he passed. penalties without an alert. and queen in the four- does not matter whether However, if it was a psyche, Since you asked, it does not card suit. After I passed, you know the rules or not, then the pass looks like matter whether it was alerted. with another flat hand if something happens that fielding, in which case, the Any take-out double may and eight points, his you are suspicious about, director would cancel the be passed, and perhaps a partner also passed. then you report it to the board, give you average plus take-out double of 1NT is His hand was also flat director and if he says that and penalise them as well. more likely to be passed but had seven points all it is legal and acceptable, than other take-out doubles. in the other three suits. then you accept that and ♣♦♥♠ So if he plays it as take- Surely he should have you have lost nothing. out, but decided to pass it responded 1NT in this In this case, as director, South is poised to because of his hand, that situation and had no I would have asked dealer open the bidding is perfectly legal. It is quite good reason whatsoever why he bid 1♦. I would Qwhen West

Page 12 BRIDGE December 2016 starts to bid out of turn is the legal position? Alerting (except a hand at a time, thus by tabling a stop card. Angela Gilbert, Cardiff. for doubles) is producing many six-card South says it is his bid, A based mainly on suits per deal. These but what is the ruling? Clearly the director two simple rules. First, you members claim that this West has obviously not must be called. If alert artificial calls. Second is illegal – and interferes made a bid, but has A partner attempted to you alert natural calls with with the probabilities. given unauthorised bid 5♥ and changed it, I think a surprising meaning. We do not belong to information. we may safely assume that So the EBU and set our Alastair Love, the call had come out of the is alerted because it is own Constitution. Are Monkton, Combe, Bath. . In which case artificial. The fact that it they correct? How does the 5♥ call has been made, is part of basic Acol these this affect probability Exactly: the call has and the director will decide days does not matter. assessment? Surely it’s not been made, so between two possibilities. On the other hand, the same for everyone A the stop card goes Your partner may have standard trial bids are so still a fair competition. back in the box, and it is meant to bid 5♦ all along natural. Of course, they can Is this just a moral unauthorised information to and accidentally pulled be made on three card suits issue? I would be partner, though authorised the wrong card out: if the sometimes, but so long as grateful for your advice to the opponents. Partner director decides this is they show three or more, before I take any is required to avoid gaining what happened, then he they are natural. Since they action to rectify this as in any way from the sight will allow the change to are not a surprise, being the complainers want of the stop card. If it is felt 5♦ and it is as though the the normal way to play such the shufflers to sign that he has taken any action 5♥ bid never existed. bids, they are not alertable. when they shuffle. that could benefit from it, Your partner may have Jean O’Donnell, Sidmouth. the director might adjust meant to bid 5♥ originally ♣♦♥♠ the score afterwards. and changed her mind, Whether you are possibly realising that you My partner wants a member of the ♣♦♥♠ had not agreed on a form to play a 2NT A EBU or not, you of Blackwood. Assuming the Qopening bid as are playing duplicate Playing in my opponents do not condone 5-5 either in the majors bridge and that means the local club with the change (they do have that or the minors. The rules must be followed. Qan occasional right), the 5♥ bid stands, and Blue Book I read says To deal in threes is illegal partner, I held: the attempt to change to 5♦ we may only do this and you should stop the is unauthorised information in the minors. Is this practice. The laws of bridge for you. You must do your the current ruling? state that when dealing, ♠ 7 6 3 best to take no advantage Tony Richards, Woking. consecutive cards may not ♥ A 10 9 N of the attempt to change the go into the same hand. W E ♦ A 5 S bid. Since from your hand, Owing to a change ♣ A K 10 9 7 you know that 5♥ shows by the EBU Laws and ♣♦♥♠ ♠A-K but denies the ♠Q, it A Ethics Committee, may not matter, since any which loosened the rules In the following West North East South final contract except 6♠ (or for 2NT openings, this is hand, South 1♠ Pass possibly 6NT) seems unlikely. now permitted in events Qopened 1♦ 2♣ Pass 3♠ Pass in England and Wales. and West overcalled 4NT Pass 5♦1 ♣♦♥♠ with 3NT. There is 1Partner started to bid 5♥, then ♣♦♥♠ no conventional altered it to 5♦. Several trained agreement between directors are I am secretary the E/W partnership. We hadn’t discussed Qtelling me that of The Sidmouth what form of Blackwood fourth suit forcing is QBridge Club we were using. It alertable as it is a and have received a ♠ 7 2 seemed to me that she convention. I think I complaint from two ♥ 4 3 N W E had shown the key have read an article keen bridge playing ♦ A S card response, then somewhere saying that members regarding the ♣ A K Q 9 8 6 5 4 corrected it to standard. FSF, as part of the basic of the cards. Uncertain what to do, I Acol system, does not This is usually done by bid 5♠, trying to avoid need to be alerted. members prior to the Can you please tell any suggestion of Perhaps trial bids also beginning of a session. It me whether the 3NT being influenced by the fit into this category? seems some are dealing bid is alertable? ‘nearly’ 5♥ bid. What Liz Bretherton, Birmingham. three or four cards into Dilip Mithani by email.

BRIDGE December 2016 Page 13 If there is no The method taught to and can be changed. points you would expect to agreement, then the you by the director all those Whether it actually touches go off at least half the time. A call is not alertable. years ago is illegal. Once the table, and whether it the bidding has started, the is seen by either or both ♣♦♥♠ ♣♦♥♠ board may not be stopped. defenders is irrelevant. It is not just illegal but Sitting East, as Soon after I unnecessary: if you move the ♣♦♥♠ declarer, I named began playing room and some tables are Qthe card to be Qduplicate, I behind they usually catch up. In BRIDGE 164 played from dummy. My learned from a director You should not allow a board you ask for partner said, ‘You are that at the start of each to be played at all if they Qcomments about in hand.’ South said he session, he decided – have not started the bidding Russian Scoring. I have accepted the lead from based on the number when you move them. Even used this method or a dummy. I said I would of tables/boards – how then ‘taking an average’ is similar scoring table – so lead from my hand, but much time would be not acceptable: normal is called Russian method. South said it was his allowed for the requisite average minus unless only I agree it is a bit of a prerogative to choose number of hands being one pair is at fault, in which bother to compare and which hand I led from. I played. He compiled his case the non-offending IMP after each hand, so complied with his request. timetable on a scrap of side get average plus. I tend to do this after However, on checking paper and based his a round of Chicago – ie Law 55 B2, it seems I timetable on a simple ♣♦♥♠ after four deals. This can should have led from the formula: five minutes per be quite an interesting correct hand. What is the board + five minutes. East was declarer exercise just as when ruling in such a case? A three-board format and on lead. your teammates return I also see from Law gives 20 minutes, a QAfter some to the home table. 43 that dummy should four-board format 25 thought, he selected a I am not entirely happy not have told me I minutes. At the end of card from his hand and with the actual scores had played from the that period, he called, lowered it to the table. listed. For example, a wrong hand. I know we ‘Move Please,’ and if It didn’t touch the table 3NT contract is generally should have called the dummy’s cards were not but both opponents saw possible with 25-26 high director, but the South down, the table would be the card (♦7). He then card points and, if made player has experience told that they could not returned the card to his exactly, would score at as a director and I play that hand and would hand and played the ♠5. normal duplicate either accepted his statement. take an average. Many North and South 400 or 600 depending Elaine Slinn, years later, when I began protested and then called on vulnerability. The Easter Kinkell, Dingwall. directing, I followed the director. East said Russian scoring gives the same practice. that he had changed his considerably lower It is true that dummy Recently, when play mind and decided that scores. This is an obvious has no rights to tell seemed unusually slow at he didn’t want to play the fault and begs the A you when you have one or two tables, I asked ♦7 after all. The director question as to how these led from the wrong hand, the director how long ruled that because the ♦7 scores were formulated. even though dummies often he allowed and he said was seen by North and Tony Cordery by email. do. He is allowed to warn it was standard practice South, he couldn’t retract you not to before you do now to allow 21 or 22 it. What would you have I believe they were so, but once you have done minutes for three boards. ruled? What about his based on a lot so he should stay quiet. What do you think? change of mind? And A of deals in major Any lead out of turn may Ted Gibbins, Alsager. what becomes of the ♠5? events. With 25-26 high be accepted by the opponents David Bowers by email. card points, I would certainly and this is often done without I suppose the most expect to play in 3NT but I the director. So South was common view is 22 A card is not played would not expect to make right that he could either A minutes for three by declarer until he it that often. At teams, you accept or refuse the lead. Law boards, but in a club it really A puts it on the table are expected to reach 45% 55A says the defenders may depends on what players and leaves it there, or holds games not vulnerable, and accept the wrong lead, Law are used to. A senior director it stationary just above the 36% games vulnerable, so 55B deals with refusing the has recommended seven table. So if he takes it out when you bid 3NT on 25 wrong lead. ■ minutes a board plus one of his hand, takes it down minute: my own view is that towards the table and takes E-mail your questions (including your postal address) seven minutes per board it back immediately then on bridge laws to: [email protected] plus two minutes is closer. it has not been played

Page 14 BRIDGE December 2016 DEFENCE BERNARD MAGEE’S QUIZ INTERACTIVE TUTORIAL CDS by Julian Pottage (Answers on page 27) ADVANCED FIVE-CARD DECLARER PLAY MAJORS & ou are East in the defensive positions below playing Strong No-Trump l Making Overtricks matchpoint pairs with North-South vulnerable. Both sides Y in No-trumps l Opening Bids are using Acol with a 12-14 1NT and 2♣ Stayman. l Making Overtricks & Responses in Suit Contracts l No-Trump Openings 1. ♠ 10 5 2 3. ♠ A 3 l Endplays ♥ A K 6 ♥ Q J 9 6 l Avoidance l Support £89 for Partner ♦ A K 8 6 ♦ A Q J l Wrong ♣ K 9 4 ♣ A 9 7 4 Contract £81 l Slams ♠ A 9 3 ♠ Q 10 & Strong Openings£66 l Simple N ♥ 10 8 7 4 N ♥ 4 2 W E Squeezes l Rebids ♦ J 9 5 W E ♦ 9 5 3 S S l Minors ♣ A Q 8 ♣ K Q 10 6 5 3 l Counting the Hand & Misfits l Trump Reductions l Pre-empting West North East South West North East South & Coups l Doubles 1 2♠ 1♠ Dbl 1NT Pass l Playing Doubled l Pass 4♠ All Pass 2♠ Dbl Pass 3♥ Contracts l Competitive 16-10 with six spades All Pass l Safety Plays Auctions

Partner leads the ♣7. You Partner leads the ♣2: ♣4, win with the ♣Q. What is ♣Q and ♣8. What do you your plan? return and why? ADVANCED ACOL BIDDING ALSO l Basics 2. ♠ A 10 9 4. ♠ A K J 10 7 3 l Advanced ♥ Q 6 ♥ A K J 6 Basics l Acol ♦ K J 6 ♦ 8 5 l Weak Twos ♣ Q 10 6 5 3 ♣ 10 Bidding ♠ Q 6 4 ♠ 5 4 l Strong Hands (see p45) N N ♥ K J 9 5 3 ♥ 8 l W E W E Defence S ♦ 8 5 4 S ♦ K J 10 3 2 to Weak Twos ♣ ♣ l Declarer K 7 J 9 8 7 5 l Defence to 1NT Play l Doubles (see p47) West North East South West North East South l Two-suited £96 Pass 1♠ 1NT Dbl Rdbl1 2♥ Overcalls Pass 2♣ 2♥ 3♣ Pass 4♥ 4NT2 Pass l Defences to l Defence 3♥ 4♠ All Pass 5♣ 5♥ All Pass Other Systems (see p49) 1 An unspecified 5+-card suit l Misfits and Partner leads the ♥A. What 2Both minors Distributional is your plan? Hands Partner leads the ♣K (from A-K or K-Q at the five level or higher). What do you ( 01483 489961 play on this trick and if partner switches to the ♦A? www.mrbridge.co.uk/mrbridge-shop System: MAC OSX (Intel chip), Windows XP, Vista, 7, 8 or 10, CD ROM

BRIDGE December 2016 Page 15 Seven Days by Sally Brock

from my computer whizz, Lee. Every option, which makes it easy for us to Monday now and then he comes to update both pass it from time to time. I have passed I get up early – I have somehow got my computers and keep me more or it previously on hands where I knew into bad habits and have so much less up to date – that’s as well as being we had no major-suit fit but I talked going on that early is better. I do my on hand if any crisis strikes. We have about it with my Canadian friends exercise regime – I really need the known each other for 15 years or so, in Poland and they told me of a hand actual exercises, I think, maybe more and it’s good to catch up. I get some where one of them passed it with K-Q- than the cardiovascular stuff. I feel so work done and later on Briony and I go x-x-x-x in spades and they played in 2♦ creaky these days – it’s so hard to put out for dinner to The Giggling Squid, going seven down when they had a 6-6 my socks on, or put nail varnish on my a small Thai franchise that has opened spade fit. But the opponents were cold toes. Then I get on with work, but the up in Berkhamsted. We were attracted for slam. Accordingly, when Barry first day home is mostly dealing with by the name, which I didn’t really feel opens 2♦ at love all and the next hand emails etc, so apart from clearing the it quite lived up to. Later on, we enjoy a passes, I pass too, holding: decks I don’t achieve much. Later on I movie together and get an early night. drive into London to play at the Young Chelsea. ♠ K J 9 7 5 4 2 I’m sure I must have mentioned in Wednesday ♥ J 7 6 these pages that I am now in charge I’m being good this week at getting up ♦ 2 of the English U26 women. I started early and doing my exercise regime. ♣ 5 3 out intending to have squad weekends I’m not sure it is doing my aches and like the other squads (as well as pains any good – but I guess it will mine, there are age group squads for take time. Briony and I both have dates That leaves fourth hand a bit stuck as both sexes: U26, U21 and U16), but in London today and get the same he holds: that didn’t seem to work so well so I train in. She has a meeting, and I am have come up with several different playing with Allie at the Acol. We have initiatives, and one of them is that on switched to a strong no-trump, five- ♠ Void the first Monday of the month, any card major system so there are a few ♥ 5 3 2 squad members who can make it to inevitable bidding misunderstandings, ♦ A K Q J 9 6 the Young Chelsea will be able to play but generally things go our way and ♣ A Q J 6 with a top class female player. This is we score over 68% to head the 50-pair the first of those, and although there field. Afterwards we go through the is only a small take-up, it seems to go boards, and then I get the train home. After much thought he settles for a well and everyone likes the idea. I play pass. Barry has no aces and only four with Laura, and Margaret plays with small cards in the minors. He makes 11-year-old Jasmine. Margaret and I Thursday no tricks at all but the opponents are are both impressed with the level of I do some work for a while and then go cold for a grand slam in either minor play of our partners. We go through with Briony for a swim. Apparently, in or no-trumps. However, the standard the card in the bar afterwards and as Chesham there is the only ‘eco-pool’ of the BBO game is not that high and usual it is surprising how much comes in the country. It is a heated outdoor we only gain 3 IMPs. up in one evening. I can have a drink pool, open all the year around, with In the evening I get the train or two as I am staying over at Barry’s. no chlorine. Certainly it is lovely – into London to stay at Barry’s in surrounded by plants and flowers. I preparation for our quarter-final Gold plod up and down eight lengths in the Cup match tomorrow. Tuesday same time it takes Briony to do 18. When I have driven to Barry’s and Later she goes off to work while I have stay over, I need to get up to feed the an online session with Richard and Friday meter at 9 o’clock. So on a normal day Gerry. We roll up at the Young Chelsea for that means I might as well leave then This board was fun. We play that our 11am start. Our opposition are to drive home. I am expecting a visit a Multi 2♦ opening has no strong Simon Cope, Peter Crouch, Joe Faw-

Page 16 BRIDGE December 2016 cett, and Ro- but we miss a non-vulnera- by me would be forcing, I man Smolski. Roman is ble game for a 6 IMP swing think, but (a) I don’t want to a friend from a long time out. Luckily, the three sin- risk it, and (b) I feel that it back. About 25 years ago, he gle IMP swings are in our doesn’t really get my hand got married and moved to direction, though, so after across. My spades are so Bermuda. A year or so ago some nervous scoring we good I don’t mind if it is a his wife died and he is back win by 2 IMPs. 4-3 fit, so I think I will try to Norway on the scene – one of my fa- We go to Barry’s local suggest a slam-going hand vourite people, it was a real Indian for a curry and the with no heart control. Barry Winter pleasure to see him again. post-match hand analysis. is now interested in a grand The match starts well. Then it’s all eyes on tomor- slam and so cue bids his We gain on the first three row and our semi-final first-round heart control. I sets and are 34 up when match against the Allfrey think I have enough to ac- we break for a buffet lunch. team. cept, but it is a bit nerve- This is one of our gains: racking, thinking that the match could depend on this decision (though in fact it Dealer West. Game All. Saturday didn’t). ♠ J 10 6 3 The first set couldn’t have There is nothing to the ♥ 7 6 gone better – we are 35 play. I win the heart lead, Sails from Southampton ♦ K 8 6 IMPs up at the end of it. For club to the ace, ruff a club 20th January 2017 ♣ A J 10 8 the rest of the match, we high, back to a trump, ruff 15 nights • Balmoral • L1702 ♠ A K 9 8 5 ♠ 7 2 more or less manage to hold a club with the ♠9, back to ♥ 2 ♥ K on to our lead – up a few, hand with a trump, draw Southampton • Alesund, N Norway • Harstead, Norway ♦ 10 4 W E ♦ Q J 9 7 down a few – so that we are trumps and claim – for a S • Alta, Finnmark, Norway 5 3 2 still 30 up with one set to flat board. We lose 8 IMPs (overnight) • Tromso, ♣ Q 9 7 4 3 ♣ K 5 2 go. Our card is so-so for the on the set to win by 22. Norway (overnight) ♠ Q 4 first seven boards. It is pos- After a drink in the Young • Molde, Norway • Bergen, Norway • Southampton ♥ A Q J 10 9 8 5 4 3 sible we’ve lost some ground Chelsea bar, we go home, ♦ A but nothing terrible. This is exhausted (it’s hard play- Daily bridge on board, bridge fees ♣ 6 the final deal: ing 64 boards a day), via the included. Mr Bridge welcome Japanese takeaway. All to & farewell drinks parties. Partners for single players. Reduced single play for tomorrow. supplements on selected twin At the other table, West Dealer West. N/S Game. grades of cabin. opens 2♠, showing 5-5 in ♠ A 9 7 3 ♥ A K 8 Great value Mr Bridge spades and a minor. That fares from: goes round to South who ♦ A K 9 7 6 Sunday Inside twin rooms £1,259pp bids 4♥, making 11 tricks. At ♣ J It is not to be. We start bad- Outside twin rooms £1,439pp our table, West and North ♠ 4 ♠ 8 6 5 2 ly, and then get worse, and Balcony rooms £2,159pp both pass, and East decides ♥ 10 9 5 N ♥ Q 7 6 3 2 worser. We stage a mini rally W E Suites £2,339pp to be a bit imaginative and ♦ J 8 5 4 S ♦ 10 2 in the set after lunch, but Singles £2,261pp opens a strong no-trump. I ♣ Q 9 7 5 4 ♣ 10 3 that still leaves us 50 down. overcall 4♥ and West bids ♠ K Q J 10 In the seventh set we decide 4♠. Barry doubles and East ♥ J 4 to swing it a bit and see what removes to 5♦. I bid 5♥ and ♦ Q 3 happens, but we just lose West’s double ends the auc- ♣ A K 8 6 2 more and concede before tion. West unwisely starts our deficit reaches three fig- with a diamond and now it ures. Still it was a lot to ask Balmoral is a simple matter to make West North East South for from a team of four (we an overtrick for +1050 and a Pass 1♦ 1♥ 2♣ have added another pair for 9 IMP swing. 2♥ Dbl 3♥ 5♠ next year), and generally we I don’t know what they Pass 6♥ Pass 7♠ are pleased to have reached put in the food, but it did All Pass the final (for the second year For reservations call Mr Bridge us no good. We lose most of running in our case). After on 01483 489961 our lead over the next cou- I guess we are lucky they the bridge we are invited ple of sets and with one set didn’t psych entirely. I back to the home of our op- www.mrbridge.co.uk to go we are just 5 IMPs up. (South) don’t know what to posing captain, Simon Gillis, Terms and conditions apply – This set is mostly flat with do after Barry’s double. I for a drink – or in my case, see Fred. Olsen 2016/17 worldwide brochure. the odd IMP here and there, have such a good hand. 3♠ rather too many drinks! ■

BRIDGE December 2016 Page 17 3076 Mr Bridge A4.qxp_Layout 1 07/10/2016 10:51 Page 1

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As declarer, when dummy QUIZ comes down, you should 3NT by W. Lead: ♣Q. assess which suits might need ♠ A Q 4 ♠ 8 7 by David Huggett to be led from a particular ♥ A Q J 2 N ♥ 8 7 3 W E (Answers on page 21) hand, thus requiring an ♦ K J 3 S ♦ A Q 10 9 2 or more to be used. Making ♣ A K 3 ♣ 9 4 2 ou are South as declarer playing teams or . a plan to use your entries at YIn each case, what is your play strategy? the right time is important. Looking at the two hands together, you can see that ♠ ♠ 4♠ by W. Lead: ♣K. both hearts and spades 1. 7 6 5 3. 6 5 ♥ ♥ ♠ K Q J 10 8 7 ♠ A 6 need leading from dummy; Q J 2 K 8 5 ♦ ♦ ♥ K Q 3 ♥ 8 7 5 assuming the heart A J 8 6 2 A J 2 N ♣ K 3 ♣ A 10 7 6 4 ♦ A 4 W E ♦ 9 8 7 5 2 works, the suit will need to be S ♣ 8 7 ♣ A 3 2 led twice and adding another N N lead for the spades means W E W E you need three entries to S S You have eight top tricks so maximise your chances. The need two more extra tricks. strength of your diamonds ♠ K 4 2 ♠ A K 7 2 Looking at dummy will tell should allow you to make the ♥ A K 6 ♥ A 10 7 6 3 you that trumps and both most of all your high cards. ♦ K 5 ♦ 7 5 minor suits can be led from You win the ♣A and play a ♣ A Q 10 8 2 ♣ K Q either hand, but hearts small diamond to the ♦9. require a little more care. You Next comes your first finesse, would like to try to make two a heart to the jack, then back You are declarer in 3NT You are declarer in an ♥ ♥ tricks from your hearts, but to to dummy, overtaking the ♦J and West leads the 10. optimistic 6 and West ♦ do this you need two things – with the ♦Q. Another heart How do you plan the play? leads the K. How do you you require South to hold the finesse wins and then the ♦K plan the play? ♥A, but you also need to lead is overtaken with the ace. Two hearts twice from the East more diamonds are cashed hand. To lead hearts twice throwing a small club and a from dummy, you need two small spade. Finally you take entries, which you do have, a spade finesse and when 2. ♠ K 10 7 5 4. ♠ 10 9 7 6 but they will be used early on. that wins too, you cash your ♥ A 6 ♥ A 6 4 Win the ♣A and lead a three remaining winners, with ♦ K Q 7 ♦ K Q heart to your king, which your last chance being a 3-3 ♣ 10 9 6 3 ♣ A 7 6 4 wins. Play ♠K and ♠A and heart break. If it all works N N then lead a second heart. out, you could end with 13 W E W E If South has the ♥A you will tricks, but only if you used S S have made sure of two heart your entries very carefully. tricks to make your game. It can be tempting to play ♠ A Q J 9 3 ♠ K Q J 3 There is a slight risk one suit at a time, because ♥ J 4 ♥ 9 5 2 of an adverse ruff, but of the difficulty involved in ♦ A 8 3 ♦ A 6 5 having made a plan, you combining tactics. However, ♣ A K J ♣ K 9 2 needed the two entries you will often need to time so had to take the risk. your plays carefully. Looking ♠ ♠ Here is another example at your two hands together You are declarer in 6 and You are declarer in 4 and ♥ ♥ (hand in the next column). and trying to work out which West leads the K. How West leads the Q. How You have nine top tricks, so suits need leading from do you plan the play? do you plan the play? making your contract will be where, will allow you to easy, but you are after as create a plan and make the many overtricks as possible. most of all your high cards. ■

BRIDGE December 2016 Page 19 CROATIA Sally Brock Looks at Your Slam Bidding 2-16 May 2017 Bernard Magee Sally’s HOTEL From £1,425 EDEN Slam Clinic sharing ROVINJ

Where did we ♠ A ♠ K Q 9 7 3 go wrong? ♥ A K Q 10 N ♥ 6 4 ♦ A 8 4 3 W E ♦ K J 10 9 6 S This month’s first deal was sent in by ♣ A 10 8 2 ♣ 4 Katherine Bradnock:

West North East South ♠ A Q 10 8 7 6 ♠ J 2♠ Pass ♥ J 6 N ♥ A Q 2NT* Pass 3♦ Pass ♦ A J 10 W E ♦ K 8 4NT Pass 5♦ Pass Rovinj is situated on the western coast S of Istria in Croatia, the largest peninsula ♣ J 5 ♣ A K 10 8 6 4 3 2 6♦ All Pass on the Adriatic coastline, a one hour drive from Trieste, 2.5 hours from Zagreb. It may seem that this was made easier Boasting a rich, natural and cultural heritage, with beautiful landmarks such as West North East South because East/West were using Lucas the old town, the Golden Cape Park Forest, 1♠ Pass 3♣ Pass Twos, whereby an opening bid of two protected islands and coastal area. 3♠ Pass 4♣ Pass of a major shows five cards in the The climate is warm and semi-dry, with 5♣ All Pass major opened along with a four-card more than four months a year without wind. or longer minor, with 5–9 points, or so. Hotel Eden is wedged right between a When East forces with 3♣ and then Here, West could bid 2NT to enquire peninsula covered by a one hundred year rebids the suit it should set trumps – for the minor and then use RKCB to old park forest and a quiet cove. The old city centre of Rovinj is just a 20 minute often a solid suit, but a strong eight- ask about the trump king. The slam walk away. timer, as here, is OK too. I have found made even though trumps broke 4-0. Rooms: All rooms are equipped with a that one area where club players are This was an excellent board as most direct phone line, LCD SAT TV, mini-bar, often on shaky ground is cue bidding. pairs languished in 3NT. safe, bathtub or shower, toilet, hair dryer, Here, with nothing to be ashamed of Without using this convention, East balcony, air conditioning/heating. Suites are available, details on application. and facing an unlimited hand, West has to choose between pass (likely) should have tried a 4♦ cue bid over 4♣. and 1♠. I guess if he opens 1♠, West Singles: There is a sole occupancy ♥ ♠ ♣ supplement of £11 per room per night. If Then East would bid 4 and West 4 . would start with 2 and East rebids you are a single bridge player, please do not If East were feeling really enterprising 2♦. Now West will get very excited and worry about being on your own. We will now, he/she could even take a pot at a drive to slam (probably discovering always be able to find you a partner and you ♦ can always have a game. grand slam – expecting a doubleton that the Q is missing after RKCB). club opposite, or maybe a singleton Assuming East starts with a pass, Beaches & Pools: The playful curves of the pool offer refreshment in the summer honour, and hoping West had a little West has a tricky choice of opening bid. with a salty breeze coming from the natural extra. However, maybe settling for the I would vote for 2NT as all alternatives stone and pebble beach only a few steps small slam is enough – in no-trumps seem worse. Then East would transfer away. The vast outdoor pool will cool you perhaps, because of the matchpoint into spades (West obeying, as to bid down after a day of lounging in the freely available deck chairs. scoring. anything else would show a good ♦ Terms and conditions apply. spade fit), and then bid a natural 4 . These holidays have been organised for Slam of the Month This should be at least a mild slam try, Mr Bridge by Great Little Escapes LLP, ATOL 5933 so again West should appreciate that Details of the bridge programme The ‘Slam of the Month’ was sent in by he has an excellent hand and not let Richard Small. the bidding stop below slam. ■ ( 01483 489961

Send your slam hands to [email protected]

Page 20 BRIDGE December 2016 Answers to David Huggett’s Play Quiz on page 19

With a certain loser in hearts if the club jack of clubs appearing doubleton was a 1. ♠ 7 6 5 finesse is wrong, it looks as though you bonus, but a 3-3 break would have been ♥ Q J 2 are going to need the queen of clubs to just as useful, together with some other ♦ A 9 8 6 2 be with East, when in fact you might even layouts.) ♣ K 3 make an overtrick. But the odds are much ♠ A J 8 3 ♠ Q 10 9 better than evens in fact, because if you ♥ 10 9 8 5 4 N ♥ 7 3 draw trumps and eliminate diamonds ♦ J 3 W E ♦ Q 10 7 4 you can then exit with the jack of hearts. 4. ♠ 10 9 7 6 S ♣ 7 4 ♣ J 9 6 5 If West started with the king and queen ♥ A 6 4 ♠ K 4 2 of hearts, he will be forced to either lead ♦ K Q ♥ A K 6 a club up to your tenace or concede a ♣ A 7 6 4 ♦ K 5 ruff and discard. Only if East unkindly ♠ A 2 ♠ 8 5 4 ♣ A Q 10 8 2 wins the heart exit will you need the club ♥ Q J 8 N ♥ K 10 7 3 queen to be well placed. ♦ 10 8 7 2 W E ♦ J 9 4 3 S ♣ Q 8 5 3 ♣ J 10 You are declarer in 3NT and West leads ♠ K Q J 3 the ♥10. How do you plan the play? ♥ 9 5 2 The duplication in the heart suit is 3. ♠ 6 5 ♦ A 6 5 tedious, but with eight tricks on top ♥ K 8 5 ♣ K 9 2 the ninth shouldn’t be too hard to find. ♦ A J 2 However, you do have to be careful and ♣ A 10 7 6 4 think of the worst possible scenario. If ♠ 10 4 ♠ Q J 9 8 3 You are declarer in 4♠ and West leads you just play clubs from the top and find ♥ Q 2 N ♥ J 9 4 the ♥Q. How do you plan the play? that you have to give East a trick before ♦ K Q 10 8 3 W E ♦ 9 6 4 One thing you cannot afford to do is to S you have established your ninth, then a ♣ 9 8 5 3 ♣ J 2 try to draw trumps immediately because spade back through your king will lead ♠ A K 7 2 the defenders will take the trump ace, two to defeat if the hand is as shown. So ♥ A 10 7 6 3 hearts and a club at the end, so you have play safe by playing the club king and ♦ 7 5 to get rid of one of your losers early on. then finessing the ten. You may lose an ♣ K Q Win the heart ace, cash both diamonds extra trick in the process but you will in dummy and enter the closed hand have guaranteed making the contract by with the king of clubs. Then you play the guarding the king of spades. You are declarer in an optimistic 6♥ and ace of diamonds throwing a heart from West leads the ♦K. How do you plan the dummy and only now is it safe to tackle play? the trump suit. You can win whatever The contract isn’t a great one to be they return and will ultimately make four 2. ♠ K 10 7 5 fair, but it does stand some chance. trump tricks, one heart, three diamonds ♥ A 6 With an almost certain trump loser, you and two clubs. ■ ♦ K Q 7 have to find a way of ridding yourself ♣ 10 9 6 3 of your losing diamond and the two ♠ 8 2 ♠ 6 4 small spades, so it looks as though you Mr Bridge ♥ K Q 10 9 3 N ♥ 8 7 5 2 will need some luck in the club suit as Premium Quality Cards ♦ 10 6 5 W E ♦ J 9 4 2 well as a 3-2 trump break. So cash the S ♣ Q 8 2 ♣ 7 5 4 two top clubs in hand at tricks two and Standard Faces, ♠ A Q J 9 3 three and then play the two top trumps with or without bar codes. ♥ J 4 ending in dummy. As it happens, both Unboxed. ♦ A 8 3 defenders follow suit and the club jack 6 red/6 blue £19.95 ♣ A K J appeared at trick three, so now all you 30 red/30 blue have to do is play the ace of clubs and only £65 throw your losing diamond. Whether East Available from The London Bridge Centre. You are declarer in 6♠ and West leads ruffs or not makes no difference as you ( 020 7288 1305 www.bridgeshop.com the ♥K. How do you plan the play? can continue to play club winners. (The

BRIDGE December 2016 Page 21 Bernard Magee DVDs – Number Twenty BERNARD MAGEE TUTORIAL Further into DVDS

SET 1 1 Ruffing for Extra Tricks the Auction 2 Competitive Auctions 3 Making the Most of High Cards his DVD aims to deal with When you open in no-trumps, you £25 the latter parts of uncontested do not have to plan a rebid because 4 Identifying per DVD auctions. you have already described your hand. & Bidding Slams TAfter the first two bids, what comes The DVD moves on to the various choices of rebid that the opener has: 5 Play & Defence next? I start by discussing the opening bidder’s plan: when you choose to open balanced hands, supporting hands, of 1NT Contracts the bidding in a suit, you should have weak hands, strong hands. 6 Doubling & Defence a plan for your second bid, because if One important aspect is against Doubled your partner responds in a new suit, understanding the flexibility required Contracts he expects you to make another bid. with some medium to strong hands: Making this plan can make quite a SET 2 difference to your choice of opening bid. ♠ A 2 N 7 Leads ♥ A K 8 4 3 W E 8 Losing Trick Count ♦ A Q 6 3 S ♠ A J ♣ 6 4 N 9 Making a Plan ♥ A J W E as Declarer ♦ Q 10 6 3 S ♣ ♥ 10 Responding to 1NT J 8 7 5 4 You open 1 and your partner responds 1♠, what do you rebid? 11 Signals & Discards You have 17 HCP and you would like 12 Without a plan you would open this to show your strength, but the natural hand 1♣ and then when partner way to do that would be to jump to 3♦ SET 3 responds 1♥ you would need to pause – this would be forcing to game and for thought. Do you really want to since your partner might have just 13 Hand Evaluation rebid 2♣? 6 HCP, this cannot be right. Instead, ♦ 14 Pre-Emptive Bidding Of course, you have little choice – you make a simple rebid of 2 : this is a 2♦ rebid would show a strong type not a , but if your partner 15 Splinter of hand – a . Reverse bidding has any kind of fit he will often make & Cue Bids is a subject that the DVD deals with another bid. The ♦2 rebid is not ideal, £105 slightly later on. but it gives the partnership flexibility. 16 Avoidance set of 6 Instead of thinking ‘later’, you Another option might be to rebid 1NT, Play should do your thinking at the start: but with such weak clubs this is not 17 Play & Defence at Pairs ‘plan your rebid’. advisable. Your hand is not balanced, but with To make a jump rebid in a new suit 18 Thinking Defence two strong doubletons and a very at the three-level requires 19+ points, poor five-card suit, I would prefer to so that when partner has just six you lie slightly about the shape, rather still have a good chance for game. Mr Bridge ( 01483 489961 than rebid in clubs. Your best choice Your partner held the hand in the www.mrbridge.co.uk/shop of opening bid is 1NT: 12-14 and next column. He chooses to pass 2♦ balanced. and you make a comfortable partscore.

Page 22 BRIDGE December 2016 Bernard Magee DVDs – Number Twenty BERNARD MAGEE Further into TUTORIAL DVDS

SET 4 the Auction 19 Defensive Plan 20 Further Into the Auction 21 Weak Twos is still at the one-level: a reverse is a ♠ Q 8 4 3 bid above the barrier (two-of-your- 22 Trump Control N ♥ 7 6 opened-suit). East now has a problem: W E 23 Sacrificing £25 S ♦ K 8 7 4 he has the strength for game, but per DVD ♣ J 3 2 which game is best: should it be 4♥, 5♦ 24 Improving or 3NT? Bridge Memory Without employing guesswork, East The second half of the DVD deals needs his partner to give him one more SET 5 with the responder’s rebid and the piece of information about his hand, 25 Defence as Partner problems he faces. With two weak so he uses the fourth suit forcing. 2♣ of the Leader hands, your job is to find the best (the fourth suit bid) is not used in a partscore, keeping the auction low. natural sense, so West alerts the bid: 26 Aggressive Bidding However, with more strength, there it shows nothing about clubs, it simply at Duplicate Pairs are more options available including asks partner to make one more bid 27 Strong Opening Bids the fourth suit forcing. Having a bid to describe his hand. One particular available to you to keep the auction aspect that is desired is whether West 28 Take-Out Doubles going is very important: it helps the has a club stopper – to allow no-trumps 29 Suit Establishment partnership make the final step to as an option. ♣K-x might not seem in Suit Contracts the right contract. Here is a classic much of a stopper to you, but if West is auction: playing the contract, then the lead will 30 Landy / Defending be coming up to him, so it is enough. Against a 1NT Opening Bearing this in mind, West bids 2NT ♠ A 9 8 3 ♠ K Q and now East can raise to 3NT. N SET 6 ♥ 7 6 ♥ A 9 8 5 2 3NT is a great contract, with nine W E 31 Counting Defence ♦ A J 8 7 4 S ♦ K Q 3 tricks off the top and, on a club lead, ♣ K 2 ♣ 8 4 3 there is an overtrick. 32 Extra Tricks Note, that it needs to be played by in No-Trumps West – had East gambled by bidding West East 3NT over 1♠, then a club lead might 33 Supporting 1♦ 1♥ have spelt disaster. Partner £105 ♠ ♣ 1 2 * There is a lot of information in 34 Finessing set of 6 2NT 3NT this DVD, covering the elements of decision making for both the opener 35 Bidding West opens 1♦, starting with his and the responder. However, you have Distributional Hands ♠ longest suit: he plans to rebid 1 if he the chance to go over and over the 36 Coping with Pre-Empts can, although over a 2♣ response he subject matter and most of the ideas would simply rebid 2♦. East responds will come up on most hands you have with a natural 1♥, allowing the simple the chance to bid. Therefore you will 1♠ rebid. Note that although spades have a real opportunity to absorb Mr Bridge ( 01483 489961 are higher ranking than diamonds, many of the ideas and hopefully www.mrbridge.co.uk/shop 1♠ is not a reverse because the bidding improve your constructive bidding. ■

BRIDGE December 2016 Page 23 Michael Byrne on Playing with the Odds Listen to the Bidding

nowing the right text book for every extra chance, and the right To beat you, the defenders will have to for a particular thing to do would be to give yourself take three diamond tricks and either suit is all well and good, but if an extra chance if the trumps are 3-1. they might not be able to (one might Kyou can’t realise that the bidding at Win the ♠A and decide who, if have a singleton honour, or A-Q, K-Q the table affects what is happening (or anyone, might have a void heart. It is or A-K doubleton) or they might make going to happen), then your knowledge pretty unlikely that either opponent has a mistake and block the suit. of percentages will come to naught, for a void, but the logic goes that if West In practice, you improve slightly on applying the logic and realising when held a void he might have overcalled or your chance of the hearts being 2-2, as to disregard it is paramount. doubled (we already know he has a Q-J well as giving the defenders a chance Let’s look at an example with no sequence in spades), so cash the ace to go wrong. opposition bidding, and then with of trumps at trick 2. If East has a void, The full hand might be something opposition bidding: you can nod several times, declare, ‘I like this: thought so,’ a few more and take the marked finesse, ten tricks will be easy. ♠ 5 4 Assuming, of course, everyone fol- ♠ 5 4 ♥ K 10 9 3 2 lows to the ace of hearts, your plan will ♥ K 10 9 3 2 ♦ 10 8 5 2 be to cash the king next. You can try ♦ 10 8 5 2 ♣ K 6 leading the jack out of hand if you want ♣ K 6 (only a really foolish defender will cov- ♠ Q J 10 2 ♠ 9 8 7 6 N er when they can see ♥K-10-9-x-x on ♥ Q 7 4 N ♥ 5 W E ♦ A Q W E ♦ K 9 7 6 S the table, however to paraphrase a fa- S mous writer, ‘no-one ever went broke ♣ 9 8 4 3 ♣ J 10 7 5 ♠ A K 3 underestimating bridge players’ intel- ♠ A K 3 ♥ A J 8 6 ligence’). Let’s assume you guess wrong ♥ A J 8 6 ♦ J 4 3 and one hand has ♥Q-x-x, you’re not ♦ J 4 3 ♣ A Q 2 dead yet, you can cash the ♠K and ruff ♣ A Q 2 one, then cash the clubs and exit with a heart. The end position will be: Now imagine East has opened 1NT West North East South (12-14) and again you finish in ♥4 by Pass 1♥ ♠ — South. West leads the queen of spades Pass 4♥ All Pass ♥ 10 as before. ♦ 10 8 5 How do you play it this time? You arrive in the fine contract of ♥4 ♣ — Perhaps this problem is now too and the opponents lead the queen of easy as it becomes a simple lesson in spades – how do you play it? N counting to 13. W E If you shrugged and said, ‘I cash S East has announced 12-14 points, the ace and king of hearts and if they yet appears to hold nothing in spades, break 3-1, I go down quickly,’ then ♠ — the most number of points he has in you would make a good rubber bridge ♥ 8 the side suits is ♦A-K-Q, ♣J to make player, since you will at least get a lot of ♦ J 4 3 ten – he simply must hold the queen of hands in during every session! ♣ — trumps to make 12 points. However, good bridge players look So ignore the percentage play in iso-

Page 24 BRIDGE December 2016 lation and play one to the king and one I think we all know the solution here, start by assuming that trumps are 3-2 to the jack, confident that it will win. lead low to the ace and low back to the (if they are 4-1 we are already down) jack. Hence this one: and now there are only ten different combinations for West to have: ♠ 5 4 ♥ K 10 9 3 2 ♠ Q 10 3 2 A-9 A-J-9 A-9-8 ♦ 10 8 5 2 A-8 A-J-8 A-8-7 N ♣ K 6 W E A-7 A-J-7 A-9-7 A-J S

N ♠ K 6 5 4 If we lead low to the king and then W E S low back to the ten, we will make the contract if West has: ♠ A K 3 ...becomes simple, low to the king ♥ A J 8 6 and low back to the ten. This makes A-J A-J-9 A-J-8 A-J-7 ♦ J 4 3 sense intuitively, since if we assume ♣ A Q 2 the trump suit is 3-2 (we need it to and we will go off if he has: be one way or another) then the jack being with West is more likely than A-9 A-8 A-7 Although it was more likely that the the jack dropping doubleton with East A-9-8 A-8-7 A-9-7 queen of hearts was doubleton with regardless of the position of the ace. West rather than tripleton with East to However let’s look at a hand and put When we put it like that there is a start with, once we take into account in opposition bidding: better line of play. the bidding it becomes a non-problem. Cross back to the ace of hearts and The bidding is effectively stronger lead a trump to the queen and then evidence than the a priori odds, since ♠ Q 10 3 2 another one off the dummy. If the the bidding occurs after people look at ♥ K Q J 7 6 jack appears from East on the second their cards – East knows whether or ♦ K 2 round, we cover it and claim our game, not he has the queen of hearts when ♣ 9 4 otherwise we . he decides to open the bidding, and he We will make the contract if West would have passed without it. N has: W E We will now see another example S where clues from the bidding guide us A-9 A-8 A-7 into the right percentage play. ♠ K 6 5 4 A-9-8 A-8-7 A-9-7 A-J Let’s say you have this trump suit, ♥ A 2 how do you play it for one loser? ♦ A 10 4 3 we will only go off if he has: ♣ 8 7 6 A-J-9 A-J-8 A-J-7 ♠ Q 10 3 2 West North East South N The knowledge of where the ace of W E 1NT 2♣1 Pass 4♠ spades is affects our play, and we must S All Pass use that knowledge accordingly and ♠ K 6 5 4 1Landy, showing the major suits. try to make our game as often as we can. West cashes the king of clubs then The full hand: A quick tip for those of you unused to plays the jack, which East overtakes percentage play: if you have an unfa- with the ace to switch to a diamond, we miliar , add one onto stick the ten in and collect the queen ♠ Q 10 3 2 the value of every honour card until it of diamonds from West which we win ♥ K Q J 7 6 becomes a combination you recognise. with dummy’s king. What now? ♦ K 2 Thus the trump suit above is the With two losers in the bag (or ♣ 9 4 same as this one: should that be out of the bag?) we need ♠ A 9 7 ♠ J 8 to bring in trumps for one loser. If ♥ 8 4 N ♥ 10 9 5 3 ♦ Q J 7 6 W E ♦ 9 8 5 there had been no opposition bidding, S ♠ K J 3 2 then low to the king and low to the ♣ K Q J 2 ♣ A 10 5 3 ♠ K 6 5 4 N ten would be the right play, but does W E the fact that West is marked with the ♥ A 2 S ace of trumps have any bearing on the ♦ A 10 4 3 ♠ A 6 5 4 situation? ♣ 8 7 6 ■ Actually, yes it does. We have to

BRIDGE December 2016 Page 25 The Diaries of Wendy Wensum Episode 56: A Cornish Jaunt Part 1: A Grand Occasion

pouse and I were on a short rubber, if necessary. We then switch to go on a heart. Dave’s overcall and holiday in , a county partnerships and start again. Dealing lead suggested he did not hold many where the most familiar road sign is allowed to be regulation or . red cards. Hopefully, ruffing heart Sseems to be a cow in a red triangle. Dave and Spouse announced they might bring the contract home, Indeed cattle appear to have more were ready as soon as each had a pint but sufficient entries to dummy could traffic lights enabling them to cross of beer close at hand. On the very first be a problem. Winning the first trick, roads than school children or senior deal, this spectacular distribution of I played my singleton heart to the ace citizens. Perhaps cows are particularly cards appeared. and then discarded a club on the ace valued in the West Country or maybe of spades. Next I led the ten of hearts, they are as common in Cornwall as Sally played the jack and I ruffed with people are in the rest of Britain. Dealer South. Love All. the six in case Dave had a singleton. On a warm sunny day, we visited the ♠ A A diamond to the ace removed the Lost Gardens of Heligan. We strolled ♥ A 10 9 8 6 2 only trump not in my possession, and through the lovingly-restored formal ♦ A Q J I led the nine of hearts from table on gardens and along the woodland paths ♣ 8 3 2 which Sally dutifully placed the queen in the valley which were a walker’s ♠ K 10 8 6 5 4 3 2 ♠ Q J 9 7 and I ruffed. Repeating the procedure, delight. The following day saw us at ♥ 4 N ♥ K Q J 5 3 I went back to dummy with a trump the Eden Project, its enormous domes ♦ Void W E ♦ 5 and played the eight of hearts. Sally glinting in a weak sun. It was a lovely ♣ K Q J 7 S ♣ 10 5 4 obligingly played the king and I experience, especially as the viewing ♠ Void ruffed. The losing club could now be gallery at the top of the large biosphere ♥ 7 deposited on the master heart and was open giving an inspiring vista of ♦ K 10 9 8 7 6 4 3 2 the grand slam came home to much the plants beneath. The next day a ♣ A 9 6 celebration around the table, so much bitter wind greeted us as we ambled indeed that the men’s glasses required across the causeway to Saint Michael’s immediate refills. In their absence, Mount. By late afternoon the tide had As dealer of the goulash, I now had Sally noted that the contract needed turned and a bouncy ferry ride carried to decide how to open this nine-card to be played by South, as a diamond us back to Marazion. diamond hand, and finally chose five lead would remove a vital entry to the Enjoyable as these excursions were, diamonds because of the low point hearts if played by North. She also there was, as yet, no opportunity for count. With only four losers, Dave admitted she had considered doubling bridge. This lamentable state of affairs overcalled five spades. Spouse had the for penalties or sacrificing in seven was to change. It was no coincidence best hand at the table; he assumed that spades before eventually passing. that Dave and Sally and their walking I probably had an outside ace or void In all, we played three partial club were also in Cornwall. We had for my opening bid and punted seven rubbers, one with each partner and arranged to meet them after their day’s diamonds. Unusually for Sally, she Sally was the overall winner on the trek, and stay for a few nights at the thought for ages before finally coming evening. Two more pints of beer for same hotel. As we arrived, a minibus up with a pass. In summary, the short our men cheered them up, and they was discharging its weary band of but speculative auction was: soon forgot the insulting slur on their windswept ramblers. Sally, Dave, manhood emanating from a female Spouse and I were soon reunited, West North East South victory. and the two males immediately got Dave Spouse Sally Wendy Just as we finished, an inebriated to grips with the real ales on offer 5♦ bunch of walkers returned to the bar in the bar. After dinner, the walkers 5♠ 7♦ All Pass from their session of karaoke. A noisy entertained themselves with a karaoke end to the evening became inevitable. evening, while the four of us settled On Dave’s lead of the king of clubs, I A number of ramblers would have down for our version of rubber realised I had two losers in that suit. sore heads in the morning. Hopefully bridge. We play four deals maximum One could be pitched on the ace of Dave and Spouse would not be joining and then score up as an unfinished spades but the other one clearly needed them. ■

Page 26 BRIDGE December 2016 Answers to Julian Pottage’s Defence Quiz on page 15

West North East South a suit-preference to say which 1. ♠ 10 5 2 Pass 1♠ suit you would like back. With nothing ♥ A K 6 Pass 2♣ 2♥ 3♣ in diamonds but with the ♠Q facing ♦ A K 8 6 3♥ 4♠ All Pass partner’s likely ♠K, you have a clear ♣ K 9 4 preference for a spade. So return the ♠ 4 ♠ A 9 3 Partner leads the ♥A. What is your plan? ♣10, high to ask for the higher-ranking N ♥ J 9 5 3 2 ♥ 10 8 7 4 Since you are keen to cash the ♥K, you suit. Although declarer can later ruff the W E ♦ Q 10 7 3 2 S ♦ J 9 5 begin by playing an encouraging ♥9. third of clubs high to avoid a second ruff, ♣ 7 2 ♣ A Q 8 After taking the ♥K at trick two, you must at least your side scores a spade trick to ♠ K Q J 8 7 6 find a safe exit card. Neither black suit stop a possible overtrick. ♥ Q is safe to lead. Partner might hold the ♦ 4 jack in either suit – and nor do you wish ♣ J 10 6 5 3 to spare declarer a possible two-way finesse in trumps. Since any diamond 4. ♠ A K J 10 7 3 finesse is working anyway, the suit is safe ♥ A K J 6 West North East South to lead. ♦ 8 5 2♠1 Having exited safely with a diamond, ♣ 10 Pass 4♠ All Pass you will not cover the ♠10 but you will ♠ Q 8 6 2 ♠ 5 4 1 6-10 with six spades cover the ♣Q – the latter promotes part- ♥ 9 4 N ♥ 8 ner’s ♣J. ♦ A 7 6 W E ♦ K J 10 3 2 S Partner leads the ♣7. You win with the ♣ A K 6 3 ♣ J 9 8 7 5 ♣Q. What is your plan? ♠ 9 You can see two club tricks and a trump ♥ Q 10 7 5 3 2 trick. Even if partner has both red queens, 3. ♠ A 3 ♦ Q 9 4 it is hard to see how you can make any ♥ Q J 9 6 ♣ Q 4 2 extra tricks in the side suits. Partner will ♦ A Q J not have led the ♣7 from a suit headed ♣ A 9 7 4 by the J-10. Since the lead is likely be top ♠ K J 9 8 6 2 ♠ Q 10 West North East South of a doubleton rather than second from a ♥ A 8 3 N ♥ 4 2 1NT Dbl Rdbl1 2♥ poor suit, you cash the ♣A and continue ♦ K 10 2 W E ♦ 9 5 3 Pass 4♥ 4NT2 Pass S with a third club, hoping for a ruff. ♣ 2 ♣ K Q 10 6 5 3 5♣ 5♥ All Pass If all follow to three rounds of clubs, ♠ 7 5 4 1An unspecified 5+-card suit perhaps partner holds a singleton ♠Q or ♥ K 10 7 5 2Both minors ♠K. You would duck the first trump, of ♦ 8 7 6 4 course. ♣ J 8 Partner leads the ♣K (from A-K or K-Q at the five level or higher). What do you play on this trick and if partner switches West North East South to the ♦A? 2. ♠ A 10 9 1♠ Dbl 1NT Pass With the singleton in dummy, your ♥ Q 6 2♠ Dbl Pass 3♥ signal at trick one should be suit- ♦ K J 6 All Pass preference, so play the lowly ♣5 to show ♣ Q 10 6 5 3 interest in the lower-ranking diamond ♠ J 3 ♠ Q 6 4 Partner leads the ♣2: ♣4, ♣Q and ♣8. suit. Then, to reinforce your interest in ♥ A 10 7 2 N ♥ K J 9 5 3 What do you return and why? diamonds, you encourage with the ♦J W E ♦ ♦ Q 9 7 3 2 S 8 5 4 The lead is easy to read. Partner would under the ♦A. Your side thus takes the ♣ J 4 ♣ K 7 not lead low from a doubleton, which first three tricks. ♠ K 8 7 5 2 means that it was a singleton. If you Note that if you fail to signal effectively ♥ 8 4 return a club, your partner will be able for diamonds, your partner might try ♦ A 10 to ruff. Does it matter which club you placing you with a void in spades and ♣ A 9 8 2 return? attempt to give you a ruff. Your diamond When delivering a ruff you should give winners then run away. ■

BRIDGE December 2016 Page 27 Teachers’ Corner – Teaching Tips from Ian Dalziel The Human Side of Bridge

Teaching is of good quality, progress depends on One year I gave up ‘whole class their attendance rate, the homework teaching’ and they worked in groups How do we measure our success as done, how often they play between using self teaching exercises, and eve- bridge teachers? I don’t think the EBU classes but, above all, their aptitude ryone progressed at their own pace. do OFSTED-type inspections and for the game. Any class has a wide I produced extensive ‘home lessons’ there are no student exams, but there range of natural ability, so some need which replaced the spoken lessons in are some yardsticks. to work much harder than others. class. Those who went off for long holi- Unfortunately, those who most need days just slotted in where they left off. l How many students remain till the to do homework are least likely to do I thought I had finally ‘cracked it’, but year end? it. Perhaps such people only learn with I had to abandon it after six months as l How many friendships are made at the cards in their hands and written so few were doing the homework. the class? notes and quizzes just don’t help much. My conclusion is that bridge lessons l How many join a learners’ bridge I find those who take up bridge are in class will never be the most efficient club? usually very busy people even though method of learning, people are just too l What standard have they reached? lots are retired. Many say they intend different. With a self-selecting group to do the homework but can never find of people, all we can do as teachers It’s important they join a club of some time. Actually, what they mean is that is make the lessons as enjoyable and sort as home games rarely last and it’s not a high enough priority, because effective as possible and some learning are not practical for many. Lots of my some of the busiest people somehow will take place. Those who seriously students say their greatest benefit from get the homework done. want to be good can use the classes as taking up bridge is the friendships they I run classes up to fifth year and a springboard for their real learning made which is great, but the hardest while most are ready to move on which must done by home study part of the teacher’s role is to get the at the end of each year, there are backed up by playing a lot. students to a level where they feel always those who would benefit from competent in a game. The ‘naturals’ repeating the year. No-one does, of Partnerships will get there anyway no matter who course, for they want to remain with is the teacher, but such people don’t their friends and to stay back would I draw for partners at my classes, but really need a bridge class. be seen as a humiliation, reminiscent they chose their own partners at the Does their skill really matter? If they of the ‘dunce’s cap’. Hence by the fifth bridge club. Some partnerships work enjoy the game and make friends, isn’t year, the range of ability in the class very well but others are unequally that enough? Not really, for although can vary widely. Unless someone has yoked. If your partner isn’t as good winning isn’t everything, I don’t know a good grasp of the basics, they will as you but you enjoy the partnership, any bridge player who wouldn’t like gain nothing from the more advanced that’s great. However, if you are to be better. If the social side of the lessons; indeed it will just confuse constantly frustrated by your partner, game was all that mattered, teaching them. I can understand that players but stick it out because you ‘couldn’t could be done with a fraction of the want to know more about the game, hurt their feelings’ then you are preparation. but for some, ‘talking the talk’ seems to making a big mistake. You need to The main problem is that students take priority over ‘walking the walk’. grasp the nettle and politely end it; learn at vastly different rates. Some Even though conventions are the last you have the right, be kind to yourself. have played bridge or other card thing most learners need, some feel In any case, your partner may realise games before, but that is only a ‘deprived’ if you don’t teach them and themselves that they are holding you temporary advantage. If the teaching may go elsewhere for lessons. back. A bridge partnership is not a

Page 28 BRIDGE December 2016 marriage or even a contract. Just say, mutter amongst themselves about the ‘I feel our partnership isn’t working problem and some just vote with their CLUB and think we should both seek new feet. Sometimes the TTs are the club’s partners, but remain friends.’ Not easy best players or committee members INSURANCE to do, I admit, but you won’t regret it. who do a power of work for the club so Honestly, it will be such a relief and be no-one wants to offend them. They are Every club should be best for both of you. often the nicest of people away from covered and my inclusive the bridge table. package, to suit clubs of up Behaviour Edmund Burke said many years ago to 300 members for less than that the only thing necessary for the I have met so many nice people triumph of evil is for good men to do £75 per year, is the right through bridge and I’m sure you have nothing. And that is the nub of the package at the right price. too. Most bridge players are polite, problem – people put up with it and educated, law abiding citizens. At the don’t complain. It’s just not British to Contact FIDENTIA for a quote bridge table, all are treated equally do so; no-one wants to be a grass. So if regardless of race, religion, age, wealth your club has such a problem then the ( 020 3150 0080 and gender – that is honestly my members are to blame even more than [email protected] experience. Imagine a country where the TTs. everyone was the sort of person who Don’t suffer in silence. If someone becomes a bridge player; there would is rude to you, do something. Call be no crime apart from traffic offences, the director, who might be at a loss our doors wouldn’t need locks, there – it might cause embarrassment, would be no litter on the streets and who cares. If everyone did this, the no bad language. Do you think I’m problem would be solved very quickly. being idealistic? If you are stunned into silence by an Unfortunately, a minority of these unexpected onslaught, then complain esteemed citizens, pillars of the to the director or the club president at community, who do great charitable the end; failing that write a letter to For those with Pre-existing health work, transform into table terrorists the club secretary. Even if you are a conditions (No Age Limit) (TTs) when playing bridge. Indeed, newcomer, don’t hold your peace, the l Travel Insurance with online when I try to persuade my students to club needs you more than you need it. Medical Screening go to a bridge club, they don’t ask about There are lots of clubs competing for l Cover for medical conditions, the standard of play, the comfort of new members, you are of great value. up to a high level of severity, the premises, the ease of parking, the If the club gives a dismissive response even a terminal prognosis systems played, how well it’s organised to your complaint, then seek another or the speed of play. They simply ask, club, but not before. l No age limits ‘Is it a friendly club? Are the players Behaviour problems are less common l Instant online cover fierce? Will I get told off if I do the at the bridge class as the teacher can wrong thing?’ usually spot it and deal with it tactfully We fully understand that you may Of course, all bridge clubs claim to or with humour. But don’t think you wish to speak to us direct about welcome newcomers; just as all brides know everything that goes on at your cover and your medical conditions and babies are beautiful. It’s like class, as some people are very cunning and assure you of the best attention motherhood and apple pie. While the and do their bullying when the teacher by senior staff on a direct phone line club welcomes newcomers, some of is out of earshot. However, if you are that does not require you to hold or its inhabitants might be anything but approachable people will tell you about press buttons for departments. welcoming. Many bridge clubs have it; always thank people for a complaint, best behaviour policies, but from the don’t be defensive. ( stories which still come to my ears and As a long time bridge club proprietor, 01268 524344 from the letters I read in BRIDGE, I have had to confront the TTs over We look forward to the TTs are still alive and kicking and the years, for if I didn’t I could lose speaking with you soon putting people off the game as they my club. I do so as diplomatically always did. Why does such bridge as possible, but it can be awkward, Email: [email protected] lawlessness continue to exist among embarrassing and messy. I always Website: www.genesischoice.co.uk the most law abiding of citizens? think I could have handled it better, I’m sure the TTs don’t intend to but the problem always gets resolved, Genesis Choice Ltd are an appointed spoil the enjoyment of others; they one way or the other. representative of NDI Insurance and Reinsurance Brokers Ltd who just lack the self awareness to know There is a downside though to are authorised and regulated by the they are doing it. The trouble is running a club which is a TT free area Financial Conduct Authority No.446914 that no-one tells them, people just – a long waiting list! ■

BRIDGE December 2016 Page 29 Robin Hood’s Bridge Adventures by David Bird

The Sheriff’s Perfect Partner

he Sheriff was entertaining A spade game was reached on the On the very next deal the young the 21-year-old niece of Lord first deal and Gisborne led the ♦A, aristocrat had a chance to claim the Galwaite for a few days. A keen East following with the ♦Q to show first rubber. Trider, she had been looking forward to his sequence of honours. Lady Helena some deer hunting. The weather had pushed back a lock of shiny black been unaccommodating, however, hair and won the ♥8 switch in her Dealer North. N/S Game. and the high winds and heavy rain hand. Gisborne surely held the ♣K to ♠ A Q 7 5 seemed set to last until her departure. make up his opening bid, so all would ♥ K Q J 8 ‘I’ve arranged a game of bridge for depend on escaping for just one trump ♦ A J 6 5 us this afternoon, Lady Helena,’ said loser. If trumps were 2-2, any play ♣ 4 the Sheriff. ‘I shall partner you against would do. What was her best chance if ♠ 10 9 3 ♠ J 4 Gisborne and one of his men. They’re trumps broke 3-1? ♥ 6 5 N ♥ 10 9 7 3 W E ♦ K 8 3 ♦ Q 10 9 7 fairly clueless players but you may find At trick 3, Lady Helena led the S it entertaining.’ queen of trumps from her hand. A ♣ Q J 8 7 3 ♣ K 10 6 ‘This is Lord Galwaite’s niece, somewhat surprised Gisborne covered ♠ K 8 6 2 Lady Helena Lockart,’ announced with the king and dummy’s ace won ♥ A 4 2 the Sheriff, as they entered the oak- the trick. The young declarer turned ♦ 4 2 panelled state-room. ‘If her bridge is as towards East, keen to see the card that ♣ A 9 5 2 accomplished as her riding, we should he produced. Ah, how splendid, it was have a good game.’ the ♠10. Gisborne won a second round of West North East South trumps with his jack and returned a Guy of The Sgt. Lady Dealer West. Love All. third round. When declarer eventually Gisborne Sheriff Fyggis Helena ♠ A 9 8 6 2 led a club towards dummy’s queen, the 1♦ Pass 1♠ ♥ A Q J 4 king did indeed prove to be onside and Pass 4♠ Pass 6♠ ♦ K the game was hers. All Pass ♣ Q 6 5 ‘A fine horse rider and a fine player ♠ K J 4 ♠ 10 of the cards!’ exclaimed the Sheriff. ‘By the Saints, her bidding is as spirited ♥ 8 6 N ♥ 10 5 3 2 ‘Did you see her play in the trump suit, as her riding!’ exclaimed the Sheriff. W E ♦ A 9 7 3 2 ♦ Q J 10 6 4 S Gisborne? You might take a note of it ‘What think you of it, Gisborne? Are ♣ K J 8 ♣ 10 4 2 in case you play a similar deal one day.’ you impressed?’ ♠ Q 7 5 3 ‘Are you serious, my Lord?’ Gisborne ‘We would bid similarly if we held ♥ K 9 7 demanded. ‘Leading the queen would any cards,’ Gisborne replied. ♦ 8 5 be clear to any good player.’ ‘Sourness does not become you,’ ♣ A 9 7 3 The Sheriff smirked. ‘Indeed it reprimanded the Sheriff. ‘You must would,’ he said. ‘I was suggesting that forgive him, Lady Helena.’ you, also, might like to add it to your Gisborne led the ♠10 against the West North East South repertoire.’ slam and the Sheriff laid out his Guy of The Sgt. Lady Gisborne gritted his teeth. ‘Amusing, dummy. Gisborne Sheriff Fyggis Helena as always, my Lord,’ he replied. ‘You ‘A fine hand, my Lord,’ observed 1♦ Dbl 3♦ 3♠ speak in jest, as I’m sure Lady Helena Lady Helena. Now, how many tricks Pass 4♠ All Pass realises.’ would she have if she drew trumps

Page 30 BRIDGE December 2016 in three rounds? Three trump tricks, The light from outside was beginning Lady Helena won with the ♦A and four hearts, two aces and the last two to fade when this deal arose late in the ruffed a diamond in her hand. The trumps scored separately. That was third rubber: contract would be easy if trumps split only eleven. It seemed that she would 2-2. If they did not, she would like to need two club ruffs in dummy and one score three diamond ruffs in her hand. diamond ruff in her hand. Dealer South. Game All. When declarer played two top Lady Helena won the trump lead ♠ J 8 5 2 trumps, East showed out on the with dummy’s queen, retaining the ♥ 6 3 second round. What now? It seemed two low trumps for ruffing. A club to ♦ A 8 6 2 that she had four certain losers in the the ace was followed by a club ruff. To ♣ 9 8 3 black suits. Still, it was hardly her fault clear a ruffing route to her hand, she ♠ Q 9 7 ♠ 3 that the Sheriff didn’t understand the then made the smart move of ducking ♥ J 4 N ♥ Q 10 9 7 5 notion of a free bid. W E ♦ K Q J 9 4 ♦ 10 7 3 a round of diamonds. S Lady Helena continued with the ace Sgt. Fyggis won with the ♦9 and ♣ A 5 2 ♣ K Q 6 4 and king of hearts, followed by a low returned the jack of trumps to dummy’s ♠ A K 10 6 4 heart. It would not assist Gisborne to ace. A heart to the ace was followed by ♥ A K 8 2 ruff with his master trump, since a club a second club ruff with dummy’s last ♦ 5 loser would be thrown from dummy. trump. The young declarer played the ♣ J 10 7 He discarded a diamond and declarer ♦A and re-entered her hand with a ruffed with the ♠8. A diamond ruff diamond ruff. It remained only to draw in her hand left these cards still to be the last trump with the ♠K and score West North East South played: three more heart tricks in dummy. Guy of The Sgt. Lady ‘Bravo!’ exclaimed the Sheriff. Gisborne Sheriff Fyggis Helena Galwaite’s niece was a moderate 1♠ ♠ J player, doubtless, but having such an 2♦ 2♠ 3♦ 4♠ ♥ — expert partner seemed to inspire her. All Pass ♦ 8 ‘A fine piece of cardplay, Gisborne, do ♣ 9 8 3 you not agree?’ Gisborne led the ♦K and down went ♠ Q ♠ — Gisborne nodded morosely. The the dummy. ♥ — N ♥ Q ♦ Q W E ♦ — Sheriff had never commended him, ‘So little for me, my Lord?’ queried S for taking a ruff or two in dummy Lady Helena. ‘In the game we play at ♣ A 5 2 ♣ K Q 6 4 and drawing trumps. Put a fresh- court, a free bid promises extra values.’ ♠ 10 faced girl opposite him and every play, ‘Anyone not raising with four trumps ♥ 8 however basic, was rated as manna and an ace understands nothing of the ♦ — from Heaven. ‘Yes, indeed, my Lord,’ game,’ replied the Sheriff. ‘Do your ♣ J 10 7 he replied. ‘She played it well.’ best, anyway.’

The ♥8 appeared on the table and, once again, Gisborne could not ruff profitably. If he discarded the ♦Q dummy’s ♦8 would become good, so he had to throw a club. Lady Helena ruffed with the ♠J and reached for the ♦8, ruffing with the ♠10. Because Gisborne had been forced to retain the ♦Q, he could not overruff. Contrary to earlier expectations, declarer now had ten tricks before her. Magnificent play!’ cried the Sheriff, smiling broadly across the table. It suddenly occurred to him that Lady Helena would make him the most perfect wife imaginable. Some might decry an age difference of four decades, it was true. But when a splendid-looking woman was equally proficient in the saddle and at the bridge table... Well, he was prepared to overlook such a small matter! ■

BRIDGE December 2016 Page 31 Julian Pottage Answers your Bridge Questions

What Do I Need to Force After an Overcall of My Partner’s Opening?

After partner bidding sequence have a 4-4 fit, you will find that this is the case below 4♣. opens 1♦ occurred between us it after responding two of If you watched any of Qand RHO 1♠-2♥-2NT-4NT-Pass. a minor because partner the world championships overcalls 2♣, what After partner’s 2♥, I can rebid 2♥. By playing the in Wroclaw, I suspect you is the minimum HCP was forced to bid 2NT. 2♥ response as promising could have watched for strength I should have Usually, I would have a five-card suit, opener the whole fortnight without for a response of 2♠? bid 1NT showing 15-16 can raise with three, thus seeing Gerber used. If Jim Straffon, Stockport. points. Partner then knew enabling you to find a 5-3 all experts agree that a my points were 15-18 so fit. How would you find a 5-3 convention is a terrible one, You need at least five 4NT was quantitative. heart fit if the 2♥ response they are invariably right. spades to bid 2♠. If If partner had enough did not promise five? A you have only five points for slam but 2. There are several ♣♦♥♠ spades, you should regard wanted to decide reasons why Gerber is 10-11 as the minimum. If you between 6NT or 7NT he a bad convention. Suppose you bid have a good six-card suit or could have bid a Gerber (a) The main determinant the opponents’ a seven-card suit, a point 4♣ to ask for aces. Is this for a successful slam contract Qsuit at the three or two less would be OK. a good use of Gerber? is the playing strength for level eg (1♦)-Dbl-(2♦)-3♦. Dawn Henderson by email. twelve (or thirteen) tricks. Does this show a control ♣♦♥♠ The knowledge that the in the opponents suit for 1. Firstly, playing partnership has three or four a possible 3NT contract 1. Playing Benji Acol, I normally aces does little to help in or is it asking doubler Acol, when A recommend nine that regard. On the auction to show her best suit? Qopener bids points and a five-card suit as you cite, partner is rather Roger Jones by email. 1♠ and responder bids being sufficient for a two- more interested in whether 2♥, am I correct in level response. In general, you have 17-18 rather than On the particular saying that responder depending upon vulnerability 15-16. Asking for aces auction you give, the should have at least ten and scoring method, only would not disclose that. A fourth player has the points and five hearts? a poor or moderate nine (b) There are so many option to make a responsive My partner wants to would respond 1NT. Any other possible uses for a bid double. This suggests know why four hearts hand with the values for of 4♣, that it is inefficient that the cue bid ought to are not sufficient. game facing a strong 1NT to devote it to ace asking. mean something else, 2. In response to should not respond 1NT to Depending upon the earlier although perhaps simply a another question you say an opening suit bid when bidding, 4♣ might be useful stronger hand, unsure of that Gerber is a terrible playing a weak 1NT. as natural, a cue bid or denomination and wishing convention and should The reason why a 2♥ a splinter, for example. to set up a force. If the third not be played. My partner response to 1♠ shows a (c) For a successful slam player had passed, then a and I play RKCB after a five-card suit is that this you need a good trump suit cue bid would be asking the suit bid and Gerber after enables you to find both and controls in all the suits. doubler to choose a suit. no-trumps. The following 4-4 and 5-3 fits. If you Often you cannot establish On most auctions, a bid

Page 32 BRIDGE December 2016 of the opposing suit will After the 4♦ singleton passing 2NT seems for the suit you discard. either be showing a fit and enquiry, opener rebids: reasonable. I do not think Revolving discards (high values or be asking for a 3♣ would be natural. asks for the suit above, low stopper. An immediate cue 4♥/4♠ Singleton in suit bid for the suit below) are in bid after partner has opened 4NT No singleton ♣♦♥♠ theory slightly better than or overcalled is usually 5♣/5♦ Singleton in the suit preference because you showing a fit and values – other minor For the average can signal for spades (or many of these cue bids will or below club hearts if spades are trumps) be at the two level, though ♣♦♥♠ Qplayer what are without using a high card. they can be at the three the best two devices that With one regular partner, I level (eg (1♦)-1♠-(2♦)-3♦). West, dealer, are fairly easy to adopt? play reverse attitude signals Cue bids later in the opened 1♣. A We can assume that they both following suit and as auction or by other players Qnew partner already use weak take- discards. With another, I tend to be asking for a on BBO decided to outs and pre-empts. play standard attitude both stopper (eg 1♦-(2♣)-2♠- pass my 2NT overcall, John Wyatt by email. following suit and as discards. (Pass)-3♣) or in some cases having a singleton in just showing extra values each of my suits. Is this You ask a tricky ♣♦♥♠ (eg 1♦-(2♣)-Dbl-(Pass)-3♣). acceptable in your view? question. Negative Cue bids at the four level are She could not bid three A doubles after your Aside from most often control showing of the other suit either, side opens the bidding and conventions like for slam purposes – you do because her suit was the next player overcalls are QLandy where not ask for stoppers when opener’s suit. I believe a strong candidate for one you are looking for a you are already past 3NT. a cue of opener’s suit of the bidding treatments fit, could you usually shows a powerful to add. Playing double for advise on the strength ♣♦♥♠ hand, yet her bid would take-out of opposing pre- and distribution required have been successful. empts is another possibility. to overcall after a weak I would really The full deal There are so many things no-trump opening? value a recap on was as follows: that it is difficult to narrow I am particularly Qunusual openings the list down to just two. interested in finding a – eg 3NT. As it hardly part score. ever happens that I ♠ 10 7 ♣♦♥♠ Tony Hodge by email. have seven or eight solid ♥ A Q 8 7 3 clubs (or diamonds), ♦ A 10 7 5 3 There are a When the opponents I have forgotten the ♣ 9 few discard open a weak no- responses, with or ♠ K 8 6 ♠ Q 9 3 2 Qsystems. What A trump, game may be without intervention. ♥ K 10 5 N ♥ J 9 6 2 are your thoughts? on your way, which means W E Margerita Milne by email. ♦ K 6 S ♦ Q 9 8 4 2 Colin Liddle by email. overcalls, except when you ♣ K Q 8 4 3 ♣ Void have passed, need to have The standard actions ♠ A J 5 4 On your first discard, some constructive intent. for responder after ♥ 4 it can be important Vulnerable, you need to A a gambling 3NT ♦ J A to be able to show have an opening bid values. opening are as follows: ♣ A J 10 7 6 5 2 your strength to partner. If Non-vulnerable, you can you play standard attitude have a point or two fewer. Pass To play, indicating signals (high encouraging, Remember, any overcall will stoppers in the Geoff Simpson, low discouraging) when commit you to at least the other suits Torphins, Aberdeenshire. following suit to partner’s two level, so a hand that 4♣ Pass or correct: lead, you can do the same would not have been worth opener passes with As it happens, I when discarding. Likewise, a two-level overcall over a clubs or bids 4♦ encountered a similar if you play reverse or upside suit opening is probably not with diamonds A situation recently. attitude (low likes, high hates) worth an overcall of a 1NT 4♦ Singleton enquiry My partner overcalled 2NT when following to partner’s opening. In terms of shape, 4♥/♠ To play showing both minors. I lead, it is logical to do the a 5332 is generally not good 4NT Invitational, typically had K-J-x-x in the unbid same for your discards. enough. You are looking asking for an spade suit and K-Q-10-9 Some prefer to play suit for a six-card suit or some eighth winner of the opposing hearts; preference discards (high sort of 5-4 shape or better. 5♣ Pass or correct: the winning action would asks for a high-ranking suit, Since you are more likely opener passes with have been to pass my low asks for a low-ranking to win a competitive battle if clubs or bids 5♦ partner’s 2NT overcall. suit). The downside with those you have a major suit with diamonds On your layout, is that you cannot signal and you are more likely to

BRIDGE December 2016 Page 33 make game with a major, forcing. The main exception In either case, one is able not with 19 HCP. Even facing conventional defences tend to having a new suit as to identify how well the a passed partner, you risk to focus on the major suits. forcing is that a non-reverse hands fit in the side suits. missing a slam if you open Playing Landy, you can show new suit by opener after a You only bid high such a strong shapely hand just diamonds with 2♦, both one-level response is not quickly with weak hands, with a pre-emptive bid. minors (at least 5-5) with forcing. A non-jump change not with strong hands. If you play strong two 2NT and just clubs with 3♣. of suit response by a passed openings, as in Acol, you You will need reasonable hand or (if playing rubber ♣♦♥♠ open two of your long suit playing strength for the latter, bridge), a bid (other than unless it is clubs. If you play particularly when you are a jump shift response) that I am in fourth Benjamin, you open 2♣. If vulnerable, because you are suffices for game because seat, vulnerable you are not playing either or bidding at the three level. of a previous partscore Qafter three if you are playing Acol but A more sophisticated would also be non-forcing. passes. I have 11 your long suit is clubs then version of Landy is Multi Common bids that are measly points of you open at the one level Landy. With this, a 2♦ forcing to game are a jump aces and spaces. and hope to catch up later. overcall shows one major shift by either opener or Whenever I go for (similar to a Multi 2♦ responder, an opener’s it, partner has 7 HCP. ♣♦♥♠ opening) while a 2♥ or 2♠ reverse after a two-level Whenever I cave in, overcall shows the major bid response, a 2♣ opening partner has 11 HCP. There seems to and an unspecified minor (unless followed by a 2NT Any guidelines please? be two schools (like Lucas 2♥/2♠ openings, rebid). It is also common Vicky Fisher by email. Qof thought but slightly stronger). Unless to play that opener’s 2NT regarding weak two you are already familiar rebid after a two-over-one Accepted wisdom on openings. I play three with the Multi and Lucas, response is game forcing. marginal openings weak twos with one you will probably want to A in fourth seat is to partner and weak stick with simple Landy. ♣♦♥♠ add your HCP to your spade twos in the majors length and open if the total with another. What ♣♦♥♠ Jacoby over comes to 15 or more. So with are your thoughts? majors is popular 11 HCP you would open if Gloria Parks by email. When is a bid Qand I can see you have at least four spades forcing for one the value in most and pass with three or fewer. Playing weak twos in Qround or forcing instances. However, The reason why your spade diamonds as well as to game? I know that when partner has a fit, length is so important is A the majors has the no-trump bids are as well as a good suit that on a partscore deal, merit of simplicity, although often non-forcing. of his own, I find that the side with spade length the pre-emptive benefit of a Irene Martin by email. if you do not show it is in a better position to weak 2♦ opening is limited, at once it is difficult to win the declaration. unless partner raises. I do It is difficult to cover convey its worth later. The rule of 15 might not play a weak 2♦ with one every possible In old fashioned Acol work every time but at least partner, albeit more from A sequence in the you would automatically it saves you guessing and his choice than from mine. I space available. What follows bid it to give partner gives you something to quote think there are better uses for are some principles that a picture of the hand, if your decision backfires. a 2♦ opening – weak hands hold true on most auctions. but now one must bid to with a long minor often end In general, bids of a the level of the hand. A ♣♦♥♠ up defending. A 2♦ opening suit that either member of double fit is worth quite is not really high enough to the partnership has bid a few isolated points. If I hold a hand pose the opponents major previously and no-trump bids What is your opinion? with an eight- problems in the auction, are non-forcing. A return Gavin Pike by email. Qcard suit and 19 while the information that to partner’s suit after an points, how do I open one hand is weak with invitational 2NT bid tends, A game forcing the bidding so that my long diamonds tends to however, to be forcing. Jacoby 2NT raise partner is able to know help them in the play. Bids of a new suit below A keeps the bidding my bid at the four level With my most regular game, especially at the three quite low so gives the is not a pre-empt? current partner, I play level, are often forcing if partnership space to explore Joy Holloway, Benjamin, which gives a lot partner has bid. Bids of the whether their hands fit well Woking, Surrey. of options with no-trump opposing suit and, if there is in other respects. Some ranges as well as a way to an agreed suit, bids in other people play that opener bids A four-level opening show near game hands. suits tend to be forcing too. a second suit and others is consistent with an Some people play 2♥ and Most artificial bids are also that opener bids a shortage. A eight-card suit but 2♠ openings as constructive,

Page 34 BRIDGE December 2016 using a Multi 2♦ for weaker the time, but I met one super-accepts are descriptive Usually you can tell hands with a major – I teacher who did not like and show a maximum with from the bidding whether have not tried that myself. it on the grounds that four trumps. Vulnerable declarer is more likely to the responder to 1NT at matchpoints, you might hold a four- or five-card suit ♣♦♥♠ may have a long major decide not to show the four- rather than a six- or seven- but very few points, in card support on some hands. card suit. If declarer simply Playing SAYC which case 3♥/3♠ might opened or responded 1♠ with 15-17 1NT, be too high. What do ♣♦♥♠ or bid spades in reply to a QI understand you think? Vulnerability- Stayman enquiry, you would the received wisdom dependent maybe? When do you reasonably hope that partner with a no-trump shape Obviously if the opening cover an honour has two or three spades is to open a minor and 1NT is strong (15-17), Qwith an honour? and cover. If, however, rebid 1NT with fewer the risks are much Bridie Cushion by email. declarer had opened 2♠ or than 15 points and less. My feeling is that, 3♠, you would not cover. 2NT with more than even with a 12-14 point In brief, you cover 17. However, if partner 1NT, if the responder an opposing honour ♣♦♥♠ inconveniently responds is extremely weak, the A to promote a lower 2♣ over your opening super-accept might honour (or sometimes a I am looking into 1♦, what then? Does one have some pre-emptive high spot card) in your hand how and why just have to rebid 2NT value, and is therefore or your partner’s hand. Qplayers win at regardless of whether always worth a go. The shorter you are in the bridge and one of the one has 12 points or 19? Jim Miller, Loughborough. suit and the better your aspects is randomness. Michael Paine, Surrey. intermediate cards, the Have you written or Transfer super more likely it is to be right do you know of any If you are playing accepts are a good to cover. Covering is less software that calculates a two-over-one A idea. It can be very likely to be right if you know what the ‘par score A response as stronger useful to know whether the partner is short in the suit for a hand based on than in Acol, but not game fit is 5-4 or 5-3 because (when covering might crash the optimum realistic forcing, then I do not think this affects how many points an honour with partner and result’ would be for you can rebid 2NT with 18 the partnership needs for you know partner cannot each hand, checks the points. I think you would a game or a slam. They have anything to promote) movement and works need to jump to 3NT. The are, as you suggest, slightly and is also less likely to be out what the final results 1♦-2♣-2NT sequence is more useful playing a strong right if the honour led is a would be for each an awkward one in any no-trump and slightly more touching card (when it is pair number in those case, because responder useful when non-vulnerable generally best to wait to cover movement positions? (if holding 11 points) is or playing teams. Vulnerable the last touching honour). Mike Bowthorpe, guessing whether opener at matchpoints and playing Suppose what you Peterborough. has 12 points (when it is a weak no-trump, losing 200 can see is as follows: right to pass 2NT) or 14. for two off on a partscore Sorry I am not aware deal is a factor to consider. of any such software. ♣♦♥♠ Often, except against timid ♠ Q 7 4 3 A You would need a

opponents, if you have a 5-4 N human (teacher, coach or After an fit and all you can make is a W E ♠ K 5 whatever) to analyse the S opening 1NT two-level contract, you will deals. You are right that you Q(12-14 points), find yourself outbid if you try cannot just use standard responses of 2♦ and to stop at the two level – in software. That looks at all 2♥ are conventionally this case it is better to go to Covering the queen with four hands and so drops transfers to hearts and the three level straight away. the king will gain a trick if singleton kings offside, gets spades respectively. I Whether your side’s major is partner has J-x or 10-x-x and all the two-way finesses right, have played against spades or hearts is a factor will give declarer a guess if never misses even the most pairs who include in as well. Opponents are much partner has 10-x. Covering complicated their repertoire a ‘super- more likely to protect over 2♥ the queen will lose a trick and thinks you should be in accept’ of the transfer. (when they might outbid you if partner has a singleton a makeable slam even if it If the opener has the at the two level) than over 2♠. ace and saves declarer a needs three finesses and a full 14 points and four With most partners, I guess if partner is void. 3-3 break. ■ of his partner’s suit he play that a jump to three of responds 3♥ or 3♠. This responder’s major shows a E-mail your questions (including your postal address) seems to me to work minimum with four trumps for Julian to: [email protected] out pretty well most of while other transfer breaks or

BRIDGE December 2016 Page 35 A Blast From the Past by Shireen Mohandes Not Just a Pretty Face

merican John R Crawford Years of Bridge, by Australian JNR nowadays almost all Americans play (1915-1976) enjoyed his teenage Griffiths. five-card majors. Schenken, a world years in the Culbertson era, class player himself, was presumably Awhen the popularity of bridge was at its intending to get his side doubled height. He was a boy wonder and went Pairs. Dealer South. N/S Vul. and discourage his opponents from on to win three world championships. ♠ Void bidding spades (which might make, He was regarded as a good looking ♥ A K 10 8 7 6 3 2 or be a reasonable ). East man, sharp witted, flamboyant, and ♦ Q 9 wanted to make the position clear a strong technical player. He has been ♣ Q 10 2 for his partner, and cue bid 3♥ which much talked about and quoted. Judy ♠ A K Q 8 4 2 ♠ 10 9 6 5 Kay Wolff describes him as ‘well built, ♥ 9 N ♥ Void magnificently groomed and with ♦ J 10 4 W E ♦ 8 6 5 3 S The Backgammon ♣ ♣ steel gray eyes, to boot’. If you play J 7 6 A K 9 8 4 Crawford Rule backgammon, you may well be familiar ♠ J 7 3 with the Crawford rule – named after ♥ Q J 5 4 This rule is designed to make match him. Apart from a successful career ♦ A K 7 2 play more equitable for the player in as a bridge and backgammon player, ♣ 5 3 the lead. If a player is one point Crawford wrote books on these away from winning a match, that games, but he also wrote about other player’s opponent will always want card games: Canasta, Samba, Calypso, The 1944 auction: to double as early as possible in and others. order to catch up. Whether the West North East South game is worth one point or two, the Howard John trailing player must win to continue Schenken Crawford the match. To balance the situation, 1♥ the Crawford Rule requires that 1♠ 2NT 3♥ Dbl when a player first reaches a score 3♠ 4♥ 4♠ Pass one point short of winning, neither Pass 5♥ 5♠ Pass player may use the doubling cube Pass 6♥ Pass Pass for the following game, called the Dbl All Pass Crawford game. After the Crawford game, normal use of the doubling Well – where do we start? You may cube resumes. The Crawford rule is wonder, ‘What on earth is going on? routinely used in tournament match Have the proof readers gone to sleep or play. It is possible for a Crawford something?’ game never to occur in a match. The deal below is from a pairs Crawford, sitting South, opened tournament in the USA, in 1944. It light. At that time in the USA, 1♥ Source: Wikipedia was reported in the book The Golden was the correct opening bid, whereas

Page 36 BRIDGE December 2016 meant, ‘I am supporting your spades, Remember there is another chance to Looking at all four hands, have you partner.’ Griffiths commented that bid because South bid 5♦. noticed that West can make 6♠ on a East did not bid 3♣ (instead of 3♥) North signs off in ♥5 and the heart lead, ruffed in dummy? Once because he thought he might be left spotlight is now on East. With decrepit spades break 3-0, with South likely to there, or raised to 5♣. diamonds, and diamond strength in have eight cards in the red suits, the And so Crawford and Schenken South, he expects that partner would correct play is to cash two top trumps made their way to 6♥. West, who lose two or three diamonds alone. So it and plan to double finesse the clubs. had had enough, doubled (not doesn’t seem that 5♠ is likely to make. The third and final round of trumps is unreasonably) and led a top spade. Should East sacrifice? It is surprising the entry to hand to take the second Before we look at the play, let’s consider how often it is right to bid on in club finesse. ■ a more modern ‘honest’ auction, these situations, but looking at an which may not be nearly as much fun. A-K facing an opening bid, East will probably decide to defend. East makes Two anecdotes about West North East South a disciplined pass, as do the next Crawford from the Pass two players. In this case, thoughtful ACBL website: 1♠ 4♥ 4♠ 5♦ bidding helps North-South. Pass 5♥ All Pass Late in the evening, Crawford The Play reached a grand slam in clubs If West had opened a weak 2♠, it holding seven clubs to the would have been undervaluing the Now, turning to the play in 1944, where A-K-Q-10 opposite a singleton. If hand. North might think, ‘Partner is the final contract was 6♥ doubled, by he made the contract, that deal a passed hand, so slam is unlikely; let South. Crawford must have taken would be the last of the night, so me make it hard for the opponents to great delight in seeing the ♠K hit the when Crawford noticed that the judge the right contract,’ and bid 4♥. green baize. He trumped and played kibitzers had not stirred, he drew East has a nice hand in context, and six rounds of trumps. The discarding the inference that the slam was not whether the partnership play weak or would have been agony. This is the lay down. Backing his judgment, strong no-trump, four- or five-card ending that Crawford reached: Crawford played the singleton majors, 4♠ is clear. trump from dummy and finessed A lazy South may just bid 5♥. A the 10, the only play to make the more thoughtful and considerate ♠ — slam since his right-hand opponent South will try to help partner with a ♥ 2 held four clubs to the jack. description of their hand, in case the ♦ Q 9 adversaries buy the contract. Since ♣ Q 10 2 ♣♦♥♠ South is a passed hand, 5♦ can be ♠ A ♠ — Never at a loss for words, Crawford bid comfortably, knowing that it is ♥ — N ♥ — W E brimmed with confidence and showing both diamonds and hearts, ♦ J 10 4 ♦ 8 6 5 3 S hubris. He was once approached at and suggesting – very strongly – that a ♣ J 7 ♣ A K a tournament by a player who diamond should be led. West, looking ♠ J wanted his opinion on a hand. at three diamond losers, and knowing ♥ — that a diamond will be led has no ♦ A K 7 2 ‘Before you give me the hand, more to say at this stage, and will pass. ♣ 5 who’s my partner supposed to be?’ Crawford asked.

‘It’s unimportant,’ answered the ♥ When dummy plays the 2, East is in player. trouble. If he sheds a club honour, then a club is ducked and the remainder of ‘I have to know,’ said Crawford. ‘It the tricks are taken by declarer. If he might make a difference.’ lets go a diamond, then the long dia- ‘Okay then – another good player. mond in hand is established. This play Make it yourself or your twin is called ‘squeeze without the count’. brother.’ The background behind the name is that although East is squeezed, he does ‘Who are my opponents?’ go on to win a trick later. Most squeez- ‘If you insist on that, too, make it es involve the defence taking their two more Johnny Crawfords.’ tricks, and then being squeezed when declarer has only one possible loser. Crawford said, ‘I’m sorry, I And so the doubled slam was made wouldn’t play in that game, it’s too by Crawford. Was he modest or did he tough.’ gloat? We will never know.

BRIDGE December 2016 Page 37 Improve Your Defence with Andrew Kambites

Are You on the Same Side as Partner?

ridge players specialise in West North East South Why did East need to cash the ♠J and sadism. The worst example of 1NT torture his partner? torturing partner I have ever Pass 3NT All Pass Good defenders anticipate partner’s Bseen was in a close match when I was problems and go out of their way to in 3NT and West led the ♦J. Having West led the ♦6 and East’s ♦K won help partner avoid error. four small diamonds in each hand I the trick. Declarer took the diamond Example B is most instructive. wasn’t worried until East showed out. continuation with his ♦A, cashed the West had ♦A-K-Q-J-10 and I had the ♥A-K and ♠A-K and tried three top rest. Surely there is nothing to say clubs. When they failed to break 3-2, Example B about this hand, but wait and see. West he was prepared to concede, but exited ♠ 9 6 5 4 followed with the ♦Q, ♦K and ♦10 in with his ♣2. East then cashed a top ♥ 10 9 3 2 that order. East was trying to make spade, leaving this position with East ♦ K J 10 9 some sense of this sequence and took on lead: ♣ K longer and longer over each discard. ♠ 10 8 3 ♠ Void N ♦ ♥ 7 5 ♥ A K Q 4 Finally, West produced the A and W E burst into laughter. The board was flat: ♠ — ♦ 7 6 5 3 2 S ♦ 8 4 3NT-1 in each room. However East ♥ 10 ♣ A 4 3 ♣ 10 9 8 7 6 5 2 was furious that partner had put him ♦ 10 ♠ A K Q J 7 2 through the mental torture of trying ♣ — ♥ J 8 6 to work out what West was trying to ♠ — ♠ J ♦ A Q convey, just for fun. Already tired ♥ Q N ♥ 9 ♣ Q J W E ♦ Q ♦ — from the exertions of a long match, S East’s concentration disintegrated. ♣ — ♣ — Not all acts of mental cruelty are ♠ — West North East South deliberate. Look at Example A. ♥ 3 1♠ ♦ 7 Pass 2♠ Pass 4♠ ♣ — All Pass Example A ♠ A 3 2 In a teams of four match, both West ♥ 10 8 5 East knew West’s remaining cards players led the ♥7. East cashed the ♥Q ♦ 10 5 3 were the red queens, both winners, and ♥A and continued with the ♥K. ♣ A K Q 2 but instead of switching to his ♥9 he One West player was not going to ♠ 7 6 4 ♠ Q J 10 5 cashed his ♠J. risk partner getting it wrong. He knew ♥ Q J 7 2 N ♥ 9 6 4 ♠ W E West had lost track of the small how to beat 4 . He ruffed East’s master ♦ Q J 8 6 2 S ♦ K 9 cards and did not know whether he ♥K and cashed his ♣A. ♣ 6 ♣ J 10 9 8 should keep the ♥Q or ♦Q. He guessed The other West tried to signal his ♠ K 9 8 wrongly and declarer took trick 13 desire for a club switch by discarding ♥ A K 3 with dummy’s ♥10. the ♣4. ♦ A 7 4 East was quick to chastise West for The trouble was that this didn’t look ♣ 7 5 4 3 loss of concentration and West just very high to East. East had to choose accepted the blame, but I blame East. between leading a club, hoping partner

Page 38 BRIDGE December 2016 had the ♣A, or leading a fourth heart, with the ♦A, cashes the ♣A and leads trying for a . He a low diamond back to West it is not reasoned that if West had the ♣A he hard for West to work out that a club could have ruffed the third round of ruff is required. hearts to cash it, so if West left East Layout D was a real test of on lead he must have a good reason. partnership empathy. That reason could only be a trump After South opened 1NT and North promotion. East continued hearts raised to 3NT, West led the ♠K. It which would have been the right looks easy for the defenders to cash defence if declarer held: five spade tricks, but it didn’t always work out that way. These English made tables offer superb quality and have ♠ A K Q J 7 the genuine Pelissier hinges. ♥ J 8 6 Layout D Choose from the great value ♦ A 5 ♠ 10 2 Club, the Premier or the ♣ A J 3 ♥ K J 2 elegant Royal. ♦ A Q 9 8 Special Prices for Bridge ♣ A Q J 10 Club orders of 5 or more. As it was, declarer ruffed with the ♠J, ♠ K Q J 9 ♠ A 8 6 5 3 N ♥ 9 8 5 3 ♥ 10 6 4 drew trumps and discarded his clubs W E on dummy’s diamonds. 4♠ made. ♦ 5 4 2 S ♦ 7 3 The lesson here is: never look for an ♣ 8 7 ♣ 9 6 5 obscure way to tell your partner what ♠ 7 4 to do when you can do it yourself. ♥ A Q 7 In Example C, West leads the ♦K. ♦ K J 10 6 East follows suit with the ♦7 and West ♣ K 4 3 2 continues with a second diamond. Declarer easily makes his contract by Club Table with traditional green felt playing surface £159.00 ruffing the third diamond, drawing Many Wests cashed the ♠K-Q-J, trumps and driving out the ♣A. Of leaving East with a guess. Some Easts course, a club ruff could have beaten overtook with the ♠A, which would 4♠. be necessary if West had started with Which defender should bear ♠K-Q-J tripleton. The♠ 9 now blocked responsibility? the suit. One West saw that his partner might have this problem. He reasoned that Example C East knew he had the ♠Q from his ♠ A Q J opening ♠K lead, so he would play this ♥ A Q J card last giving East no temptation to Premier Table, bevelled edges ♦ 10 9 6 overtake any of the previous spades. and baize playing surface £199.00 ♣ K Q J 10 He continued with the ♠J at trick 2, ♠ 4 3 ♠ 7 6 5 and then the ♠9 at trick 3. East was not N ♥ 10 9 ♥ 8 6 4 3 2 ♠ W E tempted to overtake the 9. ♦ K Q J 4 S ♦ A 7 5 3 How hard is all of this? Looking at ♣ 8 7 5 4 2 ♣ A all four hands it looks easy enough, ♠ K 10 9 8 2 but most bridge players find it very ♥ K 7 5 hard to anticipate how things look to ♦ 8 2 partner. ♣ 9 6 3 As the hand develops, each player acquires knowledge, but not Royal Table, elegant surround and necessarily the same knowledge. baize playing surface £249.00 West North East South Players find it incredibly hard to Order online or by phone 2NT Pass 3♠ understand that just because they www.designsforbridge.co.uk Pass 4♠ All Pass know something, that information might not be available to partner. 01483 270 100 There is no way that East can persuade A partner who can anticipate SR Designs for Bridge West to switch to a club at trick 2, but your problems in defence and take Unit A1, Send Business Park, East could, and should, have taken the pressure off you is truly to be Send, Woking, Surrey GU23 7EF the initiative. If East overtakes the ♦K cherished. ■

BRIDGE December 2016 Page 39 Let’s see some examples: Partner deals and opens READERS’ 1♠, the next player passes, and we have this hand:

Cities & Waterways ♠ Void of Europe LETTERS ♥ 10 7 6 4 ♦ Q 8 7 6 ♣ K 7 6 5 3

DOUBLING PARTNER negative doubles, competitive Kiki Muir (Letters, BRIDGE doubles, responsive doubles, Easy peasy – we have fewer 167, p40) asks why it is not re-opening doubles, etc, etc, than 6 HCP. We pass and possible to double partner all of which enjoin partner quite likely the fourth player to show that we have a to ‘do the right thing’. Sally will bid something and take misfit. There is a very simple Brock has even written us off the hook. Even if this answer: what happens when a complete book about doesn’t happen, partner Departs Dover partner passes your double? doubles, Double Trouble. most likely will have five 22nd April 2017 • 8 nights This sounds like a wheeze to Even in the early days, or six spades and the end me; every time partner bids a there were players not happy of the world won’t come. Balmoral • L1706 making contract you double about this. , one If partner has only four Dover, and collect double the score. of the foremost experts in spades, partner’s hand Hamburg (Overnight), I think opponents could have in America, will be balanced but too Cruising River Elbe, a point of view about this. thought there should be a strong for 1NT, so partner Cruising North Sea Canal Let’s get back to the roots distinction between double will have 15-19 HCP. We (Noordzeekanaal), Amsterdam (Overnight), of bridge. Double says to for penalty, and double for don’t need to worry. Cruising Western the opponents, ‘You are not take-out. He wanted there Let’s make our Scheldt River, making your contract,’ and to be a new bid ‘challenge’ hand stronger: Antwerp (Overnight), redouble says, ‘Oh yes, we that took the place of the Dover are.’ In the days of bridge take-out double. But other , the earliest – Victorian people tried it and found it ♠ Void Daily bridge on board, bridge fees – form of bridge, this was all unnecessary. Partner had ♥ K 7 6 4 included. Mr Bridge welcome drinks party. Partners for single it meant. Auction bridge then to remove the ‘challenge’ ♦ Q 8 7 6 players. Special solo offers. came along with both sides and was not able to convert ♣ A J 7 5 3 allowed to bid, and it did not a challenge into a penalty Great value Mr Bridge fares: take much time for players to double by passing. In other realise that penalty doubles words, it was unilateral and Here we have 10 HCP, so Interior Room £719pp Ocean View Room £809pp at a low level did not work. unpartnerly and therefore we can freely introduce our Ocean View Room £989pp Instead the take-out double not good bridge. But own suit at the two-level. Bid ♣ Balcony Room £1,259pp was introduced. In its earliest note that it still involved 2 . The change of suit is Suite £1,349pp form it was used over a 1NT challenging something the forcing so partner will rebid. opening bid. In auction opponents bid and not She may support clubs, or Balmoral bridge it was considered anything partner had bid. introduce a red suit which we normal to open 1NT with 2½ OK, let’s get back to Kiki’s will happily support. She may quick tricks and three suits problem. Kiki has a misfit bid 2NT showing 15+ HCP stopped. Two aces and a king with partner and wants so we will, with admittedly in a third suit would do and partner to bid any other suit. a little trepidation, go 3NT. you can easily see that that Kiki would like to double, Or she may rebid 2♠. This was the forerunner of today’s but for reasons above we should show a six-card suit, weak no-trump in contract can’t use ‘double’. We can so we just pass. With misfits, bridge. Double simply told though, give Kiki a new card, just stop as quickly as you For reservations call Mr Bridge partner to bid something let’s call it ‘change’ and print can. Anyone who even over the opponents’ 1NT. it on sky-blue pink. Believe considered 2NT here should on 01483 489961 Later it was realised it me, Kiki, we don’t need this go to the back of the class; www.mrbridge.co.uk could be extended to suit ‘change’ card, your problem partner has limited her hand

Terms and conditions apply – situations as well and the is not a problem at all; we to 11-15 HCP, there is a misfit see Fred.Olsen 2017 brochure or principle has proved so just let the system we already and there is unlikely to be a www.fredolsencruises.com for details. useful that now we have have operate as it should. good source of tricks for p42

FOC348846_MrBridge_Ad_Strips_261x41_L1706_W.C.03.10.16_FV.inddPage 40 10/10/2016 09:03 1 BRIDGE December 2016 2161 Mr Bridge third page ad 170527BR_Layout 1 2 Answers to Bernard Magee’s Bidding Quizzes 1-3 Renaissance on the Cover and for 3NT. However, your partner has now 1. Dealer West. Love All. bid 3♣. What is he showing you? ♠ K Q 3 ♠ A 10 9 6 5 1NT encompasses a lot of hand types: Rivieras ♥ K 8 7 6 N ♥ A 2 with any semi-decent hand with long hosted by ♦ A J W E ♦ 8 6 5 clubs your partner can just bid 3NT; his S BERNARD MAGEE ♣ A 7 6 5 ♣ 9 8 2 3♣ bid should show long clubs and little else outside. If you have a high club to go with his suit, you might gamble on 3NT, West North East South but with a small doubleton you should 1♥ Pass 1♠ Pass leave 3♣. You should expect partner’s 1NT1 Pass 2NT Pass hand to be entryless and thus most of ? your tricks in a no-trump contract would 115-17 balanced have to come from you. 3♣ is likely to make nine tricks, whilst 3NT would be 3♠. lucky to make more than six. You showed 15-17 points by rebidding 1NT and now your partner invites game with 2NT, so with 17 HCP surely you just LIMITED raise to 3NT? You certainly want to go for 3. Dealer West. Love All. SINGLE game, but why not offer 4♠ as an option ♠ A K 4 2 ♠ 8 5 AVAILABILITY if your partner has five – by bidding 3♠, ♥ 7 N ♥ A K 6 5 4 you are accepting the invitation to game, ♦ 8 5 4 W E ♦ K J 10 2 Culture and glamour combine S but also showing three-card spade ♣ A Q 9 4 3 ♣ 7 6 on a cruise that will take you support. from Imperial Rome to the Here, your partner will be delighted Italian Riviera and the Cote d’Azur. with your bid and raise to 4♠. 4♠ making West North East South May 27, 2017 - 11 days ten tricks is better than 3NT making nine. 1♣ Pass 1♥ Pass from Rome to Nice There are conventions (eg Checkback) 1♠ Pass 2NT Pass Fly to Rome and transfer to that allow the responder to find his fit ? Aegean Odyssey in Civitavecchia. earlier in the auction, but they are not Cruise to Olbia (overnight on board) part of standard Acol. Pass. • Bonifacio • Elba • Florence • Pisa Your partner should have a stopper in • Marseilles (Avignon) • Cannes (overnight on board) • Monte Carlo • Nice • Fly home diamonds (the unbid suit) and 11-12 Great value Mr Bridge fares points. Although, traditionally, you would 2. Dealer West. Love All. expect just 11, when hands are misfitting Standard Inside from £2,195pp Standard Outside from £2,650pp ♠ K Q 3 ♠ 8 7 you tend to need more combined Premium Outside from £2,795pp ♥ A K 6 5 4 N ♥ 7 strength to make 3NT. W E Single cabins are limited - ♦ K Q 3 ♦ 9 6 5 You have described your hand: 5-4 call for details S ♣ ♣ 6 2 K Q 9 8 7 5 3 in clubs and spades, so your partner’s For reservations call choice of no-trumps seems reasonable. With 13 points and a 5-card suit you West North East South might feel you have a little bit of extra on 01483 489961 1♥ Pass 1NT Pass strength to go for game. However, 2NT Pass 3♣ Pass keeping in mind the misfitting nature of ? the hands you should be pessimistic. 26 points are usually needed for misfitting Pass. hands to make 3NT. www.mrbridge.co.uk Your partner has shown 6-9 HCP and 2NT might not always make, but it is Terms and conditions apply – see brochure or website for details with a good 17 you felt justified in trying much more likely to do so than 3NT. ■

BRIDGE December 2016 Page 41 p40 seemed ill-judged. unfair, even though it might Better Hand no-trumps. Just let partner The writer is entitled to be the only movement in play. She will make a his view (mind you he gets which each player does Evaluation few high cards, a few of things wrong. For example, indeed play every board. Bernard Magee her trumps and with luck the Corn Cairdis gets not Put another way, suppose will scramble eight tricks. one penny of EBU funds you are coming up for the Introduction Well passed, partner. and has not for many years) last round of a movement. Better Hand Evaluation is Ok so what happens and if you choose to allow You are given a choice: aimed at helping readers to when we have 6-9 HCP? him to remain anonymous choose which boards add greater accuracy to their that is your entitlement, you would like to play, or bidding. It deals with auc- tions in which you and your but to allow him to do so choose which opponent partner, against silent op- ♠ Void because he has made the pair you would like to play ponents, can describe your ♥ K 7 6 4 completely unsubstantiated against. It’s a no-brainer, hands fully to each other ♦ J 8 7 6 slur about retaliation seems you would chose the club and, by evaluating them ac- curately, find the best final ♣ Q J 7 5 3 more than a bit much. dunces, for want of a better contract. The emphasis of all Who is the ‘they’ that have word, showing that quality good, accurate bidding is on attracted ‘retaliation’ from of opposition is a more hand evaluation. We just bid 1NT. This is the EBU? I invite him or her dominant consideration There are two general types of the ‘dustbin bid’. 6-9 HCP, to provide evidence that this than type of board. auction: a) a fit is found and b) no convenient suit to bid is actually true rather than Of course, in the higher no fit is found. at the one-level. Anything a cheap and somewhat ranks of the game in which When you do not have a fit, partner now bids you can defamatory remark. the EBU rule makers operate, you are aiming to describe the pass, including of course strength of your hand as soon To criticise the EBU for its all players will be more as possible, most often using 2♠. You gave partner the actions is one thing. To make or less of the same high no-trump bids. This book be- opportunity to change and unsubstantiated allegations skill level, so they naturally gins by discussing balanced- she chose not to. Job done. and slurs quite another. think that second-order hand bidding in Acol, as it This is the beauty of the Jeremy Dhondy, is very important that both considerations – ie the members of a partnership 1NT dustbin response. It Chairman of the EBU, requirement that each board have an accurate knowledge of says to partner I have a few Aylesbury, Bucks by email. should be played by as many how to show hands of different points but not enough to Quite so. I agree with you pairs as possible, and hence strengths. bid at the two-level. Partner and unreservedly apologise. the number of boards in play When a fit is found, there is has been warned both of should be as few as possible much re-evaluation of the the misfit and the lack of LEVEL FIELD – are the issue. Given hand to be done; point count, though still important, needs points. It does not promise Jeremy Dhondy (Some however that competitions to be evaluated together with any kind of . Answers, BRIDGE 167, at club level are inherently distribution. The best way of I hope, Kiki, I have November 2016, p40) unfair anyway, because of reaching an accurate assess­ convinced you that 1NT is is mistaken in implying the variations in skill levels ment is to use the Losing Trick Count; this is an important the ‘change’ card you are that the best means to that will inevitably exist, the method of hand evaluation and seeking. Perhaps like the ensure fairness in a bridge introduction of the 70% rule takes up a number of chapters. ‘change’ card it could be competition is to minimise (the violation of which makes Finally, we move on to different printed on sky-blue pink to the number of boards in the event ineligible for master forms of evaluation including make you feel more confident play. The major factor to points) seems to me to be game tries and splinter bids. when using it. But until that bring about fairness is to irrelevant; and I agree with You can never know enough methods of hand evaluation; happens just imagine it and ensure that the overall skills Andrew Kambites who, in the more you learn, the better happily expect partner to of each pair’s opponents page 7 of the same issue, you get at judging your hand. ‘change’ when you use it. If are as equal as possible. reaches the same conclusion Although the Losing Trick partner doesn’t change there Thus when a movement based on his experience of Count is used more easily in will be reasons, so just pass ends in what is called a running bridge holidays. tandem with your partner, a and let partner get on with ‘revenge’ round, ie one in John MacLeod, large proportion of the ideas in this book can be used by an it. Bridge doesn’t need to be which players play against Kingston-upon-Thames, individual. For example, eval- made more complicated; the same pair in the final Surrey. uating your hand to be worth some of us would say it is round as they played an extra point is going to help challenging enough already. against in the first, the pair TRANSLATION anyone you partner – as long as you get it right. Ned Paul, Twickenham. who oppose the champion NEEDED pair in the revenge round I would be grateful for a £14 including UK postage FAR TOO STRONG will complain that the fact simple bridge definition of I must say that the comment that they, and they alone, each of the following words. Mr Bridge ( 01483 489961 www.mrbridge.co.uk under the final letter in the have to play the champions Convention, Law, Rule. October issue of BRIDGE twice makes the movement I struggle to give a p44

Page 42 BRIDGE December 2016 2161 Mr Bridge third page ad 170503BR_Layout 1 2 Answers to Bernard Magee’s Bidding Quizzes 4-6 on the Cover Madeira,

Two more weak hands trying to find their 4. Dealer West. Love All. best partscore, but this time, your partner Morocco ♠ 7 ♠ K Q J 5 4 3 has come back to your first bid suit. Is it ♥ A K 4 3 2 N ♥ 7 time to get excited, after all you have 14 ♦ J 5 3 W E ♦ 9 8 6 HCP and a singleton (just five losers)? S & Seville ♣ A Q 7 6 ♣ J 8 2 It is important to remember that your partner will not always have a fit for you, hosted by and he can be very weak. Furthermore, SANDY BELL West North East South your partner’s strength in spades may 1♥ Pass 1♠ Pass well be misfitting opposite your singleton. 2♣ Pass 2♠ Pass I suppose playing teams you might ? try to push for a thin game, but more realistically you should pass and hope Pass. you can scrape together eight tricks. Generally, when you have two relatively weak hands bidding together, their job is to try to settle on a contract at a low level. The best method for this to work is 6. Dealer West. Love All. that the responding hand usually cedes ♠ 9 ♠ 8 4 2 to the opener – choosing one of his two ♥ K Q 6 5 4 N ♥ 9 2 suits, even if the fit is not great. Only very ♦ K Q 5 4 W E ♦ A 6 3 S rarely should the responder take over – a ♣ A 7 3 ♣ K Q J 6 5 Enjoy the spring sunshine of rebid of responder’s suit should show a Madeira, the dramatic landscapes of good six-card suit which is happy to play the Canary Islands and the Moorish opposite a singleton in partner’s hand. West North East South splendours of Morocco and Seville. The responder is overruling the opener 1♥ Pass 2♣ Pass – he is saying, ‘partner I know that you 2♦ Pass 2♥ Pass May 3, 2017 - 11 days have shown me two suits, but looking at ? from Funchal to Seville my hand, I am pretty sure that 2♠ is the Fly to Funchal to join Aegean Odyssey right contract.’ 3♣. for 2 nights on board. Cruise to La Palma East has the classic hand – a one suited This hand looks very similar to the • Lanzarote • Agadir (Taroudant) hand that knows that playing in spades previous one, but there is one important • Marrakesh (overnight hotel) • Casablanca (Rabat) • Seville (overnight is correct otherwise his hand is relatively difference: your partner responded at on board) • Fly home worthless. the two-level, so should have at least ten points. Great value Mr Bridge fares You cannot be sure of a good heart fit, Standard Inside from £1,995pp but you can be sure that the partnership Standard Outside from £2,550pp Premium Outside from £2,695pp 5. Dealer West. Love All. can afford to go at least one level higher Single supplement only 10% ♠ 9 ♠ Q J 7 6 3 to explore what the best final contract ♥ K Q 6 5 4 N ♥ 9 2 might be. Bid your hand out naturally: For reservations call ♦ A 4 2 W E ♦ Q 8 6 5 you have shown five hearts and four S ♣ K Q 5 4 ♣ J 6 diamonds, a 3♣ bid now would describe your shape perfectly and put your part- on 01483 489961 ner in a good position to decide the fi- West North East South nal denomination. East would push on in 1♥ Pass 1♠ Pass clubs: 5♣ being a reasonable contract. 2♣ Pass 2♥ Pass East’s second bid is tricky: he might ? have tried 2♠ (fourth suit forcing), but he www.mrbridge.co.uk

is a little weak for that so he gave false Terms and conditions apply – see brochure or website for details Pass. preference for hearts. ■

BRIDGE December 2016 Page 43 p42 LITTLE VOICE holds a 13-card suit. If he has seem to be both a little satisfactory answer to Just realised that I still ever held one, it’s most prob- older and now teetotal. others when questioned. haven’t replied to your ably his friends pulling his As my wife and I usually Also, reading my letter question of how we’re doing leg. Even a hand with eleven play crisp and wine social which you kindly printed in re. raising funds for charity. occurs just three in a million, rubber bridge with a the latest issue of BRIDGE. As you know, the supply so he’ll never see one again. couple of friends, I wonder I wonder what is meant of stamps has fallen Tom Smith by email. whether I should decrease at the end by ‘HUMS dramatically and I now the alcohol intake. do not’? Does it mean augment this source by way WHY NOT SUBSCRIBE? Malcolm Freeth, HUMS do not contravene of bridge suppers and events I have just received a Bournemouth, Dorset. the laws of bridge? at my bridge club. My next printed copy of BRIDGE 166; Kiki Muir by email. event is on November 8th a most welcome and MEMORIES (1) Simple answer – yes. and the proceeds of that pleasant surprise, as it’s It was sad to see the obituary will boost our effort for the so much easier to read of . I first met COINCIDENCE year to roughly £2,000. than the digital copy. him in 1961 at the fair for I have a story that might I still live in the hope Thank you very much. Cambridge freshers, both of interest you and your readers. of receiving a valuable However, I notice that us lurking around the stall Most Fridays, I go to visit collection of stamps but neither this issue, nor for the university bridge club. my 88 year old father in not so far. There are, no.165 is available on We had both been playing Chester. After lunch, we have nevertheless, some wonderful the website. Have you got at school but I felt a bit a couple of hours playing people out there who engage behind with this job again? superior as my school was Chicago bridge with his two their friends and various David Barker, immediately adjacent friends (Geoff 95 and Harold club members and pool Aylesbury, Bucks. to Sidcup Bridge Club in his 80s). Last Friday, when their collecting endeavours. and I had been playing the bridge came to a close Christmas mail will shortly CHALK v CHEESE there for a year or so after playing 20 hands, the be arriving and of course that Having watched your with David Huggett, one scores were level at 1,620 always results in an upsurge. magazine evolve over of your columnists. to each pair. Given their Be assured that I will continue the years, may I, as both After our first session at ages, it was a surprise to me to do my best and thank you bridge player and market- the university club, I decided when they said that none for your continued support. ing man, congratulate you that Patrick would soon of them had ever played Malcolm Finebaum on the October 2016 issue. be a better bridge player bridge where the scoring by email. Its friendly image and feel, than I would ever be. finished as a ‘dead-heat’. 8 Mountford House, clean layout and typeface, We played together for However, when I called Crescent Road, good colour quality and three years and in the Varsity again yesterday, Geoff told Enfield EN2 7BL. highly rated contributors, match in 1964. I remember me that his daughter (a very are all very welcoming. once the club was due to play keen bridge player living in THE ODDS The subscription price a match against Norwich Canada) phoned him last If you and partner have an of £50 for 36 issues of Bridge Club. Someone had weekend to say that her eight-card fit, what are the BRIDGE compares with hired a van whose steering bridge afternoon (that odds opponents have at (with which and brakes were rather same Friday) had finished least an eight-card or better I have no connection) priced dodgy and at one point, dead-level, adding that fit? Nine-card or better fit? at £19.99 for 12-monthly although going very slowly, neither she nor her friends If you and partner have a issues plus unlimited on-line the driver lost control and had ever previously nine-card fit, your opponents access and index to over 60 the van turned on its side. played bridge where must have an eight-card issues they have published Patrick was coming to the that had happened. fit (26-(13-9)=22, divide in recent years. At this time, end of a story about some I presume it must be 22 by 3) or better, what the latter seems for me the amazing bridge hand and I rare for one such situation are the odds they have a better choice but, as one saw him falling towards me to arise, but for two, on nine-card fit or better? nearing retirement, the as the van fell. Amazingly, the same day, in different Michael Green, temptation of your cruises we all scrambled out countries, with the father in Brighton, Sussex. keeps growing stronger. completely unhurt (except one country and his daughter J French by email. oil from somewhere had in the other. What are the VERY UNLIKELY Bridge Magazine is only leaked onto the driver’s odds of that happening? Charlie Richardson (letters available online. clothes). As we all stood My father subscribes to BRIDGE 166) can relax. If around somewhat confused, your magazine and I said he plays bridge a lot, say a LIFESTYLE CHOICE Patrick’s first words were that he should write to hundred boards a week, it Reading BRIDGE 166, I the punchline of his story. you, but I doubt he will. will probably be tens of thou- am concerned to see that I never remember him David Finney by email. sands of millennia before he Wendy Wensum would uttering a cross word to p46

Page 44 BRIDGE December 2016 Answers to Bernard Magee’s BERNARD Bidding Quizzes 7-9 MAGEE’S on the Cover INTERACTIVE TUTORIAL CD

in mind, you should bid your second suit 7. Dealer West. Love All. again, promising five cards. Do not be ACOL BIDDING ♠ 2 ♠ A K 9 4 3 tempted to bid 2♥ to keep the auction ♥ A K 8 7 2 N ♥ 6 5 lower just because you are weak: you ♦ K 4 2 W E ♦ 8 7 3 chose to open with 11 HCP because of S ♣ Q J 4 2 ♣ A K 5 your shape and here is your chance to exhibit it. Over 3♣ your partner can be sure West North East South that clubs are best and will probably bid MAC or 1♥ Pass 1♠ Pass 5♣. Windows 2♣ Pass 2♦1 Pass ? 1Fourth suit forcing 9. Dealer West. Love All. 2NT. The partnership has bid three suits ♠ Void ♠ A 10 9 4 3 2 naturally and then your partner makes a ♥ A K 8 7 2 N ♥ 6 bid in the fourth suit. You alert his bid as ♦ K Q 4 2 W E ♦ A J 9 6 S fourth suit forcing: an unnatural bid, not ♣ Q J 4 2 ♣ K 3 promising anything in diamonds – he is asking you to describe your hand a little more. Top of the list of what he might West North East South Throughout 200 deals split into need to know about your hand is whether 1♥ Pass 1♠ Pass ten chapters, Bernard evaluates you have a stopper in the fourth suit; if 2♣ Pass 2♦1 Pass your bids, praising the correct you have, you should bid no-trumps. ? 1Fourth suit forcing ones and discussing the wrong K-x-x might not seem much, but it ones. is enough when you are declaring the 3♦. You have a nice hand and, once contract. A diamond lead means you will again, are being asked to make a third l Opening Bids make a trick in the suit; you will only lose descriptive bid: you have shown five and Responses out if the ace is wrong and the defence hearts and four clubs, what would be the l Slams and find an accurate sequence of plays. best descriptive bid next? Strong Openings Here, you bid 2NT, not showing any Thinking naturally will get you the extra strength, but suggesting something answer: 3♦. 3♦ shows good diamonds l Support for Partner in diamonds. It is just what East wanted and finishes the perfect description of l Pre-empting to hear and he raises to 3NT. your hand, leaving your partner with a l Overcalls pretty picture. You have shown a three £66 suited hand (very short in spades) with l No-trump 8. Dealer West. Love All. reasonable strength. Openings ♠ 2 ♠ A K 9 4 3 You might have considered 2NT (or and Responses ♥ A K 8 7 2 N ♥ 6 5 3NT) to show your diamond stopper, l Opener’s and ♦ J 4 W E ♦ 8 7 3 but this misrepresents the potential of S Responder’s Rebids ♣ Q J 9 4 2 ♣ A K 5 the hand. Remember that after your 3♦ bid, your partner can bid no-trumps if l Minors and Misfits he wishes, knowing you have a diamond l Doubles West North East South suit. l Competitive Auctions 1♥ Pass 1♠ Pass You might ask why your partner used 2♣ Pass 2♦1 Pass 2♦ on the hand he held – well, with six ? 1Fourth suit forcing spades and a game going hand, he needed more information from you be- Mr Bridge, Ryden Grange, 3♣. Once again, you alert your partner’s fore settling on the contract. Your 3♦ bid Knaphill, Surrey GU21 2TH bid, but with little strength in diamonds should persuade your partner to push to- ( 01483 489961 you cannot bid no-trumps. Your job is to wards a diamond contract, perhaps even www.mrbridge.co.uk/mrbridge-shop describe your hand further and with that reaching the giddy heights of 6♦. ■

BRIDGE December 2016 Page 45 p44 NOT MR BRIDGE daylight hours. Could this be in separate rooms bidding me at the bridge table. I I was most excited to see something worth pursuing? and playing via electronic stopped playing bridge there is finally a Mr Bridge Margaret Williams devices as if on the Internet. after leaving Cambridge app for iPad and have by email. At the other end, the and lost touch completely. just downloaded it. social game still exists as a When I began playing However, it does nothing ANYONE FOR WHIST post-dinner party activity, club bridge some years to enhance the reputation ‘The more you understand but in much lower numbers. later, it was no surprise to of Mr Bridge and if I had bridge, the fewer people Knowledge of the game is no see that he had achieved not been to seminars and you will enjoy playing the longer the prerequisite it once fame in . subscribed to your magazine, game with.’ I was shocked was to building a social circle Cliff Pavelin, Oxford. I would be asking for an when I heard a well-known in a new neighbourhood. A immediate refund. Please teacher tell his intermedi- love of bridge is not always MEMORIES (2) would you explain when ate students this. But the passed on to the next I have known Patrick you are going to provide more I think about it, the generation: I know of many for many years having an update to make the app more I appreciate his point. who will not touch the game been a kibitzer at many even remotely comparable For me, the fundamental because they recall as a child Camrose matches and to that of Omar Sharif’s. flaw of bridge is coded their parents arguing bitterly also a board monitor. I am most disgruntled. into its partnership ethos: after an evening’s bridge. My enduring memory Mrs Liz Bragg, 1. The more information Caught in between these of his excellent card play Reading, Berks. you can communicate two extremes is the duplicate was in the following, Absolutely nothing to do to your partner, the club, where prestige is the when he was declarer with me whatsoever. more you will win. only prize to be gained from in a contract of 6♥ in a 2. Winning is a good thing. winning. It is immensely Camrose match in the BRIDGE IN OZ Bridge is not a partnership saddening to see a pair 1980s (I think) against I live in Perth, Australia for game like tennis or resort to cheating in this England in Wales. I was nine months of the year badminton where good environment. But like your there as an England and play bridge regularly. players routinely pass secret anonymous writer, I also supporter. Unlike the situation in signals to their partner. In believe there is a need for a He held ♥K-10-8-7-6- England, the popularity of those sports, making the far simpler set of rules and 2 and dummy held ♥A-9. the game is increasing. right shot well is the really rectification procedures than He had to play this suit for Most of the clubs here difficult thing, a technique the WBF currently offers. just one loser. After much (of which there are many) acquired over years of I almost think it wrong to thought he played the ♥2 to belong to the Australian training. In bridge, the encourage young players to the ♥9, when his left hand Bridge Federation, thus equivalent physical action learn the game today. In my opponent (LHO) played low. enabling them to allocate – that is, pulling a card out days as a student, it barely His LHO held ♥Q-J-5-4. master points which provide of your hand and placing mattered what quality of The whole vu-graph room, an incentive. Most clubs it on the table – is no effort degree you got. The last thing with many Welsh supporters have their own premises, for 99% of players. It is the a student today needs is to was jumping for joy. are efficiently run and use selection of the right card or become addicted to a flawed Philip Watson by email. the latest technology. bid that is the really difficult game which could deprive Apart from this, however, thing in bridge. As we have him or her of a good degree. GLAD TO HEAR IT I wonder if the main reason seen in recent years from The ingredients needed Excellent though your for bridge’s continued the top bridge players who for a good game of bridge magazine is, I am only of popularity could be that cheat, partner can illegally – in particular, exactly four rubber bridge standard, the majority of sessions communicate information players of not-too-different having had some classes take place in the afternoon, that makes this selection ability – are becoming in my late 60s. My unlike in England where dilemma far less difficult. scarcer. While hundreds of memory used to be good, they are in the evening. Like many games and thousands of youngsters but I find the thought of From my experience, a sports which were originally are paying good money duplicate and Chicago large number of people take invented as social pastimes, not only to play computer daunting to say the least. up bridge when they are there is almost zero social games but also to watch Some of your articles, older and have more time to content in the game when others play them, the bridge though useful, are way above spare. Certainly in Western played at the highest level world must realise it cannot my level. Please remember us Australia, such people are when winning is paramount, compete for their attention less experienced players too. encouraged by the fact that possibly for financial reasons. as a viewing entertainment. I shall continue to they can enjoy their hobby in Diagonal screens and It could be that the take-up subscribe and read and a safe environment with good expressionless faces are of bridge soon falls off a cliff, enjoy the bits I understand. parking facilities and above almost mandatory. There is as youngsters – even those Angela Clifford by email. all, they can play during talk even of having players presented with the p50

Page 46 BRIDGE December 2016 Answers to Bernard Magee’s BERNARD Bidding Quizzes 10-12 MAGEE’S on the Cover INTERACTIVE TUTORIAL CD

valuable card (in partner’s suit), so with 10. Dealer West. Love All. just five losers you should definitely pur- DECLARER ♠ K 4 ♠ 7 6 5 sue the chance of a game contract. Once ♥ 7 6 N ♥ A K 8 5 3 again, try to bid your hand naturally, bid- PLAY ♦ 8 4 3 W E ♦ K Q 2 ding clubs again to show equal length in S ♣ A K J 7 6 5 ♣ Q 3 your minors and encourage partner to choose the best fit – remember that your partner will often give preference to your MAC or West North East South first suit, thinking that it might be longer. Windows 1♣ Pass 1♥ Pass With such a weak hand your partner 2♣ Pass 2♦ Pass will choose to pass 3♣, expecting game ? to be a step too far.

2NT. Your partner has bid a second suit and so should have a decent hand: 10+ 12. Dealer West. Love All. points. His new suit is forcing for one ♠ K Q 8 4 ♠ 9 2 round, trying to get you to show a little ♥ K 2 N ♥ A Q J 5 3 more about your hand. The bid is simi- ♦ 8 7 W E ♦ 6 5 S lar to fourth suit forcing, but it is natural ♣ A K 6 5 4 ♣ Q J 7 3 in that it shows strength in the suit bid. Your job is to contemplate the fourth suit, Bernard develops your spades – have you a stopper? West North East South declarer play technique in The answer is yes – your ♠K-4 consti- 1♣ Pass 1♥ Pass the course of ten tutes a stopper, if you bid no-trumps – 1♠ Pass 3♣ Pass introductory exercises and so go for it: 2NT. You are trying to help ? your partner decide the final contract. 120 complete deals. ♦ ♣ Your 2NT after your two club bids sug- 3 . Your partner’s jump to 3 shows an l Suit Establishment gests long clubs along with a high card invitational hand with good club support. in No-trumps in spades. Your partner can raise to 3NT Holding a robust 15 HCP, you hope that and you have reached the best contract. game is on, but which one? l Suit Establishment in Suits East’s 2♦ was a clever bid – ostensibly If your partner can stop the diamond it is showing a four-card suit, but he was suit, then 3NT might be best: to find out l Hold-ups using it to guide the partnership to the if he can, you need to use fourth suit forc- l Ruffing for best contract. ing. This time, it has come up a little later Extra Tricks in the auction as one of the other suits £76 has been bid twice. 3♦, with clubs agreed l Entries in No-trumps 11. Dealer West. Love All. and the majors bid, is almost demanding ♠ 3 ♠ 9 8 7 that your partner bid 3NT if he has a dia- l Delaying ♥ Q 2 N ♥ K J 7 6 5 mond stopper. Here, East would rebid 3♥ Drawing Trumps ♦ A K 8 7 6 W E ♦ 9 4 to deny diamond strength and suggest S l Using the Lead ♣ A K 8 4 2 ♣ Q 9 3 hearts as an option. You could take East up on this offer: honour doubleton oppo- l Trump Control site a five-card holding might be a good l Endplays & Avoidance West North East South contract: ten tricks are usually easier than l Using the Bidding 1♦ Pass 1♥ Pass eleven, so a raise to 4♥ would get you to 2♣ Pass 2♦ Pass the optimum contract. ? Fourth suit forcing tends to offer the Mr Bridge, Ryden Grange, partner flexibility in their choice of con- Knaphill, Surrey GU21 2TH 3♣. You rebid 2♣ to keep the auction tract – forcing the auction and allowing ( 01483 489961 low, but you have a strong hand, particu- the partnership to think together about www.mrbridge.co.uk/mrbridge-shop larly if you have a decent fit. The ♥Q is a their options. ■

BRIDGE December 2016 Page 47 luxury Julian Pottage Answers your Frequently Asked Questions bridge mat Just £24.99 plus £4.99 p & p Why is the UK Almost Alone in Playing Weak and Four-Card Majors?

istory is probably part of the team pairs and all three English wom- reason for the difference in en’s team pairs were playing strong system. People generally con- and five. Online bridge has also been Htinue with what they learn and teach a factor because strong and five is the what they play, so once the majority of norm online. people are playing a particular system With one regular partner, I play a it tends to continue. Just as the UK is weak no-trump and four-card majors. not alone in driving on the left, it is not With another I play strong and five. I alone in playing Acol, though playing shall go through the advantages and Acol is rather less prevalent worldwide disadvantages of each shortly. Overall, than driving on the left is. the technical advantage of one method In the early days of Acol, the system over the other is small, although some featured a variable no-trump; weak would say small differences can be sig- Thick woven surface makes non-vulnerable and strong vulnerable. nificant in the long run. For many, it an ideal playing surface and Over time, players preferred not to be is more a question of personal prefer- protects your table. playing different methods at different ence. When playing Acol, I do like to Very popular with Bridge vulnerabilities. Since playing a weak play a strong no-trump third in hand Clubs. 78cms wide so it fits no-trump and four-card majors is a vulnerable, because game is unlikely a standard 80cms card table more natural system – you never have with weak no-trump values facing a to open a three-card suit in prepara- passed hand and the fourth player will Padded table bag. tion for a 1NT rebid – this is what has quite often have enough to double a held sway. weak no-trump. £39.00 + £4.99 p&p Both the Culbertson and Goren sys- A few people combine a weak no- tems, as were very popular at one time trump with five-card majors, as Gold- in the USA, allowed four-card major Bakhshi were doing non-vulnerable. openings. Modern American bidding, If you can live with doing something which has influenced systems across offbeat on opening hands with a 4-4- much of the world, features five-card 4-1 shape and 12-14 points (either majors. A strong no-trump opening opening 1NT despite the singleton has always been the norm in America. club or bidding the diamonds twice Over the last 10 years, an increas- with four), you can certainly try that. ing number of players in the UK have As promised, here are some of the Large enough to take a standard switched to playing a strong no-trump main pros and cons. I shall express 80cms bridge table. Made from tough nylon with carrying straps and five-card majors. When I first this in terms of the weak no-trump and Velcro fixing. Ideal for moved from England to Wales 11 years and four-card major system that the storing or carrying your table. ago, hardly anyone in England was majority of readers play: playing strong and five. Nowadays, Order online or by phone a significant minority at many clubs Advantages to www.designsforbridge.co.uk have switched. The fact that many in- weak and four ternational players are using strong 01483 270 100 and five has no doubt filtered down to 1. Opening 1NT as often as possible tournament players and thence to club maximises the difficulty the op- SR Designs for Bridge players. In the World Championship ponents have in competing. If they Unit A1, Send Business Park, in Wroclaw, Gold-Bakhshi were play- wish to overcall, they have to over- Send, Woking, Surrey GU23 7EF ing five-card majors and a variable call at the two level or higher. no-trump; the other two English open 2. Opening 1NT as often as possible,

Page 48 BRIDGE December 2016 Julian Pottage Answers your Frequently Asked Questions BERNARD MAGEE’S INTERACTIVE Why is the UK Almost Alone in Playing TUTORIAL CD Weak and Four-Card Majors? DEFENCE

since this limits opener’s shape and can happen with a strong no-trump strength and maximises respond- opening too, hands in the 12-14 er’s ease in judging the correct level range are more common and re- MAC or and denomination. sponder needs less to make a con- Windows 3. Playing a natural rather than a pre- structive Stayman enquiry facing pared 1♣ opening helps responder 15-17. judge how high to compete and per- 4. If the opponents compete over your haps what to lead if opener opens major-suit opening, particularly if 1♣ and the auction becomes com- they jump, not knowing whether petitive. the opening bidder has four or five 4. Certain hands that are in the 15-17 in the suit opened can cause re- range but with unsuitable shape for sponder problems. a strong 1NT opening, for example, 5. Having a 12-14 hand declare, as will a 1-4-5-3 15-count, are more or less happen if you play in no-trumps or impossible to bid using strong and if responder uses a transfer, does Bernard develops your five. You cannot sensibly open ♦1 not help as much as having a 15- defence in the course of ten and rebid 2♦ over 1♠ with 15 points. 17 hand declare. The stronger the introductory exercises and Nor, with the misfit, do you re- opening hand the more likely it is 120 complete deals. ally want to stretch to a 2♥ reverse. to contain tenaces and the more Playing a weak no-trump, you can likely it is to be stronger than the l Lead vs open 1♦ and rebid 1NT over a 1♠ responding hand. No-trump Contracts response. l Lead vs 5. On 5332 hands in the 15-17 range, Playing in the European champion- Suit Contracts having the option to open a suit and ships in Budapest, my partner and l Partner of Leader rebid in no-trumps means that you I were using a weak no-trump and vs No-trump rarely miss a 5-3 major suit fit. Play- four-card majors, conscious that in Contracts ing a strong no-trump, unless you doing so we were playing against the play five-card Stayman, you can field. We did not concede any massive l Partner of Leader miss a 5-3 fit (after opening 1NT), penalties, though we had one or two vs Suit Contracts particularly if responder is 5-3 in close shaves. We did have one unlucky l Count the majors. board when our auction went 1♠-2♥- Signals 2NT-4♥ and the opponents scored a l Attitude £76 Disadvantages to diamond ruff on the first trick. Most Signals weak and four other pairs played that contract from the strong hand after a 1NT opening l Discarding 1. If partner is weak, opponents might and some sort of transfer, thereby put- l Defensive Plan double a weak 1NT opening and ex- ting the hand with the void in dia- l Stopping Declarer tract a penalty. monds on lead. 2. Vulnerable at matchpoints, going I have not tried to convince you to l Counting the Hand two or three down even undoubled switch method, partly because I think in 1NT tends to yield a poor score if Gold and Bahkshi (not to mention the the opponents cannot make game. originators of the Acol system) have Mr Bridge, Ryden Grange, 3. Opening 1NT means that you can got it right in advocating a variable Knaphill, Surrey GU21 2TH miss a 4-4 major suit fit if responder no-trump. The only problem with that ( 01483 489961 is too weak to make a constructive is that you will have difficulty finding www.mrbridge.co.uk/mrbridge-shop Stayman enquiry. Although this a partner who wants to do so! ■

BRIDGE December 2016 Page 49 p46 write on it quite easily. opportunity – decide it is However, why do they CHARITY EVENTS not worth the investment need to write down their of their time and mental answers anyway? There JANUARY 2017 APRIL 2017 energies to learn a game are only three questions 27 ST NEOTS CHORAL SOCIETY 21 ST NEOTS MUSEUM which is losing critical mass on each column which are St Neots Outdoor Bowling Club. Eacon Soton Church. among the people they answered on separate pages. 10am for 10.30am start. £15. 10am for 10.30am start. £15. Jane Lambert Jean Searle ( 01480 212298 want to socialise with. Surely they can retain three ( 01480 861581 In conclusion, I have to say answers in their memory till [email protected] MAY 2017 that, for disillusioned bridge they read the solutions? players, there is much to be If they can’t remember their FEBRUARY 2017 12 CHILDREN’S CHARITIES Doddington Village Hall, March. said for Diminishing Whist: answers they will need to 17 FUNDRAISING 10am for 10.30am start. £16. it is a game for individuals, turn back to the cover every Bridge drive at SportsAble, Val Topliss ( 01354 653696 not partnerships. Each time they check an answer Braywick Sports Ground, game contains a round of to see if they are correct. If Maidenhead, SL6 1BN. JUNE 2017 1.15pm for 1.30pm start. ‘bidding’ where the player you write them on a separate Finish: 5.00pm. 16 GT STUKELEY who won the last hand piece of paper you have £30 per table to include CONSERVATIVE CLUB nominates trumps, and them all in front of you when excellent tea. Fun raffle. Village Hall, Gt Stukeley. john.jenkins999 10am for 10.30am start. £15. each player then says how you read the solutions. @btinternet.com Kay Brownlow many tricks they hope to It’s true that the glossy ( 01480 880663 get, with the proviso that cover does reflect the light 21 ST NEOTS ROTARY CLUB Sheila Stephenson St Neots Outdoor Bowling Club. the last player to bid cannot but that problem is easily ( 01480 457338 10am for 10.30am start. £15. name a number that rectifies resolved by just altering Val Corrigan the total number of tricks the angle you hold it. ( 01480 213682 JULY 2017 available. The game has I regard the magazine 14 GT BARFORD CHURCH several merits: you can apply as a work of art and would MARCH 2017 Village Hall, Gt Barford, Beds. 10am for 10.30am start. £15. intelligence, there’s plenty of no sooner deface any of 24 MS THERAPY CENTRE Graham Evans room for bluff, and above the pages than I would Village Hall, ( 01832 293693 all, it recaptures the spirit of deface a valued painting. Hemingford Abbots. Gill Wilkes ( 01234 870428 10am for 10.30am start. £15. fun which seems so sadly I think I have nearly all your [email protected] Jenny Lea ( 01480 455810. missing from bridge today. excellent magazines since 30 RNLI OCTOBER 2017 Gavin Wilson, they first came out and there Village Hall, Roxton, Beds. Claygate, Surrey. is not a mark on any of them. 10am for 10.30am start. £15. 6 ST NEOTS MUSEUM Ian Dalziel, Catherine Wootton St Neots Outdoor Bowling Club. SOLUTION Troon, Ayrshire. ( 01234 772127 10am for 10.30am start. £15. ( 01234 870234 Jean Searle ( 01480 212298 I love the glossy cover of the magazine and I’m sure most A POINT OF VIEW E-mail your charity events: [email protected] of the readers do, too. I am The EBU and its fixation appalled that you may be on duplicate to the changing it because a few exclusion of social rubber people can’t be bothered bridge in the UK and its Moments of Madness – Update to write their answers to the preoccupation with rule (See BRIDGE 166, page 6) quiz on a piece of paper. minutiae, as evidenced I’m also shocked that in David Stevenson’s The case of the two American teams who sat the same way: it anyone would deface the column, means potential will be heard in Orlando, Florida, at the end of November 2016. beautiful magazine by writing players are scared off. The (EBL) has investigated the partnerships of Fisher-Schwartz (Israel), Fantoni-Nunes on the cover. However, if Hence the game does (Monaco) and Piekarek-Smirnov (Germany). they really want to write not welcome newcomers. The German pair were the only pair to have pleaded guilty. on it, then a Staedtler Mr , They are banned from EBL competitions for four years, and for permanent marker will Axminster, Devon. ■ life as a partnership. Former Italian players, Fantoni and Nunes are banned for Write to Mr Bridge at: Ryden Grange, five years, from playing together for life, and must pay the costs Knaphill, Surrey GU21 2TH of the investigation. or e-mail [email protected] The same judgement has been made for the Israeli pair, Fisher E-mail correspondents are asked and Schwartz. to include their name, full postal One other pair has been referred to the EBL disciplinary address, telephone number and to send no attachments. commission. Letters may be edited for length and clarity.

Page 50 BRIDGE December 2016 2172 Mr Bridge 170915BR worked2_Layout 1 05/09/2016 09:42 Page 1

NEW – 2017 AUTUMN BRIDGE CRUISE

ITALIAN & Venice

Urbino Croatia Ancona Split ADRIATIC Italy Dubrovnik Adriatic Rome Pompe ii Sea Sorrento Brindisi Salerno albania Lecce Sarande HIGHLIGHTS Paestum Butrint Corfu greece Sicily Taormina

Mediterranean Sea DEPARTS UK SEPTEMBER 15, 2017

SEP 15 Fly to ROME Italy Transfer to Civitavecchia and board Aegean Odyssey SEP 16 SORRENTO Italy overnight (Pompeii & Herculaneum) SEP 17 SORRENTO Italy overnight SEP 18 SORRENTO Italy Cruise past Capri and Amalfi Coast SALERNO Italy (Paestum) SEP 19 Cruise past Stromboli and through the Strait of Messina TAORMINA Sicily SEP 20 At Sea SEP 21 CORFU Greek Islands SARANDE Albania (Butrint)

VENICE 13-day fly-cruise from £2,150 per person SEP 22 LECCE Italy SEP 23 DUBROVNIK Croatia with Mr & Mrs Bridge SEP 24 SPLIT Croatia SEP 25 URBINO Italy Cruise around Italy to the pleasures of beautiful Sorrento and SEP 26 VENICE Italy overnight Sicily, and along the glorious Adriatic coast to Venice. Begin with SEP 27 VENICE Italy Disembark and transfer to Venice Airport an extended stay in Sorrento with time to explore the ruins of both for flight home Pompeii and Herculaneum. Sail past romantic Capri and south AEG170915BR to Taormina with its magnificent Graeco-Roman theatre. Get a flavour of the Greek Islands in Corfu and visit charming Croatian MR BRIDGE VALUE FARES ports en route to one of the world’s greatest destinations – Venice. Premium Inside from £2,295pp Standard Outside from £2,650pp Premium Outside from £2,795pp Odyssey Club Members enjoy an additional 5% discount SINGLE on prices shown above. SUPPLEMENT JUST 10%† FARES INCLUDE: CALL NOW ON 01483 489961 • Scheduled economy class flights • Expert guest speaker programme OR VISIT www.mrbridge.co.uk • Mr Bridge drinks party Cabins can be held at no obligation for 7 days • Duplicate bridge every evening • Morning seminars and afternoon bridge when at sea • Sightseeing excursions in all ports of call • All meals on board in choice of two restaurants • Complimentary wine with dinner on board • Gratuities for on-board cabin and restaurant staff • Overseas transfers and baggage handling

10093 Mr Bridge fares are per person and subject to availability at time of booking. They may be withdrawn at any time without notice. Please see website for full terms and conditions. ABTA No.Y2206 †Single accommodation is available only in certain categories and is subject to availability. 2172 Mr Bridge FULL page 171109BR_Layout 1 04/09/2016 00:37 Page 1

NEW – 2017 AUTUMN BRIDGE CRUISE

SEVILLE, S PA I N Seville Jerez Cadiz Malaga MOROCCO & Strait of Gibraltar Rabat Casablanca Fez Morocco Atlantic CANARY ISLANDS Ocean Marrakesh Agadir Taroudant Canary La Palma Islands Lanzarote Tenerife

DEPARTS UK NOVEMBER 9, 2017

NOV 9 Fly to MALAGA Spain Transfer to Aegean Odyssey NOV 10 At Sea NOV 11 River cruising along the Guadalquivir River SEVILLE Spain overnight NOV 12 SEVILLE Spain NOV 13 CADIZ Spain (Jerez) NOV 14 CASABLANCA/FEZ Morocco Morning drive to Fez for afternoon sightseeing hotel* NOV 15 FEZ/RABAT/CASABLANCA Morocco Morning drive to Rabat. Rejoin ship in Casablanca overnight NOV 16 CASABLANCA/MARRAKESH Morocco Drive to Marrakesh for afternoon sightseeing hotel* SEVILLE 12-day fly-cruise from £1,795 per person NOV 17 MARRAKESH/AGADIR Morocco Rejoin ship in Agadir. with Mr & Mrs Bridge Afternoon sightseeing to Taroudant NOV 18 LANZAROTE Canary Islands This fascinating journey takes you from Moorish Spain to the NOV 19 LA PALMA Canary Islands NOV 20 TENERIFE Canary Islands treasures of the Canary Islands and the very best of Morocco with Disembark and transfer to a land tour to the great cities and sites, including hotels stays in Fez Tenerife Airport for flight home and Marrakesh. Cruise through the Strait of Gibraltar and inland AEG171109BR to moor in the centre of Seville. Sailing out into the Atlantic Ocean, MR BRIDGE VALUE FARES you’ll visit the sun-blessed Canary Islands and visit Lanzarote’s Standard Inside from £1,795pp famous Fire Mountains and the verdant landscapes of La Palma. Standard Outside from £2,195pp Premium Outside from £2,295pp Odyssey Club Members enjoy an additional 5% discount on prices shown above. SINGLE SUPPLEMENT FARES INCLUDE: JUST 10%† • Scheduled economy class flights CALL NOW ON 01483 489961 • One night hotel stay in both Fez and Marrakesh • Expert guest speaker programme OR VISIT www.mrbridge.co.uk • Mr Bridge drinks party Cabins can be held at no obligation for 7 days • Duplicate bridge every evening • Morning seminars and afternoon bridge when at sea • Sightseeing excursions in all ports of call • All meals on board in choice of two restaurants • Complimentary wine with dinner on board • Gratuities for on-board cabin and restaurant staff • Overseas transfers and baggage handling

Mr Bridge fares are per person and subject to availability at time of booking. They may be 10093 withdrawn at any time without notice. Please see website for full terms and conditions. †Single accommodation is available only in certain categories and is subject to availability. ABTA No.Y2206 *No bridge during hotel stays. Cruise the Danube to Vienna & Budapest aboard ms Serenity – October 2017

Join Sandy Bell & Team 10 DAYS to celebrate the FROM 30th anniversary of £1099 Mr Bridge on this exclusive river cruise

IN ASSOCIATION WITH

ms Serenity & Budapest

RCL Mr Bridge 4pp Cruise the Danube Groups v2.indd 1 08/11/2016 11:55:07 ANNIVERSARY CRUISE

Elbe IJsselmeer

NETHERLANDS

The Danube Rhine

Join Sandy Bell and her Team to celebrate the Main 30th anniversary of Mr Bridge Main Danube CZECH REPUBLIC Canal Neckar Moselle Ilz Danube Passau Dürnstein SLOVAKIA Cruise the Danube start GERMANY Inn Bratislava Rhine Melk Vienna to Vienna & Budapest AUSTRIA Budapest aboard ms Serenity HUNGARY ITALY By coach: 12-21 October 2017; by air: 13-20 October 2017 SLOVENIA CROATIA Discover the delights of the Danube as you enjoy seminars and daily bridge* on one of the most scenic journeys through the heart of Europe. From the pretty city of Passau on the Austrian border to the Hungarian capital of Budapest, we cruise in comfort and styleBOSNIA aboard & the ms Serenity, passing through the beautiful scenery of the Wachau valley and dipping into the history and culture of amazing cities along the way. HERZEGOVINA Danube With a full day in the musical city of Vienna and Budapest as well as a visit to the Slovakian capital of Bratislava, this is a wonderful opportunitySERBIA to sail the waters that are beautifully immortalised by the composer Strauss, in the classical waltz The Blue Danube.

Day 1: UK – Germany (Coach) Travel by coach to Dover from your chosen departure point and take the ferry to Calais, where we continue to the overnight hotel. Day 2: Germany – Passau (Air) After breakfast we travel by coach and board our ship in Passau, known as ‘the three rivers city’ due to its unique location where the Danube, Inn and Ilz rivers meet. Those travelling by air join today. Safety briefi ng and welcome meeting from the ship and Sandy Bell as we set sail and cruise towards Melk.

Vienna

Day 3: Melk – Vienna Day 4: Vienna This morning we arrive in the small town of Melk We spend a whole day in Vienna experiencing which lies in the beautiful Wachau valley. Here the delights of this beautiful city. In the morning you can join an optional excursion to visit the you can join an optional city tour to experience most famous monastic house in Austria, the its grand palaces, baroque castles, magnifi cent Benedictine Abbey, situated above Melk in the squares and striking monuments and after lunch on Wachau valley. Return to the ship late morning and board we have an optional afternoon excursion to enjoy afternoon bridge as we sail to Vienna for an Schönbrunn Palace, or alternatively you may wish overnight stop. to join an afternoon bridge session. Enjoy evening bridge on board as we cast oŒ and cruise towards This evening there will be a Mr Bridge pre-dinner Budapest. drinks reception in the Lido Bar followed by dinner Bratislava Castle as we arrive in Vienna.

To book or for more information contact Mr Bridge 01483 489961 or visit www.mrbridge.co.uk

RCL Mr Bridge 4pp Cruise the Danube Groups v2.indd 2 08/11/2016 11:55:21 YOUR CRUISE INCLUDES BY COACH  Coach travel to Dover from selected local pick-ups  Return ferry crossings from Dover  7 nights’ cruise on a full board basis  2 nights’ half board hotel accommodation BY AIR  Return fl ights from London Heathrow or fl y direct from Manchester or Birmingham at a £30pp supplement (subject to availability)  Coach transfers between airport and ship  7 nights’ cruise on a full board basis

2017 No. of Ferry crossing/ date days airport 12 October (coach) 10 Dover 13 October (air) 8 Heathrow

Cabin prices per person Tour code: DANUB Code Deck options Berth By coach By air Main Deck 2 £1099 £1149 Middle Deck 2 £1249 £1299 Panorama Deck 2 £1399 £1449

All prices shown are per person; a limited number of cabins for sole occupancy are available with a reduced 25% supplement (thereafter 50% supplement applies). ______Travel Insurance – from £39.95 per person ______Deposit – £350 per person, payable to The River ______Cruise Line

OPTIONAL DRINKS PACKAGE: £99 per person Includes house wines, house beers and soft drinks served in the restaurant at lunchtime and evenings

*Bridge programme may be subject to change ms Serenity – restaurant EXCURSIONS Day 5: Budapest After breakfast, join our optional walking tour  Melk Abbey ...... £21 After breakfast there will be a bridge seminar to take in the sights of the Slovakian capital,  Vienna city tour ...... £21 in the Lounge Bar before we sail into Budapest dominated by its castle and unique suspension  Schönbrunn Palace ...... £20 with commentary on the city as we arrive. Then bridge, to experience its rich culture. Later in the  Budapest city tour ...... £21 spend time in one of the world’s most beautiful day we set sail towards Dürnstein and there will  Budapest by night ...... £23 cities and explore both sides of Hungary’s capital be afternoon and evening bridge sessions.  – traditional ‘Buda’ and cosmopolitan ‘Pest’. Start Puszta horse show ...... £32 Day 8: Durnstein with an optional tour to become acquainted  Bratislava city tour ...... £19 Dürnstein is crowned by the ruins of the castle with the city known as the “pearl of the Danube”  Dürnstein tour with wine tasting ...... £26 that once imprisoned Richard the Lionheart. and in the evening you can choose to either play Join our optional walking tour to admire the more bridge or experience Budapest by night Mr Bridge recommends you pre- pretty courtyards and buildings, before stopping on another optional excursion, enjoying a city book at his special package price £145 at one of the Wachau valley’s wine cellars for tour, glass of wine and a folklore show in a local Saving per person £38 some wine tasting. We then set sail for Passau tavern. with a bridge seminar to enjoy on the way and Day 6: Budapest pre-dinner bridge in the Lounge bar. Preceding Enjoy free time in Budapest or opt to take our tonight’s 30th Anniversary Gala Dinner there excursion taking you through the sweeping will be a drinks party and prize-giving. plains of Hungary to Lajosmizse. Here we visit Day 9: Passau – Germany (Coach) / UK (Air) a traditional stud farm and enjoy a tour of Those travelling by coach disembark after the grounds in a horse-drawn carriage, before breakfast and travel by coach to the overnight watching a live Puszta horse show. We then sail hotel. Those travelling by air also disembark this to Bratislava with a seminar and set hands in the morning for their return fl ights to the UK. afternoon followed by after-dinner bridge in the evening. Day 10: Germany – UK (Coach) After breakfast you will continue by coach to Day 7: Bratislava Calais, taking the ferry to Dover for the return Early morning arrival into Bratislava. journey to your chosen pick-up/drop-oŸ points. Gratuities – all gratuities are discretionary

Please have your passport and insurance details to hand when calling to book

RCL Mr Bridge 4pp Cruise the Danube Groups v2.indd 3 08/11/2016 11:55:36 Departure Points Routes D1 to D12 – ferry crossings from Dover to Calais Avon Essex St Albans D4 Oxfordshire Warwickshire Bath D9 Basildon D1 Stevenage D3 Banbury D4 Nuneaton D4 Bristol D9 Brentwood D1 Watford D6 Oxford D6 Rugby D4 Chelmsford D1 Welwyn Garden City D3 Witney D6 Stratford-upon-Avon D4 Bedfordshire Clacton-on-Sea D1 Bedford D3 Colchester D1 Kent Shropshire West Midlands Dunstable D4 Harlow D2 Ashford D12 Oswestry D5 Birmingham D4 Luton D4 Romford D1 Canterbury D12 Shrewsbury D5 Coventry D4 Southend-on-Sea D1 Chatham D12 Telford D5 Hopwood Park Berkshire Thurrock Services D1 Dartford D12 Services M42 D4* Bracknell D9 Witham D1 Deal D12 Somerset Solihull D4 Chieveley Services D9 Faversham D12 Bridgwater Services D8 Sutton Coldfi eld D4 Maidenhead D9 Gloucestershire Folkestone D12 Taunton Deane Services D8 Walsall D4 Newbury D9 Cheltenham D6 Gillingham D12 Weston-super-Mare D8 Wolverhampton D4 Reading D9 Gloucester D6 Herne Bay D12 *SW Birmingham to service Slough D9 Tewkesbury D6 Maidstone Sta€ ordshire Bromsgrove & Redditch area Wokingham D9 Services D9 D10 D12 Cannock D4 Margate D12 Lichfi eld D4 Wiltshire Greater London Sta– ord D4 Buckinghamshire Bexleyheath D12 Medway Swindon D9 Aylesbury D4 Services D1 D3 D4 D12 Stoke-on-Trent D4 Bromley D9 Tamworth D4 High Wycombe D6 Croydon D9 Orpington D9 Worcestershire Milton Keynes D4 Enfi eld D3 Ramsgate D12 Evesham D6 Rochester D12 Su€ olk Kidderminster D6 Kingston-upon-Thames D9 Bury St Edmunds D1 Cambridgeshire Richmond-upon-Thames D9 Sevenoaks D10 Malvern Link D6 Cambridge D2 Sittingbourne D12 Felixstowe D1 Worcester D6 Sutton D9 Ipswich D1 Huntingdon D2 Uxbridge D9 Tunbridge Wells D10 Peterborough D2 Whitstable D12 Lowestoft D1 Yorkshire (South) Barnsley D3 Hampshire Cheshire Surrey Doncaster D3 Aldershot D10 Leicestershire Crewe D4 Camberley D10 Rotherham D3 Andover D10 Leicester Forest East Northwich D4 Services D3 Dorking D10 She™ eld D3 Basingstoke D10 Epsom D10 Cosham D11 Loughborough D3 Cornwall Godalming D10 North Wales Cowplain D11 Lutterworth D4 Bodmin D8 Guildford D10 Wrexham D5 Eastleigh D10 Market Harborough D3 Truro D8 Leatherhead D10 Fareham D11 Liskeard D8 Lincolnshire Reigate D10 South Wales Farnborough D10 Grantham D2 Staines D9 Bridgend D7 Fleet Services D10 Derbyshire Lincoln D2 Woking D10 Cardi– D7 Havant D11 Derby D3 Cardi– West Services D7 Petersfi eld D11 Norfolk Sussex (East) Carmarthen D7 Portchester D11 Devon Great Yarmouth D1 Bexhill D11 Llanelli D7 Portsmouth – The Hard D11 Exeter Services D8 Norwich D1 Brighton D11 Magor Services D7 Southampton D10 Newton Abbot D8 Thetford D1 Eastbourne D11 Neath D7 Waterlooville D11 Paignton D8 Hastings D11 Newport D7 Plymouth D8 Northamptonshire Hove D11 Port Talbot D7 Torquay D8 Herefordshire Kettering D3 Swansea D7 Hereford D6 Northampton D4 Sussex (West) Dorset Wellingborough D3 Bognor Regis D11 TRAVEL BY AIR Bournemouth D10 Hertfordshire Burgess Hill D11 Outward: Heathrow to Christchurch D10 Birchanger Green Nottinghamshire Chichester D11 Munich 08:55/11:45 Dorchester D10 Services D2 Mansfi eld D3 Crawley D10 Return: Munich to Heathrow Poole D10 Hatfi eld D3 Newark D2 Haywards Heath D11 16:25/17:25 Nottingham D3 Littlehampton D11 Weymouth D10 Hemel Hempstead D4 Regional departures from Letchworth D3 Worthing D11 Manchester or Birmingham Profile South Mimms Services D4 subject to availability at £30pp Passengers using our complimentary coach transfer service should be aware this may involve an early departure/late return. This may on occasion be the day before the supplement – ask for details date of departure/day after the datePanorama of return Deck for those who live a long way from the port. RegionalLounge departures Bar are subject to availability and are operated subject to Please note: All details are provisional minimum numbers of people. Middle Deck Reception Restaurant & subject to confi rmation. Main Deck Sun Deck MS SERENITY – DECK PLAN

Deck Berth Cabin facilities Panorama Deck Panorama Deck 2 Shower/WC

311 Lounge Bar 331 313 317 321 315 319 301 333 323 335 327 325 303 329 307 305 309 Lido Bar Middle Deck 312 314 316 318 310 332 322 334 324 336 330 326 328 320 302 304 306 308 2 Shower/WC

Middle Deck Main Deck Reception 211 231 213 217 221 215 219 201 223 227 225 203 229 207 205 209 Restaurant 2 Shower/WC 212 214 216 218 210 232 222 224 230 226 228 220 202 204 206 208

Main Deck 111 113 117 121 115 119 101 123 127 125 103 107 105 109 112 114 116 118 110 122 124 126 128 120 102 104 106 108 PB0350b

Main Deck Middle Deck Panorama Deck To book or for more information contact Mr Bridge 01483 489961 or visit www.mrbridge.co.uk Please have your passport and insurance details to hand when calling to book. You will need to accept the terms & conditions when making your booking – for full terms & conditions visit the Mr Bridge website or call for a copy.

RCL Mr Bridge 4pp Cruise the Danube Groups v2.indd 4 08/11/2016 11:55:36