A day in the life of . . . Martin’s Top Tip

Count the hand – then the bidding Martin Hoffman will tell you how to play! THIS tip applies to all play situations, Martin Hoffman is reputedly the best pairs player in the world, but is especially useful when you have and has enjoyed a long string of successes both in the UK and abroad. a two-way : He was also the winner of ‘Master Bridge’, the 1982 Channel 4 TV tournament contested N/S Game. Dealer East. Pairs. by bridge stars such as , and . ♠ K Q 6 ♥ 10 7 5 ♦ I USUALLY wake up around 7am. I have played the game before, I won. The same K J 6 5 ♣ A Q 2 never needed much sleep, but I do need a thing happened when, some time later, a ♠ J 8 4 3 2 ♠ 10 9 5 ♥ N ♥ good breakfast, which I usually prepare friend asked me to play with 8 W E K Q J 9 6 4 myself. I am an avid reader of the news, so him at a local club. Success spurred my inte- ♦ Q 9 3 S ♦ 7 ♣ J 9 4 3 ♣ 8 7 5 I take my time over coffee and cereals, and rest, and I set to learning the game by ♠ read the newspaper. I enjoy this ritual but watch ing great players such as Terence A 7 ♥ A 3 2 I will also read any other newspaper that Reese at play. When I won my first dupli - ♦ A 10 8 4 2 comes my way later during the day. cate, I was ready to pack in the diamond ♣ K 10 6 Having found out what’s new in the trade and take up a job as a bridge host. world, I settle down to writing. Thirteen of Mainly, I am still doing that. Now a days West North East South ♥1 my books have been Audrey and I divide 2 2NT Pass 4NT All Pass published, and there is our time bet ween 1 Weak, 5-9, six-card suit always at least one Lon don and Lau der - more in the pipe line. hill, Florida, but the Once West leads a heart and you win , my pattern of the day is East’s jack with your ace, you cannot afford to lose the lead. Don’t guess the friend and first editor, the same. I may ♦ used to say that I could sometimes have lunch position of the Q: cash all your black- suit winners first, and note that East not write with out help at home first, but I shows up with three cards in each. As from my wife, Audrey. soon set off for the East open ed 2 ♥, he must have six I think that was put - club for an afternoon hearts and so can have only one dia - ting it a bit strong! But of rub ber bridge. I mond. Cash your ♦A in case the sin - maybe Audrey is right often walk there, as gleton is the ♦Q, then finesse against s i West for two overtricks! d when she says that, left i that is one physical m i n to my own de vices, o acti vity I do enjoy. r e J

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my books would all n Once at the club, I the UK, the US, India, Iran, France, Austria, e l E be written in a few : play for the house: Germany – wherever they happen to be o t o h

days since I rattle off P it means I only receive from, as long as they are pleasant people hands at the speed of half of my winnings, and don’t mind paying my fees! I am lightning! but I don’t have to pay table money or available for rubber and duplicate, club and I know I tend to do that, but then bridge worry about paying for food. This arran - congress events everywhere in the world. is my life, though I fell into it by chance. I ge ment suits me: my game is a lot sharper This does not leave much time for family was born in Czechoslovakia, and, aged 15, if I am not risking my own money! life, but Audrey is very supportive and does was liberated from Buchenwald by the That’s not to say that I don’t like a bit of not mind keeping herself busy teaching US Army who made me their mascot. My gambling. In fact, when I was younger, I bridge and playing tennis or golf. We don’t family had died in the Holocaust so, after was heavily into betting on the dogs; I have children, but are lucky in that we could two years in rehabilitation, I went to live eventually lost huge sums and was very always play parents (now grandparents) to with a family in Finchley and worked as a lucky when the bookies wrote off my debts. our friends’ offsprings. I really enjoy the diamond cutter. It was not a bad life: at a Nowadays, dog racing is still one of my company of children and love telling them time when a policeman was earning £5 a passions but I keep control of the size of stories and keeping them entertained. week, I brought home £45! In spite of the my bets and limit the number of my visits Although they tend to go off me as they money, and satisfactions such as meeting to the track, where I go with my friend grow up, they have well repaid my interest the then Princess Elizabeth – for whom Moeshe. I can often be found at the in them. It was because of my friendship my company made an engagement ring – Betting Office in the morning, though, with their little girl that my Finchley family work ing conditions were not healthy, and studying the form for a couple of hours. took me in and gave me a start in my after eleven years I was ready for change. Most of my time, however, is spent play - English life, and later, another little girl was The family with whom I lived was keen ing bridge. I only ever play professionally, key to another rewarding friendship, with on card games, and I picked them up easily. and am not worried by the standard of my her parents, Judy Dench and Michael When one day I was asked to play in a partners. I am not worried by their nation - Williams. Lovely people – but what a shame drive, I said yes and although I had never ality either: I have partnered players from they did not play bridge! r

58 English Bridge August 2008 www.ebu.co.uk