Cruise from Malaysia to Mauritius on Board Mv Discovery Selected by Mr Bridge As His Personal Cruise of the Year

BRIDGE Number Ninety-five June 2009

Cruise from Malaysia to Mauritius on board mv Discovery Selected by Mr Bridge as his personal cruise of the year Page 2 FEATURES BRIDGE 3 Bidding Quiz 45 Declarer Play Answers BIDDING QUIZ by Bernard Magee by David Huggett by Bernard Magee Publisher and 4 46 Little Voice Appeal Stamp Donations ou are West in the auc - Managing Editor 4 Double Dummy Quiz Y by Richard Wheen 46 Which is Harder? tions below, playing Mr Bridge 'Standard Acol' with a weak 8 Bidding Quiz Answers Bidding or Ryden Grange no-trump (12-14 points) and by Bernard Magee Declarer Play Knaphill, Surrey by Freddie North four-card majors. GU21 2TH 10 Julian Pottage says (Answers on page 8 ) Count Shape, 47 Defence Quiz Answers ( 01483 489961 Points and Tricks by Julian Pottage 1. Dealer West. Game All. e-mail : 11 Bernard Magee says ADVERTISEMENTS ♠ Q 7 6 5 4 3 Lead Low as Declarer ™ K 8 7 4 3 [email protected] 2 Eric Hill 12 A Walk in the Summer © K J website : by Countryman 5 Tutorial Software ® Void www.mrbridge.co.uk 6 Mail Order Form 14 David Stevenson West North East South Answers Your Questions 7 Malaysia to Mauritius ? Associate Editor 19 Justin Corfield says on Board Discovery Julian Pottage Length Attracts 7 Better Hand Evaluation 2. Dealer East. N/S Vul. Shortage 9 Eric Hill ♠ 8 7 6 Technical Consultant 20 Gerber – A Convention ™ 3 13 Charity Bridge Events Tony Gordon from Another Time © Q 9 8 7 4 by Ned Paul 15 Wychwood Park ® A J 3 2 Bridge Consultant Bridge Events 22 Declarer Play Quiz West North East South Bernard Magee 16 2009/2010 Winter by Dave Huggett 1♠ Pass Cruises on Board 23 Heather Dhondy says ? Discovery Proof Readers Choose Trumps for Danny Roth Ruffs in the Short Hand 18 Beach Hotel 3. Dealer West. N/S Vul. Bridge Weekends Hugh Williams 26 Dave Huggett says ♠ Q J 8 7 Freddie North Nine Tricks is Easier 21 Marsham Court ™ A K 4 3 2 Richard Wheen than Eleven Bridge Weekends © 4 27 Defence Quiz 22 The Olde Barn Hotel ® K 5 3 by Julian Pottage Bridge Events Software Support West North East South ( 01483 485345 29 Albert Who? 24 Holiday Diary 1™ Pass 1NT Pass by Dick Atkinson 27 Blunsdon House Hotel ? Events & Cruises 30 Julian Pottage Bridge Events ( 01483 489961 Answers Your Questions 28 Staverton Park 4. Dealer West. N/S Vul. Jessica Galt 34 Two-Handed Bridge II Bridge Weekends ♠ A J 7 6 5 Holly Cobbett by George Hutter 28 Tunisia 2009 ™ A J 4 3 © 7 6 Rachel Everett 35 Readers’ Letters 33 Rubber/Chicago ® K 4 36 Pay-to-Play Bridge Events Club Directory Decision Time Looms 34 Denham Grove West North East South [email protected] by Ned Paul Bridge Weekends 1♠ 2® 2© Pass ? 39 Double Dummy Answer 39 Stamps Address Changes by Richard Wheen 39 Duplicate Bridge 5. Dealer West. Love All. ( 01483 485342 43 Books Quiz Answers Rules Simplified ♠ A 7 6 by Bernard Magee 40 Global Travel Insurance ™ A 8 4 All correspondence should 44 Harold Schogger says © A 8 5 3 be addressed to Mr Bridge. 42 Christmas 2009 Lead the Top of a ® J 4 2 Please make sure that all Sequence 48 QPlus 9.1 letters, e-mails and faxes West North East South carry full postal addresses 1NT Pass 4NT Pass and telephone numbers. The views expressed in this publication are not necessarily those of the publisher or its Managing Editor. ?

Page 3 SPACE SAVING GLOBAL TRAVEL BOOKINGS USED STAMPS While carrying an advert for If you have already directly I know lots of you and your Global Travel please booked a cruise on friends are saving all your Ï understand I do not endorse Discovery for 2009 or 2010, used stamps. Do continue Global Travel’s products but do advise us a.s.a.p. collecting them, widening stand only as an agent the circle of collectors to introducing you to their include your local business products and if you are houses. I will tell you what confused by what I am to do with them in a later trying to say, so am I. issue. Little Voice raised over £400 in 2008 and I see I usually write a short piece, FUNDRAISING no reason why this should nagging readers to re-register not be doubled and as well as sending in the Thank you to all those who This will ensure that you can re-doubled in 2009. names and addresses of their supported the joint appeal be included with the exclusive onboard Mr Bridge friends and family whom for Christians in Iraq and INNOCENT Little Voice in Ethiopia. The party. I look forward to they would like to receive MISTAKE BRIDGE. If I don’t put a total raised was £5968. The hearing from you. proceeds have been split page in for that purpose, I BUILDING In my last holiday brochure can provide another page equally between the two. I put the wrong price against devoted entirely to bridge. Congratulations and well Eric Hill has doubled his Bernard Magee’s two weeks I am relying on you putting done to Margaret Cochrane advertisements in this issue at the Royal Kenz hotel in your pen to your own piece and her loyal team. of BRIDGE (see pages 2 and Tunisia next year. It should of paper and I look forward 9). Do be sure to mention have read £749, of course. to hearing from you. Mr Bridge when responding. Profuse apologies for misleading you. QUIZ BOOK Ï His merchandise is sent out POST FREE with FREE DOUBLE DUMMY In Bernard Magee’s Bridge alterations and FREE PROBLEM Quiz Book, there are 80 full- returns, ensuring that you page bridge problems and can place your orders with by Richard Wheen 160 trivia questions. £14 complete confidence. (Answer on page 39) including postage and packing. Here is a sample MORE BUILDING question from the book. See They hope to repeat this ♠ Q 4 3 page 43 for the solution. success in 2010 (see charity I am developing the De Vere ™ — events on page 13). Book Denham Grove conference © A now to hear bridge star, centre as a regular venue for ® A 2 Bernard Magee, pictured my tutorial weekends. To ♠ A J 10 ♠ 9 Dealer South. Love All. above, talking about all sorts spread the news and enable Teams of Four. ™ A K Q N ™ J 10 of doubles. the management to get used W E S ♠ A 6 3 to large bridge groups, I © — © — ™ K J 7 STAMPS have heavily discounted all ® — ® K Q J © J 10 5 the weekend dates at this ♠ K 2 ® K J 5 2 venue up to and including ™ — ♠ K J the end of August this year. © K Q N ™ Q 10 4 W E S ® 4 3 © A 7 6 4 2 per ® Q 10 3 £129 person Diamonds are trumps and No single supplement. Full board. South is to lead. How can Clive Goff has been North/South make five South West North East overwhelmed with calls You can come for tricks against any defence? 1NT 1 Pass 3NT All Pass following the recent rise in Gentle/Just Duplicate or for 1weak no-trump (12–14) postage charges. His unusual the lectures and supervised SATURDAY service helps support this play and/or a bit of both. MORNING West leads the ©4 to publication. dummy’s ©10 and partner’s Those booking must pay in OPENING K; he returns the 9, and He supplies readers with a full by cheque or debit card. © © For the convenience of we let declarer’s Q hold the discount of at least 10% off © Those already booked at the readers and customers, trick; after a little thought British postage stamps. full price may use the £70 my office telephone is now declarer leads the ♠4. Ring him ( 0208 422 4906 difference as part payment manned every Saturday What is there to think about? and please say you heard it towards another Denham morning from 9am until Things do not look hopeful. from Mr Bridge. 2009 booking. the early afternoon.

Page 4 CLUB INSURANCE Better Hand Moore Stephens offer public liability insurance cover for TUTORIAL Evaluation bridge clubs. Their scheme runs for 12 months from 1st Bernard Magee November each year. Those SOFTWARE Bridge Clubs who would Introduction like to join the scheme in with Bernard Magee Better Hand Evaluation is April will pay just £39.30 aimed at helping readers to add until 31st October provided greater accuracy to their they have less than 100 ACOL BIDDING DECLARER PLAY bidding. It deals with auctions members and meet no more l Opening Bids and l Suit Establishment in which you and your partner, than twice per week. The against silent opponents, can Responses in No-trumps fully describe your hands to charge is based on an annual each other and, by evaluating premium of £63.50. l Slams and Strong l Suit Establishment them accurately, find the best Openings in Suits final contract. The emphasis of Provided the membership all good, accurate bidding is on and meeting numbers and l Support for Partner l Hold-ups hand evaluation. the standard cover is £70 l Pre-empting l Ruffing for There are two general types of sufficient for your bridge Extra Tricks auction: a) A fit is found and b) club, please complete the l Overcalls No fit is found. l Entries in No-trumps form on my web site and l No-trump When you do not have a fit, you £60 send it to them with a Openings l Delaying are aiming to describe the cheque for £39.30. For clubs strength of your hand as soon and Responses Drawing Trumps as possible, most often using with more than 100 no-trump bids. This book members or meeting more l Opener’s and l Using the Lead begins by discussing balanced Responder’s Rebids than twice weekly, call l Trump Control hand bidding in Acol, as it is Moore Stephens on l Minors and Misfits very important that both 020 7515 5270 l Endplays & members of a partnership have ( l Doubles Avoidance an accurate knowledge of how to show hands of different STILL BORING l Competitive Auctions l Using the Bidding strengths. I realise that those browsing When a fit is found, there is these columns must be well much re-evaluation of the hand MORE ACOL ADVANCED to be done; point count, though and truly tired of reading still important, needs to be that QPlus is the very best BIDDING DECLARER PLAY evaluated along with Acol-playing software on l l Making Overtricks distribution. The best way of Basics the market. It has the best in No-trumps reaching an accurate user interface, is user- l Advanced Basics assessment is to use the Losing l Making Overtricks Trick Count; this is an friendly and has a support l Weak Twos important method of hand line. ( 01483 485345. in Suit Contracts evaluation and takes up a l Strong hands l Endplays number of chapters. SAME REMEDY l Defence to Weak l Avoidance Finally, we move on to different Twos forms of evaluation including Knowing how you all like £75 l Wrong game tries and splinter bids. competitions, I decided that l Defence Contract You can never know enough the best way to make my to 1NT £90 methods of hand evaluation; marketing more interesting, l Simple Squeezes the more you learn, the better was to ask those of you out l Doubles you get at judging your hand. there who are currently l Counting the Hand Although the Losing Trick l Two-suited Count is more easily used in enjoying using QPlus to Overcalls l Trump Reductions & tandem with your partner, a write in and tell me what Coups large proportion of the ideas in makes the software so good l Defences to this book can be used by an for you. Other Systems l Playing Doubled individual. For example, Contracts evaluating your hand to be Well, some of you did. The l Misfits and worth an extra point is going to winning entry so far is Distributional Hands l Safety Plays help anyone you partner – as printed on page 38. Well long as you get it right! System Requirements: Windows XP or Vista, 8mb RAM, CD-ROM done Gill Smith.

£14 including postage 2010 DIARIES Make your cheque payable to and send to: from Ryden Grange, Ryden Grange, Knaphill, Surrey GU21 2TH Knaphill, Surrey GU21 2TH Send £5.95 now and receive ( 01483 489961 a 2009 diary now. 2010 will ( 01483 489961 www.mrbridge.co.uk/mrbridge-shop be sent when ready.

Page 5 QUIZ & PUZZLE SHETLAND SILVER ( 01483 489961 Another of Bernard Magee’s When Discovery stopped in books I have recently re- Lerwick last summer, PLAY SOFTWARE issued is his Bridge Quiz Mrs Bridge treated herself QPlus 9.1 £80.00 ...... and Puzzle Book. to a pair of earrings while ashore. Trade-in any previous QPlus This collection is ideal for Book & Disk and just send ONLY £32.00 ...... the bedside table. Here is a They were so attractive I puzzle straight out of the contacted the owner on my TUTORIAL SOFTWARE freshly printed covers. It is return home with a view to Acol Bidding £60.00 ...... available at £14 including having a pendant (and More Acol Bidding £90.00 ...... postage and packing from chain) and matching my mail order department. earrings. These he duly Declarer Play £70.00 ...... designed and I illustrate Advanced Declarer Play £75.00 ...... these below. Better pictures next time. BOOKS Dealer East. Duplicate Bridge Rules Simplified £5.95 ...... East-West Game. Club Offer 10 for only £35.00 ...... ♠ 7 5 3 ™ A Hand Evaluation £14.00 ...... © J 10 7 4 Ï Bernard Magee’s Bridge Quiz Book £14.00 ...... ® 10 8 5 3 2 Bernard Magee’s Quiz and Puzzle Book £14.00 ...... N W E 2009 DIARIES / 2010 DIARIES S Send £5.95 now and receive 2009 diary now. 2010 will be sent as soon as they are ready. ♠ 10 9 8 ™ Standard K 8 © A K 9 5 2 Silver pendant £29.95 Ivory ..... Maroon ..... Cambridge Blue ..... ® Q J 6 Gold (9ct) £69.95 Navy ..... Green ..... Tan ..... £5.95 ...... Silver earrings £34.50 Club Offer 10 for only £35.00 ...... Gold (9ct) £85.00 Luxury Bottle Green .... Ruby Red .... £12.95 ...... South West North East 1™ Postage and packing: SINGLE-SUITED BALL-POINT PENS 2© 4™ 5© Double Silver £2.50 (1st class post) All Pass Gold £5 (Special delivery) Boxed Set West leads the ♠A, ♠K, ♠J. ( 01595 830275 of Four East plays the ♠Q on the (Spade, king and discards a low CIVIL WAR Heart, heart on the jack. West There is currently much Diamond, switches to a heart. Pay2Play confusion among Club) I think partner has bid a little tournament bridge players in £19.95 ...... too much on his 5-count! England. Almost everyone has a point of view and the TEA TOWELS With five losers off the top and trumps to deal with, the rest don’t care. I have once Tea Towels – Any four for only £17.00 ...... only thing that could be again asked Ned Paul to provide those interested We are Survivors £5.95 ...... worse is to find that 4 ™ was Ten Commandments for Bridge Players £5.95 ...... not making! How are you with an up-to-date overview. Bridge Traffic Signs £5.95 ...... going to turn a bad situation into a good one? Life’s a game, but bridge is serious £5.95 ......

All prices are fully inclusive. I enclose a cheque for £...... Mr/Mrs/Miss ...... DUPLICATEBRIDGE only Address ...... RULESSIMPLIFIED £595 ...... (otherwiseknownastheYellowBook) by John Rumbelow and revised by David Stevenson Postcode ...... ( ......

, Ryden Grange, Knaphill, Surrey GU21 2TH. NewEdition.Includes2008LawRevisions. Availablefrom ( 01483 489961 www.mrbridge.co.uk

Page 6 Y S % R R 0 9 E E 1 0 SAVE £500 PER COUPLE OFF EARLY BOOKING FARES V B 0 O A 2 EM R SC T E I M N D B X U E J LU 0 C N 3 A Y E B V K FREE A O S O B CABIN UPGRADE†

MALAYSIA TO MAURITIUS

NO SINGLE SUPPLEMENT ON SELECTED CATEGORY I & G CABINS

10 February 2010 – 22 days NOW FROM ONLY £2,645pp Date Port 10 Feb 2010 Depart UK by air Exotic islands and distant 11 Feb SINGAPORE Embark on Discovery 12 Feb SINGAPORE shores with Mr Bridge 13 Feb PORT KELANG, (Kuala Lumpur) Malaysia MV DISCOVERY MR BRIDGE 14 Feb PENANG,Malaysia 15 Feb PHUKET,Thailand In 2009/10, Discovery opens a new chapter Alison Nicholson and the Mr Bridge team will look as we make our first voyage to the fascinating after you on this 22-day voyage. The evening sessions will 16-17 Feb Cruising waters of the Orient. Starting in Singapore, be split into two with the first finishing in time for those 18-19 Feb COLOMBO, Sri Lanka this voyage will take you wishing to see the evening show. 20 Feb Cruising across the Andaman Sea In addition to bridge every 21 Feb MALE,Maldives to the Indian Ocean. evening, there will be morning 22-24 Feb Cruising Aboard the spacious seminars and afternoon bridge 25 Feb PRASLIN,Seychelles 4-star Discovery, you sessions, which are held while LA DIGUE,Seychelles will be accompanied by the ship is at sea, so everyone MAHE,Seychelles around 650 like-minded can enjoy the ports of call. 26 Feb MAHE,Seychelles passengers and a WHAT’S INCLUDED 27-28 Feb Cruising highly-acclaimed team • All meals, entertainment 1 Mar PORT LOUIS,Mauritius of guest speakers who and gratuities on board 2 Mar PORT LOUIS,Mauritius will ensure that your • All port and pre-paid airport Disembark and transfer to time on board is as taxes • Flights from/to UK airport for overnight flight to UK memorable as your time ashore. Plus, you • Overseas transfers between airport and ship 3 Mar Arrive UK will enjoy great value for money with flights, • Comprehensive guest speaker programme • Captain’s all meals, entertainment and gratuities cocktail parties and gala dinners • All bridge activities included in your fare. • All prices on board in British pounds All bridge passengers will be eligible to participate in the evening bridge programme. 2009/10 There will also be a quiz and exclusive bridge parties. The bridge programme is fully optional NEW and you may participate as much or as little as BROCHURE you wish. Mr Bridge actively encourages singles OUT NOW! to join the party and you will always be found a partner for a game.

Fare shown is per person based on two people sharing lowest twin-bedded cabin category and includes all applicable discounts for new bookings made by 30 June 2009. †Free one category cabin upgrade applies to categories between O and G (excluding L, II and GG). No single supplement applies to selected category I & G cabins. All offers are capacity controlled, subject to availability and may be withdrawn at any time.Terms and conditions apply, see brochure for details.Voyages of Discovery is a trading name of All Leisure Holidays Ltd.

¤ 01483 489961 for brochures and bookings ANSWERS TO THE BIDDING QUIZ ON PAGE 3 by BERNARD MAGEE

you look at your hand it looks more like a hand 1. Dealer West. Game All. that wants to play with spades as trumps than 4. Dealer West. N/S Vul. ♠ Q 7 6 5 4 3 ♠ 2 in no-trumps? When you have a weak hand ♠ A J 7 6 5 ♠ 8 4 N ™ K 8 7 4 3 N ™ Q 5 with three-card support and a singleton, you ™ A J 4 3 W E ™ K Q 10 2 W E S © K J S © A 9 7 6 4 should seriously consider raising your part - © 7 6 © A K 9 8 5 ® Void ® A K 4 3 2 ner’s major – because you will be taking ruffs ® K 4 ® 5 2 in the ‘short hand’ you will be gaining tricks.

2♠ will make comfortably, probably with an West North East South West North East South overtrick; in contrast, 1NT is likely to go down ? 1♠ 2® 2© Pass on a heart lead. ? Pass. The ‘rule of nineteen’, the ‘rule of twenty’, I hear you all shouting! The rule of not 2™. I hope this was nice and straightforward: 3. Dealer West. N/S Vul. opening rubbish hands, I counter. Ron Klinger if in doubt, ignore the opponents and pretend ♠ Q J 8 7 ♠ 4 2 includes an important factor in his rules for that North has not bid 2 ®, i.e. make your ™ A K 4 3 2 N ™ 5 opening the bidding on weakish distributional natural rebid of 2 ™, which promises five cards © 4 W E © A 8 7 6 5 3 hands – you must have a quick trick or two. In S in your first suit and at least four in the second ® K 5 3 ® Q J 10 2 simple terms, you should have at least one suit: a perfect description. Now your partner ace because then your partner can rely on can jump to 4 ™. Do not let your opponents put that should you end up defending. Of course, you off – bid naturally if you can. West North East South if your long suits are strong, I am happy to 1™ Pass 1NT Pass make an exception because their playing ? strength can make up for a lack of high card 5. Dealer West. Love All. points. Your two suits are not strong here and ♠ A 7 6 ♠ K Q 4 Pass. You opened the bidding 1 ™ and your therefore you should pass. 3NT is a terrible ™ A 8 4 N ™ K Q J 10 partner’s 1NT response shows 6-9 points and W E contract, but you are bound to reach it if you © A 8 5 3 S © J 4 2 usually a balanced hand. With just 13 HCP open the bidding. ® J 4 2 ® A K 3 there is certainly no chance of game, so it is Just because you do not open does not mean just a matter of finding the best denomination. you cannot bid later – then you will not be Your partner has denied four spades – he West North East South promising the strength of an opening hand would have bid 1 ♠ had he had them – so there 1NT Pass 4NT Pass and, when you find no fit, you can stop a little is no chance of a fit in that suit. Even with three ? lower. hearts, your partner might have tried to raise if he had a little distribution. The important thing Pass. You opened the bidding with a weak no- to note on this hand is that your partner might trump; now your partner has bid 4NT – what 2. Dealer East. N/S Vul. be quite distributional and weak – although does it mean? It is very easy to have an instant ♠ 8 7 6 ♠ A K 4 3 2 your partner’s response suggests a balanced reaction to a 4NT bid, which is ‘tell partner how ™ 3 N ™ A 9 4 hand, sometimes he might be very short in W E many aces I have’. However, in no-trumps, the © Q 9 8 7 4 © 6 3 2 hearts – holding just 6 or 7 points, not enough S number of aces and kings is not so crucial ® A J 3 2 ® K 8 to bid at the 2-level, he may well have to because the queens and jacks are important respond 1NT. too: nobody can trump the third and fourth You should always bear this last point in mind rounds of suits. Points are what are important West North East South when considering a rebid over a 1NT in no-trump contracts and 4NT is a 1♠ Pass response – your partner might be very short in quantitative bid – inviting you to bid slam (6NT) ? your suit. Yes, if you have a second suit you if you have a maximum hand (14 points). Your can show conveniently, go ahead and show it partner should have about 19 points for his 2♠. Holding six or more points, you should – but with your spades ranking higher than bid. On this hand, you have just 13 points so certainly make a response to 1 ♠, though with your hearts you cannot afford to show them you are not minimum, but neither are you such a weak hand you cannot bid a new suit and therefore your best option is to pass. Had maximum. If you are in the middle, look at the at the two level. This seems to leave very little you held four clubs, you would have rebid 2 ® whole of your hand and try to find some choice and many would plump for 1NT – but because this gives your partner the choice of redeeming feature to push you on: you are what about 2 ♠? two suits at the two-level. A reverse bid of 2 ♠ 4-3-3-3 and have no tens or nines – your Compare the two responses: they both tell lit - would be a disaster here – East would hand is worth closer to 12 than 13 points and tle lies; 2 ♠ suggests four-card support while presumably bid 3 © and, if the opposition so you should pass. You have all the aces and 1NT sounds like a balanced hand. Which of the suspect what is going on, they might even get most of the kings, but not enough queens and two lies do you think is better? Surely when their double cards out of the bidding box! jacks to make more than 10 or 11 tricks. ■

Page 8 Page 9 Julian Pottage Says

Count Shape, Points and Tricks

state agents, they say, quote the You also know the spade layout if you Declarer’s tricks include two in spades three key features of a property as think about it. East would have played (the king-queen) and four in diamonds (a Elocation, location and location. At back a low card (original fourth best), five-card suit with one loser). With the bridge, if you want to defend well, there not the ten, from four. East cannot ace of clubs, there would also be at least are three very important things to do – therefore have more than three spades. three club tricks (the ace in hand and the counting, counting and counting. You Equally, you know that South can have winners in dummy), to bring the total to need to know shape, points and tricks. If no more than three. With four spades, nine. With the ace of hearts instead, you count these things, you will often South would have rebid 1 ♠, not 2 ®. The declarer would have only two club tricks build up a good picture of the unseen spades must be West five, North two, after driving out the ace but now two hands. Once you can ‘see’ the unseen East three and South three. heart tricks (the ace facing the king). hands, you should beat far more contracts. The 2 ® rebid tells you that South has Either way, your opponent seems to be four or five clubs. You cannot say for on course for nine tricks. Counting Shape sure which it is. However, you do know Counting tricks also tells you South that South started with thirteen cards. So cannot be 3-0-5-5. With a heart void, If you are not used to counting, it may South must be 3-1-5-4 or 3-0-5-5. Either South’s undetermined ace must be in seem a bit much suddenly to count three shape is consistent with the bidding and clubs and not hearts. With five club things at once. We will begin by play to date. tricks and two tricks in each pointed counting shape alone. suit, declarer would have nine on top Counting Points and not be finessing in diamonds. In any event, to defeat the contract you ♠ 8 7 You have six points and can see eleven will need to make the next three tricks. ™ K 8 7 5 3 in dummy. This accounts for seventeen Slow winners will be no good. This © K 6 2 points. Subtracting seventeen from forty means placing East with the ace of ® K Q 10 tells you that the unseen hands have hearts rather than the ace of clubs. ♠ J 9 4 3 2 twenty-three points between them. Since Having figured out that you need three ™ Q 10 4 N North’s jump preference was not quick heart tricks and that South has a W E © Q 10 7 S forcing, South must have better than a singleton, can you see what to do? Lead ® J 5 minimum opening – say fourteen or the queen. This is the full deal: fifteen points. What do you know about these presumed fourteen or fifteen? West North East South We have already established the spade ♠ 8 7 Pass 1© layout: A-10-x with East and K-Q-x ™ K 8 7 5 3 Pass 1™ Pass 2® with South – that is five points. We have © K 6 2 Pass 3© Pass 3NT also established the diamond layout: x-x ® K Q 10 End with East and A-J-x-x-x with South – ♠ J 9 4 3 2 ♠ A 10 5 that is another five points. ™ Q 10 4 N ™ A 9 6 2 W E You lead the three of spades. East wins This leaves us with the A-J of hearts © Q 10 7 S © 8 4 with the ace and returns the ten. Taking and the ace of clubs. You cannot place ® J 5 ® 9 8 3 2 this with the king, declarer crosses to the the jack of hearts but you can place East ♠ K Q 6 king of diamonds and finesses the jack and South each with one of the missing ™ J on the way back. East follows both times aces. With ten points in diamonds and © A J 9 5 3 and you win with the queen. spades, South needs at least four more to ® A 7 6 4 Diamonds is the easiest suit to count: have a minimum of fourteen. South’s bidding shows at least five diamonds and four clubs. Since East has Counting Tricks Although the counting process may followed to two diamonds, the diamond seem laborious at first, once it becomes layout must be West three, North three, You have made a spade and a diamond. a habit, you should find it much easier. East two and South five. You need three more tricks to set 3NT. The initial effort is well worth it. ■

Page 10 Bernard Magee Says Lead Low as Declarer

hen you are trying to establish a suit as declarer, it is usually ♠ A 4 2 ♠ Q J 3 Wbetter to start by leading low ™ 7 6 4 ™ A 9 4 2 cards rather than honours. This gives © A K 7 2 © K 10 8 you the chance that a defender might ® 9 8 3 ® A 6 3 play his high card without taking one of ♠ 8 7 3 ♠ 10 9 ♠ K 9 8 4 ♠ 10 2 your high cards: ™ 10 5 N ™ A 9 8 2 ™ K 8 N ™ Q J 10 5 © W E © © W E © Q J 10 9 S 8 6 3 7 4 2 S J 6 5 3 ® Q 7 6 2 ® J 10 5 4 ® Q J 10 8 ® 7 5 4 ® K Q 4 ♠ K Q J 6 5 ♠ A 7 6 5 ™ K Q J 3 ™ 7 6 3 N W E © 5 4 © A Q 9 S ® A K ® K 9 2 ® J 5 3 2 Contract: 6 ♠. Lead: ©Q. Contract: 3NT. Lead: ®Q.

If this suit breaks 3-3, you can make three tricks from it whichever way you At first glance, it appears that you just With seven top tricks, you need just two play it. However, if the suit breaks 4-2, have one loser: the ace of hearts, but the more and spades are the most likely you may well make only two tricks. To fourth round of hearts is the key to the source. Once again, you should use the give yourself the best chance, you should slam. If the suit breaks 3-3, you will tactic of leading a low card, rather than lead low from the South hand twice. You make your fourth heart. However, if the an honour. If you lead the queen from start by leading the two towards the suit breaks 4-2, your fourth heart is dummy, even if your finesse is king. Then, if the king wins, you cross likely to be a loser, unless you make an successful, the king will be able to kill back to hand in another suit and lead the effort to protect your honours – the the queen, leaving you with just two three towards the queen. Two things chance of ruffing a heart in dummy is high-card winners. You would then be might happen: slim. To protect your honours from reliant on a 3-3 spade split. Better play is East’s hoped for ace, you need to lead to lead towards your two honours in the suit from dummy three times. This dummy, twice if you need to. If West has ® K Q 4 means using every single entry you have the king, it does not matter how many

N including at trick one! spades he has with it – he will be unable ® A 9 W E ® 10 8 7 6 Take the ace of diamonds and play a to stop you from making three tricks in S heart to your king. Then draw three the suit. ® J 5 3 2 rounds of trumps finishing with the ace in Win the club in hand and play a small dummy and lead another heart. Even if spade towards the queen. West does best East is a good enough defender to duck to duck and the queen wins. Then you Firstly, the suit layout might be like this. this again, you still have your king of cross to the ace of diamonds and play In this case, West has to play the ace on diamonds with which to enter dummy another small spade. West takes his king the second round and all of your honours and lead a third round of the suit. Poor but you have your nine tricks. survive to make a trick. East has no choice – his ace is unable to Secondly and perhaps more common kill any of your honours and you make Conclusion than the first instance, is for a defender your slam. Yes, if hearts are 5-1, you lose to make a mistake. Most defenders (with a ruff by playing the suit at trick two – but It is important to try to protect your A-x-x-x in the West seat) are happy to then you would have gone down anyway. honours from the opponents’ high cards; hold up for one round, but many cannot Understanding the value of leading the best way to do this is by leading a resist the temptation of playing their ace low cards rather than exposing your high low card towards them. By incorporating on the second round – especially in a cards to capture will help you plan many this tactic into your plans, you can make suit contract. contracts. the right decisions early on. ■

Page 11 Seasonal Walks with Countryman

A Walk in Summer

his little piece of England give you a hand that caused much unhurried serenity. This feel-good where the birds are singing, the discussion in the club duplicate. ambience is strangely infectious. I find T sun shining and the air myself thinking how lucky we are to be seriously intoxicating – it is all too easy so far away from the modern scourge of to fall under its magic spell and dream Dealer South. Love All. political correctness, ’Elf-N-Safety, on, contentedly… ♠ 6 4 human rights, the compensation culture If Spring is the harbinger of even ™ A K J 10 and all the other innovations that better things to come then this late June © J 5 3 2 threaten the very things we have held day is proof of a fulfilled promise. With ® K J 4 dear for so long. Here at least is a only the suspicion of a wisp of cloud in cherished part of England that many of N the sky there is this lovely ceiling of W E us love so much, which once upon a azure blue just as far as the eye can see. S time we accepted as our heritage. It is Add a gentle breeze to the caressing ♠ A 2 unspoilt as well as blissful and, judging sunshine and it is little wonder the birds ™ 5 4 by Cindy’s enthusiasm, the riverside has have so much to sing about. © Q 10 9 8 6 a very special smell. ® A Q 10 9 Perfect Weather Back to the Bridge Hand

OK, so on the whole the summer has West North East South Time to return to our hand – this is the been a disappointment this year but I am 1© full deal: writing about today, and today is 2©* Dbl 2♠ 3® gorgeous, so we will make the most of 3♠ 5© End it. *Michaels cue bid showing length in the Dealer South. Love All. Traditionally the British like nothing majors ♠ 6 4 better than to complain about the ™ A K J 10 weather, but the other side of the coin is West leads the king of spades. What is © J 5 3 2 the near perfect day – sunny, warm but your plan? ® K J 4 not oppressively hot because of the ♠ K Q J 9 8 ♠ 10 7 5 3 slight breeze. Such conditions are hard Running Water ™ Q 8 7 6 3 N ™ 9 2 W E to match in other parts of the world. © A S © K 7 4 As Cindy and I (Cindy is my much- There is something very soothing about ® 8 5 ® 7 6 3 2 loved Golden Retriever) make our way slow running water on a warm ♠ A 2 over the fields towards the river I notice summer’s day. There is no hustle and ™ 5 4 the hedgerows are full of colour in many bustle. The odd boat moves slowly and © Q 10 9 8 6 places. Most predominant is the rather majestically in one direction or ® A Q 10 9 beautiful wild rose with its five heart- the other. Although some birds – the shaped petals. Of course, at this time of beautiful and brightly coloured 5© by South. Lead ♠K. year clumps of purple loosestrife stake kingfisher in particular – seem in a rush their claim of brightening up the to achieve whatever they have set out to landscape. do, the general picture, especially of Here, repeated for convenience, was the Before we reach the river, I want to those birds in the water, is of calm, bidding at one table:

Page 12 together. Although West Summer continued cashed a spade trick quickly, declarer made the contract CHARITY BRIDGE EVENTS with the loss of just one spade and one diamond. Of course, JUNE 2009 OCTOBER continued West North East South had East decided to ruff a 1© heart with his king of 12-14 SWANSEA BRIDGE CONGRESS 9 RIDING FOR THE DISABLED 2©* Dbl 2♠ 3® diamonds, declarer would IN AID OF ALZHEIMER’S SOCIETY WOODHURST GROUP 3♠ 5© End have discarded his losing Swansea Bridge Club. Hemingford Abbots Village Hall. *Michaels cue bid showing spade; so there was no Pairs Fri & Sat. Swiss Teams Sun. 2-5pm includes afternoon tea. Diana Panniers ( 01792 297081 Sally Pinnock ( 01223 874508 length in the majors defence to this perilous- looking contract. We can see that the North- If you followed the same 19 ST MARY’S CHURCH 13 RICHMOND SUPPORT GROUP South pair missed their best plan as our successful EATON SOCON, ST NEOTS. ‘BRIDGE THE GAP’ AFTERNOON spot – 3NT. This sails home declarer – well done! It just 10am for 10.30am. £13.00. IN AID OF ST TERESA’S HOSPICE Malcolm Howarth 1.30pm Richmond Town Hall with one spade, four hearts shows that the ‘impossible’ ( 01480 212910 Mary Lovell ( 01748 850208 via the finesse, and four may sometimes take a little clubs. Still, against that longer. 21 CHARITY BRIDGE DRIVE contract East-West might JULY 2009 IN AID OF THE NORFOLK HOSPICE have saved in 4 ♠ at the cost Homeward Bound Norfolk Lavender Centre, of just 300. After the Heacham. 6.45pm £7.50 menacing spade lead, 5 © On our homeward journey, 16 SAMARITANS CHESTER BRANCH to include buffet and appears doomed because we run into a young couple Annual Bridge Drive and tea. the Lynn Cup. Mollie McBride ( 01244 675108 declarer has to lose one spade who are enthusiastic Fundraising office ( 01485 542891 and the ace-king of trumps – members of the bridge club. or does he? They have the company as usual of two quite adorable SEPTEMBER 2009 21 HELP FOR HEROES The Old Barn Hall, Church Road, A Disadvantage King Charles spaniels. These Bookham, Surrey. 2 GYDA. Corn Exchange, Faringdon, of Michaels little dogs are such happy, 10.30 for 11am. £15 includes Oxon. 10.30am for 11am-4pm. friendly creatures and Cindy lunch and a glass of wine. £15 includes lunch. The disadvantage of two- greets them affectionately. Patricia Granger Steve Braithwaite ( 01372 453965 suited conventions like John and Doreen, the King ( 01367 240929 Michaels is that, if you lose Charles’ owners, soon get 23 CHESHIRE HOMES out in the auction and around to asking me about 11 HORRINGER & ICKWORTH W.I. Village Hall, Hartford, Hunts. become defenders, then you the featured deal. BRIDGE AFTERNOON IN AID OF 10am for 10.30am. £13.50. have issued a blueprint of the Playing North-South, they ST NICHOLAS HOSPICE Malcolm Howarth Horringer Community Centre defensive weaponry. This is had doubled the opposition in ( 01480 212910 more than a little useful in the 4♠ and started with two 2pm £7.00 pp includes tea. hands of a resourceful rounds of trumps. Although Elizabeth Johnson ( declarer, which this declarer this relinquished the tempo, 01284 735680 Rosemary Pemberton NOVEMBER 2009 certainly was. declarer was unable to ( 01284 735400 discard a losing club on the 27 EAST ANGLIA The Play king of diamonds because 18 ST MARY’S CHURCH, EATON there was no convenient entry CHILDRENS HOSPICE (EACH) SOCON, ST NEOTS Village Hall, Hemingford Abbots. Declarer won the first trick to the East hand. +300 beat 10am for 10.30am. £13.00. 10am for 10.30am. £14.50. with the ace of spades and all the South players who Malcolm Howarth Sheila Paval ( 01480 395394 played a heart to dummy’s failed in 5 © as well as the few ( 01480 212910 ten. Flushed with success who had stopped in a part- when the ten held, he score. 30 PRINCESS ALICE HOSPICE APRIL 2010 returned to hand with a club Dryburgh Hall, Putney. and repeated the heart 10.30am for 11am. Quite a Feat £62 per table, including lunch finesse. As expected, when he 7 CHRISTIANS IN IRAQ Pam Turner ( 020 8995 2270 and LITTLE VOICE Joint Appeal tried to cash the ace of hearts, Back home again, I say to Jubilee Hall, Little Shore Lane, East ruffed and he had little Cindy, ‘Losing only one Bishop Waltham 10.30am–5pm option but to overruff. A trump trick when you are OCTOBER 2009 £30 per person includes lunch, second club placed the lead missing both the ace and the coffee, tea, cakes & biscuits and in dummy once more and king – and four trumps in all two seminars (take-out doubles now came the king of hearts. – is really quite a feat.’ She 3 RNLI. Cheltenham Bridge Club and penalty doubles) delivered Again East ruffed and South looks impressed and cocks 11am-4pm. £14pp includes lunch. by Bernard Magee. Margaret Beverley Margaret Cochrane overruffed. Now came the her head to one side as much ( 01242 510193 ( 023 8069 4959 coup de grâce, a small trump as to say, ‘I believe you; I do, felled the ace and king really.’ ■

Page 13 DAVID STEVENSON answers questions on Bridge Laws Which Player is in Charge at the Table?

At duplicate, is both sides must make such a three levels (i.e. to 4 ®) and you can take them out and North still in check. asked my partner to look at them if you ask the Q charge of reconsider. player’s permission: this is proceedings at a table? ®©™ ♠ Bob Louden, Gillingham, not so. Allan Jones, Kent (similar from Mrs D H Notwithstanding the Prescot, Merseyside. My partner and I Parrington, Lytham-St- above, it is unsporting not to play a weak no- Annes on legality issue only). allow your opponents (or A stationary player Q trump and partner) to see what was in is primarily announce 12-14. If we take I am appalled at your hand. The correct way A responsible for off a point for a 4333 hand your LHO’s lack of for this to happen is for the general control at a table, and so quite often have 15 A manners. He has no player to ask to see the hand which means North or South points, should we right to instruct you on the and for the player whose in a Mitchell, though not announce differently? game. You certainly can hand it is to take it out and necessarily in a Howell. Ian Taylor, Stratford-upon- play 3 ® as pre-emptive. If show him. Even so, the word Avon (similar from Lorraine he is unhappy with the I suppose a player could ‘primarily’ does not absolve Nepstad). explanation, he must call the refuse to show his hand. the other players. For director and not complain to This would be impolite, to example, if a board goes on If you always open you and your partner. put it mildly. If an opponent the table ‘arrow-switched’ 1NT with a 4333 15 As a director, I would really wanted to know, he and played with E/W A count, then I would have considered giving your could summon the director. holding the N/S cards, all say 12 to a bad 15. LHO a disciplinary penalty. four players are at fault. His behaviour is ®©™ ♠ As a matter of custom and ®©™ ♠ unacceptable. Your LHO practice, plus rules from should either have accepted What is the earlier law books that no Playing with a the situation without correct way to longer apply, North often new partner, I comment or called for the Q display dummy’s assumes responsibility for Q held: director and left it to him. hand when playing a no- things such as scoring, trump contract? putting the board on the ®©™ ♠ Mrs E Lawrence by email. table and so forth. However, ♠ 7 it does not have to be North: ™ 8 5 What is the There is no rule. if South wishes to score, © A 9 6 position if you Some opponents why not? Similarly, while ® K Q 10 8 6 5 4 Q want to see an A with poor eyesight East usually checks the opponent’s hand at the find red-black-red-black traveller or Bridgemate, end of the play? I find it easier so you should do this there is no reason why it RHO opened 1 ™, I bid 3 ®, rather rude if someone if they ask: otherwise, put it should not be West. and LHO asked my just grabs my cards! down however you wish. It is not solely North’s partner what my bid Michael Smith, responsibility for checking meant, to which he replied Pakefield, Suffolk. E-mail your questions the correct boards and pairs ‘pre-emptive’. After from a table movement card. huffing and puffing, LHO Touching the cards on bridge laws to: As a matter of custom and told us that for the bid to of any other player davidstevenson@ practice and often be pre-emptive it would A is illegal at any mrbridge.co.uk announced by directors, have to raise the bidding time. Many players believe

Page 14 be the first type of mistake. Ask David continued If you reach for 3 ® and pull out the wrong card, you usually pull out the card AT WYCHWOOD PARK When using either side of it, 3 © or 2NT. bidding boxes, can Weston, Crewe, Cheshire, CW2 5GP Q you leave the final ®©™ ♠ bid on the table to remind Duplicate Weekends 2009 everyone of the contract? Can you please Anne Hauxwell, advise what 16-18 October 20-22 November Newcastle upon Tyne. Q happens when an Hand Evaluation Improvers* opposing player regularly Alan Lamb Stayman & Transfers Your club can allow (about 1 hand in 20) bids £199 John Wootton (or mandate) this outside the limits of their £199 A practice as part of stated bidding system eg 23-25 October its regulations. If your club Signals & Discards 27-29 November does not, you may not leave 1 After two passes, they John Wootton Doubles – Alan Lamb it out. open 1 ™ with four £199 £199 hearts and only 6 HCP. ®©™ ♠ 2 They make an *Improvers’ Weekends are aimed at the novice player intermediate jump and/or those picking up the game after a long break. My partner overcall with only 4 or opened 2NT – my 5 HCP. © Full-board © All rooms with RHO passed – I 3 They bid a suit en-suite facilities Q © No single supplement drew out a 2 ® inadvertently naturally with two poor Venue non-smoking Use of jacuzzi, sauna, © instead of 3 ® – LHO said, cards in the suit. © steam room and gym Bidding quiz & two seminars ‘You can’t do that’ – I went © to make it good with 3 ® Nobody alerts any of these but was told that I could bids. ______BOOKING FORM ______not do this and that we Usually, we benefit from must call the director. this action, as the partner Please book me for ..... places, June Ferriday, Hereford assumes the bid to be in (similar from Edward Clark). accordance with their Single ..... Double ..... Twin ..... convention card. However, at the Wychwood Park weekends of ...... You should not at times we have suffered argue about rulings badly from this action. Mr/Mrs/Miss ...... A at the table with J Williams, Montrose, Angus. opponents. You must call the Address ...... director. He will decide Psyching is legal, whether it was a mechanical and will certainly ...... error that you can change A work some of the without penalty or an time. Of course, with a local Postcode ...... insufficient bid to which player, you know his penalties attach. tendencies so can make ( ...... You have made a mistake, some allowances. but it depends on what the There are problems if it Special requirements (these cannot be guaranteed, mistake is. If you reached for becomes too frequent, or if but we will do our best to oblige) 2® because you forgot that his partner allows for it in ...... the opening was 2NT, and any way. It sounds to me as thought 2 ® was correct, that though it is within the Please send a non-returnable deposit of £50 per person per place by cheque, payable to Mr Bridge. An invoice for the bal - is a mistake, certainly, but it bounds of legality. ■ is not a mechanical error, so ance will be sent with your booking confirmation. On receipt of your final payment, 28 days before the event, a programme and penalties apply upon full details will be sent together with a map. Cancellations are changing it. If you reached David Stevenson answers all queries based on the not refundable. Should you require insurance, you should con - for the 3 ® bid but pulled out tact your own insurance broker. 2 accidentally, that is a facts supplied by the ® letter writer. mechanical error and you Neither Mr Bridge nor , Ryden Grange, Knaphill, Surrey GU21 2TH may change it without David Stevenson has any 01483 489961 Fax 01483 797302 penalty. way of knowing whether ( This type of mistake – those facts are correct or e-mail: [email protected] pulling 2 ® out instead of 3 ® complete. website: www.holidaybridge.com – sounds far more likely to

Page 15 SAVE AT LEAST £500 PER COUPLE, PLUS FREE CABIN UPGRADE† PLUS DISCOVERY CLUB MEMBERS SAVE AN EXTRA 10%

FREE Discovery heads East CABIN Mr Bridge is pleased to confirm that he has a Mr Bridge representative on UPGRA † DE all the 2009/10 Winter Voyages. The for a season of unique voyages Mr Bridge host will co-ordinate the bridge element of your cruise. Next winter, Voyages of Rounding off the winter season, Discovery heads 4-STAR COMFORT Even if you do not want to play bridge, Discovery opens a new through the Red Sea, returning to Aqaba in Jordan Discovery is small enough to reach out-of-the- you should still book with Mr Bridge, chapter as we make our first and to Egypt, transiting the Suez Canal. We will way ports, yet large enough to make light work thereby ensuring you will be invited to voyage to the fascinating follow the Turquoise Coast to Istanbul, explore the of crossing the great oceans. She has been attend our exclusive drinks parties. waters of the Orient. Black Sea and visit a host of Mediterranean islands expressly conceived for our special brand of This will enable you to meet other We’ll visit Kuala Lumpur, and classic sites in Italy and Iberia. ‘discovery cruising’ to create an atmosphere on like-minded passengers and feel Singapore, Bangkok and Hong Kong where steel- board that is friendly and relaxed. There are all part of a group. and-glass structures reach for the stars. We’ll go in TRAVEL WITH EXPERTS the facilities you would expect on a ship of this search of wildlife, including the Komodo dragon A hallmark of any Discovery cruise is our size, including three restaurants, a choice of bars and orangutans in Borneo. The resort of Phuket in comprehensive programme of guest speakers. and lounges, two pools, a well-stocked library, Thailand, the marvellous silhouettes of Ha Long Complementing the talks given by our own staff, lecture theatre/cinema and internet centre. GUEST AROUND 650 Bay in Vietnam, the paddy fields of Cambodia who will preview the destinations ahead, our Book today to save at least £500 per couple and 4-STAR DAILY PROGRAMME UNIQUE SPEAKER LIKE-MINDED and many more idyllic hideaways await programme features historians, explorers, receive a free cabin upgrade on selected cruises. COMFORT OF ACTIVITIES DESTINATIONS Discovery. We will also experience the paradise naturalists and diplomats, who will share their But hurry – there’s only limited availability on PROGRAMME PASSENGERS islands of the Indian Ocean and safaris in Africa. expertise, anecdotes and interests with you. these very special offers!

CHOOSE FROM A COLLECTION OF FASCINATING CRUISES FURTHER COMBINATION CRUISES AND GRAND VOYAGES AVAILABLE – CALL FOR DETAILS PASSAGE TO INDIA JAVA & THE SOUTH CHINA SEA SINGAPORE TO SOUTH AFRICA SUEZ TO THE BLACK SEA 28 November 2009 – 24 days from £1,795 3 January 2010 – 29 days from £3,695† 10 February 2010 – 36 days from £3,795† 15 April 2010 – 25 days from £2,250† v Barcelona ~ Valletta ~ Alexandria ~ Port Said Combine ‘Bangkok, Bali & Beyond’ with ‘Asian Capitals Combine ‘Malaysia to Mauritius’ with ‘Indian Ocean Combine ‘Egypt & Eastern Mediterranean’ with ‘Black Sea Suez Canal (Daytime transit) ~ Safaga (overnight) & Vietnam’ for a fantastic 29-day journey & South Africa’ for an exciting 36-day adventure Discovery’ for an amazing 25-day voyage Aqaba ~ Hodeidah ~ Salalah ~ Muscat Mumbai (overnight) v

EGYPT, ARABIA & THE ORIENT ASIAN CAPITALS & VIETNAM INDIAN OCEAN & SOUTH AFRICA BLACK SEA DISCOVERY 28 November 2009 – 39 days from £2,995 17 January 2010 – 15 days from £2,225† 1 March 2010 – 17 days from £2,145† 28 April 2010 – 12 days from £1,348† Combine ‘Passage to India’ with ‘India & the East’ v Bangkok (overnight) ~ Ho Chi Minh City (overnight) v Mauritius (overnight) ~ Réunion ~ Tulear, Madagascar v Istanbul ~ Trabzon ~ Sochi (overnight) ~ Yalta for a spell-binding 39-day voyage Nha Trang ~ Da Nang ~ Ha Long Bay (overnight) Richards Bay ~ Durban ~ Port Elizabeth Sevastopol ~ Odessa ~ Constanza ~ Nesebur Hong Kong (overnight) v Cape Town (overnight) v Istanbul (overnight) v

INDIA & THE EAST TALES OF THE SOUTH CHINA SEA SOUTH AFRICA & KENYA BLACK SEA & MEDITERRANEAN 19 December 2009 – 18 days from £2,145† 17 January 2010 – 27 days from £3,295† 15 March 2010 – 18 days from £2,445† 28 April 2010 – 27 days from £2,050† v Mumbai (overnight) ~ Marmagao ~ Cochin Combine ‘Asian Capitals & Vietnam’ with ‘Manila, Borneo v Cape Town (overnight) ~ East London ~ Durban Combine ‘Black Sea Discovery’ with ‘European Explorer’ Colombo (overnight) ~ Chennai ~ Phuket ~ Penang & Brunei’ for an incredible 27-day cruise Richards Bay ~ Maputo, Mozambique for a breathtaking 27-day journey Port Kelang (Kuala Lumpur) ~ Singapore (overnight) v Nosy Be, Madagascar ~ Dzaoudzi ~ Zanzibar Mombasa (overnight) v

INDIA & ASIA MANILA, BORNEO & BRUNEI AFRICA & THE RED SEA EUROPEAN EXPLORER 19 December 2009 – 35 days from £3,395† 29 January 2010 – 15 days from £2,225† 30 March 2010 – 17 days from £2,045† 9 May 2010 – 16 days from £1,145† Combine ‘India & the East’ with ‘Bangkok, Bali & Beyond’ v Hong Kong (overnight) ~ Manila ~ Sandakan v Mombasa (overnight) ~ Praslin, Seychelles v Istanbul ~ Heraklion, Crete ~ Valletta ~ Messina for a memorable 35-day voyage Kudat ~ Kota Kinabalu ~ Bandar Seri Begawan Mahé, Seychelles (overnight) ~ Aden Sorrento ~ Civitavecchia (Rome) ~ Ajaccio ~ Almeria Singapore (overnight) v Hodeidah ~ Safaga (overnight) v Gibraltar ~ Lisbon ~ Harwich

BANGKOK, BALI & BEYOND MALAYSIA TO MAURITIUS EGYPT & EASTERN MEDITERRANEAN • 4-STAR COMFORT 3 January 2010 – 20 days from £2,500† 10 February 2010 – 22 days from £2,645† 15 April 2010 – 14 days from £1,600† • UNIQUE DESTINATIONS v Singapore ~ Bali (overnight) ~ Komodo ~ Semarang Singapore (overnight) ~ Port Kelang (Kuala Lumpur) v Safaga (overnight) ~ Aqaba ~ Sharm el-Sheikh • TRAVEL WITH LIKE-MINDED PASSENGERS Kuantan ~ Sihanoukville ~ Bangkok (4 days) v Penang ~ Phuket ~ Colombo (overnight) Port Suez ~ Suez Canal (Daytime transit) ~ Latakia • DAILY PROGRAMME OF ACTIVITIES Male, Maldives ~ Seychelles (overnight) Antalya ~ Bodrum ~ Kusadasi ~ Canakkale • COMPREHENSIVE GUEST SPEAKER PROGRAMME Mauritius (overnight) Istanbul (overnight) v • ALL PRICES ON BOARD IN BRITISH POUNDS

AMAZING VALUE – LOOK WHAT’S INCLUDED Fares shown are per person based on two people sharing lowest twin-bedded cabin category available and • All meals, entertainment and gratuities on board • All port and pre-paid airport taxes • Flights from/to UK • Connecting flights include all applicable discounts for new bookings only. Saving of at least £500 per couple is based on two people sharing and is against Early Booking fares. Saving of at least £250 available for sole occupancy. from many UK regional airports • Overseas transfers between airport and ship • Comprehensive guest speaker programme †Free one category upgrade applies to categories between O and G (excluding Cat L, II and GG) where L SURCH UE A applicable. All offers are subject to availability, are capacity controlled and may be withdrawn at any time. • Captain’s cocktail parties and gala dinners • All prices on board in British pounds F R G See brochure for full terms and conditions. Voyages of Discovery is a trading name of All Leisure Holidays Ltd. O E N S

W TO RESERVE THE CABIN E G ! U IT OF YOUR CHOICE CALL NOW ARANTEE ¤ 01483 489961 for brochures and bookings SAVE AT LEAST £500 PER COUPLE, PLUS FREE CABIN UPGRADE† PLUS DISCOVERY CLUB MEMBERS SAVE AN EXTRA 10%

AMAZING VALUE – LOOK WHAT’S INCLUDED Fares shown are per person based on two people sharing lowest twin-bedded cabin category available and • All meals, entertainment and gratuities on board • All port and pre-paid airport taxes • Flights from/to UK • Connecting flights include all applicable discounts for new bookings only. Saving of at least £500 per couple is based on two people sharing and is against Early Booking fares. Saving of at least £250 available for sole occupancy. from many UK regional airports • Overseas transfers between airport and ship • Comprehensive guest speaker programme †Free one category upgrade applies to categories between O and G (excluding Cat L, II and GG) where • Captain’s cocktail parties and gala dinners • All prices on board in British pounds applicable. All offers are subject to availability, are capacity controlled and may be withdrawn at any time. See brochure for full terms and conditions. Voyages of Discovery is a trading name of All Leisure Holidays Ltd.

TO RESERVE THE CABIN OF YOUR CHOICE CALL NOW ¤ 01483 489961 for brochures and bookings PROGRAMME This is the format for all AT THE BEACH HOTEL Bernard Magee hosted AT THE events and rarely varies. Worthing, West Sussex, BN11 3QJ BEACH FRIDAY HOTEL © Full-board © All rooms with Friday to Sunday en-suite facilities 1500 Welcome Desk open © No single supplement © Venue non-smoking Afternoon Tea

© Tuition with supervised play, bidding quiz 1745 to 1830 and two seminars Welcome drinks reception ______BOOKING FORM 1830 to 2000 DINNER Please book me for ..... places, 2015 BRIDGE Single ..... Double ..... Twin ..... Sea View* ..... SESSION 1 DUPLICATE PAIRS Duplicate at the Beach Hotel weekend(s) of SATURDAY Events ...... 0800 to 0930 Hosted by BREAKFAST Bernard Magee Mr/Mrs/Miss ...... 1000 to 1230 Address ...... SEMINAR & SUPERVISED PLAY 2009/10 ...... of SET HANDS 1 (tea & coffee at 1100) 12-14 June £235 Postcode ...... 1230 to 1330 Overcalls COLD BUFFET ...... ( LUNCH 2-4 Oct £235 Special requirements (these cannot be guaranteed, 1400 to 1645 Stayman & Transfers but we will do our best to oblige) BRIDGE with Improver section SESSION 2 ...... TEAMS of FOUR 16-18 Oct £235 Please give the name(s) of all those covered by this booking 1815 to 2000 Hand Evaluation ...... DINNER 4-6 Dec £235 Please send a non-returnable deposit of £50 per person per place 2015 BRIDGE Signals & Discards by cheque, payable to Mr Bridge. An invoice for the balance SESSION 3 will be sent with your booking confirmation. On receipt of your DUPLICATE PAIRS final payment, 28 days before the event, a programme and full 29 Dec-1 Jan details will be sent together with a map. Cancellations are not SUNDAY £395 refundable. Should you require insurance, you should contact Bernard Magee’s your own insurance broker. *£30 supplement per room. 0800 to 0930 BREAKFAST NEW YEAR’S EVE GALA EVENT 1000 to 1230 SEMINAR & 1-3 Jan £235 SUPERVISED PLAY of SET HANDS 2 Thinking Defence Expiry: ...... CVV ...... Issue No...... (tea & coffee at 1100) (CVV is the last 3 numbers on the signature strip) 1230 to 1400 CARVERY LUNCH No Single , Ryden Grange, Bisley, Surrey GU21 2TH Supplement ( 01483 489961 Fax 01483 797302 1400 to 1645 BRIDGE Guaranteed e-mail: [email protected] SESSION 4 sea-facing views website: www.holidaybridge.com DUPLICATE PAIRS £30 extra per room

Page 18 Justin Corfield Says

Length Attracts Shortage: The Principle of Vacant Spaces

ther things being equal, there is has eight hearts, and thus five ‘non- The duplication in the majors is a trifle a 36% chance that a suit will hearts’. West probably has no hearts, unlucky. Had you known, you would Obreak 3-3, a 28% chance of a 4-1 and so he has thirteen ‘non-hearts’. The have stopped in 6NT. Meanwhile, West break (although it feels like more), a queen of spades, being a spade, is a leads a heart and it is up to you to find 50% chance that a simple finesse will ‘non-heart’. This makes West (who has the queen of diamonds. At this point, succeed (although it sometimes feels thirteen such cards) more likely to have you have a simple 50-50 guess as to like less) and so on. it than East (who has only five). where she is. Can we improve on this? The trick is to know which ‘other For the first half of the maxim – length Maybe we can. things’ may not be ‘equal’. Truth be told, attracts shortage – this is as far as we Suppose you draw trumps, East they very rarely are. need to go. For the second half – the turning up with all three of them. The principle of vacant places – we need to odds on the diamond finesse have now look more closely, counting the cards changed. East has ten ‘non-clubs’ to ♠ A 9 8 2 each defender has played. West’s thirteen, making it a thirteen to ♥ A 6 5 Suppose you take the king of clubs, ten favourite, or 57%, to play West for ♦ 9 6 3 cash the king of spades (all follow), and the diamond queen. Most finesses start ♣ A 4 2 continue with the jack, on which West life as 50-50 propositions, but very few plays the remaining low spade. What are of them stay that way. N W E the odds if you finesse? To pass the time, you decide to cash S Well… we have seen two of East’s your remaining spade and heart winners. ♠ K J 10 7 5 five non-hearts (a club and a spade) East surprises you at this point by ♥ K 8 leaving him with three ‘vacant spaces’, discarding a spade on the third round of ♦ A 7 4 or unknown cards. We have seen three of hearts. ♣ K 8 5 West’s thirteen non-hearts (a club and Now we know that East began with two spades), leaving him with ten. So, at three clubs, two hearts and two or more the key moment, the finesse is a ten to spades, leaving him with six vacant You are in 4 ♠, after an uncontested three favourite – a 77% chance. That, in spaces, whilst West began with no clubs, auction, on a club lead from West. You a nutshell, is the principle of vacant six hearts and two or more spades, are booked to lose two diamonds and a spaces. (Some would ignore the clubs in leaving him with five vacant spaces. The club and so to succeed, you will need to the calculation as West had to lead odds in the diamond suit have changed play the spade suit without loss. something and East had to follow suit, again and East is now a six to five Plonking down the ace-king is clearly but this is a small point.) favourite, or 55%, to hold the queen of best. You will succeed whenever the Sooner or later, you will have to tackle diamonds. Crossing to the king of spades are 2-2 and any time the queen is a hand like this next one. Partner puts diamonds and running the ten is the best singleton. (You will also succeed if the you into 7 ♣, and this is what you see: play. spades are 4-0, so long as you guess which hand to start from.) Conclusion Of course, circumstances alter cases. ♠ A 2 Suppose that you hold the same cards ♥ K 10 The odds that a given thing will happen but East has opened with a pre-emptive ♦ K 10 9 3 are not set in stone – on the contrary, bid of 4 ♥. Does this change how you ♣ A Q 6 5 4 during the play of most hands, declarer should play the spade suit? must confront a changing picture. N You bet it does! Now the best play is W E The percentages I gave at the start of to cash the king of spades, intending to S this article are perfectly correct. They finesse West for the queen. The reason ♠ K 9 are the chances that a given thing will for doing so is this: once you know East ♥ A Q J happen assuming we know nothing has a very long heart suit, he rates to be ♦ A J 6 about the concealed hands. Once shorter than West in the remaining suits. ♣ K J 10 3 2 information starts coming in, those odds Think of it like this – East probably can change and often do. ■

Page 19 Conventions and Conventioners with Ned Paul Gerber – a Convention from Another Time

or this issue’s look at conventions slam. The complete auction is: to www.mrbridge.co.uk/library and and the players who invented click through to the slam bidding F them, I want to focus on Gerber. West East articles – or look at BRIDGE issues This is the 4 ♣, asking for aces, con- 1♠ 3♠ 72-74 if you still have them. vention. Unusually for this series, instead 4♣ 4♦ Use of cue-bids and splinters of praising the convention, I am going to 5♣ 6♠ precludes the use of 4 ♣ asking for aces try to convince you why tournament (i.e. the Gerber convention). Moreover, players neither use nor recommend it As you can see, unless there is an you cannot really use Gerber if one or except in no-trump auctions. immediate ruff, the contract is cold. other member of the partnership has bid Hands with 33 HCP between two Notice that ace asking at any point by clubs because then you might need 4 ♣ hands are very rare. Most of the time, West, whether Gerber or Blackwood, as a natural bid. So why is Gerber still making a slam depends on having a good would reveal an ace missing; widely played by club standard players? fit. So let us suppose that the bidding presumably this would prompt West to It should not be, as it is really a starts 1 ♠-3 ♠. In Acol, 3 ♠ is a limit raise, stop in 5 ♠. convention from a different time and suggesting about 11 points or 8 losers. Another very useful tool in reaching place. Limit bids were, and are, an Acol The East hand here would be typical: good slams and avoiding bad ones is the idea. In contrast, in the 1950s in splinter bid. The splinter shows three America 1 ♥-3 ♥ (and 1 ♠-3 ♠) were things at once: support for partner’s suit, played as forcing to game. Bidding that ♠ A Q 8 6 3 2 ♠ K 10 7 4 game values and a shortage (singleton or way solved the problem of responding ♥ Q 2 N ♥ K J 10 6 sometimes a void) in the suit bid. Here is on a hand like this: W E ♦ 9 S ♦ A 8 2 a splinter in action: ♣ A K Q 9 ♣ 6 2 ♠ A K ♠ A Q 8 6 3 2 ♠ K J 7 4 ♥ J 9 5 4 The West hand, with only four losers, is ♥ K 2 N ♥ A J 9 6 ♦ A 5 2 W E unusually good for a one-level opening ♦ 9 S ♦ K 8 4 2 ♣ Q 10 6 4 but certainly possible. Although ♣ A 9 4 3 ♣ 2 envisaging a slam, West does not want to ask for aces over 3 ♠ because there might Opposite a forcing jump raise to 3 ♥, be two fast heart losers. West opens with 1 ♠ and the East hand is opening bidder, knowing of partner’s The normal continuation is to use bids perfect for a 4 ♣ splinter bid: four-card great strength, might well have wished in new suits below game as cue-bids, spade support, game values (12 HCP to know about aces. The claimed showing control of the suit bid and and 7 losers) and a singleton club. News advantage in these circumstances of expressing slam interest. Using cue-bids of the club shortage and spade support is using Gerber rather than Blackwood is is like using a rapier rather than using music to West’s ears. Expecting to be that when you showed your one ace and the clumsy bludgeon of asking for aces able to ruff all his club losers in dummy, this was not enough, opener could sign en masse. So West, with slam interest, West thinks of a slam immediately. He off in 4 ♥ rather than 5 ♥; you never now bids 4 ♣. This is a cue-bid showing bids 4NT and, when East shows two key needed to suffer the indignity of going the ace of clubs and inviting a return cards (the ♠K and the ♥A), bids 6 ♠. It one off in a five-level contract. Note, cue-bid from partner. East shows the ace would be difficult to reach this 25-point however, that by playing a double raise of diamonds by bidding 4 ♦ and, rather slam with confidence unless West knew in a major as forcing, America had no than sign off with 4 ♠, West continues about East’s club shortage. proper bid available for the invitational with 5 ♣, another cue bid. This Modern players the world over just hand with four-card support and 10-12 highlights the need for a heart control. love cue-bids and splinter bids. You can points. You changed the suit and took East recognises that the king of hearts is read Bernard Magee’s articles about your chance on opposing intervention. invaluable and, trusting partner, leaps to these in the Mr Bridge online library. Go The limit bid concept is a strong

Page 20 Conventions continued 2009 AT MARSHAM COURT one. By the 1960s, Standard American was moving away East Cliff, Bournemouth, BH1 3AB from the forcing raise and, as it was swept out of favour and Duplicate Bridge Breaks 2009 replaced by limit bids, the useful aspects of Gerber went ♦ Full-board too. All rooms with John Gerber was a world- ♦ en-suite facilities class player from Houston, Texas. Born in 1906, he came ♦ Venue non-smoking to bridge prominence in the ♦ No single supplement 1950s and went on to win Sea View Option over 50 American titles. He ♦ 1-3 June £199 was non-playing captain of ♦ Tuition with Supervised (Monday-Wednesday) the American world champ - Play, bidding quiz and two Doubles ion ship teams three times in seminars except on Just Gary Conrad the 1960s, but unluckily this Duplicate events period coincided with the ascendancy enjoyed by the 2-4 July £150 ______famous and all-conquering BOOKING FORM (Thursday-Saturday) Italian ‘Blue Team’. At each Gentle/ Just Duplicate of the three championships, Please book me for ..... places, Day Guests (£115pp) ...... he was embroiled in contro - versy, at the first two over Single ..... Double ..... Twin ..... Sea View* ..... team tactics when he split up 17-19 July £199 (Friday-Sunday) established partnerships and at the Marsham Court date(s) of ...... at the third in 1965 at Buenos Stayman and Transfers Aires, when the Americans Ned Paul Mr/Mrs/Miss ...... accused the Britons, Reese and Schapiro, of cheating. Gerber experienced the other 22-24 July £199 Address ...... side of this in 1977. Non- (Wednesday-Friday) playing captain of a team Signals and Discards ...... leading the American trials, Alison Nicolson two of his players were ...... accused of cheating and abruptly resigned from the 23-25 September £150 Postcode ...... ACBL rather than face an (Wednesday-Friday) enquiry. There was never any Gentle/ Just Duplicate ( ...... suggestion that Gerber was involved in any way; indeed Special requirements (these cannot be guaranteed, there was widespread disap - 30 Oct-1 Nov £235 but we will do our best to oblige) pointment that he had been (Friday-Sunday) let down on what would have Bernard Magee ...... been a popular return to the Please send a non-returnable deposit of £50 per person per place world championship arena. by cheque, payable to Mr Bridge. An invoice for the balance Gerber died, aged 74, in will be sent with your booking confirmation. On receipt of your 1981. His ace-asking conven - final payment, 28 days before the event, a programme and full tion is really used now only details will be sent together with a map. Cancellations are not in direct response to no- refundable. Should you require insurance, you should contact trump opening bids where your own insurance broker. *£30 supplement per room. raises in no-trumps are ‘quantitative’. When it comes , Ryden Grange, Knaphill, Surrey GU21 2TH to suit auctions though, cue- bidders reach many good ( 01483 489961 Fax 01483 797302 slams and Gerber himself e-mail: [email protected] would have approved of the website: www.holidaybridge.com cue-bidding approach. ■

Page 21 AT THE OLDE BARN DECLARER Toll Bar Road, Marston, Lincolnshire, NG32 2HT PLAY Duplicate Weekends 2009/10

9-11 Oct (£235) 13-15 Nov (£199) QUIZ Leads & Defence Hand Evaluation Bernard Magee Ray Hutchinson by David Huggett

16-18 Oct (£199) 27-29 Nov (£199) (Answers on page 45) Doubles Signals & Discards Alison Nicolson Ray Hutchinson ou are South as declarer playing teams or rubber bridge. YIn each case, what is your play strategy? 30 Oct - 1 Nov (£199) 1-3 Jan (£199) Declarer Play TBA Ray Hutchinson 1. ♠ 6 5 4 3. ♠ A 8 6 5 ♥ 10 9 3 ♥ K 9 *Improvers’ Weekends are aimed at the novice player ♦ A J 9 2 ♦ K 7 5 and/or those picking up the game after a long break. ♣ K Q 3 ♣ 10 9 7 6 ♦ Full-board All rooms with ♦ N N No single supplement en-suite facilities W E W E ♦ S Room upgrades available S ♦ Use of swimming ♦ pool and fitness suite ♦ Bidding quiz & two seminars ♠ K Q J 10 7 ♠ K J 10 9 7 ♥ A 4 ♥ J 8 6 ______BOOKING FORM ______♦ K 10 7 3 ♦ 9 2 ♣ J 6 ♣ A K J Please book me for ..... places,

Single ..... Double ..... Twin ..... West North East South West North East South 1NT* Pass Pass 2♠ 1♥ Pass Pass 1♠ at the Olde Barn weekends of ...... Pass 3♠ Pass 4♠ Pass 2♥ Pass 3♣ End *12-14 Pass 4♠ End Mr/Mrs/Miss ...... You are in 4 ♠ and West You are in 4 ♠ and West Address ...... leads the ♥K. How do you leads the ♦Q. How do you plan the play? plan the play? ......

Postcode ...... 2. ♠ K J 10 8 4 2 4. ♠ A 9 8 6 ♥ 7 3 ♥ K 5 ( ...... ♦ Void ♦ J 6 5 ♣ Q 10 8 6 3 ♣ Q 10 9 6 Special requirements (these cannot be guaranteed, but we will do our best to oblige) N N W E W E S S ...... ♠ 6 5 ♠ Q J 10 7 5 Please send a non-returnable deposit of £50 per person per ♥ K 5 ♥ Q J 10 place by cheque, payable to Mr Bridge. An invoice for the bal - ♦ K 10 7 6 ♦ 7 2 ance will be sent with your booking confirmation. On receipt of your final payment, 28 days before the event, a programme and ♣ A K J 9 2 ♣ A K J full details will be sent together with a map. Cancellations are not refundable. Should you require insurance, you should con - West North East South You open 1 ♠ in fourth tact your own insurance broker. Pass 1♣ seat (i.e. after three passes) Pass 1♠ Dbl 2♣ and end in 4 ♠. West leads , Ryden Grange, Knaphill, Surrey GU21 2TH 3♥ 5♣ End the ♦A. He continues with ( 01483 489961 Fax 01483 797302 the ♦K and a third dia - e-mail: [email protected] You are in 5 ♣ and West mond to East’s ♦Q. How leads the ♦Q. How do you do you plan the play? website: www.holidaybridge.com plan the play?

Page 22 Heather Dhondy Says Choose Trumps for Ruffs in the Short Hand

onsider your next call as South Let us turn things around and consider on the hand below, playing pairs: 2 ♠ 8 7 5 4 things from the defensive point of view. C Put yourself in the West seat on the ♥ A K 9 6 3 ♦ J 10 4 hand below. Again you are playing ♣ J pairs. 1 ♠ K 6 5 ♠ K 10 6 ♠ 9 ♥ A Q J 8 7 ♥ 8 7 2 N ♥ 5 4 W E ♦ J 9 7 ♦ 9 3 S ♦ A K Q 7 5 2 3 ♠ A 5 4 3 2 ♣ K 5 ♣ 10 7 5 4 3 ♣ K 9 8 2 ♥ K 10 6 ♠ 10 9 8 3 ♠ 7 ♠ A Q J 3 2 ♦ 2 ♥ 5 N ♥ 9 4 3 2 ♥ Q J 10 ♣ A 6 3 2 W E ♦ A K Q 10 8 6 S ♦ 5 4 3 ♦ 8 6 ♠ J 9 ♠ Q 8 7 ♣ A 6 ♣ 10 9 8 4 2 ♣ A Q 6 ♥ 5 4 2 N ♥ 9 3 W E ♠ A Q J 4 2 ♦ K 5 4 S ♦ A Q 10 8 6 ♥ K 10 6 ♣ K J 10 7 5 ♣ Q 8 4 ♦ 2 West North East South ♠ K 10 6 ♣ Q J 7 3 Pass 1♦ 1♠ ♥ A Q J 8 7 Pass 3♥ Pass ? ♦ J 9 7 3 ♣ 9 West North East South Partner’s jump shift, especially as a 1♠ passed hand, shows primary spade 2♦ 2♥ Pass 3♥ support and a decent five-card heart suit. West North East South Pass 3♠ Pass ? Again, you have the choice of which 1♠ Pass 2♥ major suit game to play in. With a Pass 3♥ Pass 3♠ You have a choice of trump suits. Which known nine-card fit in spades, it is not Pass 4♥ End one do you choose, and why? likely that trump control will be the You expect that the opponents are issue. Even so, again you should opt for You hear the opponents bid to 4 ♥ having going to lead diamonds. Would you partner’s suit. You can see that if you found a double fit along the way. prefer to be taking the ruffs with the play in 4 ♠ you are sure to get a diamond Thinking back to what we said earlier, short trumps or the long ones? lead. If West is short in the suit, you may the likelihood is that they will have There are two reasons to play in the have a problem ruffing safely on the chosen to play in a suit where ruffs suit where you will take ruffs with short third round. can be taken in the hand with short trumps. Firstly, ruffing in the short By contrast, in 4 ♥, West is unlikely to trumps. In a situation where it looks trump hand can gain you extra tricks, be able to overruff your Q-J-10. Indeed, probable that declarer will look to take whereas ruffing in the long hand seldom if East has a tenace in diamonds, there ruffs with short trumps, what should you does. In addition, it helps you retain may not even be a diamond lead. Here lead? trump control if they split badly. North should make ten tricks in 4 ♥ on Of course, you should lead a trump. On the deal above, both potential any lead – rejecting the finesse if East When your side gains the lead in trump suits break 4-1. In 4 ♠, this is leads a spade. 4 ♠ fails via a trump diamonds, you will be able to continue enough to hold you to ten tricks when promotion on the third diamond – if you with a trump and, on this defence, you are forced down to the same number ruff high, West discards – if you ruff low, declarer will make only ten tricks. of trumps as West. You will not have West overruffs. Should North-South have known to time to build your club trick. However, Sometimes, when you have a double play in spades, where on any 3-2 trump in hearts, you have an easy time. If they fit, you both have shortages. It can then break, eleven tricks look reasonably force you to ruff a diamond, the ruff will be a problem to decide which contract to straightforward? I would not criticise the be your extra trick; on any other play in. In such circumstances, you auction, sometimes bridge is a hard defence, you can draw trumps, run the want, if possible, to ruff the weak suit game! At least this time the overtrick spades and set up a club trick. with short or strong trumps, as above. only really matters at matchpoints! ■

Page 23 Bridge Holidays, Cruises and Weekends Looking for a holiday, short break or a cruise? Why not choose one from our extensive list. Cruises are in blue, overseas holidays in green and UK breaks in black.

JUNE 2009 JULY cont SEPTEMBER cont OCTOBER cont

1 – 3 Marsham Court 24 – 26 Denham Grove 23 – 25 Marsham Court 12 – 26 Black Sea & Gentle / Just Aegean 5 – 7 The Beach Hotel Duplicate Adventure AUGUST 2009 12 – 14 The Beach Hotel 16 – 18 Staverton Park 2 – 13 British Isles 14 – 24 Land of the Discovery 16 – 18 The Beach Hotel Midnight Sun 7 – 9 Denham Grove 16 – 18 The Olde Barn 19 – 21 Blunsdon House Gentle / Just Duplicate 16 – 18 Wychwood Park 19 – 21 Denham Grove 23 – 25 Wychwood Park 24 – 6/7 Faroes, Fire & Ice 30 –1/11 Marsham Court Marsham Court, Bournemouth JULY 2009

2 – 4 Marsham Court 25 – 27 Staverton Park Gentle / Just Duplicate 30 –2/10 Marsham Court Rubber/Chicago 6 – 19 Baltic Treasures MV Discovery 10 – 12 Denham Grove OCTOBER 2009

17 – 19 Marsham Court 13 – 26 Baltic Capitals 1 – 12 Black Sea Discovery Staverton Park, Daventry 19 – 2/8 North Cape, 21 – 23 Denham Grove Arctic & Russia 2 – 4 The Beach Hotel 26 – 3/9 Norwegian 30–1/11 Staverton Park 22 – 24 Marsham Court Fjords 2 9 – 11 The Olde Barn Gentle / Just Duplicate

SEPTEMBER 2009 30 –1/11 The Olde Barn 3 – 10 Riviera Cruise NOVEMBER 2009 10 – 19 Italian Odyssey 1 – 15 Tunisia Golf an option 11 – 13 The Beach Hotel Rubber/Chicago 2 – 14 North African Treasures 19 –1/10 Adriatic & Denham Grove, Uxbridge Wychwood Park, Crewe Aegean Treasures 6 – 8 Blunsdon House Bridge Holidays, Cruises and Weekends Looking for a holiday, short break or a cruise? Why not choose one from our extensive list. Cruises are in blue, overseas holidays in green and UK breaks in black.

NOVEMBER cont DECEMBER 2009 JANUARY 2010 FEBRUARY 2010

13 – 15 Denham Grove 4 – 6 Denham Grove 1 – 3 The Beach Hotel 5 – 7 The Beach Hotel Gentle / Just 13 – 15 Staverton Park Duplicate 10 – 3/3 Malaysia to Mauritius 13 – 15 The Olde Barn 4 – 6 The Beach Hotel 12 – 14 The Beach Hotel 15 – 29 Tunisia 11 – 13 The Beach Hotel Rubber/Chicago Rubber/Chicago 21 – 7/3 Tunisia 19 – 5/1 India and the East MARCH 2010 St Petersburg 1 – 17 Indian Ocean & Southern Africa 1 – 3 The Olde Barn 7 – 21 Tunisia Port El Kantaoui, Tunisia 3 – 22 Bangkok, Bali and beyond 20 – 22 Wychwood Park Norwegian Fjord 17 – 31 Asian 27 – 29 Denham Grove Capitals and Vietnam 24 – 27 Denham Grove CHRISTMAS 29 – 31 The Beach Hotel Rubber/Chicago 24 – 27 The Olde Barn 29 –12/2 Manilla, CHRISTMAS The Olde Barn, Marston Borneo 27 – 29 Denham Grove and Brunei TWIXMAS 15 – 1/4 Southern Africa 27 – 29 The Olde Barn & Kenya TWIXMAS Blunsdon House, Swindon 29 – 31 The Olde Barn 19 – 21 The Beach Hotel 27 – 29 Staverton Park TWIXMAS 21 – 4/4 Tunisia 27 – 29 The Olde Barn 29 – 1/1 Denham Grove NEW YEAR 26 – 28 The Beach Hotel 27 – 29 Wychwood Park 29 – 1/1 The Beach Hotel 30 –15/4 Africa & The Beach Hotel, Worthing 28–21/12 Passage to India NEW YEAR The Red Sea Dave Huggett Says Nine Tricks are Easier than Eleven

lmost from the moment that we Here is another type of hand that you start to play bridge, we become should treat differently because of the ♠ A K ♠ Q 10 8 Aaware that the minor suits are low scoring of the minor suits: ♥ 7 4 2 N ♥ A 5 the poor relations. This is for good W E ♦ K Q 9 5 3 S ♦ A J 8 6 reason. The difference between making ♣ K 6 3 ♣ 10 8 5 2 nine tricks (3NT) and eleven tricks ♠ K 6 ♠ Q 10 8 (game in a minor) is much greater than ♥ A J 7 N ♥ 8 5 the gap between making nine and ten W E ♦ K Q 9 5 3 S ♦ A J 8 6 West East (game in a major). You know also that if ♣ K 6 3 ♣ A 10 8 5 1♦ 3♦ you fail to make exactly eleven, then 3♠ 3NT you have either overbid – or underbid! At matchpoints, even if you make 5 ♣ or West East Auction b) might continue like this. 3 ♠ 5♦, any pairs who make ten tricks in 1♦ 3♦ shows a spade stopper and denies a heart 3NT outscore you. 3NT stopper. Responder, with a heart stopper, While most of us open one of a major continues with 3NT, reaching the best with a five-card suit happily, on values Playing a weak no-trump, West opens contract. 3NT is laydown, but 5 ♦ within the no-trump range, we would 1♦ and, with an eight-loser hand, East, depends on a finesse. Without a heart not open 1 ♣ or 1 ♦ on such hands with a no doubt, raises to 3 ♦. I imagine that stopper, East would rebid 4 ♦. five-card minor. From the outset, the West will – quite rightly – give little There is another type of minor- emphasis is on playing in no-trumps thought to bidding anything other than orientated hand where you need to look rather than a minor. Take this hand for 3NT, which would be unlucky to fail. 5 ♦ for nine tricks rather than eleven. example: might make, but would be an inferior Suppose the deal is as follows with you contract. as West: Note that, if the players were playing ♠ J 10 3 ♠ Q 9 a strong no-trump, then the bidding ♥ A K 2 N ♥ Q 8 4 would just go 1NT-3NT. ♠ A 3 ♠ 8 4 2 W E ♦ 10 9 5 3 S ♦ K Q J 8 7 As an aside, there is a difference in the ♥ 8 7 6 N ♥ A K 4 meaning of opener’s second bid in the W E ♣ K Q 6 ♣ A 4 2 ♦ J 7 S ♦ Q 8 5 2 following two auctions: ♣ K Q 9 8 6 5 ♣ A 7 2

West East (a) (b) 1NT 3NT West East West East When your partner (East) opens 1NT 1♥ 3♥ 1♦ 3♦ (12-14), it would be reasonable to bash 3NT is far from perfect on a spade lead, 3♠ 3♠ 3NT on the basis that the possibility of but it will make any time you do not get making a bundle of tricks in clubs will a spade lead, any time spades divide 4-4 In auction a), 3 ♠ is a cue-bid and is the make up for the lack of points. Indeed, and often when someone holds ♠A-K-x. start of an exploration to see if a slam is on the hand as shown, 3NT is almost 5♦, by contrast, suffers from the possible. This is because, when you impregnable, while 5 ♣ is hopeless. Of indignity of having three top losers no have a known eight-card fit in a major, course, West would be happier if he matter what the lead. Note that, if you you will not play in some other suit. could be sure that his partner ‘filled in’ reverse the red suits (giving East However, in auction b) 3 ♠ does not the club suit and sophisticated methods ♥K-Q-J-x-x), you would prefer to play mean that opener has first-round control, can do just that. in 4 ♥, which, barring wild breaks, is nor indeed four spades (because partner On occasion, you should play in five virtually laydown. What is more, you has denied holding that suit). It merely of a minor it is true, but not often and if would reach 4 ♥ easily after a 1NT shows a stopper in the suit and is you gear your bidding towards looking opening: East would show his five-card looking for partner to bid 3NT. (The for the no-trump game in these heart suit with a transfer or by whatever opener would, of course, be denying a circumstances, you will not go too far method you employ. heart stopper or he would have bid 3 ♥.) wrong. ■

Page 26 DEFENCE

QUIZ Duplicate Weekends 2009 with Bernard Magee (£235 per person)

by Julian Pottage 19-21 June (Answers on page 47) Suit Establishment ou are East in the defensive positions below. It is your turn Yto play. 6-8 November

1. ♠ Q J 9 3. ♠ K Q 9 4 Game ♥ K Q 4 ♥ J 4 Tries ♦ A J 10 2 ♦ K 10 3 ♣ 9 3 2 ♣ J 10 8 2 ♦ Full-board ♦ All rooms with ♠ K 7 3 ♠ 8 3 2 N N Friday to Sunday en-suite facilities W E ♥ A 6 W E ♥ K 6 3 No single supplement Nine hole golf course S ♦ 9 8 4 3 S ♦ J 8 5 4 ♦ ♦ ♣ K 8 7 4 ♣ A Q 4 ♦ Tuition with Supervised Play, bidding quiz and two seminars

West North East South West North East South BOOKING FORM 1NT 1♠ Pass 3NT End Pass 3♠ Pass 4♠ Please book me for ..... places at Blunsdon House Hotel, End The Ridge, Blunsdon, Swindon, SN26 7AS . Partner leads the ♥J. You capture the ♥K with the Partner leads the ♦2: ♦3, weekend(s) ...... ♥A and return the suit, ♦8, ♦A. Declarer cashes driving out dummy’s ♥Q. the ♠A, crosses to the ♠K Single ..... Double ..... Twin ..... Declarer calls for the ♠Q. (West discards the ♥10) Do you cover? If not, do and calls for the ♣J. Mr/Mrs/Miss ...... you cover the ♠J on the Which club do you play? next round? Address ...... 4. ♠ A Q 2 2. ♠ 9 6 5 4 ♥ Q 4 Postcode ...... ♥ A K J 8 ♦ Q J 10 9 8 3 ♦ Q 4 ♣ A K ...... ♣ J 10 2 ♠ 9 8 4 3 ( N ♠ K 8 7 2 W E ♥ A 8 3 Special requirements (these cannot be guaranteed) S N ♥ Q 4 2 ♦ K 7 W E S ♦ J 6 5 ♣ Q 10 4 2 ...... ♣ Q 9 4 Please send a non-returnable deposit of £50 per person per place by cheque, payable to Mr Bridge. An invoice for the bal - West North East South ance will be sent with your booking confirmation. On receipt of West North East South 1♦ Pass 1NT your final payment, 28 days before the event, a programme and 1NT Pass 3NT End full details will be sent together with a map. Cancellations are Pass 2♣ Pass 2♦ not refundable. Should you require insurance, you should con - Pass 2NT Pass 3NT Partner leads the ♥6: ♥4, tact your own insurance broker. End ♥A, ♥2. You return the ♥8: ♥10, ♥5, ♥Q. , Ryden Grange, Knaphill, Surrey GU21 2TH Partner leads the ♦7. Dummy leads the ♦Q. Do 01483 489961 Fax 01483 797302 Dummy wins with the ♦Q you cover? ( and leads the ♣J. When e-mail: [email protected] do you play your ♣Q? website: www.holidaybridge.com

Page 27 AT STAVERTON PARK Staverton, Daventry, Northants, NN11 6JT AT THE ROYAL KENZ

25-27 Sep Declarer Play - Ray Hutchinson £199 TUNISIA 2009-10

16-18 Oct Take-out Doubles * - Alex Davoud £199

30 Oct-1 Nov Gentle/Just Duplicate £150

13-15 Nov Game Tries - Crombie McNeil £199

27-29 Nov Overcalls - Ned Paul £199

*Improvers’ Weekends are aimed at the novice player and/or those picking up the game after a long break.

♦ Full-board ♦ All rooms with Friday to Sunday en-suite facilities No single supplement ♦ ♦ Bidding quiz and ♦ Use of swimming two seminars (not on pool and fitness suite Gentle/Just Duplicate) Two-week half-board

______BOOKING FORM ______duplicate holidays Please book me for .... places, Single .... Double .... Twin .... 1 Nov – 15 Nov £699* for the 2009 Staverton Park weekend(s) of ...... Tony & Jan Richards daily golf an option – ring for details ...... 15 Nov – 29 Nov £749* Mr/Mrs/Miss ...... Bernard Magee Address ...... 21 Feb – 7 March £749* Bernard Magee ...... 7 March – 21 March £699* Postcode ...... ( ...... Crombie & Helen McNeil Special requirements (these cannot be guaranteed)

...... 21 March – 4 April £699* Please give the name(s) of all those covered by this booking Chris Barrable

...... *per person half-board sharing a twin-bedded room and is inclusive of bridge fees. Single supplement £5 per night. These prices are Please send a non-returnable deposit of £50 per person per place based on air travel from Gatwick to Monastir. Flights from other by cheque, payable to Mr Bridge. An invoice for the balance UK airports are available at a supplement. All prices are firm until will be sent with your booking confirmation. On receipt of your 30 June 2009. Prices for seven-night stays are available on final payment, 28 days before the event, a programme and full application. details will be sent together with a map. Cancellations are not Pay £70 per fortnight per person extra and have a pool-facing refundable. Should you require insurance, you should contact room, tea & coffee making facilities, bath robe and a bowl of your own insurance broker. seasonal fruit.

These holidays have been organised for by Tunisia First Limited, ATOL 5933, , Ryden Grange, Knaphill, Surrey GU21 2TH working in association with Thomas Cook Tour Operations Limited, ATOL 1179. ( 01483 489961 Fax 01483 797302 e-mail: [email protected] DETAILS & BOOKINGS website: www.holidaybridge.com ( 01483 489961

Page 28 Albert Who? by Dick Atkinson

y uncle, Baron von Münchausen , As expected, the ace of hearts was led elementary triple loser-on-loser throw- was a lightning analyst at the (East contributing the queen), and dummy in. Pretty well unique, wouldn’t you Mtable. At 103, he is very frail turned up, surprisingly, with: think, to make game in a suit where now, but he recalled this deal, which he your left-hand opponent has opened played against a promising young with a strong two bid? I did say that British player back in the thirties or ♠ Void gadget would get you into trouble! Such forties, for me spot perfect. It was high ♥ 8 6 5 4 3 2 a nice hand, too. Nothing but honours stakes rubber bridge with fixed pairs – ♦ A Q 7 and trumps and yet you score only three his favourite form of the game – playing ♣ A Q 7 3 spot cards . . .’ The full deal was: with his favourite partner, le Marquis de N Sade. The young opponent was an W E S adherent of the then new-fangled Acol ♠ Void system, which he had further amended ♠ A Q 10 8 6 2 ♥ 8 6 5 4 3 2 by the addition of a gadget of his own: ♥ Void ♦ A Q 7 an opening bid of 2 ♦ was the artificial ♦ 6 5 3 2 ♣ A Q 7 3 Game Force, which meant that 2 ♣ ♣ 6 5 2 ♠ K J 9 7 5 4 3 ♠ Void could be used to show an Acol Two in ♥ N ♥ A K W E Q J 10 9 7 any suit – even clubs – while 2 ♥ and 2 ♠ ♦ K J S ♦ 10 9 8 4 became ‘Weak Twos’ (as pioneered by Unfortunately, it had not been quite so ♣ K J ♣ 10 9 8 4 the ‘Aces’, a team of brash Americans). obvious to him that West had a 2 ♠ ♠ A Q 10 8 6 2 ‘Well, it’s very clever in theory,’ opener! Declarer ruffed and tried the ♥ Void Uncle Leopold commented, ‘but mark five of clubs, which went to the jack, ♦ 6 5 3 2 my words, it will all end in tears . . . queen and ten. After another heart ruff, ♣ 6 5 2 Camille, if that 2 ♦ or 2 ♣ crops up, East following low but West producing double if you have values and two or the king, came the five of diamonds to three suits, same as over 1NT.’ the jack, queen and ten . . . That was the When the Baron recounted the tale, I As it happened, it was the young point at which Uncle Leo tabled his could not help exclaiming at such a man’s deal (as West in the layout) and, cards, announcing: ‘Conceding the piece of outrageous good fortune: perhaps inevitably, he opened 2 ♣. De obvious three tricks. 530 and 700 for the ‘Since you could never have reached the Sade doubled and East passed. My rubber.’ The young conventioneer game if West had opened with a natural uncle had: looked a little shaken, apparently, and Acol Two in spades.’ asked the Baron to explain his claim. ‘On the contrary,’ he snapped, ‘since ♠ A Q 10 8 6 2 ♥ Void ♦ 6 5 3 2 ♣ 6 5 2 ‘Certainly, if it is really necessary. the contract is unmakeable without a The play so far marks you with three horrible trump break, it should, in prin - Presumably the opener had an Acol 2 ♥, doubletons. Of course, you have an ciple, have been easier to bid.’ My uncle which should show at least three quick Acol Two Bid in spades . An ace-king had smiled reminiscently: ‘Damned if I tricks and about eight or nine playing and two king-knaves adds up to three can remember the fellow’s name. tricks. Give de Sade opening values and playing tricks, so your remaining five Benjamin Albert? Something like that? that left very little for East. ‘4 ♠.’ After tricks must be ♠K-J-9-7-5-4-3, a suit I wonder if he stuck at the game.’ ■ all, if de Sade turned up with a two- with two losers normally. I take my suiter in the minors, say, 5 ♦ or 5 ♣ minor suit aces, then lead anything but should be playable. 4 ♠ was doubled, trumps. You must ruff, of course, and Previously published in BRIDGE 46. North and East passed, and Uncle Leo play back trumps into my tenace. I Reprinted to satisfy popular demand. redoubled, as he generally does. repeat the process twice more: an

Page 29 Ask Julian Pottage Passed Hand Bidding is a bit Different

I picked up a enquiry is quite common. I bids 2 ♠, opener has to bid cannot be a normal jump Yarborough two am afraid I do not know of 3♣. Responder then passes shift or you would not have Q hands in a row. In any name other than ‘range with a weak hand and long passed at your first turn. 2 ♠ fact, the second hand was enquiry’. By the way, the clubs or bids 3 ♦ with a shows five spades and a eight high. What are the best way to play this 2 ♠ weak hand and a long raise to at least 3 ♦. While odd on this? response is as either game diamond suit. you might have more high Colin McKerrow, Wimbledon. invitational or slam To justify playing in 3 ♦ cards for the bid, the fifth invitational. After opener rather than 1NT, responder diamond (the bid promises The chance of a rebids 2NT (minimum) or normally needs either six only four) makes up for that. single Yarborough is 3♣ (maximum) any action diamonds and a singleton or At teams or rubber, you A 1 in 1,828. (If you other than pass or 3NT, seven diamonds. With a would want to play in are mathematically minded, respectively, shows the hand very weak hand, when you spades rather than diamonds this is 32 choose 13 divided with slam interest. This is a are non-vulnerable, you because you need ten tricks by 52 choose 13.) The good way to find a 4-4 fit, might use the 2 ♠ bid with for game in spades but chance of getting two perhaps in a minor, which slightly less shape to eleven for game in diamonds. Yarboroughs in a row is 1 in may make the difference obstruct the opponents. At matchpoints, you have 3,341,737. The chance of a between 11 tricks and 12 if the added reason that spades single hand with no card the partnership has 31-33 ♣♦♥ ♠ scores more. Once partner higher than eight is 1 in HCP. raises spades, you should 16,959, so the chance of a 9- What do you not consider playing in high hand followed by an 8- ♣♦♥ ♠ think of my diamonds on this hand. high hand is 1 in 31,003,326. Q bidding (West) on If you find the subject of What do you do this hand at my local ♣♦♥ ♠ Yarboroughs of interest, you in response to club? might like to know that a Q 1NT if you are East opens 1NT book has just come out set in playing transfers and (weak) and South the fictional Yarborough want to make a weak take ♠ A 10 9 6 3 Q overcalls 2NT. prison entitled Bridge Behind out into diamonds? ♥ 7 How should North Bars. The inmates get their John Morley by email. ♦ J 10 6 5 3 interpret this? fair share (if not more) of ♣ Q 7 Charles Cane, Bournemouth. Yarboroughs! If you play that 2 ♦ is a transfer (to 2 ♥) The 2NT overcall ♣♦♥ ♠ A then you cannot West North East South used to show a play in 2 ♦ unless you have Pass A powerful, shapely Is a 2 ♠ response a three-suited hand short in Pass Pass 1♦ Pass hand, unsuitable for a with 11 points to clubs (when you use 1♠ Pass 2♠ Pass penalty double, usually two Q 1NT (12-14 points) Stayman intending to pass 4♦ Pass 5♦ End suited. These days, most a recognised convention any opener’s rebid). It is Isaac Nahumy, Orpington. play it as a normal strength and, if so, what is its name? usual to have a way to sign overcall with the minors, Rita Dawson by email. off in 3 ♦. One option is to Since you had just like an unusual 2NT if play that 2 ♠ (no longer already passed, you East had opened 1 ♥ or 1 ♠. Yes, using a 2 ♠ needed as a natural bid) A could have made a 2NT cannot mean a strong response to a 1NT shows a weak hand with a special response to 1 ♦. This balanced hand, as South A opening as a range long minor. After responder is 2 ♠, a fit-showing jump. It would double with that.

Page 30 Ask Julian continued If the limit on the deal is take you too high on a Charles Cane by email 1NT or two of a minor, in misfitting hand or misjudge a (similar from B Hinson which case the score for competitive auction. and Viv Tremeer). declaring is 90, nobody If East-West play Michaels What should you wants to go down at all cue bids, which very many Unlike a double of respond to 1 ♣ because a score of just -100 duplicate players do, this one of a suit, a Q with this? At the for one down, undoubled is hand is ideal. A Michaels A double of 1NT is table 1 ♦ was bid. worse. This again is a time cue bid of 2 ♣ (2 ♦ if they for penalties. It suggests at for caution. open 1 ♦) shows at least 5-5 least a good 15 points and in the majors. With two good almost any shape. As the ♠ A J 8 5 4 ♣♦♥ ♠ suits, you do not need a great double is for penalties, ♥ 8 deal of strength for this bid. North will usually pass. ♦ Q J 7 6 My RHO opens 1 ♠ If you do not play Michaels, Only with a weak hand ♣ J 8 5 and I hold this a simple 1 ♥ is best. (0-4 points) and a five-card Q rock crusher: or longer suit does North ♣♦♥ ♠ normally remove the double, David Nicholls, Conwy. fearing that 1NT doubled ♠ 3 I opened 1 ♠ and might make. With a weak When responding to ♥ A K Q after partner hand but no five-card or an opening bid, ♦ A K 10 3 Q responded 2 ♦, longer suit, it tends to be A sometimes you bid ♣ K Q 9 3 2 went 2 ♥. We missed a best to pass: if South does a 4-card major in preference game as my partner, who not have enough to defeat to a 5-card minor. This is had nine points, thought 1NT almost single-handed, partly because majors are What should I call? that I had a minimum you would probably be in more important and partly Mrs Celia Osman, Ascot, opening and passed. I had: trouble at the two level because you are more likely Berks (similar from David anyway. to be able to bid the major at Donnison, Cumbria). the one level. ♠ K Q 10 6 3 2 ♣♦♥ ♠ You should never do it Double, for takeout, ♥ A K 10 5 the other way around. With is fine. There is no ♦ A South opened 1NT a 5-card major, responder A upper limit on the ♣ 6 2 and all passed. should always show that strength for a takeout Q The critical suit rather than the 4-card minor. double. Whatever partner was hearts: 1♠ is the correct bid. does (other than leave the Martin Epstein, by email. double in for penalties), you ♥ 7 4 ♣♦♥ ♠ will take further action on If responder makes N the next round. a two-over-one ♥ Q 10 6 3 2 W E ♥ A J 8 At pairs, what A response and opener S should be the ♣♦♥ ♠ rebids in a new suit, it should ♥ K 9 5 Q difference in be forcing. 2 ♥ is therefore tactics when both sides are North opened 1 ♣ fine. Your partner should not vulnerable? and East held the have passed it. At the table West led the John Moore, Q following hand: With your hand, the likely ten (strong ten leads), East Woolpit, Suffolk. games are 4 ♠, 3NT and 4 ♥ played the eight and the but you cannot tell which king won. How should the Playing matchpoint ♠ K J 9 7 5 after the 2 ♦ response. Even a first trick have gone? pairs, when both ♥ K J 10 8 7 6 slam is not far off if partner Jim Greer, Streatham. A sides are vulnerable ♦ 4 has, for example, the black (also referred to as game ♣ 3 aces and the king of West should not all), neither side wants to go diamonds. This is why you lead the ten from two down (or one down need to be able to take things A Q-10-6-3-2. Playing doubled) on a part-score East doubled for takeout, slowly. strong ten leads or standard deal because a score of thinking that he could leads, to lead the ten you -200 will be worse than a retreat to 1 ♥ if West bid ♣♦♥ ♠ need three high cards, e.g. part score. 1♦. What do you think? Q-10-9-x-x. East’s play is Both sides tend to be more David Puttick, by email East opens also dubious. If West had cautious than at other (similar from Rose Smith). 1NT. South K-10-9-x-x, ducking would vulnerabilities. If your Q doubles. West give declarer an undeserved opponents are trying to play With only 8 HCP, a passes. North has four trick with the queen. Correct the hand, you will be more take-out double is points. How should North is for West to lead the three inclined to let them do so A not a good interpret the double and – East should play the ace and to double more often. idea. Partner may well what should he do? and return the jack.

Page 31 3♣/3 ♦/3 ♠ singleton (or can hardly have a full this hand, I open 1NT: Ask Julian continued void) in the suit bid (like a stopper (or he would bid no- splinter). trumps himself). He cannot 3♥ waiting (any hand that bid it without any help in ♠ A Q South opens does not fit into the other spades because your 2 ♥ has ♥ J 9 6 5 1NT. West and descriptions). already highlighted the ♦ K 8 5 4 2 Q North pass. East 3NT extra values but spade weakness. ♣ K 9 doubles (for penalties). balanced. Should South bid again? 4♣/4 ♦ good second suit ♣♦♥ ♠ Esther Crossley, 4♥ minimum no singleton or ♣♦♥ ♠ Tibberton, Worcs. void (possibly good trumps). After opening 1 ♣ and getting a jump I have suffered In this auction, If you do not play either 2NT Q shift response of several penalties North knows more or 3NT as a game-forcing 2♠, what is the best rebid? Q recently after A about South’s hand raise and you have the wrong opening 1NT. In one case, than vice versa. Any rescue shape for a splinter bid, then I had 13 points with a should usually come from you have more of a problem. ♠ 5 2-3-3-5 shape and went North. Some play that a You would have to start with ♥ A J 9 three down doubled facing redouble shows a five-card a new suit and aim to support ♦ K Q 10 5 a flat four count. suit somewhere, though that partner strongly on the next ♣ K 10 9 6 5 Richard Halsey, would not be standard. If round (delayed game raise). Selsdon, Surrey. South has a bare minimum with a five-card suit, there is ♣♦♥ ♠ Graeme Knox by email. A disadvantage of a case for removing the playing the weak double – again such an My partner and I On most hands, you A no-trump is that, action would be taking a had the following just rebid what you from time to time, partner view. Q sequence. A would have rebid has rather less than a fair over a simple response, one share of the missing values ♣♦♥ ♠ Me Partner level higher. I would rebid and you go several down. 1♣ 3♣. You can play that a 2NT However, most of the time, How do you 1♦ 2♣ rebid includes this hand, this is not the case and the respond if partner 2♥ 2NT though I would not try it out weak no-trump works well. Q opens 1 ♥ and you undiscussed. Partner might It makes it difficult for the have a fit with partner and How do I know what think you have a doubleton opponents to come in (as only six losers? points I need to raise to spade and a hand too good they cannot bid at the one Glen Terrell, Texas. 3NT? He had 12 HCP and for a 12-14 1NT – wrong on level) as well as giving a I had 10. Also, what would both counts! A reverse to 3 ♦ good picture of both the If you have four- 2♠ from him have meant? would not be a good idea – shape and strength of your card support and (at J Bardun by email. that overstates your strength hand to your partner. I, and A least) game-going and makes it harder for most of the people involved values, then you would start Partner’s 2 ♣, a partner to agree clubs. with BRIDGE, play a weak with whatever your system simple repeat of the no-trump, believing the bid is to show a game- A suit at the two level, ♣♦♥ ♠ upsides outweigh the forcing raise. These days, is a minimum rebid, showing downsides. more and more people are at most 15 HCP (indeed, What are your As to running from 1NT playing that 2NT is the way usually 14 maximum). In views on opening doubled, the onus is usually to show a game-forcing traditional Acol, your Q 1NT (12-14) with on responder to decide raise (to bid 2NT naturally responder’s reverse indicates two doubletons? whether to take it out. you could start by bidding a at least 11 HCP, forcing for Stephen Lamley, Lancaster. Responder knows so much new suit). Having set a one round but not to game. more about opener’s hand game-forcing sequence at If partner has a spade Usually you need a than vice versa. That said, as such a low level, you have stopper and wants to play in balanced hand to opener you can sometimes plenty of room to find out game facing 11 points, he A open 1NT. A hand take a view and run to a five- whether one or both should jump to 3NT. His with two doubletons counts card suit if you have one. members of the partnership 2NT is not forcing and as semi-balanced and does This is especially so if the have extra values and suggests about 11 HCP up to not qualify. As with many double was in second seat whether the hands fit well. a poor 13; his actual 12 HCP rules, there are exceptions. and you are playing a Opinions vary on the exact sounds spot on for the bid. With strong doubletons and redouble to play. In this meaning of opener’s rebids On this auction, if partner a five-card suit that ranks case, you know from over 2NT; typically they had bid 2 ♠ over 2 ♥, that below the four-card partner’s failure to redouble would be something like would suggest a half stopper suit (especially if it is just that you will not get a great this: in spades (J-x-x or Q-x). He below), 1NT can be best. On dummy in 1NT doubled.

Page 32 When the doubler’s partner Ask Julian continued has not bid anything, a double of any natural suit bid below game is for RUBBER / CHICAGO 2009 Partner opens 1 ♠ takeout and quite normal. and the next hand Assuming the double is for Hosted by Diana Holland Q passes. takeout, playing that a 11-13 September (Fri-Sun) redouble shows heart support and a willingness to The Beach Hotel £199 ♠ 10 9 2 compete to the three level 11-13 December (Fri-Sun) ♥ A K 8 5 seems reasonable. It cannot ♦ 7 6 3 be an SOS redouble because The Beach Hotel £199 ♣ K 7 5 your 1NT opening promised tolerance for all suits. Nor 30 September-2 October (Wed-Fri) . can it be showing a desire to Marsham Court £199 What is the best response penalise the opponents on this tricky hand? because your 1NT opening Full-board – No Single Supplement Cliff Brown, High Wycombe. limited your values and Please note there are no seminars or set hands on these weekends partner has not promised any I would bid 2 ♣, strength. which is right on Whether it is so wise to A values. If partner redouble, if the opponents gets excited about playing in do not know what the double clubs, you can always go means, is another matter. back to spades at the same Maybe West was about to let level. your partner play in 2 ♥ The alternatives have doubled. Then again, since Marsham Court The Beach Hotel equal or greater flaws (too redoubles do not come up East Cliff, Bournemouth, BH1 3AB Worthing, BN11 3QJ many points and controls for very often, they may be even 1NT or 2 ♠, too little shape more likely to have a ______BOOKING FORM ______for 2 ♥ or 3 ♠). misunderstanding if you throw in a redouble. Please book me for .... places, Single .... Double .... Twin .... ♣♦♥ ♠ for the Rubber/Chicago weekend(s) of ♣♦♥ ♠ I (South) dealt and ...... opened 1NT. West We play weak passed, North bid no-trump but hear Q Mr/Mrs/Miss ...... 2♥ (weak takeout) and Q players are East doubled. How should starting to use a strong Address ...... I interpret East’s double, 16-18 1NT. What do you do and what do you think of with 12-14 if you play this? ...... redouble from me? Roy South, Otford, Kent. Postcode ...... The strong no- ♠ A 10 2 trump is becoming a ( ...... ♥ A Q 9 8 A bit more popular, ♦ Q 3 2 though with the range 15-17. Special requirements (these cannot be guaranteed) ♣ Q 7 4 16-18 is the old strong no- trump range, which you will ...... rarely encounter these days. Please send a non-returnable deposit of £50 per person per place Ken Wicks, Morden, Surrey. With a flat 12-14 playing a by cheque, payable to Mr Bridge. An invoice for the balance strong no-trump, you aim to will be sent with your booking confirmation. On receipt of your Since 2 ♥ was rebid 1NT rather than open final payment, 28 days before the event, a programme and full natural, East’s it. The way to be sure you details will be sent together with a map. Cancellations are not refundable. Should you require insurance, you should contact double should be can rebid 1NT is by opening A your own insurance broker. for takeout, suggesting 1♣ because then any change opening values, a shortage in of suit response by partner , Ryden Grange, Knaphill, Surrey GU21 2TH hearts and often four spades. will be at the one level. ■ ( 01483 489961 Fax 01483 797302 e-mail: [email protected] E-mail your questions for Julian to: website: www.holidaybridge.com [email protected]

Page 33 Two Handed DENHAM GROVE Bridge II Tilehouse Lane, Denham, Uxbridge, Bucks UB9 5DU by George Hutter Duplicate Weekends 2009 ere are two more (perhaps spades and your 19-21 June £199 21-23 August £199 ideas. As before, longest suit if you cannot Signals & Discards Doubles normal bridge rules manage counting three suits). Ned Paul Alex Davoud H apply as far as they can. When it comes to bidding, you 10-12 July £199 13-15 November £199 will want to bid a suit in which Overcalls – Alex Davoud Hand Evaluation – Ned Paul Draw Bridge you have more cards, ideally far more cards than does your 24-26 July £199 27-29 November £199 Declarer Play Endplay & Avoidance Deal 13 cards to each player. opponent. Each extra trump Alex Davoud Alex Davoud Place the remaining 26 face you have will be worth a trick, down in a pile to form a stock. which also helps you decide 7-9 August £150 4-6 December £199 Non-dealer leads; you play at how high to bid. *Gentle/Just Duplicate *Gentle/Just Duplicate this point without trumps and without the normal bridge Eight executive rooms: £50 supplement per event. Half the bedrooms are Single Dummy on the ground floor. Please advise if you require a ground-floor room. requirement to follow suit. *Please note, there are no seminars or set hands on these weekends. The winner of each trick in Deal four hands of 13 cards this initial phase puts it face including two dummies. After ♦ Full-board ♦ All rooms with down to one side, as it has no the deal, you turn one dummy Friday to Sunday en-suite facilities part to play in the rest of the face up. The players then ♦ No single supplement ♦ Venue non-smoking game or the scoring. He then make bids as at normal bridge. draws the top card of the stock Bidding over, the declarer ♦ Use of swimming ♦ Room upgrades pool and fitness suite available to add to his hand before lead - announces whether he will ing. His opponent then draws play with the exposed dummy ______BOOKING FORM ______the next card from the stock - or take his chance with the pile before playing. concealed one. Then you turn Please book me for ..... places, Once the last card has gone up the concealed dummy and, from the stock, the players bid if necessary, adjust the posi - Single ..... Double ..... Twin ..... Executive* ..... and play their last 13 cards as tion of the dummies so that at normal bridge and score each player faces his own at the Denham Grove weekend(s) of ...... accordingly. Variant: before dummy. Play proceeds as at leading to each trick, the Double Dummy: each player Mr/Mrs/Miss ...... leader exposes the top card of plays alternately from his own the stock so that each player hand and from his dummy’s. Address ...... may gauge whether or not he In practice, the players will wishes to win the trick. The decide during the bidding ...... loser of a trick draws an which dummy they would unknown card. This version rather have. If it is stronger Postcode ...... improves the strategy of the than average or if it is about game considerably. average but fits their hand, ( ...... Although the initial phase they will bid with it. Both Special requirements ...... has features foreign to a players might want to bid the bridge player (no bidding, no same suit if the exposed Please send a non-returnable deposit of £50 per person per need to follow suit and no dummy is strong or has a long place by cheque, payable to Mr Bridge. An invoice for the bal - ance will be sent with your booking confirmation. On receipt of scoring), the method is quite suit. This can make it an your final payment, 28 days before the event, a programme and popular. In phase one, you will advantage to deal and hence full details will be sent together with a map. Cancellations are want to collect high cards and bid first – if both players fancy not refundable. Should you require insurance, you should con - often a long suit. If you have a their chances of making 4 ♠ tact your own insurance broker. *£50 supplement per room. good memory, you will know facing the exposed dummy, which cards your opponent the best the second player may , Ryden Grange, Knaphill, Surrey GU21 2TH has for the second, main be able to do is to sacrifice in phase. Rather than trying to 5♠ over opener’s 4 ♠. ( 01483 489961 Fax 01483 797302 memorise every card from the Likewise, if the exposed e-mail: [email protected] initial phase, you might just dummy is a flat 17-count, website: www.holidaybridge.com count points (easy as not many whoever bids first may well high cards will go) and suits open 3NT. ■

Page 34 after illness has been GOOD NEWS brought under control. Todmorden Bridge Club is Mrs J Litchfield, having something of a READERS’ Bingham, Nottingham. renaissance. Our numbers You may say so, I cannot have doubled from 22 to 45 possibly comment. in the last 2 years. Mrs K Borgman, Littleborough. RE-REGISTRATION LETTERS Thank you for sending me ALTERNATIVES your magazine. BRIDGE 93 Can you please consider arrived a few days before my providing articles by experts wife and I went off for our about strong club systems. FOR A START . . . who continually reminded us winter break. I took it out Not everybody uses Acol. I have just received, courtesy of the importance of the No from my hand luggage as Mr K I Hubbard, Leicester. of Royal Mail, an almost Trump bid. With relish we ate soon as I sat in my aircraft Sorry, but most, if not all of completely shredded copy of our way through Blackwood seat and the 4 hour journey my readers, play Acol. BRIDGE 94, carefully wrapped Forest Gateau, Stayman Ices was over in no time. Same in another plastic cover, with and Pre-emptive Pavlovas. happened on the way back. EXPLANATION apologies for the condition of Yes, I like to think I have Now BRIDGE 94 has arrived Is there any chance of having the contents. I know we have gained considerably in today, just in time for another a page on ‘Doubling’. to recycle but I would have confidence, thanks to both couple of flights. Keep me on Everyone seems to have liked to have read it first. Bernard, for his exemplary your list. different ideas and I, for one, Could you please send me organisation and some Mr Ian Gregory, am confused. another copy of No 94. trusting partners. Troon, Ayrshire. Mrs Susan MacFarlane, Mrs C Turley, Gerrards Cross. Kettering, Northants. . . . CONTINUED TYPICAL See the Mr Bridge Library for Further to my e-mail of only NEW VIEW John had been ill for some all types of doubles. yesterday, I am happy to say My Club has opted out of the time, so when I met a mutual that I received a replacement P2P situation and have now acquaintance I asked: ‘Have P2P DEBATE copy from you this morning put in place a cup to which you seen John recently?’ I have been interested in in pristine condition. I can players aspire. It seems to Pause for thought, then:’He your reader’s letters as they now enjoy reading this have shifted the perspective was there last night’, came relate to P2P. The vast together with a cup of coffee nicely. The few players who the reply. ‘And how was he?’ majority of my club members and a doughnut. were desperate to earn I asked, hoping to get news are happy to disaffiliate from Mrs Sylvia Angood, masterpoints have moved on of John’s progress. After the EBU. Brentwood, Essex. and we are left with a core of another pause for thought, Mr E Marriott, London N10. relaxed, friendly players who the answer came. ‘He didn’t TEACHING enjoy their bridge in a defend against five INCOMPATIBLE It would be great to have a pleasant atmosphere. diamonds very well’. I largely agree with your helpful series of articles for Anyone in the Crayford, I should have known there criticisms of the EBU but I still me to teach the basic Welling, or Bexleyheath area was no point in asking a think it is a shame Mr. Bridge rudiments of the game to a of Kent is welcome to join us. bridge player, especially not and the EBU don’t get into wife/husband/partner. Please ring 020 8301 1024. a man! bed together. Mrs Sarah Robinson, Hilary Heffernan, Welling. Audrey Rostron, Bolton. Mr J Povah, Derbyshire. Leadenham, Lincolnshire. Don’t even think about it. DUPLICATE ONCE AGAIN FROM LITTLE . . . BRIDGE GROUP Can you advise on interesting I am disappointed to learn NO FEAR Duplicate Bridge Group, bridge websites. Can you that Grand Slam Celebrity I took the plunge in fear and Westmeads, Bognor Regis also help with novelty ideas Bridge is going to be trembling and booked a PO21 8SB, welcomes new for Bridge Club parties. transmitted by Sky on the holiday to Tunisia with Mr. members to join their friendly Mrs S Wade, Chorley. little known channel, Sky Bridge. We waded through group on Thursdays, Perhaps readers can help? Arts 2. I and most of my endless Pairs, Teams, 1.30-5pm. Further details friends do not subscribe to Championships, Pivot Teams phone Ray ( 01243 544407. SEE PAGE 46 Sky due in no small part to and finally dived in at the I look forward to hearing the cost involved. I fail to see deep end with Speedball LIKE THE WAVERLEY where to send all the stamps how it will attract new Pairs – not for the faint Global Insurance, as I have been collecting. players in any numbers to hearted! We attended recommended by you, is Mr S Oplik, Dorking, Surrey. the game. several enlightening really good, easy and a boon Just keep on saving them for Brian Corbett, by email. seminars with Mr Magee, when trying to get insured the time being. continued on page 38

Page 35 Pay-to-Play – Decision Time Looms Ned Paul summarises the state of play

The bidding is over. The lead has been made. And it’s time for clubs to put their Pay-to-Play cards on the table. Details of the English Bridge Union’s new membership scheme, ‘Pay-to-Play’ (P2P), have now been public for eighteen months. The EBU have now mailed out the Club Contracts. The next few weeks is the decision time for clubs. This new way of registering EBU members has stirred controversy.

The Case For reasons for introducing universal mem - it actually considers this scheme good bership will be to give a very significant value. The list of benefits offered in P2P introduces the concept of ‘universal boost to the membership figure. The EBU exchange is not very compelling. The membership’. This means that all will be able to show just how many dupli - players come to your club for the shared players who play at an affiliated club cate bridge players there really are. This, social experience of a game of cards. will be counted as members of the it claims, will give it political advantage Making a conscious club decision to English Bridge Union. The club will in in any dealings it may have with govern - issue masterpoints for certain events is effect pay your subscription and there ment departments and other agencies one thing; agreeing to issue them will be no opting out. such as the various lottery funds. compulsorily for all events at three times the previous price is quite another. Players benefit from having Pretty well every other service promised a National Governing Body The Case Against can be obtained elsewhere. Supporters of the scheme feel strongly The case against P2P starts with the Low initial P2P fee about this. The estimate is that only a compulsory nature of the scheme. P2P third of club members bother to join the will materially affect the independence To boost the uptake of P2P, the EBU as individuals, maybe less, yet of your club. Initially, the club will need EBU has set the initial fee as everyone who plays organised bridge to submit to the EBU all personal low as it dares at 29p per benefits from having a National membership data of your players, and player per session. To Governing Body. The EBU disseminates you will need to keep this up to date. this has to be added a the International Laws of Bridge, You will also report all event results so county element. The organises a programme of national your club can be invoiced. The EBU counties that make up the bridge tournaments and sends assumes that your club has computer EBU typically have their representative English teams to the scoring and email access so that your own competition programme various European and World bridge club can report to Head Office in the and membership magazine. The competitions. It runs a bridge teachers approved manner. If not you will be change in the EBU membership association and supports attempts to expected to get these facilities. structure will impact county costs and introduce bridge in schools. It publicises Proponents of P2P simply do not how counties raise their income. the existence of affiliated clubs and understand how distasteful this element Counties could maintain a subscription- offers them the benefit of a club of compulsion is. based member ship, but indications are insurance scheme. It publishes a bi- that most will set their own P2P charge. monthly magazine and runs the national Financial considerations The county element of P2P will likely masterpoint scheme. Under P2P your add up to another third. A 10-table once a points will be automatically credited by Then there is the financial side of the week club will thus be expected to pay computer, there will be no more paper scheme to consider. The EBU presents around £800 a year to the EBU and the certificates for clubs to issue or players P2P as payments made by the individual county. Larger or more active clubs will to collect. whenever they play. But you are not pay pro rata. going to find a separate envelope on the Membership has been table for your personal contribution: it is Neither clubs nor left to individuals your club that will make the payments. individuals have So P2P is actually a tax on clubs. Your a vote within the EBU Up to now membership of the EBU has club needs to decide if paying this tax is been left to individuals. Paid-for annual the best use of players’ money. ‘No taxation without representation’ was individual membership of the EBU has Committees tend to be good at spending the slogan that sparked the American been static or falling for many years. It’s other people’s money; ask your club if it Revolution. With P2P you would expect currently about 24,000. One of the main has shrugged and moved on or whether your club to have some say in how the

Page 36 Pay-to-Play – Decision Time Looms Ned Paul summarises the state of play

money was spent. But neither clubs nor membership won’t suddenly make and has up to now hosted EBU trials, individuals have a vote within the EBU, things different; it could be said, with has indicated that it will not be signing supposedly a members’ organisation. some truth, that the EBU exists to run up, despite a personal presentation of Instead your vote is held by your county these high-level duplicates for just a P2P by EBU Chairman Sally Bugden. representatives, appointed by your small core of its members. South Bucks Bridge Centre in Burnham county committee. As a way of stifling is backing the scheme. One club that I any dissent and entrenching a one-party know of, not in London, is intending to mentality within the EBU executive, this split into two, so that only one could hardly be bettered. Where To masterpoint duplicate a week is subject to P2P. National competitions From Here? If the current county organisations Indications are that at least a third of decide to back the EBU and pull up the Is the EBU making good use of its bridge clubs in England will not affiliate drawbridge, then it is likely that clubs income? Competitions, publishing, to the EBU under P2P. This is taken outside the central fortress will find education, are some of the things from a survey conducted by Stephen other ways of associating. I wonder that the EBU does. One can Green of Coventry Bridge Club. Only which will be the first affiliated county question the value delivered the same proportion are fully committed to break ranks and recognise non- in each of these areas but to supporting P2P and the remaining affiliated clubs at county level. let’s take just one. The third are either undecided or seeking Otherwise different solutions will arise. EBU organises a full compromises. It is hard to see what At its simplest this might just be a programme of national compromises are available but website listing of when and where you competitions, events and doubtless EBU announcements will might find a game of bridge and be congresses; if you take part make it clear if there has been any late made welcome. you will know that they are modification to the planned scheme. well-run. The chances are though that you don’t; the marketing of these Club views Alternative major events has been poor over the last national organisation number of years and fewer people seem It’s not just small clubs who are to be entering. As the number of considering non-affiliation. The most In his survey results Stephen Green has ‘average’ players participating falls, so successful club in London, the Andrew speculated on an alternative national the level becomes too high. Certainly, if Robson Club has never issued master- organisation emerging. I actually you enter a team in one of the knock-out points and there is no indication it will support the idea of a strong EBU. cups, it is now rare to meet opponents change its policy. The Acol Club, in Rather than oppose the EBU we should, who aren’t all life masters. Middlesex for bridge purposes, stopped in the words of Leonard Cohen’s song, issuing masterpoints earlier this year try and ‘change the system from Persuading club players and its duplicates have not been within’. But could a non-affiliated to enter competitions affected. My own Ruff Club in Camden competition programme arise? It would issued masterpoints for three months by at least have the benefit of a clean sheet How can I persuade my club players that way of experiment. So many certificates of paper to start with. The static these are good events to enter if no-one ended in the bin and so negligible was membership of the EBU has been else at their standard does? The same the effect on attendance that after three sending a message for years that the goes for the weekend congresses. Non- months I stopped. On the other hand, EBU is not doing what the bridge club players say they find club duplicates the Young Chelsea club is set to sign up market wants of it. P2P seems to me just daunting and potentially unfriendly; club to P2P. Outside London, the West a way of closing the corporate ears to players say the same thing about national Midlands Bridge Club in Solihull, a that message so that we can all carry on congresses. Broadening the EBU major club that owns its own premises as before. n

Page 37 READERS’ LETTERS However, what it has done I am tempted to buy a cheap WELCOME I’M SURE hopefully is to make other PC in order to have QPlus as continued How would a friendly loner, networks aware that there is I guess it would be too fairly new to bridge, get on at a demand for bridge on TV. expensive for you to bring one of your Bridge . . . ACORNS DO . . . Readers should write to the out a Mac-based version. weekends? The idea of a programme on relevant programme – QPlus would then be the best Grace Crosti, St Albans, Herts. TV to encourage new players makers asking for this to Acol-playing software on the is great. What a pity it is happen. I certainly will be market on the best computer TRANSLATION going out on a Sky channel doing so. on the market. REQUIRED which means that those of us Mr J Stanton, Mrs C Briggs, Something to help who don't subscribe to Sky Maidenhead, Berkshire. Taunton, Somerset. beginners? Sometimes, I feel will miss out. Since everyone the articles could have been will soon be getting digital DITTO MAC CONVERSION written in Russian. programmes, broadcasting I was delighted to read in I thought I would let you Mrs S Rankin, Edinburgh. on a Freeview channel would BRIDGE 94 of the Grand Slam know that I have installed reach a much wider Celebrity Bridge programme, Bernard Magee’s Acol WINNING ENTRY audience. Some years ago only to quickly realise that it Bidding package on my I love my QPlus Bridge. As we watched a great bridge will be accessible only to Apple Mac without any a learner, I always have a programme on BBC featuring the few. trouble. It seems to work at a faithful partner whenever I Omar Sharif which inspired Mr H Harlow, very adequate speed on want one. She is always my wife to start playing. Kingsbridge, Devon. windows under VM. There is available (late at night too) Don Watson, therefore no need to write a and she bids and plays Sutton Coldfield. APRIL FOOL version for the Mac. perfectly. She has never Minority subjects feature on I am thoroughly enjoying kicked me under the table, TV stations for minorities. using the package and will rolled her eyes or taken a shortly need to go on to sharp intake of breath. If I bid . . . GREAT Bernard Magee’s More Acol or play badly she is on hand OAKS GROW Bidding tutorial. with sound advice yet she Obviously any bridge on TV is Mike Day, by email. doesn't take offence if I better than no bridge but the ignore it. competition outlined in your DAILY BRIDGE There is also a use which I April issue is certainly not In 2005, I bought a daily didn’t realise when I bought what many of us were bridge calendar for 2006, the CD. It is the facility to feed hoping for. For a start the published in Canada by in the real hands that we number of people able to Ashlar House Inc. The deal, and see how it would receive Sky Arts 2 is not question and answer format have bid and played them. I exactly large compared with Don’t fancy the cruise ship was excellent, could this be have done this on arriving any audience viewing shown on the cover of made available again? home, usually cross with terrestrial television. BRIDGE, number 94. Mrs M Wright, Shipley. myself, after a duplicate Secondly, is this not just Mr E Pick, Stone, Staffs. session. My faithful friend another example of the COMING SOON gives me a sensible celebrity culture which has MAC VERSION Some time ago you perspective on the matter. invaded all channels in I know that QPlus is being announced that the Daily When playing Chicago or recent times and, for that enjoyed by my bridge friends Bridge Calendar would no rubber at home, at the end very reason, may well be because they keep telling me longer be published – but of the bidding and playing a ignored by bridge lovers about it and I would love to that you had some ideas for difficult hand, I have opened especially those who have buy the software. producing something similar up my laptop and switched not news of the programme Unfortunately, I am the in the future. on QPlus. With fellow via BRIDGE. owner of a Mac computer. We had hoped for a 2009 learners, I have looked at replacement. Have you hands and seen how our anything in the pipeline? electronic friend would have REDUCE THE COST OF YOUR POSTAGE Mr Joseph de Metz, Enfield. bid and played. We still have lots to learn. Postage stamps for sale at 90% of face-value, GOOD FOR YOU I bracket my QPlus disc all mint with full gum. Quotations for commercial quantities available on request. I’ve learnt so much from this together with the excellent magazine. I re-read dishwasher – an essential Values supplied in 100s, higher values available as old copies to top-up my luxury that I would find well as 1st and 2nd class (eg 1st class: 100x35p+100x1p) memory box. difficult to live without. (/Fax 020 8422 4906 e-mail: [email protected] Mrs V Eborn, Gill Smith, Staines, Middlesex. Thames Ditton, Surrey.

Page 38 READERS’ LETTERS properly. The cause of this problem is the Water continued Regulator, OFWAT's, guidance DOUBLE DUMMY SOLUTION to utility companies to move GOOD NEWS to 'site area charging’ for by Richard Wheen You are still keeping me well drainage. It fails to (Problem on page 7) informed about bridge since I distinguish between left the EBU. community facilities, such as two baffled me, as I recall Mr J R Brown, Hastings. ours and commercial ♠ Q 4 3 how my bridge teacher buildings. ™ — went on about why one MORE PAY 2 PLAY When first brought to my © A should play the honour Scunthorpe has purchased attention I contacted the EBU ® A 2 from the short suit first. new premises with its own to see if they had any ♠ A J 10 ♠ 9 West played low and the N ™ A K Q W E ™ J 10 queen won. Now, however, car park. We hope to move in suggestions. They have put S © © soon , with official opening an item on their website — — instead of continuing with ® — ® K Q J spades, partner played the night in September. In March, requesting people to sign a ♠ K 2 ace and another club, won a couple of articles by Brian petition on the PM’s website. ™ — by East. East led back the Moore, in The Daily A subsequent letter © K Q jack of hearts (a club would Telegraph regarding confirms that there are only ® 4 3 have had the same result), two categories of customer, drainage rates that were which gave declarer the being trialled by three water domestic or non-domestic. contract with a ruff-and- companies in 2009, before Also, we had a call from o there we were, taking discard (ruffing with the going national in 2010. It was Severn Trent Water to say Spart in in a South-East ace of diamonds in dummy referred to as a 'Rain Tax'. their hands are tied by the Surrey Novices’ qualifier. and discarding the king of Severn Trent, who have legislation passed over six My partner, South, was on spades from hand). already visited and years ago. lead playing in a diamond I saw now why declarer measured our new premises, We hope to have a further contract and needed to had led the two of spades are now billing us at over meeting with our MP and try make five of the last six rather than the king. If West £1000 per annum, in addition to set-up another category tricks. East-West were had gone in with the ace, he to normal water rates. It is for clubs such as ours and all Junior Novices, while my would have conceded tricks calculated on surface area, those others involved partner and I were Senior to both the king and queen, not rateable value. This extra throughout the country. Novices. Because of that, enough for the contract. As levy will have to come from This will affect everybody - we were playing the well- it went, with the first spade the members. If premises social clubs, churches etc, known Balham conven - won in dummy, a change of have a soak away (and can nationwide. You have been tion*, so were in seemingly tack to a throw-in leading to too high a contract. a ruff-and-discard was the prove it) they will be exempt. warned. As permitted in South- obvious continuation, even We told our members and Drene Brown, East Surrey Novice events, to novices like my partner asked them to sign a petition Lincolnshire CBA Secretary. I sped round on my auto - and myself. to send to our local MP, Eliot matic, hi-tech electric Morley. To our delight a I WILL TRY HARDER buggy to look over part - *The Balham convention – Bid A meeting was quickly Many thanks for the excellent ner’s shoulder. I saw that he Level Higher Against Minors. arranged. He listened. We teaching articles. However, could easily win one spade, This was the invention of the late, great Ebenezer Balham. The emphasized we were not a the correspondence columns two diamonds and one club. need more rigorous editing – objective is to benefit junior play - commercial undertaking and Where was the fifth trick to ers by making the seniors play in this extra 'rain tax' would some letters are quite trivial. come from? Could it be a a higher contract than they would greatly harm our modest Dr Elinor Corfan, Egbaston. second spade, if spades normally wish. The way it works community enterprise. He I select and edit these pages broke evenly? is that the last senior to bid in an uncontested auction bids one and promise to try harder, was sympathetic, explaining It seemed right for part - level higher than otherwise, that the scheme had not but please keep your cards ner to start on spades, unless that would take the pair to been thought through and letters coming. n though his choice of the game or slam.

Write to Mr Bridge at: DUPLICATEBRIDGE Ryden Grange, Knaphill, Surrey GU21 2TH only or e-mail [email protected] RULESSIMPLIFIED £595 E-mail correspondents are asked to include their (otherwiseknownastheYellowBook) name, full postal address and telephone number, by John Rumbelow and revised by David Stevenson and to send no attachments. NewEdition.Includes2008LawRevisions. Letters may be edited for length and clarity. Availablefrom ( 01483 489961

Page 39 GLOBAL TRAVEL INSURANCE Amelia House, Crescent Road, Worthing West Sussex, BN11 1RL. GLOBAL TRAVEL GLOBAL TRAVEL INSURANCE ( 01903 203933 Fax 01903 211106 Email [email protected] INSURANCE Services Limited Services Limited

INSURANCE PRODUCT SUITABILITY

This insurance is suitable for persons whose Demands and Needs are those of a traveller whose: 1 Individual round trip starts and finishes in the UK and is of no more than 120 days duration, and 2 Age is 90 years or less and is a permanent resident of the United Kingdom. As this leaflet contains the Key Features of the cover provided, it constitutes provision of a statement of demands and needs. This insurance is only available to persons who are permanently resident and domiciled in the UK.

SUMMARY OF COVER

The following represent the Significant and Key Features of the policy including Exclusions and Limitations that apply per person. A full copy of the policy document is available on request.

CANCELLATION & CURTAILMENT up to £1,500 PERSONAL LUGGAGE, MONEY & VALUABLES up to £2,000 If you have to cancel or cut short your trip due to illness, injury, redundancy, jury service, the police Covers accidental loss, theft or damage to your personal luggage subject to a limit of £200 for any requiring you to remain at or return to your home due to serious damage to your home, you are one article, pair or set and an overall limit of £200 for valuables such as cameras, Jewellery, furs, covered against loss of travel and accommodation costs. etc. Luggage and valuables limited to £1500. Delayed luggage, up to £75. Policy Excess £50. Policy Excess Money, travel tickets and travellers cheques are covered up to £500 against accidental loss or theft Standard Policy Excess £50. (cash limit £250). Policy Excess £50. For persons aged 61 to 70 years the excess is increased to £100. No cover is provided for loss or theft of unattended property, valuables or money or for loss or theft For persons aged 71 to 90 years the excess is increased to £150. not reported to the Police within 24 hours of discovery. See section headed Increased Excess for Pre Existing Medical Conditions for increased excesses applicable to claims arising from pre-existing medical conditions. PASSPORT EXPENSES up to £200 PERSONAL ACCIDENT up to £15,000 If you lose your passport or it is stolen whilst abroad, you are covered for additional travel and accommodation costs incurred in obtaining a replacement. No Policy Excess. A cash sum for accidental injury resulting in death, loss of sight, loss of limb or permanent total disablement. No Policy Excess. DELAYED DEPARTURE up to £1,500 MEDICAL AND OTHER EXPENSES up to £5,000,000 If your outward or return trip is delayed for more than 12 hours at the final departure point to/from UK due to adverse weather conditions, mechanical breakdown or industrial action, you are entitled Including LIFELINE 24 HOUR WORLDWIDE MEDICAL EMERGENCY SERVICE to either (a) £20 for the first 12 hours and £10 for each further 12 hours delay up to a maximum of £60, or (b) the cost of the trip (up to £1,500) if you elect to cancel after 12 hours delay on the outward (a) The cost of hospital and other emergency medical expenses incurred abroad, including trip from the UK. Policy Excess £50 (b) only. additional accommodation and repatriation expenses. Limit £250 for emergency dental treatment and £5,000 burial/cremation/transfer of remains. Limit £1,000 for transfer of remains to your home if MISSED DEPARTURE up to £500 you die in the UK. Policy Excess £75 unless travelling within North or Central America or the Caribbean when Additional travel and accommodation expenses incurred to enable you to reach your overseas increased to £150. destination if you arrive too late at your final UK outward departure point due to failure of the vehicle For persons aged 61 to 70 years the excess is increased to £150 unless travelling within in which you are travelling to deliver you to the departure point caused by adverse weather, strike, North or Central America or the Caribbean when increased to £500. industrial action, mechanical breakdown or accident to the vehicle. No Policy Excess. For persons aged 71 to 90 years the excess is increased to £300 unless travelling within North or Central America or the Caribbean when increased to £1,000. PERSONAL LIABILITY up to £2,000,000 See section headed Increased Excess for Pre Existing Medical Conditions for increased excesses Covers your legal liability for injury or damage to other people or their property, including legal applicable to claims arising from pre-existing medical conditions. expenses (subject to the laws of England and Wales). Policy Excess £250. (b) HOSPITAL BENEFIT up to £300 An additional benefit of £15 per day for each day you spend in hospital abroad as an in-patient. LEGAL EXPENSES up to £25,000 No Policy Excess. To enable you to pursue your rights against a third party following injury. No Policy Excess.

MAIN EXCLUSIONS AND CONDITIONS Medical Screening The following represents only the main exclusions. The policy document sets out If you are travelling to North or Central America or the Caribbean or on a Cruise you must all of the conditions and exclusions. A copy of the full policy wording is available first contact the Medical Screening Line to establish whether we can provide cover for on request in writing prior to application. your trip. If you are accepted then the following levels of excess will apply. You will receive written confirmation that you are covered for the trip. The number to call is: MAIN HEALTH EXCLUSIONS: 0870 9063142 Insurers will not pay for claims arising Unless you are traveling to North or Central America or the Caribbean or on a Cruise, 1. Where You or any person upon whose health the Trip depends are undergoing tests for the there is no need to advise us of your pre existing medical conditions. presence of a medical condition receiving or on a waiting list for or have knowledge of the need for treatment at a hospital or nursing home. 2. From any terminal illness suffered by You or any person upon whose health the Trip depends. 3. From any medical condition for which You (or any person upon whose health the Trip depends) Increased Excess for Pre Existing Medical Conditions have within 12 months prior to the date of issue of this insurance been diagnosed with a medical Provision for the acceptance of pre existing medical conditions has been made by the condition or have been admitted or undergone a procedure/ intervention in a hospital. application of increased excesses in the event of claims arising. 4. If you are travelling against the advice of a medical practitioner. For claims arising from the any of your pre-existing medical conditions, other than those that are specifically excluded, the excess is further increased as follows: OTHER GENERAL EXCLUSIONS Under the Cancellation & Curtailment section – double the normal excess. Claims arising from 1. Winter sports, any hazardous pursuits, any work of a non sedentary nature. Under the Medical & Other Expenses section – 2. Self-inflicted injury or illness, suicide, alcoholism or drug abuse, sexual disease. For persons aged 60 years or less the excess is increased to £500 unless travelling within 3. War, invasion, acts of foreign enemies, hostilities or warlike operations, civil war, rebellion, North or Central America or the Caribbean or on a Cruise when increased to £1,000. Terrorism, revolution, insurrection, civil commotion, military or usurped power but this For persons aged 61 to 70 years the excess is increased to £1,000 unless travelling within exclusion shall not apply to losses under Section 3 – Medical Expenses unless such losses North or Central America or the Caribbean or on a Cruise when increased to £2,000. are caused by nuclear, chemical or biological attack, or the disturbances were already taking For persons aged 71 to 90 years the excess is increased to £1,500 unless travelling within place at the beginning of any Trip. North or Central America or the Caribbean or on a Cruise when increased to £3,000. 4. Failure or fear of failure or inability of any equipment or any computer program. 5. Consequential loss of any kind. 6. Bankruptcy / liquidation of any tour operator, travel agent, airline, transportation company or accommodation supplier. MEMBER OF THE 7. Travelling to countries or regions where the FCO or WHO has advised against travel. 8. Your failure to contact the Medical Screening Line where required.

POLICY EXCESSES: The amount of each claim for which insurers will not pay and for which you are responsible. The excess as noted in the policy summary applies to each and every claim per insured person under each section where an excess applies. Global Travel Insurance Services Ltd are authorised and regulated by ✄ the Financial Services Authority and our status can be checked on the FSA Register by visiting www.fsa.gov.uk/register or by contacting the Single Trip FSA on 0845 606 1234. This insurance is underwritten by AXA Insurance UK plc. Registered in Travel Insurance England No. 78950. Registered address: 5 Old Broad Street, London Suitable for individual round trips up to 120 days duration EC2N 1AD. AXA Insurance UK plc is authorised and regulated by the that start and finish in the UK arranged by Financial Services Authority. Global Travel Insurance If you have a complaint about the sale of this insurance, you must first Amelia House, Crescent Road, Worthing, West Sussex, BN11 1RL write to the Managing Director of Global Travel Insurance Services Ltd. ( 01903 203933 Fax 01903 211106 Subsequently, complaints may be referred to the Financial Ombudsman Service. If we are unable to meet our liabilities you may be entitled to SINGLE TRIP APPLICATION FORM compensation under the Financial Services Compensation Scheme. Please FULLY complete the following in BLOCK CAPITALS. If you would like more information or are unsure of any details contained Once complete, return the application panel direct to Global Travel Insurance herein, you should ask Global Travel Insurance Services Ltd for further with a cheque or with card details entered. advice. Insurance is not effective until a Policy has been issued. Please allow at least 5 days before you need to travel. Details of the Applicant PREMIUM RATING SCHEDULE Title (Mr/Mrs/Miss) Initials GEOGRAPHICAL AREAS 1. United Kingdom Surname England, Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland, Isle of Man, including all islands comprising the British Isles (except the Channel Islands and the Telephone No. Republic of Ireland). House Number/Name 2. Europe Area 1 and Continental Europe west of the Ural mountain range, all Street Name countries bordering the Mediterranean Sea (except Egypt, Israel, Jordan, Lebanon, Libya & Syria), the Channel Islands and the Republic Town Name of Ireland, Iceland, Madeira, The Canaries and The Azores. 3. Worldwide excluding North America Postcode Areas 1 & 2 and All countries outside of the above (except the continent of North America, countries comprising Central America and the Date of leaving Home Caribbean Islands). 4. Worldwide including North America Date of arrival Home Areas 1,2 & 3 and The United States of America, Mexico and other countries comprising Central America, Canada, Cuba and the Introducer Mr Bridge Caribbean Islands. Geographical Area - See Premium Panel (1,2,3 or 4)

SCHEDULE OF PREMIUMS Names of all persons to be insured Age Premium Valid for policies issued up to 31/3/2010 and for travel completed by 31/12/2010. 1 £ Areas 1 & 2 - Applicable per person up to age 90 years on the date of return to the UK. 2 £ Areas 3 & 4 - Applicable per person up to age 80 years on the date of return to the UK. 3 £ Area 1 Area 2 Area 3 Area 4 1 - 3 days £13.70 £20.90 £43.90 £63.20 4 £ 4 & 5 days £16.40 £26.30 £55.10 £79.50 £ 6 -10 days £19.20 £35.50 £74.80 £107.00 5 11-17 days £21.90 £38.90 £83.10 £119.80 6 £ 18-24 days £24.60 £44.70 £93.60 £134.90 25-31 days £27.30 £50.80 £106.50 £153.40 Credit/Debit Card Details TOTAL PREMIUM £ Each + 7 days £ 4.90 £10.00 £25.10 £36.10 or part thereof (maximum period of 120 days) Card No

All premiums include the Government Insurance Premium Tax (IPT), Start Date End Date Issue No which is 17.5% and is subject to variation.

Security Code PREMIUM ADJUSTMENTS All age adjustments apply to the age on the date of return to the UK The following adjustments apply ONLY to trips in excess of 31 days DECLARATION for all persons aged 65 years and over On behalf of all persons listed in this application, I agree that this application shall Geographical Area Premium Increase be the basis of the Contract of Insurance. I agree that Insurers may exchange Area 2 Europe Plus 50% (1.5 times) information with other Insurers or their agents. I have read and understood the Area 3 Worldwide excl. North America etc Plus 100% (2 times) Area 4 Worldwide incl. North America etc Plus 200% (3 times) terms and conditions of the insurance, with which all persons above are in agreement and for whom I am authorized to sign. Infants up to 2 years inclusive are FREE subject to being included with an adult paying a full premium. Signed ...... Date ...... Children 3 to 16 years inclusive are HALF PRICE subject to being included The form MUST be signed by one of the persons to be insured on behalf of all persons to be insured. with an adult paying a full premium. Unaccompanied children pay the adult rate. is an Introducer Appointed Representative of Global Travel Insurance Group Discounts – Contact us for discounts available starting at 10 persons. Services Ltd, who are authorised and regulated by the Financial Services Authority. ✄ CHRISTMAS and NEW YEAR 2009

DENHAM GROVE THE BEACH CHRISTMAS 2009 Tilehouse Lane, Denham, Worthing, Example Programme Buckinghamshire, UB9 5DU West Sussex, BN11 3QJ ChRiStMAS EVE 1500 Welcome Desk open. Mulled wine and mince pies 1745 Welcome Reception (Black Tie optional) followed by DINNER then BRIDgE (duplicate pairs) ChRiStMAS DAY 1030 SEMINAR or other games (Trivial Pursuit, Scrabble etc) 1230 CHRISTMAS LUNCH 29 Dec-1 Jan 1500 BRIDgE (duplicate pairs) 24-27 December or Queen’s speech from £395 with Bernard Magee 1830 Festive Buffet DINNER followed by from £395 BRIDgE (duplicate pairs) 27-29 December from £199 Sea View £30 BOXiNG DAY supplement per room. 1000 SEMINAR followed by 29 Dec-1 Jan Supervised Play from £355 1230 LUNCH then further Supervised Play or (“novelty” bridge, duplicate pairs) Eight executive rooms*. NEW YEAR 2009 1830 DINNER then BRIDgE (duplicate pairs) Half the bedrooms are on the ground floor. Please advise if you require Example Programme 27 DECEMBER a ground-floor room. 1000 Informal Prize-giving 29 DECEMBER for Duplicate Section 1500 Welcome Desk open. SEMINAR followed by Supervised Play THE OLDE BARN Mulled wine and mince pies 1230 Buffet LUNCH followed by Toll Bar Road, Marston, 1745 Welcome Reception followed by BRIDgE (duplicate pairs) Lincolnshire, NG32 2HT DINNER then BRIDgE (duplicate pairs) TWIXMAS 2009 30 DECEMBER Example Programme 1000 SEMINAR followed by Supervised Play 1230 LUNCH then further Supervised Play 27 DECEMBER or duplicate pairs 1500 Welcome Desk open. 1830 DINNER then BRIDgE (duplicate pairs) Mulled wine and mince pies NEW YEAR’S EVE 1745 Welcome Reception followed by DINNER then BRIDgE (duplicate pairs) 1000 SEMINAR followed by Supervised Play 1230 LUNCH then further Supervised Play 28 DECEMBER or “novelty” bridge or duplicate pairs 1000 SEMINAR followed by Supervised Play 1745 gALA RECEPTION (Black Tie optional) 1230 LUNCH then further Supervised Play 24-27 December followed by a gALA DINNER then or duplicate pairs from £395 BRIDgE (duplicate pairs) 1830 DINNER then BRIDgE (duplicate pairs) 2345 See in the New Year 27-29 December 29 DECEMBER NEW YEAR’S DAY from £199 1000 SEMINAR followed by Supervised Play 1000 SEMINAR followed by Supervised Play 1230 LUNCH then further Supervised Play 29-31 December 1230 LUNCH then further Supervised Play or duplicate pairs from £199 or duplicate pairs

DETAILS & BOOKINGS ( 01483 489961 Bernard Magee’s Bernard Magee’s Bridge Quiz Book Quiz and Puzzle Book (Question on page 4) (Question on page 6)

Dealer South. Love All. Teams of Four. Dealer East. East-West Game. ♠ A 6 3 ♠ 7 5 3 ™ K J 7 ™ A © J 10 5 © J 10 7 4 ® K J 5 2 ® 10 8 5 3 2 ♠ K J ♠ 9 7 5 2 ♠ A K J 6 2 ♠ Q 4 ™ Q 10 4 N ™ 9 5 3 ™ 10 7 6 4 3 N ™ Q J 9 5 2 W E W E © A 7 6 4 2 S © K 9 8 © Q S © 8 6 3 ® Q 10 3 ® 9 7 6 ® 9 7 ® A K 4 ♠ Q 10 8 4 ♠ 10 9 8 ™ A 8 6 2 ™ K 8 © Q 3 © A K 9 5 2 ® A 8 4 ® Q J 6

South West North East South West North East 1NT 1 Pass 3NT All Pass 1™ 1weak no-trump (12–14) 2© 4™ 5© Double All Pass West leads the ©4 to dummy’s ©10 and partner’s ©K; he returns the ©9, and we let declarer’s ©Q hold the West leads the ♠A, ♠K, ♠J. East plays the ♠Q on the trick; after a little thought declarer leads the ♠4. king and discards a low heart on the jack. West switches to a heart. The only real thing to think over is how we might push declarer off course. From our hand, he seems to have If diamonds are 2-2, you have four winners against 4 ™, no real choice but to hit upon the winning line; with us so you have to hope that they are 3-1. This looks likely; holding both tens in the key suits, it is clear that there is as West holds ♠AKJxx, he probably has five hearts to no two-way finesse so he is likely to finish with nine or justify his jump to game without mentioning the spade ten tricks by way of two finesses (in hearts and clubs). suit. So do you take the ™A and run the ©J? Oops – West wins with his singleton queen. It might look as though But why is he playing a spade? To test all the avenues you are short of entries to dummy, but that is just an open to him. Perhaps this is our chance? If declarer has illusion. Win the ™A, cash the ©A and, if nothing falls, ruff Q10 in hand we might just be able to guide him away the ™K and now take the diamond finesse. Once you from safety. Unfortunately we needed to think of this have picked up the trumps, you have to give up two club before he led the spade (thinking with a singleton is tricks, going three down for a cost of –500; a struggle, frowned upon!). Did you? but in the end worth it, since East-West’s 4 ™ is worth Yes, on the spade lead drop the king in tempo and 620. Notice that West could have taken you four off by declarer will have a smile on his face, happy at having playing clubs and taking a ruff. This did not look found that elusive extra chance, only to be in tears on attractive because he could see you would be short of the next round when we win our jack and cash our three dummy entries and was anxious not to do any of your diamond tricks. work for you.

Bernard Magee’s Bridge Quiz Book Bernard Magee’s Quiz and Puzzle Book is available at £14 including post and packing from is available at £14 including post and packing from , Ryden Grange, Knaphill, Surrey GU21 2TH. , Ryden Grange, Knaphill, Surrey GU21 2TH. www.mrbridge.co.uk www.mrbridge.co.uk

Page 43 Harold Schogger Says

Lead the Top of a Sequence

ne of the best leads against both Here, West leads a top of sequence club suit and no-trump contracts is b) ™ J 7 2 queen against South’s contract of 4 ♠. Otop of a sequence. Why is this? This enables East to plan a nasty surprise N Suppose we have K-Q-J-9-4 and lead ™ 10 9 8 4 W E ™ Q 6 3 for declarer who, if able to get in, could the king. What are the benefits? S make plenty of tricks. East overtakes and ™ A K 5 cashes the diamond ace. After the 1 Partner will know we have the queen informative top of a sequence lead, he can and often the jack as well and will now play the club seven back to West’s know whether to encourage or even Here, we lead the ten and create a known entry. Then West gives his partner unblock the suit. finesse position against dummy’s jack. a diamond ruff to beat the contract. On the next deal, West’s queen lead In our final example, South plays in 2 Partner will know we lack the ace marks South with the king of the suit: 4♠ after a strong 1NT opening and a (the card above the one led). transfer response.

3 Partner will put you with a good suit, c) ♠ A 6 a suit worth returning. ™ 9 4 2 e) ♠ 10 9 6 4 2 © 10 6 ™ A 2 4 We will not give away a cheap trick. ® A K J 9 4 2 © K 7 3 If we lead the nine, declarer would ♠ 8 4 ♠ 9 5 3 ® K 7 4 make his ten if he had A-10-x. ( Top ™ A Q 8 6 N ™ J 10 7 ♠ K 8 5 ♠ 7 W E of a sequence overrides 4th highest). © Q J 9 8 3 S © A 7 5 4 ™ Q J 10 6 N ™ 9 8 7 4 3 W E ® 10 3 ® 8 6 5 © J 10 8 S © A Q 9 2 5 Leading lower sequences quite often ♠ K Q J 10 7 2 ® J 8 5 ® 9 6 3 creates finesse positions against ™ K 5 3 ♠ A Q J 3 dummy. © K 2 ™ K 5 ® Q 7 © 6 5 4 6 Partner’s top of a sequence lead ® A Q 10 2 helps you plan your defence. South plays in 4 ♠. West leads the queen 7 If a defender has not led from the top of diamonds to East’s ace. West leads the queen of hearts and of a sequence, the other players can A glance at dummy tells East to rule dummy wins the first trick with the ace, pick up useful inferences about the out the minors. A switch to the heart East discouraging with the three. suit led. jack ( top of a sequence ) does the trick. Declarer calls for the ten of spades, which runs to the king. Let us look at some examples and see Knowing that South must hold the how these ideas manifest themselves. d) ♠ J 8 7 heart king West plans to lead a minor. ™ A K With the same holdings in dummy, his © K Q 10 9 4 2 own minor holdings should guide him. a) ™ 8 2 ® 9 4 Having made one top of sequence ♠ 6 ♠ 9 3 2 lead to no avail, West must now switch N ™ K Q J 9 5 W E ™ A 4 ™ 10 8 N ™ 9 6 5 4 3 2 to another top of sequence in diamonds. S W E © 8 7 6 5 S © A This lets the defenders take three quick ™ 10 7 6 3 ® Q J 10 8 3 2 ® A K 7 tricks and defeat the contract by one. ♠ A K Q 10 5 4 Even if East did not have such good ™ Q J 7 diamonds, the switch would still be West leads from his good suit. East can © J 3 safe. By contrast, a club could blow a overtake to avoid a blockage. They can ® 6 5 trick if South had A-10-9(-x) or run the first five tricks in no-trumps. Q-10-x(-x). n

Page 44 ANSWERS TO THE DECLARER PLAY QUIZ ON PAGE 22 by DAVID HUGGETT

West North East South ace of hearts on your left. Now, although your 1. ♠ 6 5 4 Pass 1® diamond king is wastepaper, it does mean ™ 10 9 3 Pass 1♠ Dbl 2® that the contract is that much easier to play. I © A J 9 2 3™ 5® End am sure you see how! As East passed over his ® K Q 3 partner’s opening bid and has shown up with You are declarer in 5 ® and West leads the ♠ A 9 2 ♠ 8 3 an ace, West must hold the missing queens. ©Q. How do you plan the play? ™ K Q J 8 N ™ 7 6 5 2 So ruff the third diamond when they continue W E © 6 5 4 S © Q 8 Clearly, you have to ruff the opening lead in the suit; play the king of spades and then the ® A 9 5 ® 10 8 7 4 2 dummy. The best chance of success is to set jack, preparing to take a finesse if necessary. ♠ K Q J 10 7 up the spades, losing, you hope, only one trick The queen appears and all that really now ™ A 4 in that suit along the way. So draw the trumps remains is for you to spurn the club finesse, © K 10 7 3 in two rounds and play a spade to the …? which you know cannot possibly work. So play ® J 6 the ace and the king, dropping the queen, and Well, if West has both the ace and the queen, make the hand on your left hold his cards a which is unlikely, you cannot go wrong. Of little closer to his chest in future! course, the likelihood is that East will have one West North East South of these cards. Even if you guess correctly, 1NT Pass Pass 2♠ East will get in if he has the ace of spades or Pass 3♠ Pass 4♠ 4. ♠ A 9 8 6 Q-x. If he gets in, he will play a heart – when End ™ K 5 you will have to hope the ace is on your right. © J 6 5 You are declarer in 4 ♠ and West leads the ™K. Since East is marked with the ace of ® Q 10 9 6 How do you plan the play? diamonds from the lead, he cannot hold the ♠ 4 3 2 ♠ K ace of spades if you require him to have the Whenever either one of the opponents bids ™ A 9 3 N ™ 8 7 6 4 2 ace of hearts. This is because he passed as W E no-trumps, it is always a good idea to count © A K 8 4 © Q 10 9 3 dealer and he would not have done that with S their points as the play proceeds – when they ® 5 4 3 ® 8 7 2 a shapely twelve count. So play the king of have reached their tally then you know they ♠ Q J 10 7 5 spades from dummy and continue with can have no more! So win the heart lead and ™ Q J 10 another. East wins with the queen but, with knock out the ace of trumps, which you find © 7 2 the ace of hearts well situated, you escape with West. Doubtless, he will try to cash a ® A K J with losing just one trick in each major. couple of hearts, but you ruff the third round, draw the remaining trumps and play clubs until someone takes the ace. Why do this? West North East South 3. ♠ A 8 6 5 ♠ Well, to find out who holds this card. If it is Pass Pass Pass 1 ™ K 9 ♠ ♠ West, he cannot hold the queen of diamonds Pass 3 Pass 4 © K 7 5 because that would give him too many points End ® 10 9 7 6 for his opener – and if it is East, then West has ♠ Q 2 ♠ 4 3 You are declarer in 4 ♠ and West leads the ©A to hold the queen of diamonds or he has too ™ A Q 10 4 3 N ™ 7 5 2 He continues with the ©K and a third round to few points to open. In short, whoever has the W E East’s ©Q. How do you plan the play? © Q J 10 8 S © A 6 4 3 ace of clubs cannot also have the queen of ® Q 3 ® 8 5 4 2 diamonds. Once you know the location of this The success of the contract depends on not ♠ K J 10 9 7 queen, you can finesse against it. losing a trump trick and the a priori odds ™ J 8 6 strongly favour running the queen for a © 9 2 finesse against the king. Here, there is no ® A K J 2. ♠ K J 10 8 4 2 hurry to play trumps after ruffing the third ™ 7 3 diamond. Instead, make a discovery play by leading a heart. When West wins with the © Void West North East South ace, you know he cannot have the king of ® Q 10 8 6 3 1™ Pass Pass 1♠ spades because he passed as dealer and ♠ A 9 7 ♠ Q 3 Pass 2™ Pass 3® has shown up with eleven points already. So ™ Q 10 9 6 4 N ™ A J 8 2 Pass 4♠ End W E © Q J 9 3 © A 8 5 4 2 win the return and play a spade to the ace in S You are declarer in 4 ♠ and West leads the ©Q. ® 5 ® 7 4 the hope that the king is singleton. When the How do you plan the play? ♠ 6 5 king falls, you amaze your partner and opponents with your card-reading skills. ™ K 5 You have both been pushy in the bidding and © K 10 7 6 this contract will need a bit of luck, especially All the hands this issue relate to reading ® A K J 9 2 as the opening lead marks East with the ace of inferences from the opponents’ bidding – or diamonds. At least the opening bid marks the lack of it! n

Page 45 The following have kindly It Happened That Way by Freddie North donated stamps for the Little Voice Appeal:

Mrs L Sidey, Ivegill. Mr D Milton, Beckenham. Mrs A Carr, Darlington. Mrs C Archer, Willingale. Mrs P Grint, Which is Harder? Billericay. Ms J Paton, West Molesey. Mrs K Phillips, Leigh on Sea. Mr & Mrs P Brand, Bidding or Declarer Play Nantwich. Mr C Chambers, Perthshire. Mrs Morley-Pegge, London. Mr D Hodgson, Trowbridge. Mrs S Peters, Bognor Regis. Mrs D Hamilton, or the inexperienced that no one reached the grand West's ten looked ominous. Glasgow. Mr N Richards, player, which is more slam, although I am sure Edgbaston. Mrs M Giblin, Fdifficult to take on most of us have been in worst Saunderten. Mrs S K Coghill, Lichfield. Mrs N Pickerell, board, bidding or play? Of ones in our time. 6™ by South. Lead ♠K. Belper. Mrs Ward, Coventry. P B course, if defence joins the At this particular table, West ♠ A 7 4 Bellis, Perthshire. Mr & Mrs mix, there is no contest as opened 1 and then over 2 Stanton, Edinburgh. Mr W C ♠ © ™ 4 3 Young, Dorchester. Mrs D most players generally reckon rebid 2 ♠. From then on, the © Q 9 7 2 Hilbourne, Etchingham. Mr D M defence to be the hardest sub - bidding stuttered and stumbled ® A K 8 6 Abraham, Ruddington. Mr & Mrs ject to master. As to the until a somewhat hesitant 4 ♠ ♠ K R Stoneman, Buckhurst Hill. ♠ K Q 10 6 2 8 5 3 choice between the other two, concluded the auction. ™ 10 N ™ K 8 7 2 Sandy Grinham, Horsham, West W E Sussex. Mrs J Cunning, Glasgow. I think bidding gets the nod: With hardly any wasted © J 6 S © 10 8 5 4 Mrs P Gallop, Swadlincote. Mr many hands more or less play values and the improved ® 10 7 5 4 2 ® Q 9 CN le Gassick, Inverurie. Mrs M Christopher Hatton, Fife. Mrs themselves, while bidding to picture emerging from East's ♠ J 9 Adamson, Prenton. Mrs the correct contract often response of 2 ©, West would ™ A Q J 9 6 5 Murdoch, Aberdeen. Mrs J involves a number of hurdles surely describe his values © A K 3 Ireland, Cuckfield. Mrs A Bray, to negotiate. Still, it is a close better by rebidding 3 . From Dursley. Mrs R Wright, Dover. ♠ ® J 3 Mrs H Hefferman, Welling. Mrs T decision. I had a reminder of then on, all routes are likely to Hadfield, Poynton. Mr Lance this age-old argument when lead to at least the small slam. Morrison, Toronto, Canada. an old acquaintance pre- It is surprising just what an He returned to dummy with Oceanwood, London W1. Mrs J Shackell, Sunbury on Thames. sented the following deal to important bid the first rebid the ace of clubs and repeated Mrs A Yeo, Loughborough. Mrs me with the plea, ‘Please tell can be. The late Victor Mollo, the heart finesse, West K Donoghue, St Albans. Mrs S us what went wrong’. in flowery mood, once wrote throwing a spade. Now he Paine, Barnstaple. Mr B Shepherd, Devizes. Mr D that, whereas the opening bid needed careful timing to Atherley, Ludlow. Mrs P Crowe, is often semi-tentative, the reduce his trumps. He played Cheltenham. Mrs S Galloway, Dealer South. Game All. rebid is ‘a serious declaration three rounds of diamonds, Leeds. Mrs M Burkett, Prenton. Mrs Murdoch, Aberdeen. Mr & ♠ J 6 of intent, free from flirtatious ending in dummy. There Mrs T Batchelor, Tunbridge ™ Q 10 9 7 4 3 irresponsibility’! In this case, followed a diamond ruff, the Wells. Mrs J Alexander, Bushey. © 8 7 if West does rebid 3 ♠ – king of clubs and a club ruff Mrs Gregory, Walsall. Mr P indicating a good six-card to leave the cards shown. It is Dodson, Draycott. Mrs J ® Q 10 6 Hashman, Abingdon. Mrs Jupp, ♠ A K Q 10 9 8 ♠ 4 3 suit – it would certainly ease South to play: March. Mrs Adamson, Prenton. ™ 8 N ™ A 6 East’s concern about what Mr A Metcalf, Norwich. Mrs A W E © S © should be trumps and the rest Morgan, Warrington. Lady A 3 K Q 9 6 4 2 Huxtable, Leyburn. Mrs M ® J 5 4 2 ® A 8 3 of the hand would surely ♠ 7 4 Murphy, Newton-le-Willows. Mrs ♠ 7 5 2 shriek slam. RKCB (Roman ™ Void E Plewis, Southwold. Mr P ™ K J 5 2 Key-Card Blackwood) could © Void Guppy, Crediton. Mr & Mrs C Bridge, Midhurst. Mrs Rideal, © J 10 5 have done the rest. ® 8 London. Mrs S Lake, London. Mr ® K 9 7 A similar deal saw declarer ♠ Q 10 ♠ 8 G Warren, Falmouth Mrs D contracted to make 6 ™ but this ™ Void N ™ K 8 Bamborough, Manchester. Mr & W E time the play was what needed S Mrs C McNeil, Faversham. Mrs © Void © Void H King, Swindon. Mrs J Crosley, Against silent opposition, the careful attention (see next ® 10 ® Void Ryde. Mrs J Carver, Portree. Mrs East-West pair struggled to a column). Declarer was not too ♠ J B Mc Elvaney, Kilnadrain. Mr & final contract of 4 and happy when he saw that he Mrs R Wallace, Strathmartine. ♠ ™ A 9 Mrs E Elderton, Olney. Mrs despite an impeccable was in danger of going down © Void Adamson, Prenton. Ms C Jack, defence (well, they followed almost at once if the king of ® Void Renfrewshire. Mrs J Scrivener, suit in turn!) had no problem trumps was wrong. However, Great Ayton. Mrs J Crosley, Ryde. Mrs B McElvaney, Kilnadrain. in collecting all thirteen winning the first trick with Mr J Foster, Ottery St Mary. Ms J tricks. They were not alone, the ace of spades, he It was now a simple matter to Bateson, London SW6. Mrs G but +710 was obviously not a negotiated a major hurdle exit with the jack of spades Tomacelli, London SW3. Mrs J Dawson, Salisbury. Thank You. great success against the when the queen of hearts and wait for the two trump scattering of 1460s. It appears finesse succeeded, although tricks – slam made. n

Page 46 ANSWERS TO THE DEFENCE QUIZ ON PAGE 27 by JULIAN POTTAGE

The jack of clubs is a touching honour (the last trump) finesse the eight on the way back. 1. ♠ Q J 9 jack and ten are the cards next to each other You need to win the first round of clubs with ™ K Q 4 in rank). Again, you should not cover. The the ace and exit safely in some other suit. If © A J 10 2 main benefit from ducking arises when the next club lead is the ten, you will cover ® 9 3 2 partner (as here) has the king. If you were to with the queen to promote partner’s nine. If, ♠ 10 6 5 ♠ K 7 3 cover, declarer would take your queen with instead, declarer’s next play in the club suit is N ™ J 10 8 7 3 W E ™ A 6 the ace and play back towards the ten. to lay down the king, your queen will not fall. © 7 5 S © 9 8 4 3 Partner would win a trick with the king but Your side will score two club tricks to go with ® A 6 5 ® K 8 7 4 neither your queen nor nine would score. the ace-king of hearts to beat the game. ♠ A 8 4 2 Declarer would make nine tricks by way of a ™ 9 5 2 spade, four clubs and two tricks apiece in the © K Q 6 red suits. 4. ♠ A Q 2 ® Q J 10 ™ Q 4 After you play low correctly on the first round, © Q J 10 9 8 3 partner will score the king and you will come ® A K to a club trick later. If, having regained the West North East South ♠ J 7 6 ♠ 9 8 4 3 lead, declarer leads the ace of clubs from 1NT ™ J 9 7 6 5 N ™ A 8 3 hand, your queen will not fall. If, instead, the W E Pass 3NT End © A 6 S © K 7 next club lead is the ten from dummy, you will ® 9 6 5 ® Q 10 4 2 cover to promote your nine. Either way, both Partner leads the ™J. You capture the ™K with ♠ K 10 5 defenders make a club trick. the ™A and return the suit, driving out ™ K 10 2 dummy’s ™Q. Declarer calls for the ♠Q. Do © 5 4 2 you cover? If not, do you cover the ♠J on the ® J 8 7 3 next round? 3. ♠ K Q 9 4 The usual rule is to cover the last of touching ™ J 4 West North East South honours. It works well here. If you cover © K 10 3 1© Pass 1NT neither the queen nor the jack, declarer ® J 10 8 2 Pass 3NT End makes four spade tricks. ♠ 7 ♠ 8 3 2 N ™ A 10 9 7 5 ™ K 6 3 If you cover on the first round, declarer wins W E Partner leads the six of hearts: four, ace, two. © Q 9 6 2 S © J 8 5 4 and finesses the nine on the way back. You You return the eight: ten, five, queen. Dummy ® 9 6 5 ® A Q 4 should duck the queen and cover the jack to leads the queen of diamonds. Do you cover? ♠ A J 10 6 5 promote partner’s ten. This way you hold ™ Q 8 2 In general, the idea of covering an honour declarer to seven tricks. © A 7 (whether touching or non-touching) is to ® K 7 3 promote a lower honour or high spot card in your hand or partner’s. Here, you can see that covering can never gain you a diamond trick 2. ♠ 9 6 5 4 West North East South (and could cost if the ace is a singleton). All ™ A K J 8 1♠ the same, you should cover. Do you see why? © Q 4 Pass 3♠ Pass 4♠ ® J 10 2 Given what you can see in dummy, the End ♠ Q 10 3 ♠ K 8 7 2 position looks hopeless if declarer holds the ™ 7 5 3 N ™ Q 4 2 ace of diamonds. This being the case, you W E Partner leads the ©2: ©3, ©8, ©A. Declarer © K 10 8 7 3 S © J 6 5 place partner with that card. Now there is a cashes the ♠A, crosses to the ♠K (West ® K 6 ® Q 9 4 clear benefit to taking your king before discards the ™10) and calls for the ®J. Which ♠ A J partner’s ace. You want to knock out South’s club do you play? ™ 10 9 6 presumed king of hearts while your partner © A 9 2 Once more, dummy has touching honours. still has the ace of diamonds as an entry to ® A 8 7 5 3 Now you have two honours higher than the long hearts. Doing so allows your side to dummy’s. This changes the position, though make three heart tricks as well as two to a limited extent. diamonds. West North East South This time it would up be wrong to let the jack It is a different story if you duck the first 1NT win. Declarer would continue with a club diamond mistakenly. Partner’s entry would go Pass 2® Pass 2© towards the king, making three club tricks in and ten tricks would result. Pass 2NT Pass 3NT all and losing only one trick on the way. End Yes, if declarer has the ace of diamonds, the Merely covering the jack (i.e. playing the whole suit will run after you cover – but then Partner leads the ©7. Dummy wins with the ©Q queen) is also wrong. Declarer could win with your king is surely a dead duck whenever you and leads the ®J. When do you play your ®Q? the king and (presumably after drawing your play it. n

Page 47 Q PLUS 9.1 The very best Acol-playing Software available

FEATURES SYSTEM HANS LEBER l The Usual Friendly Interface (see above) l 8mb RAM l Hint and Help Buttons – always at hand l CD-ROM l Easy Windows Installation l Pentium or equivalent l Comprehensive Manual Windows XP or Vista l Rubber, Duplicate and Teams Scoring l l Instant results playing in teams mode l 2,500 pre-played hands for teams l 2,000 pre-played hands for match-pointed TRADE-IN pairs including 1,000 new hands Trade-in any previous version of Check your pairs percentage and ranking W NE Systems include: several versions of Acol, Q Plus. Just post in the booklet and EW N including Bernard Magee’s system, Standard disk and a cheque for £32. American or create your own.

l £80 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