Summer 2014 Issue 46 … and social bridge Sun, sea with SusanDramatic Hampshire leads Plus: Wine • Quiz • News IncludesIncludes LessonLesson andand ClubClub programmesprogrammes S343_SP_New York Door Ad_FP:Layout 1 11/3/14 12:38 Page 1 NEW RK Where will we find your perfect buyer? At Strutt & Parker, we’ve always gone to great lengths to bring the right buyer to your door, using our knowledge, contacts and total commitment to achieve the sale you want. But now we go further than ever. As members of the Christie’s International Real Estate network, we can reach quality buyers in 44 countries via 1,100 offices and a website visited 135,600 times a month. There’s no better way to open your door to the world. 701 Fulham Road London, SW6 5UL Tel: +44 (0)20 7731 7100 [email protected] struttandparker.com/christies 2 Andrew Robson Bridge Magazine S343_SP_New York Door Ad_FP:Layout 1 11/3/14 12:38 Page 1 Editor’s letter Hello there... I am thrilled that Susan Hampshire is telling us about her life in bridge. She is a simply wonderful, modest person and actress, and we all love it when she and her husband, Eddie Kulukundis, make one of their frequent visits to the club. NEW RK My Duplicate Pairs Tactics course in early January was so over-subscribed that we had to hold it in the (very nice) upstairs room in the White Horse pub. I will be repeating the course from Tuesday 6 – Friday 9 January 2015. I’d recommend early booking in case, like this year, it fills up quickly. The course is aimed at those with reasonable experience of duplicate bridge – not for those who are new to duplicate: there is a fair amount of assumed knowledge. I’d also welcome those who live too far away to be regulars at Parsons Green. I am looking forward to teaching at the club next term. I start immediately after the Easter weekend, so I can finish Where will we find in time for the European Bridge Championships in Croatia in late June (see page 5). your perfect buyer? I am particularly looking forward to my new course, Andrew’s Specials, on Tuesday evenings. Aimed at about At Strutt & Parker, we’ve always gone to great Advanced level, it’s based on my teaching at the two lengths to bring the right buyer to your door, using away-weekends: last year at Heythrop Park and recently our knowledge, contacts and total commitment to achieve the sale you want. But now we go further at Hanbury Manor. I think you’ll find these all-new deals BRIDGE CLUB than ever. As members of the Christie’s International very stimulating. DIARY DATES Real Estate network, we can reach quality buyers Jack, Annabel and Lorna H have a truly amazing and in 44 countries via 1,100 offices and a website visited 2or15April 135,600 times a month. fabulous series of holidays in the UK and abroad – read 1830-1945 more about them on pages 32 to 39. Free taster session There’s no better way to open your door to the world. I much look forward to seeing you soon. for beginners 14,15,16April 701 Fulham Road 1030-1230 & 1330-1530 London, SW6 5UL Children’s Easter Tel: +44 (0)20 7731 7100 courses [email protected] struttandparker.com/christies Andrew Robson Bridge Magazine 3 Contents 32 31 27 Regulars Features Shopping 6 Mistakes by defence 16 Must-have buys from the club In an exclusive extract from his book, Our monthly Quiz 15 What Should Have Happened, Andrew highlights when to lead high Beginner bridge 18 Step-by-step learning at ARBC My life 40 Playing sessions 27 Actress Susan Hampshire on why bridge Which sessions to play in – and when became an important part of everyday life with her husband, Sir Eddie Kulukundis Harbour Club 17 Midweek bridge in Notting Hill Directions to ARBC 30 NEED TO CONTACT US? Wine ideas 31 Master of Wine Stephen Skelton on the General enquires: way in which Chianti has upped its game Andrew Robson Bridge Club, 31 Parsons Green Lane, Holidays 32 Jack and Lorna H’s holidays in Bosham, London SW6 4HH Prague, Dubrovnik, York – and skiing Tel: 020 7471 4626 [email protected] Timetables and guides www.andrewrobson.co.uk ARBC lesson information 21 Dates and times for your lessons ahead Editor Andrew Robson Lesson & playing schedules Consultant editor Nick Shave Your back page pull-out guide 4 Andrew Robson Bridge Magazine News COMING TO CROATIA Andrew and David are to represent England in the European Championships Andrew, in partnership with Tony part of the European championship- Forrester, and fellow ARBC teacher winning team in 1991. The lineup is David Bakhshi, in partnership with completed by Jason and Justin Hackett. David Gold, have been selected as part of the sextet who will STOP PRESS: Andrew, in represent England in the European partnership with Alexander Allfrey, Championships, taking place from and David are on the team that has 21 June to 1 July in Opatija, Croatia. led England to victory, winning the The selection marks the reformation 2014 Home Internationals to retain of the Forrester-Robson partnership, the Camrose Trophy. IT’S IN THE BAG WARE ART THOU Member of ARBC is united with bag Hanbury Manor attracts bridge players after airport discovers her course notes to Hertfordshire from across the UK When Brenda Callan took an Improver course at ARBC, she had no idea that it would not only improve her bridge, but also her golfing holiday. Brenda had all but given up hope of being reunited with her belongings after her travel bag went missing on a homebound flight from Tampa, Florida, to Gatwick. When staff at Philadelphia airport opened the bag, however, they discovered her ARBC notes, and contacted the club, who then rang More than 100 bridge players gathered round members called Brenda. at Hanbury Manor, in Ware, in February, “I had just been on an Improver course, to attend Andrew’s latest weekend of and the bridge club was the only contact teaching sessions. Billed as “The Great address in my bag,” she said. “I had written Escape”, the event attracted visitors from only my first name on them, so I was so across the country. “We all enjoyed it so happy to receive a call from the club asking much, we’re looking at returning next whether I had lost the bag.” year,” said Andrew. Watch this space! Andrew Robson Bridge Magazine 5 Shopping BEGINNER UP ALL LEVELS BEGINNER UP Play Modern A Pack of Dos Learn Bridge DVD Bridge DVD and Don’ts Price: £25 Price: £20 Price: £11 Starting from scratch, Replicating his acclaimed In this unique two-books- Andrew teaches in 32 Intermediate course, in-one format there are short lessons all you need Andrew teaches a table 52 tips – one for each to know in order to play of four willing stooges, card – on what you should a competent social game. including the one and do (the “Dos”) and 52 Hands are illustrated with only Caroline. Each of the on what to avoid (the graphics and by four helpful eight lessons combines “Don’ts”). Assimilate these players: Caroline, Grazyna, excellent graphics with tips and your bridge is Kooky Fallah and Nick S. Andrew’s clear, if-you only- sure to improve in leaps Includes Andrew’s bonus remember-three-things and bounds. The perfect commentary on eight summaries, making this present for a bridge-playing animated deals, as a must-have DVD. friend of any level. featured in the Times. 6 Andrew Robson Bridge Magazine Shopping INTERMEDIATE up INTERMEDIATE UP Andrew’s Bridge Lesson Series Declaring Trump Contracts Price: £5 each Price: £5 “Just about as perfect a layout of Andrew’s newest book, Declaring material as can be imagined,” was the Trump Contracts is a must buy – verdict from Robert Baker in Bridge considering such pivotal issues as how to Magazine. Every page of the books in keep count of the trumps and when to this series includes a complete lesson and delay drawing trumps. For connoisseurs, illustrative deal designed to help perfect Andrew couldn’t resist showing you some your understanding of 17 topics, ranging more exotic from double, slam, overcall and finesse, moves, to – the latest – Declaring Trump Contracts. including See our order form on page 13 for a full the list of titles. ‘backwash Special offer: Buy 10 or more books squeeze’ and for £4 each, plus p&p. the ‘devil’s coup’. Andrew Robson Bridge Magazine 7 Shopping New & Improved! BEGINNER ALL LEVELS ALL LEVELS Bridge Flippers Bridge Flippers Elegance™ Price: £10 each Essential is all you need Bidding Boxes The newly updated and to play a decent game of Price: £65 (set of four) extended Beginner Flipper bridge. All basic bidding Remember the days of is the perfect stocking rules and guidelines are having to recall every bid filler. It contains all the included, as well as those as it was made at the table? information to get you – or core conventions such as No wonder bidding boxes your grandchild – started: ‘stayman’ and ‘blackwood’. are recognised as one of including ‘double’, scoring Conventions features major advances in bridge and pithy summaries of all Andrew’s favourite over the past two decades. basic areas of the game. conventions, complete with These are, quite simply, Gain the confidence to examples. Includes a section the most luxurious and best reach the next level, with on Duplicate Pairs tactics – boxes on the market, made just a sneaky peek at your a must-buy for aspiring and from attractive dark wood, handy flipper.