NEWSLETTER AUSTRALIAN BRIDGE FEDERATION INC. EDITOR: Stephen Lester NO. 127 SEPTEMBER 2007 Approved for Print Post S65001/00163 ABN 70 053 651 666
Opinion Gold Hunt in the Far East
n a previous editorial, I commented on the fact that aving lost the final of the Australian Open Teams Iit can be daunting for new players to start playing HPlayoff by a single IMP, our team, npc George at clubs. Many of our ‘newcomers’ are newly-retired Bilski, Peter Gill - Paul Gosney, Tony Nunn – Sartaj people, with time on their hands, ready to ‘take up’ Hans, Bobby Richman – Zolly Nagy, set out to contest bridge, an aim they have long considered. the PABF Championships in Bandung, Indonesia in early June. But where is the necessary influx of young players to the game? In my own club, we encourage youth play- ers, charging them half price for a game, and for the large part, they are welcomed. But the fact remains that the young faces I see at my own club are few and far between, despite the fact that in Victoria, Cathy and Andrew Mill provide a very active youth bridge programme at Alphington Bridge Centre. The youth section of the ABF website shows that there are a number of drives aimed at encouraging youngsters, and each state has a youth representative. Yet the Youth Bridge Camp in Nashville, USA, was cancelled earlier this year, and while there were two Tony Nunn - Sartaj Hans or three Australian Youth newsletters in 2004 and The mood in the team was upbeat: after all, we did win 2005, in 2006 there was only one, and the most recent a revenge match against the “Bermuda Bowl” team was in January 2007. by 120 IMPs. With an aim to acclimatise ourselves to Over the ditch in New Zealand the situation is even the playing terrain, we had participated in the Geologi more dire. The last Youth Newsletter was published Cup, a premier Indonesian tournament contested a in 2005, and the NZ Youth Register fits on one page. few days before the PABF Championships. Four of A Youth Camp held in Christchurch in July reportedly us finished second in this strong event and Peter Gill went well, but I was told that at a recent Youth Pairs - Paul Gosney teamed up with Youth Team members event in Auckland there were only three entries. Nye Griffiths, Griff Ware and their npc, Cathy Mill to When I started playing the game I was 19, and my win the consolation Swiss. first bridge was played at a club. I loved it. There The usual recipe for Australian teams overseas has been were many players around my own age over the next to arrive a day or two before play begins, start talking few years, and a large number of these contemporar- about winning the event over dinner, sometimes start ies have stayed in the game, growing older like me. off rather well, but almost always fall over before the But it is a sad fact that at 56 I can often be one of the event is finished. This time, there was a sentiment of younger players in the room. doing well in the weeks leading up to the event. In If like me it alarms you that bridge is not attract- fact, a few seconds after we lost the playoff in March, ing young players, take the time to read the edito- someone said “This is OK. We can go win the Far rial in the August IBPA Bulletin, where the editor East now.” starts “Junior bridge is under siege”. Globally, junior “All talk and no oomph”, thought my good old pessi- bridge is in serious trouble. The link is http://www. mistic heart. I am sure a few others thought so too. After ibpa.com/511bc.pdf. Let’s not just sit still and let oth- all, Australia had not won the Far East Championships ers do all the work for youth bridge. for about 37 years, and had one third place finish to show for our last four outings, the last silver medal dat- ing back to the early 1990s. China would be a strong favourite to clean up the field, they won last year with Index a match to spare. Japan is another power in the region, Articles Of Interest & Information and Indonesia would have the home team advantage Opinion 1 and probably boasts one of the best credentials on the How to play against experts 5 international stage from the Asia-Australia zone. Five-Suit Bridge 6 2008 Open & Women’s Playoffs 8 Gill ‘n Goz McCutcheon Leaders 9 Buoyed on by the success in the local event, we jumped New name for trophy 9 off to a good early start. 22-year old Paul Gosney Deadly Bridge Sins 11 started his debut for the Australian Open Team with a Book Review 16 Bridge 18 25-0 win over Thailand. Congresses, ABF & International Events 22 In fact, Peter Gill and Paul quickly became the anchor Summer Festival of Bridge Entry Form 23 pair for the team, leading the pair datums for most of Tournament Reports the tournament and falling back to second only at the Gold Hunt in the Far East 1 very end. They played a rather simple two-over-one Regular Features game force system but being natural card players, both of them revelled when the card play began. Coaching Cathy at Contract 10 Bridge into the 21st Century 14 Check out this hand where they “ran rings around de- clarer” by a series of enterprising defensive efforts: East deals, all vulnerable l K 10 l K 10 9 4 kQ 9 5 kQ 9 5 j9 7 j9 7 3 2 i9 6 i9 6 l J 7 l 8 5 3 l A J 7 6 l Q 8 5 3 2 kK J 10 6 2 k3 kK J 10 7 6 2 k3 j--- j 6 j8 j A 6 4 i4 2 iQ 10 8 5 i4 2 iQ 10 8 5 l --- l --- kA 8 kA 8 4 jJ 10 jK Q J 10 5 iA K J 7 3 iA K J 7 3 Realising that he was endplayed, Peter Gill resource- West North East South fully got out with kK, locking declarer in his hand. Gill Gosney (Note that a “natural” club exit lets declarer claim his Pass 1i1 contract). 1k Dbl 1l 2j 3l Dbl Pass 5i Declarer won kA, cashed his two top clubs and ruffed Pass 5j All Pass a club. At this point the succesful line involves using lK for a heart discard and then cashing kQ. However, 1. 15+, any distribution. the unsuspecting declarer tried kQ prematurely, only Gill, on lead with an awkward hand, led a low spade! to see it get ruffed by Gosney for down one. Declarer played small from dummy and ruffed away I consider this to be the best defensive hand I have Gosney’s lQ. Next came a high trump and an accurate seen in my bridge life: making the most of a difficult duck. On the next trump, Gosney won his ace as Gill lead by Gill, the technical duck of the first diamond discarded a discouraging heart. by Gosney (most would win jA and prompty switch to Continuing the attack on declarer’s trumps, Gosney their singleton heart), the trust demonstrated by Gosney continued a low spade (resisting the urge to switch to in not attempting his heart ruff, the enterprising kK his singleton heart) as declarer, who had the wrong exit when Gill was endplayed, all of this culminating idea about the location of lA, discarded a heart and in declarer’s undermining when he innocently tried to Peter won lA to get on play in the position shown in cash kQ. On top of it, I am told that the cardplay part the next column: of the hand was over in less than two minutes. 12 Grand Greed East deals, nil vulnerable Traditional wisdom holds that one should be conser- l A 9 2 vative about bidding grand slams at duplicate bridge. kA K Q 8 7 5 4 Sometimes, there will be pairs who will stop in game j9 with our cards (or even partscores) and just bidding iA 7 a slam will be sufficient to win IMPs or matchpoints l Q J 10 l 7 6 4 3 without the risk that bidding a grand slam entails. k6 3 kJ 10 jK Q J 4 j A 8 6 5 Traditional wisdom is for traditional souls; here’s how iK J 8 2 iQ 6 4 some modern punks handled a grand: l K 8 5 l A Q 9 7 l K 6 4 2 k9 2 kA 9 6 k5 4 3 j10 7 3 2 jK 3 j A Q J 10 4 i10 9 5 3 iA 9 5 2 iJ West North East South Nagy Richman Hans Nunn Pass Pass 1i 1j 1j1 Dbl All Pass 1NT1 2j2 1. Precision style 2l 4i3 4j4 4l4 While the Australian North in the other room chose a 4NT5 5k5 Keep It Simple Stupid (KISS) 4k bid, our opponent 5NT6 7l7 here elected to start with a double. Especially when partner is a passed hand, there is a lot of merit in bid- 1. 15 - 17 ding the value of one’s hand immediately. The reason 2. Artificial, game-forcing Checkback is that slam is unlikely and bidding game quickly might 3. Splinter (Traditional wisdom, don’t splinter in tempt an indiscretion by the opponents. partner’s suit, bah!) Here, the chosen double caused South to shiver in fear 4. Cuebids, 1st or 2nd round controls of what his partner was going to bid next. In an attempt 5. Roman Key Card Blackwood to run the show all by himself, he decided to pass 1j 6. We have all the Key Cards. Do you think we can doubled, hoping that partner’s additional strength make a grand slam ? would help take enough tricks to go plus. Zolly Nagy 7. Yes, I think so ! promptly notched up two overtricks to go with the After the 5NT bid, Tony Nunn knew my whole hand. 420 from the other room to win some more IMPs for I had shown three aces, lQ and jK, that adds up to 17 Team Australia. points. He bid the grand slam counting on four spade Captain George tricks, five diamond tricks, two outside aces and two George Bilski was highly acclaimed by the womens’ club ruffs in dummy. team he captained to a silver medal at the PABF last It was a lot of fun bidding and making a grand slam, year. This year, the Open Team saw why. As our cap- when most of the pairs didn’t even get to the small tain, he was a very strong positive force who seemed slam! to have a good handle on what was going on. Instead of following the mechanical rotation of pairs scheme Forgetting to KISS used by many, he used his judgement when fielding Bobby Richman and Zol Nagy play a complicated various pairs of his team. He was flexible enough to Moscito system featuring transfer openings in fi rst make changes to his originally announced plans, as and second seat (1j shows hearts, 1k shows spades) and when warranted. George was a key player in our and a strong club. teams’ performance. One would think that playing all this sophisticated Countdown stuff, they were the convention-hungry youngster Midway through the event, we had taken the lead for types. Guess the “oldies” of our team are still young a short period of time, with the tournament bulletin at heart ! proclaiming Australia Day moving to June as all three On the deal shown in the next column, the opposition of our teams were leading their respective events. seems to have been rattled by the constant crossfire But China soon reclaimed the lead, albeit by a small that the Richman - Nagy system generates: margin. 13 Our little Cinderalla story continued into the last day spade to l10. Tony won and gave when a 23-7 win over Indonesia in the morning match me a diamond ruff for an almost saw Australia again take the lead. China needed to beat impossible set. us by 13 IMPs or more in the last 20-board match to A key point that declarer missed is win the championship. Hundreds of Australian and that if a capable defender in East’s foreign kibitzers saw this match on Bridge Base Online seat did hold QJxx of trumps, as it was telecast live. he would switch to his alleged In the Open Room, Tony and I “singleton” diamond or heart to finished play and joined the crew con declarer out of the safety play. Peter Gill of spectators awaiting results from Bridge can sometimes become a the Closed Room. Peter Gill and psychologically deep game, especially in post mortems Paul Gosney had finished off 13 and in bridge publications! of the 20 deals and Team Australia We were hopeful of a favorable swing on this board was trailing by 24 IMPs. The ten- and young Paul Gosney didn’t disappoint. He found sion was nerve-wracking as quite himself in 5j on the same start to the defence, three a few “flat” boards passed us by. Paul Gosney rounds of clubs. He discarded a spade from dummy On Board 18, we won back 6 IMPs and then crossruffed his way to 11 tricks, despite the when the Chinese overstretched to game. adverse trump split, to win 10 IMPs. Australia now Then came Board 19: trailed in the match by only 8 IMPs, and led the tour- nament by 5 IMPs. North deals, EW vulnerable l 9 6 Going into Board 20, the last board of the tournament, kA K 10 7 5 the last of 440 boards contested to determine the PABF jA Q J 9 champion, Australia was leading, and China needed 5 i10 3 IMPs to come through. l J 5 l Q 7 2 This is how the two tables fared: k8 4 2 kQ J 9 6 j10 6 5 4 2 j --- West deals, EW vulnerable i8 7 2 iA K Q 9 5 4 l 8 6 5 l A 10 l A K 10 8 4 3 kK 7 6 4 2 kQ k3 jK J 6 5 2 j A 10 9 7 3 jK 8 7 3 i--- iK 10 8 6 5 iJ 6 Hans Nunn West North East South Pass 1j Nunn Jack Hans Fu 2k1 3j 1 1k 2i 2j 1. Fit-showing jump. Pass 3j Pass 3l Yang Dai Pass 4l All Pass Pass 1j 1. 5+ spades. 1k 3i1 Fu Zhong had gone one down in 4l. One down? It 5j seems like a simple enough make, losing two clubs 1. Precision, limited to 15 HCP. and a spade. Even if the defence arranges a diamond 11 tricks were available for game and the Chinese had ruff on the go, that’s a ruff with a natural trump trick. pulled through on the very last board! So how did the current Open Pairs World Champions stuff up a hand that would be a flat, boring +420 in any A void in a hand where we have support for partner is club’s regular Tuesday afternoon duplicate? a powerful asset and I had undercooked the potential for game at our table. Perhaps a 4j bid, “just in case”, Tony led a low club. I cashed two rounds and played was called for. It’s hard to try and find words of bridge a third round, deliberately giving declarer a ruff-and- wisdom when writing about such emotionally heavy discard. This “smelly” defence put fears in declarer’s hands, but I’ll sign off with the information that in head about trumps splitting badly. the final standings, China took first place, Australia He decided to ruff in hand, cash lA, cross to dummy second and Japan third. with kA and then “safety play” spades by playing a Sartaj Hans 14 Open 1j if you think others will prefer 1k, 1k if vice How to play against experts versa. Or with: hen you play at your local club you will have l K Q 5 Wto play some boards against experts. Average kA 7 players often face this prospect with trepidation. The jA K 9 8 expert thinks more quickly, has much more experi- iQ 10 9 4 ence and can use more conventions. Surely with all Open 1i if you think others will prefer 1j. This will these advantages, the expert is favourite to triumph introduce some variation into the proceedings. over the lesser player? Not so: the laws of the jungle apply in the suburban bridge club just as much as in 3. Make different plays as declarer if there are reason- the wild. If the victims look like putting up a fight, able alternatives to the usual plays: the predators can get confused and make mistakes. l 8 4 3 l A J k k The lesser player has a considerable psychological 9 4 2 A K J 10 6 jA Q 10 9 6 j K J 4 advantage over the expert, who is aiming for a 65% iA K iQ J 8 score or better. This means that the expert likes to be West East in complete control of the hand as much as possible, 2NT relying on superior technique when this is likely to 4i 4l gain ‘tops’, or alternatively ‘mixing it’ with risky 6NT manoeuvres when he judges this is the best shot. It is correct tactics for the lesser players to disturb this Lead: lK control by deciding for themselves when the rough- If you are playing against experts in a teams match, house starts. duck the opening lead, win the spade continuation, If you end in the same contract that will be played at cash kA and eight minor suit tricks, and then, at the most of the other tables in the drive, you are at a dis- moment of decision, play for the drop of kQ on your advantage against experts. So: left rather than the finesse of the queen on your right. 1. Bid aggressively, making light openings and light The 40% chance of picking up 17 IMPs outweighs overcalls. You have more chance when you play the the 60% chance of making it a flat board, since it is contracts than when you defend. reasonable to assume the other declarer will take the finesse. If the experts have gained less than 17 IMPs l K 8 7 6 4 2 on the rest of the other boards, they could be in for a k 4 surprise. jA 8 2 iQ 7 5 4. Do not send out count signals when defending against experts unless it is absolutely necessary. Open 1l, vulnerable or not. You may have a cheap save against 2k, and if not, the experts may go down The experts will use the information and probably in their 2k contract: gain overtricks or even make risky contracts that should go down on passive defence. Yes, experts do l A 9 5 l 10 3 bid to risky contracts when they estimate their score kA K J 9 3 k7 5 2 is slipping below the target 65%, indulging in ‘catch j9 5 4 j K Q 7 2 up’ tactics. If this is the case at your table, particularly iK J i9 6 4 2 if it is towards the end of the drive, you should be l West plays in a heart contract after a 1 opening by extra careful. South with the hand above. An expert West will fi- nesse iK rather than iJ, as he will place iA with Once you start using these tactics you should have South after the opening bid. more good boards and less bad boards against ex- perts. Experts have long memories and even on the 2. Choose different opening bids or contracts to the occasions when these tactics backfire, there will still one you expect the other players to choose. With: be a positive gain. The experts will work out what l K 7 3 you were doing, respect you for it and, on some future kA J 9 6 occasion, maybe think you were using these tactics jK Q 8 4 when in fact you were just being conservative. iK Q Happy expert hunting! you intend to rebid 2NT, showing 18-19 HCP. Michael Akeroyd, UK 15 A game contract requires 120 points (c.f. 100 in Five Suit Bridge standard rubber bridge for below the line). So 6i j k l Four Suits (and notrumps) not enough? Try this! or 6 , 5 or 5 , 4 in Royals or 3 in NT are needed to be a game contract for the full 120. Penalties and recent find in a Perth antique shop was a boxed over/under tricks are as normal but it seems that there A pack of 65 cards with the title ‘Waddington’s Five has been a change over the years for slam bonuses as Suit Bridge.’ A sticker on the side advised that this was 500/800 are quoted for non vulnerable & 700/1200 for (invented) by Dr. Paul Stern, a famous bridge name vulnerable slams. in Austria before WWII. Stern was Vice President of the Austrian Bridge Union and Captain of the Austrian World Championship Team. Inside are the standard 52 cards for hearts, clubs, diamonds and spades, plus another 13 “crowns” from the two to the ace (the king has two eyes like normal clubs, hearts and spades) and these This game really has obviously never caught on! are the fifth suit The box of cards was not priced or dated. I’d guess called “royals”. it was pre-WWII, as it quotes Austria as current Included are the instructions for playing, which are World Champions. Also the Stern Austrian System paraphrased below. is advertised on an accompanying leaflet at 5/- “Each of the four players is dealt 16 cards and the 65th ‘obtainable also in Australia from The Australian is placed face up on the table. Later it becomes the right Publishing Co. Pty. Ltd. at Australia House, Wynyard of the declarer to exchange for one of his original 16 House, Sydney’. should he/she so wish.” A nice little find; the sadness is that the finder/buyer The value of tricks for each suit are :- wants to keep it! clubs & diamonds; 20 points Derek Pocock, Perth hearts & spades; 25 points Royals; 30 points Notrumps; 40 points (not 40/30/30 as today)
The bidding goes from one to eight, i.e., a bid at the one-level contracts declarer for nine tricks and so on, Can’t find a four? How about six? Contract Bridge up to seven for a ‘small slam’ and eight for a grand for six players – Sextet Bridge. slam, or all 16 tricks. 16 GRAND TOUR of CALIFORNIA / NEVADA USA + MEXICAN CRUISE SEPT 5 – 25 2008: With The Finesse Bridge Club - 20 DAY TOUR & CRUISE: From $ 4480 pp + Airfare
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For further information: http://users.bigpond.net.au/FinesseBridgeClub/ [email protected] Ph: 9547 2383 or 0410 127 326 17 Submission of systems: 2008 Open & Women’s Playoffs Each pair must submit its system on an ABF standard Dates: system card in a form that can be posted on the ABF Wednesday - Sunday 26-30 March. website. The deadline for posting on the website is 14 February, 2008. Failure to meet the deadline will Schedule: result in a warning. Failure to post the system by 21 The first match will start at 10am on Wednesday, 26 February will result in a fine of 1 VP (applicable to March. Subsequent scheduling is to be advised. Playoff Stage I only). Further lateness will result in Location: Canberra, at a venue yet to be decided. additional fines of 1 VP per week. Format: Declaration of availability: The 2008 Open and Women’s playoffs will be played The downloadable entry form will list the conditions in two stages under a pairs format similar, but not (declaration of availability), approved by ABF Legal identical, to the one used in 2006. 16 qualified pairs Counsel and endorsed by the ABF, with which will contest Stage 1; 14 of those pairs will qualify via pairs selected to represent Australia must comply. PQP and two via the Open and Women’s Last Trains. Submission of an entry (on the downloadable entry At the conclusion of Stage I, the four bottom pairs will form) is deemed to represent acceptance of those be eliminated and the remaining 12 pairs will contest conditions by the entrant. Stage II. Seniors’ Playoff: Carryover: This will be held from Wednesday - Sunday, 9 - 13 12 pairs from Stage I qualify for Stage II. Carryover April at the Hakoah Club, Bondi. VPs will be awarded as follows: Full details and format will be in the November ABF First 28 Fifth 14 Ninth 6 Newsletter. Second 23 Sixth 12 Tenth 4 Third 19 Seventh 10 Eleventh 2 Fourth 16 Eighth 8 Twelfth 0 Only two more Entries: Bridge Holidays with Entry forms can be downloaded from the ABF website. Ron and Suzie Klinger The entry form will indicate a contact point from which information and relevant entry protocol can be in 2007 obtained. Entries to the Open and Women’s Playoffs must be submitted by registered mail to: Salamander Playoff, PO Box 1105, Mountain Gate, Victoria 3156. Shores, Entries close at 5pm on Monday, 31 December 2007. north of Declaration of entries: Newcastle Two places in the 16-pair field will be filled from November 4-9 the 2008 Open and Women’s Last Train events. The pairs occupying the other 14 places by virtue of 2007 PQP awards, plus two emergency pairs (15th and 16th Norfolk Island according to 2007 PQP awards), will be declared on November 25- the ABF website on Thursday, 10 January 2008. December 5 Systems for Playoffs: Our 22nd It was resolved that any system may be used in the annual bridge Australian Playoffs (Open, Women’s, Seniors), holiday on the island provided that the system is permitted in the qualifying rounds of the international event which is the primary Target Event of that particular Australian Playoff. It Details for any of the above from: Holiday Bridge was noted that, because YELLOW (HUM) systems P.O. Box 140 are prohibited in the qualifying rounds of the 2008 Northbridge NSW 1560 Olympiad (the primary Target Event for 2008 Tel: (02) 9958-5589 Australian teams), no YELLOW system is permitted email: [email protected] in the 2008 Playoffs. 18 2007 McCutcheon Standings DEALER 4 Current at 31 July, 2007 Improve the standard of play at Total This year 1 EBERY JAMIE 3151.7 312.11 your club with hand analysis 2 NUNN TONY 4021.5 275.93 from Deep Finesse 3 HANS SARTAJ 2314.84 261.53 4 KLINGER RON 7932.63 257.05 5 DEL’MONTE ISHMAEL 5962.58 253.43 6 CHADWICK EDWARD 5624.07 238 7 FRANCIS NEVILLE 3733.2 224.69 8 CHUA CATHY 4333.1 213.02 9 HOWE BLAINE 3413.86 203.67 10 EWART NEIL 2738.66 202.02 11 WILLIAMS JUSTIN 2035.21 200.86 12 BILSKI GEORGE 3620.22 200.59 X Only $3995 plus delivery 13 HINGE SIMON 6290.25 200.19 X Uses any cards or ours at 14 GUMBY PAULINE 8074.49 197.15 $2.50 per pack postfree 15 NOBLE BARRY 2560.08 189.85 X Faster, lighter, more compact 16 BEAUCHAMP DAVID 5367.96 184.29 X Support, supplies and back-up 17 CLARK ALIDA 3091.63 182.16 from Postfree Bridge Books 18 GOSNEY PAUL 1176.13 182.1 19 BROWN TERRY 6116 179.28 CONTACT: PAUL LAVINGS 20 LAZER WARREN 6768.22 179.03 [email protected] 21 GASPAR GEORGE 3940.89 174.55 or 02-9388-8861 22 BROCKWELL JOHN 4152 173.73 Visit Bridge Museum 23 GOLD LEIGH 3701.22 173.72 www.postfree.cc 24 NEILL BRUCE 5823.04 167.53 25 GILL PETER 6100.38 167.45 26 COURTNEY MICHAEL 3732.22 167.35 New title for trophy 27 WATTS MARLENE 2862.78 166.37 he ABF Management Committee is presently re- 28 MILL ANDREW 4715.72 166.34 viewing the condition and names of some of its 29 BURGESS STEPHEN 3357 166.04 T trophies to ensure they remain appropriate. 30 KLOFA STAN 4011.95 162.3 31 PEAKE ANDREW 3684.73 160.65 Arising from this decision, from 2008 the trophy pre- 32 GRIFFITHS NYE 872.55 153.5 sented to the winning Open Team at the Australian 33 SCHWABEGGER CHARLIE 4331.73 151.37 National Championships has been named “The Denis 34 RANASINGHE THILAK 735.52 150.39 Howard Trophy”. 35 RICHMAN BOB 9112.09 149.7 Denis has been a huge force in Australian bridge. He 36 PARKER RALPH 3575.76 148.03 37 WARE GRIFF 1183.34 146.05 was a past President of the ABF from 1982 – 1986, 38 DYKE KIERAN 4911.58 143.22 World Bridge Federation President from 1986 – 1991, 39 SCHOKMAN DAVID 3268.26 141.87 Founding Editor of Australian Bridge magazine, and 40 MILLAR MARGARET 3311.19 139.68 Founding Convener of the National Open Teams,. He 41 BRAITHWAITE ANDREW 870.57 139.24 represented Australia in five World Championships 42 LAVINGS PAUL 8454.09 139.07 and was on the winning NSW team at the ANC 12 43 SHARP TONI 1144.97 138.97 times from 1959 to 1975. 44 BARNES EDWARD 750.47 136.32 In appropriate recognition of his contribution to 45 OSMUND DANNY 814.83 133.54 bridge in Australia, the Management Committee con- 46 HAINSWORTH PETER 3294.87 133.34 siders that it is fitting that his name be associated 47 SCHROOR PAULA 2502.46 133.23 with the prestigious title of the winner of the ANC 48 JAKES MAUREEN 1141.92 132.58 Open Teams. 49 TUCKER GREER 2992.48 131.65 50 AFFLICK IAN 1364.57 130.62 There may be other changes to ABF trophies arising from this review. 19 freedom to make more aggressive correctible raises and Coaching Cathy at Contract maximize the pressure exerted on the opposition. MULTI DILEMMA Incidentally, even if you decide not to put balanced 20- Hi There David, 22 into the 2i opening, go easy on the 20-point hands. So many people are playing Multi Twos these days, that I treat fl at 20-counts as one openings but am happy to we thought we’d have a go. We have some reasonable open the 5-3-3-2 hands with the equivalent of a 2NT notes but would like advice on the 2NT rebids. opening, especially if the five-card suit is a minor. Our notes say that with 23-24 and a balanced hand, You know me, I shun fashion and go with what works open 2i and rebid 2NT. With 20-22 and a balanced for me. hand, open 2j, and rebid 2NT. Is this the normal way Cheers, David to do it? Extra notes: The notion of ‘System on’ is pertinent to You know me: I like to be fashionable. auctions where Stayman and transfers still apply. Luv, Cathy The shift in modern times has been very much towards ‘system on’ whenever a player makes what is Greetings Cathy, effectively a natural opening call of no-trumps. The Firstly, remember that the 2NT rebids should be uniformity gained as a result places much less strain treated as 2NT openings whether they are 20-22 or on the memory. So there are quite a lot of auctions 23-24. Thus it’s ‘system on’ as mentioned in our last where we need to be clear: communication. X Rebids of 2NT after strong openings such as 2i My experience is that most pairs agree to start the or 2j. stronger range with 2i opening and the Multi 2j if X Overcalls of 1NT after ordinary openings. it’s 20-22. I prefer to do it the other way and for a good reason. X Overcalls of 2NT after weak or Multi opening bids.A reopening bid of 1NT (1
2j* (Pass) ? 6. 2k. This is more judgment than system. Your hand *Weak two in either major, with no strong option. adds up to 15 HCP, but with no ace it is poorly struc- tured. There is a far greater chance you will fail at the 1. l 7, k A Q 8 6, j A Q J 7, i K 8 4 2 three-level, than you will make 10 tricks in hearts or spades. Partner held l QJ, k Q109753, j J1075, i7, 2. l K 7 4, k Q 7 4, j A 8 6 4 2, i 9 5 so you are missing the four aces, a poor start when 3. l 7, k A K J 9 6 2, j K 8 6, i K 6 5 trying for 10 tricks. Also opponents can construct a diamond ruff to hold you to eight tricks. On a bad day 4. l 9 8 7 6 2, k J 9 7 2, j 3, i J 8 6 they will score two diamond ruffs, and 2k will fail by 5. l A 6 5, k Q 10 8, j A K 7 5 2, i A 7 a trick. 6. l K 3,k K J 4, j K Q 4 2, i K 6 3 2 7. 2k. This defensive-type hand may or may not be 7. l A J 5, k Q 5 2, j Q 10 5 2, i K 10 7 good enough to make 3k or 3l, so first you try to 8. l 7, k 7 3, j A J 5, i K J 10 8 7 4 2 play at the two-level. This is a delicate area and your LHO opponent may have a close decision whether to 9. l A 10 9, k A 2, j A Q 6, i Q J 9 8 7 come in or not over your 2k. One thing I find annoy- 10. l A Q 9 2, k 2, j 6, i K Q J 9 8 7 5 ing is my RHO asking what 2j is, and then passing when told it shows 6-10 points. What do you think, 1. 2l. It wasn’t my intention to do a quiz on the Multi do the askers have two high-card points, or 10 or 11? in this issue, but I have seen it misused so often lately that it is surely time for a refresher. Responses to the 8. 3i. Even if partner has hearts, and you have a 6-2 Multi cannot be defined, since the responses at the fit, the bulky club suit on the side will be a burden. two-level are different to the responses at the three- You are a chance to make 3i, so you should be able and four-level. Suffice to say that all responses are to simply sign off there by bidding 3i. pass or correct. On this hand spades will play poorly, so bid 2l, pass or correct. If partner bids 3k, then of 9. 2NT. You want to make an invitation if partner has course you continue on to 4k. hearts, but go to game if partner has spades. The com- mon method is that over 2NT opener bids 3i with 2. 3k. You have nine trumps in hearts or spades, and hearts and a maximum, 3j with spades and a maxi- with a nine-card trump fit it is recommended you mum, and bids 3k or 3l with a minimum. preempt to the three-level. If you bid only 2k then your opponents have a much better chance to get to- I get by with just the 3i and 3j responses. If, over gether and find a fit, and perhaps outbid you to the 3ior 3j, the responder now bids 3k or 3l, the Mul- four-level. ti-opener carries on to game with a maximum (so here would bid 4k over your 3k with a maximum). The 3. 2l. Easy, but bidding 2k is a particularly common major advantage is that the partner of the Multi-bid- error. You expect partner to have spades, and if so 2l der is always declarer and has the advantage of the is the contract in which you wish to play. It is just pos- lead coming around to the unknown hand. sible partner has something like l 653, k Q108754, j AQ7, i 7. With 11 easy tricks in hearts you would 10. 2NT. It looks like partner has hearts, but you nev- now be playing in 2k if you bid 2k and not 2l! er know, so there is some risk attached to signing off in 3i. If there are only two response to 2NT, 3i = 4. 4k. It is still pass or correct at the four-level. You hearts and 3j = spades, then you can have the best have 10 hearts or 11 spades, and who knows what op- of both worlds on this hand. If partner bids 3i over ponents can make, probably a slam. You want to take 2NT, showing hearts, you simply pass. If partner bids up as much space as possible so preempt to 4k, and 3j, showing spades, then you bid 4l. let the opponents guess. Paul Lavings Postfree Bridge Books 114 Experience Sydney from an extraordinary perspective aboard your own small cruise ship. After embarkation, MV Captain Cook's Explorer will escort the magnificent QE2 as she departs Sydney Harbour for the last time. The for the next three nights relax and enjoy Social Bridge, spectacular harbour sights, interesting shore excursions, and top class food! All meals are included. Cruise package from $847.00 per person First 14 “singles” to book pay no sole use surcharge!
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ACT Open Team: Daniel Geromboux, Mark Abraham, Griff Ware, WA Women’s Team: Kate Smith, Annabelle Booth, Leonie Fuller, Nye Griffi ths, David Vaughan, Michael Smart and Ian Thomson, npc. Alida Clark, Lauren Shiels, Allison Stralow, npc., Jill Del Piccolo 115 Book Review John Hardy Improving Your Judgement 1: Opening the Bidding Audrey Grant. Published by Baron Barclay Bridge Books and Software here have been other books on this topic, but TAudrey Grant fans will welcome this offering. Books There are four main chapters on opening bids, while Points Schmoints the last part of the book comprises 32 Practice Marty Bergen $36.30 Deals (specially-coded cards can be purchased as an Improve Your Judgement1: Opening the Bidding accessory for dealing these hands). Audrey Grant $17.60 How the Experts Win at Bridge The material is presented very simply to appeal to Burt & Lynn Hall $36.30 inexperienced players, but nevertheless the student is Advanced Bridge Bidding for the C21 invited to progress in skill with moderately advanced Max Hardy $38.50 concepts such as length points in notrump openings. 2/1 Game Forcing: An Introduction There are quizzes and summaries within the chapters. Steve Bruno & Max Hardy $19.80 As always, the Grant books are built around a sound Roman Keycard Blackwood learning process, with colour used for emphasis. Eddie Kantar $29.70 The Fun Way to Better Bridge Play I’m sure many people have heard of the Rule of 20 (the Harry Lampert $26.40 text refers to it as a guideline), but have you heard of the Guideline of 15? With a borderline hand in fourth Software seat, add the high card points to the number of spades in the hand. If it comes to less than 15, consider passing. JACK 4.0 $104.50 Upgrades from versions 2 and 3 available The sample deals are analysed for bidding, play and defence. Here’s one to consider. Bridge Baron 17 $104.50 Upgrade to BB17 (old CD required) $50.60 East deals, NS vulnerable l Q 10 Learn and Practise Bidding Conventions Vol. 1 kJ 6 3 Easy way to learn basic conventions $44.00 jA Q J 8 NEW! Teach Yourself Bridge Technique i10 7 6 3 David Bird interactive CD $49.50 l A 8 6 5 3 l J 7 Improve your bridge play with these – k10 5 2 kA K Q 9 4 A View from the Top jK 7 j 10 6 3 Bob Hamman and Barry Rigal on iA 8 5 i9 4 2 bidding and play for advanced players $49.50 l K 9 4 2 Modern American Bidding k8 7 Train yourself on 2/1 with Eric Kokish j9 5 4 2 & Beverley Kraft $63.80 iK Q J Partnership Defence in Bridge West opens 1l in third seat and East responds 2k, Woolsey’s classic on CD for intermediates $55.00 passed out. South leads iK, which West wins with the My Favourite 52 ace. There is at least one spade loser, three diamond Over your shoulder test by Larry Cohen $30.80 losers and two club losers - one loser too many Bridge Master 2000 Challenge your declarer play skills $91.30 West could try leading towards jK, a 50% shot, or (recommended) try to ruff a diamond in dummy. West The Terence Reese Classics $63.80 should play a diamond from dummy at trick two. Mike Lawrence’s Counting at Bridge and other CDs - each: $49.50 jK is just an illusion, which may prevent declarer from seeing the correct line. Even though the opponents John Hardy (ABN 63 813 139 759) can lead trumps back twice when they get in with 63 Tristan St., Carindale QLD 4152 Ph: 07-3398 8898 or 0409 786 050 diamonds, there is still one trump left in dummy to ruff the third diamond, and the contract slips home. Email [email protected] Website www.uq.net.au/~zzjhardy John Hardy 116 117 Bridge JACK 4
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119 120 Not only is this unnecessary but it erodes the confi- It doesn’t matter what your level of commitment is, dence of the team (not to mention that of partner) and but try to stick to it. Doing the right thing is boring the confidence of other players in you . but real – especially once you are past your first year Just do the score-up and get on with it. Some players as a unit. seem to expend as much energy in post mortems as You may be in a freewheeling partnership where you they do during the match itself. The use of the term turn up with a bottle of wine under your belt at nation- post mortem to describe how players review their als and wing it at the table. But that’s not you, right? performance seems to be well chosen. For those who want to do well you are expected to Jim Borin was at a national teams event many years keep up certain standards. Some of the areas are: ago and his pair went for a postcode. At score-up, 1. Pay attention to partner’s signals. however, it seems the board had been scrubbed at the 2. Read and learn your system notes. other table. Jim took the entirely sensible position 3. Put enough effort into defending. that it was not necessary to tell teammates until after 4. Have a system discussion and/or practise to the event, so he temporarily buried the result. keep your game ticking over between big events If you decide you have to confess to a sin immediate- – whether for your partnership these are national, ly, at least do so with a sense of humour. Since when state or congress. is one bad board a disaster? Get a grip! 5. Turn up on time to stop partner getting tense. 6. Help with the administrative tasks like entering Laziness events and the like. This is a tricky one. We can all play better by being physically well prepared. Keep fit, eat well, drink When you get lazy and stop doing these things to the plenty of water and get plenty of sleep. level partner expects (especially the one about look- ing at those pesky signals), your partnership is start- There is an expectation of a degree of commitment to ing to slip. We don’t want that, do we? the partnership that you need to keep up. Blaine Howe, Melbourne
21 Congresses, ABF and International Events
September 22 -29 October 13 - 14 22nd New Zealand National Bridge Congress, Hamilton Taree Bridge Club Pairs and Swiss teams Website: www.nzbridgecongress.co.nz Convener: Judy Scott [email protected] September 28 - October 1 October 19 - 22 Hans Rosendorff Memorial Congress, Perth Queenstown Bridge Congress, New Zealand Women’s Swiss Teams Contact: Sharon Mosley [email protected] Convener: Sheenagh Young [email protected] October 24 - 1 November Men’s Swiss Pairs Sydney Spring Nationals, Hakoah Club Convener: Nigel Dutton [email protected] Convener: Kim Neale [email protected] September 29 - October 13 November 4 38th World Championships, Shanghai, Chiina Port Stephens Congress Comprising the Bermuda Bowl, Venice Cup, Senior Bowl Contact: [email protected] and World Transnational Open Teams November 3 - 4 October 4 - 7 Southern Highlands Bridge Club Congress Roger Penny Senior Swiss Pairs and the Australian Convenor: Ina Smith [email protected] Swiss Pairs, Launceston Convener: Catherine Elliott [email protected] November 18 Ballina Restricted Swiss Teams (NSW) October 6 - 7 Contact: Lyn Graham [email protected] Gold Coast Congress Butler Pairs & Swiss Teams November 30 - December 3 Convener: Pam Jessep [email protected] Grand National Open Teams (GNOT) Finals October 12 - 14 Club Banora, Tweed Heads Muswellbrook Congress Contact: [email protected] Convener: [email protected] December 7-11 October 12 - 14 ASEAN Bridge Clubs Championships Commercial Club (Albury) Super Congress Makati City, Philippines Convener: Frank McConvill [email protected] Website: www.Aseanbridge2007.com
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For further information: http://users.bigpond.net.au/FinesseBridgeClub/ [email protected] Ph: 9547 2383 or 0410 127 326 122 2008 Summer Festival of Bridge Entry Form The Last Train Events - $200 per pair Women's Seniors Open Players Surname Given Name ABF/NZCBA No Amount Player $ Player $500/team $500/team $440/team $440/team National National Non-Life National 0-49 Women's Seniors Masters Novice 0-99 Teams Teams Teams Teams 0-149 Players Surname Given Name ABF/NZCBA No Amount Captain Player Player Player Player $ Player
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