Number: 193 January 2019 Bernard Magee’s Bidding Quiz This month we are looking at bidding. You are West in the auctions below, playing ‘Standard Acol’ with a weak no- (12-14 points) BRIDGE and four-card majors. It is your turn to call.

1. Dealer West. Game All. 4. Dealer East. Love All. 7. Dealer South. Game All. 10. Dealer North. Game All. ♠ K 5 ♠ 7 6 ♠ A K 2 ♠ 9 4 3 2 N N N N ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ K 4 W E K Q 6 4 W E 7 6 5 W E A K W E ♦ A Q 4 2 S ♦ 7 6 S ♦ K J 7 6 5 S ♦ K Q 3 S ♣ J 8 6 5 4 ♣ A J 8 7 6 ♣ Q 4 ♣ J 7 6 5

West North East South West North East South West North East South West North East South ? 1♣ Pass 1♥ 1♥ 2♦ Pass ? ? ?

2. Dealer West. Game All. 5. Dealer East. Love All. 8. Dealer South. Game All. 11. Dealer North. Love All. ♠ 4 3 2 ♠ K Q 2 ♠ A J 5 4 ♠ J 7 6 N N N N ♥ 7 6 ♥ 9 8 2 ♥ 7 ♥ 7 W E W E W E W E ♦ A J 4 S ♦ A 3 S ♦ K Q 10 9 7 S ♦ K Q 5 2 S ♣ A K 8 7 5 ♣ A J 8 7 5 ♣ A 4 3 ♣ J 9 6 5 4

West North East South West North East South West North East South West North East South ? 1♣ Pass 1♥ 1♥ 2♦ Pass ? ? ?

3. Dealer West. N/S Game. 6. Dealer East. Love All. 9. Dealer South. Game All. 12. Dealer North. Game All. ♠ 8 3 2 ♠ J 9 3 ♠ J 5 4 ♠ A 8 7 ♥ 7 6 N ♥ A 8 7 N ♥ A Q N ♥ 4 3 N ♦ K Q J 10 7 6 W E ♦ Q 4 3 W E ♦ K Q 10 9 6 3 W E ♦ K Q 4 W E S S S S ♣ 5 4 ♣ K 8 7 6 ♣ A 4 ♣ A 6 5 4 3

West North East South West North East South West North East South West North East South ? 1♣ Pass 1♥ 1♥ 2♦ Pass ? ? ?

Answers on page 43 Answers on page 45 Answers on page 47 Answers on page 49

Features this month include: ADVERTISERS’ INDEX 1 Bidding Quiz by Bernard Magee BRIDGE 2 2019 Cruises with 4 Mr Bridge Ryden Grange, Knaphill, Fred. Olsen 3 Clive Goff’s Stamps Surrey GU21 2TH 5 Holiday Bridge ( 01483 489961 6 Rushmere Beds & Chairs 7 Bidding Quiz by Bernard Magee [email protected] 8 Croatia 2019 www.mrbridge.co.uk 9 Defence Quiz by 9 Tunisia 2019 shop: mrbridge.co.uk/shop 10 Protective Bidding by Andrew Kambites 12 Tricks of the Trade Publisher and 13 Bernard Magee DVDs Managing Editor 13 Protective Bidding Quiz by Andrew Kambites Sets 1-4 Mr Bridge 15 Declarer Play Quiz by David Huggett 14 Mr Bridge UK Events 2019 Associate Editor 15 Charity Events Julian Pottage 16 House of Lords v House of Commons, 2018 [email protected] by Shireen Mohandes 19 Bernard Magee DVDs Sets 5-8 Bridge Consultant 20 Playing-cards from Japan, China and Russia 22 North American Bernard Magee by Paul Bostock Waterways in the bernardmagee Fall with New York @mrbridge.co.uk 23 Catching Up with with Fred. Olsen Cartoons & Illustrations 24 Gisborne’s Untimely Analysis by 23 Bridge with Angela Marguerite Lihou 26 Malta 2019 www.margueritelihou.co.uk 27 The Power of Spot Cards: Part 8 by Mike Lawrence 29 Clive Goff’s Stamps Technical Consultant 28 Seven Days by Sally Brock 33 Travel Insurance Tony Gordon 30 Julian Pottage Answers your Questions 34 QPlus 12 Typesetting 35 BRIDGE Subscriptions Jessica Galt 34 Suit Preference Signals: Part 1 by Michael Byrne 36 Club Insurance [email protected] 36 The Diaries of Wendy Wensum 39 Rules Simplified Proof Reading Team 37 Protective Bidding Quiz Answers Mike Orriel 43 Acol Bidding with by Andrew Kambites Bernard Magee Julian Pottage 44 Portugal 2019 Catrina Shackleton 38 David Stephenson Answers your Questions Richard Wheen 45 Little Voice 39 Declarer Play Quiz Answers by David Huggett 45 Declarer Play with Customer Services Bernard Magee 41 Defence Quiz Answers by Julian Pottage Catrina Shackleton 47 Defence with Bernard [email protected] 43 Bidding Quiz Answers (1-3) by Bernard Magee Magee Events & Cruises 48 Designs for Bridge ( 01483 489961 45 Bidding Quiz Answers (4-6) by Bernard Magee Table Cover Jessica Galt 46 Adjusted Scores: Part 1 by David Stevenson 49 Bridge Gifts [email protected] 50 Bernard Magee’s 47 Bidding Quiz Answers (7-9) by Bernard Magee Tutorial Software Megan Riccio [email protected] 51 2019 Cruises with 48 Sally's Slam Clinic Voyages to Antiquity Emily Hawkins 52 Land of the Midnight [email protected] 49 Bidding Quiz Answers (10-12) by Bernard Magee Sun with Voyages to Sandra Timbury 50 More Tips by Bernard Magee Antiquity [email protected] Clubs & Charities REDUCE THE COST OF YOUR POSTAGE Maggie Axtell British postage stamps for sale at 90% of face-value, [email protected] all mint and with full gum. Quotations for commercial quantities are available on request. Printed in the UK by Values supplied in 100s, higher values available, as well as 1st and The Magazine 2nd class. Printing Company www.magprint.co.uk ( 020 8422 4906 or e-mail: [email protected]

BRIDGE January 2019 Page 3 HAPPY NEW YEAR INITIATIVES figurehead and driving something worthwhile, force for Stamford Youth meaningful and All mine are blocked at the Bridge Academy's purposeful. Most of our moment. Inspired by the inspirational 'Bridge into 'Buddies' are aged 60 plus. late great bridge Schools' initiative. Our eldest 'Buddy', Bob, is philanthropist, Palmer 80 plus years young.' Bayer, my efforts at Working with 17 schools, The EBU are to be enlightened self interest 10 primary and 7 congratulated for all their have been frustrated. secondary, 1,710 plus support for this initiative. youngsters ages 8 to 14 CRUISING AGAIN years have been awarded a PUZZLE . . . AT LAST Starter Bridge Certificate. I will be joining the June TARDIS blue, teal, red... This is the season to look sailing of lovely Aegean When asked the questions What comes next? Answers forward, to formulate plans Odyssey to the very top of 'Why have we been by snail mail to Ryden and make resolutions. Let Norway, Land of the overwhelmed with requests Grange or email to; me introduce Leanora Midnight Sun. See the to deliver Starter Bridge [email protected] Adds, who from this issue advert on the back cover. Taster Sessions into onwards will be responsible Hurray. schools?' Liz's answer is SEASONS for the Mr Bridge Holidays simple. 'There is nothing GREETINGS page. I am confident she magical, mysterious or even WELL EARNED will be up to it. My mystical about Stamford's It is the time of year to resolution is to let her get success. We have made it thank all those who write on with it and not interfere. easy for schools to work the articles and their proof Leanora has been working with us because we work to readers. Also all those for the company for the last the School's Agenda. All involved in the sales and 12 years, taking on more SYBA's resources are administration in my office responsibilty as the years evidenced to the Maths here at Ryden Grange. have gone by. While taking National Curriculum and a back seat role, I will we train our 'Buddies' to go A final thank you to you, continue to read the ever into schools and deliver a the readers. Wishing you growing number of uniform scripted product.' all I wish for myself this feedback forms. The many Congratulations to Liz and every year; love, peace suggestions they contain Dale, pictured above, who Liz said 'We are and blessings. are a constant source of was presented with this transforming the way we new ideas to me, but do year's Tom Bradley award work with responsive All good wishes remember I cannot rebuild for Services to Youth bridge clubs. Our 'Buddies' the hotel or re-fit the ship. Education. Liz has been the believe they are doing Mr Bridge

Page 4 BRIDGE January 2019 For more details on any of these holidays, call my team on ( 01483 489961 Leanora Adds' Holiday Ideas or view new cruise to the Mr www.mrbridge.co.uk Bridge portfolio. Grand Introduction Land of the Canary Islands & Overseen by Will Parsons, Midnight Sun Madeira, Iberian each seminar will be We will now be on Treasures & Morocco, given by a different team Aegean Odyssey for their sails from Tilbury on 10 member. Although already Land of the Midnight Sun November. This 19 night part of our team, the cruise sailing from Tilbury. cruise offers plenty of chosen four are looking to With only 350 passengers, time for bridge and is the become lead hosts. This is the fjords look even more perfect opportunity for their chance to showcase magnificent towering high some winter warmth. It is their skills. Normally £299 above Aegean Odyssey. buy one get one free for per person, the special The beauty of any fjord bookings made before launch price is now £249 Let me introduce myself, I cruising is experiencing the 27 December 2018. per person. Single am Leanora Adds and I ship negotiating the scenic Prices start from £1,999 supplement £15. Book by am responsible for the narrow passages. Prices for an inside twin. The 31 December 2018. operational elements of all start from £2,350 with first person pays £1,999 Mr Bridge events. Since only a 10% single and the second person is joining in 2004, I have supplement. See the free. This masterpointed American spoken to or met a good advert on the back cover sailing will be hosted by Waterways in the number of you. I am now for more details. Gary Conrad. mainly kept hidden away Fall with New York busying myself, planning September 2020 and coordinating events. Masterpointed 3 nights in Mr Bridge still reads all feedback and I work Worthing closely with him to identify This is a new style of event, new opportunities. which lends itself well to The name of this Balmoral enhance your learning. cruise is a mouthful but One such area of our Our original 2019 cruises From 22-25 February at with such a full itinerary expansion is land based on Columbus are on The Chatsworth Hotel. you can see why. Join holidays, see below. waiting list for space in Three nights full board Sandy Bell on this 34 night However, keep an eye out the bridge groups. So I including 4 seminars and sailing from Southampton. for further developments. have added an exciting 4 set hand sessions. See page 22 for details.

Mr Bridge Land Based Holidays Spring 2019 Tunisia - Hotel Portugal - VidaMar Malta - DB San Croatia Royal Kenz (4*) Resort Hotel (5*) Antonio Hotel (4*) Hotel Eden Port El Kantaoui Algarve St Paul’s Bay Rovinj

Selling fast - limited space

5-12 March - from £749 1-8 April - from £995 8-15 May - from £1195 4-18 May - from £1499 Host: Bernard Magee Host: Sandy Bell Host: Bernard Magee Hosts: Will & Sylvia Parsons One Week All-Inclusive One Week Half-Board One Week All-Inclusive Two Weeks Half-Board Includes Heathrow flights Includes Gatwick flights Includes Gatwick flights Includes Gatwick flights Full details on page 9 Full details on page 44 Full details on page 26 Full details on page 8

BRIDGE January 2019 Page 5 BRIDGE January 2019 Page 6 Bernard Magee’s Acol Bidding Quiz This month we are looking at minor suit bidding. You are West in the auctions below, playing ‘Standard Acol’ with a weak no-trump (12-14 points) and four-card majors. It is your turn to call.

1. Dealer West. Game All. 4. Dealer East. Love All. 7. Dealer South. Game All. 10. Dealer North. Game All. ♠ K 5 ♠ 7 6 ♠ A K 2 ♠ 9 4 3 2 ♥ K 4 N ♥ K Q 6 4 N ♥ 7 6 5 N ♥ A K N W E W E W E W E ♦ A Q 4 2 ♦ 7 6 ♦ K J 7 6 5 ♦ K Q 3 S S S S ♣ J 8 6 5 4 ♣ A J 8 7 6 ♣ Q 4 ♣ J 7 6 5

West North East South West North East South West North East South West North East South ? 1♣ Pass 1♥ 1♥ 2♦ Pass ? ? ?

2. Dealer West. Game All. 5. Dealer East. Love All. 8. Dealer South. Game All. 11. Dealer North. Love All. ♠ 4 3 2 ♠ K Q 2 ♠ A J 5 4 ♠ J 7 6 ♥ 7 6 N ♥ 9 8 2 N ♥ 7 N ♥ 7 N ♦ A J 4 W E ♦ A 3 W E ♦ K Q 10 9 7 W E ♦ K Q 5 2 W E S S S S ♣ A K 8 7 5 ♣ A J 8 7 5 ♣ A 4 3 ♣ J 9 6 5 4

West North East South West North East South West North East South West North East South ? 1♣ Pass 1♥ 1♥ 2♦ Pass ? ? ?

3. Dealer West. N/S Game. 6. Dealer East. Love All. 9. Dealer South. Game All. 12. Dealer North. Game All. ♠ 8 3 2 ♠ J 9 3 ♠ J 5 4 ♠ A 8 7 N N N N ♥ 7 6 ♥ A 8 7 ♥ A Q ♥ 4 3 W E W E W E W E ♦ ♦ K Q J 10 7 6 S Q 4 3 S ♦ K Q 10 9 6 3 S ♦ K Q 4 S ♣ 5 4 ♣ K 8 7 6 ♣ A 4 ♣ A 6 5 4 3

West North East South West North East South West North East South West North East South ? 1♣ Pass 1♥ 1♥ 2♦ Pass ? ? ?

My Answers: My Answers: My Answers: My Answers:

1...... 4...... 7...... 10......

2...... 5...... 8...... 11......

3...... 6...... 9...... 12......

Answers on page 43 Answers on page 45 Answers on page 47 Answers on page 49

BRIDGE January 2019 Page 7 Mr Bridge Holidays - Croatia 2019 Hotel Eden, Rovinj

4-18 May 2019 from £1499 per person sharing or one week from £1139 per person sharing 4-11 May or 11-18 May Hosted by Will & Sylvia Parsons Rovinj is situated on the western coast of Istria in Croatia, the largest peninsula on the Will & Sylvia Parsons Adriatic coastline, a one hour drive from Trieste, 2 ½ hours from Zagreb. Boasting a rich natural and cultural heritage with beautiful landmarks such as the old town, the Bridge: Golden Cape Park Forest, protected islands and coastal area, Rovinj has many loyal Land based holidays visitors from all parts of the globe and has developed into a popular tourist destination. allow time for a full bridge The climate is warm and semi-dry, there are 134 sunny days in a year, which makes programme, which gives you the opportunity to enhance Rovinj the third sunniest spot in the Adriatic. your bridge skills, but there Hotel Eden is wedged right between a peninsula covered by a one hundred year old is also time to both visit the local area and just sit back and park forest and a quiet cove. The old city centre of Rovinj is just a 20 minute walk away. relax. Over the fortnight the bridge programme includes four seminar & set hand sessions, duplicate bridge every evening, teams event and the ever popular bidding quiz. You can play as much or as little as you wish and the excursions* are fitted around the bridge programme to maximise your enjoyment. Singles: There is a sole occupancy supplement of £12 per room per night. If you are a single bridge player please do not worry about being on your own. We will always be able to find you a partner and you can always have a game. As well as there being other singles in the same situation as yourself, there is the Mr Bridge team who will be happy to partner you if required.

Call Mr Bridge on 01483 489961 or visit www.mrbridge.co.uk Half board only, including flights from Gatwick. Birmingham, Manchester & Edinburgh flights may be available at a supplement. Terms and conditions apply. These holidays have been organised for Mr Bridge by Great Little Escapes LLP, ATOL 5933. *Excursions are not included in the price of the holiday. DEFENCE QUIZ Mr Bridge by Julian Pottage Hotel Royal Kenz (Answers on page 41) Tunisia 2019 ou are West in the defensive positions below playing Ymatchpoint pairs with neither side vulnerable. Seven Day All-inclusive Duplicate Bridge Holidays

1. ♠ J 9 3. ♠ J 5-12 March hosted by Bernard Magee ♥ A Q 3 ♥ J 9 7 5 3 from £749 per person sharing ♦ J 10 8 6 4 ♦ A J 10 9 5-19 November ♣ ♣ K Q 5 K 10 5 two weeks from £999 per person sharing ♠ A 10 8 6 4 ♠ A 10 7 4 2 or one week from £699 per person sharing ♥ 9 5 2 N ♥ K 10 6 4 N ♦ Q 5 W E ♦ W E 5-12 November or 12-19 November S S ♣ 9 7 2 ♣ Q 9 8 2 Host to be confirmed

West North East South West North East South 1NT(12-14) 1♦ Pass 3NT All Pass 1♠ 2♥ 2♠ 2NT(15-16) Pass 3NT All Pass Situated in a quiet area just 250 metres away from the sandy beach on Tunisia’s Mediterranean coast, the 4* Hotel Royal Kenz in Port El Kantaoui is a popular destination for Mr Bridge You lead the ♠6: ♠9, ♠K You lead the ♠4: ♠J, ♠K and holidaymakers. and ♠3. East returns the ♠2, ♠5. Partner returns the ♠8 A taxi into Port El Kantaoui takes less than five minutes and if you want to explore a bit further, the city of Sousse and its covered by the ♠5. What is covered by the ♠9. What is ancient medina is but a 15-minute drive away. your plan? your plan?

2. ♠ 10 8 4. ♠ 8 ♥ A Q 3 ♥ K 7 3 ♦ A J 9 8 4 ♦ K Q J 9 4 Bridge: ♣ K 7 5 ♣ K Q J 5 Land based holidays allow time for plenty of bridge, but there ♠ K 9 7 4 2 ♠ K J 7 4 2 is also time to both visit the local area and just sit back and ♥ 9 5 2 N ♥ Q 10 6 4 N relax. Over the fortnight the bridge programme includes four W E ♦ 6 5 ♦ 10 5 W E seminar & set hands sessions, which gives you the opportunity S S ♣ Q 9 2 ♣ 9 2 to enhance your bridge skills, as well as duplicate bridge every evening. You can play as much or as little as you wish and the excursions* are fitted around the bridge programme to maximise your enjoyment. West North East South West North East South 1NT(12-14) 1♦ Pass 1♥ Singles: There is a sole occupancy supplement of £3 per room Pass 3NT All Pass Pass 2♣ Pass 2NT per night. If you are a single bridge player please do not worry Pass 3♥ Pass 3NT about being on your own. We will always be able to find you a partner so you can always have a game. All Pass For details or an information pack call You lead the ♠4: ♠8, ♠A You lead the ♠4, which goes Mr Bridge Holidays  01483 489961 ♠ ♠ ♠ ♠ ♠ and 5. Back comes the 6 to the 8, A and 5. Back Prices shown are per person sharing and include flights from covered by the ♠Q. What is comes the ♠6 covered by the Heathrow. Selected regional flights may be available at a supplement. your plan? ♠9. What is your plan? Terms and conditions apply. These holidays have been organised for Mr Bridge by Great Little Escapes LLP, ATOL 5933. Excursions are not included in the price of the holiday. For details of what is included in the all-inclusive package, please call for an information pack and booking form. All prices are firm until 31 January 2019.

BRIDGE January 2019 Page 9 About the Contested Auction by Andrew Kambites Protective Bidding

reviously in this series you have Partner is called the ‘protective hand’ 2♣ = 7-15 HCP seen how you have had to pass because he has to try to protect you if (two-level ) in the hand immediately after you have passed with hands similar to 2♠ = 10-13 Pan opponent has opened the bidding A to D. (two-level jump overcall) when your side could well have the The rules for a protective hand to Double = 8+ HCP majority of points, and in some cases enter the bidding are much less strict. (take-out) when your side could have sufficient If some of what I advocate in this 1NT = 11-14 HCP points for game. You would have to article seems kamikaze, remember (or 11-16: see below) pass a 1♦ opening bid with any of that with many of the hands you these hands. know that partner has some points, The protective suit overcall otherwise why are opponents passing out 1♦? Bidding in the protective Auction E Hand A Hand B position is often much safer than in West North East South ♠ 10 8 7 6 4 ♠ A Q the position immediately over the 1♦ Pass Pass ? ♥ A Q 2 ♥ A Q 7 5 opening bidder. ♦ 8 6 5 ♦ 8 2 ♣ A J ♣ 10 8 7 6 5 General principles of Hand F Hand G Hand H protective bidding ♠ A J 10 5 4 ♠ 10 7 6 5 3 ♠ K 5 ♥ 8 6 3 ♥ A 4 3 ♥ 8 5 3 o decide whether to bid in ♦ 9 5 4 ♦ 8 6 ♦ 8 7 Hand C Hand D the protective position, add ♣ 8 6 ♣ K Q 2 ♣ A J 9 5 3 2 ♠ 8 4 3 ♠ K 8 7 Ta useful hypothetical king to ♥ K 3 2 ♥ K J 2 your hand and make the bid your ♦ A 6 5 ♦ 7 4 3 hand would have been worth in ♣ A J 8 7 ♣ A K 4 3 the immediate position. Hand F1 Hand G1 Hand H1 ♠ A J 10 5 4 ♠ 10 7 6 5 3 ♠ K 5 So here is a rough summary: ♥ K 8 6 ♥ A K 4 ♥ K 8 5 With Hand A you would have sufficient ♦ 9 5 4 ♦ 8 6 ♦ 8 7 values for a 1♠ overcall, but your suit is In Second ♣ 8 6 ♣ K Q 2 ♣ A J 9 5 3 2 weak and you don’t want a spade lead. West North East South With Hand B you certainly cannot 1♦ ? justify a 2♣ overcall. Not only is your Replace the ♥3 with the ♥K in Hands club suit weak, but a 2♣ overcall 1♠ = 8-16 HCP F, G and H. In each case you would be suppresses the best feature of your (one-level overcall) worth an overcall in the immediate hand, the hearts. Partner would expect 2♣ = 10-18 HCP position. Overcall a protective 1♠ with five or more hearts for a ♥1 overcall. (two-level overcall) Hands F and G, and 2♣ with Hand H. With Hand C you would have 2♠ = 13-16: six spades opened 1NT but a 1NT overcall shows (two-level jump overcall) 15-18 points. Double = 11+ HCP Hand J Hand K With Hand D not only is your hand (take-out) ♠ A J 10 5 4 ♠ A Q 8 7 5 4 too weak for a 1NT overcall, but you 1NT = 15-18 HCP ♥ A J 9 ♥ K Q 2 also lack the necessary diamond ♦ 8 6 ♦ 8 6 stopper. In Fourth (Protective) ♣ K Q 2 ♣ A 10 If you pass 1♦ all is not lost because West North East South your partner will have a chance. 1♦ Pass Pass ? However if partner also passes with If you add a king to Hands J and K then similar hands you could easily end up 1♠ = 5-14 HCP J becomes too strong for an immediate missing a part score, or even game. (one-level overcall) 1♠ overcall and K becomes too strong

Page 10 BRIDGE January 2019 for a strong jump overcall. With J namely that if opponents have bid a double and then bid spades. With K suit then you need a stopper in their Layout R double and bid 2♠ over 1♥. If partner suit to bid no trumps. It shows just ♠ A Q 3 2 chooses 2♣ then perhaps 2♠ is how desperate you are to get into the ♥ Q J 4 sufficient. bidding. A lot of the time partner will ♦ 8 5 4 be able to help you in diamonds, and if ♣ K 10 4 Protective no-trumps is wrong he may be able to ♠ 8 6 ♠ J 9 5 ♣ ♥ A 10 2 N ♥ 9 8 6 5 3 no-trump bidding transfer out of 1NT or use 2 to seek W E a fit. You should play the ♦ A K Q 7 6 S ♦ 10 9 West North East South same system opposite a 1NT protective ♣ Q 9 6 ♣ 8 5 3 1♦ Pass Pass ? overcall as you would play opposite ♠ K 10 7 4 an immediate 1NT overcall, which in ♥ K 7 In the chart above I suggested that a turn is the same system as you would ♦ J 3 2 protective 1NT was 11-14 points. You play opposite a 1NT opening bid. ♣ A J 7 2 can play it like this but it does give you ‘System on’ is the bridge term. problems with stronger hands. How Hand N has 18 points, too strong do you show a with 15 for a protective 1NT. Double and then Auction S points? It is hardly safe to start with bid no-trumps to show 17-19 points. West North East South a double and then bid 2NT if partner If partner bids on then system is off 1♦ Pass Pass 1NT1 responds at the two level (eg 1♦-Pass- because 1NT wasn’t the first natural Pass 2♣2 Pass 2♠3 Pass-Dbl-Pass-2♣-Pass-2NT).For bid by your side in the auction. (In the Pass 3♠4 All Pass this reason many players play the auction (1♦)-Pass-(Pass)-Dbl-(Pass)- 111-16 points. protective 1NT as 11-16 points. This 1♥-(Pass)-1NT your partner has bid 2Enquiry. helps solve the problem of how to hearts). 311-13 points. 4 spades. Not 4 hearts. show stronger hands, but the wide Hand P is suitable for a jump to 2NT. 4A final . North is asking South to range creates new problems. Suppose This is a rare occasion when a jump to bid 4♠ if maximum in the range 11-13. partner has ten points. He will feel 2NT isn’t an unusual no trump. You obliged to try for game in case you need 2NT as a natural bid, showing If you want a little more sophistication have 15 or 16 points, but if you have the values of a 2NT opening bid. you might use the 2NT reply to 2♣ to only 11 points the auction will have show 13-14 points. In that case you become uncomfortably high. Nothing Bidding opposite an need 3♣ as a further enquiry for a is perfect and your partnership must 11-16 protective 1NT four-card major. If you prefer this, the make a choice. For this article I will two level responses to 2♣ show 11-12 assume an 11-16 protective 1NT. Because a protective 1NT overcall has points and the three level responses to such a wide range, you need to use a 2♣ show 15-16 points. 2♣ as a range enquiry bid Hand L Hand M as well as asking for a four-card major. The protective ♠ K 8 7 ♠ K 8 7 4 The responses are as shown below. take-out double ♥ K 7 6 ♥ K 7 ♦ A J 9 ♦ J 3 2 Auction Q Hands T and U demonstrate a ♣ 10 9 3 2 ♣ A J 9 2 West North East South minimum protective take-out double 1♦ Pass Pass 1NT of 1♦. Pass 2♣ Pass ? Note that even if you make Hand U slightly stronger so that it is within the Hand N Hand P 2♦ = 11-13 points. range of a protective 1NT, bid double ♠ K 8 7 ♠ K 8 7 No four-card major. is still best. Not only will double make ♥ K J 6 ♥ A K 7 2♥ = 11-13 points. Four hearts. it easier to find a 4-4 major suit fit, ♦ A J 9 ♦ A J 9 Maybe four spades. but there is no merit in bidding 1NT ♣ A Q 3 2 ♣ A Q 9 2 2♠ = 11-13 points. Four spades. without a diamond stopper when Not four hearts. there is a perfectly good alternative 3♦ = 14-16 points. available. Hand L is a minimum protective 1NT. No four-card major. u This is one of the hands where the 3♥ = 14-16 points. Four hearts. failure of opponents to bid beyond 1♦ Maybe four spades. Hand T Hand U makes it certain that partner has some 3♠ = 14-16 points. Four spades. ♠ A J 8 7 ♠ A J 8 7 points. Not four hearts. ♥ Q 8 5 4 ♥ K J 8 5 Bid 1NT with Hand M as well. This ♦ 2 ♦ 3 2 seems to contradict one of the items Layout R might see the bidding ♣ J 10 3 2 ♣ J 10 3 in the holy grail of defensive bidding, progress as in Auction S.

BRIDGE January 2019 Page 11 Difficult hands would not be helpful if both partners likely that North/South also have a fit. bid the same king. Therefore if your North should be looking for reasons to I hope I have demonstrated the partner protects you need to subtract bid. desirability of competing in the a king before deciding how to proceed. If North thinks long and hard and protective position, but it would be then decides that he can only pass, wrong to conceal the fact that there Auction Y then so be it. At least he has tried. are some hands with no perfect bid. West North East South Consider your choice with Hands V, 1♦ Pass Pass Dbl W and X if your left hand opponent’s Pass ? Hand E Hand F 1♦ is passed round to you. ♠ A Q 3 2 ♠ A Q 3 2 ♥ 7 5 4 ♥ 7 5 Hand Z Hand A ♦ 7 6 ♦ K 8 7 4 2 Hand V Hand W ♠ Q 8 6 5 ♠ Q 5 4 ♣ K 8 7 4 ♣ 8 4 ♠ A Q J 9 ♠ A Q ♥ K 4 3 ♥ Q 6 2 ♥ 7 6 ♥ A Q 7 5 ♦ 9 7 5 4 ♦ A K 7 6 ♦ 6 4 3 2 ♦ 8 2 ♣ A J ♣ 10 9 6 ♣ J 10 6 ♣ 10 8 7 6 5 Hand G Hand H ♠ A 3 ♠ A 7 ♥ 7 5 ♥ K Q J 10 9 Hand B ♦ Q 10 4 3 2 ♦ 6 4 3 Hand X ♠ K 3 2 ♣ Q J 7 6 ♣ J 10 2 ♠ 5 ♥ 6 5 ♥ K 8 7 ♦ A Q 9 7 4 ♦ A Q J 7 6 ♣ 9 7 6 In Auction C North protects with 2♠ ♣ Q J 4 3 with Hand E. Partner will realise that either North has a weak spade suit or With Hand Z 1♠ is quite enough. only four spades because North passed I can only give you my choice. Equally with Hand A 1NT is correct. over 1♥. With Hand V I would overcall 1♠. Of Of course 11 points would be too much North could bid 2♠ with Hand F as course partner will expect five spades, to bid 1NT opposite an immediate well, but he has another choice. He but that is balanced by the fact that I double, but partner’s protective double should double, for take-out. If South want a spade lead if partner is on lead. could be as weak as eight points. bids 3♣ then North retreats to 3♦. But With Hand W I prefer 1♥ to 2♣. With Hand B it would be reasonable don’t try this if your partner is likely to Hand X is the exception. This might to pass, particularly if opponents were have not noticed that you passed over seem surprising bearing in mind that I vulnerable. Of course you wouldn’t 1♥. have an opening bid and partner might want to pass an immediate take-out With Hand G North bids 2NT, also have felt constrained to pass with double, but the difference here is that an unusual no trump showing the equal values. However there is another your broken diamond suit is sitting minors. Admittedly 2NT isn’t a jump factor at work here. I have so much over declarer. bid, but it cannot be natural after strength in the opponent’s suit, that I North’s original pass. suspect they are in the wrong contract Other protective auctions Finally, with Hand H North would and that any action by me would push love to make a penalty double of 2♥, them into a better contract. The fact Auction C but that is not an option because that partner did not overcall 1♠ also West North East South double is for take-out. North has to increases the likelihood that they have 1♥ Pass 2♥ Pass pass out 2♥. a spade fit. This is not conclusive, but Pass ? I will end this article by contrasting it demonstrates that the time when Auctions C and D. In D there is no you should be reluctant to protect is Auction D evidence that East/West have a fit. That when you have great strength in their West North East South in turn reduces the prospect of North/ suit. 1♥ Pass 1NT Pass South having a fit. North should be Pass ? rather more cautious about protecting Bidding opposite here. ■ partner’s protective bid The auction starts as in Auction C. North passes with a barely suppressed Tricks of the Trade yawn. I don’t need to look at North’s by Larry Cohen When deciding on whether to take hand. He is guilty of a cop out. Strategic Thinking protective action, a player should be Opponents have found a fit, yet they for Advanced Bridge conscious of the need to mentally add have passed the hand out at the two £20 ( 01483 489961 a useful king to his hand. Clearly it level. If East/West have a fit, it is very

Page 12 BRIDGE January 2019 BERNARD Protective Bidding Quiz MAGEE by Andrew Kambites (Answers on page 37) TUTORIAL

1 At game all how should DVDs South introduce these hands Hand A Hand B Hand C after Auctions (i) and (ii)? ♠ K Q 7 6 ♠ A Q 7 ♠ A 5 ♥ 8 7 3 ♥ A Q 7 ♥ A Q 9 5 4 SET 1 Auction (i) ♦ A J 6 ♦ 8 3 2 ♦ Q 4 3 1 Ruffing for Extra Tricks West North East South ♣ 9 4 2 ♣ 10 9 6 5 ♣ 10 6 4 2 Competitive Auctions 1♦ ? 3 Making the Most of High Cards Auction (ii) £25 West North East South 3 At game all how should North 4 Identifying per DVD 1♦ Pass Pass ? bid these hands after Auctions (i) & Bidding Slams and (ii)? If you choose to bid 2♣ 5 Play & Defence in Auction (ii) what is your next bid of 1NT Contracts if partner responds 2♦ or 2♠? 6 Doubling & Defence Hand A Hand B Hand C against Doubled ♠ J 8 5 4 3 ♠ A J 5 4 3 ♠ A K J 4 3 Auction (i) Contracts ♥ A J 6 ♥ A J 6 ♥ A J 6 West North East South ♦ 4 ♦ 4 ♦ 4 1♦ 1NT SET 2 ♣ K 8 7 5 ♣ K 8 7 5 ♣ K 8 7 5 Pass ? 7 Leads 8 Losing Trick Count Auction (ii) 9 Making a Plan Hand D Hand E Hand F West North East South as Declarer ♠ K 10 7 6 ♠ K 10 7 6 ♠ A 7 5 1♦ Pass Pass 1NT 10 Responding to 1NT ♥ A Q 8 6 ♥ 8 ♥ K 10 5 Pass ? ♦ ♦ ♦ 11 Signals & Discards 9 7 A Q 7 4 8 7 ♣ 10 9 7 ♣ A K Q 4 ♣ Q 6 5 3 2 12 Hand A Hand B Hand C ♠ K 7 2 ♠ K 7 ♠ K Q 5 SET 3 Hand G Hand H Hand J ♥ Q 10 7 ♥ J 10 7 2 ♥ J 10 6 5 13 ♠ A K 5 ♠ K Q 10 6 ♠ Q 6 ♦ A 6 5 ♦ A 6 ♦ 6 5 14 Pre-Emptive Bidding ♥ A Q 2 ♥ 7 5 4 2 ♥ J 4 3 ♣ Q 10 3 2 ♣ K 10 7 5 3 ♣ A 10 8 4 15 Splinter & Cue Bids ♦ K J 7 6 ♦ 6 3 2 ♦ A 7 6 ♣ K 10 9 ♣ A 8 ♣ K Q 5 3 2 16

17 Play & Defence at Pairs 4 At game all how should 18 Thinking Defence North bid these hands? 2 With East/West vulnerable how SET 4 should North bid these hands West North East South 19 Defensive Plan after Auctions (i) and (ii)? 1♥ Pass 2♥ Pass 20 Further into the Auction Pass ? Auction (i) 21 Weak Twos West North East South 22 Trump Control 1♥ Dbl Hand A Hand B Hand C 23 Sacrificing £105 ♠ ♠ ♠ set of 6 Pass ? K 7 5 4 A Q J 9 K 8 24 Improving ♥ 8 4 ♥ 8 5 4 3 ♥ 3 Bridge Memory Auction (ii) ♦ K 7 5 2 ♦ K 5 ♦ Q 8 7 6 3 West North East South ♣ Q 7 2 ♣ J 10 8 ♣ K 10 8 7 2 Mr Bridge Mail Order 1♥ Pass Pass Dbl ( 01483 489961 Pass ? www.mrbridge.co.uk/shop

BRIDGE January 2019 Page 13

Mr Bridge UK Events 2019 Full Board – No Single Supplement*

Just Duplicate Tutorial Events Tutorial Events Blunsdon House Blunsdon House with Bernard Magee 25-27 January from £228* 5-7 April from £238* Blunsdon House Defence to Weak Twos 15-17 March from £228* Hosted by John Ronan 8-10 February from £258* 6-8 September from £228* Ruffing for Extra Tricks Elstead Hotel Chatsworth Hotel 1-3 November from £228* 28-30 June from £264* Bournemouth BH1 3QP 1-3 February £228 4-4-4-1 Hands 22-24 November from £228* Hand Evaluation Hosted by Will Parsons Chatsworth Hotel 8-10 November from £264* 10-12 May £238 Game Tries 15-17 March £223 Doubling Chatsworth Hotel Masterpointed Duplicate Hosted by Sandy Bell 26-28 April £218 16-18 August £238 29-31 March £258 7-9 June £218 Leads and Fundamental Drawing Trumps Defence 5-7 July £218 Hosted by Martin Holcombe 4-6 October £264 Denham Grove Near Uxbridge, UB9 5DG 27-29 September £218 Denham Grove Denham Grove 1-3 November £218 1-3 March £228 10-14 January £454 15-17 November £218 Endplay and Avoidance Re-Boot Your Acol Hosted by Sandy Bell Elstead Hotel Denham Grove 9-11 August £238 28-30 June £229 Responding to 1NT 15-17 November £264 Hosted by Elaine Duff Masterpointed Duplicate Key Card Blackwood and 19-21 July £218 Elstead Hotel Slams

Olde Barn Hotel, Grantham 13-15 September £218 8-10 March £228 Inn on the Prom Marston, Lincs NG32 2HT 25-27 October £218 Hosted by Hilary Levett 1-3 February £258 Counting Defence Elstead Hotel 26-28 April £238 Suit Establishment 28-30 May £264 22-24 February £218 Hosted by Will Parsons Pre-Emptive Bidding 31 May - 2 June £218 21-23 June £238 Olde Barn Hotel 4-6 October £218 Hand Evaluation Hosted by Will Parsons 5-7 July £264 8-10 November £218 Supporting Minors Olde Barn Hotel Olde Barn Hotel 1-3 November £264 Chatsworth Hotel 8-10 February £218 Defence as Partner of the Worthing BN11 3DU 18-20 January £208 Leader Finding Slams 8-10 March £208 Hosted by Gary Conrad Two Bridges Hotel 14-16 June £218 17-19 May £238 3-5 April from £349* 26-28 July £229 Drawing Trumps Better Finessing Hosted by John Ronan Masterpointed Duplicate 20-22 September £238 Trouville Hotel 11-13 October £218 Further into the Auction 15-19 February from £399** 15-17 November £218 Hosted by Ray Hutchinson Competitive Bidding For tutorial events in October onwards, Please note there are no seminars, set Blunsdon House Hotel call the Mr Bridge office or see individual **Price includes ferry fare for two Swindon SN26 7AS hands or prizes at these events. adverts. adults in one car

Details & Bookings ( 01483 489961 www.mrbridge.co.uk *Subject to availability. Single supplement applies to all rooms at Two Bridges & Blunsdon House

CHARITY EVENTS DECLARER

JANUARY 2019 JULY 2019 25 St. NEOTS CHORAL SOCIETY 12 Gt BARFORD CHURCH PLAY St Neots Outdoor Bowling Village Hall, Gt Barford, Club, PE19 1AP. £15. Beds, MK44 3HA. £15. Janet White Gill Wilkes QUIZ ( 01480 392322 ( 01234 870428 [email protected] [email protected] by David Huggett or Graham Evans (Answers on page 39) ( 01832 293693 FEBRUARY 2019 ou are South as declarer playing or teams. graham.westbrae@ In each case what is your play strategy? 26 St NEOTS ROTARY CLUB uwclub.net Y John Shaw Memorial Day.

St Neots Outdoor Bowling Club, PE19 1AP. £16. AUGUST 2019 Val Corrigan. 9 St IVES ROTARY CLUB ( 01480 213682 Village Hall at Hemingford 1. ♠ A 7 5 3. ♠ K J 6 5 Abbots, PE28 9AH. £16. ♥ 6 5 3 ♥ K J 6 Sue O’Donovan MARCH 2019 ♦ K Q 7 ♦ A 9 7 ( 01487 822701 ♣ Q J 7 5 ♣ 7 5 3 8 MS THERAPY CENTRE or 07733033706 Village Hall, Hemingford N N Abbots, PE28 9AH. £15. SEPTEMBER 2019 W E W E Jenny Lea S S ( 01480 455810 13 Gt BARFORD BOWLS CLUB ♠ Q J 10 8 6 4 ♠ A 3 2 21 R.N.L.I. Gt Barford Bowls Club, MK44 3BG. Tickets £15. ♥ A K 2 ♥ A Q 2 Village Hall, Roxton, Beryl Seymour ♦ J 6 ♦ K Q 10 2 MK44 3EB. £16. ( 01767 449116 ♣ K 4 ♣ A K 6 Bill Bickerdike berylseymour3@ ( 01767 682607 gmail.com or 07850668468 or Pat Martin-Moran [email protected] You are declarer in 4♠ and You are declarer in 6NT. ( 01234 870198 West leads the ♥Q. How do West leads the ♥10. How do charles.martin_moran you plan the play? you plan the play? APRIL 2019 @btinternet.com 25 LOCAL CHARITIES St Mary’s Church, Eaton OCTOBER 2019 Socon, PE19 8EJ. £15. 4 LOCAL CHARITIES Jean Searle ♠ ♠ St Neots Outdoor Bowling 2. K 7 3 4. Q J 6 ( 01480 212298 Club, PE19 1AP. £15. ♥ A 9 6 5 ♥ J 7 5 Jean Searle ♦ A 7 3 ♦ K J 10 8 7 MAY 2019 ( 01480 212298 ♣ 8 5 4 ♣ 6 4 10 CHILDREN’S CHARITIES N N Doddington Village Hall, NOVEMBER 2019 W E W E March, PE15 0TG. £16. S S Val Topliss 8 COPLE PARISH CHURCH ( 01354 653696 Cople Village Hall, ♠ A Q 6 2 ♠ A 4 2 Cople, MK44 3TT. £15. ♥ 7 ♥ A 10 6 Jane Peeke ♦ K Q J 8 6 4 ♦ Q 9 2 JUNE 2019 ( 01234 838379 ♣ J 3 ♣ A K 8 5 14 Gt STUKELEY CONSERVATIVE [email protected] ASSOCIATION & HUNTS or Julie Scherrer COMMUNITY CANCER ( 01234 838623 You are declarer in 5♦ and NURSING TEAM [email protected] You are declarer in 3NT. Village Hall, Gt Stukeley, West leads three rounds of West leads the ♠7. How do clubs. How do you plan the PE28 4AL. £15. To advertise your charity you plan the play? play? Sheila Stephenson events, please email [email protected] ( 01480 457338

BRIDGE January 2019 Page 15 House of Lords v House of Commons, 2018 by Shireen Mohandes

ince 1975 the annual match has A normal auction sees North declaring So 3NT is not a great contract, but been an opportunity for the two 4♠, which is simple to play but fails as it is a better contract than 4♠. For the Houses of Parliament to com- the cards lie. Declarer loses two aces contract to make, the diamond Spete. The running score was 23 wins and two trump tricks. will need to be successful. Added to to the Lords, to 20 wins to the Com- that, either the spades must come in mons. The day of the match, 1st of North South for 5 tricks, or, if that is not the case, November, 2018, was an important Pass the ♠K needs to be in the West hand. day for parliamentary business, so 1♠ 2NT amongst the players you’ll see a couple 4♠ All Pass of substitutes, who, I can assure you, Board 7 were delighted to help out. But what about 3NT? This was reached Dealer South. Game All. The Lords took an early lead, and at two tables, declared by South, once ♠ A 7 5 4 3 2 at the halfway point they were 32 with the ♠7 led, and once with a small ♥ 10 up, after 12 boards. The Commons club. ♦ 3 team rallied in the second half and Let’s look at the play, if clubs are ♣ 10 9 8 6 2 the match ultimately hinged on the led and continued. Declarer has 4 ♠ Q 9 ♠ 8 6 result of board 24 on the final table. top tricks after the defence continue ♥ K J 3 N ♥ 9 6 4 W E ♦ ♦ Tension mounted as word got around clubs at trick two. The very real threat K 10 9 5 4 S J 7 6 2 the waiting players that the contract of three club tricks and the ♥A to ♣ K J 5 ♣ A Q 4 3 was a doubled slam. If it had been lose means that declarer must be ♠ K J 10 defeated the Lords would have won, optimistic and make some favourable ♥ A Q 8 7 5 2 but when it was made the Commons assumptions. Also, a close look at ♦ A Q 8 had completed an unlikely comeback, the entries means that some careful ♣ 7 and retained the trophy. planning is needed. This year the match was generously sponsored by Baroness Henig and Baroness Byford.

Board 3 Dealer South. E/W Game. ♠ A 6 5 4 3 2 ♥ K 10 ♦ A Q J 8 ♣ 8 ♠ K 10 9 7 ♠ 8 ♥ J 3 N ♥ A 9 5 4 2 W E ♦ K 6 2 S ♦ 7 3 ♣ 9 7 6 2 ♣ A 10 5 4 3 ♠ Q J ♥ Q 8 7 6 ♦ 10 9 5 4 (left to right) ♣ K Q J The winning team, The Commons: Evan Harris, Michael Mates, Robin Squire, Bob Blackman (Captain), Tommy Sheppard, Tony McWalter, David Harris, Robin Lawson, Steven Barnett

Page 16 BRIDGE January 2019 One possible route to 4♠ on Board 7: to 4♠. This is a , showing a good bid, skating on legislative thin ice. This hand for spades. North, having bid all silenced North, and East, David Harris, West North East South four of his points already, will sign off chipped in with 3♦. This, in turn, 1♥ in game. silenced South: hard to push on with Pass 1♠ Pass 3♥ If we count losers, things look quite such a poor suit at the vulnerability. Pass 3♠ Pass 4♣* good: one in clubs, and one in trumps The contract was defeated by two Pass 4♠ All Pass unless they break. How about tricks? tricks when the defence started with a 4♣* = showing first or second round control Where to find ten of them? heart to the ace and a . Although in clubs Sitting North-South, Steven the ♦Q is in a favourable position for Barnett & Robin Lawson and a finesse, declarer needs two entries, It is OK for North to respond with Richard Cumming-Bruce & Baroness and there’s only one because of the fewer than 6 HCP on a hand with 6 Blackstone, bid and made game in club layout – even if South’s ♦Q were spades, headed by the ace. South has an spades. At both tables East led a small a small diamond, the defence could awkward rebid, and 3♥ does get across diamond, a good lead for them as it arrange a club ruff. a good hand with six hearts (not game happens, because it attacks a suit that’s forcing, as North has only responded an to dummy and it doesn’t get at the 1-level). Some modern players declarer any nearer to his trick target. Board 19 might prefer 3♦ or even a conservative One line is to play for trumps to Dealer South. E/W Game. (small “c”) 2♦, which could work well come in, and ♥K to come down in ♠ 7 6 3 2 so long as North doesn’t pass, perhaps three rounds: ♥A, heart ruff, two ♥ Q J 9 8 with a 5-1-3-4 shape. rounds of trumps finding the queen ♦ 10 9 After ♥3 , North repeats his spades, dropping, heart ruff finding the suit ♣ Q 6 5 and South now bids 4♣ “on the way” 3-3. Then ruff a club for your twelfth ♠ A 5 ♠ K Q J 10 trick. Easy game, isn’t it? That’s similar ♥ K 10 4 N ♥ A 3 2 W E to the line that Richard Cumming- ♦ Void ♦ K Q 8 5 South’s Rebid on board 7 S Bruce chose to play. ♣ K J 10 9 8 4 3 2 ♣ A 7 Somewhat curious about what Of course, if some of that doesn’t ♠ 9 8 4 others thought of South’s rebid, I work, things won’t be so rosy. If ♥ 7 6 5 put this rebid problem as a poll on trumps don’t break, you might go ♦ A J 7 6 4 3 2 www.bridgewinners.com, asking a three down, scoring only five trumps ♣ Void variety of players from all around and the two aces. the world. About 55% of players Instead, how about playing a club chose to rebid 2♦. Not far behind at trick two, threatening a cross-ruff? At Baroness Henig’s table, the auction the next most popular bid was 3♥. Two aces, three ruffs in dummy, and went like this: American expert five trumps in hand would be enough. explained “2♦ appears to be the best Or, if trumps don’t break but clubs do: West North East South of a bad lot. If it passes out, partner two aces, three ruffs in dummy, four Baroness Tommy Lord Bob is overwhelmingly likely to have short trumps in hand and a long club. Or Henig Sheppard Howard Blackman hearts, and opposite eg: even two aces, three ruffs in dummy, 3♦ four trumps in hand, and ♥Q if that 4♣ Pass 4♦ Pass happens to get set up. 5♣ Pass 6♣ All Pass ♠ A x x x To prevent those outcomes, the ♥ x defence will probably have to play a ♦ x x x x trump at trick three. But that will give ♣ Q J x x you a free finesse, and it will mean that you don’t have a trump loser, so you could revert to the plan of setting I’d rather declare 2♦ than 3♥. Of up hearts but with more chance of course, I might miss a 5-3 spade fit, success. Or, probably better, you but 2♠ and 3♠ are horribly flawed on could win the ♠K in dummy and then both strength and flexibility grounds, continue with your crossruff plan, and so I’m committed to taking that risk.” hope for either trumps to break or for Brits Sally Brock, Barry Myers and the clubs to be 4-3. also voted for the same All in all, the more flexible play of rebid as Chris. There were quite a few a club at trick two seems rather better top players who did not share their than betting the parliamentary shirt view, preferring 3♥, and many did on the majors. find the rebid awkward. At one table Tony McWalter, sitting West, overcalled 2♦ at his first turn to Ruth Henig

BRIDGE January 2019 Page 17 After South opened ♦3 , West might bid 3♣ at his third turn over 2NT, a have overcalled 5♣, but her 4♣ did the Board 21 descriptive bid that Julian Pottage job well enough. Dealer North. N/S Game. remarked that he liked, and thought The news that East, Lord Howard, ♠ A J 4 2 it was arguably better than the had a diamond control was not that ♥ 10 5 2 commentary booklet’s recommended exciting, as Baroness Henig had one ♦ 9 7 3 bid. It got across the shape of the herself. But Lord Howard had the ♣ K Q 5 hand. West, Baroness Henig, armed crown jewels, and confidently bid the ♠ Q 9 6 ♠ K 8 3 with her doubleton club holding, and small slam. ♥ K 8 7 N ♥ A 4 strong cards in the other suits, was W E ♦ ♦ As it happens, the hard-to-bid grand A 10 5 4 2 S K 8 encouraged to bid 3NT – the point is excellent, but it goes off on the ♣ 10 9 ♣ A J 7 4 3 2 being that if the clubs mature to 5 or normal line of playing clubs from the ♠ 10 7 5 6 tricks, the red suit high honours top. ♥ Q J 9 6 3 would help with immediate top tricks. For those keen on the odds, when ♦ Q J 6 Bob Blackman, sitting South, led diamonds divide 7-2, and East-West ♣ 8 6 ♥Q, which declarer took in the West hold the clubs that they do: hand (dummy) and set up clubs by starting with the ♣10. With the clubs • 24% that North has 3 clubs Recommended Acol auction, playing lying favourably, nine tricks were easy. • 32% that South has either ♣Q or 12-14 NT Along with them, Baroness Byford & ♣Q-x the Earl of Caithness (declarer), were West North East South the two partnerships for the Lords that So despite South’s advertised 7-card Pass 1♣ Pass bid and made 3NT. suit, that still doesn’t tip the odds in 1♦ Pass 1NT Pass Finally, let’s turn to board 24, which favour of taking a first round club 2NT Pass 3NT All Pass you heard about in the attention- finesse against North. grabbing teaser at the start of this These figures come from Richard A bit of an awkward rebid problem for article. Pavlicek’s excellent online suit-break East, a half-way house between a 2♣ calculator, at http://www.rpbridge.net/ and 3♣ rebid. A 1NT rebid gets the rpca.htm point count across well. At all four tables slam was bid. The The 2018 match players pair who elected to bid 6NT (from the West North East South East seat) were defeated after the ♦A Baroness Tommy Lord Bob House of Commons team: lead, when declarer played clubs from Henig Sheppard Howard Blackman the top. Pass 1♣ Pass Bob Blackman (capt) Partnerships successfully bidding 1♦ Pass 1NT Pass and Tommy Sheppard and making the slam: Tony McWalter 2NT Pass 3♣ Pass and Evan Harris, Michael Mates and 3NT All Pass David Harris/Evan Harris Robin Squire; Baroness Henig and and Tony McWalter Lord Howard. Sitting East, Lord Howard, chose to Steven Barnett and Robin Lawson

Michael Mates and Robin Squire

House of Lords team:

Baroness Henig (capt) and Lord Howard

Lord Hamilton and Shireen Mohandes

Baroness Blackstone and Richard Cumming-Bruce

Baroness Byford The winners of the best play award were Baroness Henig & Lord Howard for their bidding on board 19 when they reached 6♣. Standing in the middle is England and Earl of Caithness International, Tom Townsend, the bridge columnist for The Daily Telegraph.

Page 18 BRIDGE January 2019 Board 24 as West ruffed with her high trump. Dealer West. Love All. And – that was that. As it happens, BERNARD the slam makes even on a heart lead, if West North East South you read West for that trump holding. Baroness Steven Earl of Robin I will leave it to you to work out the MAGEE Byford Barnett Caithness Lawson details of the play. Pass 1♠ 3♦ 3♥ You may wonder about South’s 3♥ TUTORIAL Pass 4NT Pass 5♥ bid. The partnership was not playing Pass 5NT Pass 6♦ negative doubles at the 3-level so, Pass 6♠ Pass Pass being put out by the diamond pre- DVDs ??? empt, he found the bid of 3♥. 5♥= 2 aces The recommended Acol auction 6♦ = 1 king (with the opponents silent) is: SET 5 25 Defence as Partner West North East South of the Leader ♠ Q J 9 4 Pass 1♠ Pass 2♣ 26 Aggressive Bidding ♥ K 10 4 2 N Pass 4♠ Pass 4NT at Duplicate Pairs W E ♦ J 2 Pass 5♣ Pass 6♠ S 27 Strong Opening Bids ♣ 10 8 3 All Pass 28 Take-Out Doubles 5♣ = 3 Key cards (either three aces, or two 29 Suit Establishment aces and the trump king) in Suit Contracts Your bid as West? 30 / Defending Many Norths may choose to rebid 3♠, Against a 1NT Opening West chose to double the slam and that would be very acceptable. contract. If the trumps break 2-2, the slam SET 6 is very likely to make. Although The full deal was: there are potential red-suit losers, 31 Counting Defence arrangements can be made to limit 32 Extra Tricks £25 them to just one (opportunities lie in No-Trumps per DVD ♠ A K 10 8 7 5 3 in setting up clubs, or establishing a 33 Supporting Partner ♥ Q 7 heart trick for a discard, depending on 34 Finessing ♦ A 4 the earlier play). If trumps are 3-1 you 35 Bidding ♣ 5 2 still have chances, though you need Distributional Hands ♠ Q J 9 4 ♠ Void more of them to work. But with the 36 Coping with Pre-Empts ♥ K 10 4 2 N ♥ 9 5 3 actual layout, many declarers in slam W E ♦ J 2 ♦ K 9 8 7 6 5 3 S would be defeated if they had no prior ♣ 10 8 3 ♣ Q 6 4 knowledge of the trump layout. SET 7 ♠ 6 2 This was the only table where slam 37 More Signalling ♥ A J 8 6 was bid, and so making the doubled 38 4-4-4-1 Hands ♦ Q 10 slam (non vulnerable score of 1210) 39 Drawing Trumps ♣ A K J 9 7 led the Commons to victory. n 40 Five-Card Majors The Elizabeth Tower in the Palace 41 Fundamentals North (declarer) played West for all the of Westminster was built from the of Defence inside outwards, meaning that no 42 Supporting Minors outstanding cards, and surely a trump scaffolding was visible to the outside holding to challenge him. The opening world. The foundation stone was laid lead made by the Earl of Caithness in 1843. Its foundations were dug SET 8 ♦ 3m deep. It was finally completed in was 9, thinking that partner is void 43 Teams of Four £105 in diamonds, and seeking a ruff. In 1859. There was no official opening set of 6 ceremony for the Elizabeth Tower, 44 Game Tries fact, the double was seeking a heart possibly because its completion had 45 Disrupting Declarer lead. After this start, declarer put up been so delayed. 46 Defending Slams the ♦Q and led a trump. West split Why is the tower’s bell called Big her honours, and the ♠A was played. Ben? The most likely explanation is 47 Overcalling Declarer played a club to dummy and it was named after Sir Benjamin Hall, 48 Pressing the Defence took a trump finesse, so that he now First Commissioner for Works, whose name is inscribed on the bell. Another only had one trump loser. Now he Mr Bridge Mail Order ♠ theory is that it was named after Ben cashed the K, ruffed the clubs good, Caunt, a champion heavyweight ( 01483 489961 ♥ played a heart to the A, and played a boxer. (Source: www.parliament.uk) www.mrbridge.co.uk/shop winning club to discard his heart loser,

BRIDGE January 2019 Page 19 A History of Playing Cards: Part Twenty Five by Paul Bostock Playing Cards from Japan, China and Russia

hinese playing cards are the earliest known, possibly Cdating back to the tenth or eleventh centuries. This would be expected, as the Chinese were the first to make paper and card. However, none of these sets is the ancestor of playing cards in the West – the structures are too different. China has several types, one based on paper money Chinese money suited playing cards. Image by courtesy of wopc.com (these would be the earliest, a natural evolution from printing the money itself), others based on dominoes, chess, mahjong and so on. The money-suited cards are long and narrow strips, printed in black and white and in three suits with 30 different cards. These 30 cards are repeated four times to make a full set of 120. Traditional cards aside, China does of course produce standard international cards for bridge, poker and so on. Indeed, as in many manufacturing processes, a substantial proportion of the world’s production comes from China and is typically very competitively priced. Japanese playing-cards also come in several varieties. The most conventional are mekuri with four suits of twelve cards and kabu with one set of twelve repeated four times. Another popular set, hyakunin isshu, is known as ‘100 poets’ and it is used for a specific matching game. A set typically contains 200 cards: half show a poet’s portrait and part of a poem, the other half have the rest of the poem and the challenge is to pair a given first card with its matching ending. The poems are from antiquity and are part of Japanese heritage. The third set in Japan links the two (it can be used for card games and matching games) and is the most popular today – hana fuda or flower cards. These are a visual treat – see the Japanese Hana Fuda cards, see text for a full description. picture left. There are 48 cards, this time representing twelve

Page 20 BRIDGE January 2019 sets of four, one for each month of the year. Each set is named after a flower or plant that typifies the month: pine, plum blossom, cherry blossom, wisteria, iris, peony, clover, eulalia, chrysanthemum, maple, willow and paulownia. Physically, the cards are quite small (54 x 33 mm) and also thick (1mm each) so that a full deck is almost as tall as it is long and the cards feel more like tiles. For most months, there are two plainer cards ranking lowest, then one card that has a paper banner used for poetry (sometimes the banner has a written inscription) and the last highest-ranking card often has an animal or some other symbol added. The rather bare ‘eularia’ cards show wild grass on a hill, in this edition the grass is black and the hill is dark grey and barely shows. This is typical and the bare outline, suggestive of a shaved head, gives it the nickname ‘the priest’. There are some early Russian cards, but the State Printing Works in St Petersburg began in 1817 and production took off after 1843, when the Works invited the London firm of De La Rue to make improvements and to introduce lithographic printing. The youngest of De La Rue’s brothers was sent, and duly ordered the same machinery, inks and paper stock from London. By 1847, the factory was making 4 million packs a year, four times as many as before.

Russian Cards c1870 using a manufacturing process from De La Rue.

The last pack illustrated was issued in 1967 to commemorate the Works’ 150th anniversary. Aside from the striking gold edges and black backgrounds, the style is very typical of Russian packs, with realistic portraits on the court cards. Russian cards are readily identified by the Cyrillic script on the indices. n

150th Anniversary Cards by the State Printing Works, St Petersburg, 1967.

The author is a Court Assistant in the Worshipful Company of Makers of Playing Cards – see www. makersofplayingcards.co.uk. Many more sets of cards are illustrated on the author’s website www.plainbacks.com

BRIDGE January 2019 Page 21

Catching Up with Sally Brock

ast month when I left you I was Dealer East. Game All. We lost a rather scary 25 IMPs in the celebrating winning the World ♠ 4 third set, but put on 40 in the fourth to Women’s Teams in Orlando. I ♥ A K 9 7 6 3 win comfortably. Lwent on to play in the World Mixed ♦ 8 6 5 The final was against a tough Teams. The captain was American ♣ A 10 4 American team: Melanie Manfield, Alison Wilson, playing with Rico van ♠ 9 8 6 3 2 ♠ K Q 10 William Pettis, Michael and Debbie Prooijen from the Netherlands, more ♥ Q 8 5 N ♥ J 2 Rosenberg, and Beth Palmer (who W E ♦ 9 4 ♦ J 10 2 Dutch interest with Magda Tichá and S was our non-playing captain in the Richard Ritmeijer, and finally yours ♣ Q 9 8 ♣ K 7 6 3 2 women’s event) and Bill Cole. It was truly playing with the American Chris ♠ A J 7 5 very close for three-quarters of the Willenken. Chris and I had practised ♥ 10 4 match but everything went wrong quite a lot online before the event, ♦ A K Q 7 3 for us in the final set and we lost 50- and seemed to get on well. We had ♣ J 5 odd IMPs and that was that. Still, also played a one-day pairs event in once we had recovered from our Philadelphia when Fiona and I were disappointment, we did have to agree there back in March. However, we West North East South that finishing runners up was a pretty were still rather a scratch partnership. Pass 1♦ good achievement. The qualifying rounds went well Pass 1♥ Pass 1♠ It was certainly nice to get home after enough. When one pair was not so Pass 2♣ Pass 2♦ all that bridge. I was on the same flight good, the other covered for them. Pass 2♥ Pass 3♥ as my Austrian friend Jovi, which was We never looked in danger of not Pass 3♠ Pass 4♦ fun. She showed me how to get a row of qualifying, and in fact finished third. Pass 4♥ Pass 4♠ seats all to myself! You first check that So, we were in the round of 64. There Pass 4NT Pass 5♥ the plane is not full (otherwise it’s not followed four 28-board knock-out Pass 6♦ All Pass worth the bother). Then you ask for a matches. The first we won easily, seat at the back. You make sure you are the second we recovered a 29 half- We play fourth suit as forcing to the last to board, and then instead of time deficit to win by 4, the third we game, which gave us plenty of room to going to your allocated seat you can had a comfortable win over a strong explore. When my partner signed off see which seats are empty. There were Monaco/US/Sweden combination after a couple of cue-bids, I thought several rows of empty seats right at the captained by Krzysztof Martens, and I had enough for another move, and back so we each sat in the middle seat. in the quarter-finals, after a small loss was quickly in slam – but at least we It makes a lot of difference if you can in the first set, put on a lot of IMPs in were in the better denomination. lie down across a whole row! the second to beat McAllister, another West led a low club and ducking that It was quiet for a little while. The strong US/Scandinavia combo. seemed my best play. East won and first weekend home I organised a The semi-final was actually easier returned a club, removing the entry training weekend for my Under 26 – against Zhaoheng, one of several to dummy’s hearts, but giving me a women – though on the Sunday left Chinese teams that reached the second club trick. I discarded a spade David Burn in charge and went to knock-out stages. We were 45 IMPs up on the ♣10, played a spade to my ace visit my grandchildren who seem at half-time, partly due to this rather and ruffed a spade, came to hand with to be thriving. Most of my online hairy slam: a diamond and ruffed my last spade. sessions started again, as they have to Now I needed to get back to hand to stop when I am away unless I am in Bridge with Angela draw trumps. Luckily the ♥A-K stood some favourable time zone (going East up and when East had the doubleton works a lot better than going West). A beginners guide to Acol heart and three trumps, I was home. And it was great to be with family and £7.95 ( 01483 489961 Phew! Perhaps one (or both) of us did Barry after a long break. Then I am on a bit too much in the bidding! the move again … n

BRIDGE January 2019 Page 23 Robin Hood's Bridge Adventures by David Bird Gisborne’s Untimely Analysis

he Sheriff ran a finger down his he should have raised the Sheriff’s The Sheriff shook his head scorecard. Despite two or three spades? ‘May I ask a question?’ he said. dismissively. ‘I’m wasting my time, blunders from Gisborne, their ‘Be silent!’ snarled Gisborne. ‘How playing against this riff-raff,’ he Tscore was well over 60%, as usual. Still, dare you interrupt the Lord Sheriff declared. the standard was so varied in the Cas- when he is planning the play?’ Two rounds later, the Sheriff faced tle duplicate, it sometimes required a The Sheriff won the trump lead and Cecil and Jonas Rosen, the 17-year- score well over 65% to win the session. drew trumps with a second round. He old twin sons of Nottingham’s top ‘It’s an honour to play against you, then ran the ♦Q, losing to West’s king. cloth merchant. They were known to my Lord,’ declared Gostyn Waites, a When a diamond was returned, the play a sound game. The Sheriff caught kitchen porter who had worked in the Sheriff scored tricks with the ♦J and Gisborne’s eye, warning him not to let castle kitchen for some twenty years. ♦A. His next move was to lead the ♥4 his limited powers of attention drop ‘Indeed so,’ agreed his partner, a towards dummy. against these opponents. much younger kitchen worker. He had Gostyn Waites had no wish to defeat been primed in what his duty would the contract. Why would anyone put a be, should they happen to play against much sought after job in the kitchens Dealer North. Game All. the Sheriff. at risk, just to finish slightly closer to ♠ A 5 The players drew their cards for this halfway in the finishing list? Now, how ♥ A J 10 8 4 deal: could he give himself the best chance ♦ A 7 of conceding the contract? ♣ Q J 10 6 Waites went in with the ♥A and ♠ 9 8 7 ♠ 6 4 Dealer South. N/S Game. cashed the ♣A. He then returned a ♥ 6 N ♥ K 9 7 5 2 ♠ A J 9 5 ♦ K 10 8 5 4 3 2 W E ♦ J 9 6 club, pleased to see that the Sheriff S ♥ K 7 6 held the king. The result was exactly ♣ 8 4 ♣ K 9 3 ♦ Q J 6 as he had intended, minus 620. He had ♠ K Q J 10 3 2 ♣ 8 7 5 read the cards well. ♥ Q 3 ♠ 4 2 ♠ 8 6 ‘You followed my play, Gisborne?’ ♦ Q ♥ A J 10 5 N ♥ 9 8 3 2 demanded the Sheriff. ‘If this hopeless ♣ A 7 5 2 W E ♦ K 9 2 ♦ 8 7 4 ♥ S player goes in with the A, I have a ♣ A Q 4 3 ♣ J 10 9 6 club discard on the ♥K. If he plays ♠ K Q 10 7 3 low instead, dummy’s ♥K wins and I West North East South ♥ Q 4 return to my hand with a trump. I can Cecil Guy of Jonas The ♦ A 10 5 3 then discard a heart on the ♦10 and Rosen Gisborne Rosen Sheriff ♣ K 2 endplay him with a second round of 1♥ Pass 1♠ hearts.’ Pass 2♣ Pass 2♦ This was too much for Gisborne to Dbl Pass Pass 3♠ West North East South follow. ‘A wonderful line, my Lord,’ he Pass 4NT Pass 5♦ Gostyn Guy of Arthur The replied. Pass 6♠ All Pass Waites Gisborne Legge Sheriff The Sheriff turned his gaze to 1♠ the hapless West player. ‘You find Cecil Rosen, who was distinguishable Dbl 2NT Pass 4♠ it amusing to deprive me of the from his brother only by his neater All Pass opportunity to make a good play?’ grooming, led the ♠9 against the small ‘No, indeed, my Lord,’ Waites slam. Gostyn Waites led the ♠2 and down replied. ‘I had to go in with the ♥A to The Sheriff won with dummy’s went the dummy. He gasped as he saw stop dummy’s ♥K from making. Then ace and drew trumps in two further the 4-card spade support. Gisborne I played ace and another club in case rounds. He then ran the ♥Q to East’s had 4-3-3-3 shape, yes, but surely my partner held the ♣K.’ king. With no appreciable delay, Jonas

Page 24 BRIDGE January 2019 Rosen returned the ♣9. ‘None the better from playing down.’ The Sheriff counted his tricks: six against two evil-smelling serfs at the The Sheriff winced at this lack of trumps, four hearts unless the suit last table,’ she replied. ‘I forgot to bring tact. Did Gisborne not realise who broke 5-1, and two minor-suit aces. my silver scent bottle. The Castle game their opponents were? With a likely three discards available is intolerable without such assistance.’ ‘Others went down?’ exclaimed on the hearts, it would be foolish to ‘Quite so,’ agreed the Sheriff. Lady DeClerc. ‘How can this be? I had finesse against the ♣K. He rose with ‘Your support of our game is much to unblock the ♥Q to give Cedric two the ♣A and played a second heart, appreciated by everyone.’ heart tricks. I thought it would be a not enthralled to see West show out. The players drew their cards for this good one for us.’ With only two discards available on board: ‘It was an excellent unblock, my dummy’s hearts, he could not avoid a Lady,’ said the Sheriff. ‘Few would club loser. The slam went one down. have found it.’ Gisborne retrieved East’s cards and Dealer South. Love All. ‘Perhaps you should win the first thumbed through them. ‘The king ♠ A 8 4 round of clubs with the ace,’ suggested of clubs was onside, my Lord,’ he ♥ A K Gisborne. reported. ♦ 6 5 The Sheriff sent a warning glare The Sheriff’s eyes blazed. ‘And your ♣ 9 7 6 5 4 2 across the table. Hold your tongue, point is?’ he demanded. ♠ 9 5 2 ♠ J 10 7 3 man, for Heaven’s sake! ‘Well, I know his ♣9 may have put ♥ J 10 6 2 N ♥ Q 8 5 Gisborne was pleased to display his ♦ 10 9 7 2 W E ♦ Q J 8 you off, my Lord,’ Gisborne continued, S expertise in this illustrious company. ‘but if you ignore the youngster’s ♣ 10 8 ♣ A Q 3 ‘Yes, you return the queen of hearts,’ deception and take the club finesse, ♠ K Q 6 he persisted, ‘and declarer has to win you make the slam.’ ♥ 9 7 4 3 the next club with the bare king. He ‘May the Saints spare me your inane ♦ A K 4 3 has only one entry left to dummy and comments!’ cried the Sheriff. ‘Unless ♣ K J cannot enjoy any more club winners.’ the hearts were 5-1, I had three club Lord DeClerc turned towards the discards. Did that obvious point Sheriff. ‘Your partner has the manners escape you?’ West North East South of an ill-bred oaf,’ he declared. ‘Is it Gisborne surveyed the score-sheet. Lord Guy of Lady The his custom to insult the card play of ‘No, my Lord, but everyone else seems DeClerc Gisborne DeClerc Sheriff noblewomen?’ to have made twelve tricks.’ 1NT ‘His coarse behaviour is inexcusable,’ Cecil Rosen leaned forwards. Pass 3NT All Pass replied the Sheriff. ‘Please accept my ‘Perhaps you could play the ace apologies on his behalf. He spends and queen of hearts, my Lord,’ he Lord DeClerc led the ♥2 and the too much time in the company of the suggested. ‘Then you would discover Sheriff won with dummy’s ace. He had Castle’s soldiery.’ the bad break in good time. You could seven top tricks at his disposal and Lord DeClerc sat back in his chair fall back on the club finesse.’ would need to add two more from the to consider the matter. ‘Should you ‘I’m surrounded by idiots,’ thundered clubs. What lie of the suit would that be invited to our estate again, be sure the Sheriff. ‘Why would I surrender a require? not to arrive with this boorish man in heart trick at matchpoints, when there The Sheriff concluded that prospects your party.’ was every chance of making thirteen were grim. Still, if either East or West The Sheriff bowed his head in tricks?’ held a doubleton ♣Q-10, it could be agreement. ‘You can rely on me, Cecil Rosen nodded and looked done. ‘Small club,’ he said. my Lord. Such a faux pas would be towards his twin brother. ‘That’s true,’ When the ♣3 appeared from Lady inexcusable.’ n he replied. ‘We can show the hand to DeClerc, it seemed that he would our father when we get back. He’ll need West to hold ♣Q-10. The Sheriff know what the right play was.’ played the ♣K from his hand, and Not long afterwards, Lord and Lady West followed with the ♣8. On the DeClerc arrived at the Sheriff’s table. next trick the ♣J pinned West’s ♣10 The Sheriff was a frequent guest at their and Lady DeClerc won with the queen. palatial home, which was surrounded She dislodged dummy’s ♥K with her by fine hunting territory. While it was ♥Q and won the next round of clubs not the Sheriff’s custom to hold back with the ace. A heart return gave her in his play against them, he certainly husband two tricks in that suit, but the had no intention of upsetting such game was home. The Sheriff had lost valued friends. just two clubs and two hearts. ‘You look well, my dear,’ said the Gisborne entered the result on the Sheriff, as the pale-faced Lady DeClerc scoresheet. ‘It’s a good one for us, my took her seat. Lord,’ he announced. ‘Many have gone

BRIDGE January 2019 Page 25

Fireside Chats with Mike Lawrence The Power of Spot Cards Part Eight

pot cards, as noted in this series, You are on lead against 4♠ after this already shown up with the ♠8. If he has are important. I once played in unusual sequence. Two spades was the nine too, there is a way. 2♠ and at trick ten was faced with weak, showing six spades and 5-9 Play the ace on South’s ♠10. Do not Sthis trump layout. points. You ask what 4♠ showed and fall for South’s little deception. North explains that it has not been On your ace, East follows with the discussed. He does allow that South three. Given that there is only one hope ♠ — ought to have a very good suit for this for the defence, you lead another heart. sequence. Do you know what you are hoping for? N ♠ 3 W E ♠ — You lead the ♥A and East plays the Your partner, aware that you have S ten. What now? a purpose in leading hearts, ruffs the ♠ 4 2 It looks as though East has a fourth round with the ♠9, forcing out doubleton heart but there is a tiny South’s ♠K. chance that he has a singleton heart. What now? East was on lead and he led a suit that I With nothing else looking hopeful, What now is that your ♠7 is going to was ruffing. West was ruffing too and he you continue with the ♥K. Both East be the setting trick. Here is the entire earned a trick with the three of spades. I and South follow, meaning that they layout. wish I had the entire hand to report but are both out of hearts. it was too long ago. I only remember Where now? Hint. Look at your the ending. There is a message here, spade suit. ♠ 2 however. Trumps are important, You have to learn what to hope ♥ Q J 6 3 something no-one will argue with. The for in many situations. Here is what ♦ A K Q 6 bigger they are, the more potential they happens in the next two tricks. See if ♣ A K 5 3 have to become tricks. Take the A-7-4 it helps you spot the solution. ♠ A 7 4 ♠ 9 8 3 of spades and call them trumps. Would West leads the ♥2, dummy plays ♥ A K 9 7 2 N ♥ 10 4 you expect more than one trump trick? the queen, and East ruffs with the ♠8. ♦ 8 4 2 W E ♦ 10 9 7 5 3 S South overruffs with the♠ Q and leads ♣ J 6 ♣ 10 7 4 the ♠10. ♠ K Q J 10 6 5 Dealer South. Game All. Any ideas? ♥ 8 5 ♠ 2 One thing is clear. South does not ♦ J ♥ Q J 6 3 have any losers in the minor suits. If ♣ Q 9 8 2 ♦ A K Q 6 you are going to set 4♠, the setting ♣ A K 5 3 trick has to come from the trump suit. ♠ A 7 4 You could play low on the ♠10 hoping South’s bidding was a little eccentric ♥ A K 9 7 2 N for East to have the king, but in all but hardly awful. He had a super suit W E ♦ 8 4 2 S honesty, is it possible that he has it? that looked as though it would be safe ♣ J 6 South opened and jumped to game. against most layouts. Oddly, on this He may not be bidding the way you hand trumps were 3-3 yet the spade suit think he should but you should still was not safe against what happened. West North East South credit him for the ♠K-Q-J-10. As you can see, East’s ♠9 and ♠8 2♠ If he has them, is there a way to set each forced out an honour from South, Pass 2NT Pass 4♠ 4♠? Actually, there is. If South has which meant that West’s ♠7 was the All Pass six spades, East has three. East has setting trick. ■

BRIDGE January 2019 Page 27 Seven Days by Sally Brock

After dinner is the Pre-Congress vulnerability, but he is punished THURSDAY Pairs, and this time I play with John mercilessly. Barry doubles and starts while Barry plays with Jackie. This with a spade. We take three rounds of Barry and I drive north. First stop does not turn out so well – although those, and then I play a club. Declarer Nottingham to visit my godmother we all have fun. (probably a mistake) and Jane for lunch. She was my mother’s Barry plays three rounds of diamonds best friend from college and looks while I discard my remaining clubs. fantastic for her 88 years. Maybe there SATURDAY Declarer ruffs and plays the♥ A-Q. is some hope for the rest of us! It is Barry wins and gives me a club ruff good to catch up, and we stay a couple Today is the main teams event, and and there is still another trump trick of hours before going further north, we return to our normal partnerships. to come. Five down. eventually stopping at Darlington There is a change of schedule from A few boards later, the following to visit David and Christine, who previous congresses, so instead of an deal turns up: were long-time friends of Raymond afternoon start, play begins at 10.30 – indeed, David was our best man. with a qualifying round, then lunch, It has been about five years since I’ve and then the final, finishing about six Dealer West. Game All. seen them and again they seem well o’clock in time for everyone to ready ♠ K 8 7 – though both have had a few health themselves for dinner (Jackie and I ♥ 8 5 2 issues. We go out for dinner in their have brought posh frocks to change ♦ A 7 local pub and again swap family news. into in the evenings). This goes really ♣ Q 8 7 4 3 well for us. We win the qualifying ♠ J 10 9 6 4 2 ♠ 5 round and then in the final everyone ♥ 6 N ♥ A K Q J 10 7 4 FRIDAY is in a very generous mood: we get two ♦ 10 4 2 W E ♦ Q 9 8 3 S 1,100 penalties! ♣ A 10 2 ♣ 5 After spending the night in Darlington ♠ A Q 3 we press on to our final destination: ♥ 9 3 Peebles Hydro Hotel, for the Scottish Dealer East. E/W Game. ♦ K J 6 5 Autumn Congress. (Halfway between ♠ J 6 4 ♣ K J 9 6 Darlington and Scotland we stop at ♥ 3 the excellent Llama Karma Café – ♦ 9 6 4 3 on the A66 just before you get to the ♣ 10 8 5 3 2 West North East South M6 – a wonderful place for a coffee ♠ 7 ♠ A K Q 9 3 2 2♦ Pass 2♥ Dbl and snack/meal if you are ever in the ♥ K 10 7 2 N ♥ 8 6 4 2♠ 3♥ Pass 3NT ♦ A K J 8 7 5 W E ♦ 2 Pass Pass Dbl All Pass area.) We are going to spend a sociable S weekend with our friends John and ♣ K 4 ♣ J 7 6 Jackie. We had planned to play with ♠ 10 8 5 I open a multi-coloured 2♦ as West, them earlier in the year but they had ♥ A Q J 9 5 showing a weak two-bid in hearts or to cancel at the last moment because ♦ Q 10 spades (weaker than a 2♥/2♠ opening). John was taken ill. ♣ A Q 9 Barry responds 2♥, intending to rebid The first event is the Pre-Congress 3♥ over my 2♠, inviting game in Teams in which I play with Jackie. She hearts. When South doubles and I bid is a bit nervous about playing with me, I open 2♠ as East, which we play a little 2♠, North thinks South’s double shows I think, but she plays very well and we stronger than a normal weak two – a hearts, hence the 3♥ bid. Barry passes win that one-session event (I think good 8 to poor 12 in terms of points. happily and South bids 3NT. Barry teammates are surprised at how good South overcalls 3♥, which doesn’t doubles, hoping I will lead a heart and a card we have). seem unreasonable at favourable for once I do not disappoint him. We

Page 28 BRIDGE January 2019 start with seven rounds of hearts and I show three hearts, and then four a half, then another – this time three then make the ♣A, for four off and spades. When Barry cue-bids 4♦ I sign hours, before another hour in the another 1,100. off because I think the♣ A is missing evening. In addition, I need to finish The two boards together are worth and I have such poor trumps. When off my next batch of Sunday Times 30 IMPs to us, so it is not totally he bids again it all seems very strange. articles (I hadn’t realised they were so surprising that we manage to win How could he bid 5♦ with no club low, and when they emailed me while I the final. Then it is nice to have the control (we cue-bid upwards)? But it was away I couldn’t really do anything evening free for a leisurely dinner and seems reasonable to show my ♥A this about it.) a glass or two of wine. time. The most likely explanation is that he is trying to put off a diamond lead, and indeed, that was his WEDNESDAY SUNDAY intention. However, there is no fooling West, who leads a diamond anyway. At a girlie lunch a few months ago, Today is the championship pairs. Barry wins the diamond lead, cashes Theo was telling us about this really Jackie and John do well in the two trumps and, upon finding them good clothes shop she knows where qualifying round, but Barry and I are 4-1, crosses to dummy with a heart. everything is very inexpensive (Trendy not so good. For a while I am worried He then takes a club finesse, cashes the Togs in Harrow). So Gilly thinks it that we might not have qualified but ♣A, draws one more trump, crosses would be a good idea to visit. Fine by when the scores are posted we finish to the ♥A, discards a diamond on me. Although I need new clothes like 11th (with 24 to qualify). Again, after a dummy’s ♣K and plays hearts, West a hole in my head, I can usually be late lunch (we had already had a pretty making her spade trick whenever she persuaded. Gilly picks me up in ‘The huge breakfast), we play the final. It wants. Flea’, her lovely soft-top little sports car really doesn’t seem to go very well, Nevertheless, I don’t think we have (number plate ??? FLE), and we zoom especially for the first two-thirds or done enough to win, and when the off in the sunshine with the top down. so, but with four rounds to go our luck results are posted I am surprised to First we have lunch at a vegetarian changes and people start to be more find that our names are at the top, Indian restaurant. I love Indian street generous. with John and Jackie third. So again, food and it was all delicious (and a bit I am quite pleased with this slam but we have an excellent dinner with a few different). Then we go and splash out had no idea what was happening in the glasses of wine. I like this format with on some clothes – it really isn’t very bidding: no play after dinner. However, not expensive and we both get half a dozen everyone feels the same. or so items with neither of us spending £100. Dealer West. E/W Game. She drops me off at a convenient tube ♠ 10 6 4 2 MONDAY station and I am home for an hour ♥ A Q J before setting off with Barry to drive ♦ A J We leave Peebles after breakfast. to Reading for a Berks & Bucks knock- ♣ K 8 7 2 First stop is the Llama Karma Café out match against Pat Dowdeswell’s ♠ J 7 5 3 ♠ 9 of course, where we have an excellent team. It is an enjoyable match, with ♥ 7 5 N ♥ 10 9 2 cappuccino each while we watch the great hospitality, and we win fairly W E ♦ Q 10 5 4 2 ♦ K 9 8 7 S llamas and other animals there. Next easily before driving back here – cup ♣ 9 6 ♣ Q 10 5 4 3 is Nottingham again to meet up with of tea and then bed. ■ ♠ A K Q 8 one of my best friends, Carol. I had ♥ K 8 6 4 3 talked about meeting her for lunch but ♦ 6 3 found out that it is a good five hours’ REDUCE THE COST OF ♣ A J drive, so it turns out to be a very late YOUR POSTAGE lunch (not such a bad idea after a late, huge breakfast). We go to Carluccio’s British postage stamps for sale at West North East South and swap news before setting off to 90% of face-value, Pass 1♣ Pass 1♥ see some other friends a little further all mint and with Pass 1NT Pass 2♦ South. We catch up with them and full gum. Pass 2♥ Pass 2♠ their small children before setting Quotations for Pass 3♠ Pass 4♦ off for home. An excellent weekend, commercial quantities are available ♠ ♦ Pass 4 Pass 5 though a bit exhausting. on request. Pass 5♥ Pass 6♠ Values supplied in 100s, higher All Pass values available, as well as 1st and TUESDAY 2nd class. We play a weak no-trump, so the first ( 020 8422 4906 three bids are fairly routine. Then ♦2 is Back to earth with a bump. A 9 o’clock e-mail: [email protected] game-forcing check-back, after which online bridge session for an hour and

BRIDGE January 2019 Page 29 Julian Pottage Answers your Bridge Questions

Can You Make A Game Try In Competition?

Suppose the bidding whatever the shape of partner’s hand if the answer weak 2♦ opening, you could starts like this: the hand, then show your will be useful and you can play 2♥ and 2♠ responses Q shape on your next bid. cope with the answer. as non-forcing but jumps to I disagree and say Often, if you have a good 3♥ and 3♠ as forcing. This West North East South you only bid 2NT with a hand and some support, being the case, you will not 1♣ 1♦ 1♥ 2♦ more balanced hand. you know you want to play have to use the 2NT enquiry 2♥ 3♦ ? Here partner opens in game in partner’s suit if it simply to establish a force. with a weak 2♦ bid: is a major. In this case, you If you do that, the jumps to Can you make a game try simply bid game, leaving 3♥ and 3♠ should be game in a competitive auction? the opponents to guess forcing, so your Hand C Dan Murray by email. Hand A Hand B whether you are bidding is not quite good enough. ♠ K Q J 5 ♠ K J 7 2 to make or bidding pre- Given the misfit, the 2NT Yes most of the ♥ Q J 7 2 ♥ A K Q 7 6 emptively. Indeed quite enquiry on Hand A is a bit time you can still ♦ 3 ♦ 3 recently I faced a problem pushy but I guess you would A make a game try, ♣ A Q J 2 ♣ Q J 3 in fourth seat when the do it vulnerable at teams. just as if the opponents bidding had started like this: Having a non-forcing 2♥ had not intervened. reply available suits you fine The difficult situation I respond 2NT with Hand West North East South with Hand B. It is important arises when the opposing A. I bid 2♥ with Hand B, 2♥ Pass 4♥ to remember that any non- suit ranks immediately below which I play as non-forcing. ? forcing responses are not your suit, as is the case in a command to pass. They your example auction. If your We were vulnerable against should be constructive. side’s suit is hearts and they Hand C not, making it entirely have bid up to 3♦, there is ♠ A J 9 8 7 6 possible that the 4♥ bidder ♣♦♥♠ no space below three of your ♥ A 7 had very little apart from a suit to make a standard type ♦ J 2 few hearts. In fact partner Recent bidding of game try. The solution in ♣ A K 2 was the one with nothing between my regular this case is to use a double and despite my 4-loser hand Q partner and me, as a game try. This is known we could have conceded a sitting N/S. I was North as a ‘game try double’. With Hand C I would big penalty (or 690 for 4♥ with N/S vulnerable. bid 3♠, which I play as doubled with an overtrick). ♣♦♥♠ showing a 6 card suit The other reason not to West North East South forcing for one round. enquire is that revealing 1NT1 Dbl My partner and My partner says a change information about opener’s Rdbl2 Pass 2♣ Pass I play weak of suit is a weak hand and hand may help the Pass 2NT3 All Pass Q twos and use only shows long suits. defenders during the play. 1 12-14 the 2NT convention when Is my partner correct that In general, you ask if you 2 Please bid 2♣ (I have a 5-card partner has 16+ HCP to you always go through the have game invitational values suit somewhere) enquire whether opener is 2NT route on strong hands? or if you’re thinking of a slam 3 Showing 9 points and a minimum or maximum. Bernard Coffey, or if you are unsure whether balanced hand 4-3-3-3 (or so I We also use OGUST to Altrincham, Cheshire. to play in partner’s suit or thought) reply to the 2NT enquiry. no-trumps. A lot of 16+ point My partner says that As a rule, you only hands will not fall into any My partner says she was you always bid 2NT use a convention of those three categories. confused by my bid of 2NT. when you have 16+ HCP A to ask about your In the particular case of a She says I should have

Page 30 BRIDGE January 2019 doubled 2♣. I had K-x-x In Acol, 1♠-2♦-2♠-3♠ make a further bid after the ner’s values are elsewhere, in clubs and didn’t feel a is not forcing, which 4♥ bid. Partner’s hand was: increasing the chance of double was the correct bid; A means that responder finding the ♠K in her hand. if partner had 16 points we cannot bid 3♠ to invite could have game on. West opener to cue bid. A jump to ♠ K 8 5 ♣♦♥♠ was not likely to have much. 4♠ does not show ambition ♥ K Q 8 4 I would normally continue beyond game either. ♦ 8 I am East and doubling in this situation, but With a strong hand ♣ K 9 8 4 3 have 18 points felt game our way would interested in a slam with Q balanced. Partner be a better result, especially support but without a has 12-18 HCP. If I rebid as we were vulnerable. I singleton, you need to invent My partner and I discussed 3NT, partner will pass. 6NT made 10 tricks for 180. a bid, typically 3♣ (this is the hand. Partner looks like a good contract At the other tables cheaper than 3♥ and the thought that I should if partner has 15+ HCP. 1NT by East, doubled, general rule is that if you bid have asked for aces. Should I rebid 4NT asking went down -3. a suit you do not have it is I knew 3♦ was forcing but partner to pass with 12-15 Brian McLaughlan, better to lie about a minor). thought 3♠ was explanatory. and bid 6NT with 16-18? Telford. If you bid 3♣ and then (if What should we opener gives preference to have done? If you have not 3♦ or tries a fourth suit 3♥) Margaret Bleakley, ♠ A 10 8 4 2 ♠ J 9

agreed otherwise, you bid 3♠ on the next round. Belfast. ♥ A Q N ♥ K J 3 a 2NT bid shows a It is not perfect, because ♦ J 7 6 3 W E ♦ A K 5 4 A S balanced hand and invites opener will not know whether Your partner might ♣ K J ♣ A Q 4 3 3NT. Given that a 4-3-3-3 the reason you did not raise (indeed probably shape is unproductive and spades earlier is inadequate A should) make a 4♦ that partner might have support or a strong hand – splinter, showing a heart West East only 15 points, it seems but at least the delayed 3♠ raise with the shortage 1♠ 2♣ reasonable to invite game bid is forcing and does leave in diamonds, rather than 2♦ ? rather than bid it. As you say, room for slam exploration. bid 3♦, which just shows at any other vulnerability, If you have three-card any decent heart raise. Name and address supplied. you would be happy to support and a singleton, Your 3♠ rebid seems fine. defend a doubled contract. you can make a splinter After that, aside from having With the East hand Even vulnerable against bid on the second round. no aces, which is a negative you are right that you not 300 beats part-scores After 1♠-2♦-2♠-4♣, the factor for slam interest, A are too good to rebid your way, so there is still 4♣ bid shows three-card your partner has quite a 3NT. If you bid 4NT over 2♦, a case for doubling. spade support, a shortage reasonable hand and could partner is likely to take that (singleton or void) in clubs have cue bid 4♣ over 3♠. as asking for aces (or asking ♣♦♥♠ and some slam ambition. As it was, you need to for key cards with diamonds make another effort over inferentially agreed). So I I am presently ♣♦♥♠ 4♥. You have a good 4-loser would not recommend that. watching Bernard hand (I say good because While you could make Q Magee’s DVD on I was West with the you have 3 aces and long a forcing raise to 4♦, this Cue Bidding and Splinters. following hand: trumps). Placing partner with might not help in establishing His examples often start Q an 8-loser hand, you can whether partner has extra 1♠-3♠ when responder envisage the playing strength values. I would bid a fourth has four-card support. for 12 tricks. If partner shows suit forcing 2♥. If you play What do you do when ♠ A Q 10 9 6 two key cards, you definitely that you can stop in 2NT responder has only three ♥ A J 9 6 3 2 want to be in a slam. Even after fourth suit (this is spades and opener has ♦ 5 facing one key card, 6♥ is a part of the traditional Acol 5-6 spades – perhaps a ♣ A great contract if partner has agreement) then if partner sequence starts 1♠-2♦-2♠? the ♠K. If partner has only bids 2NT you will know it When does he bid 3♠ and one key card and lacks the denotes a minimum opening when does he bid 4♠? West North East South ♠K, there is still the chance and rule out 6NT as a If he bids 4♠ then there 1♥1 2♦ 3♦* Pass of a winning spade finesse. possible contract. In fact, is no space for cue bidding. 3♠2 Pass 4♥ All Pass Had your partner started with 15 HCP, partner will If he bids 3♠ then there 1I was tempted to try 2♥ strong with a 4♦ splinter, news jump to 3NT. You will then is space – but what point 2To show my distribution and of the singleton diamond know of extra values and be range should that be? Can strength facing yours would not in very much in the slam zone. 3♠ be the slam try option? itself be encouraging but 6NT makes for sure if Steve Bailey by email. Afterwards I felt I should it would tell you that part- South has both spade u

BRIDGE January 2019 Page 31 honours or a doubleton or 4♥. North is not going to strength for 3NT but no club have only five spades. At tripleton spade honour. If be interested in a grand stopper. It is safe to bid 2♠ matchpoints, passing 2♠ North has a doubleton spade slam facing a minimum because North denied four does seem reasonable. honour, you will either need opener and can just bid 6♣ spades with the 2♦ rebid. Looking at the East-West the ♦Q to drop doubleton over that. There is no point 3 If you play a responder’s hands, I would expect 3♠ or to squeeze South. checking on aces because a as game forcing, to make. If you make two one-ace reply could go past North bids 3♥. If 3♥ would be clubs, a club ruff and three ♣♦♥♠ 5♣ – and it is reasonable passable, which it probably is diamonds, that is six tricks to assume that South would in traditional Acol, North has to already. You would expect The following not raise clubs and then jump to 4♥. West to make at least three hand appeared cue bid if holding bad trump tricks, quite often Q at a club night. trumps and only one ace. 6♦ is a great slam because more. Even on a heart you can win the club lead, lead and a trump switch, ♣♦♥♠ draw trumps, run the hearts it looks as if you would ♠ K 8 to discard your club loser make four spades, three ♥ 7 I would be and then knock out the ♠A. diamonds and two clubs. ♦ A K 8 4 3 interested in your ♣ A Q 9 3 2 Q views on how to ♣♦♥♠ ♣♦♥♠ bid this hand at teams (no N W E interference), particularly How would you The optimum S opener’s rebid (after 1♦-1♥): bid these hands; contract is N/S in ♠ 9 2 Q in particular, Q 3NT by either North ♥ A K 8 4 2 what should East bid or South, with the winning ♦ Q J ♠ 9 7 at her second turn? spade finesse and losing ♣ K J 7 5 ♥ A Q 4 only to the ace of hearts, ♦ A 9 8 6 4 2 the ace of diamonds and ♣ A 6 ♠ K J 10 7 4 3 ♠ 8 5 perhaps two clubs (if clubs

The bidding was: ♥ 6 N ♥ Q 9 7 5 3 are led at the first trick) – N W E W E ♦ ♦ 9 3 S A K Q 6 so making an easy 3NT. S North South ♣ A K J 5 ♣ 8 2 1♥ ♠ K Q 8 2♦ 2♥1 ♥ K J 8 5 ♠ A Q 10 4 2 3♣ 3♠2 ♦ K Q 3 Our bidding (contract ♥ 5 4 3NT3 End ♣ 10 9 4 went 1 down): ♦ K Q 5 4 2 1 Not wanting to bid 3♣ on a ♣ A minimum hand with two dou- Mike Allen, West East N bletons Bromley. 1♠ 2♥ W E S 2 2♠ 3♦ 3 Showing a spade stopper Realistically I do 3♠ ♠ 3 not think you are ♥ K Q J 6 In the event 6NT was cold A going to get to East stated that as she ♦ J 10 9 as were 6♣ and 6♦. How 6♦ on these cards. Here had 11 HCP she had to ♣ Q 10 9 7 2 should the hands have is a plausible auction. rebid. (Is that correct?) been bid to find the slam? Knowing I had a minimum John Bunch, North South with at least 5 spades and West opened 1♠ (to Chandlers Ford. 1♦ 1♥ no game was available, I North’s surprise) and North 2♦1 2♠2 thought she should pass 2♠. overcalled with 2♦. Now The start to the 4♥3 John Dunbar by email. what should South do? auction was fine. With 1 With a 3-6 shape, I believe Well he (that’s me) thought A 4-card club support in rebidding the 6-card suit – East’s 3♦ rebid, long and hard – only 9 and plenty of honours in unless you have a partner who being a new suit points – and North’s overcall North’s suits, South should delights in playing in a 4-3 fit. A at the three level, might well be weakish, raise 3♣ to 4♣ – if 3NT is You can often show the 3-card should have created a game with a lot of diamonds – so right when South has this support later. While upgrading force. Admittedly, with no I considered a weakish much in the minors and the hand to a 15-17 1NT rebid on sort of club stopper, East reply of 3♦ – but thought nothing in spades, North the basis of the 6-card suit is a does not have an easy that showing my 5-card should have bid it. After possibility, the lack of a spade rebid over 2♠. A raise to club suit might be useful to the raise to 4♣, North cue stopper suggests otherwise. 3♠ is not terribly attractive North to perhaps think of bids 4♦ and South cue bids 2 South has the shape and because West will quite often no-trumps (but could bid

Page 32 BRIDGE January 2019 3♦ otherwise) – so I (over) cannot bid 3NT. Anyway, have a small singleton heart because very strong hands bid with 3♣. West passed – both members of your and some trump honours, are rare and you can start and now North, eschewing partnership were playing sometimes you just do not with a double anyway if no-trumps (with nothing 3♠ as showing something in have the perfect hand. you have a strong but not in hearts and a singleton spades, which is fine – you Once West knows of short two-suited hand. If you play club, albeit the ace) bid 3♠ just need to be aware that hearts opposite, reaching in a tournament, just about – which, on reflection, I now this is an unusual way to 5♦ is easy – the problem everybody will be playing think was an excellent bid! play it in case you sometimes is staying out of a slam. a cue bid as a two-suited With my good heart suit I bid have other partners. At matchpoints, a 2NT hand. If you bid 2♦ to show 3NT – which made easily. rebid over 1♦ is off centre both majors, you are not Having no expert to pass ♣♦♥♠ but not ridiculous. I suspect promising a strong hand but judgement on the bidding I that 3NT made at several of course you will get another put these hands into Bridge My wife picked tables at your club because chance to bid. After you Baron to see what bidding up the East hand West responded 1♥ rather bid 2♦ to show the majors it suggested, ie whether it Q as dealer at a than 1♦, in which case the and partner gives simple might lead to the optimum duplicate bridge session. 2NT rebid seems perfectly preference to 2♥, you are contract of 3NT – and it reasonable, as then there is not just going to insist on didn’t. Its suggestion for a spade lead from South. game but make some move South’s first bid was 3♦ ♠ J 8 6 towards a slam, either with a (my initial thought) and, for ♥ K 10 4 ♣♦♥♠ 3♦ cue bid or a 4♦ splinter. North’s second bid, it was 4♦, ♦ 10 7 5 3 Partner will not be interested followed a Pass from South ♣ A Q 3 Playing Acol at in a slam and will simply sign – so 3NT was not arrived at. ♠ 10 3 2 ♠ A K Q my club my RHO off in hearts, so you will get Sidney Barrat, ♥ 9 7 6 2 N ♥ A opened 1♦. I held: to 4♥ easily enough. n W E Q London E10. ♦ A K Q 9 S ♦ 8 6 4 2 ♣ 8 4 ♣ K J 10 9 6 North does not have ♠ 9 7 5 4 ♠ A K 9 4 3 an ideal call over ♥ Q J 8 5 3 ♥ A K Q 8 2 A 1♠; 2♦ is one of the ♦ J ♦ A reasonable options. With ♣ 7 5 2 ♣ K 7 three-card diamond support For those with Pre-existing and five moderate clubs, health conditions South should raise diamonds After 1♣-1♦ how do you I bid 2♠. This was passed (No Age Limit) rather than introduce the proceed? She bid 3♦ out and an easy game l Travel Insurance clubs. With 9 HCP and a which was passed. in hearts missed. How with online Medical Screening singleton but no aces, I do At other tables a 2NT should the bidding go? l Cover for medical not think the hand is quite rebid was raised to 3NT My partner held: conditions, up to a high ♠ worth a 2 unassuming cue which looks makeable but level of severity, even a bid. North might venture 3NT only on sloppy defence terminal prognosis ♦ ♠ ♠ over 3 – A-Q-10 is almost and fails on a heart lead. 8 l No age limits as good as A-K-Q with the Is there any reasonable ♥ J 9 4 3 l Instant online cover suit bid on your right and the way to find the best ♦ 10 7 We fully understand that lead coming up to it. There is contract of 5♦? ♣ 9 6 5 4 3 2 you may wish to speak to not much point bidding 4♦. Roger Harris by email. us direct about cover and On your actual auction, Tom Boothby, your medical conditions the normal agreement is The East hand is a Buxton. and assure you of the best that a bid of the opposing bit good for the jump attention by senior staff on a direct phone line that suit when they have bid only A raise to 3♦. West, Whether you play a does not require you to one suit asks for, rather than with such strong diamonds, 2♦ cue bid as both hold or press buttons for shows, a stopper. Playing might have made another A majors or just as any departments. that standard treatment, move anyway – tricky very strong hand, that would ( 0344 249 1701 North bids 3NT, not 3♠ though with no stoppers seem to be the right bid. over 3♣ – you assume the and only four diamonds. Even playing strong jump [email protected] opponents will lead a spade With the East hand I overcalls, 2♠ is not forcing. www.genesischoice.co.uk and do not worry too much would rebid 3♥, a splinter Your hand is too good and Genesis Choice Ltd are an about the heart suit. Likewise showing diamond support, too suitable for playing in appointed representative of NDI Insurance and Reinsurance if North does bid 3♠ to ask a shortage in hearts and hearts for a 2♠ overcall. Brokers Ltd who are authorised for a stopper then South a strong opening hand. I recommend playing a and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority No.446914 does not have one and While it would be better to 2♦ cue bid as both majors

BRIDGE January 2019 Page 33 Michael Byrne on Suit Preference Signals

Suit Preference Signals Part 1

hy is it that some defenders thing to do in several situations; this always seem to find the month we are going to look at the right switch against you? situation when you are giving partner ♠ 10 8 7 5 3 WAs you sit there clutching your cards a ruff. ♥ K 9 6 4 3 to your chest, praying that they will ♦ 2 go wrong and play a spade not a heart, The card you lead back for him to ♣ K 6 invariably after some thought they ruff tells him what to play next – a ♠ A 9 4 2 always emerge with the correct suit. high card for a higher ranking suit, N ♥ 7 W E ♦ A J 6 5 This is unlikely to be because your a low card for a lower ranking suit. S opponents possess psychic powers, but ♣ J 8 4 3 instead because they have developed Everyone is familiar with those lovely a simple system of signalling, asking defences to 4♠ where you lead ace, partner to play the suit they think is king and another heart for partner Of course the discussion about giving best, and today we are going to start to ruff and then you sit back and wait partner a ruff might have tipped you looking at the suit preference for your ace of trumps or what not. off to the fact that partner has led a and the different ways in which it can However, sometimes the defenders singleton, but in real life I think you be used. have to get several ruffs to beat a would have worked this out as well. The idea behind a suit preference contract, especially when it is at a low There are only two spades missing, signal is you signal what suit you level. the king and the jack and although it would like partner to play, not by Let’s have a look at a simple hand is theoretically possible that partner discarding (as you might not have the where you find yourself defending, would lead the 6 from K-J-6 it seems chance to make a discard) but through you are East and the opponents bid in a very unlikely choice of lead; a king- the size of the card you play. simple fashion: jack holding is not normally led from A high pip card will ask for the as it is so likely to give a trick away. higher ranking suit, a low pip card will West North East South So dismissing the alternative we ask for the lower ranking suit. (A pip 1♥ realise partner has led a singleton; we card, otherwise known as a spot card, Pass 4♥ All Pass. win and give partner a ruff, waiting is the term given to a non-face card, so for the diamond return to our ace and something between the 2 and the 10 Partner leads the ♠6 and you play the another ruff… what’s this? Partner has inclusive). ace as South drops the queen – how do played a club? This is a really common and useful you defend? When we play back a spade at trick two we tell partner which of the other TWO suits we want him to play. You’ll appreciate that partner can’t play a spade (as he has just ruffed one he £99 doesn’t have any) and that a trump including PLUS 12 p&p return is unnecessary, because if you Q had the ace of trumps you would always get the lead with it to deliver a Really user-friendly bridge-playing software. second ruff. So if you wanted a club (the low suit) you would play a low pip card, and if TRADE IN – Send in ANY bridge software, you want a diamond (the high suit) together with a cheque for £50 and receive QPlus 12. you would play a high pip card. So to make sure partner returns

Page 34 BRIDGE January 2019 a diamond play the ♠9 at trick two. The opponents bid in ordinary fashion This is the full deal: Partner will ruff and play back a to 3♠, brushing aside your gentle 2♥ diamond, and you will give him overcall: his second spade ruff that beats the ♠ Q 10 6 2 contract. West North East South ♥ Q J 7 This might be the full deal: 1♠ ♦ Q J 10 2 2♥ 2♠ Pass 3♣ * ♣ 7 2 Pass 3♠ All Pass ♠ 8 7 ♠ 5 3 ♠ 10 8 7 5 3 ♥ A K 8 6 3 N ♥ 10 5 ♥ K 9 6 4 3 ♣ ♦ A 4 3 W E ♦ 8 7 6 5 3 is a long suit game try showing at S ♦ 2 least 3 clubs and asking partner if he ♣ K 6 5 ♣ J 9 8 4 3 ♣ K 6 likes his hand. ♠ A K J 9 4 ♠ 6 ♠ A 9 4 2 You have an easy lead and you start ♥ 9 4 2 ♥ J 8 2 N ♥ 7 with a top heart and see this dummy: ♦ K 9 W E ♦ K 10 9 4 ♦ A J 6 5 ♣ A Q 10 S ♣ Q 10 7 5 2 ♣ J 8 4 3 ♠ K Q J ♠ Q 10 6 2 ♥ A Q 10 5 ♥ Q J 7 If partner plays a diamond after he ♦ Q 8 7 3 ♦ Q J 10 2 ruffs the third heart, then declarer will ♣ A 9 ♣ 7 2 make 9 tricks by throwing his two club ♠ 8 7 losers away, no matter when you take ♥ A K 8 6 3 N the ace. After a spade to the ace, the 9 returned, ♦ A 4 3 W E You might think that if the contract S a diamond to the ace and a second ruff ♣ K 6 5 was 4♠ (certainly N/S have done well to the contract goes one down; on any hold back in the bidding) then it would other defence it will make. be OK for partner to play a diamond If you weren’t playing suit preference Partner plays the ♥10 to the first trick and take the contract one down – but signals then partner’s club switch and you carry on with your other top you would be wrong. Even if you are could easily be right – you might hold heart, partner completing his peter playing teams or rubber bridge (where A-J of clubs and not A-J of diamonds with a small one as declarer follows – the difference between one down and for example, and now a club switch what heart do you play next? two down isn’t that great) you should would beat it by 2. You might need to think carefully still signal correctly for a club and Note that declarer’s play of dropping here, as you want to make sure you get partner should still defend accurately, the ♠Q was very clever – it gave us all of your tricks. Partner is about to good technique is its own reward. pause for thought as to whether ruff the next heart (his high low is a A final word about the order of the partner had actually led a singleton. clear signal he has only two cards and suits – in today’s example hands both If he had played the ♠K or the ♠J wants you to play a third) and then declarers were playing a major suit we would have worked it out easily, the question arises of what he plays contract (normal enough) and the because if declarer had a singleton next. You might think that with the ruff happens to be taken in the other ♠K then partner would have Q-J-6 ♦A staring you in the face you should major suit, which meant the two suits and would have led the queen (top of signal for a diamond (the high suit) by we were choosing between were clubs a sequence) and if declarer had held a playing the ♥8, but that is muddled (low suit) and diamonds (high suit). singleton ♠J then partner would have thinking. Given that diamonds is the This will not always be the case – if held K-Q-6 and likewise would have long suit on the table there is no way the two suits we are choosing between led the king. for your ace to “run away”, meaning are hearts and diamonds, now hearts Sometimes the suit you signal for that you will always get it in the is the high suit, and diamonds is the is not just so you can give partner fullness of time. low suit. Likewise if it is the major another ruff, but so he can lead The same cannot be said of your♣ K suits that partner is thinking about through declarer’s strength and build however, and it is essential partner then spades is high and hearts low. up tricks for you. switches to a club straight away, so you Whilst it is true clubs is always a low Have a look at this hand below where should play the ♥3 for him to ruff. He suit and spades is always a high suit, this time you are the player on lead. will then fire back a club and you will just take a bit of care when the red come to your two minor suit winners suits are involved – a wrong signal can to beat the contract by one. blow the whole defence. n ♠ 8 7 ♥ A K 8 6 3 Subscriptions to BRIDGE - An ideal gift ♦ A 4 3 1 year £49 | 2 years £79 | 3 years £109 ♣ K 6 5 ( 01483 489961

BRIDGE January 2019 Page 35 The Diaries of Wendy Wensum Episode 81: The Mallard Manifesto

illie and I were playing with The auction took a slightly different our usual teammates, Jo and Dealer South. Love All. route for Jo and Kate. Kate opened Kate. We were in the bar ♠ 9 8 7 1♥. West made an intermediate jump Mwith our pre-session drinks. ‘Jon and ♥ 10 8 7 2 overcall of 2♠. Jo simply bid 3♥. Kate Jane are here,’ observed Millie, ‘It must ♦ A K J 8 2 was duly encouraged and bid 4♥. be a trophy evening.’ ‘It’s the Mallard ♣ 6 Plate for teams-of four,’ Jo confirmed. ♠ A K 10 4 3 2 ♠ J 5 West North East South ‘Why does the club have a trophy ♥ J 5 N ♥ K Q Jo Kate W E named after a ?’ questioned Kate, ♦ 4 3 S ♦ 9 7 6 5 1♥ probably not expecting a sensible ♣ K J 2 ♣ 10 9 8 5 4 2♠ 3♥ Pass 4♥ response. Surprisingly Jo was able to ♠ Q 6 End oblige and explained that the Reverend ♥ A 9 6 4 3 Mallard, a local clergyman and a ♦ Q 10 West led the ♠A and ♠K and then founder member of the Riverside, ♣ A Q 7 3 switched to a trump. Kate could now had donated the Silver Plate named clear trumps in two rounds and the after him. According to Jo, whenever contract came home with the aid of a bridge event was played on a Sunday, Our opponents play five-card majors the solid diamond suit for a useful he would leave his curate to run the and Jane opened 1♥. I made a simple score on the board. As we were afternoon Sunday school and the 6:30 overcall of 1♠, as 2♠ would be weak, discussing the deal at the end of play, evensong. ‘It’s good to know that a 5-9 HCP. Jon bid 3♦. Jane alerted George wandered over to our table man of the cloth should have such this as showing a fit for hearts with a and explained that he and Sarah had excellent priorities,’ announced Millie good diamond suit on the side. Millie reached 4♠ as East-West. The contract without a hint of irony. Ignoring the passed and, with no extra values, Jane had been duly doubled: mass raise of eyebrows from those was content to jump to 4♥. around her, she continued, ‘Oh yes, West North East South wasn’t he known as Ducky Mallard? West North East South Sarah George It doesn’t seem a suitable name for a Wendy Jon Millie Jane 1♥ religious gentleman.’ ‘Not Ducky, his 1♥ 2♠ 3♥ 3♠ 4♥ nickname was Ducks Mallard,’ Jo 1♠ 3♦1 Pass 4♥ 4♠ Pass Pass Dbl informed her, ‘He was a keen cricketer End End but when batting he was usually out 1A fit-showing jump agreeing hearts. without scoring’. North began the defence with the two As fate would have it, we met Jon The defence was short and sweet. I led top diamonds and then switched to and Jane as opponents on this board. the ♠A and followed it with the ♠K. a heart, won by South. South led the It seemed sensible to continue with ♣A followed by another club ruffed another spade. Millie ruffed with the by North to take the contract two off. CLUB ♥Q. This had the effect of promoting Millie pointed out that had North led INSURANCE my ♥J and the contract was defeated his singleton club at any point, they by one trick. With time to spare before would have got two ruffs rather than Every club should be covered the next round, Millie engaged in one. Overall our team had a good and my inclusive package, to suit clubs of up to 300 members for casual conversation with Jane who session and we were now the proud less than £75 per year, is the right informed us that she and Jon still holders of the Mallard Plate. Thanks to package at the right price. enjoyed jigsaw puzzles. Jon intervened Jo, we know more about its interesting enthusiastically, ‘Currently we have an donor. Later in our usual hostelry Contact FIDENTIA for a quote enormous 5,000 piece puzzle under we celebrated our success and raised way. It’s called: Ant Nest on a Lawn,’ our glasses to the Reverend Ducks ( 020 3150 0080 ‘It’s a wonderful challenge,’ interjected Mallard. He may have been a poor [email protected] Jane gleefully. This time it was Millie’s batsman, but he certainly had good eyebrows that were visibly elevated. taste in silverware. n

Page 36 BRIDGE January 2019 Answers to Protective Bidding Quiz on page 13

1 At game all how should Hand H (i) Pass. South introduce these hands (ii) Dbl. You will have to Hand A Hand B Hand C after Auctions (i) and (ii)? pass a 2♣ response. ♠ K 7 2 ♠ K 7 ♠ K Q 5 Or possibly 1♠. ♥ Q 10 7 ♥ J 10 7 2 ♥ J 10 6 5 Auction (i) Hand J (i) Pass. ♦ A 6 5 ♦ A 6 ♦ 6 5 West North East South (ii) 1NT. (11-16) ♣ Q 10 3 2 ♣ K 10 7 5 3 ♣ A 10 8 4 1♦ ?

Auction (ii) 2 With East/West vulnerable how In Auction (i) South has 15-18 points. In West North East South should North bid these hands Auction (ii) South has 11-16 points. 2♣ 1♦ Pass Pass ? after Auctions (i) and (ii)? is a range enquiry as well as Stayman. Hand A (i) 3NT. Auction (i) (ii) 2NT. West North East South Hand B (i) 2♣. Stayman. Hand A Hand B Hand C 1♥ Dbl (ii) 2♣. Continue with ♠ J 8 5 4 3 ♠ A J 5 4 3 ♠ A K J 4 3 Pass ? 2NT over 2♦ or 2♠. ♥ A J 6 ♥ A J 6 ♥ A J 6 Both replies show ♦ 4 ♦ 4 ♦ 4 Auction (ii) 11-13 points. ♣ K 8 7 5 ♣ K 8 7 5 ♣ K 8 7 5 West North East South Hand C (i) 2♣. 1♥ Pass Pass Dbl (ii) 2♣. Continue with Pass ? 2NT over 2♦ or pass 2♠, accepting the 4-3 Hand D Hand E Hand F fit. Either 2♦ or 2♠ ♠ K 10 7 6 ♠ K 10 7 6 ♠ A 7 5 Hand A Hand B Hand C show 11-13 points. ♥ A Q 8 6 ♥ 8 ♥ K 10 5 ♠ K Q 7 6 ♠ A Q 7 ♠ A 5 ♦ 9 7 ♦ A Q 7 4 ♦ 8 7 ♥ 8 7 3 ♥ A Q 7 ♥ A Q 9 5 4 ♣ 10 9 7 ♣ A K Q 4 ♣ Q 6 5 3 2 ♦ A J 6 ♦ 8 3 2 ♦ Q 4 3 4 At game all how should ♣ 9 4 2 ♣ 10 9 6 5 ♣ 10 6 4 North bid these hands?

West North East South Hand G Hand H Hand J In Auction (ii) South has added a 1♥ Pass 2♥ Pass ♠ A K 5 ♠ K Q 10 6 ♠ Q 6 king so North must subtract a king. Pass ? ♥ A Q 2 ♥ 7 5 4 2 ♥ J 4 3 Hand A (i) 2♠. ♦ K J 7 6 ♦ 6 3 2 ♦ A 7 6 (ii) 1♠. ♣ K 10 9 ♣ A 8 ♣ K Q 5 3 2 Hand B (i) 2NT. Hand A Hand B Hand C (ii) 1NT. ♠ K 7 5 4 ♠ A Q J 9 ♠ K 8 Hand C (i) 2NT. ♥ 8 4 ♥ 8 5 4 3 ♥ 3 In Auction (i) normal principles apply. (ii) Pass. North’s hearts are ♦ K 7 5 2 ♦ K 5 ♦ Q 8 7 6 3 In Auction (ii) South needs to add a sitting over West’s hearts. ♣ Q 7 2 ♣ J 10 8 ♣ K 10 8 7 2 king to his assets before deciding what to do. Hand A (i) Pass. 3 At game all how should North East/West have a fit so you will (ii) 1♠. bid these hands after Auctions (i) probably have a fit. Partner must Hand B (i) 1♠. and (ii)? If you choose to bid 2♣ have some points, otherwise why (ii) 1♠. in Auction (ii) what is your next bid are they not looking for game? Hand C (i) 1♠. if partner responds 2♦ or 2♠? Hand A Dbl. (ii) Dbl, then spades. Hand B 2♠. Partner will be short Too strong for 1♠. Auction (i) of hearts so hopefully Hand D (i) Pass. West North East South you can ruff hearts in the (ii) Dbl. 1♦ 1NT hand with short trumps Hand E (i) Dbl. Pass ? if you are in a 4-3 fit. (ii) Dbl. Hand C 2NT. A rare example of Hand F (i) Pass. Auction (ii) 2NT without a jump being (ii) Dbl. West North East South an unusual no trump. It Hand G (i) Dbl. 1♦ Pass Pass 1NT cannot be natural because (ii) 2NT. 20-21 points. Pass ? you passed over 1♥. ■

BRIDGE January 2019 Page 37 David Stevenson Answers your Bridge Questions

Can I Leave In Partner’s Take Out Double?

West opened 1♠, this is a conventional bid. bridge AND be a good does not seem to have North doubled, I was told at the table that bridge player AND perform much to recommend it. QEast passed, bids above 3NT are never a job well enough to satisfy However there are often and when South passed, alertable. Is this the case? today’s employers. people prepared to do all hell let loose saying Dealer was West [me], and Two friends of mine have such jobs. It is similar to that it was compulsory I opened the bidding 1♠, given up directing in the being a secretary of a club to bid. I disagreed with North passed and East [my past year and I cannot help or a selector, thankless the mob – can you tell partner], bid 4♥ (a Splinter feeling that the learning tasks that seem to get me if I am in the right? bid). I alerted the 4♥ bid burden created by the criticism or nothing. Rita Thorley by email. and this leads back to the 2017 changes, which Many clubs give a director question to you. Should 4♥ seemed to have affected free entry on the night. I do It is perfectly legal to in this situation be alerted? at least three-quarters of feel this might be doubled, pass any double even Peter Lang by email. the 93 laws of duplicate, ie free entry and another A if it is for takeout, so were a significant factor. free go. At least then he South was well within her 4♥ should be Bridge is in gradual, will play for free when he rights. If she held, for alerted. The rule manageable decline is not being harassed. example: A about not alerting because new players are Some people do not direct above 3NT applies to calls not replacing deceased because they think it too after the first round, ie from players in sufficient difficult: if the club were ♠ K Q J 10 9 5 4 opener’s rebid onwards. numbers. But individual to pay for them to go on a ♥ 4 3 clubs will disappear directing course perhaps they ♦ K 4 ♣♦♥♠ much more suddenly if would come back and direct. ♣ 5 2 they cannot entice their Apart from that I have no A slight deviation members to help run the real recommendations but from the usual club and run club events. I encourage people to write The pass would be obvious. Q law questions Can you suggest any to the magazine if they have A is one published in BRIDGE: ways we could address the any sensible suggestions. Of where the player who makes Do you have any advice apparent lack of appeal course rich clubs can afford it expects partner to take it for clubs hoping to persuade of the directing job? to pay a director properly, out but it is not (and cannot members to become Gavin Wilson by email. but this only applies to a be) compulsory. Similarly a directors? I know of at least small minority of clubs. penalty double is one that a two weekly clubs which It is difficult because player who makes it expects are in crisis because they much of what you ♣♦♥♠ his partner to leave in, but now have just two directors A say is true. The on occasion his partner among their membership. I 2017 changes only affect a On page 21 of may decide otherwise. don’t know of anyone who very small number of laws the 2017 Yellow enjoys being a director, significantly, namely calls Q Book, you write ♣♦♥♠ and all who I have spoken out of turn and insufficient that a normal fine is 10% to believe their scores bids, but these are common of the top on a board. I have a question deteriorate on the evenings problems in clubs. Directors But your answer to a on the EBU rules they are player-director. should read these laws reader’s question in the Q for bridge. Last Every player-director I out because they are too October 2018 issue of week at one of our bridge know is retired: it’s hard difficult to remember. BRIDGE says that 25% of clubs I ‘alerted’ a 4-level to see how anyone could There is no doubt that a top is standard, a view bid during the first round have the mental capacity playing directors are at a which appears to coincide of bidding. In our system to administer the laws of disadvantage and the job Continued on page 40 u

Page 38 BRIDGE January 2019 Answers to David Huggett’s Play Quiz on page 15

1. ♠ A 7 5 2. ♠ K 7 3 You have loads of points between the ♥ 6 5 3 ♥ A 9 6 5 two hands but as is so often the case ♦ K Q 7 ♦ A 7 3 there can be dreadful duplication, as ♣ Q J 7 5 ♣ 8 5 4 there is here in hearts. The key to this ♠ 2 ♠ K 9 3 ♠ 10 8 5 4 ♠ J 9 hand is in knowing how many spade ♥ Q J 10 7 N ♥ 9 8 4 ♥ Q 10 2 N ♥ K J 8 4 3 tricks you need. If when you play three W E W E ♦ 10 8 4 ♦ A 9 5 3 2 ♦ 10 9 5 ♦ 2 rounds of diamonds the jack has not S S ♣ A 9 8 3 2 ♣ 10 6 ♣ A K 7 ♣ Q 10 9 6 2 appeared, then you need to make four ♠ Q J 10 8 6 4 ♠ A Q 6 2 spade tricks; this will rely on the finesse ♥ A K 2 ♥ 7 working and for the suit to divide evenly ♦ J 6 ♦ K Q J 8 6 4 – only around an 18% chance. If the ♣ K 4 ♣ J 3 diamonds do behave however then you need only three spade tricks and can take the of cashing the king, You are declarer in 4♠ and West leads You are declarer in 5♦ and West leads then the ace and finally leading towards the ♥Q. How do you plan the play? three rounds of clubs. How do you plan the jack. It looks normal to win the the play? In essence if the finesse is right you do and take an immediate trump finesse, If diamonds break 2-2 there is no not need to take it and you might drop a but see what happens if you do. East will problem with the play, since even if doubleton queen offside. win and return a heart and in the fullness spades do not break kindly the fourth of time you will lose a trick in every suit. round can always be ruffed in dummy. Instead you should play on diamonds, However, a 3-1 break in trumps is more 4. ♠ Q J 6 knocking out the ace but setting up the likely and that is the case here. Just draw ♥ J 7 5 winning diamond in dummy as a parking two rounds of trumps leaving one out ♦ K J 10 8 7 place for your losing heart. (You might and play three rounds of spades. If they ♣ 6 4 equally play on clubs but there is a break evenly draw the last trump and ♠ K 10 8 7 3 ♠ 9 5 greater danger that one of those could cash the thirteenth spade. If the spades ♥ Q 9 2 N ♥ K 8 4 3 W E ♦ ♦ be ruffed as you have more of those.) do not break and your luck is in, you will 6 3 S A 5 4 Note that you cannot even afford to find that the defender with three trumps ♣ J 9 7 ♣ Q 10 3 2 play the ace of trumps before tackling was the one that also held four spades, ♠ A 4 2 diamonds because a wily defender will in which case you will still be able to get ♥ A 10 6 the ace of diamonds until the your ruff. ♦ Q 9 2 second round and you will have no quick ♣ A K 8 5 entry to dummy. 3. ♠ K J 6 5 DUPLICATE BRIDGE ♥ K J 6 You are declarer in 3NT. West leads the ♦ A 9 7 ♠7. How do you plan the play? RULES SIMPLIFIED ♣ 7 5 3 It seems tempting to play an honour (otherwise known as the Yellow Book) ♠ 10 8 7 4 ♠ Q 9 from dummy at trick one, but if you win ♥ 10 9 8 7 N ♥ 5 4 3 the first trick there, you will be defeated. by David Stevenson W E ♦ 8 6 5 ♦ J 4 3 You can play on diamonds but if the ace S FULLY REVISED ♣ J 10 ♣ Q 9 8 4 2 only makes an appearance on the third IN 2017 only ♠ A 3 2 round you will find – too late – that there 95 £5 ♥ A Q 2 is no way back to dummy. Once you see Available from ♦ K Q 10 2 it, the answer is simple – just play low Mr Bridge ♣ A K 6 from dummy at trick one and play the ( 01483 489961 ace from hand. Then play on diamonds as before and even if the ace is withheld www.mrbridge.co.uk You are declarer in 6NT. West leads the until the third round, you will still be able ♥10. How do you plan the play? to access dummy later with a spade. n

BRIDGE January 2019 Page 39 Continued from page 38 queen and then play the 5 percentage pair finishing know whether the hesitation with the table on page so her 6 makes. This seems HIGHER in the Final (as was over a weak or normal 111 of the White Book. a very stupid way to play per ScoreBridge) whereas bid and therefore can’t The laws themselves but there is a footnote in when you combine their deduce anything helpful. seem a bit reticent to specify law 70 that defines “normal percentages, over the two Your advice please; the size of a Procedural play includes careless or nights, manually it seems should such poor etiquette Penalty, so clarification inferior play for the class of incorrect. Some of our be penalised and if so would be very welcome. player”. This was a possible members are perplexed how, or should a warning Gavin Wilson by email. but extremely unlikely play by this and hoping that just be issued? for a good club player. maybe you could explain Tim Burrell by email. In 2018 the EBU However I felt I had to this anomaly. Thanking changed its rule that South could take you for any light you can Just a warning A recommended a trick by very careless throw on the subject. is normal, but it standard minimum play. Was I right? Margaret Moonan, A certainly can provide procedural penalty from Geoff Tremlett, Belpatrick, Ardee. unauthorised information 10% of a top to 25%, and South Wales. to partner. Of course for a disciplinary penalty The correct way sometimes it is not obvious from 20% to 50%. The figure South certainly to score any what he was thinking about, in the Yellow Book was cannot play A event is to total but for example if he brings correct at the time of writing A West’s cards. It their matchpoints, and out a green card and puts but has changed since. is the director’s job and divide by the number of it back and doubles, it is These penalties, except no-one else’s to decide matchpoints they could have obvious to his partner that in rare situations where how the play would have got with perfect sessions. it is a very doubtful double: there are regulations gone. It is a question of If you have two weeks if partner were to take it laying down specific deciding what constitutes a with different numbers of out without good reason penalties, are a matter of careless or inferior play. boards played, then just the director might adjust. judgement for a director, Holding Q-J-8 (having adding up the percentages which is why the law book ruffed with the 5) I do not will get a different and ♣♦♥♠ correctly gives no figures. believe anyone plays the 8 incorrect answer. It should Nevertheless following next, even if he thinks they not make much difference Could you clarify EBU recommendations are all good so I would have but it will make some. an insufficient seems sensible. given declarer all the tricks. Q bid problem Some people say that ♣♦♥♠ that recently arose? ♣♦♥♠ players always play the suits from the top. I do not think An issue has arisen West North East South I was called to an it is that simple: they do this time about 1♠ 2♥ incident during an with pretty solid holdings; Q “fingering” bidding 1NT Q afternoon non- no-one leads a 2 from A-K-2 cards about which I’m not affiliated pairs session. West, even if they think they are all sure how to adjudicate. This North called the Director a reasonably competent winners but if holding 7-5-4 is where one of the players who was unsure and club player, was waiting I would definitely give a trick perhaps half pulls out a pass as time was restricted, for North to lead to trick to a singleton 6 since people card and then changes their North accepted the bid 10. North spent some time might easily play a low card mind and pulls out a bid (or and bidding continued. in thought and West then thinking there are none out. vice versa). I note from the If North had refused showed his hand to North EBU website that it says that the 1NT bid, in view of which was all trumps Q-J- ♣♦♥♠ players must not touch the West’s limited bid, what 8-5. West said ‘I do not bidding cards until they’ve bid options does West think you can score another A situation has made their mind up, but then have that would not result trick’ whereupon South arisen (more than goes on to say the bid is not in East being penalised loudly calls the director and Q once) in our club made until the card goes on and having to pass for claims as she still holds a whereby in a Double Week the table. It’s been suggested the rest of the auction? trump she must take a trick. competition, when you to me that such hesitation Peter Oates by email. North can see any lead she combine the two sessions in amounts to unauthorised makes will be trumped or the ScoreBridge program, information and as such West can bid the over trumped but South you get a different result should be penalised. This lowest bid that claims she can now play than when you combine however assumes partner A shows the same West’s cards. When the the two nights’ percentages could deduce something denomination, in this case lead comes to West, South of a given pair manually. from the hesitation. However 2NT, without penalty. says he can trump with the Often the lower partner probably doesn’t Continued on page 42 u

Page 40 BRIDGE January 2019 Answers to Julian Pottage’s Defence Quiz on page 9

West North East South read declarer as still holding ♠Q-x. You 1. ♠ J 9 1NT(12-14) cannot just take the ♠10 and ♠A to run ♥ A Q 3 Pass 3NT All Pass the suit. Your spades are good enough, ♦ J 10 8 6 4 however, to run if partner regains the ♣ K Q 5 You lead the ♠4: ♠8, ♠A and ♠5. Back lead. You thus take the ♠10 and switch. A ♠ A 10 8 6 4 ♠ K 2 comes the ♠6 covered by the ♠Q. What count of the points tells you the ♥A is on ♥ 9 5 2 N ♥ J 10 7 4 is your plan? your right so you lead a club rather than ♦ Q 5 W E ♦ K 7 3 Again, you have a good idea of the a heart, the nine being the best card to S ♣ 9 7 2 ♣ 10 8 6 3 spade layout. Since partner would not lead to finesse against dummy’s ten. ♠ Q 7 5 3 return the six from A-J-6-3 and it is ♥ K 8 6 unlikely that declarer would choose to ♦ A 9 2 crash honours with Q-J-5-3 facing 10-8, 4. ♠ 8 ♣ A J 4 you place the jack on your right and the ♥ K 7 3 three opposite. This means you can set ♦ K Q J 9 4 up the spades either by ducking this trick ♣ K Q J 5 West North East South or by playing king and another. ♠ K J 7 4 2 ♠ A 6 3 1NT(12-14) Although there is a slim chance that you ♥ Q 10 6 4 N ♥ 9 5 W E ♣ ♦ ♦ Pass 3NT All Pass will gain the lead with the Q, dummy’s 10 5 S A 7 6 3 diamond suit indicates that declarer is ♣ 9 2 ♣ 10 8 7 3 You lead the ♠6: ♠9, ♠K and ♠3. East re- more likely to attack diamonds, a suit in ♠ Q 10 9 5 turns the ♠2, covered by the ♠5. What is which you cannot gain the lead yourself. ♥ A J 8 2 your plan? You thus play low at trick two, leaving ♦ 8 2 If you have paid attention to the spade partner a spade to return after getting in ♣ A 6 4 pips, you will know that only one spade with the ♦K. higher than the eight is still out: the queen. Since partner would have played West North East South the queen from K-Q-7 at trick one and 3. ♠ J 1♦ Pass 1♥ returned the seven from K-7-2, you know ♥ J 9 7 5 3 Pass 2♣ Pass 2NT that the Q-7 are on your right. To set up ♦ A J 10 9 Pass 3♥ Pass 3NT the spades you need to take the ace and ♣ K 10 5 All Pass lead the eight or ten. If your ♦Q is an en- ♠ A 10 7 4 2 ♠ K 8 3 try, which it may well be if partner has the ♥ K 10 6 4 N ♥ Q 8 ♦A or ♦K, you will get to run the spades. ♦ Void W E ♦ 7 6 5 4 You lead the ♠4, which goes to the ♠8, S This is a good chance and you should go ♣ Q 9 8 2 ♣ J 7 4 3 ♠A and ♠5. Back comes the ♠6 covered for it. ♠ Q 9 6 5 by the ♠9. What is your plan? ♥ A 2 Partner’s carding indicates an original ♦ K Q 8 3 2 holding of A-6-3, which puts declarer 2. ♠ 10 8 ♣ A 6 with Q-10-9-5 and a certain stopper. ♥ A Q 3 If you expected to gain the lead (or if ♦ A J 9 8 4 you thought declarer had the rest of the ♣ K 7 5 West North East South tricks), you would take the ♠J and ♠K and ♠ K 9 7 4 2 ♠ A 6 3 1♦ clear the suit. Here, however, a glance ♥ 9 5 2 N ♥ J 10 7 4 1♠ 2♥ 2♠ 2NT(15-16) at dummy tells you to expect declarer W E ♦ ♦ 6 5 S K 7 3 Pass 3NT All Pass to play on the minor suits. Partner must ♣ Q 9 2 ♣ 10 8 3 have an ace somewhere (South would ♠ Q J 5 You lead the ♠4: ♠J, ♠K and ♠5. Partner rebid 3NT with 14 points), which you ♥ K 8 6 returns the ♠8 covered by the ♠9. What hope is the ♦A or the ♣A as an entry. You ♦ Q 10 2 is your plan? therefore duck the second trick, despite ♣ A J 6 4 Since partner would return a low card your tenace holding. Then when partner from an original four-card holding, you gains the lead you can run the spades. n

BRIDGE January 2019 Page 41 Continued from page 40 assuming it is not Acol if take the auction to a higher same way. You answered a West can also make a people play a few details level. This was realised a question about the bidding comparable call which really differently. long time ago and is more but did not say that the means one that shows no Acol is usually taught with a a matter of logic than bid was illegal. Our basic additional information to the weak no-trump because that otherwise. The result of system is 5 card majors. 1NT bid, but it is not really is the easiest way to teach people not playing them possible to think of one. it and thus to learn it. But it to show extra is that from The EBU has had a does not become a different time to time they will get to lot of trouble with ♣♦♥♠ system if people play a a bad contract because it A people playing different no-trump range is at too high a level. There artificial openings that I was very so long as they are playing seems no other effect. purport to show strong hands interested but light two over ones and and are opened on hands Q also perplexed by four card majors. However ♣♦♥♠ that have a lot of playing David Stevenson’s “Correct there is a problem then tricks but are weak in top names” (November 2018). with how to bid balanced What is the normal cards. Accordingly they have David says that an Acol 2 hands of 12 to 14 points length of time to produced rules as to how over 1 response shows at because if you open 1♥ or Q allow per board in you are allowed to play such least 9 points. That may 1♠ and partner responds a club duplicate session? openings. The rules have be the recommendation in 2♣ or 2♦ you are not strong Kit Jackson, changed somewhat but the the EBU Standard English enough to rebid 2NT. The Balham. current rules are either of: modern Acol system file. But solution as played in Acol A) Any hand of 16 most other Acol teachers (eg since the 1940s is to allow There is no normal or more points Klinger, Roth, Robson and three card minor openings. time in general B) Any hand of 12 or Magee) specify 10 points. As for authorities, there A because it differs more points containing 5 So 9 points is surely are SJ (Skid) Simon, Cohen from club to club. At or more controls, where not a cornerstone of & Barrow, Eric Crowhurst, some clubs the directors an ace is two controls and Acol (and I would have Terence Reese and many allow a lot of leeway, in a king is one control. thought inadvisable since it others. After learning others the opposite. So if you play your 2♦ becomes unclear whether basic Acol with a weak An EBU authority has as 8 tricks or more with 16 opener’s rebid of 2NT on a no-trump it might be worth suggested seven minutes per or more points, or with 12 balanced hand of 15 or 16 experimenting with different board plus a further minute is or more points and 5 or points should be treated as no-trump ranges to see if normal, so that would mean more controls, it is legal. forcing to 3NT or merely they suit, but it is still Acol. 15, 22 or 29 minutes for a But if, for example, you invitational). Secondly, I 2, 3 or 4 board round. In would open 2♦ with: certainly agree that Acol ♣♦♥♠ events I run I usually allow is based on 4-card major a minute more than that, openings. But when he At our club, as so 16, 23 or 30 minutes for ♠ K Q J 10 9 x x says that opening a 3-card everywhere a 2, 3 or 4 board round. ♥ K Q J x minor can be part of an Q else, most However, if your club is ♦ Q x Acol system... Really? I people play reverses. slower or faster then that ♣ Void always thought that an Acol However, there are a is the speed to play at. suit opening was always couple of pairs who do of your longest suit. What not play them as showing ♣♦♥♠ which certainly has 8 playing authority is David following? a stronger hand. tricks, then your 2♦ is illegal. David Potter by email. Can you confirm that We play at If you keep your 2♦ to 16+ these bids therefore need to Totteridge Bridge or 12+ with 5+ controls Nine plus and ten be alerted as they are not Q Club. A few weeks then it is legal. Note also plus are very close what other pairs expect? ago the director alerted me that if you open on 12+ A but if I had said Andrew Peel by email. that a bid we were playing points with 5+ controls you ten plus it would sound was illegal. We play an must also make that clear: as though I had excluded If a reverse may opening 2♦ as 8 tricks in an it is not good enough to say nine plus. The difference is be on a minimum unspecified suit (alerted). “Eight plus playing tricks”. really irrelevant: the point is A opener then it Our majors are weak twos. I Something like “Eight plus that it is a lighter two over should be alerted. have come across an article playing tricks: may be weaker one response than many However it is difficult to in the February 2018 issue in top cards with good systems play. Some people see how the opposition can of BRIDGE where a pair distribution and controls” is actually play eight plus. be damaged if it is not. were playing this exact acceptable. n The important thing is The reason why reverses not to make the mistake of show extra is because they [email protected]

Page 42 BRIDGE January 2019 BERNARD Answers to Bernard Magee’s MAGEE’S Bidding Quizzes 1-3 INTERACTIVE TUTORIAL CD on the Cover and page 7 ACOL BIDDING

most importantly 1NT is much more pre- 1. Dealer West. Game All. emptive than 1♣. ♠ K 5 ♠ Q J 4 2 Over 1♣ your opponents might well MAC or ♥ K 4 N ♥ A Q 6 5 find their heart fit, whilst over 1NT they Windows ♦ A Q 4 2 W E ♦ 9 7 5 will find it more difficult. S ♣ J 8 6 5 4 ♣ 3 2 In 1NT you will lose some heart tricks, but once you get the lead, you may well make seven tricks off the top. West North East South ?

1NT. With 13 HCP you should certainly 3. Dealer West. N/S Game. choose to open the bidding and there ♠ 8 3 2 ♠ A 4 are two options: 1♣ or 1NT. Your choice ♥ 7 6 N ♥ A 9 4 Throughout 200 deals split depends on your rebid after you open 1♣. ♦ K Q J 10 7 6 W E ♦ 8 5 2 S into ten chapters, Bernard After a major suit response you should ♣ 5 4 ♣ Q J 9 8 7 evaluates your bids, praising not rebid 2♦ because this is a reverse bid, the correct ones and showing extra strength. You cannot rebid discussing the wrong ones. 1NT because this would also show more West North East South strength (15-17). That would leave you ? l Opening Bids with just one option: rebidding 2♣. and Responses Opening 1♣ and rebidding 2♣ does 3♦. There are two possible answers to l Slams and not look right with this hand. Surely it is this: pass or 3♦, but I would like you to Strong Openings better to tell a white lie and open 1NT. contemplate the latter seriously. You are not perfectly balanced but with With your opponents vulnerable and l Support for Partner high cards in both majors it has a good you not – you have a green light to be l Pre-empting spread of strength. aggressive in the bidding. Your hand may not make one trick in a contract l Overcalls other than diamonds, yet you have five l No-trump £66 certain tricks in diamonds. Openings 2. Dealer West. Game All. Had you held one more diamond I and Responses ♠ 4 3 2 ♠ A 8 7 6 am sure you would not have hesitated to ♥ 7 6 N ♥ 9 8 5 open 3♦. Well my advice to you is that l Opener’s and W E ♦ A J 4 ♦ 9 7 6 at favourable vulnerability, in first or Responder’s Rebids S ♣ A K 8 7 5 ♣ Q 4 3 third seat, try the effect of opening weak l Minors and Misfits threes in the minors with strong six-card l Doubles suits. West North East South This is true even if you play three weak l Competitive Auctions ? twos. A 2♦ opening is not particularly pre-emptive with this type of hand, ♦ Mr Bridge, Ryden Grange, 1NT. With this hand you have a different whereas 3 is much more effective. Knaphill, Surrey GU21 2TH prospect to the first hand, but the answer (Hence my advice is not to bother with a is the same. You have a balanced shape weak 2♦ at all). ( 01483 489961 and 12-14 points without a long major, In the majors stick to your seven-card www.mrbridge.co.uk/mrbridge-shop so you should open 1NT. suits and don’t forget that the vulnerability No-trumps scores more than clubs, but has to be right. n

BRIDGE January 2019 Page 43

BERNARD Answers to Bernard Magee’s MAGEE’S Bidding Quizzes 4-6 INTERACTIVE TUTORIAL CD on the Cover and page 7 DECLARER

PLAY may be important to have your partner 4. Dealer East. Love All. as declarer. ♠ 7 6 ♠ A 2 Start slowly by responding in a new ♥ K Q 6 4 N ♥ A 8 7 5 suit remembering that your partner ♦ 7 6 W E ♦ 3 2 cannot pass. If you are going to tell a lie S ♣ A J 8 7 6 ♣ K Q 10 9 5 it must be in a minor because otherwise your partner will take you seriously. If MAC or you respond 1♠ your partner will expect Windows West North East South to play in a spade contract. Instead you 1♣ Pass choose 1♦ and over 1♠ from your partner ? you would try the fourth suit forcing. East would bid no-trumps with his heart 1♥. This hand is straightforward: you holding protected with him as declarer.

should follow the rule of always showing a major before supporting a minor. You respond 1♥ and you find your heart fit. 4♥ will usually make ten tricks, whilst in Bernard develops your clubs although your trump fit is bigger, 6. Dealer East. Love All. you make only the same ten tricks. ♠ J 9 3 ♠ A 7 6 5 declarer play technique in ♥ A 8 7 N ♥ Q 4 the course of ten W E ♦ Q 4 3 ♦ 5 2 introductory exercises and S ♣ K 8 7 6 ♣ A Q 5 4 3 120 complete deals.

l Suit Establishment 5. Dealer East. Love All. in No-trumps ♠ K Q 2 ♠ A 8 7 6 West North East South ♥ 9 8 2 N ♥ K 3 1♣ Pass l Suit Establishment ♦ A 3 W E ♦ 6 2 ? in Suits S ♣ A J 8 7 5 ♣ K Q 10 3 2 l Hold-ups

l Ruffing for 1NT. You have a balanced hand with Extra Tricks West North East South four-card club support and 10 HCP. I do £76 1♣ Pass not like 4-3-3-3 hands so would think of l Entries in ? this hand as a poor 9 count. However, No-trumps when responding to 1♣ you have two l Delaying 1♦. This is a nasty type of hand, when choices with club support: 2♣ or 1NT. Drawing Trumps you have no genuine suit to show and no This is because without club support you l Using the Lead suitable club raise available because you would always be able to show a 4+-card are too strong. Both 2♣ and 3♣ are limit suit rather than respond 1NT. This means l Trump Control bids while 4♣ goes beyond 3NT. Bidding that you can use the 1NT response for l Endplays & Avoidance 3NT would be guesswork when a slam in slightly stronger balanced options: 8-10 clubs could easily be on – furthermore it points. This hand certainly fits that bill. n l Using the Bidding

Mr Bridge, Ryden Grange, To support Little Voice, send your used stamps to: Knaphill, Surrey GU21 2TH Malcolm Finebaum: Flat 8 Mountford House, ( 01483 489961 www.mrbridge.co.uk/mrbridge-shop 8 Crescent Road, Enfield EN2 7BL

BRIDGE January 2019 Page 45 David Stevenson answers your Frequently Asked Questions Adjusted Scores Part 1 – Artificial Adjusted Scores

ow does a director give an When a pair gets average plus, the averages. But it is also unfair: it is adjusted score? First we scorer or their program gives the pair easier to get big scores over fewer should look at when he gives concerned 60% or, if their session boards and canny pairs might play Han adjusted score. There are various score is higher than 60%, they get their slowly deliberately if they get Not possibilities. Suppose a board cannot session score. When a pair gets average Played for any boards they miss. be played because someone has fouled minus, the scorer or their program Also pairs who are not at fault should it, for example leaving several cards gives the pair concerned 40% or, if always get 60% or more: unless they face up which are seen by the next their session score is lower than 40%, are having a 60%+ evening, giving table before they play it, or the table they get their session score. Average is them Not Played cheats them out of plays the first board of the round so always 50%. their 60% on the board. slowly there is no time to play the Some directors have been known to Let me give you a terrible example last board, then the director gives give Not Played instead of averages. from my experience. At a club I shall an artificial adjusted score, usually This is unfair and illegal. Why is there not name, my opponents came to the referred to as averages. There is also an option for Not Played? It is where table seven minutes late still arguing the case where a board was played a pair is not expected to play a board vehemently about the last hand. but because of misinformation or a at all; it can be useful for the director. They then played a board and had an hesitation or something similar he One example is where a pair that is argument about that even though my will adjust the score obtained, but that late might not come. The director sets partner and I were trying to get the sort of adjustment will be dealt with the movement up for (say) nine tables next board started. This was repeated in a later article. Let us see how he but once the pair is known not to be at the end of the second board. does it in the case where no score was coming he has only eight and a half. Eventually we started the third board obtained. Now he is running an eight and a half and they reached a doubled contract He finds out who was at fault. If table movement and the pair sitting which was going for 1400 – and we had a pair was at fault they get average out does not expect to play those nothing on. At this point the director minus, for example if they had looked boards so they do not get average: he came along and said “You have not at the traveller before playing so the enters Not Played instead. Another got time to play this”, would not let us board could not be played. If they are example might be where the director finish the board and put Not Played in not at fault they get average plus, as in curtails the movement because the the Bridgemate. Of course stopping the example above where the pairs at whole movement has been slow and a board part way through should the previous table were at fault because decides not to play the last board (or never be done anyway. At the end they fouled the board. There is also the the last round). Now these boards our 57% was just behind the winners possibility of giving average where the are no longer in the movement so so I worked it out. If the director had pair is partly at fault, which usually averages are inappropriate: he enters let us play it, we would have got 1400 means that both pairs contributed Not Played. and won: if he had given us average to the board being unplayable. If a What happens when Not Played plus as deserved we would have won, table was late finishing the previous is entered? A scoring program adds but Not Played was just enough to put board and both sides had been slow up the scores on each board played us second. You do not want to know the director might judge that if either and adds up the total possible score what was in the letter I sent to the club side had played at a normal speed they on each board played, including committee. could have played the last board, so boards where there are averages. But If the club uses Bridgemates (or both pairs are partly at fault and each the program ignores any Not Played similar table-top scorers) the director gets average. Note that the director is boards completely. Then it divides the puts averages in himself into the required to find out who is at fault. total score by the total possible score Bridgemate. Directors have been heard to say and that percentage is the pair’s score. If not using Bridgemates, he should “Take an average” when a table is late Why is giving Not Played instead of write the adjustments down on paper without finding out why the table is averages so bad? The simple answer is for the scorer, even if he is the scorer late. That is illegal. that it is illegal since the laws require himself. n

Page 46 BRIDGE January 2019 BERNARD Answers to Bernard Magee’s MAGEE’S Bidding Quizzes 7-9 INTERACTIVE TUTORIAL CD on the Cover and page 7 DEFENCE 7. Dealer South. Game All. Dbl. 14 HCP, shortage in the opened suit ♠ A K 2 ♠ 9 8 7 6 and reasonable support for all the unbid ♥ 7 6 5 N ♥ A 8 2 suits – sounds like a take-out double. You ♦ K J 7 6 5 W E ♦ 4 2 do have 2♦ as another option, but you S ♣ Q 4 ♣ J 9 3 2 should try to keep the unbid major in the MAC or picture: this is the important difference to Windows the previous hand. Holding four spades West North East South and a singleton heart, you want your 1♥ partner to choose a suit and particularly ? to bid spades when he has at least four of them. Pass. You are vulnerable on this hand When you have a choice between so your overcalls should certainly be overcalling in a minor and doubling – up to scratch. 2-level overcalls are very look at your holding in the unbid majors different to 1-level overcalls: the latter – if there is potential there, then double can be made on 7 or 8 points, but instead. Notice, that with a five-card 2-level bids should show a decent hand. major it is generally correct to overcall Bernard develops your Generally, they show a six-card suit and first. defence in the course of ten a near opening hand, particularly when introductory exercises and vulnerable. 120 complete deals. Now, I am sure a lot of you overcall 9. Dealer South. Game All. on much weaker hands, but the reason ♠ J 5 4 ♠ A K 7 3 l Lead vs for this is that you do not get doubled ♥ A Q N ♥ 4 2 W E No-trump Contracts ♦ K Q 10 9 6 3 ♦ J 5 enough, so generally you get away with S l Lead vs it. Notice that here, not only are you ♣ A 4 ♣ Q 8 5 3 2 Suit Contracts gambling on a weakish suit, but you might not want a diamond led against l Partner of Leader vs No-trump an opposition contract with your strong West North East South ♥ Contracts spade holding. 1 You might think of double as an option, ? l Partner of Leader but you have only one long suit and are vs Suit Contracts not short in hearts – very often your 1NT. 16 points this time and a six-card l Count partner will compete in spades placing suit so some action is certainly needed. Signals you with at least four. 2♦ rather undersells the hand and you If you did choose to overcall 2♦ on may well miss a game. Perhaps 3♦ might l Attitude £76 ♦ Signals this hand, you would have finished in 2 seem to fit the bill, but although this doubled going three off: -800. might be strong in your system, it does l Discarding take up a lot of room and your strong l Defensive Plan heart stopper is a major asset that your 8. Dealer South. Game All. partner might not expect. l Stopping Declarer ♠ A J 5 4 ♠ Q 10 3 2 Surely a better bid is to overcall 1NT – l Counting the Hand ♥ 7 N ♥ 9 8 4 this describes both your strength (15-18) ♦ K Q 10 9 7 W E ♦ 3 2 and your heart holding (a good stopper) S ♣ A 4 3 ♣ K Q 8 7 – and although not strictly balanced, a Mr Bridge, Ryden Grange, long minor so often comes in handy in Knaphill, Surrey GU21 2TH no-trumps. ( 01483 489961 West North East South Your partner with 10 points would go www.mrbridge.co.uk/mrbridge-shop 1♥ to 3NT (via Stayman). n ?

BRIDGE January 2019 Page 47 Sally Brock Looks at Your Slam Bidding Sally’s Slam Clinic

Where did we go wrong? was enough information for West to use Blackwood. If using RKCB, West This month’s deal was sent in by Roger can press on with 5NT on hearing of Harris from Stratford-upon-Avon three ‘aces’ opposite. Then if East had Bridge Club: a king the grand slam would be bid. As it is West could have a go anyway, as the grand would seem just to need the Love All. ♦K with the opening bidder and a 4-3 ♠ K J 6 5 4 diamond break. However, I think the ♥ K J 10 6 4 matchpoints gained for bidding the ♦ K 4 2 small slam would be sufficient that it ♣ Void would not be worth risking a minus ♠ 9 8 7 ♠ A 3 score. ♥ A 5 3 N ♥ 9 W E ♦ 9 ♦ A Q 10 6 3 S Slam of the month ♣ A Q J 10 6 2 ♣ K 9 7 5 4 ♠ Q 10 2 Andrew Elliott sent me a couple of ♥ Q 8 7 2 slam hands that he had bid well with ♦ J 8 7 5 his partner Paul de Weerd at a club ♣ 8 3 on the Isle of Man. I particularly liked this one:

Their bidding was: ♠ A K 2 ♠ 7 6 5 3 West North East South ♥ A 9 6 4 N ♥ 8 1♠ 2NT Pass ♦ A Q J 10 4 W E ♦ K 9 6 3 2 S 5♣ All Pass ♣ 7 ♣ A Q 3

In the old days there was a theory that a two-suited overcall should either This was their auction: be weak or strong. The problem with this idea is that no-one knew how you West North East South should bid an intermediate strength 1♦ Pass 3♥ Pass hand, when it surely makes sense to 3♠ Pass 4♣ Pass show both suits from the outset. I can’t 4♥ Pass 5♦ Pass say that I exactly like the 2NT overcall, 6♦ All Pass but no other action describes the hand better. The first major decision was East’s I don’t think there was any need for initial response. Playing a system West to bid quite so high so quickly. where the 1♦ opening guarantees at After all, there was no reason to suppose least four (or even five as some people that North-South were interested in play), I like the idea of making a bidding much more – and even if one rather than responding in of them did suddenly bid 4♠ (or 4♥) the weak four-card spade suit. 3♥ is then West could always bid 5♣ later. music to West’s ears! After a few cue- I would have started with 3♠ on the bids East signs off – he has certainly West hand, and then I would have bid bid all he has. However, West was 3NT as East to show a spade honour never stopping short of slam – indeed, and suggest extra values. Now East- West must have information about West are in a forcing sequence, West how aggressive a bidder his partner is, can bid 4♣ to set the suit and East can otherwise he might have had a pot at cue-bid 4♦. I would have thought that the grand slam. ■

Page 48 BRIDGE January 2019 Answers to Bernard Magee’s Bidding Quizzes 10-12 on the Cover and page 7

you can respond accordingly: going for 10. Dealer North. Game All. no-trumps when it is right, or jumping to ♠ 9 4 3 2 ♠ A J the level of your fit, when you are weak ♥ A K N ♥ 9 4 and distributional. ♦ K Q 3 W E ♦ A J 10 9 8 4 With four-card support for diamonds, S Real Leather ♣ J 7 6 5 ♣ 8 4 2 you expect six from partner so jump to Bridge Gifts 4♦ (ten tricks). Beautiful leather zipped cases in When bidding minors it is often correct burgundy red or deep blue containing West North East South to push to the four-level in competition two packs of cards and a set of 1♥ 2♦ Pass when non-vulnerable. our bridge design ballpoint pens. ? By jumping high and fast you make life Fantastic value at just £29.00 difficult for your opponents. 3NT. Your partner has made a vulnerable Hopefully your bid might stop North- A set of four scorepad holders - two 2-level overall in a minor – you should South bidding their major suit game – it burgundy and two blue made from expect a decent six-card suit and a near certainly puts the pressure on North. top quality leather. (Scorepads not opening hand. included) Offered at this special When supporting a minor, if you have price of £29.00 high cards in your partner’s suit then you should envisage the suit running (off the 12. Dealer North. Game All. top) which means no-trumps might be ♠ A 8 7 ♠ 6 5 the best denomination. ♥ 4 3 N ♥ K 5 2 W E ♦ ♦ Here you have two fitting high cards K Q 4 S A J 10 9 8 7 and a double heart stopper. I would ♣ A 6 5 4 3 ♣ K 8 expect eight tricks off the top in no- trumps and that is giving partner just 4-5 points in diamonds. West North East South Therefore, expecting an extra card or 1♥ 2♦ Pass two outside his long suit, I would jump ? to 3NT. There is an element of gambling, but 2♥. Once again you are looking to rely when you have a running minor these on a decent two-level overcall when gambles tend to pay off. vulnerable. With a lovely holding in your Your partner is as weak as he could be partner’s suit you should be thinking Exclusive to S R Designs. at this vulnerability, but 3NT is cold. no-trumps – running diamond tricks. Despatched by first class post or However, to play in no-trumps, the DPD Courier service for just £3.25 partnership needs a stopper in hearts. CARDS, CLOTHS, You can probably count eight tricks, so JIGSAWS AND LOTS 11. Dealer North. Love All. all you need is one stopper for the game MORE GIFT IDEAS ON ♠ J 7 6 ♠ 4 2 to be right. Use a bid of the opponents’ ♥ 7 N ♥ A 9 4 suit to help you: 2♥. OUR WEBSITE W E ♦ K Q 5 2 ♦ A J 10 9 8 4 As usual in competition this shows a S www.bridge-tables.co.uk ♣ J 9 6 5 4 ♣ Q 2 strong hand and tells your partner that you are excited. In minor suit auctions it PHONE will very often be asking for a stopper in West North East South the suit. 01483 270100 1♥ 2♦ Pass Here East would bid 2NT and you can or order online at ? raise to 3NT. www.bridge-tables.co.uk SR Designs for Bridge You have nine tricks off the top and Unit A1, Send Business Park, Woking GU23 7EF 4♦. The advantage of keeping your on a heart lead because East is declarer, 2-level overcalls up to scratch is that you will make ten tricks. n

BRIDGE January 2019 Page 49 More Tips from Bernard Magee Be Ready To Receive Signals

uch is written about which discarding systems, but for signalling signals to play and about giving ♠ K 9 when following suit (once you have Mthose signals, but it is rare to ♥ K 8 7 6 already shown count) there is generally talk about the receiver. If you are looking ♦ A 7 6 2 just one: use HIGH cards to signal for for a signal, you are more likely to ♣ K 4 3 HIGHER ranking suits, LOW for LOWER understand the nuances of your partner’s ♠ A 8 4 ranking suits. ♦2. When you are focused on your own ♥ 10 9 2 N You should choose a heart switch: ♥10 W E hand, then it is very easy to miss a signal. ♦ J 10 9 8 S When do we need a signal? ♣ 10 9 5 When you lead a high card against a ♠ K 9 suit contract, your partner should give ♥ K 8 7 6 an attitude signal – as a partnership it West North East South ♦ A 7 6 2 is important to get this right: the leader 1NT1 ♣ K 4 3 should be looking for his partner’s signal. Pass 2♣ Pass 2♠ ♠ A 8 4 ♠ 7 6 5 3 Pass 3NT All Pass ♥ 10 9 2 N ♥ A Q J 5 W E 1 (12-14) ♦ J 10 9 8 ♦ 4 3 S ♠ 10 9 7 ♣ 10 9 5 ♣ J 7 6 ♥ A K 6 You lead the ♦J against 3NT; declarer ♠ Q J 10 2 ♦ J 3 2 wins in hand with his king and then leads ♥ 4 3 ♣ J 8 7 6 a spade to the king which you duck. ♦ K Q 5 As soon as dummy came down and ♣ A Q 8 2 declarer chose to play on spades you From a hand like this against 4♠, you should have two thoughts: might choose to lead the ♥A – usually a I am going to get the lead and what I have clearly chosen a deal where your good and safe lead – promising the ♥K. should I play next? and dummy’s holdings in clubs and However, your play to the next trick may The answer is that you are not sure, but hearts are very similar and so you have well depend on your partner’s play. You you would love your partner to help – this to choose between the two suits. should be looking closely at the card he means you should look at your partner’s The signal is very subtle and could plays – if he encourages you with a high plays carefully and see if he gives you easily be missed. However, if you are card, you can continue the suit, expecting any clue. looking to receive the signal then you are him to hold the ♥Q or perhaps to be Here I can tell you that he played his more likely to notice it. able to ruff. If he plays a discouraging lowest diamond on your opening lead, Declarer might still make 3NT by low card, you will generally keep your ♥K and then he played the ♠7 followed by ducking hearts twice, but keeping him for later and perhaps change the suit. Be ♠6 on the first two rounds of spades, to nine tricks will get you a great score. ready to receive his signal. whilst declarer led the ♠2 to the king and If you fail to switch to hearts, declarer Another important time to be on the then the ♠9 back to his ♠10 and your ace. makes three spades, four clubs and three lookout for a signal is when you know The ♠5 and ♠3 are missing – they diamonds, for ten tricks. you are going to be on lead, but you are must be still in your partner’s hand. This Defence is tremendously difficult, but not sure what you should lead next. Look means your partner has been playing his as a partnership you can help yourselves for any clue from your partner that might higher spot cards in the spade suit – why? by signalling together – one person help. There are all sorts of different giving and the other receiving. n BERNARD MAGEE’S TUTORIAL CDs ADVANCED DECLARER PLAY ADVANCED ACOL BIDDING FIVE-CARD MAJORS Overtricks in No-trumps | Basics | Advanced Basics | Weak & Strong No-Trump Overtricks in Suit Contracts | Twos | Strong Hands | Defence Opening Bids & Responses Endplays | Avoidance | Wrong £81 to Weak Twos | Defence to £96 | No-Trump Openings | £89 Contract | Simple Squeezes 1NT | Doubles | Two-suited Support for Partner | Slams & Strong Openings | Rebids | Minors | Counting the Hand | Trump MAC Overcalls | Defences to Other Reductions & Coups | Playing compatible Systems | Misfits and Distributional & Misfits | Pre-empting | Doubles | Doubled Contracts | Safety Plays Hands Overcalls | Competitive Auctions

Page 50 BRIDGE January 2019