Monday's Simple System Bridge from Judy Forsyth Ballina Bridge Club August 2011 Bridge is not a predictable game - if it were, we would all 2011 From the President become bored quickly. The earlier we learn the power of AGM will be held on Saturday 3rd hands with length in suit/s, the more we will achieve at the September. The papers will go out a month bridge table. before. All Management Committee positions become vacant and nominations for these Opening the Bidding Because of this, a variation to positions should be in the hands of the secretary two opening points for Monday will be to open with either 12+ weeks before the meeting. Most members of the present or the Rule of Twenty. If your hand is either of these, feel committee are seeking re-election, but Anne Fraser free to open. Of course, you do not have to open. If you finishes her term of office this year and Anne Riley is deem the hand a poor one, a balanced 12 without an Ace, not seeking re-election. you may choose to pass.

Expected Behaviour On page 6 of your Ballina Bridge Asking for Aces Club Programme, you will find the “do’s” and “don’t’s” 4C may NOT be used as an Ace ask over a suit of table behaviour. The well-known American player agreement. and writer, Frank Stewart, gives us another reason for Remember, the use of 4C or 4NT is determined by the last good behaviour at the table. He writes bid denomination before this convention. “ My experience suggests that it’s a lot easier to beat eg 1H - 3H - 4NT is Blackwood, 1D - 3NT - 4C is Gerber. opponents who like you, than those who wish to destroy you. If you Convention Cards Thanks to Anne Riley for a recent antagonise your opponents, many of tidy of the many systems cards stored at the club. them will react by resolving to firmly Please be considerate when you place your systems send you to the next table with a fish cards in the box and take the time to return them to the hook in your gills”. corresponding surname letter of the alphabet. Judy Forsyth, Chair, Play Committee. So – if you want to defeat your opponents – be nice to them. (Oxymoron) The Rule of 20

Lead directing bids If you double an artificial bid – eg Add up your HCPs, and to that add the Stayman, Transfers or an answer to an Ace ask, then length of your longest suit, and your there are very prescriptive guidelines as to what you second longest suit. If the total comes to 20 or higher, should hold. Remember, the double can get left in if then you have an opening bid. Declarer has some “stuff” in the artificial bid and you may give away a huge score by an ill considered double. ♠ AK65 ♥ Q75 ♦ 986 ♣ K87 I have even seen players double a low level contract when they hold a – to direct the . This 12 HCPs, so some might open this poor hand on that basis is extremely dangerous. So what should you have ? alone. But add the length of the two longest suits, and we Experts advise the following: get 12+4+3 = 19. Only 19 “Rule of 20” points, so this is not an opening bid. Nor should it be, those square hands Doubles Of Artificial Bids A Double of a low level should be devalued, as indeed they are by the Rule of 20. artificial bid, (eg 2♣ Stayman) requires either 5 cards headed by 3 of top 5 honours, or 6 cards headed by ♠ AK65 ♥ QT5 ♦ 98 ♣ K874 2 of top 5 honours. Still 12 HCPs, and not much of a hand. But, the improved A Double of a 4 level or higher contract should contain distribution gives us 12+4+4 = 20. An opening bid. at least 3 cards headed by 2 of top 3 honours. Ofcourse, a Lightner double at the six level, is different ♠ AQT65 ♥ Q754 ♦ 98 ♣ K8 altogether. Now you probably do have a void. Now we have 11 HCPs, but 11+5+4 = 20, and another Twin Towns Congress Local players, Helen and Peter opening bid. Tootell and Liz and Howard Jeffreys came 2nd in this event. They only lost one match. Well done ! ♠ KQT65 ♥ AJ754 ♦ 98 ♣ 8

The most difficult part of bridge Ron Klinger recently wrote in his Sydney Morning Herald column, Yes, there is a trend here. The more extreme our “The most difficult aspect of bridge is finding the best distribution, the fewer HCPs are required to make up the opening lead. The next most difficult part of the game magic number of 20. Here, 10+5+5 = 20 is defence. Most players can manage declarer play quite well – but defence is where most players slip up”. What do you call a 9 card suit ? Trumps, ofcourse !

From the Kitchen Rebecca Rogers Centenarians They say that playing bridge is good for the brain, Has anyone wondered just what a and long life. Three bridge players in “magic” kitchen we have? Crockery is the district washed and put away; plates of food can demonstrate that fact. Mark appear out of nowhere; milk always in the fridge; Maurice, (Ballina) Ella Greenwood biscuits, tea and coffee are always aplenty; the (Alstonville) and Rose Hill (Lennox dishwasher goes on/off; tea towels are washed, folded Head), bridge players all, celebrated and put away; table cloths are washed; bench tops are their 100th birthday recently. cleared and cleaned; fridges are cleaned; bins are put out for collection; rubbish is removed. Grafton Congress Congratulations to Peter and Helen Tootell, who took out first place at the Grafton Pairs Just like magic? No. Some just pick up a cloth or mop, Congress, and to Lyn Arnett and Mike Gilfoyle came 2nd. and clean spills and the club works all the better for them. Cup Some of the world’s greatest bridge players played in this event recently, in Canada. I watched the Just a note about the dishwasher and its operation. We finals on Bridgebase Online, and local players would be have been advised by both the appliance repair firm heartened to know that the leading team bid to a slam Stammers, and Omega where we purchased the missing 2 Aces and relying on a to find the King dishwasher, that our routine for use had to change to of Trumps. The finesse lost, so the slam went down 2. get better results and to prolong the working life of the machine. Club Teams Championships was So, whoever starts the dishwasher at the beginning of played on July 31st. The winners of the day should follow this procedure:- the Restricted Championship were 1. Take out the wire filter cap at the back right Betty Clark, Anne Riley, Ken Porter hand side of the machine and clean it. and Ngaire Wills. 2. Clean the floor of the machine removing any The Open winners were Janet Brown, Peter Corlis, bits of scale, food particles, and powder residue Eric Hurley and Judy Peiti. Congratulations to all. 3. Replace plug 4. Scatter ½ to 1 scoop of Jewel powder inside the New Kid on the Block Bridge is ever-changing, and the machine newest gadget to hit the scene is Transfer Responses to 5. Close the door and press the One Club. Paul Lavings wrote an article on this topic in bottom Blue power on switch a recent ABF Bulletin. Some experts say that in a year or two, this will be as common as Stayman and Blackwood. Crockery and glassware to be washed A few Ballina players are using it already, so perhaps you separately. should have a prepared defence. There are many articles on the Internet, each one with Keep the glasses until the end of the afternoon then differences. The method I play with my partners is prior to their cycle add ½ to 1 cap of dishwasher rinse 1♣ p 1♦ Shows at least 4 Hearts aid (currently a yellow liquid in a small bottle). This 1♣ p 1♥ Shows at least 4 Spades will keep the white marks from forming on the glass. 1♣ p 1♠ Puppets to 1NT

♣ If we are having a full day congress or such then the 1 p 1NT Game force with Clubs dishwasher must be emptied at lunch and restarted with 1♣ p 2♣ Game Force with Diamonds fresh powder and water for the afternoon loads. Other Ballina players use different methods, so ask about their style. eg Some play that 1NT shows both Majors. It is better to hand wash food plates if possible, or at least completely remove any food scraps prior to putting What’s the advantage of playing this way ? in the dishwasher. • You get the strong hand to declare most contracts • You have more bids available and are better able Again, to everyone who contributes to the operation of to describe your hand at a lower level. the kitchen, thank you from the House Committee. • It’s fun and interesting Suggested defence to transfer responses to 1♣ Sad News Players will be saddened to learn that two (1♣) p (1♦) X = Diamond suit of our loyal members recently lost their husbands. Our 1♥ = Heart shortage Takeout of thoughts and condolences go out to BarbaraMeaney and Gwen Smith, and the members of their families. Hearts so shows other 2 suits ♠ + ♦ Both Gwen and Barbara enjoyed long and happy marriages with loving and supportive families to enrich (1♣) p (1♥) X = Heart suit their unions. 1♠ = Takeout of Spades = ♦ + ♥

Some players also use transfer after an opponent opens 1♣, but this is not widely used.