BRIDGENumber Ninety August 2008 Ready QOctober PLUS 9.1 The very best Acol-playing Software available FEATURES SYSTEM HANS LEBER The Usual Friendly Interface (see above) 8mb RAM Hint and Help Buttons – always at hand CD-ROM Easy Windows Installation Pentium or Comprehensive Manual equivalent Rubber, Duplicate and Teams Scoring Windows XP or Vista Instant results playing in teams mode 2,500 pre-played hands for teams 2,000 pre-played hands for match-pointed BUY 8.8 NOW pairs including 1,000 new hands Receive 9.1, at no extra charge, Check your pairs percentage and ranking NEW when published in October. Systems include: several versions of Acol, NEW including Bernard Magee’s system, Standard Order with confidence. American or create your own. £79.95 including postage Make your cheque payable to and send to: Ryden Grange, Knaphill, Surrey GU21 2TH 01483 489961 www.mrbridge.co.uk/mrbridge-shop Fax 01483 797302 FEATURES 1 Bubble Caption 55 Bidding Quiz Answers BIDDING QUIZ Competition by Bernard Magee BRIDGE by Bernard Magee 3 Bidding Quiz 56 Liz McGowan says by Bernard Magee Don’t Signal ou are West in the auc- with a Winner 4 Ytions below, playing 5 Still Not Too Late! 57 Declarer Play 'Standard Acol' with a weak by Sandra Landy Quiz Answers no-trump (12-14 points) and by David Huggett Cut-out Form four-card majors. 58 The de Sade Memorial (Answers on page 55) Ryden Grange 10 Top Marx for Stayman Matchpoint Polar Pairs by Ned Paul by Dick Atkinson Knaphill, Surrey 1. Dealer West. E/W Vul. 11 Revokes: The New ADVERTISEMENTS m GU21 2TH Rules by Bernard Magee K Q 2 QPlus 9.1 n K 12 Julian Pottage 01483 489961 o Q 5 4 3 Answers Your Questions 6 Tunisia 2009 Fax 01483 797302 p Q 8 7 5 4 2 22 Murder, Mystery . Aegean Cruise e-mail: Bridge by Michael 7 Christmas 2009 West North East South [email protected] Scarrott 8 Gentle Duplicates ? 26 Julian Pottage says website: 9 Charity Bridge Events www.mrbridge.co.uk Hold up a Stopper 2. Dealer East. N/S Vul. 13 Harben House 27 A Walk at Holiday Time m 6 5 Bridge Weekends All correspondence should by Countryman n J 4 2 be addressed to Mr Bridge. 14 Marsham Court o 32 Jeremy Dhondy says 9 4 2 Bridge Weekends p Please make sure that all Use the Rule of Fifteen 10 8 7 4 2 letters, e-mails and faxes 17 Staverton Park 33 Andrew Kambites says carry full postal addresses Bridge Weekends West North East South and telephone numbers. Put Partner with Eight 1NT Pass 18 Beach Hotel Points if the Opposition ? Managing Editor Pre-Empt Bridge Weekends 20 2009 Summer Cruises Mr Bridge 34 Freddie North says 3. Dealer East. Game All. Don’t Overbid On Board Discovery m K 9 8 7 on Big Hands Associate Editor 25 Rubber / Chicago n A 4 3 Julian Pottage 35 Dave Huggett says Don’t Bridge Events o A 7 3 2 Ruff in the Long Hand 28 Declarer Play p 6 5 Technical Consultant 36 Mike Wenble says 29 The Olde Barn Hotel Tony Gordon Length is Strength Bridge Events West North East South 1n Pass 37 David Stevenson 30 Holiday Diary m Bridge Consultant Answers Your Questions 1 Pass 1NT Pass 41 Theobalds Park ? Bernard Magee 38 Declarer Play Quiz Bridge Weekends 4. Dealer North. Love All. by Dave Huggett Proof Readers 42 Winter Cruises m 8 7 4 Danny Roth 39 Defence Quiz On Board Discovery n K Q 6 by Julian Pottage Hugh Williams 47 Acol Bidding o A 8 4 2 44 June Bubble Captions p A J 5 Freddie North 48 Stamps 46 David Gold says Assume You Can 49 Barony Castle West North East South Software Support m Beat the Contract Bridge Events 1 Dbl Pass 01483 485340 ? 47 Nursing Partner 50 Wychwood Park Events & Cruises by Freddie North Bridge Events 5. Dealer: West Love All. 48 Readers’ Letters 51 2009 Diaries 01483 489961 m A K 7 6 5 Latimer House Leanora Adds 53 Defence Quiz Answers n Bridge Events K 10 4 3 Jessica Galt by Julian Pottage o Q J 2 Milton Hill House Holly Cobbett 54 Bernard Magee says p 7 Bridge Events Rachel Everett Use the Principle of Restricted Choice 60 Cape to Cape Cruise West North East South Address Changes 1m 1NT Dbl 2n The views expressed in this publication are not ? 01483 485342 necessarily those of the publisher or its Managing Editor. Page 3 YELLOW BOOK BUBBLE CAPTIONS QPLUS 9.1 AND REMEMBER I have also asked my The new series of QPlus ... to enter the bubble or quiz talented cartoonist, play software is due for competitions or send in any Marguerite Lihou, to help release in October. Those shorties. Your friends could me pick the winners for the ordering now will receive enjoy this free publication, last competition. The prizes 8.8 by return of post and 9.1 so why not send in their have been posted. See pages will be sent when ready. names and addresses if they 44 and 45 for other captions. Order now with confidence. do not already receive BRIDGE. Be assured the Hung out to dry! data will not be passed to Mr G Kenyon, Blackburn third parties. The strip squeeze left two bare queens. STILL TIME The 2008 edition of Mr A Mayo, London I have given page 5 to allow Duplicate Bridge Rules He thinks it’s his lead. an uncharacteristically Simplified is ready at last. Mr G Wells, Olney emotional Sandra Landy to It comes complete with a make an impassioned appeal tough hard-wearing No lead nor safe to club secretaries, laminated cover. I expect to line of play! committees, county officials, finish posting all Miss S Andrews, Warwicks Hans Leber, pictured above, the EBU board, indeed pre-ordered copies in the I think that’s the the brains behind this anyone who will listen. first week of August. winning line. marvellous software, is Mr G Watts, Aylesbury OBSOLETE anxious to promote the new DIRECTORY He only jump bids. series, hence the quiz. All earlier editions are now Dr J Mackenzie, Aberdeen out of date and should no The first five correct longer be used. solutions drawn randomly on COVER STORY 20th August will win a copy In order to hasten these out of the new QPlus 9.1. of circulation, please send me half of your old copy QPLUS QUIZ and seven first-class stamps. I will send you the new Assume QPlus is the dealer, book by return. This offer playing rubber bridge with closes 30th September. Do neither side vulnerable. tell your friends. Nobody QPlus is set to play Acol, weak no-trump (12-14). should be without their own The compilation of the yellow book. Bridge Club Directory is underway but there are still BRIDGE STRIP m Q 7 2 n K 4 3 many clubs who have not as I have been waiting a long o A J 7 4 yet responded. I believe that time to publish this cartoon Send your bubble caption p K J 6 a directory needs to be by Marguerite Lihou. I like it before 20 August, using the complete, kept up-to-date so much, I have put it on a cut-out form opposite page 6 and published annually. bone-china mug. £14.35 each. and jolly good luck. What would it bid? Your club details please. Page 4 IT IS NOT TOO LATE! says Sandra Landy as she pleads for clubs and counties to reconsider their position on the EBU strategy joined the English Bridge Union of its membership stores up serious EBU competitions very cheaply. when still at school, so as a problems. Under P2P, both county and EBU I member of fifty plus years standing, Many smaller clubs are started by income comes only from members I can claim to be a genuine supporter. teachers to give students somewhere playing in an affiliated club. Some So why, after so many years, am I now to play, as many larger clubs don’t clubs plan to split into two, one so strongly against the latest EBU welcome the inexperienced. I affiliated and the other not. So the strategy? I think Pay to Play (P2P) will encouraged my students to start a P2P fee will only be paid on some be a disaster and could even bankrupt club and seven years on, it is still sessions, where currently master - the organisation. Here are some of my thriving, affiliated and giving points points are awarded for all games. reasons for thinking so: A recent vote of the counties P2P replaces the two income showed 60% to be in favour in P2P. sources, member subscriptions Since no discussion was allowed in and masterpoint sales, with just English Bridge, I suspect many one income source – not a people did not understand the sensible move for any business. implications. There is a general Nearly half of the EBU feeling that “something must be members pay by direct debit, done” and P2P is the only thing on something most organisations offer. The response of the EBU to only dream of achieving. Our this situation should be to address income is steady and secure; it its failings and make the Union even increased this year. Put the important and relevant to the wider very modest prices up if more bridge playing public so that people money really is needed.